Details

Subjects:

Copernicus, Nicolaus, 1473-1543 -- Criticism and interpretation.
Copernicus, Nicolaus, 1473-1543.
Astronomy -- Early works to 1800.
Astronomy.
Religion and science -- Early works to 1800.
Religion and science.
Criticism and interpretation.

Form/Genre:

Codices.
Manuscripts, Italian.
Manuscripts, European.

Language:

Italian, with a few quotations in Latin.

Summary:

Letter to Maria Cristina, consort of Ferdinand I, de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in defense of the Copernican system. Cf. his Opera, v. 5 (Florence, 1895), pp. 307-348. This may perhaps be one of a number of manuscript copies, not in Galileo's hand, which were circulated among scholars.

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from Zacour-Hirsch Catalogue, no overall title in manuscript.
Foliation: Paper, i (modern paper) + 59 + i (modern paper); [1-59]; modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. Catchwords on each page, lower right corner.
Layout: Written in 18 lines.
Script: Written in cursive script by a single hand.
Decoration: Engraved portrait of Galilei (Piroli sc.) inserted as frontispiece.
Binding: Half vellum.
Origin: Written in Italy after 1615 (Zacour-Hirsch).
Incipit: Alla serenissima madama la Gran Duchessa...

Penn Provenance:

Formerly owned by Francis Campbell Macauley (bookplate, inside upper cover).

Cited in:

Described in Zacour, Norman P. and Hirsch, Rudolf. Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Libraries of the University of Pennsylvania to 1800 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965), p. 118 (Ms. Italian 128).

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 369

Contributor:

Christine, of Lorraine, Grand Duchess, consort of Ferdinand I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, 1565-1636, addressee.
Macauley, Francis Campbell, former owner.

OCLC:

155968562