Oeuvres complètes. Tome VII. Correspondance 1670-1675

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N^o 2017.
W. Ball à Christiaan Huygens.
20 mars 1675.
Appendice au No. 2016.

La lettre se trouve à Leiden, coll. Huygens.

Mamhead ☿ March 10-74.

Honor'^d S^r

From Mr. Oldenburg, I am ashamed to say how long since, but partly by his delay, I had yo^r excellent booke, Horologium Oscillatorium, I am yet very vnhappy wanting leisure from y^e troublesome incumbrances of a country life, vsually esteemed retiremt & full of time for all sedate contemplations, but mine is farre other, hauing y^e care of much husbandry for my Father¹⁾ as well as my selfe lyeing 3 miles distant w^ch is a considerable circumstance to distract my serious thoughts but more to disable my body w^ch is not yet perfectly restored though (I thanke God) very nere & much beyond w^t any one expected after my dismall fall, thirty foot high, on hard ground, may 28. 1661. I thinke I had not y^e happines to see you since, but have often heard of yo^r eminent efforts for y^e good of mankind, w^ch makes every one yo^r debtor; especially my selve by this yo^r vnexspected remembrance, w^ch doth really ravish mee & exalt my poore low thoughts to encorage their progresse in w^t I lately but very faintly designed anew hauing long since designed somew^t more then ordinary as soone as I could haue necessary accommodations; yo^r coming very happily not long after my reading Mr. Hookes Attempt²⁾, to prooue y^e motion of y^e Earth, I invited o^r operator at Gresham colledge to come to mee last November to haue assisted mee to sett a tube for y^e like observation; but his leisure (nor myne neither as itt vnexpectedly fell out after) not suiting hath hitherto hindred all my endeavours towards itt, w^ch is noe small trouble to mee, y^e sole ease I haue in itt is y^t itt hath beene a very darke season & I could not haue done much; now since I am yet to begin I shall bee proud if I may haue a line, when you are very much att leisure, of instruction from soe great a master as yo^r selfe how I may proceed, I hope to begin something this summer, being pretty well furnished w^th tools of such a worke in proportion to my small share of y^e world; & a neibouring hill almost a mountaine where I might haue a pitt 360 or 600 ft. deep³⁾, Mr. Hooke mentions one in Surry

1) Sir Peter Ball.

2) L'ouvrage cité dans la Lettre N^o. 1989, note 1.

3) La fosse devait servir pour observer les étoiles en plein jour.

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360; & yo^r selfe speake of one 28 fathom, as I remember, this is a great thought for one of my low sphere but I doe not despaire y^t a few yeares diligent contrivance may doe something considerable in itt, if you can pardon this, bolder then Mr. Hookes attempt, w^th a small encouragem^t you may haue farther trouble from mee. I haue many times peep'd att y^e starres & sett downe some observations not unlike Mr. Horrox, in y^e late booke printed London 4^to4), but I am troublesome w^th my impertinencies & conclude while y^e paper affords roome to say I am

S^r Yo^r highly obliged & most faithfull freind & Servant Will. Balle.

if you thinke mee worthy y^e favour of a line direct itt to mee at Mamhead in Devon to bee left att y^e posthouse in Exeter, or to Mr. Oldenburg att London & 't will come safe.

I am nere the mouth y^e river Exe 3 mile west you may find itt in y^e map a great city consisting of y^e church & my fathers house.

For his much honored freind M^sr. Christian Hugens van Zulichem

These.

4) L'ouvrage cité dans la Lettre N^o. 1218, note 12.