Le lettere di Claudio Acquaviva a tutta la Compagnia di Gesù. Primi sondaggi per una edizione.

As part of the Acquaviva Project. Letters to the Society of Jesus, our article focuses on sources such as Claudio Acquaviva’ letters to the whole Society during the years of his generalate (1581-1615). Firstly, I identify the printed editions, from the vernacular first edition in 1606 to the Latin versions (1612, 1615), edited by the Jesuit Bernardo De Angelis, secretary to the Company. Secondly, I analyze them in relation to the secretary’s compilation of letters, re nowned at that time. I then consider the subsequent Latin editions (1635, 1736). From the per spective of the history of books and communication, I raise some questions about the building up of such a selection of printed letters addressed to the whole Company, to be compared with manuscript sources. An initial survey is offered.