Jacobus Falco Valentinus, miles Ordinis Montesiani, hanc circuli quadraturam invenit. Antwerp, 1589, 4to.[59]
The attempt is more than commonly worthless; but as Montucla and others have referred to the verses at the end, and as the tract is of the rarest, I will quote them:
_Circulus loquitur._ Vocabar ante circulus Eramque curvus undique Ut alta solis orbita Et arcus ille nubium. Eram figura nobilis Carensque sola origine Carensque sola termino. Modo indecora prodeo Novisque foedor angulis. Nec hoc peregit Archytas[60] Neque Icari pater neque Tuus, Iapete, filius. Quis ergo casus aut Deus Meam quadravit aream?
_Respondet auctor._ Ad alta Turiæ ostia Lacumque limpidissimum Sita est beata civitas { 54} Parum Saguntus abfuit Abestque Sucro plusculum. Hic est poeta quispiam Libenter astra consulens Sibique semper arrogans Negata doctioribus, Senex ubique cogitans Sui frequenter immemor Nec explicare circinum Nec exarare lineas Sciens ut ipse prædicat. Hic ergo bellus artifex Tuam quadravit aream.[61]
Falco's verses are pretty, if the U-mysteries be correct; but of these things I have forgotten--what I knew. [One mistake has been pointed out to me: it is Arch[=y]tas].
As a specimen of the way in which history is written, I copy the account which Montucla--who is accurate when he writes about what he has seen--gives of these verses. He gives the date 1587; he places the verses at the beginning instead of the end; he says the circle thanks its quadrator affectionately; and he says the good and modest chevalier gives all the glory to the patron saint of his order. All of little consequence, as it happens; but writing at second-hand makes as complete mistakes about more important matters.
Petri Bungi Bergomatis Numerorum mysteria. Bergomi [Bergamo], 1591, 4to. Second Edition.
The first edition is said to be of 1585;[62] the third, Paris, 1618. Bungus is not for my purpose on his own score, but those who gave the numbers their mysterious characters: he is but a collector. He quotes or uses 402 authors, as we are informed by his list; this just beats Warburton,[63] whom some eulogist or satirist, I forget which, holds up as having used 400 authors in some one work. Bungus goes through 1, 2, 3, etc., and gives the account of everything remarkable in which each number occurs; his accounts not being always mysterious. The numbers which have nothing to say for themselves are omitted: thus there is a gap between 50 and 60. In treating 666, Bungus, a good Catholic, could not compliment the Pope with it, but he fixes it on Martin Luther with a little forcing. If from A to I represent 1-10, from K to S 10-90, and from T to Z 100-500, we see: