Mimoso João Sardinha S J (1 results)

4°, late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century (?) speckled sheep (split of about 4 cm. at upper outer front joint; some wear to one corner; other minor binding wear), spine richly gilt with raised bands in six compartments, crimson leather lettering piece in second compartment from head with short title gilt, gilt-tooled (Jesuit?) rose design in each of the other five compartments, marbled endleaves, text block edges sprinkled red. Woodcut Bragança ducal arms on title page. Woodcut Portuguese royal arms on leaf 5 recto. Woodcut initials. Text within double ruled woodcut border throughout. Small repairs to outer and lower margins of title page verso. Very minor worming in lower outer corners of next 19 leaves, never affecting the text. Light dampstains in upper ca. 2 cm. of quire V. Light browning to a few leaves. Overall in very good condition. (10), 163, (1) ll. *** FIRST EDITION of an exceedingly rare tragicomedy performed before King Philip III of Spain (II of Portugal) and his Queen D. Isabel in the Royal Jesuit College of Santo Antonio, Lisbon, in 1619. The play, by Antonio de Sousa, describes the great deeds of Portuguese discoverers such as Vasco da Gama, and the deeds of others such as D. Francisco de Almeida, first Viceroy of India, and Alfonso de Albuquerque. Other characters include D. Manuel I and his councillors, the Ocean, the Earth, Brazil, and the provinces of Malabar. The play is interspersed with Sardinha Mimoso's descriptions of the actors' costumes and actions. Barbosa Machado commented that this tragicomedy was greatly admired by contemporaries because in the course of its five acts, some 350 animals, birds and marine monsters were represented.In the middle of the play is an intriguing scene. A page announces that a galleon has just arrived, bringing tidings of new lands. At the King's order, the captain of the galleon comes forward and reports the discovery of Brazil. He introduces "Brazil," six parrots and monkeys, and Tapuia and Aymure Indians. The King and the Tapuias sing a chorus in Portuguese, and then in "Brazilian" (i.e., Tupi). Shortly thereafter (line 59) comes a chorus between the King, speaking Portuguese, and the monkeys, speaking Tupi in versified quatrains! A Portuguese translation of the Tupi is supplied at the side.The preliminary matter, by Sardinha Mimoso, includes a description of the theater (ff. 1v-4r) with very specific details: e.g., the height and width of the stage and its various parts, colors of the curtains and background, and locations of the entrances.*** Borba de Moraes (1983) II, 571-2: calling for only (8), 163 leaves; "a very rare book." Alden & Landis 620/142: citing copies at ICN, InU-L, MH and RPJCB, as well as the British Library and Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale. Innocêncio X, 346: calling for only (9), 164 leaves. Barbosa Machado II, 748. Gallardo 3888. Palau 302073. Plínio Ayrosa p. 211. Valle Cabral, Bibliografia de la lingua tupi 74. Sabin 69184. Backer-Sommervogel IV, 1862-63. Ticknor Catalogue p. 324. JCB, Portuguese and Brazilian Books 620/1. Palha 2939. Maggs, Bibliotheca brasiliensis 114. Azevedo-Samodães 3108. Ameal 2193. Not in Rodrigues. NUC: ICN, MH, InU-Li (copy described, in the Bonaparte collection, has title page mutilated & mended).