A new level and hail
Date
28 March 1667
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p313
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 365mm
width (page): 233mm
width (page): 233mm
Subject
Description
Christopher Wren's design of a 'new levell', which was reported to the meeting of the Royal Society on 14 March 1667.
Three shapes of hail. The hail fell at 4pm on 26 March (according to this paper, and 27 according to the minutes). Wren described the hail as a 'perfect cone' (see the left two figures), and the underside (the figure on the right) the shape of a 'marigold flower'.
Copied from RBO/3/184. The original drawings are at Cl.P/2/1/001 and Cl.P/4i/16/001.
Three shapes of hail. The hail fell at 4pm on 26 March (according to this paper, and 27 according to the minutes). Wren described the hail as a 'perfect cone' (see the left two figures), and the underside (the figure on the right) the shape of a 'marigold flower'.
Copied from RBO/3/184. The original drawings are at Cl.P/2/1/001 and Cl.P/4i/16/001.
Transcription
Levell in any Azimuth without motion of the Justum, and this sort of levell will prove as true, as from a pendulum of a length equall to the radius of the section.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 14 March 1667, ‘Dr. Wren’s description of a new level for taking the horizon every way in a circle was read, and ordered to be registered’ (Birch 2:157). The text, but not the figure, is also printed at Birch 2:157.
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 28 March 1667, ‘Dr. Wren produced drawings of the figures of hail, which had fallen March 27, 1667, at four in the afternoon, the upper part of which was a perfect cone, the under part the frustrum of a cone. Being turned up, it presented a marigold flower. The angle, he said, was the angle of a pentagon; so that five of them joined together made a circle. These drawings were ordered to be registered’ (Birch 2:162).
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 28 March 1667, ‘Dr. Wren produced drawings of the figures of hail, which had fallen March 27, 1667, at four in the afternoon, the upper part of which was a perfect cone, the under part the frustrum of a cone. Being turned up, it presented a marigold flower. The angle, he said, was the angle of a pentagon; so that five of them joined together made a circle. These drawings were ordered to be registered’ (Birch 2:162).
Related fellows
Christopher Wren (1632 - 1723, British) , Architect
Associated place