The Sleepwalkers (82 page)

In
1532,
then,
Dantiscus
was
established
in
the
bishopric
of
Kulm,
about
a
day's
journey
on
horseback
from
Frauenburg.
Moreover,
he
had
also
been
made
a
Canon
of
the
Frauenburg
Chapter,
and
thus
a
confrater
to
Canon
Nicolas.
One
would
have
thought
that
the
arrival
of
such
an
illustrious
humanist,
in
the
provincial
backwoods
hidden
by
the
"vapours
of
the
Vistula",
would
become
a
joyous
event
in
the
lonely
Copernicus'
life.
There
was
hardly
a
person
in
Ermland,
let
alone
in
Frauenburg,
with
whom
he
could
talk
science
and
astronomy,
except
for
Giese,
who
in
these
matters
was
not
a
great
light.
Dantiscus,
on
the
other
hand,
apart
from
his
other
attractions,
was
keenly
interested
in
science,
corresponded
with
several
scholars
(including
the
great
mathematician
Gemma
Frisius),
possessed
several
globes
and
astronomical
instruments,
a
map
of
America,
and
even
three
timepieces,
one
of
which
he
carried
on
a
chain
around
his
neck.

Immediately
after
settling
down
in
Kulm,
Dantiscus
made
overtures
to
Copernicus
–
which,
for
some
unfathomable
reason
were
primly
rejected.
Among
the
altogether
sixteen
private
letters
by
Copernicus
which
are
preserved,
ten
are
addressed
to
Dantiscus.
⁷⁷
They
make
depressing
reading.
The
first
is
dated
11
April,
1533,
that
is,
a
few
months
after
Dantiscus
had
been
installed
in
his
Bishopric.
The
letter
is
a
refusal,
on
the
grounds
of
official
business
occupations,
of
Dantiscus'
invitation
to
visit
him
at
Loebau
Castle.
⁷⁸

"
Reverendissime
in
Christo
Pater
et
Domine
!

I
have
received
Your
Most
Reverend
Lordship's
letter
and
I
understand
well
enough
Your
Lordship's
grace
and
good
will
towards
me;
which
he
has
condescended
to
extend
not
only
to
me,
but
to
other
men
of
great
excellence.
It
is,
I
believe,
certainly
to
be
attributed
not
to
my
merits,
but
to
the
well-known
goodness
of
Your
Rev.
Lordship.
Would
that
some
time
I
should
be
able
to
deserve
these
things.
I
certainly
rejoice,
more
than
can
be
said,
to
have
found
such
a
Lord
and
Patron.
However,
regarding
Your
Rev.
Lordship's
invitation
to
join
him
on
the
20th
of
this
month
(and
that
I
should
most
willingly
do,
having
no
little
cause
to
visit
so
great
a
friend
and
patron),
misfortune
prevents
me
from
doing
so,
as
at
that
time
certain
business
matters
and
necessary
occasions
compel
both
Master
Felix
and
me
to
remain
at
this
place.
Therefore
I
request
that
Your
Rev.
Lordship
take
in
good
part
my
absence
at
that
time.
I
am
in
other
respects
most
ready,
as
it
is
fitting,
to
oblige
Your
Rev.
Lordship,
as
I
am
in
duty
bound
to
do
innumerable
other
things,
in
whatever
way
Your
Rev.
Lordship
will
indicate
to
me
at
another
time
what
it
is
that
he
desires.
To
whom
I
now
confess
that
I
am
bound
not
to
grant
his
requests,
but
rather
to
obey
his
commands."

Since
Dantiscus
knew
exactly
the
nature
and
amount
of
the
"official
business'
transacted
at
the
Frauenburg
Chapter,
of
which
he
himself
was
a
member,
the
excuse
was
unconvincing.
The
second
letter
is
dated
three
years
later
–
8
June,
1536.
It
is
again
a
refusal
of
an
invitation
from
Dantiscus
to
attend
the
marriage
celebrations
of
a
female
relative
of
the
Bishop's.
The
Excuse
is
again
"official
business":
⁷⁹

"
Reverendissime
in
Christo
Pater
et
Domine
Domine
Clementissime
!

I
have
Your
Rev.
Lordship's
letter,
full
of
humanity
and
favour,
in
which
he
reminds
me
of
that
familiarity
and
favour
with
Your
Rev.
Lordship
which
I
contracted
in
my
youth;
[we
remember
that
Copernicus
is
twelve
years
older
than
Dantiscus]
which
I
know
to
have
remained
just
as
vigorous
up
to
now.
And
since
I
am
thus
to
be
numbered
among
his
intimates,
he
has
deigned
to
invite
me
to
the
marriage
of
his
kinswoman.
Truly,
Your
Rev.
Lordship,
I
ought
to
obey
Your
Lordship
and
present
myself
from
time
to
time
to
so
great
a
Lord
and
Patron.
But
now
being
in
fact
occupied
with
business,
which
the
Most
Reverend
Lord
of
Ermland
has
imposed
on
me,
I
am
unable
to
absent
myself.
Wherefore
let
him
deign
to
take
this
my
absence
in
good
part,
and
to
preserve
that
ancient
opinion
of
me,
though
absent;
since
the
union
of
souls
is
wont
to
count
for
more
than
that
of
bodies.
Your
Rev.
Lordship,
in
all
felicity,
to
whom
I
commend
my
humble
dudes,
and
to
whom
I
wish
perpetual
good
health."