in Parliament, than say anything against him to no purpose. This I
believe did trouble Cocke and these gentlemen, but I do think this best
for me, and so I do think that the business will go against them, though
it is against my judgment, and I am sure against all justice to the men to
be invited to part with their goods and be deceived afterward of their
security for payment. Thence with Lord Brouncker to the Royall Society,
where they were just done; but there I was forced to subscribe to the
building of a College, and did give L40; and several others did subscribe,
some greater and some less sums; but several I saw hang off: and I doubt
it will spoil the Society, for it breeds faction and ill-will, and becomes
burdensome to some that cannot, or would not, do it. Here, to my great
content, I did try the use of the Otacousticon,--[Ear trumpet.]--which was
only a great glass bottle broke at the bottom, putting the neck to my
eare, and there I did plainly hear the dashing of the oares of the boats
in the Thames to Arundell gallery window, which, without it, I could not
in the least do, and may, I believe, be improved to a great height, which
I am mighty glad of. Thence with Lord Brouncker and several of them to
the King's Head Taverne by Chancery Lane, and there did drink and eat and
talk, and, above the rest, I did hear of Mr. Hooke and my Lord an account
of the reason of concords and discords in musique, which they say is from
the equality of vibrations; but I am not satisfied in it, but will at my
leisure think of it more, and see how far that do go to explain it. So
late at night home with Mr. Colwell, and parted, and I to the office, and
then to Sir W. Pen to confer with him, and Sir R. Ford and Young, about
our St. John Baptist prize, and so home, without more supper to bed, my
family being now little by the departure of my wife and two maids.
3rd. Up, and Captain Perryman come to me to tell me how Tatnell told him
that this day one How is to charge me before the Commissioners of Prizes
to the value of L8000 in prizes, which I was troubled to hear, so fearful
I am, though I know that there is not a penny to be laid to my charge that
I dare not own, or that I have not owned under my hand, but upon
recollection it signifies nothing to me, and so I value it not, being sure
that I can have nothing in the world to my hurt known from the business.
So to the office, where all the morning to despatch business, and so h
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