> Even my very tattered vellum-bound copy of the writings of Seneca (in latin) dated 1643 (the year Isaac Newton was born) which I picked up for a few pence yea

> Even my very tattered vellum-bound copy of the writings of Seneca (in latin) dated 1643 (the year Isaac Newton was born) which I picked up for a few pence years ago is just about readable with the pages firmly attached to the spine. You either got very lucky or that thing is not actually from 1643. That book is probably worth tens of thousands of dollars if it's genuine. Extremely unlikely, though :-)