[Exploration] Acosta, Jose de. De natura Novi Orbis libri duo, et De promulgatione Evangelij apud barbaros, sive De procuranda Indorum salute libri sex. Guillelmum Foquel, Salmanticae, 1589. 8vo. [10], 640 pp. Contemporary limp vellum. Ink title to spine. Text in Latin. Dated 1589 on title page, but 1588 on second title page and colophon."Possibly the single most important general sixteenth century ethno-historical source" (Griffin 154, commenting on the Seville, 1590 ed.).First edition of one of the most celebrated works on America. Divided into two treatises, the first describes the history and and physical features of America which would later comprise the first two books of Acosta's 1590 translation "Historia natural y moral de las Indias." This Latin version contains two chapters (Bk. II Ch. 15 & 16) which are not included in the Spanish translation; these deal with various winds in South America and their cuases, and winds in the Tropics, and would have been of interest to navigators. The second treatise in this edition "De Procuranda salute Indorum" is chiefly concerned with the conversion of the natives to Christianity, usually omitted in the translation. The Procuranda would became one of the most influential guides for missionaries in the new world. Acosta blamed the slow progress in evangelizing on missionaries who treated the Indians harshly or failed to understand their language and culture. He expressed his belief that the Indians could be converted by a combination of firmness and gentleness.Father Acosta lived in America for 17 years, serving as the second Jesuit deputy provincial of Peru from 1571 to 1586 and then moved to Mexico. His firsthand account provdies a wealth of observant and accurate detail concerning the state of Spanish South America at the time and remains a standard authority.Additionally, Acosta described some of the earliest accounts of tobacco, chocolate and coca as well as relating several Indian remedies administrated to when suffering prostration and snow blindness.In regards to the various dates in the book, Alden tentatively suggests that the date of 1589 on the title page is a reissue of the first edition of 1588. The collation of the prelims, which matches that given in Medina for the 1588 edition, supports Alden's suggestions. However, Europe Informed and the Imprint File in the New York Public Library (which has copies of this work with both dates on the title page) both state that the 1589 version consists of the same sheets as the edition dated 1588, except that the title page and preliminary leaves have been changed.Refs. Mortimer 154-55; Cox II 255; Europe Informed 171-72; Griffin 154; Nic. Antono I, 800; De Backer-Sommervogel I, 33; Palau 1978; Salva 3260; Heredia 3329; Alden 589; LeClerc 2640; Sabin 118; Medina 319. (of these only Medina lists the works under 1588).Condition: Minor wear to vellum. Occasional spotting. A few small wormholes to first 8 prelims. in upper margin.Provenance: From the Library of the Godfather of Biodiversity, Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy.