Letter from Newton to John Collins, dated 20 May 1673

<35r>

Cambridg May 20^th.

S^r

I received yo^r two last letters w^th Heurets Optiques w^ch (not being so ready in |y^e| French tongue my selfe as to reade it w^thout the continuall use of a Dictionary) I committed to y^e perusal of another w{illeg}|h|o gives me this account of it, That h{illeg}|e| is not so plain & methodicall as M. Boss, That he takes two {sic} much paines in demonstrating many things w^ch, of themselves are sufficiently obvious especially to one a little versed in Euclide. That his reprehensions of M. Boss are usually groundless & frivolous; as for instance, being sometimes for his omission of some lines in his draughts as if done out of ignorance, w^ch yet a candid reader would rather think omitted least his shemes {sic} should be cumbered w^th two great a multiplicity of lines, especially since the drawing of them might be deduced from his precepts. That his ways of designing w^thout reguard to y^e point of distance is not preferrable to y^e other ways in w^ch y^e point of distance is considered. That And that it is as convenient to make use of a scale as of those other ways w^ch he would substitute in stead thereof. So that although this Author hath inriched Perspective w^th many new considerations yet those in practise will have little or no advantage above those w^ch are already in use.

This S^r in short is y^e account of him w^ch I received from my friend who esteems him {illeg} a very good Author & one that throughly understands this science, yet of y^e two prefers M^r Boss. I committed it also to y^e perusall of another friend who out of curiosity desired it, but when he had looked upon two or three of his first propositions he became prejudiced {illeg} by reason of some greater obscurity in them then in those w^th w^ch M. Boss begins with: saying to me y^t if he writing more at large yⁿ M. Boss, did yet begin w^th more intricate propositions; he did could not expect to find him in y^e rest of his book so clear & methodicall as y^e other. I intended the last week to have returned your book w^th many thanks {illeg}|b|ut was disappointed & so could not return it till now, w^ch I doe herewith by J. Stiles. I have sent you also 10s for that part of Kersey w^ch you sent me, & 30s more for 3 other Copies of y^e same w^ch I subscribed for; If you please to direct J. Stiles where he may receive the books & pay the money.

I thank you that you are pleased to remember me about w^t y^t most excellent Author M. Hugens has lately published. I understand by M. Oldenburg that M. Slusius has some kind of information concerning my generall Method w^ch I made mention of to you. But though I must acknowledg your good will to me in desiring M. Oldenburg to make it known to him, & see nothing in M. Slusius reply but what is free & generous, yet I think it most proper for me to take {illeg} wave an answer, there being nothing that requires it. Concerning {illeg}|the| expenses of being a Member of y^e R.S. I suppose < insertion from the left margin > there hath been done me no unkindness, for I met w^th nothing in y^{illeg}|t| kind besides my expectations. But I could wish I had met with no rudeness in some other things. And therefore I hope you will not think it strange if to prevent accidents of that nature for y^e future I decline that conversation w^ch hath occasioned what is past. I hope this, whatever it may make me appear to others, yet will not diminish yo^r Friendship to me

Yo^r humble Servant

I. Newton

< text from f 35r resumes >

<35av>

These

To M^r John Collins at M^r William
Austins house over against the
Adam & Eve in Petty France
in Westminster

London

With a thin Folio Book.

|send by Stiles at the green dragon in bishops gate on thursday.|