STELLUTI, Francesco (1577-1653, editor and translator). Persio Tradotto in verso, Rome, 1630, 4to, engraved title, portrait and 5 illustrations, contemporary vellum. FIRST EDITION of the first book to include illustrations as seen through a microscope.

STELLUTI, Francesco (1577-1653, editor and translator) - Aulus PERSIUS FLACCUS (34-62).  Persio Tradotto in verso sciolto e dichiarato da Francesco Stelluti Accad. Linceo da Fabiano. Rome: Appresso Giacomo Mascardi, 1630. 4to (221 x 155mm). Engraved architectural and allegorical title by Matthaeus Greuter with the Barberini Arms and Lycean lynx emblem, engraved portrait of Aulius Persius Flaccus, 6 engraved illustrations, one full-page, text in Latin and Italian, foliate initials and ornaments, one-page of errata on recto of final text leaf (some signatures browned, occasional spotting and staining, some mainly marginal minor worming). Contemporary vellum with yapp edges, spine with raised bands and title in early manuscript (some staining, one spine band rubbed exposing cord, some further light rubbing to spine). Provenance: From the Collection of Peter and Margarethe Braune; old inscriptions or signatures effaced from lower margin of N3 and from the foot of errata on either side of the ornament. FIRST EDITION of the first printed book to include illustrations as seen through a microscope, including, on p.52, a full-page magnified image of three bees (in imitation of Barberini's crest) and, on p.127, a grain weevil. The work pre-dates Robert Hooke's Micrographia (London, 1665), often claimed to be the first to contain microscopic images, by 35 years. Stelluti makes frequent references to the work of the Accademia dei Lincei, of which he was one of the three founding members, and to Galileo's recent ground-breaking work there, including his observations of Jupiter and Venus. Not in Brunet; Carli-Favaro Bibliographia Galileiana 1568-1895 121; Cinti 86; Cole 403; Garrison-Morton 259: "[The] first book to contain illustrations of natural objects as seen through the microscope. The work includes the Latin text of the Satyrae VI of Aulus Persius Flaccus together with an Italian translation and notes by Stelluti"; Krivatsy 8806; Nissen ZBI 3988; Singer History of Biology p.148: "... the first illustrations prepared with a microscope that were set forth in a printed book"; Wellcome I, 4917.