Basse-cour

1819 · Best.-Nr. CA1307 — 3661 leaves. Small octavo 6" x 4" bound early vellum with later ties. Ayer Nahuatl page 81; Medina Puebla 1678; Palau 55072; Pilling 808; Sabin 13233 First edition. A catechism in a more modern colloquial form of Nahuatl as opposed to the more formal classical Nahuatl featured in the early colonial works. The Nahuatl and Spanish texts appear on facing pages. One of the last Catechisms printed in the Native Mexican language during the Spanish domination of Mexico. The author's aim was to make accessible to the 'pobrecitos indios' the 'divina palabra' in Nahuatl and Spanish. He thus employs contemporary Spanish rather than that of the 'siglo de la conquista que por sublime les sería desconocido' so that 'pueda servir de libro general de las escuelas'. The author of the book is commonly described as unknown. However in the Diccionario histórico de la Compañía de Jesús attributes it to the Mexican Jesuit Luis Gutierrez del Corral who was one of the 'jesuitas mexicanos más notables de la primera mitad del siglo XIX'. He led an active evangelical and intellectual life despite the persecution of the Jesuits and he became the Vice Principal of the Order between 1841-1845 and eventually vicaro capitular of his native Puebla before his death. He is also the author of a history in Latin of the Jesuits in Mexico from the legalization of the order in 1814 to 1838 and of several biographies of Jesuits. Condition: Moderate wear; minor wear and moderate dampstaining and worming; original owner's inscription on front free endpaper. Else good. Published by Oratorio de S. Felipe Néri