[251] Page 237, line 19. Page 237, line 22. vt motus quidem obscuri saluarentur.—It has been conjectured that quidem is here a misprint for quidam, but the adverb quidem adds a satirical flavour to his argument against the folly of those who held the doctrine of the moving spheres. The verb salvare does not occur in classical Latin.
[252] Page 240, line 13. Page 240, line 17. à Copernico (Astronomiæ instauratore).—Gilbert was the first in England to uphold the doctrines of
Copernicus as to the motion of the earth on its axis and its revolution around the sun. He considered that his magnetic observations brought new support to that theory, and his views are quoted with approbation by Kepler, Epitome Astronomiæ Copernicanæ ... Authore Ioanne Keplero ... (Francofurti, 1635); and by Galileo, Dialogus de Systemate Mundi (Augustæ Treboc., 1635), an English translation of which appeared in Salusbury's Mathematical Collections and Translations (London, 1661, pp. 364 to 377).
For this the book De Magnete was considered by many as heretical. Many of the copies existing in Italy are found to be either mutilated or else branded with a cross. For example, the copy in the library of the Collegio Romano in Rome has book VI. torn out. Galileo states that the Book of Gilbert would possibly never have come into his hands "if a Peripatetick Philosopher, of great fame, as I believe to free his Library from its contagion, had not given it me." In England Barlowe, in his Magneticall Aduertisements (1616), expressly repudiated Gilbert's Copernican notions, while praising his discoveries in magnetism. Marke Ridley, while upholding Gilbert's views, in his Magneticall Animadversions (1617) did not consider him "skilfull in Copernicus." The Jesuit writers, Cabeus, Kircher, Fonseca, Grandamicus, Schott, Leotaudus, Millietus, and De Lanis, one and all, who followed Gilbert in their magnetic writings, repudiated the idea that the magnetism of the globe gave support to the heretical modern Astronomy.
The works referred to are:
Cabeus, Philosophia Magnetica, in qua Magnetis natura penitus explicatur ... auctore Nicolao Cabeo Ferrarensi Soc. Jesv. (Ferrariæ, 1629).
Kircher, Magnes, Siue de Arte Magnetica, Libri tres, Authore Athanasio Kirchero ... e Soc. Iesv. (Romæ, 1641).
Grandamicus, Nova Demonstratio immobilitatis terræ petita ex virtute magnetica (Flexiæ, 1645). This work is most beautifully illustrated with copper-plate etchings of cupids making experiments with terrellas.
Schott, Gaspar, Thaumaturgus Physicus (Herbipolis, 1659).
Leotaudus, R. P. Vincentinii Leotavdi Delphinatis, Societ. Iesv., Magnetologia; in qva exponitvr Nova de Magneticis Philosophia, (Lvgdvni, 1668).