Memorias para a historia literaria dos dominios de Portugal expostas em sette cartas, nas quaes se refere o principio, progresso, e fim da doutrina jesuitica das humanidades. Carta primeira [Segunda Carta; Carta Quarta] ….

Lisbon, Na Offic. de Antonio Vicente da Silva; vende-se na loja de João Baptista Reycend, e Jozé Colomb. mercadores de livros no Bairro Alto nas casas do Excellentissimo Principal D. Lazaro Leitão; second Na Offic. de Antonio Vicente da Silva; fourth Vende-se na loja de João Baptista Reycend e Companhia, mercadores de Livros, n.d.; licenses dated 1760.. FIRST EDITION. 3 cartas (of 7). 8°, stitched. Light soiling on first and final leaves, but overall in very good condition. (1 l.), 13, (1) pp. *** FIRST EDITION of three of seven letters on the literary history of Portugal. The first argues that the Jesuits did not restore the teaching of Latin to Portugal, as they claimed. The second describes the method by which the Jesuits taught Latin: "e a multidão de livros superfluos, ou indigestos, que introduzirão fastio, e odio a mesma lingoa." The fourth deals with the errors in the Latin grammar of the Jesuit P. Manuel Alvarez, which was published in Lisbon, 1572. His De institutione grammatica went through over 400 editions, being used by the Jesuits worldwide.Innocêncio notes that despite the broad promise of the title, these are the only topics covered. We have been unable to locate a complete set of the Memorias in any institutional library. The publishing history for this work is unclear: Innocêncio says that apparently two editions were printed circa 1760-62.Antonio Felix Mendes (b. Pernes, Santarem, 1706; d. Lisbon, 1790) was a professor of Latin. His revision of Domingos de Araujo's Grammatica Latina was wildly popular: first published in 1741, it was adopted in schools throughout Portugal in 1759, to replace the texts used by the recently expelled Jesuits.*** Innocêncio I, 135 (noting that there are 7 parts and apparently 2 editions printed ca. 1760-1762, but giving no collation); VIII, 141. Porbase locates a copy in the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, with only five letters, and a copy of the fourth letter (with a part of the third) at the Biblioteca Nacional, with the same publisher but the date 1752, and a collation of 45, (1) pp. Jisc locates only a five-part edition of Lisbon, 1774, at British Library. *** BOUND WITH:  VALLE, João Pedro do. Segunda carta de memorias para a historia literaria de Portugal, em que se refere o Methodo, com que os Jesuitas ensinarão a Lingoa Latina, e a multidão de livros superfluos, ou indigestos, que introduzirão fastio, e odio á mesma Lingoa.… Lisbon: Offic. de Antonio Vicente da Silva (vende-se na loja de João Baptista Reycend, e Jozé Colomb …), 1760. 8°, early marbled wrappers (upper missing). Slightly dog-eared but overall very good. 26 pp., (3 ll.).AND BOUND WITH:VALLE, João Pedro do. Memorias para a historia literaria de Portugal, e seus dominios, divididas em varias cartas. [Running head: "Carta quarta."] Lisbon: vende-se na loja de João Baptista Reycend e Companhia, mercadores de livros, no largo do Calhariz na esquina da Bica; os mesmos vendem toda a casta de livros antigos, e mopernos [sic], e tambem os comprão, 1774. 8°, disbound with traces of wrappers (quires separating). Final leaf with small tears and light soiling, but overall very good. 45, (1) pp.