Complete Works, Volume Six

He congratulates him on his arrival at Marseille and expresses a desire for him to visit the house of Peiresc. Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc was a celebrated patron of the arts and sciences and a close friend of Gassendi. 75

To Chapelain. He explains various experiments regarding the apparent size of the Sun when it is low on the horizon versus high in the sky. Jean Chapelain was a founding member of the Académie Française. 101

To Caramuel. He acknowledges receiving Caramuel's critique of the nine stars seen around Jupiter. He gives thanks and notes his agreement, provided that those five "Wanderers" always remain near the planet Jupiter. He urges Caramuel to finish his work on mapping the Moon Gassendi refers to this as Selenographia, the study of the Moon's surface., a project mentioned in the Life of Peiresc, and discusses the various names given to lunar spots. 190

Having been asked, he reveals the opinion of certain Parisian theologians regarding the power of the Supreme Pontiff in a Council. 192

He hopes to be informed whether he received a certain short dissertation. 206

He congratulates him on becoming a suffragan of the See of Mainz and shares observations of the lunar eclipse of 1645. 223

To Descartes. At the request of Mersenne and other friends, he sends his friendly judgment on the Metaphysics written by Descartes. original: "Metaphysicæ ab eo conscriptæ"; this refers to René Descartes's famous Meditations on First Philosophy. 107

To Cassini. He communicates various requested observations of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Giovanni Domenico Cassini was a renowned astronomer who later discovered several moons of Saturn. 327

To Castaneo. He praises him for being self-taught original Greek: "αὐτοδίδακτος" among a landscape of barbarism and rocks, and for being content to sing for himself and the Muses. He adds: "a way must be tried by which you also can [raise yourself from the earth]," etc. Gassendi quotes Virgil's Georgics to encourage the recipient's literary or social ascent. 331

To Cazre. He responds to his objections by explaining various experiments on the rate at which falling heavy bodies accelerate. 160, 221, 226

To Queen Christina. Advised by Bourdelot, her primary physician, he writes to her with deep reverence. He extols her mental gifts, the peace she seeks for her people, and the wars successfully finished by her great father. Christina of Sweden was a famous patron of scholars; her father was King Gustavus Adolphus. 317

He gives thanks that she deigned to respond with letters full of kindness. He again admires and praises her virtues as described by Naudé and Bourdelot. 321

He expresses respect for her because she voluntarily laid down her crown. He notes her sex and age as a rare example among those historical figures who have abdicated crowns, scepters, and empires. 329

He offers the greatest thanks possible for her deigning to write back. He explains he did not look at her royalty so much as her noble nature and supreme virtue. He urges her not to worry about those who receive this news poorly, or who are blinded by her virtue like nocturnal birds are blinded by the midday Sun. 331

To Clermont. He expresses joy that Naudé has added him to his circle of friends. 74

To Constantijn. He admires the constancy of his friendship and discusses settling disputes between authors. Constantijn Huygens was a Dutch diplomat and polymath. 57

Again concerning the disputes of the learned, etc. 68

D

To De Cormis de Bérecul. He reports the final words of the Most Christian King Louis XIII as recounted by Prince Valois. 161

To Diodati. He sends a record of the total lunar eclipse of 1635 observed in various places, to be shared with Hortensius. 85

E

To Edward, Lord Herbert. He examines Herbert's book On Truth and shares his friendly judgment. Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury, is often called the father of English Deism. 69

F

To Fabri. He commends some of Fabri's philosophical treatises. He urges him to oversee their publication and that of other commentaries. 167

To Faur de Pibrac. He wishes for him to be Chief President in the Parliament of Aix-en-Provence. He deeply regrets that fate denied the province such a leader. He commends the preface to the works of Charron, which names the authors who helped Charron's progress. He advises on visiting famous men during a journey through Italy and Germany. 1

To Fienus. He reveals his opinion on the generation and animation of human beings. Thomas Fienus was a physician interested in the biological and spiritual origins of life. 16

He gives a copy of his judgment on the parhelia, or "four suns," seen at Rome in 1629. Parhelia, or sun dogs, are optical atmospheric phenomena. 40