Utilis curiositas de humanae vitae felicitate, per varios hominum status cum amoeno historiarum aliquot delectu ad usum non minus politicorum quam ecclesiasticorum inquisita
A philosophical treatise on the meaning of life and happiness. The author presents not only his own thoughts based on Christian rhetoric, but also refers to other philosophers like Hippocrates, Seneca and Petrarch. Masen cites a wide variety of examples of people of all states, from the poor to the rich, even describing the tragic marriage of King Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn.
Jacob Masen [Iacobus Masenius; Masenii] (1606-1681) - German Jesuit, theologian and writer. He was a native of what is now North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and as a teenager joined the Society of Jesus, where he subsequently spent more than six decades of his life. He left a vast and versatile body of writing, his most important works being the treatises on poetics "Ars nova argutiarum" and "Palaestra eloquentiae ligatae," as well as the poem "Sarcotis."The latter inspired John Milton in the creation of "Paradise Lost" The writer was even accused that his "Paradise Lost" was not an inspiration, but a plagiarism of Masen's "Sarcotis."
Year of publication: colon [Cologne] 1672, Coloniae Agrippinae Joannis Wilhelmi Friessem
s. [18], 665, [26]
Format: 17.5 x 9.5 cm
Binding: parchment on period board, calligraphic titlepage on spine
Condition: consistent , lacks allegorical copperplate frontispiece, [PROVENANCE: on title page two signatures and a stamp depicting Christ standing on a globe "BIBLIOTHECA CONGR[EGATIONIS] MISS[IONIS] DOM[US] POSNANIENSIS*"], period marginalia in places [pen], on somepages small holes [traces of woodworm activity - no damage to the text], minor rust discoloration of paper [no damage to the text], page blocks with dampstains, cover pages with losses, cover with rubbing and discoloration/soiling
*Library of the Congregation of Missionary Fathers in Poznan.
