257 Written about 1800this old song describes the effect of the application of alcohol to surveying. It should be understoodhoweverthat the observation of celestial bodies through the bottom of an upturned beer glass is not conducive to good results and should not be attempted where a high (or any) standard of accuracy is required. The astronomer's drinking song „Whoe'er would search the starry sky, Its secrets to divine, sir, Should take this glass - I mean, should try A glass or two of wine, sir. True virtue lies in golden mean, And man must wet his clay, sir; Join these two maxims, and 'tis seen He should drink his bottle a day, sir. Old Archimedes, revered sage! By trump of fame renowned sir, Deep problems solved in every page, And the spheres curved surface found, sir: Himself he would have far outshone, And borne a wider sway, sir, Had he our modern secret known, And drank a bottle a day, sir. When Ptolemy, now long ago, Believed the earth stood still, sir, He would have never blundered so, Had he but drunk his fill, sir: He'd then have felt it circulate, And would have learnt to say, sir, The true way to investigate Is to drink your bottle a day, sir.

Digitale Tijdschriftenarchief Stichting De Hollandse Cirkel en Geo Informatie Nederland

Lustrumboek Snellius | 1965 | | pagina 252