A way of measuring the difference of the weight of liquors
Date
10 June 1663
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p157
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 356mm
width (page): 227mm
width (page): 227mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Small drawing in the text of a glass vial to measure the difference of the weight of liquors, as described by a French visitor, Balthasar de Monconys (1611-1675), who attended the meeting of the Royal Society on 10 June 1663 (Cl.P/6/12/001).
An account of his visit to the Royal Society was published in Monconys's Relation d’un Voyage en Angelterre (1664).
This figure was copied in RBC/2/041 and MS/776/426.
An account of his visit to the Royal Society was published in Monconys's Relation d’un Voyage en Angelterre (1664).
This figure was copied in RBC/2/041 and MS/776/426.
Transcription
Take a glasse vyoll of this figure [ ] and putt into it Some ffilings of steele, to make it near the weight of the lightest liquor knowne: on the top of these fileings put some white waxe - introducing it through the neck in Small Threds; and when there is enough of it to coner the fileings in such manner that the center of Gravitie may be right upon the violls bottom opposit to the neck that soe the violl may alwaies place it Selfe perpendicularly upon the Liquor, & the waxe being growen old fixe the fileings in that Situaton.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 10 June 1663, ‘Mons. Monconys presented the society with two written papers of his; one containing a way of knowing exactly the difference of the weight of liquors, as he had shewed it at the preceding meeting; the other, describing the manner of ordering silk-worms in France. These papers were directed to be registered’ (Birch 1:256).
Birch notes that Monconys, Relation d’un Voyage en Angelterre (1664), pp. 76-86, explains that he was introduced to the Society by Sir Robert Moray, who placed Monconys next to himself and translated the proceedings into French for him. The former account, including the figure, was printed in Birch 1:257-58.
Birch notes that Monconys, Relation d’un Voyage en Angelterre (1664), pp. 76-86, explains that he was introduced to the Society by Sir Robert Moray, who placed Monconys next to himself and translated the proceedings into French for him. The former account, including the figure, was printed in Birch 1:257-58.
Associated place