Klau, Christoph. See Clavius, Christopher
Koblenz, 36–38
Kollár, Adám Ferencz, 260
Latium (Kircher), 173–74, 223–24
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, 215–18, 243, 258–59, 261–62
Leopold, Holy Roman Emperor, 171, 210, 236
Llull, Ramon, and Llullian systems, 89–90, 123, 212–13
lodestone. See magnetism
Lodwick, Francis, 172
longitude at sea, 98–100
Louis XIII, 60
Louis XIV, 230
Lucretius, 168
Maggiotti, Raffaello, 83
magic
demonic, 47–48, 106, 136, 140
natural, 41–42, 45–51, 141, 146–47, 178
magic lantern, 114–15, 147
Magnet, The . . . (Kircher), 100–104, 105, 107–8, 150
Magnetic Art (Kircher), 58
magnetic healing
mechanism of, 103, 162
musical antidote for venom, 104–6
for plague, 162
snake stone, 197–99, 200, 224–25, 234–35
theriaca, 162, 196
transfer of disease to lower life form, 50–51
variety of ailments, applicability to, 50
weapon salve, 50
Magnetic Kingdom of Nature (Kircher), 198–99, 256
magnetism
“animal magnetism,” 265–67
calculation of longitude at sea, 98–100
in cartography, 52
in cosmology, 51–52, 101–2, 150, 152, 180–81, 257, 265
Descartes on, 108
electromagnetism, 100, 267–68
entertainments, 50, 70–71
first experimental scientific work, 51, 257
The Great Art of Light and Shadow (Kircher), 115
hidden powers and secret knots, 50, 51, 58, 140, 180–81, 268
laws of attraction and repulsion, 102, 115, 199, 258
The Magnet . . . (Kircher), 100–104, 105, 107–8, 150
Magnetic Art (Kircher), 58
Magnetic Kingdom of Nature (Kircher), 198–99, 256
of plants and seeds, 66–67, 70–71, 102–3, 109, 115–16, 218
widespread interest in, 180–81
Maignan, Emmanuel, 118
Mainz, 14, 52–55
Mainz, Prince-Elector of (Johann Schweikhard von Kronberg), 47, 49–52
Malta, 88–89, 90–91
Maltese Observatory (Kircher), 90–91
Marione, Matteo, 119
materiality and immateriality, 40–41, 50, 65, 108, 167, 180, 257–59
mathematical organ, 172–73
Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, The (Principia; Newton), 250–52, 257–58
mathematics
analytic geometry, 242
Arithmologia (Kircher), 242–43, 244
binary system, 215, 261–62
binomial theorem, 252
calculus, 215, 243, 252, 258–59
disparagement of, 32
increase in importance of, 32–33, 241–42
Kircher’s Collegio Romano chairmanship in, 98–100
Kircher’s failings in, 242
mathematical organ, 172–73
music-writing system, 122–23
mystical significance of numbers, 242–43
in natural philosophy, 241, 251
megaphone (speaking trumpet), 225–28
Mencken, H. L., 208
Mentorella, 174–75, 203, 210–11, 226–28, 246–48
Mersenne, Marin, 65, 99, 123, 242
Mesmer, Franz Anton, 265–67
Micrographia (Hooke), 181–83
microscope, 117–19, 164–69, 181–83
Milton, John, 181
Minervan obelisk, 203–6, 234–35
moon, surface of, 34–35, 150, 272–73
moons of Jupiter, 34
Moray, Robert, 178, 193
Morland, Samuel, 225–26, 228
Müller, Andreas, 207–8
Münster, 26, 27
“musarithmetic arks,” 123
museum, at Collegio Romano
curiosities, 98, 114, 145–48, 240
gallery spaces, xv, 146, 229–30, 240–41
Kircher’s books and letters, 148–49
after Kircher’s death, 248–49
music
cat piano, 120–21, 122
doctrine of the affections, 123–24
mechanical music-writing system, 122–23
musical instruments, 119, 120–21
musical antidote for poison, 104–6
Universal Music-making (Kircher), 119–24, 202, 228
Naples, 158, 163, 171
natural magic, 41–42, 45–51, 141, 146–47, 178
Natural Magic (della Porta), 45–47, 51, 117
natural philosophy
Aristotelian concepts, 22–24
hidden, occult virtues, 22, 24, 41–42, 47, 198, 258–59
Jesuit embrace of, 21–22
knowledge through argument and reason, 24, 104–6
mathematics and, 32, 251–52
unchallenged assumptions, 23–24, 104, 166
Neoplatonists, 38–41, 45, 141
Nephi manuscript, 64, 67, 71, 81–82, 86, 142
Neuss, 27–30
New and Universal Polygraphy (Kircher), 172
New Work on Producing Sound (Kircher), 228
Newton, Isaac
alchemical experiments, 254, 256
day-to-day life, 252
dispute over invention of calculus, 215, 243, 252, 258–59
on gravity, 253, 257–59
Kircher’s likely influence on, 253–54
Principia, 250–52, 257–58
productivity and scientific contributions, 252–53
reflecting telescope, 254
study of theology and hidden spirits, 254–56
Noah’s ark, 231–32
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
occult virtues, 24, 41–42, 47, 140, 198, 258–59
Oldenburg, Henry, 180, 181–83, 192–93
On the Nature of Things (Lucretius), 168
optics and light
catoptrics, 114, 118, 147, 254
entertainments, 47, 147–48
The Great Art of Light and Shadow (Kircher), 115–19, 130, 202, 242, 253–54
helioscope, 53
magic lantern, 114–15, 147
magnetism and, 115–16
microscope, 117–19, 164–69, 181–83
Newton’s investigations, 252–53
reflected-sunlight project, 61
sundials, 38, 45, 57
telescope, 34–35, 46, 62, 150, 254
Oration on the Dignity of Man (Pico della Mirandola), 41
Paderborn, 15–17, 25–26
Pamphilian Obelisk (Kircher), 131, 136
pantometer, 52
Paracelsus, 188, 189
Peiresc, Nicolas-Claude Fabri de, 62–67, 68, 70–72, 84
Petrucci, Gioseffo, 203–4, 234–38
Petty, William, 177
philosopher’s stone, 188
Philosophical Transactions (Oldenbur
g), 181–83
Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 41, 56, 141
plague
causes and countermeasures, 160–64
in Europe, 54, 59, 60, 159
Examination of the Plague (Kircher), 164–69
in London, 183
in Naples and Rome, 158–60
pesthouses, 162–63
planets. See cosmology
Plato, 40, 185, 189, 212. See also Neoplatonists
Poe, Edgar Allan, 270
Principia (The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy; Newton), 250–52, 257–58
Protestants
animosity toward Jesuits, 9–11
campaign against Catholics, 24–25
defenestration of Prague, 15
Thirty Years War, 15, 54, 57, 58–59, 132–33
publications, Kircher’s. See books, Kircher’s
Redi, Francesco, 193–95, 224–25, 233, 235–36, 255
Renaissance, 38, 41
Republic of Letters, 63, 148–49
Riccioli, Giovanni Battista, 149, 272–73
Richelieu, Cardinal, 60
Rome
grain shortage and hunger, 130–31
Kircher’s assignment to, 77–78, 91
Kircher’s misdirected journey to Vienna, 72–74, 245
plague, 158–63
points of interest, 82
revitalization and cultural projects, 78–79, 207
Vatican library collections, 84–85
See also Collegio Romano; Collegio Romano museum; Egyptian obelisks
Roth, Heinrich, 196–97
Rowland, Ingrid, 173
Royal Society (London), 176–83, 214–15, 251, 256–57
Said, Edward, 263
San Bartolomeo pesthouse (Rome), 162
Santa Maria sopra Minerva, 203, 205
Schama, Simon, 130
Scheiner, Christopher, 35, 53
Schott, Kaspar
assignment to Palermo, 91
as author, 172–73, 179
on cat piano, 120–21
friendship and collaboration with Kircher, 58, 132, 135, 146, 152, 172–73
recollections and observations on Kircher, 139, 148, 149, 206
Schweikhard von Kronberg, Johann. See Mainz, Prince-Elector of
science
experimental method, 51, 165–66, 176–77, 179, 194–95, 250–51
irreproducibility of Kircher’s experiments, 180, 193, 194, 264
Kircher’s concept of experimentation, 166, 239–40
See also natural philosophy
“secret knots,” 140, 256, 268
Sicily, 91–94
sickness. See magnetic healing; plague
snake stone, 197–99, 200, 224–25, 234–35
Society of Jesus. See Jesuits
Solipsists, in satirical Monarchy of the Solipsists, 118
sound. See acoustics and sound
Southwell, Robert, 180
speaking trumpet, 225–28
Spee, Friedrich, 57
Spessart Forest, 12–13
Speyer, 55–56
spontaneous generation
as accepted fact, 23–24
Experiments on the Generation of Insects (Redi), 193–95, 224
Kircher’s study of plague, 164–67
long-standing debate concerning, 268–69
Natural Magic (della Porta), 46
Newton on, 255–56
Noah’s ark story, 232
Underground World (Kircher), 189–90
St. John Lateran obelisk, 71–72
Stolzenberg, Daniel, 67, 140
sun-centered model of cosmology, 35–36, 39, 150, 154, 250
sundials, 38, 45, 57
sunflower seeds and sunflower-seed clock, 66–67, 70–71, 103, 109, 115–16, 218
sunspots, 35, 53
tarantella, 104–6
tarantula venom and antidote, 104–6
telescopes, 34–35, 46, 62, 150, 254
theriaca, 162, 196
Thirty Years War, 15, 54, 57, 58–59, 132–33
“tone architecture,” 119–20
Torricelli, Evangelista, 146, 179
Trismegistus, Hermes, 38–41, 56, 136–38, 144, 255
Tuscany, unpublished guide to, 241
underground explorations, 94–96, 129
Underground World (Kircher)
on alchemy, 188–90, 218–19
breadth of topics covered, 191–92
precursor, Ecstatic Journey II, 170–71
publication of, 184, 202
readers and doubters, 192–95
on subterranean fire and water, 184–87
universal language, 171–72, 177, 212
Universal Music-making (Kircher), 119–24, 202, 228
universal sperm, 154, 166–67, 189–90, 205
vacuums, 22, 146, 179
Van Tuyl, Charles D., 201
Vatican. See Catholic Church and Catholics; Rome; specific popes
vegetable lamb plant, 106–7
vegetable phoenix, 156, 180, 264
vegetable spirit, 256
venom antidotes
magnetic action in, 103–4
musical, 104–6
snake stone, 197–99, 200, 224–25, 234–35
theriaca, 196
Verne, Jules, 270–71
Verschuur, Gerrit, 267
Vesuvius, Mount, 94–96, 129
Vienna, 67–68, 70, 236
Vlad, Roman, 124
volcanos, 94–95, 185
Voltaire, 4, 253–54
Wallace, David Foster, 250
Wallis, John, 256–57
weapon salve, 50
Wedgwood, C. V., 25, 59
Wilkins, John, 177–78, 181
Wilson, Edward O., 268
wonder cabinets, 145
Wren, Christopher, 180, 181, 183
Wunderkammern. See wonder cabinets
Würzburg, 57–59
Yates, Frances, 39
Yeats, William Butler, 264
Zwefler, Johann, 218
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS
1: Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries
2: Seminar für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensgeschichte, University of Cologne
3: Seminar für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensgeschichte, University of Cologne
4: Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries
5: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
6: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
7: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
8: Bibliothèque du Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers
9: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
10: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
11: The Internet Archive, University of California Libraries
12: University of Wisconsin Digital Collections
13: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
14: Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
15: Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries
16: Museum of Jurassic Technology
17: Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel
conceptions : The Life of an Eccentric in an Age of Change (9781101597033)
Man of Misconceptions : The Life of an Eccentric in an Age of Change (9781101597033) Page 30
