Fleurs

LL 705 — <p><strong><em>Oracion que en alabanza del ilustrismo señor Don Fray Christoval de Torres insigne fundador del Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Santa Fe de Bogota dixo su actual rector doctor don Fernando Caycedo y Florez el dia tres de noviembre de mil setecientos noventa y tres en que en cumplimiento de su ultima voluntad se dioÌ sepultura a su venerable cadaver en la capella de su colegio transladandolo a ella de la Sta. Iglesia Catedral.</em></strong> En Santafe de Bogota: MDCCXCIII: En la Imprenta-Patriotica. Plazuela de San Carlos; 1793.</p><p>20 52 2 p.; 20 cm. 4to. Signatures: aâ´ b-d² A-Fâ´ Gâ´-G4 a1 a4 G3 versos blank.</p><p><strong>Extremely rare early Colombian imprint.</strong> In this <em>Oracion</em> the first archbishop of Bogotá from the newly established New Granada praises the founder of one of Colombia's most important universities. This is a speech in praise of Friar Cristóbal de Torres y Motones a Spanish ecclesiastic born in Burgos in 1573 and who passed away in Santafé on July 8 1654. In 1653 he founded the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario. He served as the eighth Archbishop of Santafé de Bogotá 1635-1654.</p><p>The Universidad del Rosario officially known as<em> Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario</em> is a private Colombian university founded in 1653 in what was then Santa Fe now Bogotá by Dominican friar Cristóbal de Torres y Motones. The institution is known for its historical heritage and for providing a "scientific ethical and humanistic" education. It is recognized as one of the best universities in Colombia and Latin America. A year after founding the Colegio Mayor del Rosario Cristóbal de Torres died in 1654.</p><p>The Author: Fernando Caicedo y Flórez Suaita June 15 1756 – Bogotá February 17 1832 was a Colombian Catholic priest and theologian. He was the first Archbishop of Bogotá 1827-1832 in the Republic of New Granada and a hero of the Independence movement. He served as a professor and rector of Colegio Mayor de Rosario 1792-93 during which time he wrote this work. Since 1810 the Caicedo family actively participated in the fight for Independence and in 1813 Fernando Caicedo y Flórez was among the signatories of the declaration of absolute independence for Cundinamarca promoted by Antonio Nariño.</p><p>The Printing Press: <strong><em>La Patriótica</em></strong> was the printing press established by Antonio Nariño in Santafé in the New Kingdom of Granada. Nariño a creole from Bogotá made a significant mark in history as the first Neogranadine to own a printing press which operated for just one year and printed only three works one of which we offer here.</p><p>Context: Before acquiring the printing press Nariño used to gather close friends and trusted individuals in meetings to discuss various topics—perhaps news from the Old World and the nascent North American nation as well as his more private plans. These gatherings included people close to Nariño such as Zea Pedro Fermín Vargas and other enlightened creoles.</p><p>The Printing Press in Bogotá: The first printing press was brought to Santafé by the Jesuits in 1738. Then in 1777 Viceroy Manuel Antonio Flórez invested significant resources to bring a printing press from Cádiz and arranged for Manuel Espinosa de los Monteros a renowned printer to move from Cartagena to Santafé to establish the Imprenta Real. Finally in 1793 Antonio Nariño decided to create his own press which he named La Patriótica located in the square of San Carlos Church close to the main plaza.</p><p>Nariño hired Diego Espinosa de los Monteros a former worker at the Imprenta Real along with Juan Fulgencio Tomapasca and Antonio Murcia. They were joined by two assistants Manuel María Torres and Pedro José de Vergara. At La Patriótica the following were printed: the <em>Papel Periódico de Santafé</em> by Manuel del Socorro Rodríguez Friday April 19 1793 <em>Oración</em> by Fernando Caicedo 1793 and <em>Derechos del Hombre y del Ciudadano</em> <em>The Rights of Man and the Citizen</em> December 1793 by Antonio Nariño. This phase of Antonio Nariño's life as a publisher is fascinating because it reveals a characteristic of the enlightened society of Santafé—its interest in publications which would gain momentum in the following century.</p><p>The printing of <em>The Rights of Man and the Citizen</em> sparked a revolutionary desire among several members of the creole elite. "In 1793 at the age of 28 Antonio Nariño played a pivotal role that changed his life forever as well as that of the Neogranadine society which was beginning to embrace the ideas of independence from the Spanish crown. In his Patriotic printing press Nariño published the <em>Derechos del Hombre y del Ciudadano </em>drawn from the French Revolution a document banned for its progressive and revolutionary nature.</p><p>From that point on Nariño the son of Spanish parents and a former Viceroyalty official himself had to dedicate himself to defending his actions. Two years later he was sentenced to 30 years in prison and sent to Cádiz Spain. However after one year six months and 17 days in captivity during a moment of inattention by the guards he managed to escape and traveled through Europe spreading the ideals of Independence until 1797 when he returned to Bogotá" El Espectador.</p><p>Extremely rare.</p><p>¶ Posada E. Bib.Bogotana p. 100 # 56. esta mal: es Posada E. Bibliografía Bogotana Bogota 1917 # 76; Palau 50660. Romero p. 195.</p><p># WorldCat U.S. Libraries: 2 copies JCB Sunny. LL 705.</p>