L'Anima di Ferrante Pallavicino, divisa in sei vigilie. Vigilia prima [-Sesta ed ultima].

Woodcut printers device on each title page (6 in total). 

12mo (141 x 85mm). 116pp (lacking final 2 blanks, gathering B misbound after gathering D); 82pp (lacking final blank); 159, [1]pp; 160pp; 171, [1]pp; 117, [1]pp (lacking final blank). Half morocco over marbled paper boards, covers with double gilt fillets and spine gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers, gilt edges (extremities lightly bumped and rubbed).

Colonia, Appresso Lodovico Feiraldo, 

 

Rare second edition of the vigilie of the Anima, following the first publication 1663-5.The vigilie are structured as dialogues between Anima (Pallavicino's soul) and Henrico, his friend. The anti-papal and anti-church sentiment that constituted such a significant part of Ferrante's writing is evident here. 

There is some speculation regarding the identity of the author(s); the first two vigilie are commonly attributed to Giovanni Francesco Loredan, a Venetian senator who took a keen interest in the career of satirist and writer Ferrante Pallavicino (1615-44) and, indeed, who Pallavicino served as secretary. The writer would seek refuge with Loredan from the papal censors, following the provocations in his notoriously anti-papal, libertine writings (see 228170) which would eventually lead to his execution. The remaining four vigilie are attributed to a member of Loredan's Accademia degli Incogniti, a Venetian learned society whose members frequently published their works anonymously. A similar question mark hangs over the identity and location of the publisher; some have asserted that Colonia might be Geneva, while others have pointed to the device of the globe on the title page to suggest that this was an Elzevier publication, produced in the Netherlands. 

Staining to title page and general foxing and browning throughout. Open tear to margin of C11 of first part, not touching text; portion of fore-edge of E7 in fifth part torn away, with some loss to text. 

ICCU 7712. 

Stock Code: 228172