RABELAIS - MARLIANI, G. B.

Topographia antiquae Romae

      S. Gryphius Lyon 1534 18th century vellum, red edges 8vo . FIRST EDITION WITH PREFACE BY FRANCOIS RABELAIS. The famous French satirist had been invited by Cardinal Jean Du Bellay to accompany him as private physician for a trip to Italy, something which he had long looked forward to. Rabelais intended to compose a work on the topography of Rome based on his personal experience. "However, before the actual composition of the work began, there appeared in Rome a similar work by Bartolo Marliani. ... Rabelais was so impressed with it, that, on his return to Lyons he urged the printer Sebastianus Gryphius to publish a new edition. To this he contributed a dedicatory epistle to Du Bellay wherein he gave an account of his visit to the eternal City ... Thus the rare little book of the Italian antiquarian is endowed with unusual importance, combining, as it does, a XVIth century account of the ruins of Rome with a record of a visit by one of the greatest writers and most brilliant humanists France produced in this period " (H. P. Kraus, Cat. 38, Sidelights of the Renaissance (1945) p. 62- 63; with additional information on the work). In their New Rabelais Bibliography (p. 550), Stephen Rawles and M.A. Screech point out that Rabelais probably derived the neologism "Nosocome,' in Garguatua, chap. 49, from the occurrence of the name 'Nosocomion,' in the present text (p. 280); their conclusion: "If Rabelais's use of the word also derives from this passage, as seems likely, this part of the text of the first edition of Gargantua may date from after "Pridie Cal. Septemb. 1534,' or at least from after the time Rabelais was working on this passage." 8vo, [8], 313, [14] pp. With woodcut printer's device on title and at end. Early owner's name neatly washed from blank margin of the second leaf resulting in a few minuscule holes not affecting any text. Mild foxing and light browning. One running heading in index slightly trimmed. 18th century vellum, red edges. § BM/STC French, 302; Adams M-609; Baudrier VIII, 81; Borroni 7923, ; Fossati Bellani 901; Gültlingen V, 259; Plan 235, XIV; Rossetti G 280; Schudt 602; Rawles & Screech, A New Rabelais Bibliography, 109