Letter from John Collins to Newton, dated 30 April 1672
Worthy Sir
A little before Christmas the Reverend Doctor Barrow informed me you were buisy in enlarging your generall method of Infinite Series's or quadratures, and in preparing 20 Dioptrick Lectures for the Presse, and lately meeting with Mr Jonas Moore he informed me that he heard you had something at the Presse in Cambridge possibly about the same Argument, if so I am very glad partly in regard I now live at Westminster remote from the Printing house and partly because our Latin Booksellers here are averse to the Printing of Mathematicall Bookes there being scarce any of them that have a forreigne Correspondence for Vent, and so when such a Coppy is offered, in stead of rewarding the Author they rather expect a Dowry with the Treatise. I am employed as a Clerke in the Councill of Plantations and the Prospect of the present Warr hath not a little added to the increase of my paines, yet in the interim have taken some care about the Printing the Astronomicall Remaines of Horrox whereof about is done which I now send you, and I hope within 2 Months the rest shall follow the Royall Societie gave 5£ with the Coppy to encourage A Bookseller (whereas scarce any were willing) to undertake it, with it also be pleased to accept 2 small tracts of Honorato Fabry (whereof I had many sent over) which though of no use to your selfe, you may bestow on some of your Pupills, now Sir as soone as this Booke is done if yours be not undertaken at Cambridge I shall most willingly affoard my endeavour to have it well done here, and if so, what you have written might be sent up the sooner in order to the Preparing of Schemes I live at the house of Mr William Austin in Petty france Westminster against the Adam and Eve whither you may vouchsafe to direct your Letters to me, Dr Barrows late Bookes are now common and in the hands of other Booksellers besides that insolvent one that undertooke them, I could not but observe with much content that you were pleased to become a Member of the Royal Society, though withall sorry that it should redound to your Charge, especially seeing it was your Designe thereby to enrich Learning with your excellent Contemplations about the same, as to Mathematicall Newes take this breife account
<17v>Some English Booksellers here if they find suitable encouragement have undertaken the Printing of Mr Kersies {Paines} in Algebra whereof you here have a Synopsis to which your generall method of Analyticall quadratures when extant might be translated and annexed
Dr Pell hath lately published a table of Squares
At Dantzick Hevelius Labours about publishing his Machina Cælestis with the remaines and life of Keplar
In Italy Mengolus hath published 3 Vol of Musick and quadratures with a tract de quadratura Circuli none of which are yet arrived
At Leige Slusius is about publishing his method de Maximis et Minimis et tangentibus Curvarum
In France Claudius Millet de Chales is printing his generall Cursus Mathematicus at Lyons
And Mr Huygens at Paris is about to publish his Tract de Cycloide et Pendulis
from thence are newly come over 3 Octavo Tracts with Elegant Schemes entituled Les Travaux de Mars by Allain Manesson Mallet treating of Gunnery and Fortification wherein the methods of all moderne Writers are examined and modestly censured, let this suffice at present but not without the Addition of the name of
Your much obliged thank
Servitor
30 Aprill
