Deák Antal András: A Duna fölfedezése
Tartalom - III.A DANUBIUS PANNONICO-MYSICUS, 1726
T II E DISCOVERY OF THE DANUBE Scheuchzer explaining his long silence. He told him that he had travelled a lot and had finished writing his work on the physical aspects of the sea, in which he was the first to demonstrate that corals are living beings and not rocks. The work was first edited under the title Histoire Physique de la Mer 23 1 in 1725. It has recently been re-edited with an English translation (1999). 232 In the spring of 1708, he was invited to the Papal army, where, in preparation for a possible attack from the Hapsburgs, he had to work out a proposal for the defence of Central Italian towns. In this way, he returned to his native town after twenty years. On the 15 t h of January 1709, the Papal state contracted a peace settlement with the Hapsburgs without war, which brought an end to Marsigli's last martial experience. Although it brought him no military glories the experience proved useful in that he could find his way home. His brother could not long endure the chaos he brought to the parental house (questo bordello in Palazzo) by the art and science lover Marsigli and his friends. Marsigli's collection was also under foot. So, he set about transporting it to Provence, although his brother Filippo would have liked to keep it in the family as a pledge against the debts Marsigli had incurred after the events in Breisach and not send valuable property away from Bologna. Thus, Marsigli left for France without his collection, but the news that his brother the bishop was dying brought him urgently back. He was too late. He restored peace with his family, and on the 15 t h of May 1711, the senate of the town disclosed that if Marsigli donated his valuable treasures to the town, they would see that they were housed in a fitting place. The choice fell on the palace of Cardinal Poggi's on via Donato, the present day via Zamboni, which was ornamented with 16 t h century frescos. 23 3 The donation contract was ceremoniously signed and the bequest was thus not lost. 23 4 "YET IT WILL BE REALISED..." THE DANUBIUS IN AMSTERDAM His fortunes changed for the better at last in 1723: an opportunity came along to publish his work in Amsterdam. However, the ownership of his works — or lack of it - creater serious legal problems. Marsigli did not have the absolute publishing right to his manuscripts nor the copperplates of the Danube-monograph. Despite all of these problems however he managed to sign a contract with booksellers to publish his works in Amsterdam and the Hague on the 16 t h of March, 1723. 23 5 The Contract contained 17 conditions. Among them the most important were: - Marsigli will have to send those copperplates of the Danubius that were done already, the drawings that were not engraved yet, and the manuscripts without delay as soon as he got home. This was required so that the work at the printing shop could start as soon as possible. - The still missing drawings will have to be made in Italy but engraved in copper in Amsterdam, Holland. - In order not to lose time the booksellers wanted the geographical and hydrographical maps that will have to be engraved in Holland to be sent to them by mail either as a whole or in parts packed in metal boxes at the booksellers'cost. The reason for this condition was that the booksellers wanted to make sure that everything arrives in good condition and in a timely manner. - The Company will be responsible for returning the manuscripts, drawings and copperplates after printing - with the exception of those copperplates that the Company 23 1 It was edited in Amsterdam in 1725 with forwards in Latin and French by Herman Moerhaave. 23 2 The facsimile edition of the book was published with Anita McConnell's valuable introduction in English and French: Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli: Histoire physique de la mer, a cura di Giortio Dragoni; Bologna, 1999. 23 3 John Stoye op. Cit: 283-284. 23 4 The objects listed on plate 111 of Instrumentum Donationis were handed over as specified in the contract signed in 1711. 23 5 Bologna, Archivio di Stato, Assunteria di Istituto, Diversorum, B. n. 7. Fasc. 8. Informazione mandata al S. Ambassatore. July 7, 1725. 132
