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First and only edition of Tractatus duo Alter de Ventis Alter Perbrevis de Terraemotu Adiecto Indice copiosissimo, an elegantly illustrated and intellectually ambitious scientific treatise by Fabrizio Padovani, printed in Bologna in 1601.

The volume comprises two related studies: the first, an extensive investigation into the nature and behavior of winds; the second, a concise discourse on earthquakes. Though distinct in length, the two treatises are thematically linked by the Aristotelian view that subterranean winds were responsible for seismic events—a theory that informs Padovani’s attempt to formulate a natural philosophy of atmospheric and geological phenomena.

The principal section, De ventis, constitutes the bulk of the volume and explores the classification, origin, and motion of winds. Padovani draws upon classical authorities, medieval scholasticism, and contemporary observations to present a systematic treatment of global air currents and their effects. The treatise is richly illustrated with fine engravings, including depictions of machines such as windmills and ships, compass roses, and detailed wind charts that integrate observational data with cosmographical models. These images reflect both scientific and artistic refinement and serve as interpretive tools that deepen the reader’s understanding of atmospheric behavior across geographical regions.

One of the most remarkable features of the book is its full-page world map, based upon Gastaldi's 1548 Carta Marina. The map includes the Americas and is structured around a circular grid of rhumb lines to illustrate wind direction and navigational routes. As noted by Rodney Shirley (Mapping of the World, no. 232), it stands as a visual expression of sixteenth-century attempts to reconcile classical geographical models with the demands of oceanic navigation and expanding global knowledge.

The second treatise, Perbrevis de terraemotu, occupies the final eleven pages and offers a brief but noteworthy reflection on earthquakes. Adhering to the belief that seismic activity was caused by subterranean air movements, Padovani proposes what amounts to an early warning system, suggesting that certain signs might foretell impending shocks. Though speculative, this notion reveals the beginnings of a more systematic approach to the prediction of natural disasters.