Dictionarium Absolutissimum, “including leket, shichecha, and pe’ah, all the words from all the roots, edited and explained in an easy format, created by Philipa Daquin…who teaches the Holy Tongue for the court of King Louis d’Bourbon…”. A dictionary on the roots of Hebrew, by the converted Jew Philip Daquin. The section on each letter begins with an interesting disquisition on the structure of the letter itself and its numeric value. Daquin also analyzes useful abbreviations for each letter.
First edition, Paris 1629. [12], 584 pages (existing bibliographic entries list copies with additional leaves at the beginning). Catalogued in the NLI’s Rare section. The title page incorporates Hebrew and Latin. 3 first leaves have a dedication in Latin to the Cardinal Richelieu, and a flattering poem to him in Hebrew and Latin, by the author, as well as introductions in Hebrew and Latin and approbations in Latin.
Pretty engraving on the title page and first leaves and in the body of the work between each letter. At the end of the book: “Vayehi when I saw the benefit of the book and the ma’alah of the author [!] I [quoting a poem].” Signed G. B. C.: see Otzer HaShira v’HaPiyut, 3:5, #94.
Original parchment binding, spine a little defective, worming damage mostly adjacent to the spine, a little extends to the text. Stains, overall good condition for a book this old.
The author Philip Daquin (approx.. 1578-1650) was a converted Jew. Louis XIII bestowed upon him the title of Professor of Hebrew. He wrote and translated many books, including a translation of Bechinot Olam and Pirkei Avot.
