WITHDRAWN

GALILEI, Galileo (1564-1642).  Il Saggiatore nel quale con bilancia esquisita e giusta si ponderano le cose contenute nella Libra Astronomicae filosofica di Lotario Sarsi. Sigenano Scritto in forma di lettera. Rome: Appresso Giacomo Mascardi, 1623. 4to (212 x 155mm). Engraved architectural title by Francesco Villameno surmounted by the Arms of Pope Urban VIII with the Lincei device in the lower panel, engraved portrait of the author by Francesco Villameno within baroque frame and with some very faint partial hand-colouring [?removed from another copy], Roman and italic type, woodcut headpieces, initials and ornaments, 18 engraved diagrams in the text, with that on P4 with a corrected diagram pasted over [as usual], woodcut floral motif on verso of final leaf (piece torn away from upper margin of engraved title [possibly indicating the removal of an old signature] and from the following dedication leaf, head of portrait shaved, K4 detaching, variable browning, spotting and staining throughout, particularly heavy to M1-M4 and T1-T4, a few dark spots, marginal hole to final text leaf, not affecting letters, larger hole to final blank, some leaves possibly re-hinged or taken from other copies). Contemporary vellum with title in old manuscript on spine (heavy stain to corner of lower cover, some other staining, spine discoloured). FIRST EDITION, [?]first or later issue [but probably a "doctored" later issue], with 16 errata in 2 columns, and without the additional errata leaf bound in at the end [but probably removed from this copy]; without the preliminary verses in praise of the author by Faber and Stelluti, signed a1-a4, whose presence is also indicative of the later issue [but probably removed from this copy]. In this pioneering work of the modern scientific method and "one of the most celebrated polemics in science" (DSB V, p.243), the author, in a response to Orazio Grassi's treatise on comets written in 1618, advocates his view that nature can be better understood though mathematics rather than through scholasticism. The stamp of the Accademia dei Lincei on the title page is a forgery by Marino Massimo De Caro. (We are very grateful to Jörn Koblitz for his invaluable assistance in confirming the stamp's forgery.) Not in Brunet; Bruni-Evans 2315; Carli and Farvo 95; Cinti 73; Norman I, 857 (without the preliminary leaves); Riccardi I, 511. This is a "sophisticated" copy, with a troubled history, and for that reason, regrettably, it is sold not subject to return.