Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/37

 A Summary Account of the Laws of Motion, communicated by Mr. Christian Hugens in a Letter to the R. Society, and since printed in French in the Journal des Scavans of March 18, 1669.st.n.

fore these Rules of Motion be here deliver'd, 'tis necessary to preface something, whereby the worthy Author of them may receive what is unquestionably due to him, yet without derogating from others, with whom in substance he agreeth. But, forasmuch as this Subject is of that nature, that all Philosophy and generally all Learn'd men are therein concern'd, it will be most proper, to publish these Rules, as well as we did those of D. Wallis and D. Wren (Numb 43) in the Language of the Learn'd, together with some Historicall passages relating thereto: Which we now doe, as follows.

m novissimis mensibus nonnulli e Societate Regia in publico ejusdem Consessu enixius urgerent, ut gravissimum illud de Regulis Motus Argumentum, non semel inter Ipsos ante hac agitatum, sed, pluribus aliis intercurrentibus rebus, nunquam, uti par erat, discussum expensumve, tandem aliquando Examini rigido subjectum conficeretur; Visum equidem fuit Illustrissimo isti Cætui decernere, ut quotquot e Sociis suis indagandæ Motus indoli præ cæteris incubuissent, rogarentur, ut sua in rem illam Meditata et Inventa depromere, simul et ea, quæ ab aliis Viris præcellentibus, Gallilæo puta, Cartesio, Honorato Fabri, Ioachimo Iungio, Petro Borrelli, aliisque, de argumento isto fuerant excogitata, congerere & procurare vellent; eo scil, fine, ut consultis hoc pacto collatisque omnium sententiis illa dehinc Theoria, quæ cum Observationibus et Experimentis, debitâ cura et fide crebo peractis, quam maximo congrueret, Civitate philosophica suo Iure donaretur.

Edito hoc celeusmate, incitati protinus e dicta Socictate fuerant, imprimis Christianus Hugenius, Iohannes Wallisius, Christophorus Wrennus, ut suas de Motu Hypotheses et Regulas, quibus condendis aliquamdiu insudassent, maturare atque  Rh