No. XIV. EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS OF AUBREY TO A. WOOD. London, Sept. 15, 1674. Mr. Hooke told me, (who has looked over your book), that you have left out several eminent men. You have not either mentioned him, which I desired. England has hardly produced a greater wit, viz. for mechanics. Gresham Coll., March 2, 1691–2. Mr. Wood! I acquainted you, some weeks since, that Mr. Hooke (now Dr. Hooke) desired you to do him the favour to send him a transcript of what you are to print concerning him. I have not yet heard from you about it: and Dr. Hooke doth again this day earnestly desire you would be pleased to write as aforesaid, as soon as you can possibly; for it doth (he says) exceedingly concern him. He will repay you for the transcription, which I shall deliver to you when I come to you. London, March 3, 1691-2. Mr. Wood! I sent you a letter some weeks since, that Dr. Hooke remembers him very kindly to you, and does earnestly request you to do him the favour to send him a transcript of what you intend to write of him, with all possible speed; and he will repay you for the transcribing. To this purpose I yesterday left a letter with Mr. Bennet; but to-day speaking with Mr. Bennet, he tells me that he sent a letter from you to me, by the penny-post, on Saturday last: my landlady affirms z From the originals in the Univers. Oxon.; published in Bodleian Library. 1674. a Historia et Antiquitates b she received it not. Now your book drawing on to an end, I, not knowing what the consequence of that letter may be, thought it a sure way to trouble [you] with this letter by the post. April 13, 1692, Gresham College. Dr. Hooke does again desire, that, if you do make any mention concerning him, you would favour him with a copy of it, before it goes to the press, and he will gratify you in any thing that is equivalent. He remembers him kindly to you, and will be ready to serve you, in any thing that may lie in his way. No. XV. HALLEY'S VERSES PREFIXED TO THE PRINCIPIA.c In viri præstantissimi D. ISAACI NEWTONI opus hocce mathematico-physicum sæculi gentisque nostræ decus egregium. En tibi norma Poli, et divæ libramina Molis, [en] [et] Computus atque Jovis; quas, dum primordia rerum b Athenæ Oxonienses, of which the first edition was completed and published in 1692. c The verses are here printed as they were originally prefixed by Halley to the first edition of the Principia in 1687; what is in smaller letters was substituted by Bentley in 1713 for the words immediately under them; those parts which are between brackets are the alterations from the original text, which were adopted in 1726. Conderet, omnipotens sibi ipse Pangeret, omniparens Leges violare Creator Intima panduntur victi penetralia cœli, circumrotet, Nec latet extremos quæ Vis circumrotat Orbes. Jam patet horrificis quæ sit via flexa Cometis; Jam non miramur barbati Phænomena Astrid. Discimus hinc tandem qua causa argentea Phoebe remeent eat, et Passibus haud æquis graditur; cur subdita nulli Viribus impellit, dum fractis fluctibus Ulvam Alternisve ruens spumantia pulsat. Alternis vicibus suprema ad litora pulsans. Quæ toties animos veterum torsere Sophorum, hodie Quæque Scholas frustra rauco certamine vexant Queis Superum penetrare domos atque ardua Cœli d This line was entirely omitted in 1713, and restored in 1726. e This line also was omitted in 1713, and restored in 1726. Surgite Mortales, terrenas mittite curas cognoscite Atque hinc cœligenæ vires dignoscite Mentis primus Qui scriptis jussit Tabulis compescere Cædes [tantum solamina] Respiciens miseræ solummodo commoda vitæ. Jam vero Superis convivæ admittimur, alti diæ Jura poli tractare licet, jamque abdita cœcæ Naturæ, et Claustra patent Terræ, rerumquef immobilis ordo, præteritis latuere incognita sæclis. Et quæ præteriti latuerunt sæcula mundi. justis Talia monstrantem mecum celebrate Camoenis, [o cœlicolum gaudentes] Vos qui cœlesti gaudetis nectare vesci, carum Newtonum Musis charum, cui pectore puro que omitted in 1713, restored in 1726. The parts in Italics are alterations, made in EDM. HALLEY. the third, though not in the second edition. Sir, No. XVI. OLDENBURG TO NORWOOD.8 Oct. 24, 1666. I will believe you have heard that his Majesty hath, some few years since, founded a corporation of a number of ingenious and knowing persons, by the name of the Royal Society of London for improving natural knowledge, whose design is by observations and experiments, faithfully and frequently made, to advance the contemplations of Nature unto use and practice, and thereby to render them more serviceable for the necessities and accommodations of the life of man. Such a foundation being laid by our gracious King, the persons, thus incorporated, judge it very conducive to their purpose to bespeak and engage all sorts of intelligent and public-minded men, in all parts of the world, to contribute what they can to so noble and useful an undertaking. And this, sir, was the substance of what I acquainted you with in March 1664, inviting you at the same time, in the said Society's name, to send in what observables you might meet with in the Bermudas, as also to make what observations you could of the conjunction of the planet Mercury with the sun, which was then, according to our best calculations, to happen October 25th of the same year. But having, from your silence, great cause to doubt of the receipt of that letter, I embrace this opportunity of giving you notice of what was written formerly to you, and of assuring you of the good opinion we have, not only of your abilities and willingness in making such observations and experiments, as conveniently as g From the Letter Book of the Royal Society, vol. i. p. 352. |