As to the Magnetick Variation, Dr. Gilbert attributes the Discovery of it to Sebastian Cabott. And the Inclination, or Dipping of the Needle, was the Discovery of our ingenious Rob. Norman. And lastly, The Variation of the Variation was first found out by the ingenious Mr. H. Gellibrand. Astr. Prof. of Gresham-Col. about 1634. Vid. Gellibr. Disc. Math. on the Variat. of the Mag. Need. and its Variat. Anno 1635.
But since that, the before commended Dr. Halley, having formerly, in Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 148, and 195, given a probable Hypothesis of the Variation of the Compass, did in the Year 1700, undertake a long and hazardous Voyage, as far as the Ice near the South Pole, in order to examine his said Hypothesis, and to make a System of the Magnetical Variations: Which being soon after published, has been since abundantly confirmed by the French, as may be seen in several of the late Memoirs de Physique & de Mathematique, publish’d by the French Academie des Sciences.
To these Discoveries, I hope the Reader will excuse me, if I add one of my own, which I deduced some Years ago, from some magnetical Experiments and Observations I made; which Discovery I also acquainted our Royal Society with some time since, viz. That as the common, horizontal Needle is continually varying up and down, towards the E. and W. so is the Dipping-Needle varying up and down, towards or fromwards the Zenith, with its Magnetick Tendency, describing a Circle round the Pole of the World, as I conceive, or some other Point. So that if we could procure a Needle so nicely made, as to point exactly according to its Magnetick Direction, it would, in some certain Number of Years, describe a Circle, of about 13 gr. Radius round the Magnetick Poles Northerly and Southerly. This I have for several Years suspected, and have had some Reason for it too, which I mentioned three or four Years ago at a Meeting of our Royal Society, but I have not yet been so happy to procure a tolerable good Dipping-Needle, or other proper one to my Mind, to bring the Thing to sufficient Test of Experience; as in a short Time I hope to do, having lately hit upon a Contrivance that may do the Thing.
[x] It is uncertain who was the Inventer of the Art of Printing, every Historian ascribing the Honour thereof to his own City or Country. Accordingly some ascribe the Invention of it to John Guttenburg, a Knight of Argentine, about 1440, and say, that Faustus was only his Assistant. Bertius ascribes it to Laurence John, of Harlem, and saith, Fust or Faust, stole from him both his Art and Tools. And to name no more, some attribute it to John Fust or Faust, and Peter Schoeffer (called by Fust in some of his Imprimaturs, Pet. de Gerneshem puer meus.) But there is now to be seen at Haerlem, a Book or two printed by Lau. Kofter, before any of these, viz. in 1430, and 1432. (See Mr. Ellis’s Letter to Dr. Tyson, in Phil. Trans. Nᵒ. 286.) But be the first Inventer who it will, there is however great Reason to believe, the Art receiv’d great improvements from Faust and his Son-in-Law Schoeffer, the latter being the Inventer of metalline Types, which were cut in Wood before, first in whole Blocks, and afterwards in single Types or Letters. See my learned Friend Mr. Wanley’s Observations, in Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 288, and 310.
[y] Concerning the Antiquity and Invention of Clocks and Clock Work, I refer the Reader to a little Book, called the Artificial Clock-maker, chap. 6. Where there is some Account of the Ancients Inventions in Clock-Work, as Archimedes’s Sphere, Cresibius’s Clock, &c.
[z] The Invention of Telescopes, Hieron. Syrturus gives this Account of, Prodiit Anno 1609, Seu Genius, seu alter vir adhuc incognitus, Hollandi specie, qui Middelburgi in Zelandiâ convenit Job. Lippersein——Jussit perspicilla plura tam cava quam convexa, confeci. Condicto die rediit, absolutum opus cupiens, atque ut statim habuit præ manibus, bina suscipiens, cavum scil. & convexum, unum & alterum oculo admovebat, & sensim dimovebat sive ut punctum concursûs, sive ut artificis opus probaret, postea abiit. Artifex, ingenii minimè expers, & novitatis curiosus cœpit idem facere & imitari, &c. Vid. Mus. Worm. L. 4. c. 7.
[aa] Among the curious Inventions of the Ancients Archytas’s Dove was much famed; of which Aul. Gellius gives this Account: Scripserunt Simulachrum Columbæ è ligno ab Archytâ ratione quâdam disciplinâque mechanicâ factum, volâsse: Ita erat scilicet libramentis suspensum, & aurâ spiritûs inclusâ atque occultâ concitum. Noct. Attic. L. 10. c. 12. The same eminent Pythagoræan Philosopher (as Favorinus in Gellius calls him) is by Horace accounted a noble Geometrician too, Te maris & terræ, numeroque carentis arenæ Mensorum Archyta. Among the rest of his Inventions, Children’s Rattles are ascribed to him. Aristotle calls them Ἀρχύτου πλαταγὴ, Polit. 8. i.e. Archytas’s Rattle. And Diogenianus the Grammarian, gives the Reason of his Invention, Ἀρχύτου πλαταγὴ ἐπὶ τῶν, &c. That Archytas’s Rattle was to quiet Children; for he having Children, contrived the Rattle, which he gave them to prevent their [tumbling, διασαλεύσωσι] other Things about the House.
To these Contrivances of Archytas, we may add Regiomontanus’s Wooden Eagle, which flew forth of the City aloft in the Air, met the Emperor a good Way off, coming towards it, and having saluted him, return’d again, waiting on him to the City Gates. Also his Iron-fly, which at a Feast flew forth off his Hands, and taking a Round, returned thither again. Vid. Hakewill ub. supr. c. 10. §. 1.
As to other Inventions of the Ancients, such as of Letters, Brick and Tiles, and building Houses, with the Saw, Rule, and Plumber, the Lath, Augre, Glue, &c. also the making Brass, Gold, and other Metals; the use of Shields, Swords, Bows and Arrows, Boots, and other Instruments of War; the Pipe, Harp, and other Musical Instruments; the building of Ships and Navigation, and many other Things besides; the Inventors of these (as reported by ancient Heathen Authors) may be plentifully met with in Plin. Nat. Hist., L. 7. c. 56.
But in this Account of Pliny, we may observe whence the Ancients (even the Romans themselves in some measure) had their Accounts of these Matters, viz. from the fabulous Greeks, who were fond of ascribing every Thing to themselves. The Truth is (saith the most learned Bishop Stillingfleet) there is nothing in the World useful or beneficial to Mankind, but they have made a shift to find the Author of it among themselves. If we enquire after the Original of Agriculture, we are told of Ceres and Triptolemus; if of Pasturage, we are told of an Arcadian Pan; if of Wine, we presently hear of a Liber Pater; if of iron Instruments, then who but Vulcan? if of Musick, none like to Apollo. If we press them then with the History of other Nations, they are as well provided here; if we enquire an Account of Europe, Asia, or Libya; for the first we are told a fine Story of Cadmus’s Sister; for the second of Prometheus’s Mother of that Name; and for the third of a Daughter of Epaphus. And so the learned Author goes on with other particular Nations, which they boasted themselves to be the Founders of. Only the grave Athenians thought Scorn to have any Father assigned them, their only Ambition was to be accounted Aborigines & genuini Terræ. But the Ignorance and Vanity of the Greek History, that learned Author hath sufficiently refuted. Vid. Stilling. Orig. Sacr. Part. 1. B. 1. c. 4.