Diva Wartensis, seu origines et miracula magnae Dei... matris Mariae quae a tot retro saeculis Wartae in limitibus...

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Small 4to. Contemporary cardboard binding with green binding tapes. Engraved frontispice, 304 pp., 4 unnum. leaves, 3 folded engraved plates depicting a city view of Warta with its surrounding, the statue of the virgin S. Mariae on mount Wartenberg and an allegoric scenery of mount Wartenberg with S. Mariae. Description of the foundation and history of the pilgrimage church in Warta in Kladsk and the miracles associated with the statue of love of the Virgin Mary kept there, written by Bohuslav Balbín (1621-1688), a Jesuit and a leading representative of Czech Baroque historiography. Copper plate engraving by Wolfgang Kilian after a drawing by C. Vetter with the allegory of the miracle in Varta and the pilgrimage church with its surroundings. Bohuslav Balbín (3 December 1621 Hradec Králové (German: Königgrätz) – 29 November 1688 Prague) was a Czech writer, historian, geographer and Jesuit, called the "Czech Pliny". He became well known also as an advocate of the Czech language in the time of incoming germanization of the Czech lands. Balbín was born in Hradec Králové into a middle class Roman Catholic family. He was educated mostly in the Jesuit schools, he soon joined the Society of Jesus. After finishing studies in philosophy at University of Olomouc, he taught in Jesuit colleges in Prague, Třeboň, Brno, Jičín, Jindřichův Hradec and Český Krumlov. After writing of several textbooks and didactic theatre plays, he also became acquainted with historical sources of archives and libraries. His entire life was devoted to collecting and editing materials about Czech history, and his researches have often been utilized by the Bollandists. Balbín died, aged 66, in Prague. (Wikipedia)