Lettera apologetica dell' esercitato Accademico della Crusca contenente la difesa del libro intitolato Lettere d'una Peruana, per rispetto alla supposizione de'quipu, scritta alla duchessa di s****e dalla medesima fatta pubblicare

Napoli: [Gennaro Morelli], 1750. First edition, 4to, pp. [14], 320, [14]; text partially in black letter, engraved vignette (device of the Accademia della Crusca) on title page printed in sanguine, title page otherwise printed in 4 colors; 3 hand-colored folding plates of the quipus (1 also printed in red and green); engraved initials and headpieces; contemporary full mottled calf, gilt spine, red morocco label, modern quarter brown morocco clamshell box with gilt spine, red morocco label. Sabin 40560: "This letter from a learned academician of the Della Crusca, contains a defense of Madame de Grafigny, "Letters from a Peruvian Princess," published in 1747, wherein the author speakls of the extensive use of the quipus by the Peruvians." "The mysterious science of the quipus ... supplied the Peruvians with the means of communicating their ideas to one another, and of transmitting them to future generations ... The quipu was a cord about two feet long, composed of different colored threads tightly twisted together, from which a quantity of small threads were suspended in the manner of a fringe. The threads were of different colors and were tied into knots. The word quipu, indeed, signifies a knot. The colors denoted sensible objects; as, for instance, white represented silver, and yellow, gold. They sometimes stood for abstract ideas. Thus white signified peace, and red, war. But the quipus were chiefly used for arithemetical purposes. The knots served instead of ciphers, and could be combined in such a manner as to represent numbers to any amount they required. By means of these they went through their calculations with great rapidity, and the Spaniards who first visited the country bear testimony to their accuracy. "Officers were established in each of the districts, who, under the title of quipucamayus, or 'keepers of the quipus,' were required to furnish the government with information on various important matters. One had charge of the revenues, reported the quantity of raw material distributed among the laborers, the quality and quantity of the fabrics made from it, and the amount of stores, of various kinds, paid into the royal magazines. Another exhibited the register of births and deaths, the marriages, the number of those qualified to bear arms, and the like details in reference to the population of the kingdom. These returns were annually forwarded to the capital, where they wre submitted to the inspection of officers acquainted with the art of deciphering these mystic records. The government was thus provided with a valuable mass of statistical information, and the skeins of many-colored threads, collected and carefully preserved, consittuted what might be called the national archives" (Prescott, Conquest of Peru, I, 118-9). Some wear along the upper joint, old ink inscription partially eradicated from the bottom margin of the title page, mild and occasional spotting; a very good copy of a rare book.