EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY EDITION OF THIS COLLECTION BY GIAMBATTISTA GELLI OF TEN IMAGINARY DIALOGUES BETWEEN A FLORENTINE COOPER AND HIS SOUL
APPARENTLY NO COPY IN USA

Gelli, Giovan Battista. Capricci del bottaio di Gio. Battista Gelli Academico fiorentino, nelli quali sotto dieci ragionamenti morali, fatti tra il corpo, & l'anima, si discorre dottamente di quanto deue operar l'huomo, [...]. Nuouamente corretta, & tolto uia tutto quello, che poteua offendere il bell'animo del pio lettore dal reu. padre maestro Liuio Legge, [...]. In Venetia: presso Marco degli Alberti alla libraria della Speranza, 1605.

8vo (145x92 mm), contemporary soft vellum, handwritten title at spine; leaves [8], 99, [1].
Here missing 5 unnumbered preliminary leaves.
Printer's device at title-page.

First published in 1546, this collection of ten imaginary dialogues between Giusto, a Florentine Cooper, and his soul. Moral, religious and philosophical issues, that are at the center of the dialogues, are presented by Gelli with warmth and bonhomie. The work became extremely popular with the general reading public as well as being considered a model of purity by critics of literary style. After being included in the first index of prohibited books because of the declared sympathy from Gelli for the Lutheran Reformation, was later corrected, as written here on the note on the title page, in order not to offend the 'bell'animo del pio Lettore'.

Giambattista Gelli (1498-1563) was a Florentine man of letters, from an artisan background. He is known for his works of the 1540s, Capricci del bottaio and La Circe, which are ethical and philosophical dialogues. Other works were the plays La sporta (1543) and L'errore (1556).

Provenance: Printed ownership on a label at first paste-down (Ex libris Vincentii Macchi). Black ink stamped ownership at first free-leaf recto. Handwritten ownership inscriptions at title-page.

References: IT\ICCU\BVEE\042023. OCLC, 643650763 (2 copies in UK).

Light traces of use to the binding. Tear at leaf 72, without loss. Presence of water-stains, spots and soilings. Overall, a fair copy, incomplete (5 leaves wanting), but in its original binding.