Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chili. [WITH:] Saggio sulla storia civile del Chili. MOLINA, Juan Ignacio (Giovanni Ignazio)

MOLINA'S SEMINAL ACCOUNTS ON THE NATURAL AND CIVIL HISTORIES OF CHILE. NICE CLEAN COPIES IN UNIFORM BINDING, THE FIRST EDITIONS ARE HARDLY FOUND TOGETHER ON THE MARKET TO FORM A SET. MOLINA, Juan Ignacio. Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chili. Bologna, Nella stamperia di S. Tommaso d'Aquino, 1782. [WITH:] ID. Saggio sulla storia civile del Chili. Bologna, Nella stamperia di S. Tommaso d'Aquino, 1787. FIRST EDITIONS. 8vo. 2 works in 2 vols: 367 pp. with final folding engraved map; 333 pp. with final folding engraved map. Very sporadic marginal spotting and light foxing in the 1st vol. 18th-century rustic paperboards. Excellent condition. Molina's fundamental complimentary works on Chile, published five years apart one from the other. Giovanni Ignazio Molina was a Chilean Jesuit who moved to Imola, Italy, in 1774, following the expulsion of the order from South America. The first work is devoted to the natural history of Chile. It illustrates the orography and geology of the Southern Pacific country, describing the wealth of minerals found in its mountainous areas (Cordillera de los Andes, Cordillera de la Costa and the vast dry plateau areas of the North, like Atacama), the Chilean fauna and flora, as well its agricultural strengths. The second work focuses on the history of the indigenous population, chiefly the Mapuche people, illustrating their origins, languages, customs and traditions, and their relationship with the Spanish "conquistadores." At the end of the volume, there is an interesting section containing a grammar and glossary of the Araucanian language (see Leclerc). The large and very clean geographical folding engraved maps show, respectively, the whole country and the southern region of Araucania, the ancestral land of the Mapuche. "The author was the only Chilean to achieve a distinguished scientific reputation in Europe during the colonial era [.] His work on Chile was based upon notes, documents, and many of his childhood's memories of oral narrations [.] Molina obtained from the Abbe Olivarez a manuscript history written prior to 1665." (Hill). Molina's treatises were an immediate success in Europe and were soon translated into Spanish (Madrid, 1788- 1795) and French (1789), quickly becoming essential reference works concerning this South American country. REFERENCES: Anrique e Silva, Ensayo de una bibliografìa historica y geografica de Chile, 118, 123; 1st work ("Storia Naturale"): Pritzel 6362. Sabin 49888; Leclerc 1958; Palau 174558; Wood, Zoology, p. 469; BM Natural History III, p. 1334; Hill II, pp. 500- 501; 2nd work ("Storia civile"): Sabin 49888; Leclerc 1959; Palau 175460; Hill II, pp. 500-501.