Category: 18th century
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Cremona, or the year technology peaked
In 1637, an Italian monk by the name of Fulgentius Micanzio wrote an acquaintance who was considering purchasing a violin. On the advice of an expert, Micanzio could assure his correspondent that the best instruments were to be found in the city of Cremona. What makes this letter so particularly interesting is that the expert…
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Gibraltar, or if you don’t like our principles, we have others
Gibraltar is a small town in the interior of Spain, part of the region of Andalucia. In the cozy square by the church there are a couple of excellent restaurants where the locals gather of an evening. The waiting staff may not speak much English, but if you manage to make yourself understood, you can…
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Mols, or stupid, lazy, inbred peasants
In Denmark, there is a story about the villagers of Mols in Jutland. Fearing that war was about to break out in the country, they decided to hide their most treasured possession: the church bell. A handful of men set out to sea in a rowboat to sink the bell, where it could be retrieved…