Man of Misconceptions : The Life of an Eccentric in an Age of Change (9781101597033)
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______. The Vulcano’s, Or, Burning and Fire-Vomiting Mountains, Famous in the World, with Their Remarkables: Collected for the Most Part Out of Kircher’s Subterraneous World, and Exposed to More General View in English. London: J. Darby, for John Allen and Benjamin Billingsly, 1669.
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INDEX
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable
Italicized page numbers refer to illustrations.
Accademia dei Lincei, 117
acoustics and sound
cat piano, 120–21, 122
correspondence between optics and sound, 119, 253
Delphic Oracle, 147–48
doctrine of the affections, 123–24
eavesdropping tube, 120
mechanical music-writing system, 122–23
musical instruments, 119, 120–21
musical antidote for poison, 104–6
New Work on Producing Sound (Kircher), 228
speaking trumpet, 225–28
“tone architecture,” 119–20
Universal Music-making (Kircher), 119–24, 202, 228
alchemy, 187–90, 218–19, 254–56
Alexander VII, Pope (Fabio Chigi), 89, 150–52, 155, 170, 205–6
Apologetic Forerunner to Kircherian Studies (Petrucci), 235–38
Aristotle, 22–24, 185, 189
Arithmologia (Kircher), 242–43, 244
Assayer, The (Galileo), 237–38
astronomy
helioscope, 53
Jupiter’s moons, 34
moon’s surface, 34–35, 150, 272–73
sunspots, 35, 53
telescopes, 34–35, 61–62, 150, 254
See also cosmology
Avignon, 60–62
Bach, Johann Sebastian, 124
Baldigiani, Antonio, 233–34, 235, 241, 244–45
Barachias Nephi manuscript, 64, 67, 71, 81–82, 86, 142
Barberini, Cardinal Francesco
cultural projects and interests, 78–81
flight to Paris, 110
funding of Kircher’s work, 85, 97
hieroglyphic translation assignment, 81–82
as judge in Galileo’s trial, 68–69
and Kircher’s assignment to Rome, 68, 77
and plague containment measures, 160
Bartoli, Daniello, 234
Beck, Cave, 172
Bembine Tablet, 81–82, 86, 142
Berlinski, David, 242, 243
Bernini, Gianlorenzo
Fountain of the Four Rivers, 126–30
stroke and death, 246
theatrical effects, 79
urban planning and public works projects, 151–52, 155, 205
Bien, Merga, 5
black magic, 47–48, 106, 136, 140
Blauenstein, Salomone de, 219
Blavatsky, Madame, 264–65
Bonvicini, 218–19
books, Kircher‘s
Arithmologia, 242–43, 244
China Illustrated, 197, 199–201, 262, 274
Coptic Forerunner, 85–87
Ecstatic Journey, 152–54, 156, 172, 271–72
Ecstatic Journey II, 170–71
Examination of the Plague, 164–69
The Great Art of Knowing, 211–15
The Great Art of Light and Shadow, 115–19, 130, 202, 242, 253–54
international distribution and translations, 173, 201–2
Latium, 173–74, 223–24
The Magnet . . . , 100–104, 105, 107–8
, 150
Magnetic Art, 58
Magnetic Kingdom of Nature, 198–99, 256
Maltese Observatory, 90–91
New and Universal Polygraphy, 172
New Work on Producing Sound, 228
Pamphilian Obelisk, 131, 136
Universal Music-making, 119–24, 202, 228
See also Egyptian Oedipus; Underground World
Borromini, Francesco, 127
Boyle, Robert, 179, 180, 181, 193
Brahe, Tycho, 36, 150
Bruno, Giordano, 80, 153
bubonic plague. See plague
cabinets of curiosity, 145
Casaubon, Isaac, 144
cat piano, 120–21, 122
Catholic Church and Catholics
Aristotelian philosophy of natural world, 22–24
condemnation of Copernicus, 23
conflict with Protestants, 3–4, 9–10, 15, 25–26, 60
Gregorian calendar, 33
initial acceptance of Galileo’s findings, 35
prosecution of Galileo, 66, 83, 101
Thirty Years War, 15, 54, 57, 58–59, 132–33
witch hunts, 5, 49, 57
See also Jesuits
catoptrics, 114, 118, 147, 254
Champollion, Jean-François, 262–63
Charlatanry of the Learned, The (Mencken), 208
Charles II, king of England, 178–79, 180, 225
Charles II, king of Spain, 231
Chigi, Fabio (Pope Alexander VII), 89, 150–52, 155, 170, 205–6
China Illustrated (Kircher), 197, 199–201, 262, 274
Christian, prince of Brunswick, 24–26, 27, 54
Christina, queen of Sweden, 133–34, 155–57, 207
Cicero, 152
Clavius, Christopher, 33–34, 35, 98, 273
Clement IX, Pope, 206–7
Collegio Romano
Clavius’s chairmanship in mathematics, 33, 98
eavesdropping tube, 120
grandeur, 80, 81
Kircher’s chairmanship in mathematics, 98–100
Kircher’s dwindling reputation, 234, 235, 238
Collegio Romano museum
curiosities, 98, 114, 145–48, 240
deterioration after Kircher’s death, 248–49
gallery spaces, xv, 146, 229–30, 240–41
Kircher’s books and letters, 148–49
Cologne, 31–32, 36
Copernicus, Nicolaus, 23, 39
Coptic language and Coptic Forerunner (Kircher), 64, 85–87, 113, 262–63
cosmology
Earth-centered model, 22, 23
Ecstatic Journey (Kircher), 152–54, 156, 172, 271–72
geoheliocentric model, 150
gravitational force, 250, 253, 257–59
magnetic explanation for planetary motion, 51–52, 101–2, 150, 152, 180–81, 257, 265
sun-centered model, 35–36, 39, 150, 154, 250
unseen energies, 268
De Magnete (Gilbert), 51, 257
della Porta, Giambattista, 45–47, 51, 117
della Valle, Pietro, 85, 113, 146
Delphic Oracle, 147–48
Dernbach, Balthasar von, 4–5
Descartes, René
analytic geometry, 242
death, 134
on discovery of Jupiter’s moons, 34
dismissal of Kircher and The Magnet, 109
interest in universal language, 172, 211–12
on Kircher’s sunflower-seed material and clock, 67, 109, 218
magnetism theory, 108
material philosophy and dualism, 108, 167, 180, 263–64
as tutor to Christina of Sweden, 133–34
“Descent into the Maelström, A” (Poe), 270
doctrine of the affections, 123–24
Dream, The (Kepler), 152–53
Dream of Scipio, The (Cicero), 152
Earth-centered model of cosmology, 22, 23
earthquakes, 92, 94, 184–85
eavesdropping tube, 120
Eco, Umberto, 213, 271
Ecstatic Journey (Kircher), 152–54, 156, 172, 271–72
Ecstatic Journey II (Kircher), 170–71
Egyptian obelisks
of Fountain of the Four Rivers, 126, 127–31
Minervan fragment, 203–6, 234–35
re-erection in Rome, 55, 126–27, 205
replicas in Collegio Romano museum, xv, 240
St. John Lateran obelisk, 71–72
See also hieroglyphics
Egyptian Oedipus (Kircher)
ambitious plan for, 125
assistance with manuscript, 131–32, 135
censors’ concerns, 140–41
competence and methodology of author, 139
hieroglyphic interpretations, 142–43
on mysticism and Kabbalah, 140–41
on origins of religious traditions, 136–38, 141
precursor, Coptic Forerunner, 85–87
precursor, Pamphilian Obelisk, 131, 136
publication of, 135–36
sources consulted and plagiarized, 142, 144
sponsorship, 131
See also hieroglyphics
electromagnetism, 100, 267–68
Evelyn, John, 113–14, 178, 242
Examination of the Plague (Kircher), 164–69
Experimental Kircherian Physiology . . . (Kestler), 239–40
experimental method in science, 51, 165–66, 176–77, 179, 194–95, 250–51
Experiments on the Generation of Insects (Redi), 193–95, 224
Favián, Alejandro, 202
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, 15, 68
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, 100, 131, 132, 171
Ferdinand II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, 193, 224
Ficino, Marsilio, 38–39, 40, 41
Findlen, Paula, 83
Fludd, Robert, 65, 66, 102, 106
Fountain of the Four Rivers (Bernini), 126, 127–31, 185
Fracastoro, Girolamo, 168
Frederick, landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, 88, 91
Fulda, 3–5, 9, 11
Galileo Galilei
astronomical discoveries, 34–35
on cabinets of curiosity, 145
Church’s prosecution of, 66, 83, 101
experience of constant criticism, 237–38
on magnetism in planetary motion, 52
on magnifying lens, 117
on mathematics, 241
Gassendi, Pierre, 63, 64, 65, 105–6, 168
Geisa, 3, 5–7
geoheliocentric model of cosmology, 150
Gilbert, William, 51, 58, 101, 102, 257
Glauber, Johann, 218
gravitational force, 250, 253, 257–59, 266
Great Art, The (Llull), 89
Great Art of Knowing, The (Kircher), 211–15
Great Art of Light and Shadow, The (Kircher), 115–19, 130, 202, 242, 253–54
Gregorian calendar, 33
Gustavus Adolphus, 58–59, 133
Gutenberg, Johannes, 54
Halley, Edmund, 251
Hapsburgs, 4, 15, 171, 231
healing. See magnetic healing
Heiligenstadt, 43–45, 47–48
helioscope, 53
Hermes Trismegistus, 38–41, 56, 136–38, 144, 255
Hevelius, Johannes, 62, 149–50
hieroglyphics
Barachias Nephi manuscript, 64, 67, 71, 81–82, 86, 142
Chinese r
oots, 262
and Coptic language, 64, 85–87, 113, 262
as devised by Hermes Trismegistus, 56, 138, 144
doubts about Kircher’s mastery, 71–72, 83–84, 125, 207–8, 235
Horapollo text, 71
interpretation through Rosetta stone, 262–63
jokes played on Kircher, 207–8
Kircher’s interest in, 55–56
obscure side of Minervan obelisk fragment, 203–6, 207
sacred wisdom in, 56, 130, 136–38, 263
translation assignments, 81–82, 230–31
See also Egyptian obelisks; Egyptian Oedipus (Kircher)
Holy Roman Empire, 3–4, 88
Hooke, Robert, 179, 181–83, 256–57
Ignatius of Loyola, 9–10, 18–20, 82, 101, 211
immateriality and materiality, 40–42, 50, 65, 108, 167, 180, 257–59
In Defense of the Philosophers’ Stone . . . (Blauenstein), 219
Innocent X, Pope, 110–13, 126–27, 131
Island of the Day Before, The (Eco), 271
Jansson, Johann, 173, 201, 235, 241
Jesuits
as educators, 9, 10–11
founding of order, 9–10
frequent reassignments of priests, 43
health of priesthood candidates, 15
humility requirement, 20, 55, 209
Kircher’s embarkation on training, 13–17
Kircher’s ordination, 56
missionary work, 13–14, 54
novitiate Spiritual Exercises, 18–21
priesthood training regimen, 13
Protestant campaign against, 24–26, 27
understanding of natural world, 21
Journey to the Center of the Earth, A (Verne), 270–71
Kabbalah, 41, 89, 116, 138, 140–41, 264
Kepler, Johannes, 35–36, 52, 68, 152
Kestler, Johann, 239–40
Kircher, Athanasius
birth and childhood, 3–7
concealment of intellect, 21, 36, 37
credulity, 106, 180, 237
death and burial, 246–48
health, 14–17, 131–32, 234, 239, 243–45
influence and legacy, 262–67, 269–72
lack of humility, 20–21, 43, 55, 209, 211
letter writing, 148–49
melancholic type, 7, 53, 164
misadventures and divine interventions, 7–9, 11–13, 17, 27–30, 44–45, 69
moon crater named for, 273
reflections on course of life, 245–46
reputation, 128, 169, 202, 230, 235, 259–60
See also specific places; specific topics