Casati, Paul

, a learned Jesuit, of a distinguished family in Placentia, was born there in 1617, and became professor of mathematics and theology at Rome. He was one of the two ecclesiastics who contributed to convert Christina, queen of Sweden, to the popish faith. She had desired that two Jesuits might be sent to confer with her on the subject. In 1652 he returned to Italy, and, as he had considerable political talents, was appointed superior to several houses belonging to the society of Jesuits: and he presided over the university of Parma for thirty years, and acted as confessor to two successive duchesses of Parma. Amidst all these occupations he had leisure for his mathematical studies and publications. He died at Parma, Dec. 22, 1707. His principal works are, 1. “Vacuum proscriptum,” Genoa, 1649. 2. “Terra machinis mota,” Rome, 1668, 4to. 3. “Mechanicorum libri octo,” 1684, 4to. 4. “De igne dissertationes,” 1686 and 1695. 5. “De angelis disputatio theologica,” Placentia, 1703. 6. “Hydrostaticse dissertationes,” Parma, 1695* 7. “Opticae disputationes,” Parma, 1705. What is somewhat extraordinary is, that he composed this treatise on optics at the age of eighty-eight, when he was already blind. His works on physics abound with good experiments and just notions. ²