The Centre's collection of early editions of Erasmus is one of the most comprehensive in North America. The present catalogue updates earlier lists of the Centre's holdings of Erasmus and in addition provides information not found in the computerized catalogue of the University of Toronto. This includes bibliographical references, titles of tracts printed or bound with the main entry, and, where relevant, descriptions of bindings and marks of ownership. This last item in particular recognizes that each book has its unique history. The printed text reflects the views, tastes, and personality of the author, but the book as physical object often reflects the views, tastes, and personality of the owner, who chose the binding, autographed the book, entered information relating to its acquisition, and left doodles or marginalia in the text. Pointing out these marks of ownership, the catalogue serves not only the scholar interested in a specific edition of the text, but also the social historian who wants to trace the reception of the book.

The Authors

Jacqueline Glomski is Assistant Librarian at the Warburg Institute, University of London.

Erika Rummel is Associate Professor of History at Wilfred Laurier University. She is the editor of The Erasmus Reader (1990) and of several volumes in the Collected Works of Erasmus; her books include Erasmus and his Catholic Critics (1989) and Erasmus as a Translator of the Classics (1985).