Contents

List of illustrations

Author’s note

Map

The Huygens family

INTRODUCTION

1 SAND, LIGHT, GLASS

2 THE KENNER OF ALL THINGS

3 ENCOUNTERS WITH GENIUS

4 AT HOME

5 ALMOST A PRODIGY

6 REVERSALS AND COLLISIONS

7 SATURN

8 TIME AND CHANCE

9 SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY

10 NEW MUSIC

11 THE PARISIAN

12 SCIENCE DURING WARTIME

13 FEUDS AND TRIALS

14 LIGHT AND GRAVITY

15 OTHER WORLDS

AFTERWORD

Main personalities

Acknowledgements

Footnotes

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Plate Section