Mondi Celesti, Terrestri, Et Infernale, De Gli Academici Pellegrini...

Venice: Gabriel Giolito de' Ferrari, 1562. First Combined Edition of this early example of Italian Renaissance utopian literature, inspired by Sir Thomas More (originally published as two separate volumes in 1552 and 1553). Doni himself had edited the first Italian translation of More's Utopia by Ortensio Lando, which appeared in Venice in 1548 (Gibson 37). "In a mixture of story, speculation, dialogue, allegory, and moralizing, Doni discusses the little world - man, the greater world - the universe, and the world of God, and goes on to satirize human inconsistencies in the mixed world, man's follies in the risible world, his vain imaginations in the world of the imagination, and thus reaches a more truly utopian section, il mondo savio e pazzo, which Curcio prints in Utopisti e riformatori, pages 1-15, noting (page xii) that More influenced Doni, who was probably the translator, certainly the editor of the Italian text of Utopia. Il mondo savio is perfect in all respects, even in form, "in todo perfetissimo, a guise d'una stella," regular, symmetrical, blessed with perpetual peace. Reason prevails in all things. There is exchange of goods but no money. All are equal and dress in the same manner. Love is free and children are adopted by the state. Life is tranquil; though luxury is absent, all are contented." (Gibson & Patrick) BM STC Italian p. 226. Bongi II pp. 144-45. Gamba 1369n. Gibson 665. This edition not in Adams. small 8vo. pp. 8 p.l., 430, [blank leaf]. woodcut printer's device on title & another larger one on verso of penultimate leaf. woodcut ornaments & initials. A nice fresh copy in modern vellum (covers bowed, stamp & old ownership entry on title, light dampstain to lower outer corner of prelims)