KIRCHER (A) - PETRUCCI (G). PRODOMO APOLOGETICO ALLI STUDI CHIRCHERIANI. Nella quale con un apparato di Saggi diversi, si dà prova dell'esquisito Studio ha tenuto il Celebratissimo Padre Atanasio Chircher Amsterdam, Janssonius Van Waesberge, 1677. In-4° of [16]-200 pages, half calf with corners (later binding). Rare first edition of this eulogy of Athanasius Kircher written by his friend and collaborator Gioseffo Petrucci. In this biography he recounts the main works of the famous Jesuit scholar, in particular his vision of the mirabilia, the wonders of nature and culture, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the pyramids of Egypt, the very curious representation of a bat with the head of a cat and the torso of a woman, a burial chamber, the underground world, etc. The illustration consists of an allegorical engraved title showing the author close to his death, 14 compositions in the text including 10 intaglio engravings and 4 woodcuts, 5 full-page intaglio engravings, as well as 8 plates including 4 fold-outs and a fold-out map of southern Africa. Marginal repair on page 39, gallery at bottom margin, scattered foxing. Handwritten bookplate Jo. Adami Albert de Fabris, and Augustin Seguin.