“On the Sixth Day of August last, in the Evening, between Six and Seven of the Clock, I went to take the Air upon the Walls of Chester, when I was surprized by a sudden Shower, which forced me to take Shelter in a Nich that afforded me a Seat in the Wall, near the North East Corner thereof. As I sat there, I observed an Iris, exceedingly vivid, as to its Colours , at first on the South Side only, but in a little Time with an entire Arch; and soon after, the Beams of the Sun being very strong, there appeared a secondary Iris, whole Colours were more than ordinary Bright; but inverted, as usually: that is, the Red outward, an è contra for the Blues.”
Dieser anekdotische, persönliche Stil zieht sich durch den ganzen Artikel. Halley beschreibt weiter, wie er noch ein dritten Regenbogen (Iris) beobachtet und leitet dann über zu einer anderen Beobachtung eines Regenbogens1. Auf Seite 195 schreibt Halley:
“On this Occasion, I can’t forebear relating another Appearance I saw in London streets on the 11th of March, in the Year 1696. It rained pretty thick a small rain, and the Sun, about Two of the Clock, shone directly down Abchurch-Lane, as I was passing along it with my Back to him, when I perceived the Arch of the primary Rain-Bow in the Drops of Rain spanning the Street like an Arch of a Building, under which I was to pass; (…)”
Und Halley beendet den Artikel mit:
“This, tho very uncommon, will not appear strange to those that have well considered the Nature of the Iris; but the Ancients who believed Iris the Messenger of the Gods, would have been apt to have thought she had some peculiar Message, when she placed her self so near me, as to be almost within reach: I understood her to invite me to inquire further into the Nature of her Production and accordingly, taking her under my Consideration, I had all the Success I could wish for, which perhaps may not be unacceptable to the Curious, if I publish one of the next Transactions.”
Man stelle sich so einen blumigen Text als “Conclusions” eines heutigen Papers vor 😉 !
Im Inhaltsverzeichnis von Band 20 der Philosophical Transactions findet man noch jede Menge weitere “interessante” Titel:
- “A Letter Wherein is Given an Account of the Catalogues of Manuscripts Lately Printed at Oxford” [link]
- “Part of a Letter from Dr. Musgrave, Fellow of the College of Physicians and R. S. to Dr. Sloane; Concerning a Piece of Antiquity Lately Found in Somersetshire” [link]
- “Captain Langford’s Observations of His Own Experience upon Huricanes, and Their Prognosticks. Communicated by Mr. Bonavert” [link]
- “Relation of the Symptoms That Attended the Death of Mr. Robert Burdett, an English Merchant of Aleppo, Who Was Kill’d by the Bite of a Serpent. Communicated by Mr. Aaron Goodyear, Who Was Then Present” [link]
- “An Objection to the New Hypothesis of the Generation of Animals from Animalcula in Semine Masculino. By Dr. Martin Lister, Fellow of the Colledge of Physicians and Royal Society” [link]
- “A Letter from Dr. Rob. Conny, to the Late Dr. Rob. Plot, F. R. S. Concerning a Shower of Fishes” [link]
- “Some Observations Sent from the East-Indies; Being in Answer to Some Queries Sent Thither by Richard Waller, Esq; F. R. S.” [link]
- “An Account of One Edmund Melloon, Born at Port Leicester, in Ireland, Who Was of an Extraordinary Size. Communicated by Dr. William Musgrave, Fellow of the College of Physicians, and R. S.” [link]
- “Account of a Monstrous Calf with Two Heads. Communicated by the Right Honourable, Sir Robert Southwell, V. P. R. S.” [link]
Das war natürlich nur eine mehr oder weniger willkürliche Auswahl – in den Transactions gibt es noch viel mehr nette Artikel zu entdecken (wer selber suchen will, dem kann ich die Benutzung von ADS empfehlen)
Ich bin leider kein Wissenschaftshistoriker – aber die Entwicklung von diesen frühen wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichung hin zu dem modernen System mit peer-review und impact factor würde mich sehr interessieren. Ich kann mir gut vorstellen, dass das schon jemand untersucht hat… habe aber leider noch nichts konkretes dazu gefunden
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