Rare, very good complete set (internally sound and with minor damages to spines mainly) of one of the best editions, prefered by many scolars (See Graesse) of this landmark of historical scolarship (Cf. Biogr.-Bibl. Kirchenlex.). Baronius, cardinal and ecclesiastical historian, born at Sora in the Kingdom of Naples, 1538 died at Rome 1607. His "Annales Ecclesiastici", mark an epoch in historiography and merited for its author, after Eusebius, the title of a Father of Ecclesiastical History. It is a classic of Counter-Reformation scholarship--an effort to show that the true church had always been Catholic - albeit its weaknesses of research and criticism of sources. The first volume appeared in 1588 and was universally acclaimed for its surprising wealth of information, its splendid erudition, and its timely vindication of papal claims. More impressive was the truly phenomenal sale the book secured and the immediate demand for its translation into the principal European languages. It was Baronius' intention to produce a volume every year; but the second was not ready until early in 1590. The next four appeared yearly, the seventh late in 1596, the other five at still-longer intervals, up to 1607, when, just before his death, he completed the twelfth volume, which he had foreseen in a vision would be the term of his work. It brought the history down to 1198, the year of the accession of Innocent III. The "Annals" remained the inspiration of students of history for three centuries and an inexhaustible storehouse for research. No one work has treated so completely the epoch with which they deal. Nowhere are there to be found collected so many important documents. Unbiased scholars recognize in them the foundation-stone of true historical science, and in their author the qualities of the model historian: indefatigable diligence in research, passion for verification, accuracy of judgment, and unswerving loyalty to truth. Despite this care, Baronio cited many documents as authentic which a more enlightened criticism has rejected as apocryphal. His most serious defects were incident to the very accuracy he essayed in casting his history in the strictly annalistic form. The attempt to assign to each successive year its own events involved him in numerous chronological errors. To the original twelve volumes of the "Annals", there have been added continuations in the style of Baronius. The most worthy are those of the Oratorians Raynaldus, ablest of the continuators, who - with material accumulated by Baronius - carried the history to the year 1565 (Rome, 1646-77, 9 vols.) and Laderchi, who continued it thence to 1571 (Rome, 1728-37, 3 vols.). The best editions (Cath. Encycl.) of Baronius are our set, Lucca (1738-59, 38 vols.) and Bar-le-Duc (1864-83, 37 vols.); the former contains the continuations of Raynald, the critique of Pagi and others, and is enriched by the notes of Archbishop Mansi. The folded plate which is mentioned for the set in Oxford Univ. Library, does not show in our copy of the apparatus volume. General condition of the volumes (detailed bibliographical description and defects per volume on request): Occasional paperspotting and browning, damage to some labels; pages somewhat wrinkled; wormholes in spine, and inner margins; Damages and wormholes to the vellum on spine of several volumes, some with (residue of) old repairs; but all volumes are still firm and sound and in all they present a very good impressive set folios of a rare standard work. Graesse I, p. 296.; Hurter I, p. 388: "editio rara..".