Letter from Henry Oldenburg to Newton, dated 2 January 1676/7
London januar 2 .
Sir,
Next to my hearty wishes of many happy new years to you, I am to acquaint you, vpon the receipt of yours of Dec. 26, that Mr {A}uste{n} is dead, without leaving any child; so that I know not at present, who may supply his place, but shall inquire of my friend, how to proceed in this matter, and giue you notice accordingly.
I am of thesame opinion with you that tis better to suspend that printing of the two {letter}s mention{'}d in your last, till you haue answer'd s{ome} at leas{t} of the Objections made from Liege.
I cannot but acquaint you with a{n} {ex}t{ra}{ordinar}ily curious present, sent to me from beyond seas for the King as Founder of the R. Society and for the society itself which I presented yesterday to his Majesty as philos{op}{hi}cal strena, and shall present to the Society on thursday next, God willing, where I wish you present, especially since it is, so uncommon a Phænomenon of Light. For it is a Factitious stony matter (not at all of the lapsi Bononiensis) which, being for a litle while exposed to the Day, or the flame of a Candle, so imbibes the light as to shine in the dark, like a glowing Coal, and continues that splendor a longer or shorter time according to that duration, it hath been kept turned to the day — or candle — light. The king and whole Court were exceedingly pleased with this phænomenon: And I should be yet more, if I might know to giue a rational account of thesame, and with what kind of Theory concerning Light it agrees best. Supposing, you would be well pleased to hear of such an unusual effect, I would not omit imparting it to you, as
Sir
your faithfull humble servant
H. Oldenburg.