Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, on making a microscope with a globule of water by [Matthias Gray]

Reference number: CLP/2/15

Date: 1696

Description

Paper regarding a method for making a microscope using a globule of water, so that any living beings or substances within the globule can be seen 'magnified as the best microscopes'. Includes a figure.

Subject: Optics

Stephen Gray's design of such a microscope was printed in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, vol. 19, no. 221 (1696).

Communicated by Stephen Gray. Read to the Royal Society on 29 January 1696.

Reference number
CLP/2/15
Earliest possible date
1696
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
6 pages
Format
Manuscript

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Paper, on making a microscope with a globule of water by [Matthias Gray], 1696, CLP/2/15, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_2_15/paper-on-making-a-microscope-with-a-globule-of-water-by-matthias-gray, accessed on 12 December 2024

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_2_15/paper-on-making-a-microscope-with-a-globule-of-water-by-matthias-gray

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/clp_2_15/paper-on-making-a-microscope-with-a-globule-of-water-by-matthias-gray" title="Paper, on making a microscope with a globule of water by [Matthias Gray]" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Related Publications

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Classified Papers

    Dates: 1592-1741

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    View collection