LETTERS FROM THE REV. WM. DERHAM, D D. 175
What the Doctor says about sending the Pneumatic Engine
from Upminster to Belhus being "hazardous to ye glasses"
throws a side light on the dreadful state of the roads in those
times.
-
Feb : 3. 1704/5,
Sr.
You were pleased to promise me some Guns, & now the wind
favouring I shall be glad of having them fired this evening precisely
at 6 of clock. My Man hath my watch, by wch you may see when
I account it 6 at Upmr. Be pleased to order them as before, viz :
the first towards me, ye 2d Upright, the 3d fromward, and a 4th
Upright. After the Guns I will make a Blaze by way of thanks
for the favour.
When f was at London last Wednesday, I mat with Mr. Ray's
Topographical &c. Observations at 5s. His Voyages of Ranwolff,
Dr. Spar, Huntingdon, Mr. Graves, &c., at 58. The French Acade-
mists Anatomies translated by Mr. Pittfield at 8s. 6d. all I think
pennyworths. Also I met wth Willughby of Fishes at 25s. wch
I thought too dear atho' a great many cutts & good. But the cutts
alone I met with at 15s. but I believe the Book seller would thank
me to give him 10s. altho' they made a volume as big allmost as his
Ornithology. I was unwilling to lay out your money without express
order. And therefore if you like any of these at these prices, I
will endeavour to get them when I next go to London.
I was present at the R.S. when you were proposed and accepted
to be a Member, in a short time you will be elected Fellow, & when
you go, & subscribe the Statutes, you will be admitted, & corn-
pleated. P : George hath done us the Hon1' to be a Fellow of our
Society, & would have been chosen our President last S. Andrew's
day, but yt it is contrary to the Statutes to elect one Presidt
before he is a Fellow. He hath undertaken the Publication of Mr.
Flamsteed's works, wch is now going on apace. The famous Mr.
Ray hath been dead near 3 weeks. I would write more but yt f
have taken Physich to day that puts me out of a writing condition
and humour, & therefore wth our humble services to your Lady &
children I conclude & am
Sr.
Your much obliged & most humble Servt
W. Derham.
f met also wth Ray's Synops : methodica Quadrapedum &
Serpent : Genesis at about 4s. I think it was. Tis in 8vo & never
had any Irons.
The Doctor was, together with Sir I. Newton and R. Hook,
one of the pioneers of our knowledge in that branch of Acoustics
which deals with the velocity of the transmission of sound. He
contributed early in 1708 a rather long paper in Latin on this
subject to the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. 26 In the course
of this, he refers to Dacre Barrett as a witness for one of the