Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/105

 so as to shew by the Effects the practicableness of the Invention, mentions thereupon, That he intends very shortly to try something in that kinde, of the success whereof he declares to have good hopes.

Monsieur du Son, that excellent Mechanician, doth also at this very present employ himself in London, to bring Telescopes to perfection, by grinding Glasses of a Parabolical Figure, by the means whereof he hopes to enable the Curious to discover more by a Tube of one Foot long, or thereabout, furnished with Glasses thus figured, then can be done by any other Tubes of very many times more that length: The success hereof will (its thought) shortly appear.

This was communicated by the ingenious Mr. John Evelyn, to whom it was sent from Paris in a Letter, as followeth:

Here is in our Neighborhood a French-man, who makes more lively Counterfeits of Nature in Wax, then ever I yet saw in Painting, having an extraordinary address in modelling the Figures, and in mixing the Colours and Shadows; making the Eyes so lively, that they kill all things of this Art I ever beheld. He pretends to make a visit into England with some of his Pieces.

I have also seen a new kinde of Maps in low Relievo, or Sculpture: For example, the Isle of Antibe, upon a square of about eight Foot, made of Boards, with a Frame like a Picture: There is represented the Sea, with Ships and other Vessels Artificially made, with their Canons and Tackle of Wood fixed upon the surface, after a new and most admirable manner. The Rocks about the Island exactly form'd, Rh