1. Note on the Early History of Spectrum Analysis

Extract

Newton, in his observations on the spectrum, appears never to have used a narrow aperture. In fact there was nothing, in the existing state of knowledge in his day, to lead him to suppose that this would alter the phenomena.

Wollaston was the first who observed some obscure bands in the spectrum, by viewing with a prism the aperture left by the shutters of his room when nearly closed. It is surprising that this acute philosopher did not follow up the hint thus accidentally presented to him, but contented himself with the rude observation above mentioned.