Brother BONAVENTURA Cavalieri.

To the FAIR READER and the Student of CELESTIAL Physiology, Health and Many Greetings.

A large decorative drop cap 'E' features ornate foliage and vine motifs within a square border.

In my judgment, Anaxagoras acted excellently when he looked upon the Sky and wondered at the miraculous course of the stars. To someone asking why he would willingly endure staying awake under the open sky, he is said to have replied: "So that I might enjoy the sight of Heaven." This response was worthy of such a great Philosopher. He was not bent by an immoderate desire for possession, nor by the vain ambition for honors, nor by the lust for shameful pleasures, as happens to many. His mind was not forced to endure hardships to seek those things. Instead, he showed that if anything must be tolerated, or any labor endured, it should be done most fairly so that we might enjoy the sight of Heaven. Indeed, he often confessed that he was born for the purpose of seeing the Sun.

I willingly subscribe to the words of such a great man. I have always judged the most noble science of the stars to be most worthy for truth-seeking minds to love greatly because of its supreme excellence and utility. I have always rightly judged that the dogma of the Epicureans original: "Epicureorum". A school of philosophy that prioritized earthly tranquility and was sometimes accused of neglecting the study of divine or celestial order. should be rejected by noble men like a plague of the soul. These people turn away from such study as if it were hateful to their happiness.

Indeed, the opinion has flourished at all times among men endowed with sharp wit that a great mystery, a great secret, is reserved in the celestial bodies. These bodies seem so distant from the condition of earthly things by such a great space. They are carried around in such constant rotation. They consist of such long duration and act with such effective power. Therefore, we should not wonder at the supreme industry and diligence of those ancient Fathers in contemplating celestial things and preserving what they learned. This is confirmed by no light testimony by those two columns, one of stone and the other of brick This refers to a legend recorded by Josephus, stating that the descendants of Seth built two pillars to preserve astronomical knowledge from destruction by fire or flood.. For now, I will remain silent about the many excellent practitioners of this divine science, such as those among the Egyptians and the Greeks,