Letter 1042

[fol. 142] Sr Upminster Mar. 28. 1706 My wife hath persisted in your Directions parti- cularly the taking Woodlice, & having [symbol] depurat: & Fennel water dropt into her Eye. This latter did not well agree with the Eye, by reason it caused a small Inflam- mation therein so yt we were forced to leave it off. She took a Purge about a week agoe of Pil: Cochin as you directed, wch wrought well, but left her with a violent pain just over that Eye (wch hath the Suffusion) wch continues there & sometimes in all her Head about 4 days & then fell into one of her Teeth with great Pain, & then remains still. Sometimes it was in her Cheek & sometimes in other parts of the Head, or Throat. I think the Albugo or membrane on the outside of the Cornea is some what wasted wch she [symbol] lick medicine. I beg the favour of your farther Directions in this my Wifes case. I have had one wch me about your Farme, who volun tarily offered an advance of Rent, but I told him that Culverwell was not to be yet discharged, as I supposed Now for things in the Heavens* As I was observ- ing the Imersions of the 3d and 4th Satelitte of ♃ [Jupiter] on ye 20th of this March in the Evening. I espied a very odd sort of Light in the Constellation of [symbol], the lower end of which was below the Bulls-Eye, & the other a good way above it, & yt staer about the middle of the low- er end thereof, as in the annexed figure below, wch doth represent its appearance to me. This Glade of Light had the same motion that the Heavens had, & was much like the Tail of a Comet, but pointed at the upper end, as in the Figure. This Light I doubt not is such as Dr Childrey first observed in England, & wch Castini & others afterwards ob- served in France, as Dr Hook saith [words obfuscated] I am sorry the there following Nights were cloudy & although Easter-day evening was fair, yet I forgot it unluckily then. And Easter monday being cloudy in the evening I could not ob- serve it a second time till Tuesday last & then it was gone. Yesterday looking on the Sun, I espied two small spots near his Center wchI suppose lately have sprung up, because I did not perceive any on the Diske a day or two before, when I took a view of him. These spots will be on the ☉ [Sun] Diske probably till after the next meeting of the Society. And I have advertised you of them, yt if you or any of the Society desire it, you may have the pleasure of seeing them. My wifes humble service to you, & we both acknowledge out obligations to you Sr Your most faithfull humble servant Wm Derham I lately recd a Lr From Mr J. Thorpe (I suppose it may be him yt takes care of Dr Schinkers Book [?]) about the loss of my first paper on Magnetick I told him that my friend paper might be published alone, if I but referred him to you about it.