Schola Syriaca una cum Synopsi Chaldaica et Dissertatione de Literis & Lingua Samaritanorum, Johannes Leusden

Publication: Utrecht, Gregorius à Poolsum, 1672

Formatting: 8vo.

Condition Report: Very Good. The book is presented in a fine full leather Cambridge-style panelled binding associated with the Payne tradition, demonstrating remarkable preservation for its age. The binding remains firmly intact, with the boards perfectly square and the hinges tight, indicating excellent structural integrity. The extremities display only light wear, accompanied by slight bumping and gentle curling to the corners that do not compromise the integrity of the boards. The spine, retaining four well-defined raised bands, shows light rubbing at the head and tail, along with small areas of superficial surface loss along its length; however, the gilt titling reading "UTRECHT 1672" at the tail remains faded yet fully legible, and the spine is otherwise clean and uncreased. The boards are highly attractive, displaying only light surface marking to the front and a small indentation to the rear, successfully preserving the rich character of the blind-tooled panelled leather. Internally, the text block is remarkably bright and fresh for the period, showing only light handling wear without any aggressive foxing or dampstaining. Overall, an exceptionally well-preserved and scholarly volume in an accomplished fine binding.

Catalogue Note: This is the second edition of Johannes Leusden's influential seventeenth-century linguistic text. The work stands as a notable example of early European engagement with Semitic languages, combining Syriac instruction with a Chaldaic synopsis and a pioneering dissertation on Samaritan letters.

The volume has been meticulously rebound in a fine full leather Cambridge paneled style, reflecting a later high-quality English rebinding in the distinguished Payne tradition. This refined binding, characterized by its elegant concentric rectangular panels, reflects the high esteem in which this theological and biblical language manual was held by academic collectors.

It bears an attractive provenance, featuring the engraved armorial bookplate of Edward Philips Thompson firmly affixed to the front pastedown. The bookplate displays the family motto "nosce teipsum" and bears the signature of the prominent London heraldic engraver, Harry Soane. Copies of Leusden's early linguistic works, particularly those preserved in such distinguished and structurally sound bindings, are uncommon on the open market.

Johannes Leusden's Schola Syriaca is a landmark of seventeenth-century philology, designed to guide theological scholars through the intricacies of Syriac and Chaldaic (Aramaic), alongside an exploration of the Samaritan language. As a central figure in biblical linguistics at Utrecht University, Leusden crafted this text to deepen the contemporary understanding of Semitic languages and their crucial role in biblical translation. Presented in a striking Cambridge paneled binding, this important manual offers a tangible connection to the golden age of European Orientalist scholarship and theological study.