A FINE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY EDITION OF THIS SATIRICAL ATTACK ON SUPERSTITIONS AND OTHER TRADITIONS OF EUROPEAN SOCIETY AND WESTERN CHURCH, WRITTEN BY ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM

Erasmus, Desiderius. Encomio della pazzia, composto in forma di declamazione per Erasmo, e tradotto in italiano. In Basilea: a spese della Saviezza, 1761.

8vo (172x102 mm), full vellum binding, gilt title at spine, marbled edges; pp. [2], 391, [23], [1] leaf of plate.
Chalcographic frontispiece (Eloge de la folie and portraits of Erasme and Morus).
Xyl. initials, head- and tail-pieces.
French (by Nicolas Gueudeville) and Italian text on opposite pages.
False tipographic location.

In Praise of Folly (Latin: Stultitiae Laus or Moriae Encomium, sometimes translated as In Praise of More) is an essay written in Latin in 1509 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam and first printed in 1511. Inspired by Italian humanist Faustino Perisauli's De Triumpho Stultitiae, it is a satirical attack on superstitions and other traditions of European society as well as on the western Church. Erasmus revised and extended the work, which he originally wrote in the space of a week while sojourning with Sir Thomas More at More's estate in Bucklersbury. In Praise of Folly is considered one of the most notable works of the Renaissance and played an important role in the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation.

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (28 October 1466 - 12 July 1536), known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian.

Provenance: Ownership inscription at top of the first free leaf recto (F. Moore, Florence, July 15/17).
Handwritten reported comment at first free leaf recto on this translation, excerpt from a comment made by B. Croce on his book Erasmo da Rotterdam. L'elogio della pazzia e dialoghi. Bari: G. Laterza & figli, 1914.

References: IT\ICCU\PUVE\003736. OCLC, 27298853.

Light traces of use. A fine copy.