In the trial at Westminster-hall about the patent for making achromatic telescopes, Mr. Hall was allowed to be the inventor; but lord Mansfield observed, thet »it was not the person who locked up his invention in his scrutoire that ought to profit by a patent for such invention, but he who brought it forth for the benefit of the public». This, perhaps, may be said with some degree of justice, as Mr. Hall was a gentleman of property, and did not to any pecuniary advantage from his discovery; and consequently, it is very probable that he might not have an intention to make it generally known at that time.
That Mr. Ayscough, optician on Ludgate Hill, was in possession of one of Mr. Halls achromatic telescopes in 1754, is a fact which at this time will not be disputed.
Det ser alltså ut, som om Hall verkligen redan 1729 sysslat med förfärdigandet av akromatiska linser och t. o. m. utfört sådana, men man måste i fråga om prioritet likaväl som om patent instämma med lord Mansfield, att det icke är den, som i 20 år gömt en uppfinning i sin bordslåda, utan den som publicerat den, som bör hava heder av upptäckten.
LITTERATUR.
| 1. | Brev och dokument rörande Klingenstierna
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| 2. | Claes Annerstedts handskrivna samlingar till Upsala Universitets Historia i Uppsala universitets bibliotek:
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