LETTERS FROM THE REV. WM. DERHAM, D D. 
*75 
What the Doctor says about sending the Pneumatic Engine 
from Upminster to Belhus being “ hazardous to ye glasses ” 
throws a side light on the dreadful state of the roads in those 
times. 
S r . 
Feb: 3. 170$, 
You were pleased to promise me some Guns, & now the wind 
favouring I shall be glad of having them fired this evening precisely 
at 6 of clock. My Man hath my watch, by w th you may see when 
I account it 6 at Upm r . Be pleased to order them as before, viz : 
the first towards me, v e 2d Upright, the 3d from ward, and a 4th 
Upright. After the Guns I will make a Blaze by way of thanks 
for the favour. 
When I was at London last Wednesday, I mat with Mr. Ray’s 
Topographical &c Observations at 5s. His Voyages of Ranwolff, 
Dr. Spar, Huntingdon, Mr. Graves, &c., at 5s. The French Acade- 
mists Anatomies translated by Mr. Pittfield at 8s. 6d. all I think 
pennyworths. Also I met w th Willughby of Fishes at 25s. w ch 
I thought too dear atho’ a great many cutts & good. But the cutts 
alone I met with at i-,s. but I believe the Book seller would thank 
me to give him 10s. altho’ they made a volume as big allmost as his 
Ornithology. I was unwilling to lay out your money without express 
order. And therefore if you like any of these at these prices, I 
will endea.vour to get them when I next go to London. 
I was present at the R.S. when you were proposed and accepted 
to be a Member, in a short time you will be elected Fellow, & when 
you go, & subscribe the Statutes, you will be admitted, & corn- 
pleated. P : George hath done us the Hon r to be a Fellow of our 
Society, & would have been chosen our President last S. Andrew’s 
day, but y 4 it is contrary to the Statutes to elect one Presid 4 
before he is a Fellow. He hath undertaken the Publication of Mr- 
Flamsteed’s works, w ch is now going on apace. The famous Mr. 
Ray hath been dead near 3 weeks. I would write more but y t I 
have taken Physich to day that puts me out of a writing condition 
and humour, & therefore w th our humble services to your Lady & 
children I conclude & am 
Qr 
W • 
Your much obliged & most humble Send 
W. Derham. 
I met also w th Ray’s Synops : methodica Quadrapedum & 
Serpent : Genesis at about 4s. I think it was. Tis in 8vo & never 
had any Irons. 
The Doctor was, together with Sir 1 . Newton and R. Hook, 
one of the pioneers of our knowledge in that branch of Acoustics 
which deals with the velocity of the transmission of sound. He 
contributed early in 1708 a rather long paper in Latin on this 
subject to the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. 26 In the course 
of this, he refers to Dacre Barrett as a witness for one of the 
