Bernier, François, Travels in the Mogul Empire A.D. 1656-1668

(Westminster, Eng. :  Constable,  1891.)

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478                          APPENDIX V.

Institution Oldenburg was appointed Secretary. He performed the
duties of his office with extraordinary zeal, carried on an extensive
correspondence with learned foreigners, and published the Philosojihical
Transactions from 1664 to 1677, contributing largely to them himself
His constant epistolary communication with foreign savants, sometimes
carried on under the anagrammatic name of Grubendol,' led to his being
suspected of treasonable practices, and to his imprisonment in the
Tower. He was, however, quickly liberated. His correspondence, so
far as preserved, has been of the greatest importance in all questions
relating to the scientific history of the time.

' Towards the close of his life he was much distressed by a controversy
with Ilooke respecting the mechanism of watches, which was terminated
by the Council deciding in his favour. His portrait represents him
holding a watch in his hand, probably in allusion to this controversy.'

For the following account of the Oldenburg portrait I am indebted to
Mr. George Scharf, C.B., the Keeper and Secretary of the National
Portrait Gallery, who, through his assistant Mr. L. G. Holland, caused
it to be examined for the purpose, and whose description is as follows :—

'A life-sized figure, seen to the waist, turned to the right [spectator's],
face seen in three-quarters to the left, his dark chestnut eyes look
piercingly at the spectator, with a severe expression, thick aquiline nose,
thin dark grey eyebrows, tanned complexion, fat cheeks and full neck,
double, cloven chin, compressed thin lips and peculiar long scanty
dark moustaches, which only cover the middle space between his
nostrils and upper lip. His dark auburn hair is parted in the middle
and hangs down in masses on each side to his shoulders. His dress is
of sombre black, only relieved by a broad lie-down collar and cuffs of
blue-grey. His right hand rests on a table holding a gold watch-case,
the upper lid of which is open, by a handle ; while his left hand, dis¬
playing a ring on the little finger, is raised to his left breast. The
shadows are very dark, and background plain dark brown.'

t when examining the Oldenburg MSS. I chanced to find the following passage in
the ' office copy' of a letter, dated London, June 30th, i66g, and addressed to Mr.
George Cotton in Rome, concerning a philosophical correspondence:—'And I
would desire that the Inscription of your Letters to mee may only run thus;—A
Monsieur Monsr. Grubendol, a Londres : No more but soe, and all will come more
safely to my hands, than if they were directed to my owne name.'    .\. c.
  Page 478