• MATTHAEUS DE CRACOVIA, DIALOGUS RATIONIS ET CONSCIENTIAE. [Mainz: Johann Gutenberg, First Impression, ca. 1459-1460]

Collections:
  • Incunabula at Princeton
  • In Principio
  • Collections Donated to Princeton University Library
  • Catholicon Press grouping
  • The Scheide Library
  • Treasures of Rare Book Division
Curatorial Note:
  • In the late 14th century, the theologian Matthew of Cracow composed a treatise, as a dialogue between Reason and Conscience, arguing that the laity could take communion whenever, according to their own consciences, they would benefit from it. The treatise became very widely copied and read in the following century; several hundred manuscript copies survive. Gutenberg’s first edition was printed from type-pages of 30 lines, that is 15 two-line strips per page. To make the dialogue conspicuous, spaces were left for the rubricator to add, in red, the names of the speakers, Ratio and Consciencia. Only five copies of the first impression survive, printed on the same paper stock of ca. 1459-1460 as the 36-line Aquinas. The second impression was printed concurrently with the second impressions of the Aquinas tract and of the giant Catholicon, roughly a year after Gutenberg’s death. Its paper stocks are the same as those of the 34-line Aquinas. A press accident on one page of the second impression highlights the difference between type-pages made of single types and those made of two-line strips. A piece of wire fell over the type-page and the press’s platen forced it strongly into the metal, leaving a sinuous “river” of white, outlining the curve of the wire. If the type-page had been single types, they would have been displaced by the force, but here, rather, the wire deformed only the raised letters it touched, with no lateral displacement of the other letter images.
Bookseller:
  • Joseph Baer (Firm)
Author:
  • Mateusz, z Krakowa, Cardinal, approximately 1330-1410
Provenance:
  • WHS copy acquired 11/13/13 from Baer.
Creator:
  • Mateusz, z Krakowa, Cardinal, approximately 1330-1410
Language:
  • Latin
Call number:
  • 31.19
Extent:
  • 22 leaves ; 19.5 x 13.5 cm.
Format:
  • Book
Type:
  • Early works to 1800
Description:
  • Two issues, A on paper manufactured about 1460 and B manufactured 1465-69, but with identical typesetting, are distinguished by Th. Gerardy in Gb Jb 1980 pp.30-37 and P. Needham in BSA 76 (1982) pp.411-417. On this, and on the printer, see the articles "zur Catholicon-Forschung" in Wolfenbütteler Notizen zur Buchgeschichte 13 (1988) pp.105-232, and L. Hellinga in Gb Jb 1989 pp.47-96 and in the Book Collector (Spring 1992) pp. 28-54.
Publisher:
  • [Mainz : Printer of the 'Catholicon' (Johann Gutenberg), ca. 1460].
Subject:
  • Lord's Supper—Early works to 1800
Title sort:
  • Dialogus rationis et conscientiae de frequenti usu communionis.
References:
  • Stillwell M323.
  • Goff M-367.
  • H 5803*; DeR(M) 91; AmBCat 1; Pell Ms 7761 (7710); CIBN M-234; Polain(B) 2641; IDL 3151; IBP 3649; Torchet 640; Voull(B) 1559; Ohly-Sack 1904; Sack(Freiburg) 2390; Oates 48; Sheppard 91; Pr 147; BMC I 40.
Printer:
  • Gutenberg, Johann, 1397?-1468
Created:
  • 1460-01-01T00:00:00Z
Date:
  • 1460
Identifier:
  • ark:/88435/3b591d901
Location:
  • WHS 31.19
Edm rights:
  • No Known Copyright
Range label:
  • Logical
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