Historia deorum fatidicorum, vatum, sibyllarum, phoebadum, apud priscos illustrtium: cum eorum iconibus. Praeposita est dissertatio de divinatione et oraculis. Cologne, sumptibus Petri Chouet,

Engraving of a temple by J. L. Durant on title-page, 49 full-page engraved plates (including 46 of portraits of gods and goddesses, sybils and writers), publisher's engraved device at end.Sm. 4to (199 x 144 mm). [4]ff. "249" [i.e. 239]pp. [2]ff. 18th century quarter green calf and boards.

First edition of this rare work which explores faith, superstition, divination and prophesy, gods and sybils; the numerous illustrations are based on those by De Bry which had appeared in Boissard's treatise on the same subject and show portraits of gods and hermetic writers including Apollo, Jupiter, Pythagoras, Hermes Trismegistus, Iamblichus, and the sybils. The Genevan born writer Mussard, who died in London in 1686, was a protestant preacher who set out to prove in this work that Roman Catholic customs were derived from paganism.Somewhat browned due to paper quality.Dorbon-Ainé, Bibl. Esoterica, no. 3214. J. Rosenthal, Bibl. Mag. Pneum, no, 1413. Not in Caillet.

Stock Code: 40099