Pascal’s Memorial
November 23, 1654
The year of grace 1654, Monday, 23 November, feast of St. Clement, pope and martyr, and others in the martyrology. Vigil of St. Chrysogonus, martyr, and others. From about half past ten at night until about half past midnight, FIRE.
So begins Memorial by the great French physicist and mathematician Blaise Pascal, describing the awesome vision he beheld that cold November night. Lest anyone think Pascal was writing metaphorically, he triangulated the time of the event by date and feast, down to the minute. He sewed Memorial into the lining of his jacket (discovered after his death), where he carried it for the rest of his life.
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