only three months later, as was but just, in _Le cose volgari_ of
Petrarch. It had at the outset, corresponding to the Greek ligatures,
many double letters and even groups of three cast on the same body,
which were for the most part eliminated later by Paulus Manutius.
Originally it consisted only of lower-case letters and borrowed the
capitals of the roman font, using for economy of space small capitals
which DeVinne points out as the useful invention of Aldus. Aldus was
sensible of the deficiency and the last clause of his will was a request
to his partner, Andrea, to have suitable capitals made by the celebrated
engraver, Giulio Campagnola. It was, however, not until 1558 that they
were finally supplied by Paulus, in connection with a new italic font.
What has now ceased to be anything more than a useful auxiliary type was
by Aldus employed as a text type, a chief recommendation being that it
was more condensed than the roman and enabled him to greatly reduce the
price of his books by making an octavo do the work of a quarto or folio.
In 1501 he printed six, and in 1502 eleven octavos, whereas all his
earlier books, with one unimportant exception, had been of the larger
forms.

In 1496 the Venetian Senate granted to Aldus protection for his Greek
type and the books printed with it for the period of twenty years, and
in 1502 a like privilege covering both his italic and Greek type for ten
years. A similar grant made by Alexander VI. in 1502 was renewed by
Julius II. in January, 1513, for fifteen years and confirmed by his
successor, Leo X., in December of the same year.

From the library of Robert Samuel Turner, sold in 1888.

Bound in red morocco extra, with gold tooling in the Grolier style,
edges gilt over red. Leaf 8-1/2 × 5-1/4 in. Book-stamp on verso of last