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

Mr Newtons letter giving thanks
to the Royal Society for their favorable acceptance of
his discourse of Light and colors.

< text from f 15r resumes >

Trinity College Cambridg. Feb 10 16712.

Sir

Twas an esteem of the Royal Society for most candid & able Judges in philosophicall matters which encouraged mee to present them with that discours of light & colours, which 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 body; but I am now more sensible of the advantage. For beleive me Sir I doe not onely esteem it a duty to concurre with them in the promotion of reall knowledg, but a great privilege that instead of exposing discourses to a prejudic't & censorious multitude (by which means many truths have been bafled & lost,) I may with freedom apply my self to so judicious & impartiall an Assembly.

As to the printing of that letter I am satisfyed in their judgment, or else I should have thought it too straight & narrow for publick 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 which I believe with the generality of men would yet bee almost as taking as any of those I described. But yet since the Royal Society 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 acknowledgments of your kindnesses in particular & my thanks for the pains you are pleased to undertake in printing that letter. [Sr I am

Your Faithfull Servant

I. Newton

<15av>

These

To 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.

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Professor Rob Iliffe
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Scott Mandelbrote,
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