Skip to Content

MACHIAVELLI.

Machiavels Prins, med Undersökningen deraf. Öfversatt ifrån Hufvudspråken. - [THE FIRST SCANDINAVIAN EDITION OF "THE PRINCE" - POSSIBLY THE RAREST MACHIAVELLI-TRANSLATION]

Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn56106
Stockholm, Grefing, 1757. Small 8vo. In the original blank wrappers. Dampstain to upper part of spine and upper part of back wrapper, affecting last blank leaf. Old owner's name to title-page. First blank leaf with comments in recent hand in pencil. From the library of Swedish crime author Henning Mankell. Text printed in two columns. Title-page with lovely engraved vignette, depicting a putti with a spyglass (symbolising the Enlightenment) and lovely woodcut vignettes. Untouched and unrestored in completely original condition. A magnificent copy. (16), 256 pp.

Exceedingly scarce first edition of the first Scandinavian translation of Machiavelli's "Il Principe", namely the first Swedish translation. Through its Scandinavian translation, the work came to have an immense impact on Scandinavian politics and philosophy and was considered a breakthrough work of political thought, albeit highly controversial and not at all acceptable at the time. Even though antedating some other European versions by more than two centuries, the first translation into a Nordic language came to signify substantial changes in the political climate of the Nordic countries and sparked a debate that was to last another century, until Machavelli was finally accepted in the North. ""The Prince" was not to be translated in Scandinavia until more than two centuries later, partly because in the meantime it could be read in Latin - in the versions of Tegli, Conring and Langenhert - and later in French, but also because at that time a work which established, among other things, the superiority of the Reason of State to moral values was unacceptable, at least formally. The first translation of "The Prince" into a Nordic language is by Carl von Klingenberg, together with the translation of "The Anti-Machiavel" by Frederick II of Prussia ("Machiavels Prins, med Undersökningen deraf. Öfversatt ifrån Hufvudspråken", Grefing 1757).Klingenberg's work, however, remained an isolated fact for more than a century. Actually "The Prince" as a separate work, was translated only in 1867 by Rudolf August Helfrid Afzelius…; by that time the debate over Machiavelli had been settled, and the value of "The Prince" finally Acknowledged... The first Danish translation of the whole work dates back to only 1876...Therefore the first Scandinavian translation of "The Prince" was completed in Sweden around the middle of the eighteenth century, during the "frihetstid" (The "Age of Liberty", 1721-72), a period full of political, social and cultural turmoil: These are the years of the making of a political conscience and of the spread of new political theories, of the development of rhetoric, of the foundation of reviews and literary associations, as well as of scientific and cultural academies; these years marked a new openness to foreign cultures and the diffusion of Enlightenment ideas. The "Age of Liberty" is also a period full of political and cultural conflicts and uncertainty." (Roberto de Pol, pp. 248-250). "The Prince" constitutes the beginning of modern political philosophy and one of the most influential works in the history of modern thought. It founded the science of modern politics on the study of mankind, and even today no political thinker can disregard the importance of this masterpiece of political theory. For more information about the first Scandinavian translation and about the translator, see: Roberto de Pol: The First Translations of Machiavelli's "Prince", pp. (247-278). The work is of the utmost scarcity and we have been able to locate no more than three copies of it world-wide: 1: National Library of Sweden; 2: National Library of Denmark; 3: Brown University (the Machiavelli Collection). This makes it one if the very scarcest Machiavelli-translations in the world.
Address:
Silkegade 11
DK-1113 Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone:
CVR/VAT:
DK 16 89 50 16

Recently Added From Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S

Regras methódicas para se aprender a escreuer o…
More Photos
VENTURA DA SILVA, JOAQUIM JOSE.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62100
Lisboa, Officina de Simão Thaddeo Ferreira, 1803. Folio-oblong (365 x 255 mm). In contemporary half calf. Wear to extremies, upper part of spine with loss of leather. Ex-libris pasted on to pasted down front end-paper. With, primarily marginal, brownspotting throughout. Dampstain to inner margin and upper outer margin of last 10 ff. 32 ff. Rare first edition of the most celebrated Portuguese treatise on calligraphy. Joaquim José Ventura da Silva (1777–1849), regarded as one of Portugal's finest calligraphers and teachers of writing, composed this methodological guide to handwriting in which he combines a historical survey of scripts used in Portugal with practical instruction for teaching and learning penmanship.Ventura da Silva is reffered to by Innocencio (Diccionario Bibliographico) as "one of the best Portuguese Calligraphers". A second edition was published in 1819, a third in 1841, and a facsimile was published in Porto in 1899.
More info
John Locke et les philosophes francais. La…
More Photos
SCHØSLER, JØRN.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62682
Oxford (Voltaire Foundation), 1997. 8vo. In the original blue cloth publisher's binding with gilt title to spine. With the original dust jacket. Ownership signature to inside of front board. Internally clean. VIII, 183 pp.
Minne af von Linné, fader och son. 2 parts.
More Photos
EDIN, SV.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62673
Stockholm, Nordström, 1808. 8vo. In contemporary half calf. Wear to extremities, upper half of spine partly detached. Inner hinges split. With light brownspotting throughout. (8), 136, 102, (10) pp. + 2 engraved portraits and 2 engraved plates, of which one is folded. First edition. The volume is divided into two sections entitled “von Linné den äldre” and “von Linné den yngre.” The first contains the panegyric on Linnaeus delivered at the Växjö gymnasium on the occasion of the Linnaean centenary. The second opens with a memoir of Linnaeus the Younger, followed by “Historiska upplysningar till Carl von Linné den äldres lefverne” Soulsby 2647.
More info
Udvikling af Læren om Interessentskab og de samme…
More Photos
BANG, P. G.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62669
Kjøbenhavn, Seidelin, 1829 & 1833. 8vo. Three parts in two volumes, both in the original green paper covered boards. With author's presentation to Danish Professor in Low F. C. Bornemann in both volumes. Wear to spines and scratches to boards. Internally very nice and clean, printed on good paper. (2), 182 pp.; 134 pp. Presentation copy of the rare first edition of P. G. Bang’s seminal work, Udvikling af Læren om Interessentskab og de samme nærmest vedkommende Retsforhold – the very first Danish treatment of the subject, and a milestone in Scandinavian legal history. This pioneering study is regarded as the first jurisprudential exposition of corporate law in Denmark anticipating later systematic treatments of partnership and company legislation. His work established a legal-theoretical foundation for the understanding of partnership agreements, shareholders’ relations and the broader legal framework governing commercial associations. The copy was given by Bang to F.C. Bornemann, a Danish legal professor at the University of Copenhagen from 1840 to 1861, primarily known for applying philosophical methods to legal science. He was influenced by contemporary German philosophers, notably Hegel, in his work on legal philosophy. Peter Georg Bang (1797 – 1861) was a Danish politician and jurist. He served as the Prime Minister of Denmark 1854–1856
More info
The True Watch and Rule of Life or a direction…
More Photos
BRINSLEY, JOHN.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn61602
London, Humphrey Robinson, 1648. 8vo. In contemporary full calf with triple ruled fillets to boards. Wear and soiling to extremities. Missing leather on upper part of spine and lower front corner of spine. Prevvious owner's name to title-page. Internally with marginal dampstaining throughout. A few leaves with tears and a hole. (18), 205, (8), 251 pp.
Planternes Metamorphose. Fire Forelæsninger af K.…
More Photos
MARTIUS, P. v.
Herman H. J. Lynge & Søn A/S
lyn62468
Kjøbenhavn, 1840. 8vo. In recent blue boards. Nice and clean. 80 pp. First Danish translation of Martius' Metamorphosis of Plants. Martius is famous for outlining the modern classification of palms and prepared the first maps of palm biogeography.