Volume Ii Part 6 (2/2)

Below this dedication, likewise below the corresponding dedication on the celestial globe, we read ”Cet ouvrage a ete invente et acheve par le Pere Coronelli Venitien des. Min. Conv.” ”This work was conceived and accomplished by P. Coronelli, a Venetian of the Minorite Order.”

In his brief description, the author says that he has shown on his terrestrial globe all ancient and modern discoveries, basing the same on the maps, the observations, and the reports of the most renowned geographers, to which he has added the results of his own studies not recorded on other globes nor in other maps. Special mention is made of information given concerning the interior regions of Africa, noting that ”besides outlining the Monomotapa and Abyssinia countries, we have been the first to describe correctly the source as well as the course of the Nile River correcting, by many degrees the errors of the ancients.”

Andrea Baba, public censor and secretary of the Argonauts, notes, in his letter to the reader appearing in the first volume of the 'Atlante Veneto,' that the author of the two globes, constructed for the King of France, had obtained numerous authentic reports of geographers and explorers, which he had included in his work. Ludolf, writing in the year 1691 concerning Ethiopia, records ”Ethiopia: Nostram tabulam chorographicam comunicavimus c.u.m P. Vincentio Coronellio, nunc cosmographo Veneto, qui eam adhibuit in globis quos Cardinalis Estresius pro rege Galliae construi fecit, maximos, qui unquam visi fuerint. Ibi in Globo terrestri Habessina et Nilus secundum nostram delineationem visitur. Satis mature eam communicaverim Adamo Oleario, c.u.m insignem glob.u.m, qui Gottorfii cernitur, construeret, sed ille mihi, ut tum temporis juveni, fidem non habuit.” ”Ethiopia: we made known our chorographic record to P. Vincentio Coronelli now cosmographer of Venice, who included it on his globe which Cardinal d'Estrees had made for the King of France, the largest globe ever seen. There, on the terrestrial globe, Abyssinia and the Nile are seen following our representation. Quite a long time ago we made this known to Adam Olearius, when he was making the renowned globe which may be seen at Gottorp, but he, as I was then a young man, did not have confidence in me.”[97]

Marcel, in writing of the Portuguese in Africa, observed: ”Si nous examinons les cartes de Mercator, de Bertius, de Hondius, de Meursius, de Sanson, de Duval, nous y trouvons un cours du Cuama ou Zanbesi absolument fantaisiste. Il faut arriver au fameux globe de Coronelli pour y trouver en 1683 le cours de Zambese trace comme sur la carte que nous reproduisons. Il est evident que ce geographe venitien a pu consulter des doc.u.ments portugais aujourd'hui perdus, cartes ou relations de voyages, qui viendraient jeter un jour infiniment precieux sur les explorations des Portugais et les relations qu'ils entretenaient avec les populations belliqueuses du ba.s.sin du Chire.” ”If we examine the maps of Mercator, of Bertius, Hondius, Meureius, Sanson, Duval, we will find the course of the Cuama or Zambesi absolutely fantastic. One must examine the famous globe of Coronelli to find in 1683 the course of the Zambesi represented as on the map which we reproduce. It is evident that the Venetian geographer had been able to consult Portuguese doc.u.ments which today are lost, maps or accounts of Voyages which would throw light of great value on the explorations of the Portuguese and the relations they had with the warlike people of the basin of the Chire.”[98]

Coronelli adorned his globe map with very artistic representations of merchant s.h.i.+ps sailing over the ocean highways, and with elaborate pictures of many naval battles.

It was in the year 1704 that these globes were placed in the royal Chateau Marly,[99] where they remained until the year 1722, when they were placed in the old Palace of the Louvre. A final resting place was found for them in the Royal Library, now known as the Bibliotheque Nationale, in a room especially constructed to receive them. Recent information from the library notes that, on account of certain reconstructive work, they have been placed in an inaccessible part of the building, and cannot be photographed.

The success of this first endeavor to construct globes of large size led other Princes to entertain the thought of adorning their palaces with similar productions. It is not known, however, that the great Venetian actually set himself to the task of duplicating his French masterpieces; we have rather the a.s.surance, as is noted below, that he thought better of a plan for issuing globes of smaller size, whose map records should contain practically all he had been able to include in his large work.

The Royal Estense Library of Modena possesses a ma.n.u.script, cited by Fiorini, which a.s.sures us that Coronelli had been approached with a proposition to construct for Francis II of Modena a pair of globes equal in size to those he had prepared for the French King. This doc.u.ment reads: ”Rispondendo il P.re Cosmografo Coronelli alii di lei quest.i.ti per la fabbrica delli globi, gli dice, che il fara tanto grandi, quanta sara la capacita della stanza, e bisognando fabbricare anco una stanza dentro del Globo, resta solo che il Principe che la desidera, habbia curiosita e volonta do spendere; limitandosi per il P. Cosmografo alia grandezza di Globi di diametro di quindici piedi, dice, che per il solo pagamento di materiali, e degli Artifici, si ricercano ducento doppie; che per delineare la Geografia, scriveri, collocarvi le stelle, ed a.s.segnare il luogo alle figure vi vorra di spesa quattrocento doppie.

Per accomodare il luogo che sia capace per la fabrica delli Globi di questa grandezza, vi vogliono cinquanta doppie. Per gli ornamenti della Pittura, Miniatura, Scultura, et altri, si potra fare quella spesa che parera piu propria al Principe, che desidera; mentre in questi si pu o meno. E perche il Principe conosca il genio dell' autore in questa materia, osservera nella picciolezza delle due mostre, ch'esibisce, confrontandole colle migliori carte, di qual perfetione e pulizia sarebbe questa di quindici piedi. Il P. Coronelli per ricompensa desidera una pensione annua sua vita durante di quella soma che parera propria alia generosita del Principe. S'aggiunge, un quinternetto della supputazione delle stelle d'Orione, perche il Principe osservi l'accrescimento delle stelle di questa costellazione, come sono accresciute di gran numero tutte le altro del Globo del Cielo del P.

Coronelli.” ”Father Coronelli, in reply to your questions regarding the construction of the globes which you say you wish to have made as large as the capacity of the room will allow, and with s.p.a.ce in the globe itself, says that all that is necessary is to know how much his Excellency the Prince should wish to expend. However Father Coronelli limits himself to the construction of globes of fifteen feet in diameter, for which the cost of the material alone and of the workmans.h.i.+p is two hundred doubloons. For outlining the geographical map, for the proper placing of the stars, and the representation of the figures, the cost will be four hundred doubloons. To arrange a place for globes of this size another fifty doubloons will be necessary. For the decorations, the miniatures and engravings His Excellency can spend as much as he desires. In order that His Excellency the Prince may appreciate the great genius of the author in this matter, he will please take note of the two small globes which he exhibits, (and think) how perfect and attractive those fifteen feet in diameter will be in comparison with the best of maps. Father Coronelli desires, as compensation, an annual pension for life, such sum as His Excellency the Prince considers sufficiently generous. We enclose an account showing the representation of the stars of Orion, in order that the Prince may note the increase in the number of the stars in this constellation, and also note how all of the other constellations as represented on the globe of Father Coronelli show an increase in the number of stars.”[100]

There is no evidence known that this work was actually undertaken by our Venetian globe maker, the presumption being that the matter did not receive further consideration.

As an expression of appreciation for the honors shown to him by the Academy of the Argonauts, Coronelli decided to issue his Paris globes reduced in size, choosing a diameter of three and one half feet or about 107 cm. instead of fifteen feet. His globes, therefore, of the year 1688 were the largest to date in which engraved gore maps had been employed in construction. In one of his legends he thus alludes to the Academy. ”Il genio della virtu raccomanda all'eternita il nome di Cesare Cardinale eminentissimo d'Estrees, Duca e Pari Francia, mentre fece elaborare per Ludovico il Magno dal P. Coronelli due gran Globi l'idea dei quali ha poi epilogata in questi per l'Accademia cosmografica degli Argonauti. L'anno MDCLx.x.xVIII.” ”The genius of virtue commends to posterity the name of Cesar, most eminent Cardinal d'Estrees, Duke and Peer of France, since he had constructed for Louis the Great by P.

Coronelli two large globes, the idea of which he then summarized herewith for the Cosmographical Academy of the Argonauts. In the year 1688.” The dedication, the same as that on the celestial globe, reads as follows: ”Alla Serenissima Republica e Serinissimo Principe Francesco Morosini Doge di Venezia Capitan Gen: de Mare. Vincenzo Coronelli M. C.

Suddito Cosmografo e Lettore publico.” ”To the Most Serene Republic and the Most Serene Prince Francesco Morosini, Doge of Venice, Captain General of the Sea, by Vincenzo Coronelli M. C., the above mentioned cosmographer and public reader.” Placed below this legend in a cartouch containing the portrait of the author is the inscription ”P. V.

Coronelli M. C. Cosmografo Publico.” There is an inscription on the celestial globe which reads, ”Si presentano a V. Serenita li Globi del Mondo, Teatro delle cospicue attioni de' Principi, perche mentre corre il terzo decimo secolo (ch'e quasi la quarta parte della vita d'esso) ne' quali la Serenissima Republica agisse ugualmente e collo splendore delle lettre e col luminoso dell'armi, Vede l'Universale delle genti col mezzo di Stampa cos reguardevole sin dove si vada sempre piu estendendo la gloria del Veneto Nome. Quella che se ne a.s.sume l'Accademia Cosmografica degli Argonauti nella presente dedicazione e chi vive di V.

V. Coronelli Cosmografo della medesima.” ”There are hereby presented to Your Serene Highness these globes of the world, the scene of the remarkable deeds of Princes, in order that while the thirteenth century is pa.s.sing (which makes nearly a fourth part of the life of the world) wherein the Most Serene Republic has proceeded equally with the splendor of letters and the brilliancy of arms may be seen by the universality of the races; by means of this so important publication however there is more widely spread the glory of the Venetian name; of which glory a portion is a.s.sumed by the Cosmographical Academy of the Argonauts, in the present dedication, and by him who lives by our permission, Coronelli, Cosmographer of the same.”

The author selected the year 1700 as that in which to indicate the position of the stars which he represented on his globe, referring to this fact in his legend. ”L'epoca di questo globo e perfissa nell'anno futuro 1700 acciocche l'arte in quest' opera precorra quel tempo che per natura dovra consumarla. Prevenendo questo globo tardo il Corso veloce del Cielo, comparisce presente il secolo venturo acci possi ognuno con ordine piu facile ridurre agli anni scorsi le stelle fisse colla sottrazione di 51 secondi come piace a Ticone, o 50 seguendo il parere del Ricciolo. Volendo specolare il sistema degli anni anco posteriore all'epoca stabilita, aggiungasi proporzionalmente al 1700 che seguira la riduttione senza errore sensibile per tutto lo spazio di 400 anni.” ”The epoch of this globe is fixed for the year 1700, in order that the labor in its construction may have the time which naturally will be required for its completion. As this belated globe antic.i.p.ates the rapid movement of the sky, the coming century appears as though present, anyone may be able in easier fas.h.i.+on to change to past years the fixed stars, by the subtraction of fifty-one seconds as Tycho reckons, or fifty according to the opinion of Ricciola. If one desires to speculate also upon the system of the years posterior to the established epoch, let him add proportionally to 1700, and the change will follow without sensible error for the entire period of 400 years.”

To the constellations he makes the following reference: ”Furono osservate molte stelle in vicinanza del Polo antartico incognite non solo agli Egizij e Greci, ma ancora a Ticone Brahe. Osserv parimente Federico Houtmano, nell'Isola Sumatra, molte stelle vicine al Polo medesimo, le quali essendo state incognite agli accinnati autori, le ridussero in 13 costellazioni cioe Fenice Colomb Mosca, Pesce volante, Camaleonte, Triangolo Australe, Uccello Indiano, Pavone, l'Uomo Indiano, la Gru, il Toucan, l'Hindro e il dorado; altri dopo v'hanno aggiunto la Nube Grande, la Picciola e la Romboide. Noi abbiamo arricchito questo Globo d'un maggior numero di stelle, scoperte dall' Hallei Inglese, che si trasport a tal effetto nell'Isola S. Elena, coll'aggiunta d'altre osservatione, cos do questo come d'altri scritton.” ”There have been observed many stars in the vicinity of the Antarctic pole, unknown not only to the Egyptians and Greeks, but also to Tycho Brahe. There have been observed likewise by Frederick Houtmann, on the Island of Sumatra, many stars near the same pole which having been unknown to the above-mentioned authors, they reduced to 13 constellations, namely the Phoenix, the Dove, the Fly, the Flying Fish, the Chameleon, the Southern Triangle, the Indian Bird, the Peac.o.c.k, the Indian Man, the Crane, the Toucan, the Water-Snake, and the Goldfish; others since then have been added to these, the Greater Cloud and the Lesser, and the Rhomboid. We have enriched this globe with a considerable number of stars discovered by the Englishman Halley, who was sent to the Island of St. Helena for this purpose, with the addition of other observations as they have written.”

Thirty-eight constellations are designated in the northern hemisphere, twelve in the zodiac, and thirty-three in the southern hemisphere, thus adding thirty-five to the number as given by Ptolemy. Instead of Ptolemy's 1022 catalogued stars, including fifteen of the first magnitude, forty-five of the second, two hundred and eight of the third, four hundred and seventy-four of the fourth, two hundred and seventeen of the fifth, forty-nine of the sixth, and forty which were nebular and indistinct, Coronelli gives the number as 1902, including eighteen of the first, sixty-eight of the second, two hundred and thirty-seven of the third, four hundred and ninety-six of the fourth, four hundred and eighty-nine of the fifth, five hundred and sixteen of the sixth, and seventy-eight which were nebular and indistinct. Five of the latter, having been discovered in the previous one hundred and twenty-five years, had wholly or in part disappeared in Coronelli's day, of which, that making its appearance in the constellation Ca.s.siopeia in the year 1572 disappeared in the year 1574, that discovered in the year 1596 in the Whale was rapidly diminis.h.i.+ng in size, that discovered by Tycho Brahe in the Swan in the year 1600 ceased to be visible in the year 1629 to reappear in the year 1659, that in the Serpent larger than the planet Jupiter which was visible but thirteen months, that in the head of the Swan discovered in the year 1670 and still visible.

Coronelli seems to have made every endeavor to produce maps for his terrestrial globes which should omit nothing of real interest and value to geographers, navigators, and explorers. He added a rather unusual number of legends, explanatory and informative in character, but never seemed to crowd the s.p.a.ce which he had at his disposal. So exquisitely engraved were his maps that he was able to avoid the appearance of confusion noticeable on certain other globes of his century, as, for example, in the Old World parts of Blaeu's globe of 1622. It is very evident that many pages would be required for anything like a detailed description of his records, and the great majority must necessarily be omitted. To those quoted above a few, however, may be added.

Blaeu's reference to the prime meridian was cited in full as was that of Moroncelli; Coronelli's reference is here likewise cited, which, it will be noted, is not without errors. It is one having to do with problems concerning the determination of longitude, hence involving interests of vital concern to navigation. ”Del primo meridiano. Sono in questo 72 meridiani, 36 con linee continuate, le altre sono di punti, da ciascuno dei quali e diviso in G. 5 di longitudine che e il corso del Sole in un terzo d'oro. Li Geografi antichi e moderni non convengono nel luogo dove pa.s.sa il primo meridiano; tra li primi Eratostene l'ha posto alle Colonne d'Hercole, Marino di Tyr all'Isole Fortunate, Tolomeo nella sua Geografia ha seguito la stessa opinione; ma ne' suoi libri di Astronomia l' ha pa.s.sato per Alessandria d'Egitto. Tra li moderni Ismaele Abulfeda lo segna a Cadiz, Alfonzo a Toledo, Pigafetta et Herrera hanno fatto il medisimo; Copernico lo pone a Freudenburgo; Renoldo a Monte Reale o Konisberg; Keplero a Uraniburgo; Longo Montano a Kopenhagen; Lansbergius a Goes; Ricciolo a Bologna. Gli Atlanti di Jansonio e di Blaeu a Monte Pico. Per continuare l'origine della mia Geografia ho posto in questo Globo il primo meridiano nella parte piu occidentale della Isola di Ferro, com'onche per seguire il Decreto di Luigi XIII, che col consiglio de' Geog. nel 1634 lo determin in questo stesso luogo.” ”Concerning the first meridian. There are represented on this 72 meridians, 36 with continuous lines--the others are marked,--by each of which it is divided into 5 degrees of longitude, which is the course of the sun in one third of an hour. The ancient and modern geographers do not agree upon the place through which the first meridian pa.s.ses: among the former, Eratosthenes put it at the Pillars of Hercules; Marinus of Tyre at the Canary Islands; Ptolemy in his geography has followed the same opinion, but in his books on astronomy he has located it as running through Alexandria in Egypt. Among the moderns, Ismail Aboulfeda puts it at Cadiz; Alfonso at Toledo; Pigafetta and Herrera have done the same; Copernicus puts it at Freudenberg; Reinhold at Mount Royal (Konigsberg); Kepler at Uranienburg; Longomonta.n.u.s at Copenhagen; Lansberg at Goa; Ricciola at Bologna; the atlases of Jansson and Blaeu at Mount Pico. To continue the precedent of my geography I have on this globe placed the first meridian in the most western part of the Island of Ferro,--as also to follow the decree of Louis XIII, who on the advice of the geographers in 1634 a.s.signed it to this same place.” California he lays down as an island, west of which is a legend relating to ”Nuova Albione,” and north in the Pacific one relating to ”Stretto di Anian.” There is reference to the route to Goa, which is placed near the Island of Madagascar. The reference to the Zambesi River clearly gives evidence of acquaintance with Portuguese records of which we have no other knowledge. This legend reads, ”Rio Zambese: Citta e fortezza di Tete de Portugal; Fortezza di S. Estevao; Minere di Ferro; Minere d'argento che il Re di Monom. promise al Re di Spagna nel 1604; Fortezza di Chicova.” ”Zambesi River: City and fortress of Tete of Portugal; fortress of S. Estevao; iron mines; silver mines which the King of Monomotapa promised to the King of Spain in 1604; fortress of Chicova.” Like the other leading map makers of the period he has indicated the course of certain transoceanic expeditions, occasionally noting the distance sailed on each successive day, with other valuable and interesting information relating to the position of the sun and the moon, to atmospheric conditions, to the appearance of sea birds and of certain marine animals.

Globes of this 1688 edition may be found in the Biblioteca Comunale of Fano; in the Biblioteca Comunale of Faenza; in the Konigliche Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon of Dresden, celestial undated; in the Biblioteca Civico of Bergamo; in the Biblioteca Gonzaga of Mantua; in the Biblioteca Marciana of Venice (Figs. 112, 113); in the Museo Civico of Venice; in the Biblioteca Universitario of Naples; in the Palazzo Manin of Pa.s.seriano. The twelve gores of the terrestrial globe may be found in the British Museum; a fine copy of the twelve gores may also be found in the Library of Congress, Was.h.i.+ngton; a copy of the mounted terrestrial globe belongs to the Biblioteca Emanuele of Rome; three copies of this globe in addition to the pair referred to above belong to the Museo Civico of Venice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 112. Terrestrial Globe of P. Vincenzo Coronelli, 1688.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 113. Celestial Globe of P. Vincenzo Coronelli, 1688.]

It appears that Coronelli's terrestrial globe gores of the year 1688, which were frequently reissued, were but little altered in the several editions. His celestial globe in successive issues seems to have been much altered. France had specially honored the Venetian globe maker in giving to him every facility for the production of his great masterpieces, the Marly globes. The Societe Gallica of Paris decided, in the year 1693, to add to his honors, and to give expression to an appreciation of his merits through the publication of a new edition of his globes, at least of the celestial, the Venetian terrestrial of 1688 being made to serve as a companion. In the following legend we have information concerning the date, and concerning the partic.i.p.ants in its preparation: ”Orbis coelesti typus. Opus a Coronelli Serenissimae Reipublicae Cosmographo inchoatum Societatis Gallicae sumptibus absolutum, Lutetiae Parisiorum. Anno N. S. MDCXCIII. Delin. Arnoldus Deuvez Regiae Acad. Pictor; Sculp. I. B. Nolin Reg. Chr. Calcographus.”

”Representation of a celestial globe. A work begun by Coronelli, the cosmographer of the Venetian Republic; finished at the expense of the French Society at Paris in the year 1693. Drawn by Arnold Deuvez painter of the Royal Academy; I. B. Nolin Royal Cartographer, draughtsman.”

The Parisian Society did not find it necessary to subst.i.tute the French language in the legends for the language of the author, as appears in the address to the reader, which of course is not Coronelli phrasing.

”Amico lettore. Rappresenta questa Globo le Costellazioni del Firmamento, quali agli occhi nostri compariscono e non come negli altri esposte, poiche nel centro loro bisogna immaginarsi d'essore per intenderle. Le stelle d'esso calcolate all'Epoca 1700 sono pubblicati.

Quelle comprese dalle Costellazioni di Baiero, come le piu cognite, perche con maggiore facilita si possino colle nostre confrontare, sono accompagnate cogli caratteri greci e latini da es so usati. Le stelle, ch' appres...o...b..iero, restano informi, sono, da noi segnate di giallo; le Nuove colorite di minio; le osservate dal P. Antelmo di verde, quelle dell' Hallei di pavonazzo, l'altre di Hevelio di lacca; le corrette da Baiero di Cinabro, e l'osservazioni fatte dagli altri autori si distinguono nel nostro Epitome Cosmografico, stampato in Venetia nel 1693. In questo pure vengono dilucidati gli Numeri, Caratteri, le Frezze, che pa.s.sano diametralmente per le stelle, la loro Obliquita, Lunghezza, l'Ac.u.me, gli Pianeti che l'accompagnano; il moto diario delle Comete, disegnate di molti secoli, ed ogni altro perticolare che per l'angustia del sito non e permesso esprimere senza il di cui libra non possono avere uso gli Globi presenti che pure restano descritti nel nostro Atlante Veneto non per cos diffusamente.” ”Dear reader. This globe represents the constellations of the firmament as they appear to our eyes and not as shown by others, since it is necessary to imagine that one is in their center in order to conceive them. The stars of the globe are represented as calculated for the year 1700. Those included in the constellations of Bayer, as the best known, in order that they, with greater ease may be compared with ours, are designated by the Greek and Latin characters used by him. Stars, which according to Bayer remain undetermined, are indicated by us as yellow; the new ones colored with red; those observed by P. Antelmo, with green, those of Halley with violet, the others of Hevelius with lake color; the stars corrected by Bayer with cinnabar; and the observations made by other authors are distinguished in our Cosmographical Epitome, printed in Venice in 1693.

In this also are elucidated the numbers, characters, the lines that pa.s.s diametrically through the stars, their obliquity, length, extremity, the planets that accompany them, the daily movement of the comets, traced for many centuries, and every other particular which because of the limitations of s.p.a.ce it is not here permitted to express,--without which book it is not possible to make use of the present globes, which are also described in our Venetian Atlas, but not so detailed.”

<script>