4to. (VIII),196,(24 index) p. 19th century hardback. 18.5 cm § One of the finest didactic poems of its time. (Ref: STCN ppn 833009389; Willems 186; Berghman 861; Rahir 157; Brunet 3,83: 'la meilleure production poétique de l'auteur'; Ebert 9379; Graesse 3,232) (Details: Dull binding. Title in red & black. Elsevier's printer's mark on the title, depicting an old man standing in the shade of a vine-entwined elmtree, symbolising the symbiotic relationship between scholar and publisher. The motto: 'Non solus', probably indicates the interdependency of publisher and scholar. On the verso of the last leaf of the second volume: 'Lugduni Batavorum, 'Typis Isaaci Elzevirii, Iurati Academiae Typographi, 1621'. Edges dyed red) (Condition: Binding slightly worn. 2 old brownish paper labels on the back. 1 library stamp and 1 small withdrawal 'Doublette' stamp on the title. Paper yellowing) (Note: The Dutch classical scholar of Flemish origin Daniel Heinsius, 1580-1655, who enjoyed international fame as an editor of classical texts, theorist of literary criticism, historian and neolatin poet, was professor of Poetics at the University of Leiden since 1603, and 'extraordinarius' Greek since 1605. After the death of J.J. Scaliger, to whose inner circle he belonged, he held the chair of Greek, from 1609 till 1647. He is best known for his edition of Aristotle's treatise on poetry (1611), which he studied in connexion with the 'Ars Poetica' of Horace. This edition is 'the only considerable contribution to the criticism and elucidation of the work that was ever produced in the Netherlands. (...) In his pamphlet 'De tragoediae Constitutione', published in the same year (1611), he deals with all the essential points in Aristotle's treatise, giving proof that he has thoroughly imbibed the author's spirit. (...) It was through this work that he became a centre of Aristotelian influence in Holland.' (J.E. Sandys, 'A history of classical scholarship, N.Y., 1964, vol. 2, p. 314) Heinsius was an important representative of the great age of Neo-Latin in the Low Countries. The outline of 'De contemptu mortis', a didactic poem in 4 books, is simple: we should not be afraid of death for two reasons, the soul is immortal, and life on earth is full of misery. Platonic, Neoplatonic, Stoic and Christian arguments are set forth which explain why man should not fear death. The form of 'De contemptu' is that of Vergil's Georgica, 4 books of ca. 600 verses. Heinsius confesses his debt to Vergil in the opening lines of his poem, which form a variation of the first verses of the Georgica. The structure of the poem, its style and language are also Vergilian, including the similes. A lucretian element is Heinsius' objective to free humanity, like Lucretius did, from fear of death, but the tenor of the poem is however antilucretian. Heinsius states that the soul doesnot desintegrate after death, but that it continues its existence. Heinsius warns explicitly against epicurism, which is, he thinks, an easy, but misleading philosophy. In book 2 Heinsius answers Lucretius with his own epic catalogue of inspiring famous men. For Lucretius Epicurus was the culmination point, for Heinsius it is the French genius Josephus Justus Scaliger, his much admired master. An important source of inspiration for Heinsius was also the didactic poem 'De animorum immortalitate' of the Italian Aonio Paleario, published in 1535, which is also antilucretian. (Source for 'De contemptu': 'Daniel Heinsius, De verachting van de dood, De contemptu mortis', Vertaling door J. Bloemendaal en W. Steenbeek, Amst., Bert Bakker, 2005, p. 18/23) In the same year 1621 Elsevier published this didactic poem as part of Heinsius' 'Poematum editio nova', but this time in a smaller octavo format. He sold the octavo edition also separately) (Provenance: Round armorial stamp of 'Biblioth. Publ. Reg. Stuttgart'. Small, faint oval stamp on the front pastedown: 'Gerschel's Antiquariat, Stuttgart'. The Kingdom of Württemberg existed in Germany from 1805 to 1918. The kingdom was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which existed from 1495 to 1805. Its capital was Stuttgart) (Collation: *4, A-2D4, 2E2 ) (Photographs on request)