An Accompt of Some Books

Then I caused an Incision-knife to be used, and made an Inci- sion two inches and an halfe deep (supposing the Caustick had not wrought deep enough) but 'twas to no more purpose, than the former. An Accompt of some Books. I. CERTAIN PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYES, and other TRACTS, by the Honorable ROBERT BOYLE, Fellow of the R. Society. The Second Editi- on, enlarged. London; printed for Henry Heringman in the New Exchange. A. 1669. We could not but give the Curious Reader notice of this reprinted and in divers places considerably enriched Book; but chiefly increased by the Addition of a very Philoso- phical Discourse about the Absolute Rest in Bodies, wherein the Noble Author, with his usual modesty as well as acuteness, de- livers his Thoughts concerning the Intestin Motions of the Par- ticles of Quiescent Solids, and in doing so calls the Absolute Rest of Bodies in Question, by undertaking to prove, That some of those Bodies, which we think have their parts most at Rest, are not exempted from having internal Motions in them, to which proof he Judgeth 'twill be consequent, that it must be proba- ble, that in other Bodies, whose Solidity is confessed inferiour, the component Particles are not in a State of Perfect Rest. II. DEL MOVIMENTO DELLA COMETA, apparsa il mese di Dicembre 1664. da PIETRO MA- RIA MUTOLI, in Pisa, in 4°. This, and the next following Tract, (consisting each of a few sheets only) should sooner have been taken notice of in these Transactions, if they had sooner come to our hands hands. The Subject being Curious and weighty, it was thought fit to advertise the Inquisitive Reader, though somewhat late, of what is discoursed upon it by other Learned men, besides those whom we have formerly noted. This Author then doth principally discourse of the Motion and Place of that Comet, and how its odd Appearances may be salved; and in regard that in such a Discourse of the Motion of a Body, seen in the Heavens, 'tis requisite to suppose the Form and Constitution of the Celestial Bodies, and in what manner they make their Revolutions, He thought it requisite, either to choose some or other of the most famous Hypotheses concerning them, or else to endeavor to solve the Phanomena of this Comet, according to all those Systems: Of which two Tasks he hath chosen the latter; in the prosecution whereof he seems satisfied, that the Comet of 1664, was above the Moon, it having been found without a sensible Parallax; for the observing of which, he shews an easie way, which needs no Quadrants or Sextants curiously made; nor a precise taking of the Meridian Altitudes; nor the Scituation of the Comet in the Zodiack; nor the noting of the precise time of the Observation; nor lastly, needs to fear to be prejudiced by the Consideration of the various Refractions; forasmuch as he works not by the way of taking the several Altitudes from the Horizon, but by observing the Position of the Comet among some neighbouring Fixt Stars: for the doing of which, he saith, he employed only a simple Thread stretch't out by an Arch, to make it evident, whether this Comet had a sensible Parallax, or no. III. ERASMI BARTHOLINI de COMETIS An. 1664 & 1665. opusculum; Ex Observationibus Hafniæ habitis adornatum. Hafniæ in 4°. This is the other Tract, we hinted in the next precedent Accomp't; and in it the Author, having first intimated, That the more narrowly this Subject about Comets hath been search't into, the farther have Intelligent and Perspicacious men receded from the opinion of the Peripateticks concerning them; he acquaints the Reader what Instruments he used in making Observations, among which was a Quadrant of 1½ foot radius; what conveniency he had as to the place of Observation; what Observations he made, viz. A. 1664. Decemb. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. and A. 1665. Januar. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 12. 24. 31. and Februari. 7. Further, how he found the Longitude and Latitude of this Comet by observing its distances from two Fixt Stars; and having found those, how thence he found its right Ascensions and its Declinations for every day: Besides, How he found the Motion of the Comet in his Orb, and the Place of Intersection and the Angle of Inclination with the Ecliptick. To which he adds his Considerations about the Place of the Comet, and the Parallaxes, vindicating here the Noble Tycho from the Accusation of Riccioli in Almag. Novo: Concluding all with an Investigation of the Causes of Comets; where he examines, Whether Comets be co-eval with the World, or produced anew, and if the latter, How: Insinuating withall, that, though he esteems the latter Comet to be different from the former, yet, admitting the Cartesian Hypothesis, we may without any difficulty maintain, that it was the same with the first. IV. SYLVA & POMONA, by JOHN EVELYN Esq., Fellow of the R. SOCIETY. Reprinted by John Martin and James Allestry in fol. London. This is the second Edition of this Book, very much improv'd and enlarged. It was the first that was written and publish'd by by the express Order of the R. Society, who thought it fit to begin with a special Sollicitation for the good Culture of our own Native Country, that it might be a leading Example to all our Neighbours, and as far as their Instructions are received. In Sylva our Author provides and directs for sound Timber, and store of the best Fuell in Forrests, Woods, and Groves. Timber is the strength and walls of this Kingdom; and is serviceable for many Domestick uses, and curious Utensils; and to advance the Richess and Accommodations, not only of our own Country, but also of all Forrain parts, as far as may mutually oblige each other by Navigation and Commerce. And together with his Majesties great Example, Pomona hath already encourag'd the Plantation of many hundreds of Nurseries, or Orchards in England, which by this time begin to reward the industrious Owners with a salubrious Liquor, perhaps more agreeable to our English Temperament, than the Grapes of some Countries do afford; and, if well chosen, more gentle, and more pleasing to the palat, than many sorts of French Wines without Sugar; and yet requiring much less labour, less artifice, and fewer hands for the yearly culture. This Worthy person hath also given us (under a modest veil) an Instructive Touch for Vineyards in England (of which see Numb. 15. p. 262.) And for the behoof of his own Country hath condescended to furnish us with accurate Translations of the French Gardiner; and of the best Writers of Architecture, an of the Idea of the perfection of Painting (of which last see Numb. 39. p. 784.) Of his own Collections, he hath given us an elegant History of Sculpture, and of Engraving in Copper, and the curious Arts thereunto belonging: In which the most excellent Painters of this Age may see themselves either duly celebrated, or directed for the best, and assisted, or at least encourag'd. And (besides other Treatises, which are Anonymous, as being of a reserv'd nature, but are nevertheless entirely for the honor of the King and this Kingdom, and generally for the good of all Men;) He hath lately made two considerable Excursions: In one of which Tracts, for a Caution to all future Ages, and to denote the general aptness of Mankind to be deluded and deceived, he hath publish'd a well-grounded History of the Three late famous Impostures; the first, merely Casual and innocent, in Padre Ottomanno; the second, bold and impudent, in Mahomet Bei; the third, a confident Cheat, in Sabatai Sevi, the Jews Counterfeit Messiah: In the other Tract, Publick Employment and an Active Life are prefer'd to Solitude. Thus He, and other Generous persons, can in the crowd of public business, find, or make leisure to oblige all men; whilst Morose Schoolmen, and Narrow Criticks, make it their main business to outgoe Satan in their false Accusations, disingenuous Surmises, and immodest Disturbances of the noblest endeavors and achievements. But thrice happy were all England, if everywhere, with united minds and affections we were as heartily inclin'd, and as active to cultivate this our kind Soil for an Elysium, as this Liberal Author is now busie and preparing for the Press another more August and Noble Work, bearing the Title of England's Elysium. This was the Method of the Great Creator: He planted the first Paradise for an Entertainment of Innocent Man; and introduced the first Lectures of Experimental Philosophy upon Animals and Vegetables. And again, when Gods peculiar People after the Conquest of their Enemies, were first establisht in peace and prosperity, their Philosophical Monarch was inspir'd with the sublimest Wisdom, not only for the Building of a Glorious Temple in the Holy City, but also for the Culture of the Land of Promise with the Plantations of Gardens and Orchards; and for the Experimental knowledge of all Vegetables. And thus also, as modern Princes may laudably follow the greatest Examples of all foregoing ages, his Majestie immediately after his Restauration, made it his first work to Recover the Church to its Primitive Faith and Order: Thence he proceeded, to promote the several Branches of the Antient Wisdom; the knowledge both of Nature, by the proper Test of Gods own Works; and of all Excellent Arts, Medical, Chymical, Mathematical, and Mechanical; Architecture Naval, Civil and Military, for the strengthening of his Royal Navy, the repairing of his Palaces, and the rebuilding of our Chief City imperably firer and and safer than ever it was: To send out his Fleets, for a special countenance of Trade, and at the same time for a satisfaction to many considerable Philosophical Inquiries in most parts of the World: To strengthen his remotest Dominions; and to secure and cultivate his American Colonies, for the Silk-trade, and the growth of such beneficial Vegetables, as those several Soils in several distant Climates will bear; Not intermitting those elegant Ingenuities of beautifying his Coyn with the fairest and really Gardian-stamps; and of storing his Cabinets with the Curiosities and Rarities of Art and Nature, for the encouragement of Sculpture, Picture, and of no small number of Artificial Practices and usefull Inventions. To be short, his Majesty soon gave to all the Kingdom, in St. James's Park, and Hide Park, in the Approaches to his fairest Palaces, and in his Forrests, Illustrious Patterns for the best Improvements, and for a copious Variety of all kinds of Amaranities. Now when our idle Multitudes shall be strongly inured to those innocent and profitable Employments, till all our Hills, which are now bald, shall be shelter'd with the Chesnut, the Beech, the Pine, Box, Maple, and the Royal Oak; and all our Valleys adorn'd with the fruitful Knots of Cyrus, and like the golden Gardens of Alcinous; then shall we have fair grounds to hope for the blessings of Peace and Plenty, and the Juncture of sound and usefull Philosophy with Christian Charity; and of true Religion and Piety with cheerful Loyalty; and then we shall truly deserve the Old Style of the Fortunate Islands, and the Gardens of Hesperides. ERRATA in Numb. 52. Page 1048. l. 32. r. 35. pounds. p. 1055. l. 34. r. 231. for 281. Printed by T. N. for John Martin, Printer to the Royal Society, and are to be sold at the Bell a little within Temple-Bar. 1669.