Il Pastor Fido, Tragicomedia Pastorale, del Signor Cavalier Battista Guarini. A small leatherbound hardback with gilt decoration and page ends. Published by Appresso Francesco Pitteri, Venice, 1740. This book is in Italian. Giovanni Battista Guarini (1538-1612) was an Italian poet, dramatist and diplomat. Il Pastor Fido, a tragi-comic play known in English as The Faithful Shepherd, was his most famous work. It was first staged in 1585 and published in 1590. Small hardback with rubbing, wear and several marks to the calf covers, including where a label has been removed on the back. The title has been lost from the spine, but other sections of decorative gilt remain. Internally, the front pastedown shows signs of label or bookplate removal. There is an inscription dated 1820 on the half-title page, and some tanning and other marks on the pages. Generally, however, the book is in very good condition for its age. One photograph includes a hand to give an idea of the diminutive size of this little book, which will be sent by courier.