| Description | ' The Society met againe aftrr their Adjournment
Mr Henshaw the Vice-president took the Chair
The Jornals of the last meeting were read which gave occasion of Disciourse concerning the petrifaction of humane Substances
Dr Croon mentioned that there had lately been a Discourse published concerning that matter by [blank]
That it had been answered by [blank]
Mr Henshaw mentioned that he had Seen the arm of a man petrified at the house of Cardinal Moralto called Villa Perreti, it being part of the body of a man wholy petrifyed in the Alps.
Upon Reading that concerning freezing Mr Henshaw added that hauing in Denmark Set Brandy to freeze in cupps he found that all the Spirituous part thereof part thereof was wasted and the remaining part which was converted into a Spongy Ice was of a very ill tast and had lost all its Strength.
Sir John Hoskins Related that Dr Merret had assured him that the Strongest wine might be all frozen in the Florentine flaskes the Reason of which was conceived to be the great thinnes of those bottles.
Mr Hooke read a Letter directed to the two Secretary's of this Society from Mr Michael Butterfeild a Mathematicall Instrument maker at Paris, Propounding his desire to correspond with them concerning Philosophicall Mechanicall and Mathematicall matters, and profering to communicate Such things as he should there meet with of that kind. He comunicats Mr Hugens his way of making small globules of glasse for Microscopes by striking powdered glasse on the point of a needle with Spittle and holding them in the flame of a lamp of Spirit of Wine and after rubbing them with a putty Cloth. He mentions also a levell of his invention published the last year in the Jorna Descanans [?] at Paris, and adds a further improvement of the same by hanging it upon one point and mentions divers others invented by considerable persons. Futher that he was making a large Silver Planisphere he was making for the King of the contrivance of Mr Cassini. that he had a Ring Dial for Cassini with 3 rings besides the sliding ring with 2 halidades and 4 Lights of a foot Diameter. He mencons also a peice of Clockwork lately made there to shew the motion of Jupiters Satellites.
Also that he hath lately made a Sliding half Quadrant with glasses. 8 inches semidiameter of great use for cariage.
Included in this letter were two packetts.
One from Mr Gallet Provost of the Church of St Syphoron of Avignon conteyning a Letter to the Royal Society and 3. Small Tracts.
The first his account of the observacon of Mercury in the Sun.
The Second his observacon of an Eclipse of the Moon May the 17. 1677.
The third his Observacon of an Eclipse of the Sun june 11. 1678
All 3 observed at Avignon.
The letter of Mr Gallet was read wherein after the professing of the great respect he hath for this Society, he addes his desire of holding Correspondence with them in Astronomicall Matters and promises to Send such other Observacons as he hath hitherto made which are not yet published, and especially those about the Diameter of the Sun and Moon concerning which he gives some instances about the Diameters of the Sun.
Dr Croon affirmed that Mr Rooke long since used the Same way for taking the Diameter of the Sun which that made use of by Monsieur Gallet namely by computing the time of the transitus of its figure made by a 40 . foot glasse.
Mr Hooke read a Relation of a great Eruption of a Fire which hapned this last winter in the Isle of Palma one of the Canaries given him by a persn who had long resided in the Said Island, and who was there at the time of the said Eruption.
Mr Henshaw was of Opinion that both Bathes were caused by Subterraneous fire, because generally where are those Subterraneous fires there are many hott bathes.
Sir Peter Wych acquainted the Society that he was very Speedily to go to reside at Hambr. [Hamburg?] And professed hsi desire and readiness to promote the Interest and businesse of the Society in those parts.
Mr Haak propounded Mr Dethleuus Cheuerius for a Candidate.
Dr Mapletost propounded Mr William Perry for a Candidate. ' |