Breve, e succinta relatione del viaggio nel regno di Congo nell'Africa meridionale, fatto dal P. Girolamo Merolla da Sorrento [...].

8vo: [24, front. incl.]-466 [i.e. 464]-[39] pp.; 19 pl. (margins of front. repaired, sl. staining or spotting).

Mod. mottled sheep, blind-ruled covers, gilt orn. spine with raised bands (sl. rubbings to spine).

Very rare first edition of the story of the first travel to Congo in 1682 of the Capuchin friar Girolamo Merolla da Sorrento (1650-1697), under the auspices of the Propaganda fide. Besides information on the mission itself, the work contains information on the fauna and flora, climate and costumes of the natives, which makes it an important ethnographical source for the Central Africa, barely known in 17th century. It also testifies of Merolla's combat against transatlantic slave trade. Merolla's text was written and edited by another Capuchin, Angelo Piccardo. Before arriving to Congo, they stayed for a while in Bahia, the city is described between pp. 26 and 47. Ill. with a front. fig. the coat of arms of the dedicatee the Cardinal Accioli and with 19 plates. The text of Merolla is very similar to the "Descrizione de' tre regni Congo, Matamba ed Angola" by G.A. Cavazzi da Montecuccolo (1621-1678, cfr. lots n. 621 and 622 of this auction).
Ref. STC Italy, 17th c., II:569. - Borba de Moraes II:61. - Not in Gay.