1655 – Works of Galileo | Physics – Floating Bodies, Riposta, Hydrostatics

Few names are as synonymous with astronomy as Galileo. Known for his astronomical discoveries and physics studies, Galileo is unquestionably one of the most important scientists to ever live. He published a number of landmark books including Discourse on the Floating Bodies. This work was highly influential in the developmental studies of hydrostatics and buoyancy.

In 1655, Bolognese publisher Dozza printed the complete works of Galileo including Floating Bodies. Other works in this book include Galileo’s astronomical discoveries of the Sun’s rotation, sun spots, phases of Venus, physics experiments and philosophical doctrines, as well as defense of Archimedes’ theories. Each work was published with its own title page, so it is not uncommon to find these works individually.

This second edition includes impressive woodcut illustrations throughout the following complete four works:

• ‘Discorso…Intorno alle cose stanno su l’ Acqua, o che in quella si muouono’ (Floating Bodies)
• ‘Discorso Apologetico di Lodovico delle Colombe…’ (A defense of the philosophy of Lodovico delle Colombe)
• ‘Considerationi di M. Vincentio di gratio sopra il discorso intorno alle cose che stanno sù l’acqua, e che in quella si muouono’ (Survey of the ripple effects of water)
• ‘Risposta alle oppositioni’ (Response to oppositions)

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Discorso al serenissimo don Cosimo II. gran dvca di Toscana
• Author(s): Galileo Galilei
• Contributor(s): Lodovico delle Colombe (Contributor); Vincenzo di Grazia (Contributor); Benedetto Castelli (Attributed author); Carlo Manolessi (Editor)
• Publisher: Bologna, Per gli hh. del Dozza
• Edition: 1655 collected edition. (second on title page, third overall edition)
• Binding: Full modern leather with marbled boards
• Format: (4to), single volume
• Size:  9.25 in x 7 in (23 cm x 18 cm)
• Collation:
  • ‘Discorso…intorno alle cose’ – [6], 68 p
  • ‘Discorso apologetic di lodovico delle colombe’ – 58 p
  • ‘Considerationi di M. Vincentio di gratio sopra il discorso…’ – 9-127, [1]
  • ‘Risposta alle oppositioni…’ – [4], 264
• Illustrations: Woodcut diagrams throughout
• Contents Include:
  • Discorso intorno alle cose che stanno sù l’acqua
  • Responses by Lodovico delle Colombe and Vincenzo di Grazia
  • Rebuttal attributed to Benedetto Castelli
  • References to astronomical observations including sunspots and planetary phases
• Reference(s): Riccardi I, 518; Lancaster 3386

Condition:

Near Fine. Full modern leather binding remains tight and secure. Pages and text are clean with no loss noted. Marbled boards well preserved.

Why Collect This?

• Extremely rare and desirable 1655 collected edition of Galileo
• Includes key work on hydrostatics and floating bodies
• Contains woodcut diagrams illustrating principles

Item Number: #50343