A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
The singular importance of a study of Van Marum’s collection of scientific instruments
preserved in the Teyler’s Museum became apparent during a visit to Holland
in 1967, and especially after discussions with Trevor Levere, now of Toronto
University who had already made use of the archives belonging to the Hollandsche
Maatschappij der Wetenschappen. Through the kindness of the Directors of the
Teyler’s Stichting, who permitted access to their collection and archives, and
through the financial support of the Directors of the Hollandsche Maatschappij, I
was enabled to study the collection and to prepare this Catalogue. For their help in
making these arrangements, I thank the Directors of Teyler’s Stichting, and Jhr. Mr.
C. C. van Valkenburg, President of the Hollandsche Maatschappij. I acknowledge
the support of the editor of the series in which this volume forms a part, the late
Professor Dr. Ir. R. J. Forbes, who was also the Secretary of the Hollandsche
Maatschappij when the project was started.
In 1968, and in each subsequent year, I visited the Teyler’s Museum, accompanied
by Dr. Levere, Christopher Hill or my wife, Helen Turner, to examine the instruments,
take photographs and use the library. In these tasks I have had the unstinting
aid of Mr. J. H. van Borssum Buisman, Acting Curator, and Mr. J. G. de Bruijn,
Librarian and Archivist of Teyler’s Stichting and of the Hollandsche Maatschappij.
The staffs of both the Museum and the Society have given cheerful support during
the periods of the annual invasion.
A particular word of thanks is due to Mr. E. Lefebvre, publisher to and a Director
of the Hollandsche Maatschappij, for his hospitality and for his inestimable help on
countless occasions. Because other duties prevented me from spending an extended
period in Holland, he has been the main link between Oxford and Haarlem.
In the production of a catalogue such as this, during a time before the development
of a corpus of knowledge on eighteenth-century scientific instruments, I have
been dependent on the assistance of many people in many ways. Those particularly
knowledgeable in the field, and whose advice and interest during the project has
been vital, are David Bryden, Curator of the Whipple Museum of Science, Cambridge,
and Willem Hackmann, Wellcome Research Fellow, Oxford. For his special
knowledge of Dutch science and of Van Marum and his time, I have relied on
Dr. Levere. There are others who have freely contributed advice and information,
and these include: Francis Maddison, Curator of the Museum of the History of
Science, Oxford; Dr. John Chaldecott, Keeper of the Science Museum Library,
London; Lt. Cdr. D. W. Waters, Keeper of the National Maritime Museum,
Greenwich, and his colleagues, Lt. Cdr. H. D. Howse, MBE, Head of the Department
of Astronomy, and Alan Stimson, Assistant Keeper, Department of Navigation;
Dr. Robert Fox, University of Lancaster; Dr. Savile Bradbury, Pembroke
College, Oxford.
In addition to the resources of the Teyler’s Museum and of the Museum of the
History of Science, I have naturally used those provided by the Bodleian Library
and the Radcliffe Science Library, Oxford. In the latter, Dr. D. Stocker and Mr. T.
J. R. Warren have been most patient and ready with solutions to all problems.
For an amanuensis, I have been fortunate enough to be able to rely on my wife,
who has assisted in several journeys to museums in Europe, has sorted photographs
and papers, and has read and advised on drafts and proofs. Mark Turner and Jane
Turner have also contributed their help whenever asked.
Oxford, January 1973 Gerard L’E. Turner
A P P E N D I X I
Van M a rum ’s Inventory o f the Physical Instruments in
T e y le r ’s Museum
It is not known when Van Marum wrote his Inventory, but the suggestion has been
made that it dates from about 1812. The Inventory includes two Voltaic piles, which
implies a date after 1800. The appearance of the manuscript — in Van Marum’s own
hand — suggests that it was written hastily, and without immediate reference to the
objects. This is shown by the ommission of some measurements and literature references,
and by interpolations. Some items purchased before 1800 are omitted. The
value of this Inventory to the historian lies in the descriptions of apparatus no longer
extant. The scale of the collection is, therefore, shown to be greater than now appears.
The translation has been kept as close to the original as possible; Van Marum’s
phraseology is not always clear. His references to books and journals have been reproduced,
with the exception of the Transactions of the Teyler’s Society, which
is referred to as the Verhandelingen. The volume numbers, plate numbers, and figure
numbers have been standardized to conform with the rest of Part II of this volume.
Proper names have been reproduced in Van Marum’s spelling, except for his various
contractions o f ’s Gravesande, Musschenbroek, and Desaguliers, which are here
given in full.
C A T A L O G U S A P P A R A T U S P H Y S I C I
Those items marked thus: f are either lost or unidentifiable.
Page 1
W E I G H I N G A N D M E C H A N I C S
Centre of Gravity
1 A level of boxwood.
2 An irregular polygonal board with divisions of inlaid boxwood, to show that
a body cannot topple as long as the centre of gravity is supported.
3 A cylinder and a smaller piece of boxwood, cut at an angle, and with extensions
at the same end; Desaguliers, i, VIII, fig. 6, and IX, fig. 9; and two
others, which stand at the same angle as the towers of Pisa and of Bologna;
Desaguliers, VIII, fig. 7, 8.
4 The double cone rolling up an incline according to ’s Gravesande, Elem.
Phys., VII, fig. 1.
5 Two small conical buckets of brass, in which the centre of gravity is displaced
depending on whether they are empty or filled; Desaguliers, i, VI, fig. 6, 8.
0 A double incline with two disks weighted on one side with lead, which, on
the incline, move to and fro until they remain stationary at the highest point;
Desaguliers, i, VII, fig. 7.