ORIGINS OF MODERNITY

the new science

Accademia del cimento (Florence, Italy)
Saggi di naturali esperienze fatte nell'Accademia del cimento sotto la protezione del serenissimo principe Leopoldo di Toscana e descritte dal segretario di essa accademia.
Firenze : Per Giuseppe Cocchini, 1666.

The Accademia del cimento or 'Academy of Experiment' was the first scientific society committed to experimentation. Begun by some of the followers of Galileo it met in Florence under the patronage of the Medici family from 1657. By 1662 it was in decline and ceased to meet in 1667. Its most distinguished member was Evangelista Torricelli whose 'apparatus' was discussed across Europe and was the catalyst to new work on pneumatics. This volume is the only publication of the society.