103

Thursday October the 25. 1677.

The Society mett againe at their vsuall place in Gresham Colledge vpon summons sent -
abroad for that purpose by the President.
The President not comming At . . .after. . . the vice president /. . . . . ./ . . . . . . .
Mr Henshaw the treasurer & the rest of the society desired that An Expert. might be shewn wch
was according done by Mr Hook the effect of wch. was to shew a very easy but exceedingly Cu
rious way to examine the Comparatiue weight of Liquors and that to soe great a
nicenesse as very ^ /sensibly &/ manifestly to exhibit such weight of two liquors though they Differd from
one another but a 100000 part of their weight for This was performed by the
help of a large Glasse of a parelike forme the f equalling in bulk about 3 pound
Of water which by that included in it was made almost equiponderat to the water but
yet somewt heauier that It might sink to the bottom but by the finest hair tyed
to the stalk could be suspended in the water. this hair put into /was/ tyed to the scale of a beam
and this /poise by a/ counterpoise in the other scale was made to swim in the water soe as neither to
touch the bottom nor the top and when soe poised it was found that a 9th. part of
a graine added to or taken from the scale would make the Glasse pear float or sink /rise/
to the top or sink to the bottom. whence was euident that the whole glasse weighing
about fowr pounds which amounts to /22040/ . . . . . graines or /220400 tenth/ . . . . . parts of graines
and that one single /tenth/ fifth part of a graine would turne it. And the bulk of the glasse
when suspended being always equall to an equall bulk of water. if that might be
/1/220400/ alterd 1/. . . . .. the poise must be alterd & consequently by the help of the seales be made
sensible. This experiment and the nicety thereof being vnderstood by the company
It was Desired that tryalls might be made the next Day, vpon seuerall sorts of
water as pump water new riuer water Thams water & Raine water that soe
they might be experimentally satisfyd of the exactness of this new Instrument wch
/was/ new vpon this account that It hath not been taken notice of by any of those who haue
written of this subject such as Ghetaldus Sauinus Paschall &c they hauing only taken
the comparatiue weight of some small counterpoise wch in . . . and out of the same.
liquor wch they haue always performed wth. scales the same scales wch are noe
ways fitt for exhibiting the niceness & curiosity of this expt. seuerall objections were
made and answered and Dr. Whistler Explaind some things in it wch. seemed a little
difficult. this debate being ouer ^ /It hauing been concluded [. . . . . . . ] in some fore going command/ . . . . . . . . . . . Mr Henshaw ^ /the presid/ wth
the rest of the Company desired Mr Hook Mr Oldenburg hauing died since the last
recesse to take his place at the table and to take . . . .of things /an account of such/ considerable /matters/
that should be shewn or discoursed of at the meetings ^ /of the Society/ which he accordingly did
Sr. I. Hoskins ^ /Mr Henshaw being then present/ propounded Mr. Thomas Smith chaplain to Mr Secretary Williamson for
a candidate of this Society he was Seconded in his proposall by Dr Holder.
Mr Hooke Acquainted the Society from Mr. Boyle of a new sort of Leather found at Paris of
and made imperuious to air and water soe that therewth haue been made all sorts of
riding and weaing apparell to keep out wett aipps & Borrachios to hold or carry
liquors, beds to lye on & floats to swim wth. which hold air like a bladder couer
couers of tents, coaches, swords, mailes. &c. floors to tread on in vari dry in marsh
places. boots to wade in &c. and from Mr Boyle presented the Society wth a cupp made
of the same leather wch he affirmed held water 6 dayes wthout soaking through the
Leather though as thin as a Cordouan Gloue and also supple. thanks was orderd
to be returned to Mr Boyle ^ /Packer objected that twas not fit for hat cases or soaking &c./ Mr Hooke alledged that he conceiued it was done
only by soaking the said Leather in a mixture made wth. sallet oyle & wax well
boyled together. he was desired to make tryall of this way against next day
Mr Hooke shewd the Society a sort of Portugall onion wch ^ /he receiued from/ Dr. Whistler . . . /who called it/ viuiparous the
said root sending vp a stalk vpon the top of wch. grew insteed of seed a Cluster of very
small onions exactly like the root ^ /each of/ and wch. put into the ground would increase and produce
such an other bunch of small onions. notice was orderd to be taken of it none of the like hauing
been seen before by any of the Company saue Dr. Whistler & the onion returned.
Mr. Packer acquainted the Society that though a patent had lately been obteind for an engine

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