Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Thomas Birch on the Royal Society of London's Interest in divine rods/virgula divina in 1663

Recounting events in 1663, Thomas Birch noted the Royal Society of London’s short-lived interest in divining rods/virgula divina:

 

The virgula divina was ordered to be tried at the next meeting, Mr BOYLE and Mr. BRERETON affirming to have seen it succeed in the hands of others, though theirs were not so lucky as to have that effect performed by them. The operator was ordered to desire the apparatus from Mr. BRERETON, to be tried both by the naked hand, and after the way practiced by GABRIEL PLATT, printed in his treatise, intituled, A Discovery of Subterraneal treasures, p. 12.

 

Mr BOYLE was again desired to speak with the artist about the method of softening wood, and hardening it again.

 

Sir ROBERT MORAY related that an old watch, when to be mended, was found to have the steel so hard, that it could not be filed, either before it was heated, or after it was cooled again, but only whilst it was red hot. . . .

 

The virgula divina was tried, but by unlucky hands. It was ordered to be tried again with shoots of one year's growth, and after GABRIEL PLATT's method, trying the end of the hazel to a staff in the middle with a strong thread, so that it hang even, like the beam of a balance. (Thomas Birch, The History of the Royal Society of London for Improving of Natural Knowledge, From Its Frist Rise [London: A. Millar, 1756], 1:231-32, 234)