PARE Ambroise Les Œuvres, divisées en huict livres. Quatrième édition.

Doe, 31 (Buon issue); NLM, WZ 240 P227 1585 (as recorded on USTC ; Buon issue); Poletti, p. 150; see Parkinson, 1823 sq. (later editions) and Heirs of Hippocrates, 271 (Latin edition 1582) ; not in Waller, Wellcome.

Fourth edition of the Works according to the title page but in reality the third edition of the works in French as detailed by Doe: « It is generally accepted by all authorities, except Le Paulmier that there was no third French edition of the collected works and that its place was taken by the Latin Opera of 1582”.

Rare Jacques du Puys issue. The Gabriel Buon issue is much more common. Of the du Puys issue USTC locates only 2 copies (France : Bourges ; and Minneapolis : Wangensteen Collection). Of the Buon issue USTC indicates 26 copies.

The double sheet inserted after page VI.cIIII contains the ‘Méthodique division et dénombrement des maladies qui surviennent aux yeux’. It is part of his article on reconstructive surgery of the upper eyelid.

« This fourth edition in 1585 was, therefore, the immediate successor of the second edition in 1579, and is the most highly prized of the collected editions, and rightly so. Carefully revised by the author, it was the last one to be seen personally through the press by him; and it contains the ‘Apologie et traicté contenant les voyages’, which is Paré’s most characteristic document. Turner calls it ‘l’édition par excellence’… The ‘Apologie’, the last unanswerable reply to the attacks of Peré’s enemies, was written to settle, once and for all, the eternal nagging of the Faculty over his ignorance of Latin and the fact that he, an unlearned surgeon, presumed to write scientific books. In it is demonstrated the superiority of experience, manual skill, and practical resourcefulness, over armchair theories, in the production of a surgeon” (Doe).

This Apology also provides biographical details of Paré’s various travels. His famous motto ‘Je le pensay & Dieu le guarit’ appears here for the first time (p. MCCXX) in his account of the visit to the battlefield in Metz in 1552.

The work is illustrated with a handsome title (copied from the 1579 edition) and 382 woodcuts, most of which were already used in the 1575 and 1579 editions. The engravings show male and female anatomy, reconstructive operations, fractures, wounds, monsters and instruments. Paré also discusses prosthetic teeth and artificial limbs.

« [Paré] invented many surgical and dental instruments and was especially adept at devising ingenious artificial limbs” (Heirs)

The portrait, which Jane Doe located in 9 of the 22 copies she examined, is not present here. On the other hand, a beautiful old copper-engraved portrait was added in the 19th century, with a handwritten note on the biography of the famous doctor.

Minor restorations to the first 2 leaves and to the inserted double leaf. Skilful restorations to corners and headpieces. A fine copy.