WEYER, Johann (1515-1588). De Praestigiis daemonum. Basel: Oporinus, 1568.

A crisp and lovely copy of an early edition of this important work on witchcraft and demonology, and a precursor of modern psychiatry; in a contemporary binding. "The first major European work to take an empirical, scientific approach to the study of mental illness, and one of the most celebrated exposés of the witchcraft delusion" (Norman). A student of medicine and protégé of Agrippa, Weyer "believed the basic cause of witchcraft to be disturbance of imagination." He relates 60 cases of witchcraft or mental phenomena, describing the accused as usually poor, gullible women, and he advocates a rational approach, establishing and confirming facts, observing physical, behavioral and emotional traits, in order to formulate "a concrete and sensible plan of treatment [along] what we would now describe as psychological principles" (Grolier Medicine, 20). Weyer's book was first published in Basel in 1563. Garrison and Morton 4917 (first ed.), Norman 2211 (1566 ed.).

Octavo (191 x 121mm). (Some very faint dampstaining at gutter, small loss on title page and facing endpaper.) Contemporary blindstamped pigskin over wooden boards, depicting crucifixion on upper panel and lute player on lower panel (remains of clasps, a little loss along rear joint, some soiling). Provenance: early annotations on Gregory of Nazianzus and angelic creation facing title page, along with occasional underlining and marginalia – Rudolph Frider[ich] Telgmann, 1723, author of commentaries on German law (ownership inscription to title page with motto "Recte Facientem Tuetur Deus").