The Preface to the Tenth Year of These Tracts

PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. March 25. 1674. The CONTENTS. The Preface to the Tenth Year of these Tracts. Notice of a New Discovery concerning Nova Zembla. An Accomp of a Way of Extracting a Volatil Salt and Spirit out of Vegetables, by Dr. Daniel Cox. An Observation of Dr. Johnstons of Pomphret concerning some Stones of a perfect Gold-colour, found in Animals. Extracts of two Letters, written by Mr. Sandius touching the Origin of Pearls. An Accomp of some Books: I. An Attempt to prove the MOTION of the Earth from Observations, made by Robert Hook, Fellow of the R. Society. II. A Body of MILITARY MEDICINES experimented, by Raymundus Mindererus, &c. III. EPHEMERIDUM MEDICO-PHYSICARUM Germaniae ANNUS TERTIUS. IV. Englands INTEREST and IMPROVEMENT, &c. by Samuel Fortrey Esquire. V. A Discourse of the FISHERY, &c. by Roger L'Estrange Esquire. The Preface to the Tenth Year of these Tracts. Under the favourable Countenance of those Worthies who are addicted to the Advancement of Arts and Sciences, I hold on my resolutions by Gods assistance, To endeavour the publishing a Ninth Volume of Philosophical Communications, in this Tenth year of my undertakings of this kind, beginning an other other Century in this present March: My first Volume containing the two first years, as partly interrupted by our public Calamities, and part of the time laid out for Instructions and Exemplars to prepare and incline our generous Correspondents, to adhere closely to the Truth of Nature by faithful Experiments, and to evidence of matter of fact in their Historical Narrations. And I shall not here take much notice of the Obstructions and Discouragements, that have been and are cast in our way by the Malevolent, they being sufficiently punish't by this, that they exclude themselves from the knowledge of Gods admirable Works and of ingenious Inventions. Mean while, the Virtuous may encourage themselves and receive satisfaction from that noble Elogy, which was long ago provided for them by the elegant Poet Claudian; \[ \begin{align*} \text{Ipsa quidem VIRTUS} & \quad \text{precium sibi, Solàq; laté} \\ \text{Fortunæ secura nitet, nec fascibus ullis} & \quad \text{De Confuslatu Mallii} \\ \text{Erigitur, plausive petit clarefcere vulgi;} & \quad \text{Theodori Panegyris.} \\ \text{Nil opis externæ cupiens, nil indiga laudis,} & \\ \text{Divitiis animosa suis, immotaque cunctis} & \\ \text{Fascibus, ex alta mortalia despicit arce:} & \\ \text{Attamen invitam blandè vestigat, & ultrò} & \\ \text{Ambit honor—} & \\ \end{align*} \] The very same, in effect, with a more antient and a more genial Poet, (Horace,) tuned to his Lyre, in the age, and in the car, and with the high applause of great Augustus Cæsar; \[ \begin{align*} \text{Virtus, repulsa nefcia fordidae,} & \\ \text{Intaminatis fulget honoribus,} & \\ \text{Nec sumit, aut ponit secures,} & \\ \text{Arbitrio popularis auræ.} & \\ \text{Carm. I. 3. Ode 2.} \\ \text{Virtus, recludens immeritis mori} & \\ \text{Cælum, negatâ tentat iter viâ,} & \\ \text{Catûsque vulgares, & udam} & \\ \text{Spernit humum, fugiente pennâ.} & \\ \end{align*} \] And an other, (Ovid) in few words, lays down the grounds and withall the final unsuccesfulness, of all our adversaries calumnies and rallieries; \[ \begin{align*} \text{Pascitur in vivis Livor, post fata quiescit;} & \quad \text{L. I. Amor.} \\ \text{Tunc suus ex merito quemque tuetur Honos.} & \\ \end{align*} \] And the Prince of Latin Poets, Virgil, saw amongst his Heroes in his flowry Elysium, the Valiant for their Countrey, the Eloquent, and the Inventors of Arts for humane Accomodations, and those who purchased lasting Honor by real merit: These, he saw there crown'd with Garlands as white as snow: \[ \begin{align*} \text{Heic manus, ob patriam pugnando vulnera passi;} \\ \text{Quique pii Vates, & Phæbo digna locuti;} \\ \text{Inventas aut qui vitam excoluere per Artes,} \\ \text{Quique fui memores alios fecere merendo:} \\ \text{Omnibus his niveâ cinguntur tempora vittâ.} \end{align*} \] Æneid. 6. v. 660. These old Eloges do justly belong to our Noble Friends and worthy Correspondents, who do spend so much of their Lives, and Labors, (and some their Treasures also,) to oblige even the ungrateful, and their yet unborn Posterity. Now I go on cheerfully and with a resolved mind, beginning with A Letter, not long since written to the Publisher by an Experienced person residing at Amsterdam, containing a true Description of Nova Zembla, together with an intimation of the advantage of its shape and position. SIR, Herewith send you what I have received out of Muscovy, which is a New Mapp of Nova Zembla and Weigats, as it hath been discover'd by the express order of the Czar; and drawn by a Painter, called Panclapoeftki, who sent it me from Mosco for a present: By which it appears, That Nova Zembla is not an Island, as hitherto it hath been believed to be; and that the Mare glaciale is not a Sea, but a Sinus or Bay, the waters whereof are sweet. Which is the same with what the Tartars do also assure us, who have tasted those waters in the very midst of the Sinus. The Samojeds as well as the Tartars do unanimously affirm, that passing on the back of Nova Zembla, at a considerable distance from the shore, Navigators may well pass as far as Japan. And 'tis a great fault in the English and Dutch, that seeking to get to Japan on the South-side of Nova Zembla, they have almost always passed the Weigats. The letter O in the great River