Casati, Paolo

Casati, Paolo an Italian Jesuit, was born at Piacenza in 1617. He taught mathematics and theology at Rome and in the colleges of his order, then was sent by his general to Sweden, where he influenced queen Christina to embrace the Catholic religion. On his return he governed several houses of the Jesuits, and was for thirty years at the head of the University of Parma, where he died, Dec. 22, 1707. His principal works are, De Terra Machinis Mota (Rome, 1668): —La Tromba Parlante (Parma, 1673): — De Angelis (Placenza, 1703): — Opticae Disputationes (Parma, 1705); written when he was blind and eighty-eight years of age. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, s.v.; Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.