FOR THE LOVE OF GREEK

[Psalms] Suère du Plan, Jean-Maurice: [Greek letters] Psalterion Profetou kai Basileos tou David. Davidis regis et prophetae psalmorum liber, secundum exemplar Vaticanum, Romae editum, Parisiensis ecclesiae usibus accommodatum; cui accedunt hymni nonnulli, necnon & modus administrandi & respondendi in Missa, è Latino in Graecum translati, Exhibet Joannes Mauricius Suere du Plan, presbyter Rivensis. Parisiis [Paris], ex typographia Philippi Dionysii Pierres, Regis Christianissimi Proto-Typographi 1786.

Psalm book, and other texts for church use, in Greek. Suère du Plan was a priest and author specialised in classical pedagogy. In his prefaces he writes of the value for the young in offering the present texts in Greek, which he considers “the most beautiful [language] there has been in the world” (ix). 

The psalms are listed according to Sundays and feast days, and services where they are sung. The book begins (p. 1) with Greek translations of the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, and Creed. Following the psalms are prayers in Greek, hymns in Greek and Latin, and the Mass in Greek and Latin. At the end there is printed music (eight intonations for singing the psalms).

Details

First edition thus. One volume, 17.3 cms. x 10.4 cms., duodecimo, pp. xij, 212, [4]. Greek and Roman letter, the main text double column. Woodcut armorial to title-page, some printed ornament. Pages 207-212 have woodcut musical notation. Light browning, spotting and foxing, bound in tan polished calf, covers filletted in gilt with gilt floral cornerpieces, gilt floral decoration to spine, label of green goatsking stamped in gilt, gilt edges and sides, marbled pastedowns and endpapers, green silk ribbon (binding slightly rubbed and stained, corners worn). Early and neat notes in Greek and Latin to front free endpaper recto.

Not in Conlon. Copies located outside European mainland at New York Public Library, Emory. Boston College, British Library, Université Laval (Quebec).