PENSO DE LA VEGA, JOSEPH. Retrato de la Prudencia

(ANGLO JUDAICA)

Joan Bus

Amsterdam

1690

FIRST EDITION

Kayserling 87

Eulogizing the wisdom and valor displayed by William of Orange in mounting the throne of England. The author born of a Marrano family, displayed a remarkable versatility of intellect. Aged 17 he penned “Asirei Hatikva” one of the earliest Hebrew dramas. His Confusion de Confusiones (1688) is the first and probably to this day the best work on the workings of the Stock Exchange. Joseph Penso de la Vega died in 1692 when he was little more than forty years of age. “The measure of the loss caused to Spanish literature by his forced expatriation is not easily to be estimated.” C. Roth, A History of the Marranos (1932) pp.336-7