2nd Dec, 2020 10:00

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Lot 383
 

Vico (Giambattista) Principj di una scienza nuova

Vico (Giambattista)

Principj di una scienza nuova intorno alla natura delle nazioni per la quale si ritrovano i principj di altro sistema del diritto naturale delle genti..., FIRST EDITION, 270pp [10], A-L12, M8, lacking [N]1 (colophon), contemporary annotation to title-page, and library shelf stamp in ink at bottom of title-page, slightly obscuring imprint, lacking front end-paper, final end-paper torn with loss, ink ‘scribble’ to front paste-down and final black, small ink stain to M4-M7, very light foxing throughout in intermittent places, contemporary vellum, loss to the upper part of spine around to rear cover, c. 3cm+ (1”), covers and spine slightly darkened and stained, very faint title in ink to spine, 12mo., Felice Mosca, Naples,1725.

***Rare, with only 5 copies recorded worldwide in public libraries. None found for sale at auction. The book (a philosophical work on historical theories) was meant to be funded by the Cardinal Lorenzo Orsini who eventually dropped his offer forcing the author to provide for himself (he had to sell a family ring with diamonds to pay the editor Mosca) and actually published a reduced version of his treatise. “Vico inherited the conception of a cyclical pattern in history, an idea revived in our own day by Spengler and Toynbee [...] it was only in the 19th century that he was rediscovered and his influence has greatly increased since [...] Benedetto Croce has done much to spread the knowledge of Vico's contribution to historical scholarship [...]. The 'Principles of a New Science regarding the Character of Nations' [is] the vehicle by which the concept of historical development, at last, entered the thought of Western Europe” (PMM).


 

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