ENS, Gaspar.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Thaumaturgi physici prodromus, Rare first edition of Thaumaturgi physici, Ens's work on curious problems in physics and how to solve them, combined with the second Latin edition of Leurechon's Thaumaturgus mathematicus, a collection of arithmetical puzzles, magic tricks, engineerinering conundrums, and bizarre experiments, originally published in French as Recréation mathematique (1624), and here translated by Ens with additions and variations.Ens's Taumaturgi physici is scarce in commerce with no other copies traced at auction.Gaspar Ens was a German mathematician. In these two works, Ens continued a rich medieval tradition of magic tricks and experiments, which evolved and became popular in the 17th century through recreational mathematics and popular science booklets. Leurechon's work is believed to be the first book to use the word "thermometer", and Ens's translation was first published in 1636. "Besides strictly mathematical problems, there are such marvels as to make a door open from both sides; to construct a vessel which will retain the liquid poured into it up to a certain height, when the entire contents will flow out... to keep all the water in the world in the air without a single drop falling to earth... There are various experiments with mirrors, clocks, artillery, fountains and hydraulic machines" (Thorndike, p. 593-4). Thaumaturgi physici expanded Thaumaturgus mathematicus with further problems in physics, such as "blunting the force of a magnet, striking spa

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