Lot 2850: MORIN, JEAN (1591-1659).

EXERCITATIONES ECCLESIASTICAE IN UTRUMQUE SAMARITANORUM PENTATEUCHUM. DE ILLORUM RELIGIONE ET MORIBUS. DE ANTIQUORUM HEBRAEORUM LITERIS & SIGLIS. CABBALISTICAE SCRIPTURAE SANCTAE INTERPRETATIONIBUS, [ETC.]. PARIS: A. VITRAY, 1631

4to (196 x 130mm.), [16], 394, [6]pp., Hebrew, Samaritan, Greek, Syriac and Roman letter, binding: contemporary English calf, double fillet on covers, flat spine, red edges

NOTE

first edition of this important work dedicated to Morin's patron the Cardinal Richelieu, and a very nice copy. It is unfortunate that Morin's attachment to the importance of the Samaritan text (a language which he taught himself) leads him to disparage overmuch the Masoretic text of the Old Testament, but this work, and his work on the Le Jay polyglot, are important in the history of philology. The Samaritan text often agrees with the Septuagint (of which in 1628 Morin produced an edition; for a copy see Macclesfield Bibles, lot 2352), and its importance was realised by Catholic scholars. Protestant scholars generally placed a greater stress on the Masoretic tradition, and the result was a spate of (mostly) scholarly disagreement.

The Samaritan type used is discussed in Morin's 'Ad lectorem', where the problems of casting the type are discussed: constant delays on the part of the punch cutter and type founders, which meant that Morin had to keep putting work off from one week to another, sickness among the printing workers, and so on.

For another work see also Cellarius Horae Samaritanae, 1705, and the notes thereon.