De Prisca Celtopaedia libri quinque.

Paris: Ex typographia Matthaei Davidis, 1556. First Edition. . Hardcover. See Description. First Edition. 4to. pp. [12], 250, 14. Title page with woodcut printer’s device. Text printed italic font with sectional decorative initials. Interior pages are generally clean. A miniscule marginal tear is neatly sealed on the title page. A small pair of initials are lightly written in an old hand on the verso of the title. Bound in modern full calf with panels in blind after an early period style. Jean Picard’s "De Prisca Celtopaedia" discusses the development of language, arts and science in ancient Gaul. The author uses place names, ancient sources and epigraphic evidence to argue that the Greek language had originated in Gaul and that the Gallic Druids and Bards were developing philosophy, science and poetry long before other cultures. Picard claims that the Greek language was first brought to Greece by the Gauls as they travelled through those lands on the way to found new settlements in Asia Minor (i.e. Galatia) [paraphrased from Le Long, Bib. Hist. I, 3797]. The work contains much discussion of Druids and other lore. [Adams P1088; Shaaber, p. 406; Brunet IV, 30; Graesse V, p. 280; Black, Druids, p. 13; Le Long, "Bib. Hist. de la France" (2nd ed.) I, 3797].