lördag 14 mars 2009

Saturday with Gutenberg

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Today had some lovely old books in store for me. I've spent most of the day reading "The Orbis Pictus" "the first children’s picture book". It is a textbook in Latin.
"The first edition of this celebrated book was published at Nuremberg in 1657; soon after a translation was made into English by Charles Hoole. The last English edition appeared in 1777, and this was reprinted in America in 1812. This was the first illustrated school-book, and was the first attempt at what now passes under the name of “object lessons.” It is not only an unbelievable extensive book in Latin - we can also learn what the English was like in 1657 and what most everything looked like from household items to animals and tools.

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The Fire gloweth, burneth and consumeth to ashes.
Ignis ardet, urit, cremat.

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A spark of it struck out of a Flint (or Firestone), 2. by means of a Steel, 1. and taken by Tynder in a Tynder-box, 3. lighteth a Match, 4. and after that a Candle, 5. 9 or stick, 6. and causeth a flame, 7. or blaze, 8.which catcheth hold of the Houses.
Scintilla ejus elisa e Silice, (Pyrite) 2. Ope Chalybis, 1. et excepta a Fomite in Suscitabulo, 3.accendit Sulphuratum, 4. et inde Candelam, 5. vel Lignum, 6.et excitat Flammam, 7. vel Incendium, 8. quod corripit Ædificia.

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Smoak, 9. ascendeth therefrom, which, sticking to the Chimney, 10. turneth into Soot.
Fumus, 9. ascendit inde, qui, adhærans Camino, 10. abit in Fuliginem.

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"Art in Needlework, A Book about Embroidery", from 1900 by Lewis F. Day and Mary Buckle is another find for all who are interested in textiles.


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If you understand German I think you should take a look at "Woher die Kindlein kommen" (Where children comes from" - Sex instruction for children) by Dr. Hans Hoppeler.
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I haven't read any of Ruth Sawyer's early books so I couldn't resist "Seven Miles to Arden" from 1915.


"Two Centuries of Costume in America, Vol. 1 (1620-1820)" by Alice Morse Earle from 1903 is a book I have to return to when I have plenty of time. It has many illustrations and the text seem to cover every possible detail.







2 kommentarer:

  1. Old and historic children books are fascinating. We have famous collections in Geneva and in Zurich too with books from the 17th century upwards, giving a little impression how children life was at that time. Now I am going to have my second cup of early morning tea ;-) !
    Have a lovel day!
    Barbara

    SvaraRadera
  2. It's probably hard for us to really understand what those books meant for kids a hundred, or more, years ago. And I can't but wonder what the author of the Latin textbook would have said if somebody told him about computers and how we can red his book today only by pressing buttons!
    Margaretha

    SvaraRadera