Volume 2

Kosmos: a general survey of physical phenomena of the universe / Translated by J.P.T. (vol. I) and A. Prichard (vol. II).

  • Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859.
Date:
1845-1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Kosmos: a general survey of physical phenomena of the universe / Translated by J.P.T. (vol. I) and A. Prichard (vol. II). Source: Wellcome Collection.

    540/546 (page 532)
    p. 295—313, and notes, p. 466—473. Discovery of the magnetic line, where there is no variation, in the Atlantic. Notice of the inflexion of the isothermic lines one hundred leagues west of the Azores. A physical line of demarcation converted into a political one: line of demarcation of Pope Alexander VI. of May, 1493. Knowledge of the distribution of heat; the boundaries of eternal snow known as a function of geographical latitude. Movement of the water in the Atlantic. Vast sea-weed banks, p. 313—324, and notes, p. 473—477. Extended view of the world; acquaintance with the stars of the southern sky ; a knowledge rather contempla- tive than scientific! Perfection of the methods of determining the position of a ship; the political necessity of determining the position of the Pope’s line of demarcation, increases the impulse to discover new methods of determining the longitude. The dis- covery and first colonization of America, and the voyage to the East Indies round the Cape of Good Hope coincide in time with ‘the most flourishing condition of art, with the attainment of spiri- tual freedom by the religious reformation, the prelude to grand political changes. The boldness of the mariner of Genoa is the first step in this immeasurable chain of pregnant events. Acci- dent, and not deceit or jealousy on the part of Amerigo Vespucci, deprived America of the name of Columbus. Influence of the new continent upon the political constitutions, ideas, and inclina- tions of the people in the Old World, p. 324—338, and notes, p. 477—487. | VII. Epoch of the grand discoveries in the heavens by the employment of the telescope ; preparation for these discoveries by a more correct view of the structure of the universe—Nicholas Copernicus was observing with the astronomer Brudzewski at Cracow, when Columbus discovered America. Chain of ideas in the 16th and 17th centuries by Peurbach and Regiomontanus. Copernicus did not bring forward his system of the universe as an hypothesis but as a truth which was not to be refuted, p. 339 —350, and notes, p. 487—496. Kepler and the empirical laws of the orbits of the planets which he discovered, p. 350—353, and notes, p. 496 (also p. 363—365, and notes, p. 498—499). Dis- covery of the telescope; Hans Lippershey, Jacob Adriaansz, (Metius), Zacharias Jansen. First fruits of telescopic vision : Mountains in the moon: nebule and the milky way, the four satellites of Jupiter: triple form of Saturn; crescent shaped form