Experiment against the powers of the unicorn
Date
30 September 1672
Creator
Salomon Reisel (1624 - 1701, German) , Physician
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p7
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 213mm
width (page): 170mm
width (page): 170mm
Subject
Description
A figure from a letter by Salomon Reisel, chief physician to Frederick Casimir, Count of Hanau, dated 30 September 1672. It illustrates the antipathy of the unicorn towards the obulus (ancient Greek coin) and its sympathy for bread crumbs, which Reisel doubts. The letter was read to the Royal Society on 11 December 1672.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 11 December 1672, ‘Mr. Schroter produced two letters in Latin to the Society, delivered to him lately in Germany, by one Dr. Salomon Reisel, archiater to Frederic Casimir count of Hanaw, the one dated 20 September, the other 1st October, 1672; the former containing a relation concerning many capital letters found in both sides of a piece of beech-tree, cleft asunder, between the pith and bark; the latter discoursing about some vulgar errors. Which letters were ordered to be entered in the Letter-book’ (Birch 3:69).
A similar figure is printed in Miscellanea Curiosa, 2 (1671), Observatio. 111, p. 184.
A similar figure is printed in Miscellanea Curiosa, 2 (1671), Observatio. 111, p. 184.
Associated place