182
Reflection upon
the Experiments of the Academy del Cimento, to Galileo Galilei, who found out so many excellent Theorems of the Nature and Proportions of the Motions of Projected and Vibrating Bodies. He says that Galileo first applied the Pendulum to Clock-work; and that his Son Vincenzio put it in practice in the Year 1649 (e).(c) Experiments of the Academy del Cimento, p. 12. Edit. Eng. It was little taken notice of, however, in these Parts, till Monsieur Huygens revived or invented it a-new; to whom, for that Reason, the Glory of finding out this useful Instrument is commonly attributed. Upon this Occasion I ought not to omit that great Improvement of Watches, by adding a Second Spring to balance the First; (as the Pendulum in a Clock does the Weights) which also is attributed to Monsieur Huygens, though he and Dr. Hook have both contended for the Honour of this useful Invention. It appears by the Philosophical Transactions, and by Dr. Hook's Lectures, that he had a right Notion of this Matter, and that he had made several Essays to reduce it to Practice, some Years before any of Monsieur Huygens's Watches were produced; but that Monsieur Huygens first made Pendulum-Watches (so they are commonly called) that proved thoroughly serviceable. These will not be disputed to
be
