Extract of a Letter Written by Signior Borelli, about the Price of His Telescopes: Communicated to Sir Jonas Moore

Strings, whereof there were about a thousand in one Hair more or fewer; according to the thickness of the Hair. Whether these Strings are hollow, i.e. so many Pipes or Vessels, I cannot positively say, but it seemeth to me that they are. So that I conceive we may not unfitly compare the Clods of the Hair (consisting of the aforesaid irregular particles) to the Bark of a Tree; and the little strings which compose all that part of the Hair within the Clods, to the Pipes which make the Wood. These Strings, or if you please, Pipes, do not lie everywhere stretched out in a straight line, but in some places are somewhat crooked, as at F. I have also shewed several Gentlemen the Brisles of a Hog; and therein (being cut over thwart with a sharp knife) the said Strings, very distinctly, which likewise seemed to be hollow. Extract of a Letter written by Signior Borelli, about the price of his Telescopes: Communicated to Sir Jonas Moore. The said worthy person saith, that although he did not at first intend any more than to present his Glasses to some of the most famous Astronomers; yet being earnestly solicited by his Friends from many parts, he offers to rate the price of them, according to what the most known Artists, such as Campani and Divini, have done, who both have commonly sold their Glasses at the rate of a Pistol (i.e. about 17 shillings and six pence) the foot. But if any Glass hath proved extraordinary, they have trebled and quadrupled that price. He saith further, that he had seen one of Divini's of 12 foot, which was sold for 400 Livors (i.e. about 30 l. Sterling.) And that Campani sold another of 34 feet, for 2000 Livors (i.e. about 150 l. Sterling.) Notwithstanding which, he is willing to part with the best of his own Glasses of 50,60, or 65 feet for 500 (French) Crowns (i.e. about 112 l. and 10 s. Sterling) which is less than the price of the aforementioned Glasses of 34 feet. And for the small Glasses, he will let them go from 6 to 12 foot, at a (French) Crown a foot; from 12 to 17 or 18, at half a Pistol; from 18, to 26, at a Pistol.