MARIANO TOMATIS

WONDER INJECTOR

Writer of science with the
mission of the magician:
to encourage people
to approach life in
a state of Wonder.

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@marianotomatis

Interactive version of “Graceful Thought” by Pietro Millioni

Pietro Millioni was an Italian composer and author lived in 17th century. In 1649 he published a book of secrets entitled Gratioso pensiero (Graceful Thought) (1).

The book could be used to divine a name thought of through a mathematical principle described by Luca Pacioli (2) in 1478.

I got a copy of the rare book from his owner, the Italian stand-up comedian Raul Cremona. In order to revive it, I have created an interactive version of the book: you can play it clicking here (or the image below)

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(1) Pietro Millioni, Gratioso pensiero, per mezzo del quale ciascuno puol saper dire non solo il Nome, Patria, & Arte di qual si voglia persona. Ma anco il mese, il giorno, e l’hora, ch’è nato, & altre curiosità. Inuentato da Pietro Millioni, e di nuouo ristampato dal medesimo, con l’accrescimento di molti giuochi cuoriosi. In Roma, et in Siena, Alla Loggia del Papa, Con licenza de’ Super. 1649.

(2) Luca Pacioli, Codex Vat. lat. 3129, p. 219 verso.