LOTTINI, Giovanni Francesco (1512-1572).

Avvedimenti civili. Ne' quali si contengono molti ammaestramenti utili, così per la vita politica, come per le consulte, & per li governi de gli stati. [Hrsg. von Girolamo Lottini].

      Venezia, Giacomo Leonzini, 1575. - Kl.-8vo. [40], 304 S. Pergamentband des 17. Jhs. Nach der Florentiner Erstausgabe in Quarto von 1574 ist dies die erste Oktav- und insgesamt zweite Ausgabe des noch im 16. Jh. auch auf Französisch (Advis civils, contenans plusieurs beaux et utils enseignemens [1584) und Englisch (The Quintessence of Wit [1590]) veröffentlichten Hauptwerks des bedeutenden, u.a. als Sekretär in den Diensten des Herzogs Cosimo I. de Medici wirkenden, Staatstheoretikers. Lottinis Quellen waren Aristoteles, Cicero, Livius sowie vor allem auch Machiavelli und Guicciardini. "Anche dello stato il Lottini ha una concezione moderna, non più considerato o come territorio o come ordine, ma come attività politica, morale, economica" (Bruno Widmar). - Teilweise stärker gebräunt. Exlibris Franz Pollack-Parnau. STC, (Italian), 394; EDIT 16 (Online Kat.) CNCE 3556; vgl. Gamba 1495; Bozza, 46f.; Widmar, Scrittori politici del '500 e '600 (1964), 574; J. Stergios, Language and Nationalism in Italy, in: Nations and Nationalism XII (2006), S. 26. After the posthumously published first edition in 4to (Florence, 1574) this is the second edition of the political chief work of the important Italian theoretician in political science Gianfrancesco Lottini. The author's aim was to teach princes how to raise their children to 'govern optimally' through past examples. The power of the prince emanates from God. Men who rise from the level of 'privati' to be princes are said to have both a 'natural light' and a 'divine light'. Lottini calls the prince 'the living law' and his children 'above the laws'. He asserts that the prince must not hesitate to resort to the rules of the art of the state, no matter if they are repugnant to the principles of justice. Since 1548 Lottini had served as secretary to Cosimo I de Medici but was accused of heresy in 1551. The Avvedimenti civili (Civil perceptions [or realisations]) was influenced by the writings of Aristotle, Cicero, Livius and in particular by the ideas of Niccolo Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini. "Anche dello stato il Lottini ha una concezione moderna, non più considerato o come territorio o come ordine, ma come attività politica, morale, economica" (Bruno Widmar). An English translation appeared as The quintesence of wit, being a corrant comfort of conceites, maximies, and poleticke devises in 1590. - Browned. - 17th century vellum, with ms. title on spine. it [Attributes: First Edition]