A? 个人感觉没区别,不过on hearing 强调“当。。。”,而hear of 强调“听说。。。”。很多东西可以听,但是不能听说,比如声音。。。 B的问题明显不在这里。。。 你不觉得B的句子根本就不顺么。。。缺主语呀
(Galileo had not invented the telescope), [but (when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made,) quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.] 看后半句,谁quickly built 呀。。。 还有,习惯上,如果动词接从句,这两个词之间可以有插入成分,如果是动词+介词,通常不往其中插入成分(一般性规律)