A Serie's of Quere's Propounded by Mr. Isaac Newton, to be Determin'd by Experiments,Positively and Directly Concluding His New Theory of Light and Colours; and HereRecommended to the Industry of the Lovers of Experimental Philosophy, as they WereGenerously Imparted to the Publisher in a Letter of the Said Mr. Newtons of July 8.1672Author(s): Isaac NewtonSource: Philosophical Transactions (1665-1678), Vol. 7 (1672), pp. 4004-5007Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/100945 .

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Philosophical Transactions

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A4 Seri'e'sf of Ouere's propounded by Mr. Ifaac Newton., to be de- -termin'dby Experiments, pojitively and direc7/y conclvding his newi Thepry of Light and Co/ours and here r-ecommended to the

indilr of heLovrsf Experimental Pbicfpiy, as tbey were ge?7eroujiy- imparted to the Pub/Ziber in a Letter of the/laid Mr. ~Newtons or July 8. T 67 2 -

IN the mearn while give me leave, Sir, to infinuate that I can. not think it effetuaI for determ iniing truthi, to exam-ina th-f

fcveral waies by which T-haznomena may be explained, uuilefs where there c~an be a pefaenumeratioofaltfewe. You know,the properMethod for inqrrgatrtepoete of things is,to deduce them from Experiments.And I told you, that the The.ory,which I propounded, *as evinced to mc,~ not by inferring 'tis thus be'caufe not otherwife, that is., not by deducing it only f-rom a confutation of contrary -fuppofitions, but by deriving it from Experimeats~ concluding pofitively 'and-diretliy. The way -therefore to e-xamin it is, by confi- dering, whether the Experi'ments which I propound do prove thofe parts of the Theory, to which they are applyed ; o'r by profecuting other Experiments which the Theory may fug,. geft for its e'xamina'tio r. And this I would have done in a du"e Method the Laws of RefraRlion being throughly inquiired in- to and determined before the nature o'f coisvurs be taken) into confider-ation. It may not be anaifS to pro'ceed accordin't th'e Series of thefe e6mries 'whichi I could wifhi were de'termis ned by the Event of proper Ex periments ;declared- by thofe that mnay have the curioficy to examin them.

i. Whether rays, thait are AJike jecidernt on the fame Medi:- mrn have unequal refraafions 5 and hbow'great are the in-equa- lit ies of their refra&tion's at aniy incidezace

2. What is the Law according to which -each ray is more or I&f refra6ted ; whether it be that the fame ray is ever re- frae&ed accord'ing to the fame rati'o of the f-ines of incidence and refra6tion ; anda dive%r-s rayr,Occording to divers ratio's 5 or that the refra6tion of each ray is greaterlor lefs without any certaini rule ? That is,, whether each ray have a certain des: g,ree of refrangibi lity according to which its refra&tion is perd formned or is refra&ted without that re -ularity?P

3* Whiere-

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( 50oo5 ) ~.Whether rays, which are endued withWtrticular degyrees

,of refraneibility, when they are by any means feparated, have partiCuLt -r colours conftant~y belon1ging to them~ vi~. the l1eaft refrangible5,5carlet; the ruoft refrangible,deep Violet 5 thp,e mid- dle,Sea-green 5 and others,other colours?) And oni the contrary?

4, Whether the cokuur of any fort of rays apart mnay bc changed by refra6tion ?

5., Whether colours by coalefci,ng do really change one. anv- other to produce a new colour,or produce it by MIXIng Only ?

6. Whethier a due mixture of rays, indued with all variety of colours, produces Light perfedtly like that of the Sun,and which hath all the fame properties.,and exhibits the fame Phe- nomeona?

7. Whether the component colours of each mixture be re, ally changed- or be- onily feparated, wheo fronm thnat mixture various colours are produc~ed again by Refra6ti on-?

8. Whether there be any other colours produced by refra- 6tion than f uch, as ought to refult from the colours bel-onging to the diverfly refrangible rays by their being feparated or mixed by that refraCtion ?

To determine by Experi'ments thefe and fuch like'. 9,ere'.s which i'nvolve the propounded Theory, feems the molt pro- per and diretft way to a conclufion, And therefore I could wifh all objeLtions were fufpended, taken from H;pothefesr o r aniy other heads than th%efe two; Of (hewi'ng the infufficiency of Experiments to determine thefe Q~,are'ir or prove any ot her parts of my Theory, by affigouing the flaws and dcefe6ts InI My con clufio~'s drawni from themm; Or of pr,oducing other Ex- perimneits which direCtly contradiCft me., if any fiich may feem to occur. For if the Experimerfts, which I urge, be defeCtive3, it caninot be difficult tof(how the defe&ts; but if valid, then by proving the Theory they mutt re-nder all ObjeC4(tions rimv!id.

So f'ar'tbis4cCuarate Propofer; whofe Mcthiod appcaringy to, bep.. moft genuine and proper to the purpofe it i's propounided for, anid defe~rving the'ref ore to be' confidered and put to trial by Philofophters, abroad as well as at home;- the Publqiber,1 to inavite an,d gratify Forratggners, was willing to deiertla- bove r'ecited Extr 6t of Mr. Newtollf Le't-tr ini the lAnti,uane alf of the Learued,as followeth; Z z zz z Ex'-

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( oo6 )

Excerprum ex lfaaci Newtoni Epiftola, nuper adEditorem fcript,qui ipfe genuinan fuggerit Methodum, doftrinam fuamr deLuc & Co- foribus, antehac propofitam,evincendi , fubjecta certorum,efi- torim, debitis Experimentis folvendoruma ferie.

I ,eat mlhi hac occaJione tibifignificare, neaaquam cnfere me, efficacetn ear efe determinande veritatis rationem ,qua diverfi examinantur mcr

di, qsibos Phanomena explicari peffunt, niji ubi perfeta ftuerit omnium ifo- rum modorum Enumeratio. Nofti, genuinam proprieates rerum ;nvefrizandi Metsodum efet, quw ill/ ab Experimtntis dedicuntur. Ac jam ante tibi dix. eram ; Theoriam a me propofitam evitam mihi fuiffe, non quidem infe- rendo rem ita fehaberequia hbud fe haheat aliter, i. e. non earn de d,cendo duntaxat 4 cantrariarum fuppofitionum confutatione; fed ipfam ab;

Eiperimentis, polieive: & direfte concludentibus, derivando. Ve- ra itaque ratio earn examinandi hec erit, fi confideremtu fcilicet, num Ex. perimentaa mepropofita ill/ Theorsi4prtes, quibu accommodantur, reve- ra probent $ velfi alia prof equamur Experimenta , qua ab ipfa Theoria ad examinandam earn fggera,nrur. ttque hoc ip/fm :M1 thodo genuin fieri ve- limr pervefiigats tprimm ac determinatis Legibs Refraftionis, priufquam Colorum ntura difquiratur. Preter rem itaque haudfore crediderim,dif- quijitionem hanc ex/equentium Qua itorum ferie infiituere; q quidem ut a folertibw fagacibfqcue nature AYf/is tronuinciatis Experimentorum Even- tibus,dirimawtnur in votis quam maximo habeo. Eanfnt

Prim6o, Num radii, qui xquali incidenti in idem medium incidunt,Re.

fraEtiones habeant inacquales ; quantaque jnt refractionum),qums illifubeunt, inxqualitates in quavU incidentia ?

Secund6,P,j na,m ea Lex fit, juxta quam radiuw quilibet magis miniive refringitur? fi t ,quod idem radiu femper refringatur fecundum eandem ra, tionem Sinuum Incidtnti C& Refra&tionis i diverfi atem radii, fecundism rationes diverfas ? An vero, qod cujuflibet radii reframio major min6o'rve i7t abfque uata renla certa ? Hoc eft, Vtrum utfquifqtue radiw. certum ha beat fradum Refrangibilitatiz, juxta quer fiat ipfji refraaie ; an vero re- frirgatur fine ifa regularitate ?

TertiO, Numn radii, certis gradibw refrangibilitatrs prediti, quando,qu^ demm cCumque modo,fecernruntHr,cetos obtineant colores ipfis proprios iputa radii minime omnium refrangibiles, Coccineutm mnaxime'refran ibiles, 4. turum VidaAceum \ intermedii,f ub- Viridem ai, al ios? Et e contra.

O arto, Num color cwjxfivhi ge:reris radiorwm feorfim exifentium. mutari poffibt RefraUione ?

Q iint, Vtrnr colores coalefcendo revera fe invicemmutent ad pradt- cendum coloerem novum an vero eum producant nonnifi fe invicem comr mzicendo ?

Sex, 6, Num debitA radiorum mifcela , omnuiena celoru varitate pr,- dita, Lncem producat Solari luc; fmilimam; qua que afdem omnigO pro. trietates obtir.eat,eaademqc P romm:nR exhibeat

Septima

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( 5007 )

Septimo, VtrmN componentet cujufviS miJfct colores rever mutentur ; An vert fecernantur duntaxat, quando ex mixturo il1a varii colores rurfum prod4cuntwr per Refraflionem ?

O avo, Denturne ulli alii colores Refratioene prodc7i prater oes,ques oriri

opertet a Coloribw, ad radios diverfimod refrangibiles pertinextibm, dum illi refraqaioe ifl/ fecernuntur vel mifcentur ?

Per Experimenta determinare h.ec fmilive a,ifrta, 4qu propoftam T7heoriam involvvunt, maxirr. genfuina directaqe videtur ad Conciufionem via: Proindc'qe omnes velim Objeflionesffpendi, qu ab H)pothefitus de- fumantur Vullifve Fpontibm al;., qusam hk dobus; quibu nempe vel ostlen datur Experimentorum ad determinanAa htc <n4,w- prebandafve ullax a,i,u Tkeorix mee partes inffficientia, h.ll;icinationes defefT uque in ConcluJfioni- bnws rei inde detuShi indigitando ; vel alia producantur Experimenta, e dia- metro mihi oppofita, fi qux talia occurrere videanttr. Si enim Experimenta, qua a me urgentur, /aborant defeltibu , difficile hand fuerit eos oftendere j fi vero valida fuerint, eo ipfo dum Theoriam meam a ferunt probantque om- nes Objettiones convellunt.

Some Annotations of the Learned Dr. Walter Needham upon a Di/covery pretended to have been made by the famous Monfeur Pecquet of a Com- munication between the Du&tus Thoracicus and the Inferior Venc Cava.

The Relation it felf of that pretended Difcove- 'he Annotations of Dr. ry, a it s to be found in the Journal des NLeedham. Scavans, ofFeb.8.1672,

T HE Difcovery made about twenty (A.) I think tle reafcj. / years fince by M.Pecquet of the DuH5us · there merntio?.ed to

2horacicus, feemed not fufficient to clear .beveryfufficient for the in, up all the Difficuities to be met with in the ferting of the Trunck, of te- New opinion, which this Channel hath Duftus Thoracicus into occafion'd, concernit.g Sanguification. one place zloe; at leafi ai

It might be faid among other things, g£ood a any that- are after- That there appears no reafon, whylNa. ward; given to proze the ture, which does nothing without deGgn, i contrary. F6r , all proofs hould carry the matter of the Blood in- i of thz natre are but looeF

to the Sub-clavials, and thence make it-; conjeclures at the beJt the defcend by the Trunck of the Vena Cava, matter admitting of no o-

(A,) unlefs it be to keep the Chyle from i ther dcmorftration than '-hat entring all at once and altogether pure I ocruar. into the Heart,'and that the mixture, (B. ) Till toe TLow'e which is made of the Chlve with thle Biood i iretion be A fhewed, rwe along this way, may d.ifpofe the Chyle, are bowud to bc.leve., tat by a kind ofcontagious fermenzation the Nature thought the fit'¢c

mpr<:

( 5007 )

Septimo, VtrmN componentet cujufviS miJfct colores rever mutentur ; An vert fecernantur duntaxat, quando ex mixturo il1a varii colores rurfum prod4cuntwr per Refraflionem ?

O avo, Denturne ulli alii colores Refratioene prodc7i prater oes,ques oriri

opertet a Coloribw, ad radios diverfimod refrangibiles pertinextibm, dum illi refraqaioe ifl/ fecernuntur vel mifcentur ?

Per Experimenta determinare h.ec fmilive a,ifrta, 4qu propoftam T7heoriam involvvunt, maxirr. genfuina directaqe videtur ad Conciufionem via: Proindc'qe omnes velim Objeflionesffpendi, qu ab H)pothefitus de- fumantur Vullifve Fpontibm al;., qusam hk dobus; quibu nempe vel ostlen datur Experimentorum ad determinanAa htc <n4,w- prebandafve ullax a,i,u Tkeorix mee partes inffficientia, h.ll;icinationes defefT uque in ConcluJfioni- bnws rei inde detuShi indigitando ; vel alia producantur Experimenta, e dia- metro mihi oppofita, fi qux talia occurrere videanttr. Si enim Experimenta, qua a me urgentur, /aborant defeltibu , difficile hand fuerit eos oftendere j fi vero valida fuerint, eo ipfo dum Theoriam meam a ferunt probantque om- nes Objettiones convellunt.

Some Annotations of the Learned Dr. Walter Needham upon a Di/covery pretended to have been made by the famous Monfeur Pecquet of a Com- munication between the Du&tus Thoracicus and the Inferior Venc Cava.

The Relation it felf of that pretended Difcove- 'he Annotations of Dr. ry, a it s to be found in the Journal des NLeedham. Scavans, ofFeb.8.1672,

T HE Difcovery made about twenty (A.) I think tle reafcj. / years fince by M.Pecquet of the DuH5us · there merntio?.ed to

2horacicus, feemed not fufficient to clear .beveryfufficient for the in, up all the Difficuities to be met with in the ferting of the Trunck, of te- New opinion, which this Channel hath Duftus Thoracicus into occafion'd, concernit.g Sanguification. one place zloe; at leafi ai

It might be faid among other things, g£ood a any that- are after- That there appears no reafon, whylNa. ward; given to proze the ture, which does nothing without deGgn, i contrary. F6r , all proofs hould carry the matter of the Blood in- i of thz natre are but looeF

to the Sub-clavials, and thence make it-; conjeclures at the beJt the defcend by the Trunck of the Vena Cava, matter admitting of no o-

(A,) unlefs it be to keep the Chyle from i ther dcmorftration than '-hat entring all at once and altogether pure I ocruar. into the Heart,'and that the mixture, (B. ) Till toe TLow'e which is made of the Chlve with thle Biood i iretion be A fhewed, rwe along this way, may d.ifpofe the Chyle, are bowud to bc.leve., tat by a kind ofcontagious fermenzation the Nature thought the fit'¢c

mpr<:

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