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and being first pent up and then getts vent, is the cause of your sound or report,
and for the inclosure of the liquer [,it] is done by the arte of the artifficiers, which arte
if the philosophers knewe, or had ben bound apprentice to, might soone have
satisfied the King of Frances curiossitye, and instructed him in the knowlledg therof,
for these glasses more concernes the artificier than the naturall philosopher or
speculators; but weomen weares at there eares for pendents as great wounders,
although they make not soe great report, which are glasse bobbes with narrowe
neckes as these glasses have tailes, and yet is filled with severall coullers silkes
and coursse black cottonwooll, which to my senses is more difficult to putt into these
glasse pendants, then liquer into these glasse gunnes. But, Sir, I have made a
tedious discource of what my senses have observed of these glasses you sent me,
which discources may tyre or weary your sense to read itt, but I have only this to
excuse me, that I chose rather to say to much to shew or exspresse my obedience
to your comands, then to say soe little as it may be thought, I was negligent or idle,
but if I have comitted a fault in being overdilligent, pray pardon me .... Antwerp, 20 th
March 1657.
5536. J. de Brune 1)
. (H.A.)
Het hierbijgaande boek, ‘dat zoo langhe onder de persse geweest heeft’, bied ik u
aan. Midd[elburg], 23 Mart. 1657.
5537. Aan de markiezin van Newcastle 2)
. (K.A.)
I have put your Ex. cie to a trouble which I did suppose should be the last upon this
subject. But experience having carryed me to a new byway, from whence I do not
see how to bring myselfe upon the path of truth without your gracious assistance, I
doe presume this second time to informe your Ex. cie of what I have found out, since
you were pleased to bestow a most judicious sheete of paper upon my ignorant
curiositie. In ordre of your Ex. cies determination, I did conceave, if the matter inclosed
in the hollow parts of these bottels should be a sulphureous liquid gunpowder, that
without question fire would worke upon it, and make it active. But, Madam, I found
myself so farre short of my opinion, that firing one of these bottels to the reddest
hight of heat, I have not onely seene it without any effect, but also beeing cooled
againe, I have wondred to see all his vertue spent and spoiled, so that I could breake
of the whole taile by peeces even to the belly, without any motion more then you
would see in an ordinarie peece of glasse. Having alsoe broke the belly asunder
and wel observed the little hollow bubles within it, I have not found the least
appearance of any liquor or oyly substance should have been inclosed therein. If
your Ex. cie thinketh it worth her paynes to consider of these circumstances, it may
bee by degrees she will bring herself to the
1) Zie No. 5439.
2) Zie No. 5535.
Constantijn Huygens, Briefwisseling. Deel 5: 1649-1663