Royal Society EL/A/39

From St George Ashe to Edmund Halley, 15-07-1687

transcriptimage and transcriptimage

St George Ashe thanks Edmund Halley for the copy of the Philosophical Transactions, which was delivered by Mr Norman. He specifically mentions discourses on:

  1. gravity;
  2. the motion of projects (projectiles);
  3. Mr Anderson's proposition in the field of gunnery;
  4. barometers and the movement of mercury;
  5. trade winds.

Ashe praises Halley as an acute natural philosopher, as well as an excellent astronomer.

The uncertain political situation in Ireland has disrupted the activities of the Dublin Society.

  1. An observatory has been established at Trinity College, although it has limited equipment. Using a brass quadrant, they have confirmed the latitude of Dublin accurately and they have also established a mreidian line. They would like guidance on their next steps from experienced astronomers, such as Halley.
  2. A number of mineral waters (springs) have been discovered near Dublin. One at Wexford is supposed to equal the chalybeate spring at Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
  3. Some large horns found buried deep in the earth had been sent to the Dublin Society. Ashe had one that was branched like a stag's horn, 4-5 feet in length and a foot across.
  4. They had a report from Cavan of a dumb man who fasted for 40 days, taking only water, which Ashe linked to a similar report of a man in Haerlem.
  5. Ashe had read the manuscript of Isaac Newton's Principia, which Halley was in the process of guiding through the press. Its observations on mechanical inventions had led Ashe to show William Molyneux and others the design for an engine for raising loads.

The letter was carried to London by Dr Alan Mullen.

© AHRB Centre for Editing Lives and Letters, 2005  Reference: CELL/Early Letters of the Royal Society Catalogue EL.A.39