[Catholic Church] Per la erezione d'un momumento a monsignor Gabrio Maria Nava fu vescovo di Brescia posto nel giardino di recreazione dell'oratorio dell'Addolorata in Sant'Ambrogio : allocuzione letta ai giovani di quell'oratorio il 30 settembre 1838

Milano: Tipografia e libreria Pirotta e C., 1838. Wrappers. Fine. First and only edition, extremely rare, of this celebration of the memorial in honor of Gabrio Maria Nava, bishop of Brescia, with a splendid full-page lithograph illustrating the proposed monument. Royal 4to (320 x 240mm): 8pp, with frontispiece. Uncut in original blue wrappers printed in black. Provenance: book label (Biblioteca del Mottarello, Velate di Varese, Italy) and book plate (Virginio Bianchi-Valentini ["Fortes fortuna adiuvat"]) of two distinguished collectors to inner front cover. A spectacular copy. First Search identifies only one copy worldwide, in Lugano, at the Sistema bibliotecario ticinese. OCLC adds a second copy, at the University of Illinois. Despite being a close friend of Eugène de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy (who recommended Nava for the post of bishop), and personal confessor to his wife, Princess Augusta Amalia of Bavaria, Nava was steadfast to the cause of Pope Pius VII (who Napoleon's prisoner in France until 1814), and so found himself at odds with the French emperor. Nava fought the French government over the rights of the clergy and, after the Restoration, helped smooth the transition to the new Austrian Government. The education of youth and care of the sick were his main concerns. He also promotes a new institute, founded, in 1822, in Brescia, to help abandoned women and prostitutes. Of the proposed monument illustrated in the frontispiece only the round bas-relief portrait and the commemorative plaque were built, in Sant'Ambrogio, in Milan, where they still stand today. The final two pages provide lists of costs for construction of the monument and names of those who contributed to its creation, among whom are many important and influential families of Milan and Brescia. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).