[26] leaves, manuscript in ink on both sides (except versos of 1st and last leaves). 8¾x6¼, stitched.

Rare contemporary manuscript copy of "La Difesa di Galileo," written in 1695 by Genedeto Averani and only published in the 19th century. The work was apparently composed and circulated in support of the project of Vincenzio Viviani, Galileo's last surviving pupil, to erect a proper monument to his teacher. Accompanied by a photocopy of a one-page typed description of the work, and apparently this copy, stating that only "four copies were known to Antonio Favaro" (although other sources indicate the number may be six), and that "this copy contains a number of variants from the published text, including some words and phrases omitted by the other copyists... The absence of the author's name and the character of the title both suggest that this copy was made from an original draft which was later somewhat polished and re-titled... All manuscript material relating in any way to the case of Galileo and dating from the 17th and 18th centuries is very rare, as the Dialogue was not removed from the index of prohibited books until 1835 and a good deal of circumspection was required, particularly in Italy, in the handling of such material..."