Letter to Christina of Lorraine

[Lettera] alla Serenissima Madama Gran Duchessa Madre. A contemporary copy of the famous Letter to Christina of Lorraine, published first in 1632 at Florence, as an appendix to his 'Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo'. It is a defence of his theories made prior to his summons to appear before the Court of Inquisitors in Rome.

Middle 17th century

1 volume 51 ll. (first & last bl.). 8 vo. 19.5 x 14 cm. Original half vellum binding.

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Purchased 1929.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

Stated on the outside of the binding to be 'Autografa di Vincenzio Viviani'. Viviani [1622-1703], mathematician and favourite pupil of Galileo, collected a great amount of material by and relating to the famous astronomer, and projected a completed edition of his writings, in Latin and Italian in four volumes. This was never carried out, but most of his material, after many vicissitudes, was finally acquired by the Tuscan Government, and now forms a major part of the collection of Galilean material in the Biblioteca Nazionale in Florence.

From the Galletti Collection.