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

Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Robert Boyle, dated at London

Reference number: EL/OB/14

Date: 29 September 1664

Description

States that Boyle's magnetical experiments were not practical to be carried out at St Paul's and discusses the experiment with a glass ball in a sealed tube for weighing bodies; discussing experiments to show the descent of bodies in water; concerning the refractions and the belts of Jupiter; quotes letter (in Italian) from Casati about bismuth sealed in a tube; concerning the mineral sent by Winthrop from New England and about the salt-work there; concerning Dutch activities in Guinea; that cases of plague in Holland are decreasing
Postscript of letter has been placed with EL/OB/16

Reference number
EL/OB/14
Earliest possible date
29 September 1664
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript
Also available on Early Modern Letters Online
View Also available on Early Modern Letters Online (external link, opens in new tab)

Creator names

Henry Oldenburg

View page for Henry Oldenburg

Henry Oldenburg

View page for Henry Oldenburg

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

Henry Oldenburg, Henry Oldenburg, Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Robert Boyle, dated at London, 29 September 1664, EL/OB/14, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/el_ob_14/letter-from-henry-oldenburg-to-robert-boyle-dated-at-london, accessed on 17 June 2025

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/el_ob_14/letter-from-henry-oldenburg-to-robert-boyle-dated-at-london

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/el_ob_14/letter-from-henry-oldenburg-to-robert-boyle-dated-at-london" title="Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Robert Boyle, dated at London" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Map

Explore the collection

  • Early Letters

    The archival collection known as 'Early Letters' is composed of original manuscript letters sent to, or collected by, the Royal Society from English and foreign correspondents.

    Dates: 1613 - 1740

    View collection