Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/149

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the Royal Society.
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Royal Society has met with great Veneration; as appears by several Testimonies in their late printed Books, which have been submitted to its Censure; by many Curiosities of Mechanick Instruments, that have been transmitted to it; and by the Addresses which have been sent from their Philosophical Inquirers. For which Kinds of Enterprizes the Temper of the German Nation is admirably fit, both in respect of their peculiar Dexterity in all Sorts of manual Arts, and also in Regard of the plain and unaffected Sincerity of their Manners; wherein they so much resemble the English, that we seem to have deriv'd from them the Composition of our Minds, as well as to have descended from their Race.

In the Low-Countries.In the Low-Countries, their Interest, and Reputation has been established, by the Friendship of some of their chief learned Men, and principally of Hugenius. This Gentleman has bestowed his Pains, on many Parts of the speculative and practical Mathematicks, with wonderful Successes. And particularly his applying the Motion of Pendulums to Clocks, and Watches, was an excellent Invention. For thereby there may be a Means found out of bringing the Measures of Time, to an exact Regulation; of which the Benefits are infinite. In the Prosecution of such Discoveries, he has often required the Aid of this Society; he has receiv'd the Light of their Trials, and a Confirmation of his own, and has freely admitted their Alterations or Amendments. And this learned Correspondence with him, and many others, is still continued, even at this present Time, in the Breach between our Countries: Their great Founder, and Patron still permitting them to maintain the Traffick of Sciences, when all

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