172 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1674. 



An Account of some Boohs. N° lOQ, p. 209. 



I. A Discourse made before the Royal Society, concerning the Use of Dupli- 

 cate Proportion, in sundry important Particulars; with a New Hypothesis of 

 Elastic or Springy Bodies. By Sir Wm. Petty, Knight,* &c. 



* Sir Wm. Petty was a very remarkable instance of a universal genius, being highly eminent as a 

 philosopher, a physician, a linguist, mathematician, mechanist, politician, &c. He was born at 

 Rumsey, in Hampshire, l623. While a boy, he spent much of his time among the artificers there, 

 by which he acquired a knowledge of almost every trade that he inspected j handling the several tools 

 with a skill like an expert workman. With equal facility he obtained the Latin, Greek, and French 

 languages, as well as a good knowledge in mathematics. He went to study at tlie university of 

 Caen, in Normandy 5 and after some stay there, returned to England, where he was preferred in the 

 king's navy. In l643, when the civil war raged, he retired to the Continent, where he passed some 

 years in France, Flanders, and Holland, prosecuting his studies, especially physic. In l647^ he 

 obtained a patent to teach the art of double writing for 17 years. Adhering to the prevailing party 

 of tlie nation, he went to Oxford, where he taught anatomy and chemistry, and was created a doctor 

 of physic. He may be accounted, as it were, the father of the R. S. since here he grew into such 

 repute, that at his house were held those philosophical meetings, which preceded and laid tlie foun- 

 dation of that learned society. In l630 he was made professor of anatomy there j and soon after, a 

 member of the college of physicians in London, as also professor of music at Greshara college, London. 

 In 1652 he was appointed physician to the army in Ireland j as also to three lord-lieutenants succes- 

 sively, Lambert, Fleetwood, and Henry Cromwell ; by the last of whom he was appointed his 

 secretary, and clerk of the council, and by his interest also, a burgess for Westloo in Cornwall, in 

 Richard Cromwell's parliament, which met in January l658. After the rebellion was over in Ire- 

 land, he was appointed one of tlae commissioners for dividing the forfeited lands among tlie army who 

 suppressed it. In Ireland he acquired a large fortune, but not without suspicions and charges of unfair 

 practices in his offices. So that he was impeached in parliament of high crimes and misdemeanors, 

 which in l659 procured his dismission from his employments. He then retired to Ireland, till tlie 

 restoration of King Charles the 2d; when he returned to England, where he resigned his professor- 

 ship at Gresham college, was graciously received by the king, and was appointed one of the commis- 

 sioners of the court of claims. Also, in \66\, he received the honour of knighthood, with the grant 

 of a new patent, constituting him surveyor- general of Ireland, where he was also chosen a member 

 of the parliament. 



On the incorporating of the R. S. Sir Wm. was one of the first members, and of its first council. 

 About tliis time he invented his double-bottomed ship, to sail against wind and tide, a project which, 

 not completely answering in all respects, was afterwards given up. In I666, he suffered great losses 

 by tlie fire of London ; but afterwards, by projects of various works and manufactures, he augmented 

 his fortune. On the first meeting of tlie Phil. Society at Dubhn, on the plan of that at London, every 

 thing was submitted to Sir Wm. P.'s direction 5 and when it was formed into a regular society, in 

 l684, he was chosen the first president : so that he was in a manner the father both of the society of 

 London and of Dublin. But, a few years after, all his great projects, as well philosophical as politi- 

 cal and commercial, were determined by the effects of a gangrene in his foot, occasioned by tlie 

 swelling of the gout, which put a period to his life, at his house in Piccadilly, Westminster, Dec. \6, 

 l687j in the 63th year of his age; leaving behind hira an immense fortune, amounting to about 

 15,0001. per annum. 



