and that he was not far off, I snatch'd time from my Occasions to make him
a Visit, but finding him ready to go abroad, and having in vain try'd to
make the Stone yield any Light in the Day time, I borrow'd it of him for
that Night, upon condition to restore it him within a Day or two at
furthest, at _Gresham_ College, where we appointed to attend the meeting of
the Society, that was then to be at that place. And hereupon I hasted that
Evening out of Town, and finding after Supper that the Stone which in the
Day time would afford no discernable Light, was really Conspicuous in the
Dark, I was so taken with the Novelty, and so desirous to make some use of
an opportunity that was like to last so little a while, that though at that
time I had no body to assist me but a Foot-Boy, yet sitting up late, I made
a shift that Night to try a pretty number of such of the things that then
came into my thoughts, as were not in that place and time unpracticable.
And the next Day being otherwise imploy'd, I was fain to make use of a
drowsie part of the Night to set down hastily in Writing what I had
observ'd, and without having the time in the Morning, to stay the
transcribing of it, I order'd the Observations to be brought after me to
_Gresham_ College, where you may remember, that they were together with the
Stone it self shown to the Royal Society, by which they had the good
Fortune not to be dislik'd, though several things were through hast
omitted, some of which you will find in the Margin of the inclosed Paper.
The substance of this short Narrative I hope you will let Monsieur
_Zulichem_ know, that he may be kept from expecting any thing of finish'd
in the Observations, and be dispos'd to excuse the want of it. But such as
they are, I hope they will prove (without a Clinch) Luciferous Experiments,
by setting the Speculations of the Curious on work, in a diligent Inquiry
after the Nature of Light, towards the discovery of which, perhaps they
have not yet met with so considerable an Experiment, since here we see
Light produc'd in a dead and opacous Body, and that not as in rotten Wood,
or in Fishes, or as in the _Bolonian_ Stone, by a Natural Corruption, or by