Biography of Robert Moray Philosopher 1608-1673

Minutes of the Royal Society. 11 Jun 1662. 82. Royal Society Meeting Minutes.

Sir Robert Moray (age 54) President.

Dr Petty's (age 51) brother (age 42) showed the Society a draft of the pleasure boat he is to make for the King (age 32).

Lord Berkeley of Berkely (age 13) presented the Society with a Bird of Paradise having two feet.

Dr Goddard brought in a moth with feathered wings.

Mr Evelyn (age 41) presentd the Society with a book called 'The History of Chalcogrphij'.

Mr Ball to be asked to produce his 'Magnetick Instruments',

Mr Boyle¹ presented the Society with a book of the 'Weight and Spring of Air'; and also with a glass tube filled with Minium, wherewith the experiment of filtering was made.

The Amanuensis to enquire about the depth of the water under the arches of London Bridge.

Mr Croone (age 28) to write to Dr Power about the trial of heat and cold in deep caves.

The Amanuensis to bespeak the long glass tube for the Torricellian Experiment.

Note 1. Not clear which Mr Boyle this is since Richard Boyle was elected 20 May 1663 and Robert Boyle (age 36) on 22 Apr 1663.

Minutes of the Royal Society. 18 Jun 1662. 83. Royal Society Meeting Minutes.

Mr Palmer showed the company three pieces of painted silk material

Mr Croone (age 28) read Mr Evelyn's (age 41) account of the Rowling press.

The Amanuensis to provide a box of blacking.

Dr Goddard (age 45) set several pieces fo gold to anneal and showed their allays.

Mr Palmer to speak to Mr Grigory to come to the Society for the discourse fo the tinged stuffs.

Dr Goddard (age 45) rea his account of the refining of gold by Antimony and Aqua Regis: It was ordered to be registered. [Note in margin; fol. 167]

Sir Robert Moray (age 54) read his account of the sounding of the depths of water without a line. Ordered ti be registered. [Note in margin; for. 178]

The Operator to enquire of the length of time fishermen keep their fishes without feeding them.

Sir William Petty (age 39) proposed a Standard for knowing the velocity of seimming bodies.

Pepy's Diary. 01 May 1665. Thence to the Duke of Albemarle (age 56), where I was sorry to find myself to come a little late, and so home, and at noon going to the 'Change [Map] I met my Lord Brunkard (age 45), Sir Robert Murry (age 57), Deane Wilkins (age 51), and Mr. Hooke (age 29), going by coach to Colonell Blunts (age 61) to dinner. So they stopped and took me with them. Landed at the Tower-wharf, and thence by water to Greenwich, Kent [Map]; and there coaches met us; and to his house, a very stately sight for situation and brave plantations; and among others, a vineyard, the first that ever I did see. No extraordinary dinner, nor any other entertainment good; but only after dinner to the tryall of some experiments about making of coaches easy. And several we tried; but one did prove mighty easy (not here for me to describe, but the whole body of the coach lies upon one long spring), and we all, one after another, rid in it; and it is very fine and likely to take. These experiments were the intent of their coming, and pretty they are.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Feb 1667. By and by with Lord Bruncker (age 47) by coach to his house, there to hear some Italian musique: and here we met Tom Killigrew (age 55), Sir Robert Murray (age 59), and the Italian Signor Baptista, who hath composed a play in Italian for the Opera, which T. Killigrew do intend to have up; and here he did sing one of the acts. He himself is the poet as well as the musician; which is very much, and did sing the whole from the words without any musique prickt, and played all along upon a harpsicon most admirably, and the composition most excellent. The words I did not understand, and so know not how they are fitted, but believe very well, and all in the recitativo very fine. But I perceive there is a proper accent in every country's discourse, and that do reach in their setting of notes to words, which, therefore, cannot be natural to any body else but them; so that I am not so much smitten with it as, it may be, I should be, if I were acquainted with their accent. But the whole composition is certainly most excellent; and the poetry, T. Killigrew and Sir R. Murray (age 59), who understood the words, did say was excellent. I confess I was mightily pleased with the musique. He pretends not to voice, though it be good, but not excellent.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Feb 1667. Thence away to my Lord Bruncker's (age 47), and there was Sir Robert Murray (age 59), whom I never understood so well as now by this opportunity of discourse with him, a most excellent man of reason and learning, and understands the doctrine of musique, and everything else I could discourse of, very finely. Here come Mr. Hooke (age 31), Sir George Ent, Dr. Wren (age 43), and many others; and by and by the musique, that is to say, Signor Vincentio, who is the master-composer, and six more, whereof two eunuches, so tall, that Sir T. Harvey (age 41) said well that he believes they do grow large by being gelt as our oxen do, and one woman very well dressed and handsome enough, but would not be kissed, as Mr. Killigrew (age 55), who brought the company in, did acquaint us. They sent two harpsicons before; and by and by, after tuning them, they begun; and, I confess, very good musique they made; that is, the composition exceeding good, but yet not at all more pleasing to me than what I have heard in English by Mrs. Knipp, Captain Cooke (age 51), and others. Nor do I dote on the eunuches; they sing, indeed, pretty high, and have a mellow kind of sound, but yet I have been as well satisfied with several women's voices and men also, as Crispe of the Wardrobe. The women sung well, but that which distinguishes all is this, that in singing, the words are to be considered, and how they are fitted with notes, and then the common accent of the country is to be known and understood by the hearer, or he will never be a good judge of the vocal musique of another country. So that I was not taken with this at all, neither understanding the first, nor by practice reconciled to the latter, so that their motions, and risings and fallings, though it may be pleasing to an Italian, or one that understands the tongue, yet to me it did not, but do from my heart believe that I could set words in English, and make musique of them more agreeable to any Englishman's eare (the most judicious) than any Italian musique set for the voice, and performed before the same man, unless he be acquainted with the Italian accent of speech. The composition as to the musique part was exceeding good, and their justness in keeping time by practice much before any that we have, unless it be a good band of practised fiddlers.

Pepy's Diary. 15 Jan 1669. Thence he and I out of doors, but he to Sir J. Duncomb (age 46), and I to White Hall through the Park, where I met the King (age 38) and the Duke of York (age 35), and so walked with them, and so to White Hall, where the Duke of York (age 35) met the office and did a little business; and I did give him thanks for his favour to me yesterday, at the Committee of Tangier, in my absence, Mr. Povy (age 55) having given me advice of it, of the discourse there of doing something as to the putting the payment of the garrison into some undertaker's hand, Alderman Backewell (age 51), which the Duke of York (age 35) would not suffer to go on, without my presence at the debate. And he answered me just thus: that he ought to have a care of him that do the King's business in the manner that I do, and words of more force than that. Then down with Lord Brouncker (age 49) to Sir R. Murray (age 61), into the King's little elaboratory, under his closet, a pretty place; and there saw a great many chymical glasses and things, but understood none of them. So I home and to dinner, and then out again and stop with my wife at my cozen Turner's where I staid and sat a while, and carried The. (age 17) and my wife to the Duke of York's (age 35) house, to "Macbeth", and myself to White Hall, to the Lords of the Treasury, about Tangier business; and there was by at much merry discourse between them and my Lord Anglesey (age 54), who made sport of our new Treasurers, and called them his deputys, and much of that kind. And having done my own business, I away back, and carried my cozen Turner and sister Dyke to a friend's house, where they were to sup, in Lincoln's Inn Fields; and I to the Duke of York's (age 35) house and saw the last two acts, and so carried The. (age 17) thither, and so home with my wife, who read to me late, and so to supper and to bed. This day The. Turner (age 17) shewed me at the play my Baroness Portman (age 29), who has grown out of my knowledge.

Evelyn's Diary. 19 Jul 1670. I accompanied my worthy friend, that excellent man, Sir Robert Murray (age 62), with Mr. Slingsby (age 49), Master of the Mint, to see the latter's seat and estate at Burrow-Green [Map] in Cambridgeshire, he desiring our advice for placing a new house, which he was resolved to build. We set out in a coach and six horses with him and his lady, dined about midway at one Mr. Turner's, where we found a very noble dinner, venison, music, and a circle of country ladies and their gallants. After dinner, we proceeded, and came to Burrow-Green [Map] that night. This had been the ancient seat of the Cheekes (whose daughter Mr. Slingsby (age 49) married), formerly tutor to King Henry VI [NOTE. Possibly a mistake for Edward VI since John Cheke was tutor to Edward VI]. The old house large and ample, and built for ancient hospitality, ready to fall down with age, placed in a dirty hole, a stiff clay, no water, next an adjoining church-yard, and with other inconveniences. We pitched on a spot of rising ground, adorned with venerable woods, a dry and sweet prospect east and west, and fit for a park, but no running water; at a mile distance from the old house.