Antiquariat Michael Kühn

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Science Medicine History of Ideas

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July 2016

Thorp’s Copy of the First & Second Edition

Newton, Isaac.Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. Translated into English, and illustrated with a commentary, by Robert Thorp, M. A. Volume the First [all published]. London: Printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1777. Quarto. pp. [10], xv-lviii, (ii), 360: pp. (and) Newton, Isaac. Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy ... translated into English and illustrated with a Commentary by Robert Thorp, D.D., Archdeacon of Northumberland. London: T. Cadell Jun. & W. Davies, 1802. Second edition, Quarto. [4], xv-lviii, [2], 360 pp., with 22 folding engraved plates,. Uniformly bound in early 19th century half calf lettered in gilt „Thorp‘s Newton“, spine gilt.

EUR 12.000.-

Extensively annotated by the Editor & translator ROBERT THORP in the margins with diagrams.

First and second edition of the second translation into English of Newton’s Principia, although only the first volume was published. Thorp’s translation, “though based on Motte’s edition of 1729, is considered by Cohen (Newton, 1969, p. iv) to be ‘notably improved and amended’. Further, he declared, for anyone wishing to follow Newton’s reasoning and ‘to comprehend this great treatise on its own terms, there is no better work

… available in English’.” (Gjertsen, The Newton Hand-book). The first edition is quite rare; it was reissued in 1802, which is also present. The translator Robert Thorp‘s copy, with his name on title.bound without the plates (but present in the reissued second edition). The translator‘s own extensively anno-tated edition of his translation of volume I of Newton‘s Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.

Robert Thorp (1736-1812) attended Durham School and Peterhouse College, Cambridge, obtaining a B. A. as Senior Wrangler in 1758 and an M.A. in 1761. In 1768 he succeeded his father Thomas Thorp (1699–1767) as rector of Chillingham; in 1782 he became rector of Gateshead; in 1792 Archdeacon of Northumberland. In 1795, he became rector of Ryton, and was a founder of Durham University. As well his translation of Newton he was the author of „Excerpta quaedam e Newtoni Principiis Philosophiae Naturalis“ (1765). The Second Edition has an identical „Intro-duction by the Editor“, Preface, Latin verse by Edmund Halley, Index leaf and text to the first edition. None of the manuscript corrections and notes made by Robert Thorp to his copy of the first edition have been incorpo-rated into the second edition, nor have the errors listed on the verso of the Index leaf been corrected by the printer. Apart from a new title-page the second edition differs from the first in that it lacks the dedication leaf

to the Duke of Northumberland and the 4pp. list of Subscribers, and has a new leaf, 2 pp. „Advertisement“, undated, immediately following the title-page. Thorp was one of the three editors of the Excerpta published in 1765.- Wallis 28. Gray 28. Not in Babson.

Provenance: Robert Thorp, inscribed on title; R. Fenwick Thorp, 1904 from W. T. Thorp, inscription on end-paper to descendent to current owner.

America and Asia still united

Myritius, Jo(h)annes. Opvscvlvm geographicvm rarvm, totivs eivs negotii rationem, mira indvstria et brevitate complectens, iam recens ex diversorvm libris ac chartis, summa cura ac diligentia collectum & publicatum.- Ingolstadt, Wolfgang Eder, 1590. Folio. 1 Bll., 130 pp. with fold. map. In a contemporary vellum binding made with parts of a 15th-century missal mss., waterstained and wormed, some slight damage to spine, lacking the 4 ties. Lacking all dedication leaves (= A2 & A3 with the dedicatory epistles & a full-page heraldic woodcut, and pp. 131-136 with the portrait and another full-page heraldic woodcut, the penultimate leave with colophon and printer‘s device, and the final blank), but the text is complete with all movable parts and the folding map. The folding plate (to B3) with the volvelle parts is here cut out and mounted. Some slight browning and foxing, slightly waterstained and little worming to the beginning, else fine.

EUR 5.500.-

Exceedingly rare geographical work with numerous woodcuts, volvelles and the world map, but lacking all the dedication leaves although in a contemporary first binding. Maybe an early issue or a later issue where the dedicatee has been disappointed about the dedication or content.

„The author was a Maltese by birth, but resided at Ratisbon as a commander of the order of St. John. He seems to have been one of the latest geographers who, in order to reconcile the new discoveries (of Columbus et al.) with the original theories, calls the northwestern portion of America, India Orientalis, and places no ocean between the continents of Asia and America. Chapters XX. and XXI. relate to the New World.“ (Sabin).

“Myritius has been described as perhaps the last of the geographers to accept without question the connec-tion of North America with Asia”

The connection of Asia and America is most prevalent on earlier Italian Gastaldi-type world maps, and Shirley notes that the choice of place names on the Myritius also points to reliance on an Italian rather than a Dutch source. Also of significance: “in the extreme south on the map, we now see something new – an imaginary continent stretching across the pole. Mercator believed a continent would be found there and his theory was bl-indingly accepted and duplicated on maps for over 100 years” Published in Ingolstadt Germany in 1590, this handsome oval map is surrounded by sixteen cheru- bic windheads inside of a heavy decorative outer border.

„Merkwürdigerweise folgt der deutsche Geograph Myritius in seinem stark vereinfachten geographischen Bild nicht den in zahlreichen Karten dokumentierten neueren Kenntnissen über die Trennung von Asien und Amerika sowie die Gliederung Nordamerikas durch die Nordwestpassage“ (America. Das frühe Bild der Neu-en Welt. Ausstellung d. BSB München. 1992, Nr. 102 mit Abb.).

VD 16, M 7470; Brown I, 323 f.; Brown, European Americana 590/48; Muller 1026; Nordenskiöld 90 u. Taf. 49; Sabin 51650; Shirley 175 u. Abb. 142; STC 641; Stalla 1076; nicht bei Adams, Church u. Houzeau / L.; Arkway 45,23; Portraits of The World, 7, pp. 10-11.

Very rare lithographed wall map of the near side of the moon based on telescopic drawings noted for their accuracy, drawn by astronomer & selenographer Casimir Gaudibert (1823-1901) under the direction of the famous astronomer Camille Flammarion, founder in 1883 of the Observatory of Juvisy - sur - Orge, and designed by Leon Fenet. The extremely detailed map, made after his own drawings, figure all lunar reliefs, craters, mountain ranges, including the famous Sea of Tranquility. Long descriptions lists the 509 lunar craters, all bearing famous na-mes with longitude for each. In 1896 Gaudibert realized a lunar globe from the same map and published in very few copies also by Emile Bertaux. Gaudibert moved to Belgium where he was a preacher involved with L’ Église missionnaire but was evicted from his pulpit because some of his teaching was considered as unacceptable. From then on he was a teacher in the Plymouth Brethren assemblies in Belgium. (T C F Stunt).- Sheehan/ Dobbins. Epic Moon. A history of lunar exploration, pp. 197/198.

Before the Lunar Globe

Gaudibert, Casimir Marie & Flammarion, Camille. Carte générale de la lune dressée sous la direction de Camille Flam-marion par C. M. Gaudibert, dessinée par Léon Fenet.- Paris, E. Bertaux, 1887. Cut down in 20 sections mounted on canvas and folded, forming together a map of 113 x 87 cm. No folder. A few stains in upper part (text) of the map. Overall fine.

EUR 4.500.-

Rare first german edition of a classical text in hydro-dynamics, incl. various hydraulic experiments conduc-ted by Francesco Domenico Michelotti (1710–1777) and his son Giuseppe Teresio Michelotti with commen-taries by Johann Albert Eytelwein (1764–1849) known for his hydraulic and structural mechanics work. First published in 1767–1771 in Turino as „Sperimenti idraulici principalmente diretti a confermare la teorica e facilitare la pratica del misurare le acque correnti“ (and by his son in 1784 in a journal), this here is a german edition, with commentary by Johann Albrecht Eytelwein (1764–1848) who’s career paralleled that of Prony in both interest and practical accomplishments, including the formulation of water resistance relation-ships. From the 1760’s onwards Turin had an important

scientific and technological structure or research site, the Stabilimento delle esperienze idrauliche at Parella, designed by the University professor of hydraulics, Francesco Domenico Michelotti (1710–1777). The center of the site was a tower seven meters high that permitted observations and measures on several pheno-mena interesting for a rational control of irrigation. The laboratory gained european fame. Provenance: „P.v.H.“ (= Peter von Holstein ?).- Rouse, Historical writings no. 181; Roberts/Trent 225 (only vol. 1 of the italian editi-on); Pogg. II, 146; for italian ed.: Olschki, Choix, 7363. Robert & Trent, Bibliotheca Mechanica, p. 225; De Vitry, 601; Zeitlinger, n. 11830

Understanding Water Flow

Michelotti, Francesco Domenico.Hydrauliche Versuche zur Begründung und Beförderung der Theorie und Practik. Nebst einem Anhange, welcher die neuesten Turiner Versuche von Joseph Terese (Giuseppe Teresio) Michelotti ent-hält. Aus dem Italienischen übersetzt von C. G. Zimmermann. Mit Anmerkungen begleitet von J. A. Eytelwein. Mit IV Kupfertafeln.- Berlin, Realschulbuchhandlung, 1808. Quarto. (245 x 200 mm) XXIV, 253 pp., (3, incl. Errata) with 4 large folded engraved plates. Contemporary calf, gilt spine in compartments, rubbed and soiled, lettering piece missing, gilt printed monogram (P.v.H.). Gilt rulled borders on cover, red edges, monogram stamp on title-page. Very fresh & clean copy.

EUR 1.800.-

A very fine, association set, volumes 2 to 4 each signed by the editor (Kurt Hensel, Max Planck) to Hermann von Helmholtz on the original wrappers.

„The excellence of Kirchhoff as a teacher can be inferred from the printed text of his lectures (he managed to pu-blish only those on mechanics, the others being edited posthumously). They set a standard for the teaching of classical theoretical physics in German universities, at a time when they were taking a leading position in the development of science.“ (L. Rosenfeld)

Kirchhoff’s major contribution to physics was his expe-rimental discovery and theoretical analysis in 1859 of a fundamental law of electromagnetic radiation: for all material bodies, the ratio of absorptive and emissive power for such radiation is a universal function of

wavelength and temperature. Kirchhoff made this discovery in the course of investigating the optical spectra of chemical elements, by which, in collaboration with Bunsen, he laid the foundation of the method of spectral analysis (1860). Outstanding among his other contributions were his early work on electrical currents (1845-1849) and on the propagation of electricity in conductors (1857). A master in the mathematical analysis of the phenomena, he insisted on the clear-cut logical formulation of physical concepts and relations, directly based on observation and leading to coherent systems free of hypothetical elements. His teaching had a considerable influence on the development in Germa-ny of a flourishing school of theoretical physics during the first three decades of the twentieth century.

Helmholtz’s copy

Kirchhoff, Gustav Robert.Vorlesungen über mathematische Physik. Band 1: Mechanik; Band 2: Vorlesungen über mathematische Optik; Band 3: Vorlesungen über Electricität und Magnetismus; Band 4: Vorlesungen über die Theorie der Wärme.- Leipzig: B. G. Teubner, 1876, 1891, 1891, 1894. 8°. IX, 466 pp.; VIII, 272 pp.; X, 228 pp.; X, 210 pp. Volume 1 in half calf, then publisher’s cloth with original wrappers bound in. Wrappers with dedication by the editors (Kurt Hensel, Max Planck) to Helmholtz. Wrappers with more than one stamp and discarding signs.

EUR 2.400.-

A Turning Point for Women in Science

Kirch, Maria Margaretha. Vorbereitung, zur grossen Opposition, oder merck-würdige Himmels - Gestalt im 1712. Jahre, worauf im folgenden 1713. Jahre Christi, der Genaudreyfache Gegen - Standt Saturni und Jovis folget. Woraus hier ei-nige Anmerckungen abgefasset, was öffters bey dergleichen Oppositionibus hat pflegen zu geschehen. Zu einer Auffmunterung, desto eher und mehr den ge-stirnten Himmel zu betrachten, ob vielleicht in diesem Jahre ein neuer Comet, daran erscheinen möchte….- Cölln an der Spree (Berlin): druckts Ulrich Liebpert, (1712). Quarto. (200 x 160 mm) 24 pp. with one en-graved copper-plate (star map). Modern boards period style, little browned and spotted throughout, but overall a fine copy.

EUR 4.200.-

Exceedingly rare & only edition, an invitation to observe the sky: to discover comets and to look at an opposition of Jupiter and Saturn which will occur; with the rare engraved star map often wanting.

Probably printed on cost of Maria Kirch (born Winkelmann) (here: Maria Margaretha Winckelmann, verwitweten Kirchinn, der Astronomie und Astrologie ergebenen in Berlin) as a recommendation of here astronomical skills and to support the appointment of a job as astronomer at the Berlin Academy of Sciences.

„Maria Margaretha Kirch, born Winkelmann (1670–1720) was one of the very few women active in astronomy around 1700. She was the second wife of the astronomer Gottfried Kirch, who was probably the most prominent german astronomer around 1700. While mainly engaged in calculating calendars, together

with her husband and later her son, Maria Margaretha Kirch also carried out astronomical and meteorological observations. She became well known as one of the discoverers of a comet in 1702.

After her husband death (1710), it was clear to Maria Margaretha that she had no chance to replace her husband in the official position of the astronomo ordinario at the Berlin Academy of Sciences. She asked, however for a minor position in order to continue her work for the calendar, but in 1712, all her requests were finally rejected, although the president of the Academy, Gottfried Leibniz, expressed explicitly his admiration for her astronomical skills. In October Maria Margaretha moved with her children to the private observatory of Baron Bernhard Friedrich von Krosigk at Berlin. There she carried out astronomical observations

and continued her calendar work, which was published in Breslau and Nuremberg. After Krosigks death in 1714 she moved to Danzig and reorganized and used the observatory of the deceased astronomer Johannes Hevelius. In 1716 she returned to Berlin where her son was appointed astronomer.“ (Roland Wielen)

Pogg. I, 1258; not in Brüning; DSB VII, 373-374 (Multhauf); BEA I, 638-640 (Roland Wielen); Londa Schiebinger. Maria Winkelmann at the Berlin Academy: A Turning point for women in science; in: ISIS 78 (1987), pp. 174-200.

KVK: Dt. Museum, München and Univ. Münster (both without plate ?); not in COPAC or OCLC.

Max & Maurice (Moritz) –Two Orang-Utans on Show in 1893

Delisle, F.Notes sur l’osteometrie et la craniologie des Orang-Outans. Extracted from Nouvelles Archives de Museum d‘histoire naturelle. 1895, 3. série, tome. VII.- Paris, 1895. Quarto (305 x 241 mm) pp. (83)-114 with four text woodcuts and two chromolithographed plates by A. Millot (Lit. Lemercier) showing Max and Maurice. Contemporary calf backed marbled boards, spine ruled and lettered in gilt.

EUR 4.500.-

An Extra Illustrated volume with 22 engravings, litho-graphs, half-tones and especially 9 mounted original albumen photographs by an unknown photographer showing the two orang-utans (living and as stuffed animals) with zookeeper and later with taxidermist (?), which fascinated the Parisian public and it is said that they had more than 100.000 visitors in 1893. They were brought from Borneo to Europe and people could visit them in Antwerp, Bruxelles and Paris. Within a year they died from stress and pneumonia. Ernst Pinkert from Leipzig Zoological Gardens eventually bought them but they never reached German borders. Especially the photographs are rare to find.

It could be that this book is the copy of the artist Adolphe Philippe Millot (1857–1921) who used for his images of the two orang-utans in chromolitho-graph detailed descriptions of the behavior of the living apes, photographs of the stuffed animals, and wax models produced after their life. Adolphe Philippe Millot, a french painter, lithographer and entomologist,

illustrated many of the natural history sections of Petit Larousse (an encyclopedia), and he was the senior illu-strator at the Museum national d’histoire naturelle He was a member of the Societe entomologique de France.

The word orangutan (also written orang-utan, orang utan and orangutang) is derived from the Malay and Indonesian words orang meaning „person“ and hutan meaning „forest“, thus „person of the forest“. The word was first attested in English in 1691 in the form orang-outang. The name of the genus, Pongo, comes from a 16th century account by Andrew Battell, an English sailor held prisoner by the Portuguese in Angola, which describes two anthropoid „monsters“ named Pongo and Engeco. It is now believed that he was describing gorillas, but in the late 18th century it was believed that all great apes were orangutans; hence Lacépède‘s use of Pongo for the genus. For four centuries, people have looked in wonder at the resemblance of orang-utans to human beings. Many have considered whether

orangutans should be recognized as humans, while others have been determined to assert that they are not. In the process, we have been forced to examine and re-examine our idea of what constitutes human-ness. Rousseau thought that orangutans could take part in Parisian society if only they could be got out of the jungle, but other thinkers saw them as representing primaeval savagery that real humans had risen above. As the Empress of France, Josephine , the wife of Napo-leon was extremely perceptive to the status that exotic pets bring. One of her favorite among her menagerie was a female Orangutan named Rose.The Orangutan was allowed to attend meals with party guests and even share a bed with the Bonaparte couple.

One of the Founders of Astrophotography and Modern Solar Physics

Janssen, Jules.Annales de l’ Observatoire d’ astronomie physique de Paris sis Parc de Meudon, publié par M. J. Janssen. Tome I.- Paris: Gauthier-Villars et fils, 1896 - 1910. quarto (280 x 220 mm) (4), 122 pp., (2) with 9 photogravure plates (hel. Dujardin) showing the observatory and 12 original mounted photographs (230 x 170 mm) showing the grainy surface of the sun. Original publisher’s printed papercard boards, little rubbed & dust-soiled, little spotted inside, else a fine association copy.

EUR 6.500.-

Description of the observatory of Meudon and an essay on the photography of the sun: „Mémoire sur la pho-tographie solaire“ with spectacular original mounted photographs of the grainy surface of the sun which were also partly later issued in his „Atlas de photogra-phies solaires (1904). With handwritten dedication by Janssen: „à Mon cher et éminent confrère le Dr. Potain souvenir affectueux J. Janssen“.

First photographs of the sun surface made by Pierre M. Arents and Louis Pasteur.

The french solar astronomer, Pierre Jules César Janssen (1824–1907) discovered that it is possible to see prominences beyond the limb of the sun without waiting for an eclipse and demonstrated that some fea-tures in the solar spectrum are actually caused by gases in the earth’s atmosphere. Jannsen’s device for imaging solar prominences was a prototype of the spectrohelio-scope. It was left to George Hale to add photographic plates to produce the first spectroheliograph, but Jans-

sen invented other photographic devices, including an „astronomical revolver“ permitting many short images

to be taken in quick succession. The french govern-ment agreed to Janssen choice of Meudon (an old royal domain that otherwise would have been divided up for housing) as a site for a new solar observatory in 1874. At the physical observatory of astronomy of Meudon, the celestial service of photography created by Jules Janssen in 1876 undertook a systematic study of the solar surface. Those principal results were published between 1896 and 1910 and in the astonis-hing Atlas de photographies solaires (1904), which illustrated the precise granulations of the surface of the sun. The qua-lity of the images, which resolved granulation as fine as 1’’ was not bettered until the 1950’s. (Raymonde Barthalot)

With the 5.5-inch solar telescope of the Meudon Observatory made by Adam Prazmowski Janssen and his collaborators made some 6.000 photos of the sun

during the period of 1876 to 1903. These photos are the base of Janssen’ monumental work: L’ Atlas de photographies solaire, published in 1904. Of the 6000 glass plates only seven (!) survived (Launay, 2012. pp. 119). In 1877 Janssen used this telescope to take a photograph of the solar photosphere which for the first time showed clearly the granular nature of the sun’s sur-face.

„Janssen travaille alors beaucoup avec son photographe Pierre Marie Arents (et Louis Pasteur) pour utilisier au mieux la si précieuse photographie.“ (Francoise Launay. Jules Jannsen et la photographie; in: Dans le champ des étoiles, pp. 26); Canguilhem. Le merveilleux scientifique. Photographies… 1844-1918. photo 58 (pp. 76), Dans le champ des étoiles. Les photographes et le ciel, 1850-2000. photo 47a+b, 48a+b; Encyclo-pedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography edited by John Hannavy, pp. 91; Stefan Hughes. Catchers of the Light. III. 3.6., 3.7. pp. 269 ff. BEA I, 588-89; DSB VII, 73-78.

A Technical Journey

Furttenbach, Johann.Newes Itinerarium Italiae: in welchem der Reisende nicht allein gründtlichen Bericht, durch die herrlichste namhaffteste Örter Italiae sein Reiß wol zu bestellen: sonder es wirdt ihme auch gantz eygentlich beschrieben, was allda, als in einem Lustgarten di Europa ... denck-würdig zu sehen. Ulm, J. Saur, 1627. SquareQuarto (165 x 200 mm). 18 Bll., 259 pp. with engraved title border, folded engraved map and 29 text engravings. Contemporary vellum with black printed vignet-tes on cover, covers little bowed. Inside fine, the map restored at one corner. Ex Libris on inner front cover.

EUR 4.900.-

First edition of Faulhaber early „Baedeker“ or „Mi-chelin“ (tourist guide) to Italy’s most interesting sites written from his own experiences in the country. Joseph Furttenbach the Elder (1591–1667) was a german ar-chitect, mathematician and engineer. From 1607/08 to 1620 he stayed in Italy (especially in Milan, Genoa and Florence). There he did an apprenticeship as a merchant under the supervision of his uncles. Moreover he studied engineering, military architecture and grew an interest in theatre and stage design while abroad. Through his travels he made detailed accounts of buildings that interested him as well as interesting tech-nical object and engineering projects, as well as

festivals, processions and dramatic performances. After his stay in Italy, he moved back to Germany and settled in Ulm. There, he had a successful career as an architect and universal engineer. He designs included a hospital, a waterworks system, a schoolhouse, a theatre, and homes. He was eventually named city architect of Ulm, wrote many books, and served on the city council. His cabinet of curiosities was one of the most famous in Germany. A pious Lutheran, Furttenbach was at the same time an important cultural broker between Baro-que Italy and Southern Germany.- VD 17 3:300308R; Ornamentstichkat. Bln. 2659; Tresoldi 23. „Ein Bädeker des 17. Jahrhunderts“ (ADB VIII, 250).

Magnetism and Electrical Repulsion

Cabeo, Niccolò. Philosophia magnetica, in qva magnetis natvra penitvs explicatvr, et omnivm qvae hoc lapide cernuntur, causae propriae asseruntur: nova etiam praxis constrvitvr, quae propriam poli eleuationem, cum suo meridiano, vbique demonstrat, mvlta qvoqve dicvntvr de eletricis, & alijs attractionibus, & eorum causis.- Cologne: Johann Kinck, 1629. Folio. (2), 7 Bll., 412 pp., 6 Bll. Index with 4 engravings and around

150 text woodcuts, title with printers mark & engraved borders (Ferrara, Franciscus Succius, 1629) Contemporary blind-tooled

pigskin over wooden boards with two clasps, some slight wear, remains of old glued-on paper covers, lacking front end-

paper, blue edges, hardly any browning or foxing, some occasional light waterstaining to upper edge, owner‘s entry to title-page erased.

EUR 8.000.-

First edition, Cologne Issue, of the First Work to discuss electrical repulsion, „perhaps the most signi-ficant discovery of the century following Gilbert“.

„On p. 194 of this famous work of the great Italian Jesuit will be found the first recognition of electrical repulsion. Gilbert’s discoveries and theories are freely discussed, the latter often adversely. Sympathetic telegraphy disproved (page 301); magnetic field mapped out by iron filings; also diagrams of the magnetic (lover’s) telegraph. Cabeo opposed the views of Copernicus on astronomy, as well as those of Gilbert on terrestrial magnetism. Copies of this first edition are much sought after.“ (Wheeler Gift).

„An important work on the loadstone... is the second Latin book published on electricity.“ (Mottelay).

The Cologne issue adds a new typographic title-page and resets the dedication leaf (conjugate leaf) beginning „Ludovico XIII“ [see Wellcome description]. The Papal arms which were at the top of the engraved title-page are replaced with the Jesuit emblem and the last line of the title beginning with „multa quoque dicuntur.“ has been added. It seems fairly obvious that Succi printed two variants of the book, one intended for the German trade; the paper of the book is distinctly a superior Italian printing on fine paper except for the

added leaves which are on the typically browned paper of seventeenth century German books. Probably Kinkius printed these two leaves and sent them to Italy to be added to his issue of the book.

Niccolò Cabeo (1586–1650) was an Italian jesuit philosopher, engineer and mathematician, who taught mathemativs in Parma , then in 1622 he became a preacher. For a time he received patronage of the Dukes of Mantua and the Este in Ferrara. During this time he was involved in hydraulics projects. He would later return to teach mathematics again in Genoa, the city where he would die in 1650. He is noted for his contributions to physics experiments and observations. He observed the experiments of Giovanni Battista Baliani regarding falling objects, and he wrote about these experiments noting that two different objects fall in the same amount of time regardless of the medium. He also performed experiments with pendulums and observed that an electrically charged body can attract non-electrified objects. He also noted that two charged objects repelled each other.

His observations were published in the works, Philosophia magnetica (1629) and In quatuor libros meteorologicorum Aristotelis commentaria (1646). The first of these works examined the cause of the Earth’s

magnetism and was devoted to a study of the work of William Gilbert. Cabeo thought the Earth immobile, and so did not accept its motion as the cause of the magnetic field. Cabeo described electrical attraction in terms of electrical effluvia, released by rubbing certain materials together. These effluvia pushed into the surrounding air displacing it. When the air returned to its original location, it carried light bodies along with it making them move towards the attractive material. Both Accademia del Cimento and Robert Boyle perfor-med experiments with vacuums in attempts to confirm or refute Cabeo‘s ideas.

Cabeo also discussed the theory of water flow proposed by Galileo‘s student, Benedetto Castelli. He and Castelli were involved over a dispute in northern Italy about the rerouting of the Reno River. The people of Ferrara were on one side of the dispute and Cabeo was their advocate. Castelli favored the other side of the dispute and was acting as an agent of the Pope, Urban VIII.

- De Backer II, 483, 1; Ferguson I, 136; Honeyman 561; Mottelay 109f.; Wellcome I, 1171a; Wheeler Gift 97; vgl. Poggend. I, 355 u. Riccardi I, 205.