90

and kept it self Distinct from the air. -- Mr Newtons Letter of Feb: 20. was read promising an answer to Mr
Hookes obseruations vpon his new theory of light and colours. It was orderd to be entred. [Sr Malpighis letter about Eggs
-- The Curator was desired to presse Mr. Cox to expedite the 6 foot glasse after Mr Newtons way. The same was also desired
to produce the next Day before the Society the experiment of Representing a Blew & Red Colour in 2 wedge like boxes
Feb: 29. 1671/2. The Expt of the Last Day, shewing the steam about the flame of a candle distinct from the
smoke & air was Repeated, and proued satisfactory. The Curator of it was Ordered to Giue in Writing the Way
of Representing this Expt. --- The same proposed a way for a speedy conueyance of Intelligence from place
to place, by the sight assisted with telescopes, to be imployed on high places by the Corrrespondents using a
secret Character, proportiond in Bignesse according to the Distance they are to be seen at &c. - The paper
of this proposition, and the particulars of the manner of Practising it were Read, but not Left by the proposer
to be registred, but taken away by him. Orderd that some Expt. be made of this proposition at the next meet
-ing which the Curator promis ed to Doe.
March. 7. There was made an expt. of the method formerly proposed by mr Hooke of Speedy conueying intelligence
from place to Place, which was performed from Arundell house garden to a boat lying neer the Shore on the other
Side the Thames by letters of a foot Long and Glass es of two foot long, the distance being about half a mile.
The contriuance was applauded as very ingenious, and the authour desired to make more tryalls of it at grea
-ter Distances. -- the President Obiected, that the use of it would be often hindred by hazy weather - Others did
intimate that the greatest Difficulty in the practise of this way would be in proportioning the glasse & the
Letters. vizt at what Distance a glasse of such or such a Length, shall discouer character of such or such a bignesse
[Dr. King thinks galls a fruit, others iudge them causd by Insects Mr. Hooke promised to shew next day something hauing
neither Reflection nor refraction, and yet be Diaphanous
Mar. 14. Dr Tillotson admitted. Mr Cock was orderd to make for the vse of the Society a telescope of mr Newtons way of 4 or 5
foot which he promisd to get ready in a fortnight. [also to contract about a large concaue) - Mr Hooke brough in a De
scription of an Expt formerly shewd before the Society & designed to proue that the substance of a candle or Lamp is dis-
solued by the air, and the greatest part thereof Reduced to a fluid of the form of air. He was thanked for this paper wch
was orderd to be registred (Reg. 4. p. 126.) He promisd to bring the next Day an Expt to shew a phenomenon not vnlike
this, to be produced by seuerall bodys Dissolued in oyle of Vitrioll. The same shewed a pritty phoenomenon in a bubble
raised by water & sope, wherein there appeared Something at the top, that had neither reflection nor refraction yet was diapha
-nous. Mr Hooke was desired to bring it in in Writing, with his thoughts therevpon [Pecquets discouery]
Mar: 21. [heuelius of a new comet [newtons letter about his telescope. [Boyle of shining flesh.
Mar: 28. 1672. - The Curator brought in his written Account of an Expt. or Obseruation formerly made vpon a bubble of
water & Soap. He was thanked for this Description which was orderd to be entred. -- The same made an Expt. of Dissoluing
Sal niter in comon water, wherby was caused a Streame composed of water and of the particles of Niter dissolued ther
-in, which stream was here Descending, as in a former Expt a stream or fluid produced by a candle dissolued by the air
Did ascend. He was desired to bring in the Description hereof in writing. [newtons letter abt. his telescope march 26 [Cassinj Ob
servation of the Period of theSpot in . 1. e. 9h. 56'.] It was Lookd vpon as a Considerable thing, though withall it was taken
notice of that the same spott had been discouerd here by Mr. Hooke before any thing was heard of it from abroad
as appears by what was printed thereof in the Philosophicall transactions 1665 in Seuerall places.
Ap. 4. The Curator made an Expt. with 2 pieces of Glasse Stifly rubbed vpon one another to shew that there may
the same incidence of Rayes & yet various colours. he was orderd to bring in the Expt. in writing the next Day.
together with his considerations vpon it as also to doe the like as to the expt. formerly made with Sal niter
dissolued in comon water. [Swammerdams paper of the utervs. [newtons answer to french obiectios and of a prism eye
glasse &] orderd tht - The Curator take care to make such a chrystalline prisme &c [grews paper about Snow]
Ap: 11. noe meeting Apr. 18. The Curator was Ready to make an Expt by a prisme redy to Destroy all colours by one prisme
that appeared before through another but there being noe sun as was necessary the expt. was putt off to another time
Pardies objectio to newton. newtons answer to it: another of newton. Malpighis lettr. Cock his telescope concaue imperf
The Curator proposed a way of making the Sd Reflecting concaue in Great number and polisht by the meanes of
two Dyes one concaue the other conuex putting between them a plate of Siluer & then Stamping it wth. the Mint Mill
It was doubted by Sr. R Moray whether it would be polisht this way & keep its figure. however it was though worth
trying. [about Hudsons Bay Observatios. the Weekly meetings to be wensdays. Grew proposed a Curator for plants for
one year by BP. Chester
Apr. 24. Cassinj & Verno proposd] The Curator shewed 2 expts. of colours with 2 prismes. by the one it appeared
that one prisme tooke off the colours which the Other had produced by the other that Seuerall Colours were
made by seuerall Refractions. Orderd that the curator doe giue in the particular description of it to be registred
[Cassinis letter of permanent spott. [cornelios letter from Naples
May. 1. Willis de Anima Brutoru [listers Letter of Stone under the tongue . & of their wormes. [townlys of Weather
May. 8. Mr Willoughby wormes in all animalls. [newton of Cassigrans Reflex telescope] Cock a steel polisht for Reflex telescope
the curator was desired to make tryall with it though he sayd it was falsly polisht.
May 15. Grew of`the secundine of seeds. Smethwick refracting instrument. Mr Hooke made some expts. relating to mr Newtons
theory of light & colours, which he was desired to bring in writing to be registred.
May. 22. Cassinj elected & Mr Vernon. [grew of the pith of plants. Sr. R Moray of Cacao trees] Mr Hooke made some more
Expts. with 2 prismes confirming what mr newton hath written in his Discourse about light & colours vizt that the rays of
light being separated by one Prisme into Distinct colours the refraction made by another prisme doth not alter those Colours
It was intimated by the same that these Expts. were not cogent to make light consist of Different substances or Diuers powders
as 'twere but that those phoenomena might be explicated by motion of bodys propagated.
Iune 5. Coniers speaking trumpet.
Iune 12. Grew the spirall vessells. Swamerdams book. Perpetuall Lamp.] Mr Oldenb. presented mr Newtons answer to Mr Hookes
considerations vpon his Doctrine of light & colours, which was Read in part and ordered to be copyed for the perusall
of Dr. Wren & Mr. Hooke. and then to be registred with thanks to the author. Mr Hook was put in mind to bring in
next Day, some experiments that Did not Depend from the shining of the sun, together with those that Required Sun ^/shine/
Iune 19. There was read a Description giuen by Mr Hooke of seuerall Expts Lately by him shewn to the Society. The pa
[In margin]qr.   per was orderd to be registred. He was desired to make more expts. of the like nature for a further examination of Mr Newtos
Doctrine of light & Colours especially such as may make it out that Colours may be varied by Diuers positions of the
eye, as also those that are made with plated bodys, shewing that the same inclination and the same thicknesse
will giue various colours, and further those that shew in a Dark Room that where there is noe refraction nor Reflextion
there will be a succession of colours, soe that the Rays passing only a hole colours will appear. Dr Goddard Mr Coniers
& Mr. Hooke hauing made Draughts of speaking trumpets &c ---- and mr. Hooke was also desird to make a tryall of his figure
[Vossius about bells. Hevelius Letter about Comets

Ref: CELL/RS/HF_092  © Centre for Editing Lives and Letters