Kepler to Müller, 26 August 1630
Johannes Kepler, “Kepler to Müller, 26 August 1630,” Nova Kepleriana 4, August 26, 1630, 76–77, transcribed in Plain Old Text, https://sources.vjbe.net/stable/zq6m1.
Nova Kepleriana 4 26 Aug, 1630, p. 76–77 Summary
Part of Die Keplerbriefe auf der Nationalbibliothek und auf der Sternwarte in Paris
Kepler sends the remaining years of the *Ephemerides*, to 1636, in two casks, with instructions for storing them at Frankfurt and for the entry in the fair catalogue.
Source: Johannes Kepler's letter to Philipp Müller written at Sagan on 26 August 1630, sending the last years of his Ephemerides (to 1636) in casks to Leipzig, with instructions for their sale at the Frankfurt fair. The original is in the Bibliothèque nationale, Paris (Nouv. acq. lat. 1635, fols. 100–101; 89, 8. H. 21), with a copy in the Bibliothèque de l'Observatoire. First printed in Nova Kepleriana 4, ed. Walther von Dyck and Max Caspar, Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Math.-naturw. Abteilung 31, no. 1 (Munich, 1927), 76–77.
English translation of the letter as printed in Nova Kepleriana 4 (1927), made for Plain Old Text. Each paragraph translates the corresponding paragraph of the original, including the German on the cover. The title for the fair catalogue is left in Latin, as Kepler wrote it.
Many greetings.
Most famous and most excellent Sir, honoured friend.
Here at last are the years 29, 34, 35 and 36 as well, which complete my volume of Ephemerides. There are 600 copies, as many as the earlier cask held of the years 30, 31, 32 and 33. But so that no space should be left empty, 350 of the year 1628 have been added. Besides these, you will receive a small cask holding 70 complete copies from 1629 to 1636. For nothing is missing except the dedication for these years, which are from Bartsch’s calculation; it is meant for my Patron.
This is how I should like them dealt with. If there are still reliable carters at hand going to Frankfurt, let both the larger casks, the one I sent at Easter and the one I send now, be entrusted to them at the fixed price that others pay. Let Voigt’s people pay the carriage, and meanwhile keep the casks closed at Frankfurt, until someone comes from me to collect them and repays them the carriage.
And then let the small cask stay at Leipzig, to be carried to Nuremberg when I write again.
But if the carters have gone, I beg you most earnestly to entrust the small cask with the 70 copies to one of the coachmen or merchants, so that it is at the Frankfurt fair. Mr Bartl. Voigt, or one of his people, will see that it is entered in the catalogue under the title: Jo. Kepleri [struck out:] (Mathematici Caes.) Ephemeridum in annos XX tomus unus, ab anno 1617 in 1636. Absolutus Sagani in Silesia, anno 1630.“One volume of the Ephemerides of Jo. Kepler (Imperial Mathematician) for twenty years, from 1617 to 1636. Completed at Sagan in Silesia, 1630.” Since Tampach has not answered, I am in doubt whether to state in the title that it is to be had from Tampach. And indeed I do not allow him that unless he has paid all the costs. But I think there is no need for the catalogue to say where it is to be had. You need to know this, in case you think you can improve on my plan: the years 1617, 18, 19 and 20 are already at Frankfurt, with the Prolegomena, with Tampach, who long ago gave up my books, and has so far written back nothing different in answer to my serious demands. The years 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 are already printed, no less than those from 28 to 36. They have already begun on 1627. What remains is the rest of 1627 and the whole of 1626, which will be finished within 3 weeks, for nothing more is lacking in the calculation. I am adding three titles or prefaces: one to 1629, over the 8 years that follow; another to 1621, over the 8 years from it already finished; and a general one to the whole volume, with an index of contents.
If Voigt is away, or if you think it wiser even so, I earnestly beg you to be keeper yourself, and, if I do not ask too much, agent for the casks.
Written in the greatest haste, away from home, at Sagan, 26 August 1630.
Your Excellency’s
most dutiful
J. Kepler,
Mathematician.
Please share the plans
and contents with Voigt’s people.
To the most famous and most excellent Mr
Philipp Müller, Licentiate of Medicine,
Professor of Philosophy in the University of Leipzig, my precious
friend,
Leipzig.
[In another hand:]
With 2 small casks. 4 1/8 hundredweight.
In his absence to be opened by his household, and the contents made known to Voigt’s people.