Girolamo Cardano [Thomas Bedingfield, translator] | Cardanus comforte, 1576, rare second edition of the book held by Hamlet during his famous soliloquy

Girolamo Cardano, [Thomas Bedingfield, translator]

Cardanus comforte, translated into Englishe. And published by commaundement of the righte Honourable the Earle of Oxenforde. Newly perused, corrected, and augmented. London: Thomas Martin, 1576

Second edition, 3 parts in one volume, small 4to (176 x 131 mm), gothic type, title-page within ornamental woodcut frame, woodcut initials, modern calf, stamped in blind, title-page remounted and soiled and with slight loss at inner margin (touching woodcut border), marginal worming and dampstaining

Polonius: What do you read, my lord?

Hamlet: Words, words, words.

Second edition of the book that Hamlet holds during his famous soliloquy (virtually a poetical paraphrase of passages in Cardano's work). VERY RARE AT AUCTION: no other copies of the second edition appear to have been offered at auction since 1970, according to Rare Book Hub.

LITERATURE:

USTC 508139 (listing nine institutional copies); ESTC S107550; STC 4608