University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Rare Book Room Exhibit

The author, with his son Thomas, was particularly interested in the practical applications of geometry. In the preface of this book Thomas Digges tells that his father had constructed an instrument by which he "not onely discouered things farre off, read letters, numbered peeces of money with the verye coyne and superscription thereof…but also seuen Myles off declared what hath beene doone at that instant in priuate places." If true, this would appear to be evidence of his having anticipated Galileo's telescope by nearly forty years.

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