Bar Hebraeus's Book of the Dove Together with Some Chapters from his Ethikon.
Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1919. First Edition. Hardcover. Large octavo. cxxxvi + 152pp. Original dark brown cloth gilt lettered on spine and upper board, List of technical terms in Syriac, Arabic and Greek, General Register (Index). The first English translation with notes and commentary of this work on mysticism by Gregory Bar Hebraeus (1226-1286), who was Chief bishop of Persia of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the 13th century, and who was regarded by the church as a Saint. He is noted for his many works concerning philosophy, poetry, language, history, and theology - most written in Syriac, while some were in Arabic, which had become the common language in his day. Cloth well rubbed and chafed & bumped at edges, corners bumped and chafed, spine ends bruised and heavily chafed with some frayed, long splits to front cloth hinge with a short horizontal tear across the spine at about the mid-point. The split at the top is ragged, and has been somewhat crudely glued closed. Later endpapers. Paper toned, a very few pencil marks to a few pages but mostly unmarked and internally clean. Overall a tight, Good only copy of this very scarce first edition. Item #62560
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