De sensu rerum et magia, libri quatuor, pars mirabilis occultae philosophiae, ubi demonstratur, mundum esse Dei vivam statuam, beneque cognoscentem. . .

Illustrated with engraved title border incorporating a bell, symbolizing Campanella's name; plus a few woodcut headpieces and initials. 4to. 19th- early 20th-century sheep, with blind ruled calf covers (presumably from the original binding) laid down on both boards; spine with raised bands and gilt-lettered black morocco label. Frankfurt: Egenolph Emmel for Gottfried Tampach, 1620. First Edition. Written when Campanella was imprisoned by the Inquisition. (Krivatsy 2088; Wellcome 1236; Graesse, Trésor, VII, pp.150-151; Thorndike, VII, 291; Caillet, I, 1984; cf. Ferguson I, 138, citing 1636 edition only.)


In this work Campanella, a prominent (truncated) Italian Renaissance philosopher, theologian, astrologer, poet, and political thinker, expounds his vision of the natural world as a sentient organism whose individual parts are invested with life and sensitivity. On this basis he discusses natural divination, natural magic, and occult marvels. He discusses the senses, the intellect, the soul, immortality, physiognomy, anima mundi, the external world, and magic. He sharply criticizes Aristotle, repeats views of Telesio, and brings to mind Giordano Bruno's De rerum principiis and De magia of the previous century. Campanella held that natural truth was not revealed in Scripture, but in the physical world. Thus, the study of natural phenomena was seen as an important step toward theological understanding.

In Book IV of the De sensu rerum, Campanella reinterprets the tradition of natural magic in the light of the doctrine of the sense of things and of the spiritus. The magician is he who understands the sense inherent in each being and is capable of inducing certain alterations and passions into the spiritus. He knows how to activate the vital forces by suggesting appropriate foods, beverages, climates, sounds, and herbal and animal remedies; he understands the secrets of procreation and of illnesses, and can explain natural divinations, the prophecies of dreams, etc.

Accused of magic, atheism, and treason (charged with plotting a revolt in Calabria) the author was imprisoned in Naples from 1599 to 1626, during which time this work was published, edited by Tobias Adam. Later editions were expurgated, but not this first edition.

From the library of Edward Synge (1663-1678), Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross, with his signature on the title-page. The book is listed in the catalogue of the library of Synge's grandson, Edward Synge junior (1691-1762), Anglican bishop in the Church of Ireland, who inherited the library from his father, Archbishop Edward Synge (1659-1741), an Anglican clergyman who served in the Church of Ireland as Chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

Binding slightly rubbed; some scuffing to edges and spine. Title page worn, slightly shaved, and frayed at fore-edge, affecting the outer edge of the engraved border, but with no essential loss; preliminary leaves also with outer margin slightly frayed at fore-edge (mainly corners). First 4 leaves, including title, with minor marginal worming to inner top corner, not affecting text. Rear pastedown removed; o/w a clean, complete example of this rare and important work. (Inventory #: 7269)