Letter from Newton to Henry Oldenburg, dated 10 February 1671/2

<15r> < insertion from the top of the page >

M^r Newtons letter to M Oldenburg giving thanks
{illeg}|t|o the R. Society for their favorable acceptance of
his discourse of Light and colors.

< text from f 15r resumes >

T. C. Cambridg. Feb 10 167$\frac{1}{2}$.

S^r

Twas an esteem of y^e R. Society for most candid & able Judges in philosophicall matters w^ch encouraged mee to present them w^th that discours of light & colours, w^ch since they have so favourably accepted of, I doe earnestly desire you to returne them my cordiall thanks. I \before/ thought it a great favour to have beene made a member of that honourable bo{illeg}|d|y; but I am now more sensible of the advantage. For {illeg} beleive me S^r I doe not onely esteem it a duty to concurre w^th them in y^e promotion of reall knowledg, but a great privelege {sic} that instead of exposing discourses to a prejudic't & censorious multitude (by w^ch means map|n|y th|r|uths have been ba{illeg}|f|led & lost,) I may w^th freedom apply my self to so judicious & impartiall an Assembly.

As to y^e printing of that letter I am satisfyed in their judgment, or else I should have thought it too straight & narrow for {illeg}|p|ublick view. I designed it onely to those that know how to improve upon hints of things, & therefore to shun tediousnesse omitted many such remarques & experiments as might be collected by considering the assigned laws of refractions; some of w^ch I bi|e|le|i|i|e|ve w^th the generality of men would yet bee almost as taking as any of those I described. But yet since the R.S. have thought it fit to appear publickly, I leave it to their pleasure. And perhaps to supply the afforesaid defects I may send you some <15v> more of the Experiments to second it (if it bee so thought fit) in the ensuing Transactions.|]|

I have noe more but to offer my acknowl{illeg}|e|dgments of your kindnesses in particular & my thanks \for the pains/ you are pleased to undertake in printing that letter. |[|Sr I am

Yo^r Faithfull Servant

I. Newton

<15av>

These

To M^r Henry Oldenburg
at his house about the middle
of the old Pall-mail in
Westminster

London

|2|

|Rec. Feb. 13. 71/2. Answ. Febr. 17. and sent him M. Hooks observations upon his discourse.|