Parentalia or Memoirs of the Family of the Wrens Viz. of Mathew Bishop of Ely, Christopher Dean of Windsor But Chiefly of --- Surveyor-General of the 12+

📕 This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1750 Excerpt: ...to his Judges was in 16 53. When the great Man abovemention'd was invested with the Office of Proteflor, and so became the greatest Person in the Nation. It is diflicult to reconcile this Account with what is recorded of Sir lVillia'n Petty, " That he in L647, had a Patent granted him by the Parliament " for seventeen Years, to teach his Art of Douhle Wrz'tz'ng." Rush-worth's Hist. Coll. Part IV. Ward's Lives of Grzsham Professors, p. 218.-It is evident, that in the Tears before recited, he had no Intelligence of Pett)-'s Art and Patent. It is a common Saying; " Good W'z'ts jump." He contriv'd a Needle that would play in a Coach, as well useful to know the Coast and Way join'd with the Way-wiser, as a pleasant Diverfion to the Traveller, who might thus, as it were sail by Land. The Machine is fi-am'd after this Manner. In a Sphere of Glass of two Inches Diameter, half full of Water, cause a heavy short broad Needle fix'd to a Chart to swim, being buoy'd up by the Chart, and both varnish'd; instead of a Cap and Pin, let the perforated Needle play about a small Wire, or Horse-Hair extended like a perpendicular Axis in the glass Sphere, whose Nadir being made weighty with Lead, and an Horizon, a...