I think that Powers's citation of Virgil dedicated to Catherine the
Great, suggests that it, Pine's Horace, &c. were designed to be
"special" editions of the most exotic kind. There can be no doubt that
typographically composed books would be less costly than an engraved
book. The only advantage I can see to an engraved book (and one does
find brief, children's books thus) is that the text and illus. can be
printed as one operation. MAMcC
Gregory Powers wrote:
>
> Since we're compiling a list now, there was also an edition of Virgil
> pulbished in Brussels in 1757-65 and again ca. 1790, in five volumes. I
> quote from a colleague's catalogue: "This entirely engraved edition of
> Virgil's works was dedicated to Catherine II, Empress of Russia, who bought
> so many copies that the first edition (Hagae-Comitum, 1757-65) is rare
> outside Russia. Reprinted in this edition of 80 copies around 1790."
>
> If anyone wants to know who had this, ask me offline.
>
> Greg Powers
> Powers Rare Books
--
Marcus A. McCorison
mamcc@worldnet.att.net