324 Dr. Moll on the Invention of Telescopes. 



papers are kept at present among the state archives in the 

 Hague. Under date of the 2d October, 1608, the following 

 entry is made : 



'Jovis, 2 October, 1608. 



4 On the petition of Hans Lippershey, a native of Wesel, 

 an inhabitant of Middelburg, spectacle-maker, inventor of an 

 instrument for seeing at a distance, as was proved to the 

 States, praying that the said instrument might be kept secret, 

 and that a privilege for thirty years might be granted to him, 

 by which everybody might be prohibited from imitating these 

 instruments ; or else to grant him an annual pension, in order 

 to enable him to make these instruments for the utility of this 

 country alone, without selling any to foreign kings or princes. 

 It was resolved, that some of the Assembly do form a com- 

 mittee, which shall communicate with this petitioner about his 

 said invention, and inquire of him whether it would not be 

 possible to improve upon it, so as to enable one to look through 

 it with both eyes,; and further, to inquire what remuneration 

 would satisfy him. And due report .being made, it will be laid 

 in deliberation, whether it is expedient to grant to the peti- 

 tioner a remuneration or a privilege.' 



From this document it appears who this inventor was, whom 

 Metius designates in his petition of the 17th of October, and 

 whom he allows to have anticipated him in presenting a 

 telescope to the States: it was the spectacle-maker of Middel- 

 burg, bom at Wesel, and called Hans, L e. John Lippershey. 

 This man offers to keep his invention a secret ; and he inti- 

 mates a belief that it might be of service. This story offers 

 also a ludicrous instance of the strange vexations to which 

 ingenious men must often submit, from ignorant but official 

 persons ; this is 



' The insolence of office, and the spurns 

 That patient merit from the unworthy takes.' 



Here comes Lippershey, tendering to the States an inven- 

 tion, which, in its further progress, is entirely to alter and to 

 extend all our notions of the universe an invention which 

 bodes a complete revolution in navigation and astronomy, and 

 the first thing which these wise men think of, is to lay the 



