John Wallis

“ Some Animadversions, written in a Letter by Dr. John Wallis, on a printed Paper, entitul'd Responsio Francisci du Laurens ad Epistolam D. Wallisii ad Cl. V. Oldenburgium scriptam.See this Epist. num 34. Trans p. 654. Epistolam tuam, Vir Clarissime, quæ Du Laurensii impressam chartam (quæ me spectabat) habuit inclusam, accepi hodie: cui statim respondendum censui; neque enim deliberatione opus est. Expectabas Tu à Me non ita pridem literis tuis, ut, quid Ego de Du Laurensii libro tum nuper edito (quem cum iis literis in eum finem mittebas) sentirem, Tibi paucis exponerem. ”

“ This, however, he speedily vacated by his marriage, on 14 March 1645, with Susanna, daughter of John and Rachel Glyde of Northiam, Sussex. He now came to live in London. Already zealous for the ‘new’ or experimental philosophy, he associated there with Robert Boyle [q. v.] and other reformers of scientific method, whose weekly meetings, divided after 1649 between Oxford and London, led to the incorporation, in 1663, of the Royal Society (for Wallis's account of its origin, see Weld's History of the Royal Society, i. 30, 36) . ”

“ His succession in 1658 to Gerard Langbaine the elder [q. v.] as keeper of the university archives, elicited Henry Stubbe's hostile protest, ‘The Savilian Professor's Case stated’ [see Stubbs or Stubbes, Henry, (1632–1676) ] . In 1653 Wallis deposited in the Bodleian Library a partial collection of the letters deciphered by him, with an historical preface, published by John Davys in 1737 in his ‘Essay on the Art of Decyphering.’ Wallis was afterwards accused by Prynne and Wood of having interpreted the correspondence of Charles I captured at Naseby ”

“ But as for mathematiques, I have heard Dr. Wallis say that he look't on him to be as able a mathematician as any of his time. He was an extraordinary handsome and beautifull man; no lady had a finer complexion.
Queen Elizabeth favoured him much; he read (I think) Greeke and Politiques to her. He was also preferred to be Provost of Eaton colledge <1596>.
He was a very severe governour, the scholars hated him for his austerity. He could not abide witts: when a young scholar was recommended to him for a good witt, 'Out upon him, I'le have nothing to doe with him ”

“ I do think that a man who can, as it were, live these adventures with Stevenson’s characters is as delightful and interesting a person as,—as even old John Silver himself,” said Miss Katherine with enthusiasm.
“A-hem,” Mr. Murphy cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. “Do you like John Silver?”
“I think he’s just fascinating, don’t you?” returned Miss Katherine.
“Exactly, Miss Boulby. Fascinating’s the word [Pg 55] I was hunting for just before you came up. But it’s the subject of the book itself that fetches me. I was always after hidden treasure, Captain Kidd’s and so on. ”

“ We will have to be careful about admitting strangers to the house or garden. It is very probable that some sailors, friends of Captain Shannon’s, might have suspected this, for I never read a treasure story yet where someone didn’t make trouble.”
Twice that night, after Miss Katherine had retired to rest, she almost rose from her bed at the thought that the house was in a most unfortified state. Whether she expected to see John Silver, wooden leg, urbanity and all, climbing in at the window, I can not say, but she felt so insecure that it was long after midnight when she fell asleep. ”

“ I thought it necessary, to give a little intimation of the Ancient Greek Musick compared with what is now in practise; which is more the same than most men are aware of: though the Language be very different. ”

“ But, in common disourse (when we do not pretend to speak nicely, nor intend to be so understood) it is usual to call it an Hemitone or Half-Note (as being very near it ) and, the other, two Whole-Notes. And this is what Ptolemy calls Diatonum Ditonum, (of the Diatonick kind with Two full Tones.)
Against this, it is objected (as not the most convenient Division,) that the Numbers of 81 to 64, are too great for that of a Ditone or Greater Third: Which is not Harsh to the Ear; but is rather Sweeter than that of a single Tone who's proportion is 9 to 8. ”

“ Whence it is, that the same Tune sounds better at one Key than at another.
It is asked, Whether this may not be remedied; by interposing more Pipes; and thereby dividing a Note, not only (as now) into Half-Notes, but into Quarter-notes or Half quarter-notes &c.
I answer; It may be thus remedied in part; (that is the Imperfection might thus be somewhat Less, and the Sounds somewhat nearer to the just Proportions:) but it can never be exactly true, so long as their Sounds (be they never so many) be in continual proportion; that is, each to the next subsequent in the same Proportion. ”

“ Whereby it comes to pass, that each Pipe doth not express its proper Sound, but very near it, yet somewhat varying from it, Which they call Bearing. Which is somewhat of Imperfection in this Noble Instrument, the Top of all.
It may be asked, Why may not the Pipes be so ordered, as to have their Sounds in just Proportion, as well as thus Bearing?I answer, It might very well be so, if all Musick were Composed to the same Key or (as the Greeks call it) the same Mode. As, for instance, if in all Compositions, Mi were alwaies placed in B fa b mi. ”

“ And though they speak of Notes and Half notes (in a more gross way) much as others do, yet declare themselves to be understood more nicely.
And though our present Gam-ut take no notice of this little diversity; yet, in Vocal Musick, the Ear directs the Voice to a more just proportion. And, in String Musick, it may in like manner be helped by straining and slackening the Strings, or moving the Frets. ”

“ And accordingly they accounted a Fourth to contain Two Tones and an half; a Fifth to contain Three Tones and an half and consequently an Eighth to contain Six Tones or Five Tones and two Half-tones, And it is very near the matter, though not exexactly so.
And at this rate we commonly speak at this day; supposing an Octave to consist of Twelve Hemitones, or Half-notes. (Meaning thereby, somewhat near so many half-notes:) But, when we would speak more Nicely, we do not take those supposed Half-notes to be exactly Equal or each of them just the Half of a Full-note such as is that of La-mi. ”

“ Are you certain?'
'I am certain, captain,' replied Tom, with an irrepressible sob of joy; 'I am certain--Captain Casalle! the Bandolier! and all the rest of it! There can be no mistake. He told Foster and I that his wife was drowned with the second mate, two men, and a Samoan girl.'
Captain Herrendeen's voice quavered as he put out his hand to Tom. 'Say, let us tell it to her quietly. William, and you, mister, just go on deck awhile.'
The Maori and Charlie at once went on deck, and left Tom and Captain Herrendeen alone. ”

“ Wallis giving the bride away, and Captain Samuel Hawkins acting as best man to 'William Henry.' Among the guests, too, were old Foster and Kate Gorman, who had come up to Sydney in the asthmatic old 'Puffing Billy' to see Tom--only to bid him farewell again, for he was not returning to Port Kooringa with his father and Jack. He had won his father's consent, and was bound to Samoa in the Malolo as supercargo--much to the delight of Maori Bill, who, to old Sam's sorrow, was also leaving in the schooner, to become overseer on Captain Casalle's station at Leone Bay. ”

“ One parting hand-grasp all round, and the shore party go down the gangway into the Customs launch. Mrs. Casalle and Solepa come to the side, and Tom, seizing little Nita in his arms, carries her halfway up the mizzen rigging, so that she may see the very last of Jack and his father and Kate; and then, at a signal from Mr. Brooker, the crew, led by Henry Casalle, come rushing aft and give three parting cheers.
And so, with the bright morning sun shining on her snowy canvas, the Malolo heads eastward to the open sea, and Tom Wallis has his heart's desire at last. ”

“ For it hath been long since Demonstrated, that there is no such thing as a just Hemitone practicable in Musick, (and the like for the division of a Tone into any number of Equal parts; three, four, or more.) For, supposing the Proportion of a Tone or Full-note to be 9/8 (or, as 9 to 8;) that of the Half-note must be as to (as the Square-root of 9 to the Square-root of 8; that is, as 3 to , or 3 to ,) which are Incommensurable quantities. ”

“ Where is Tom?'
Mrs. Casalle nodded her pretty head half a dozen times in rapid succession, and threw up her hands in affected indignation.
'Away, of course. He's never here between daylight and dark. If he's not out pig-hunting in the forest, he's away fishing in the middle of the ocean between here and Alofi. He's just deserted me altogether. Is not that so, father?' she said to the old priest, who with another Marist priest as old as himself just then entered the house to greet the captain. ”

“ Leastways we found the men right enough, and a miserable lot they were too; not six good sailor-men in the whole crowd. But we had a long long passage back to Noumea, nothing but light winds and calms for weeks together; half of the Frenchmen were bad with fever and some died and me and Mr. de Cann was right glad when the job was finished. And the brig too is badly strained and will have to undergo a lot of repairs.'
Then, bidding Jack and his father good-night, the old captain went away, leaving them a prey to anxiety and torturing surmise about Tom. ”

“ Jack, a sturdy, square-built youngster, with honest grey eyes, nodded his head.
'I shall never want to leave you and Kooringa, father. I promised mother that before she died. But Tom says he hopes you will let him go to sea when he is old enough.'
Mr. Wallis smiled, and then sighed somewhat sadly. 'Time enough to think of that, Jack. But I would rather he thought of something else. 'Tis a poor life and a hard one. But why do you not want to be a sailor?'
Jack shook his head. 'I should like to be an explorer--that is, I mean if you would let me. I should like to cross Australia ”

“ My duty at the beginning was plain enough, my father having often rehearsed the same to me; as that I should take lodging in Fetter Lane at the house of one Malt, a hosier, who should use me honestly, he being a West-Country man. Thereafter and as soon as my convenience would allow, I was to betake myself to a certain goldsmith of repute, whose shop stood hard by the new Burse in Cornhill, and there receive gold in exchange for the letters I bore, the which my father had gotten upon articles signed in Exeter. ”

“ The good wine refreshed me mightily, as also, and indeed more, did the quiet behaviour of Mr. Wall, who counselled me wisely to rest myself first and after to confine myself to relating the bare matter without heat or flourish of any kind. "For out of an hot heart proceed many things inconvenient, as the Apostle plainly shewed," he said, "whereas out of a cold head proceedeth nothing but what is to the purpose, and generally profitable; at least in the way of business, Mr. Denis, I mean in the way of business, which is doubtless the cause of your honouring me again with your company." ”

“ If they had reached any part of Fiji, I should certainly have heard of them whilst I was there. In my opinion, there are at Fotuna still.'
'Then I will charter the Malolo from you, Casalle, and we shall go there----'
'There is no question of a charter, Mr. Wallis. The Malolo is your ship, not mine. I am at your service, and will be ready to sail in twenty-four hours.'
'And as I told you, sir, last night,' said old Sam, 'me and my ship are yours for as long as you want us. If harm has come to the boy, it is through me.'
'No, no, Captain Hawkins. Do not say that. You are in no way to blame. ”

“ Of course, the young lad mentioned must be Tom, and of course the New Zealand half-caste is my William Henry. Now sir what is to be done? I and my brig are at your service. If Tom and Maori Bill and the other man had a good boat they could have easily reached Fiji from Fotuna. And yet they might not have put to sea, after all; they might have gone ashore on some part of Fotuna and hidden until the Leonie had sailed! Fotuna is the place to try first, sir. They may be there now, waiting for a ship. ”

“ She answered below her breath: "'Tis rather I am a maid to be scorned, methinks.... Oh, look not so!" she added swiftly, "I must go within.... If they should know you have come..."
"Who should know?" cried I, very big; "and what care I who knows? I am not accustomed to shun them that question my behaviour."
"No, no, you are brave," said she, "and 'tis there that my peril lies, if not your own. You may defend yourself, a man may do so having a sword. But we women have no weapon."
"Who would hurt you?" I asked, moving a step back to the gate. "Not Guido Malpas, I warrant, this many a day." ”

“ The wife's eyes lit up, and again a smile illumined her beautiful face. 'Ah, Captain Herrendeen, how you talk! If I were strong enough, I would just get up and dance with you and Solepa and Mr. Wallis. I'm a girl again to-day, and don't care what I do. Come here, Tom--I guess I won't say "Mr." any more--now stoop. Why, you're as tall as a man, and I shouldn't do it, but I just shall!' and putting her hands on Tom's cheeks, she kissed him half a dozen times, much to the amusement of Herrendeen and Solepa, the latter clapping her hands and crying, 'Malie, malie! ”

“ If he has a fortune, she should be worth dollar for dollar besides. I don’t know what this Miss Thompson is, so I believe I’ll wait till Valeria North comes along.”
“Valeria North! why, my dear fellow, she would annihilate you!” returned Wallis, and he thought to himself, “this is the most ridiculous jackanapes I have ever met with; if I must be bored with his acquaintance, I’ll have a little fun with him;” and he added in a significant tone, “I thought there was some sort of magnetism by which you people of fashion found each other out. Is it possible you have not seen into Miss Thompson yet? ”