Florence.
1844. Hugh Murray's Edition. It is, like the present one, eclectic as
regards the text, but the Editor has taken large liberties with the
arrangement of the Book.
1845. Buerck's German Version, Leipzig. It is translated from Ramusio, with
copious notes, chiefly derived from Marsden and Ritter. There are
some notes at the end added by the late Karl Friedrich Neumann, but
as a whole these are disappointing.
1847. Lazari's Italian edition was prepared at the expense of the late
Senator T. Pasini, in commemoration of the meeting of the Italian
Scientific Congress at Venice in that year, to the members of which
it was presented. It is a creditable work, but too hastily got up.
1854. Mr. T. Wright prepared an edition for Bohn's Antiq.
Library. The notes are in the main (and professedly) abridged
from Marsden's, whose text is generally followed, but with the
addition of the historical chapters, and a few other modifications
from the Geographic Text.
1854-57. Voyageurs Anciens et Modernes, &c. Par M. Ed. Charion.
Paris. An interesting and creditable popular work. Vol. ii.
contains Marco Polo, with many illustrations, including copies from
miniatures in the Livre des Merveilles. (See list in App. F.
p. 528.)
1863. Signor Adolfo Bartoli reprinted the Crusca MS. from the original,
making a careful comparison with the Geographic Text. He has
prefixed a valuable and accurate Essay on Marco Polo and the
Literary History of his Book, by which I have profited.
1865. M. Pauthier's learned edition.
1871. First edition of the present work.
1873. First publication of Marco Polo in Russian.
1875. Second edition of this work.
1882. Facsimile of the French Stockholm MS. by Baron A.E. Nordenskioeld.
II. - BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PRINTED EDITIONS.[1]
A. - GERMAN EDITIONS.
1. - 1. Nuremberg ... 1477.
The first translation of Marco Polo's Book was printed in German, at
Nuremberg, in 1477.
Collation: 58 ff. folio without pagination and without signatures.
Verso f. 1: Frontispiece: Portrait of Marco Polo with this
inscription round the border: [Top] Das ist der edel Ritter. Marcho polo
von [right] Venedig der grost landtfarer der vns beschreibt die grossen
wunder der welt [Foot] die er selber gesehenn hat. Von dem auffgang [left]
pis zu dem nydergag der sunne. der gleyche vor nicht meer gehort seyn.
[See p. 555.]
Recto f. 2, begins:
Hie hebt sich an das puch des edeln Ritters vn landtfarers || Marcho
polo. In dem er schreibt die grossen wunderlichen || ding dieser welt.
Sunderlichen von den grossen kunigen vnd || keysern die da herschen in
den selbigen landen | vnd von irem || volck vnd seiner gewonheit da
selbs.
Verso f. 58: Hie endet sich das puch des edeln Ritters und landtfarerz
|| Marcho polo | das do sagt vo mangerley wunder der landt || vn lewt | vn
wie er die selbigen gesehen vn durch faren hat || von de auffgang pisz zu
dem nydergang der sune Seliglich.
Disz hat gedruckt Fricz Creiszner zu Nurmberg Nach cristi || gepurdt
Tausent vierhundert vn im siben vn sibenczigte iar.
[Illustration: Frontispiece of the first German Edition.]
The copy which I have examined is in the Grenville Library, No. 6787.
(Vide Bib. Grenvilliana, Part II. p. 305.) When Marsden edited his
Marco Polo, Grenville did not possess this edition. The only known copy
was in the Vienna Imperial Library, but was without the portrait.
Grenville had made a transcript spoken of by Marsden, pp. lxx.-lxxi.,
which we describe infra. "When Mr. Marsden," says Grenville in a MS.
note at the beginning of this fine volume, "published his translation of
this work, the only known copy of this first German Edition was in the
Imperial Library at Vienna, and I had a literal transcript made from it:
Since that time a second copy was found and sold by Payne and Foss to Lord
Spencer: and now I have purchased from Leipsick a third [the present]
beautiful copy. I know of no fourth copy. The copy at Vienna wants the
portrait."
Vide Bib. Spenceriana, vol. vi. p. 176.
Other copies are to be found at the Imperial Library, Vienna, the Royal
Library, Berlin, the Germanisches Museum, Nuremberg; a sixth copy was in
the Crawford Collection (London, June, 1887, 1359) with the portrait, and
was purchased by B. Quaritch. [See H. Cordier, Cent. of Marco Polo, p.
41.]
- The copy we just spoke of has No. LII. in the Grenville collection,
British Museum; it is a folio of 114 pages numbered with a pencil; bound
with the arms of the Rt. Honble. Thos. Grenville. Page 114, the exactness
of this copy is thus certified: "Apographum collatum cum prototypo, quod
in Bibliotheca Palatina Vindobonensi adservatur. Illo quidem, qui
descripsit, recitante ex prototypo, me vero hoc apographum inspectante.
Respondet pagina paginae, versui versus & syllaba syllabae. Vindobonae die
29. Augusti 1817. B. Kopitar, Biblioth. Palatinae Vindobon. scriptor."
With this manuscript is bound a letter addressed to Mr. Grenville by the
Chevalier Scotti, who had the copy made; it is dated "Vienne 20 nmbre
1817," and ends with this post-scriptum: "N.B. Comme cette Edition fort
peu connue du 477. est une edition non seulement precieuse, mais a la
verite fort rare aussi, elle avoit ete prise par les Francois et portee a
Paris la derniere fois qu'ils ont ete a Vienne. Elle y a ete rendue avec
tout le reste qu'on avoit emporte a la suite des heureux succes des
Coilises, auxquels L'immortel Wellington a tant contribue en y mettant la
derniere couronne dont les lauriers resteront a jamais infletrissables."
2. - 2. Augsburg ... 1481.
- The second German edition of Marco Polo has been reprinted at Augsburg
in 1481; it is as scarce as the first edition; I have examined the copy in
the Imperial Library at St. Petersburg.
Collation: 60 ff. folio, without pagination nor signatures.
Recto f. 1:
