Giuseppe Tartini - Lettere e documenti / Pisma in dokumenti / Letters and Documents - Volume / Knjiga / Volume II

392 receive it under the seal of confession. I submit to you my most cordial regards, and I remain as ever Your Reverence’s most humble, devoted and obliged servant Giuseppe Tartini Padua, 8 May 1754 111. Tartini to G.R. Carli Since I am forced to make quite a different appearance in the learned world from that hitherto made in the common world as a violin player, I resort to those patrons, who, possessing head and heart, are willing and able to help me in such need. In July a work of mine will be published in print, with the title: Trattato di musica secondo la vera scienza dell’armonia . The treatise was composed by me two years ago for the use and pleasure of Signor Conte Decio Trento, a counterpoint student of mine, who has desired, with absolute determination, for it to be printed. Given that the principles contained in the treatise are new, and the title with the adjective true indicates quite well what I believe to have discovered, the commitment is great, the consequences most serious, the impact perilous. Be that as it may, two things interest me: the prompt diffusion of the work in Italy, and the sincere receipt of the judgement of learned men, to whom the book belongs much more than to musicians. Therefore, I personally appeal to Your Most Illustrious Lordship, both as a kind patron of mine and as a learned and influential man, that you may help me in such need: by receiving in due time into your hands, or into the hands of whoever you decide, that number of these books you will require, to be sold and distributed in those parts; and by ignoring all judgement of the style, which I know full well to be base and unpolished; I refer to the judgement of those things contained, which are in themselves of such importance that their unadorned and simple presentation is sufficient to interest greatly the distinguished physical- mathematical class. The good heart of Your Most Illustrious Lordship is known; I have a thousand examples proving your particular kindness towards me. Nevertheless, knowing myself and my little merit, I make use of the intercession of the Most Illustrious Signor Ippolito, 66 because the favour which I ask of you matters too much to me, and I therefore want to ensure it. I wish that what you shall do for such an intercessor is converted into a natural reason for doing so because of the book itself, if you should find 66 Ippolito Bertolani, a relative of Vallisnieri and confidant of Apostolo Zeno. See Negri, 1816: pp. 175, 266, 275, 316, 348.