Discorsi morali dell'eccellente S. Fabio Glissenti contra il dispiacer del morire, detto athanatophilia : diuisi in cinque dialoghi, occorsi in cinque giornate : ne'quali si discorre quanto ragioneuolmente si dourebbe desiderar la Morte, e come naturalmente la si uada fuggendo : con trenta vaghi, & vtili ragionamenti, come tante piaceuoli nouelle interposti : cauati da gli abusi del presente viuer mondano : et vn molto curioso trattato della pietra de' filosofi : adornati di bellissime figure, a' loro luoghi appropriate.

A diological treatise on the art of dying. The text blends learned and 'volgare' literary traditions and investigates death at all levels of lay professional society. Through the dialogues, Glissenti includes among his interlocutors a Philosopher, Courtier, Captain, Farmer, Butcher, Servant, Beggar, Lawyer, Gondolier and an Actress. The final part explores the moral issues surrounding alchemist's search for the philosopher's stone.

Large woodcut author's device (designed for this text) on all six title pages, encircled with the motto "Occulto gliscit". The verso of each title page contains a medallion portrait of the author, encircled with a continuation of the motto on the printer's device, "Aperte degliscit". Throughout there are woodcut head- and tail-pieces and ornamental initials. The text is illustrated with 382 woodcut vignettes by repetition of 117 blocks, arranged one or two to a page and flanked with borders composed of bones and skills. 31 of the illustrations are from Holbein's Totentanz (Dance of death) and 26 of these have been printed from the blocks cut for Valgrisi's 1545 Venice edition of the Dance of death. The blocks show Death in scences of contemporary Venetian life [Harvard College Library, 1974].

In Venetia : Appresso Domenico Farri, M.D.XCVI [1596]

[12] leaves, 58, [4] leaves, 59-152, [5] leaves, 156-315 [that is, 314], [5] leaves, 316-438, [4] leaves, 441-596 : black and white illustrations, portraits ; 24 cm (4to)

Harvard College Library. Catalogue of books and manuscripts. Italian 16th century books, no. 215

First issue; reissued with Bartolomeo Alberti's imprint date of 1600 on first title page, and 1596 imprint date on special title pages.

Parts (named dialogues) 2 to 6 and the appended "Breve trattato" each have a special title page with the same imprint as initial title page. Foliation and signatures are continuous.

Some mispagination throughout volume.

Signatures: a¹² A-G⁸ H¹² I-T⁸ V¹⁰ X-Qq⁸ Rr¹² Ss-Hhh⁸ Iii¹⁰ Kkk-Eeee⁸ Ffff⁴.

Printed in roman type; printed marginal notes.

Diologo primo. Filologo -- Diologo secondo. Estisiphilo, ouero amante del senso -- Dialogo terzo. Eleutheron, cioè libero volere -- Dialogo quarto. Filodoxo, cioè amante d'opinione -- Dialogo quinto. Alithinoo -- Breve trattato nel qual moralmente si discorre qual sia la pietra di filosofi.

Manuscript bibliographic note bound at the front of this volume by former owner, Camillo Raineri Biscia. The note explains the textual differences between this first edition and later editions of Glissenti's work and includes a pasted in section of previous binding indicating a previous owner, Suor Anna Felic. Stamp of Biblioteca Rainer-Biscia. Verso and recto of page 85 have pasted in manuscript additions by former owner, Camillo Raineri Biscia, to re-insert text that had been cancelled with ink by a previous reader. This manual cancellation is repeated in some other copies of this edition. Name handwritten on first title page: Leonis Parisii V.I.D[?]. Manuscript marginalia throughout.