The motion of bodies resulting from impact
Date
4 January 1669
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p33
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 360mm
width (page): 230mm
width (page): 230mm
Subject
Description
An image from Christian Huygens's tract 'On the motion of bodies resulting from impact', sent with his letter dated 4 January 1669 to the Royal Society's secretary, Henry Oldenburg. These were presented at the meeting of the Society on 7 January 1669.
An extract of this tract was printed in Journal des sçavans (18 March 1669), 22-24, and then in Philosophical Transactions vol. 4, no. 46 (1669).
An extract of this tract was printed in Journal des sçavans (18 March 1669), 22-24, and then in Philosophical Transactions vol. 4, no. 46 (1669).
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 17 December 1668, ‘Dr. Wren produced his theory of the collision of bodies, together with some papers containing the various trials made long before to verify that theory. It was read, and ordered to be registered, the author affirming, that he had this hypothesis several years before, when the society began to be formed; and that Mr. Rooke and himself made divers experiments before the society to verify the same: which affirmation of his was seconded and confirmed by several of the members, who were eye-witnesses of those experiments, as the president, Sir Paul Neile, Mr. Balle, and Mr. Hill’ (Birch 2:335).
On 7 January 1669, ‘Mr. Oldenburg produced a letter to him from Monsr. Huygens dated at Paris, Jan 9, 1669, N.S. and accompanied with some papers of his concerning motion. This letter and the other papers being read, it was ordered, that the former should be entered in the Letter-Book and the latter in the Register: as also that copies should be made of those papers, and given to such members of the Society, as had considered that subject, viz. the president, the bishop of Sarum, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Pell, Dr. Wren, Mr. Neile, Dr. Croune, and Mr. Hooke.
Sir Paul Neile moved, that Dr. Wren’s hypothesis of motion, brought in December 17, 1668, might be printed in the Philosophical Transactions of this month, which motion was approved, and Mr. Oldenburg desired to take care, that it be done accordingly’ (Birch 2:337).
A summary was printed as ‘A Summary Account of the Laws of Motion, Communicated by Mr. Christian Huygens in a Letter to the R. Society, and Since Printed in French in the Journal des Sçavans of March 18, 1669. st. n.’, Phil. Trans. vol. 4, no. 46 (1669), pp. 925-28, with only one figure at p. 928.
On 7 January 1669, ‘Mr. Oldenburg produced a letter to him from Monsr. Huygens dated at Paris, Jan 9, 1669, N.S. and accompanied with some papers of his concerning motion. This letter and the other papers being read, it was ordered, that the former should be entered in the Letter-Book and the latter in the Register: as also that copies should be made of those papers, and given to such members of the Society, as had considered that subject, viz. the president, the bishop of Sarum, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Pell, Dr. Wren, Mr. Neile, Dr. Croune, and Mr. Hooke.
Sir Paul Neile moved, that Dr. Wren’s hypothesis of motion, brought in December 17, 1668, might be printed in the Philosophical Transactions of this month, which motion was approved, and Mr. Oldenburg desired to take care, that it be done accordingly’ (Birch 2:337).
A summary was printed as ‘A Summary Account of the Laws of Motion, Communicated by Mr. Christian Huygens in a Letter to the R. Society, and Since Printed in French in the Journal des Sçavans of March 18, 1669. st. n.’, Phil. Trans. vol. 4, no. 46 (1669), pp. 925-28, with only one figure at p. 928.
Related fellows
Christiaan Huygens (1629 - 2006, Dutch) , Natural philosopher
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Christopher Wren (1632 - 1723, British) , Architect
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Christopher Wren (1632 - 1723, British) , Architect
Associated place