A wide rectangular woodcut headpiece consisting of densely packed repeating floral ornaments, stylized fleur-de-lis, and foliate scrolls.

TO THE MOST SERENE PRINCE

LEOPOLD

WILHELM

ARCHDUKE OF AUSTRIA,

Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Governor of the Low Countries
and Burgundy, etc.

ATHANASIUS KIRCHER

An ornate woodcut decorative initial 'S' featuring a bird, likely a swan or crane, amidst complex floral and vine patterns.

THE GREAT ART OF THE CONSONANT AND DISSONANT This refers to the subtitle of the work: Ars Magna Consoni et Dissoni. presents itself to the most radiant sight of YOUR Serenity, at the very time when YOUR Germany—the parent of both the Roman Empire and of great Princes—recalls the excessively discordant original: "dissonātes" customs of the Christian Commonwealth to the tranquil harmony original: "concentum" of peace. GOD, NATURE, and POLITICS teach that the consonant cannot exist without the dissonant, nor the dissonant without the consonant. GOD THE BEST AND GREATEST, in His most wise governance of the world, while He distinguishes all things by number, solidifies them by weight, and defines them by measure A reference to the biblical Book of Wisdom 11:20: "Thou hast ordered all things in measure and number and weight.", what else does He fulfill but the duty of a Harmonizer Harmostes original: "Harmostæ." A Greek-derived term for an overseer or one who joins things together; Kircher uses it to describe God as the cosmic tuner of the universe. perfected in every part? Relying on the aid of this [art], the hand of NATURE acting as a midwife, within the hidden fibers of the things committed to her, what [does she...