Letter from Henry Oldenburg to Newton, dated 2 January 1676/7

Author: Henry Oldenburg

Source: MS Add. 3976, ff. 40r-41v, Cambridge University Library, Cambridge, UK

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<40r>

London januar 2 $\frac{76}{77}$ .

Sir,

Next to my hearty wishes of many happy new years to you, I am to acquaint you, vpon the receipt of y^rs of Dec. 26, yt Mr {A}uste{n} is dead, w^thout leaving any child; so yt I know not at present, who may supply his place, but shall inquire of my friend, how to proceed in this matter, and giue you notice accordingly.

I am of y^esame opinion w^th you yt tis better to suspend yt printing of ye two {letter}s mention{'}d in yr last, till you haue answer'd s{ome} at leas{t} of ye Objections made from Liege.

I cannot but acquaint you w^th a{n} {ex}t{ra}{ordinar}ily curious present, sent to me from beyond seas for the King as Founder of ye R. Society and for ye society itself w^ch I presented yesterday to his Maj^ty as philos{op}{hi}cal strena, and shall present to y^e Society on thursday next, God willing, where I wish you present, especially since it is, \so uncommon/ a Phænomenon of Light. For it is a Factitious stony matter (not at all of ye lapsi Bononiensis) w^ch, being for a litle while exposed to ye Day, or ye flame of a Candle, so imbibes ye light as to shine in the dark, like a glowing Coal, and continues that <40v> splendor a longer or shorter time according to yt duration, it hath been \kept/ turned to ye day — or candle — light. The king and whole Court were exceedingly pleased w^th this phænomenon: And And I should be yet more, if I might know to giue a reasonable \rational/ account of yesame, and w^th what kind of Theory concerning Light it agrees best. Supposing, you would be well pleased, w^th us, to hear of such an unusual effect, I would not omit imparting it to you, as

Sir

yr faithfull humble servt

H. Oldenburg.

<41v>

To his honoured Friend Mr Isaac Newton, Professsor of ye Mathematicks at Cambridge, at his Chamber in {T}rinity Colledge.

Cambridge