S. J. P. SECCHI, L'Unité des forces physiques, 1874

Father Angelo Secchi (1818-1877) was an Italian Jesuit, director of the Rome Observatory, and a renowned astronomer and physicist, corresponding member of the Institute of France. His work L'Unité des forces physiques (The Unity of Physical Forces) is an essay on natural philosophy that explores the concept of unity and interconnectedness of the various forces known in physics at his time. Secchi, a pioneer in stellar spectroscopy, sought to establish a unified vision of the physical world, a central theme in 19th-century science. This second, revised and considerably augmented edition, published based on Dr. Deleschamps' Italian translation, demonstrates the interest in his ideas in France.