the accensed matter with such pernicity and vehemence and reciprocal arietations and in such swarms as that they repel the water affused and permit it not to enter the pores of the fewel as constantly happens in Wild-fire where the ingredients are Unctuous and consist of very tenacious particles in that case Water is so far from extinguishing the flame that it makes it more impetuous and raging However we shall acknowledg thus much that if the Principality of Cold must be adscribed to one of the Three vulgar Elements the Aer doubtless hath the best title thereunto because being the most Lax and Porous bodie of the Three it doth most easily admit and most plentifully harbour the seeds of Cold and being also subtile and Fluid it doth most easily immit or carry them along with it self into the pores of other bodies and so not only Infrigidate but some times Congeal and Conglaciate them in case they be of such Contextures and such particles as are susceptible of Congelation and Conglaciation The Fable of the Satyr and Wayfering man who blew hot and cold though in the mouth of every School-boy is yet scarce understood by their Masters nay the greatest Philosophers have found the reason of that Contrariety of Effects from one and the same Cause to be highly problematical Wherefore since we are fallen upon the cause of the Frigidity in the Aer and the Frigidity of our Breath doth materially depend thereon opportunity invites Us to solve that Problem which though both Aristotle sect 3. prob 7. Anaximenes apud Plutarch de frigore primigenio have strongly attempted yet have they left it to the conquest of Epicurus principles viz. Why doth the breath of a man warme when effâ—ated with the mouth wide open and cool when efflated with the mouth contraâ—â—ed To omit the opinions of others therefore we conceive the cause hereof to be only this that albeit the Breath doth consist of aer for the most part fraught with Calorifick Atoms emitted from the lungs and vital organs yet hath it many Frigorifick ones also interspersed among its particles which being of greater bulk than the Calorifick and so capable of a stronger impuls are by the force of efflation transmitted to greatter distance from the mouth because the Calorifick Atoms commixt with the breath in regard of their exility are no sooner dischaged from the mouth than they instantly disperse in round Wence it comes that if the breath be expired in 〈◊〉 large stream or with the mouth wide open because the circuit of the 〈◊〉 of breaâ—h is large and so the Hot Atoms emitted are not so soon dispersed therefore doth the stream feel warme to the hand objected there and so much the more warme by how much neerer the hand is held to the mouth the Calorifick Atoms being less and less Dissipated in each degree of remove But in case the breath be â—mitted with contracted lipps becausâ—â—hen the compass of the stream is small and the force of Efflation greater 〈◊〉 therefore are the Calorifick Atoms soon Disgregated and the Frigorificâ— only râ—main commixt with the Aer which affects the objected hand 〈◊〉 Cold and by how much farther in the limits of the power of Efflation◠〈◊〉 hand is held from the mouth by so much colder doth the breath appear 〈…〉 contra That Calorifick Atoms are subject to more and more 〈…〉 the stream of a Fluid substance to which they are commixt is greater and greater in circuit may be confirmed from hence that if we poure hoâ—â—â—ter from on high in frosty weather we shall observe a fume to issue 〈◊〉 â—scend from the stream all along and that so much the more plentifully by how much greater the stream is Thus we use to cool Burnt wine or 〈◊〉 by frequent refunding it from vessel to vessel or infunding it into broad and shallow vessels that so the Atoms of Heat may be the sooner disperâ—â—â— for by how much larger the superfice of the liquor is made by so much more of liberty for Exsilition is given to the Atoms of Heat containeâ—â—herein and as much of Insinuation to the Atoms of Cold in company 〈◊〉 the circumstant Aer Thus also we cool our faces in the heat of 〈◊〉 with fanning the aer towards us the Hot Atoms being thereby 〈◊〉 and the Cold impelled deeper into the pores of the skin which 〈…〉 the reason why all Winds appear so much the Colder by how much â—â—â—onger they blowe as Deâ—s Cartes hath well observed in these words 〈…〉 vehementior majoris frigiditatis perceptionem quam aer 〈…〉 corpore nostro excitat quod aer quietus tantùm exteriorem nostram 〈…〉 quae interiâ—ribus nostris carnibus frigidior est contingat ventus vero â—â—hementius in corpus nostrum actus etiam in penetralia ejus adigatur 〈◊〉 illa siut cute calidiora id circo etiam majorem frigiditatem ab ejus contaâ—â—â— percipiunt In our preceâ—ent Article touching the necessary assignatin of a Tetrahedical Figure 〈…〉 Atoms of Cold we remember we said that in respect of their 〈…〉 or plane faces they were most apt to Compinge or bind in the particle 〈◊〉 all Concretions into which they are intromitted and from thence we shalâ—â—â—ke the hint of inferring Three noble CONSECTARIES 1. That 〈◊〉 Snow Hail Hoarfrost and all Congelations are made meerly by thâ—â—â—â—romission of Frigorifick Atoms among the particles of 〈…〉 being once insinuated and commixt among them in sufficieâ—◠〈…〉 alter their fluid and lax consistence into a rigid and compact i. e. they Congeal them 2. That 〈…〉 or Trembling sometimes observed in the members of 〈…〉 that Rigor or Shaking in the beginning of most putri◠〈…〉 when the Fits of Intermittent fevers invade are chiefly cause◠〈◊〉 Frigorifick Atoms For when the Spherical Atoms of Heat which swarm in and vivifie the bodies of Animals are not moved quaquaversùm in the members with such freedom velocity and directness excentrically as they ought because meeting and contesting with those less Agile Atoms of Cold which have entred the body upon its chilling their proper motion is thereby impeded they are strongly repelled and made to recoyle towards the Central parts of the bodie in avoydance of their Adversary the Cold ones and in that tumultuous retreat or introcession they vellicate the fibres of the membranous and nervous parts and so cause a kind of vibration or contraction which if only of the skin makes that symptome which Physicians call a Horror but if of the Muscles in the Habit of the bodie makes that more vehement Concussion which they call a Rigor Either of which doth so long endure as till the Atoms of Heat being more strong by Concentration and Union have re-encountered and expelled them That it is of the Nature of Hot Atoms when invaded by a greater number of Cold ones to recoyle from them and concentre themselves in the middle of the body that contains them is demonstrable from the Experiment of Frozen
to assist the Contention of her optique Nerves and Muscles that so those Spirits may be ejaculated with great force For that an old woman though as highly malignant in her Nature and Malice as can be supposed should be able to infect and envenome an Infant at great distance is not to admitted by any but such as have ignorance enough to excuse their perswasion of the highest Impossibility imaginable But that she may in some measure contribute to the indisposition of an Infant at whom she shoots her maligne Eye-beams neer at hand may receive much of credit from the Pollution of a Lookinglass by the adspect of a Menstruous woman and from the Contagion of Blear Eyes Coughing Oscitation or Gaping Pissing and the like all which are observed to be somewhat infectious to the standers by 10 You may call it Fascination also if you please when the Torpedo doth benumb or stupifie the hand of the Fisherman For as the Maleficiation of Infants is the Effect only of certain malign or ill conditioned Emanations transmitted to them from the brain of some malevolent and half venemous Ruines of a woman so likewise must the stupefaction of the hand of the Fisherman be the Effect of certain Stupefactive Emanations either immediately or by the mediation of a staff or other continued body transmitted thereunto from the offended Fish which Emanations by a Faculty holding some neer Analogy to that of Opium Hyosciamus and other strong Narcoticks or stupefactive Medicaments do in a moment Dull and Fix the Spirits in the part that they invade and so make it Heavy Senseless and unfit for voluntary motion 11 But how shall we get free of that Difficulty wherein so many high-going Wits have been Gravell'd the sudden arrest of a ship under sail by the small Fish Echineis thereupon general called a Remora We cannot expede our selves from it by having recourse to any Fixing Emanations transmitted from the Fish to the ship because the Motion thereof is not voluntary but from External Impulse nor hath the ship any spirits or other Active principles of motion that can be supposed capable of Alteration by any influx whatever Nor by alleaging any motion contrary to that of the tide winds and oares impressed upon the ship by the Remora because whatsoever kind of Impulse or Force can be imagined impressible upon it thereby yet can it never be sufficient to impede and suppress the so violent motion thereof insomuch as the Remora neither adhaering to any rock shelf or other place more firme than the water but only to the ship 〈◊〉 self must want that fixation Firmitude that is inevitably necessary whenever any thing doth stop or move another thing of greater weight then it self What then shall we impeach of unfaithfulness all those Authentick Historians who have recorded the suddain and prodigious Arrests of the ships of Periaâ—â—er Aâ—tigonus and Caius Caligula in the middest of their Courses though therein advantaged by the Conspiring impulses of Saâ—ls and Oares Not so neither because many other vessels as well before as since have been stopped in the like manner and there is in nature Another Cause incompâ—â—ably more potent and so more likely to have arrested them than that 〈◊〉 small and weak Fish Echmeis and that is the Contrary motion of the sea which our Mariners â—who also have been often troubled with 〈◊〉 experiments of its Retropellent Force call the Current which is alwayes most strong and cumbersome in narrow and aufractuous Chanels Whâ—â—h being scarce known to the Sea-men of those times when Navigation and Hydrography were yet in their infancy and few Pilots so expert as to dâ—â—â—â—minate the several Re-encounters or Contrary Drifts of Waters in 〈◊〉 â—nd the same Creek or Arme of the Sea when they found any 〈◊〉 â—â—ddenly retarded and impeded in its course they never conceived that â—â—moration to arise from some Contrary Current of Waters in that plaâ—â—â—ut from some Impediment in the bottome or keel of the vesseâ—â—t sel◠〈◊〉 â—s â—hey searched there for it if it hapned twice or thrice that they 〈…〉 small Fish such as the Concha Veneris or any other not 〈…〉 adhaering to the lower part of the Rudder or Keel they instantly 〈◊〉 without any examinâ—tion at all whether so weak a cause might not be 〈…〉 to so great an Effect imputed the Remoration of theâ—r 〈…〉 Historians indeed tell us that the Admiral Galley which â—â—â—ried the Emperour Caligula in his last voyage to Rome was unexpecteâ— Arâ—ested in the middest of all his numerous Fleet and that an 〈…〉 found sticking to the bottom thereof but they forgot to tell us 〈◊〉 or no there were any other Fishes of the same kind affixed to any 〈◊〉 of the Galleys that kept on their course and we have good â—â—ason 〈◊〉 â—â—njecture that there were because very few ships are brought into 〈◊〉 and Docks to be carined but have many small fishes resembling 〈◊〉 adhaering to their bottoms as ourselves have more than once obseâ—â—â—â— in Holland Besides since at Caligula's putting forth â—â—om Astura 〈◊〉 Island Port and steering his course for Antium his Galley as is 〈◊〉 custome of Admirals kept up in the middle Chanell 〈…〉 encountred and opposed by some special current or violent 〈…〉 place so streitly pent in on both sides by the situation oâ— certain 〈◊〉 and Shelves as that its greatest force was in one certain pâ—râ— oâ— the â—â—aneâ—l and so not extensible to the other Galleys of his Navy 〈…〉 â—owed neerer to the shoars and so rode upon free water 〈…〉 are now adayes often Arrested by special Currents in the 〈…〉 whose Chanels are rocky aufractuous and vortiâ—ou◠〈…〉 to frequent Eddies and strong Whirlepools and neer 〈…〉 every day behold the Contrary Drifts of ships by the 〈…〉 in the same Arme of the Sea some vessels being 〈…〉 whether the sea runs out while others rice toward 〈…〉 sea runâ— in 12 So unlimited is the Credulity of man that some have gone farther yet from the bounds of Reason and imagined a Second wonderful Faculty in the Remora viz. the Praesagition of violent Death or some eminent Disaster to the chief person in the ship which it arresteth For Pliny lib. 9. cap. 25. lib. 23. cap. 1. will needs have it a Prodigy portending the murder of Caligula which ensued shortly after his arrival at Rome from Astura and that by the like arresting of the ship of Perianders Ambassadors sent to obtain an edict for the Castration of all Noble youths Nature did declare her high detestation of that Course so destructive to the way of Generation that she had instituted for the Conservation of her noblest species But every man knows how easie it is to make any sinister Accident the Omen of a tragical Event after it hath happened and that Plinies Remark upon the inhuman Embassie and succeeding Infortune of Perianders Messengers would better beseem the ranging pen or tongue of an Orator than the strict
of the inside of the Uvea Tunica 6 The Tunica Arachnoides 7 The Ciliary Filaments thereof 8 The Chrystalline 9 The Retina Tunica 10 The six Muscles viz. 1 The Direct as the Atollent Depriment Adducent Abducent 2 And Oblique as the 2 Circumactors or Lovers Muscles 173 to 177 3 Why the Situation of an object is perceived by the sight 177 4 The Reason of the eversion of the Image in the Amphiblestroides 178 5 The same illustrate by an Experiment ibid. 6 Why the Motion and Quiet of objects are discerned by the sight ibid. 7 Why Catoptrical Images imitate the motions of their Antitipes or Originals ibid. 8 Why the right side of a Catoptrical Image respects the Left of its Exemplar And why two Catoptrick Glasses confrontingly posited cause a Restitution of the parts of the Image to the natural Form 180 CHAP. IV. The Nature of Colours p. 182. SECT I. ARTIC 1 THe Argument duly acknowledged to be superlatively Difficult if not absolutely Acataleptical ibid. 2 The sentence of Aristotle concerning the Nature of Colours and the Commentary of Scaliger thereupon 183 3 The opinion of Plato ibid. 4 Of the Pythagorean and Stoick 184 5 Of the Spagyrical Philosophers ibid. 6 The reason of the Authors desertion of all these and election of Democritus and Epicurus judgement touching the Generation of Colours ibid. 7 The Text of Epicurus fully and faithfully expounded 185 SECT II. ARTIC 1 A PARADOX That there are no Colours in the Dark 186 2 A familiar Experiment attesting the Verity thereof ibid. 3 The Constancy of all Artificial Tinctures dependent on the constancy of Disposition in the superficial Particles of the Bodies that wear them 187 4 That so generally magnified Distinction of Colours into Inhaerent and meerly Apparent redargued of manifest Contradiction ibid. 5 The Emphatical or Evanid Colours created by Prisms no less Real and Inhaerent than the most Durable Tinctures 188 6 COROLLARY The Reasons of Emphatical Colours appinged on Bodies objected by a Prism 189 7 The true Difference of Emphatical and Durable Colours briefly stated ibid. 8 No Colour Formally inhaerent in objects but only Materially or Effectively contrary to the constant Tenent of the Schools ibid 9 The same farther vindicated from Difficulty by the tempestive Recognition of some praecedent Assumptions of the Atomists 190 SECT III. ARTIC 1 THe Nativity of White or the reason of its perception by the sight 191 2 Black a meer Privation of Light ibid. 3 The Genealogy of all Intermediate Colors ibid. 4 The Causes of the Sympathy and Antipathy of some Colours 192 5 The intermisâ—ion of small shadows among the lines of Light absolutely necessary to the Generation of any Intermediate Colour ibid. 6 Two eminent PROBLEMS concerning the Generation and Transposition of the Vermillion and Caerule appinged on Bodies by Prismes 193 7 The Solution of the Former with a rational Conjecture of the Cause of the Blew apparent in the Concave of the Heavens 194 8 The Solution of the Latter 195 9 The Reasons why the Author proceeds not to investigate the Causes of Compound Colours in Particular 196 10 He confesseth the Erection of this whole Discourse on simple Conjecture and enumerates the Difficulties to be subdued by him who hopes to attain an Apodictical Knowledge of the Essence and Causes of Colours ibid. 11 Des Cartes attempt to dissolve the chief of those Difficulties unsuccessful because grounded on an unstable Hypothesis 197 CHAP. V. The Nature of Light p. 198. SECT I. ARTIC 1 THe Clasp or Ligament of this to the praecedent Chapter ibid. 2 The Authors Notion of the Rays of Light ibid. 3 A Parallelism betwixt a stream of Water exsilient from the Cock of a Cistern and a Ray of Light emanent from its Lucid Fountain ibid PRAECONSIDERABLES 199 4 Light distinguisht into Primary Secondary c. 199 5 All Light Debilitated by Reflection and why ibid. 6 An Example sensibly demomonstrating the same 200 7 That light is in perpetual Motion according to Aristotle ibid. 8 Light why Corroborated in some cases and Debilitated in others by Refraction 201 COROLLARY Why the Figure of the Sun both rising and setting appears rather Elliptical than Sphaerical ibid. 9 PARADOX That the proportion of Solary Rays reflected by the superior Aer or Aether toward the Earth is so small as not to be sensible 202 10 That every Lucid Body as Lucid doth emit its Rays Sphaerically but as Visible Pyramidally ibid. 11 That Light is invisible in the pure medium 203 SECT II. ARTIC 1 THe necessity of the Authors confirmation of the First Praeconsiderable 204 2 The Corporiety of Light demonstrated by its just Attributes viz. 1 Locomotion 2 Resilition 3 Refraction 4 Coition 5 Disgregation 6 Igniety 224 225 3 Aristotles Definition of Light a meer Ambage and incomprehensible 205 4 TheCorporiety of Light imports not the Coexistence of two Bodies in one Place contrary to the Peripatetick 206 5 Nor the motion of a Body to be Instantaneous ibid. 6 The Invisibility of Light in the limpid medium no Argument of its Immateriality as the Peripatetick praesumes ibid. 7 The Corporiety of Light fully consistent with the Duration of the Sun contrary to the Peripatetick 207 8 The insensibility of Heat in many Lucent Bodies no valid Argument against the praesent Thesis that Light is Flame Attenuated ibid. CHAP. VI. The Nature of a Sound p 208. SECT I. ARTIC 1 AN Elogy of the sense of Hearing and the Relation of this and the praecedent Chapter ibid. 2 The great Affinity betwixt Visible and Audible species in their representation of the superficial Conditions of Objects 209 3 In the Causes and manner of their Destruction ibid. 4 In their Actinobolism or Diffusion both Sphaerical and Pyramidal 210 5 In their certifying the sense of the Magnitude Figure and other Qualities of their Originals ibid. 6 In the obscuration of Less by Greater 211 7 In their offence of the organs when excessive ibid. 8 In their production of Heat by Multiplication ibid. 9 In their Variability according to the various disposition of the Medium ibid. 10 In their chief Attributes of Locomotion Exsilition Impaction Resilition Disgregation Congregation ibid. SECT II. ARTIC 1 THe Product of the Praemises concerning the points of Consâ—nt and Dissent of Audible and Visible Species viz That Sounds are Corporeal 213 2 An obstruction of praejudice from the generally supposed repugnant Authorities of some of the Ancients expeded ibid. 3 An Argument of the Corporiety of Sounds 214 4 A Second Argument ibid. COROLLARY ibid. 5 The Causes of Concurrent Echoes where the Audient is equally almost distant from the Sonant and Repercutient ibid. COROLLARY 2. 215 6 Why Concaves yield the strongest and longest Sounds ibid. COROLLARY 3. ibid 7 The reason of Concurrent Echoes where the Audient is neer the 〈◊〉 and remote from the sonant ibid. COROLLARY 4. ibid. 8 Wâ—y 〈◊〉 Monophon rehearse so much the fâ—â—er syllables by how much neerer the audient is
336 8 The Reasons of the vast Ductility or Extensibility of Gold 337 9 Sectility and Fissility the Consequents of Softness ibid. 10 Tractility and Friability the Consequents of Hardness 338 11 Ruptility the Consequent partly of Softness partly of Hardness 339 12 PROBLEM VVhy Chords distended are more apt to break neer the Ends than in the middle and its SOLVT ibid. CHAP. XV. Occult Qualities made Manifest p. 341 SECT I. ARTIC 1 THat the Insensibility of Qualities doth not import their Unintelligibility contrary to the presumption of the Aristotelean ibid. 2 Vpon what grounds and by whom the Sanctuary of Occult Qualities was erected 342 3 Occult Qualities and profest ignorance all one ibid. 4 The Refuge of Sympathies and Antipathies equally obstructive to the advance of Natural Scienee with that of Ignote Proprieties 343 5 That all Attraction referred to Secret Sympathy and all Repulsion adscribed to secret Antipathy betwixt the Agent and Patient is effected by Corporeal Instruments and such as resemble those whereby one body Attracteth or repelleth another in sensible and mechanique operations ibid. 6 The Means of Attractions sympathetical explicated by a convenient Simile 345 7 The Means of Abaction and Repulsions Antipathetical explicated likewise by sundry similitudes 346 8 The First and General Causes of all Love and Hatred betwixt Animals 347 9 Why things Alike in their natures love and delight in the Society each of other and why Unlike natures abhor and avoid each other ibid SECT II. ARTIC 1 THe Scheme of Qualities reputed occult 348 2 Natures Avoidance of Vacuity imputed to the tyzugia or Conspiration of all parts of the Vniverse no Occult Quality ibid. 3 The power and influence of Caelestial Bodies upon men supposed by Judicial Astrologers inconsistent with Providence Divine and the Liberty of mans will 349 4 The Afflux and Reflux of the Sea inderivative from any immaterial Influx of the Moon ibid. 5 The Causes of the diurnal Expansion conversion of the Heliotrope and other Flowers ibid. 6 Why Garden Claver hideth its stalk in the heat of the day 350 7 Why the House Cock usually Crows soon after midnight and at break of day ibid. 8 Why Shell-fish grow fat in the Full of the moon and lean again at the New 352 9 Why the Selenites resembles the Moon in all her several Adspects ibid. 10 Why the Consideration of the Attraction of Iron by a Loadstone is here omitted 353 11 The secret Amities of Gold and Quicksilver of Brass and Silver unridled ibid. 12 A COROLLARY Why the Granules of Gold and Silver though much more ponderous then those of the Aqua Regis and Aqua â—ortis wherein they are dissolved are yet held up and kept floating by them 354 13 The Cause of the Attraction of a Less Flame by a Greater ibid. 14 The Cause of the Involation of flame to Naphtha at distance ibid. 15 Of the Ascention of Water into the pores of a Spunge 355 16 The same illustrated by the example of a Syphon ibid. 17 The reason of the Percolation of Liquors by a cloth whose one end lieth in the liquor and other hangs over the brim of the vessel that contains it 356 18 The reason of the Consent of two Lute-strings that are Aequison ibid. 19 The reason of the Dissent betwixt Lutestrings of sheeps Guts and those of Woolfs â—57 20 The tradition of the Consuming of all Feathers of Foul by those of the Eagle exploded 358 21 Why some certain Plants befriend and advance the growth and fruitfulness of others that are their neighbours ibid. 22 Why some Plants thrive not in the society of some others 359 23 The Reason of the great friendship betwixt the Male and Female Palm-trees 360 24 Why all wines grow sick and turbid during the season wherein the Vines Flower and Bud. 361 25 That the distilled waters of Orange flowers and Roses do not take any thing of their fragrancy during the season of the Blooming and pride of those Flowers as it vulgarly believed ibid. SECT III. ARTIC 1 WHy this Section considers onely some few select Occult Proprieties among those many imputed to Animals 362 2 The supposed Antipathy of a Sheep to a Woolf solved ibid. 3 Why Bees usually invade Froward and Cholerick Persons and why bold and confident men haue sometimes daunted and put to flight Lyons and other ravenous Wild-Beasts 363 4 Why divers Animals Hate such men as are used to destroy those of their own species and why Vermin avoid such Gins and Traps wherein others of their kinde have been caught and destroyed ibid. 5 The Cause of the fresh Cruentation of the Carcass of a murthered man at the presence and touch of the Homicide 364 6 How the Basilisk doth empoyson and destroy at distance 365 7 That the sight of a Woolf doth not cause Hoarsness and obmutescence in the spectator as is vulgarly reported and believed 366 8 The Antipathies of a Lyon and Cock of an Elephant and Swine meerly Fabulous â—67 9 Why a man intoxicated by the venome of a Tarantula falleth into violent fits of Dancing and cannot be cured by any other means but Musick ibid. 10 Why Divers Tarantiacal Persons are affected and cured with Divers Tunes and the musick of divers Instruments 369 11 That the venome of the Tarantula doth produce the same effect in the body of a man as it doth in that of the Tarantula it self and why ibid. 12 That the Venom of the Tarantula is lodged in a viscous Humor and such as is capable of Sounds 371 13 That it causeth an uncessant Itching and Titillation in the Nervous and Musculous parts of mans body when infused into it and fermenting in it ibid. 14 The cause of the Annual Recidivation of the Tarantism till it be perfectly cured 372 15 A Conjecture what kind of Tunes Strains and Notes seem most accommodate to the cure of Tarantiacal Persons in the General ibid 16 The Reason of the Incantation of Serpents by a rod of the Cornus 373 17 DIGRESSION That the Words Spells Characters c. used by Magicians are of no vertue or Efficacy at all as to the Effect intended unless in a remote interest or as they exalt the Imagination of Him upon whom they praetend to work the miracle ibid. 18 The Reason of the Fascination of Infants by old women 374 19 The Reason of the stupefaction of a mans hand by a Torpedo 375 20 That ships are not Arrested in their course by the Fish called a Remora but by the Contrary impulse of some Special Current in the Sea ibid. 21 That the Echineis or Remora is not Ominous 3â—7 22 Why this place admits not of more than a General Inquest into the Faculties of Poysons and Counterpoisons ibid. 23 Poysons defined ibid. 24 Wherein the Deleterious Faculty of poyson doth consist ibid. 25 Counterpoisons defined 378 26 Wherein their Salutiferous Virtue doth consist ibid. 27 How Triacle cureth the venome of Vipers ibid 28 How the body of a
altogether destitute of thesupport and warrantry of Reason For the Human Soul the only Creature that understands the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transcendent Dignity of its Original by reflecting upon the superlative Idea which it holds of its Creator from the moment of its immersion into the cloud or opacity of flesh labours with an insatiable Appetence of Knowledge as the only means that seems to conduce to the satisfaction of its congenial Ambition of still aspiring to Greater and Better things and therefore hath no Affection either so Essential or Violent as the Desire of Science and consequently lyeth not so open to the deception of any Objects as of those which seem to promise a satisfaction to that desire And obvious it is from the words of the Text that the Argument which turned the sâ—ales i. e. determined the Intellect and successively the Will of our Grandmother Eve from its indifferencie or aequilibration to an Appetition and so to the actual Degustation of the Forbidden Fruit was this Desiderabilis est arboris fructuâ— ad habendam scientiam Besides though we shall not exclude the Beauty of the fruit transmitted by the sight to the judicatory Faculty and so allecting the Sensual Appetite from having a finger in the Delusion yet can we allow it to have had no more then a finger and are perswaded that in the syndrome or conspiracy of Causes the most ponderous and praevalent was the Hope of an accession or augmentation of Knowledge Since â—t cannot but highly disparage the primitive or innocent state of man to admit that his Intellect was so imperfect as not to discern a very great Evil through the thin Apparence of Good when the utmost that Apparence could promise was no more than the momentany pleasure of his Palate or Gust Or that the express and poenal Interdiction of God yet sounding in his ears could be over-balanced by the light species of an object which must be lost in the Fruition Nor is this Curiositie to be accused only of the First Defection from Truth but being an inseparable Annex to our Nature and so derived by traduction to all Adams posteritie hath proved the procatarctick Cause of many some contemplative Clerks would have adventured to say of All the Errors of our judgments And though we have long cast about yet can we not particular any one Vicious inclination or action whose Scope or End may not either directly or obliquely proximly or remotely seem to promise an encrease of Knowledge in some kind or other To instance in one which appears to be determined in the Body to have no interest beyond the Sense and so to exclude all probabilitie of extending to the Mind as to the augmentation of its Science Whoever loves a beutiful Woman whom the right of Marriage hath appropriated to another ardently desires to enjoy her bed why not only for the satisfaction of his sensual Appâ—tite because that might be acquired by the act of carnaliâ—y with some other less beutiful and Beuty is properly the object of the Mind but because that Image of Beuty which his eye hath transmitted to his mind being praesented in the species or apparition of Good and Amiabâ—e seems to contain some Excellence or comparitively more Good then what He hath formerly understood If it be objected that if so one enjoyment must satisfie that Desire and consequently no man could love what He hath once enjoyed since Fruition determineth Desire We Answer that there is no such necessitie justly inferrible when Experience assures that many times Love is so far from languishing that it grows more strong and violent by the possession of its Object The Reason is because the passionate Lover apprehending no fruition total or possession entire supposeth some more Good still in the object then what his former enjoyment made him acquainted withall And if it be replyed that the Lover doth in the perseverance of his Affection propose to himself meerly the Continuation of that Good which He hath formerly enjoyed we are provided of a sufficient Rejoynder viz. that whoso wisheth the Continuation of a Good considers it not as a thing praesent but to come and consequently as a thing which yet He doth not know for no man can know what is not Other Instances the Reader may be pleased to select from among the Passions tracing them up to their first Exciting Cause in order to his more ample satisfaction it being digressive and only collateral to our Scope Good thus being the only proper Object of our Affections for Evil exhibited naked i. e. as Evil never Attracts but ever Averts our Will or Rational Appetite as we have clearly proved in our Discourse of the Liberty Elective of mans Will if we mistake a real evil praesented under the disguise of a Good this mistake is to be charged upon the account of our Rational or judicatory Faculty which not sufficiently examining the Reality of the species judgeth it to be good according to the external Apparence only and so misguideth the Will in its Election Now aâ—ong the Causes of the Intellects erroneous judicature we have formerly touched upon its own Native Imperfection or Coecity and Praejudice the chiefest and most general is the Impatience Praecipitancy or Inconsiderateness of the Mind when not enduring the serious profound and strict examen of the species nor pondering all the moments of Reason whiâ—h are on the Averting part of the Object with that impartialiâ—y requisite to a right judgment but suffering it self at the first occursion or praesentation thereof to be determined by the moments of Reason apparent on the Attracting part to an Approbation thereof it misinformeth the Will and ingageth it in an Election and prosecution of a Falsity or Evil couched under the specious semblance of a positive Truth or Good Now to accommodate all this to the interest of our Paradox if Good real or apparent be the proper and adaequate object of the Intellect and the chief reason of Good doth consist in that of Science as the principal end of all our Affections then most certainly must our praecedent assertion stand firm viz. that our understanding lyeth most open to the delusion of such objects which by their Apparence promise the most of satisfaction to our Desire of Science and upon consequence by how much the more we are spurred on by our Curiosity or Appeâ—ence of Knowledge by so much the more is our mind impatient of their strict examen and aequitable perpension All which we dayly observe experimented in our selves For when our thoughts are violent and eager in the pursuit of some reason for such or such an operation in Nature if either the discourse or writings of some Person in great esteem for Learning or Sagacity or our own meditations furnish us with one plausible and verisimilous such as seems to solve our Doubt how greedily do we embrace it and without further perpension of its solidity and verity immediately judge it to
contemptible Evidence that water doth contain various insensible Loculaments Chambers or Receptaries of different Figures and that this variety of those Figures doth accommodate it to extract the Tinctures of several Bodies inâ—ected and infused therein So as it is exceedingly difficult to evince by Experiment that any Liquor is so sated with precedent Tinctures as noâ— to be capable of others also especially while we cannot arrive at the exact knowledge of the Figure of the Atomical Particles of the body to be infused nor of the Figures of those minute spaces in the liquor which remain unpossessed by the former dissolutions Upon which reason we are bold to suspect the truth of the Lord S. Albans assertion Centur. 1 Nat. Hist. that by repeating the infusion of Rhubarb several times letting each dose thereof remain in maceration but a small time in regard to the Fineness and volatility of its Spirits or Emanations a medicament may be made as strongly Catharctical or Purgative as a simple infusion of Sâ—amony in the like weight For 1 when the empty spaces in the Menstruum or Liquor which respond in Figure to the Figure of the Atomical particles of the Rhubarb are replenished with its Tincture they can admit no greater fraught but the Imbibition of Virtue ceaseth and that two or three infusions at most suffice to the repletion of those respective spaces may be collected from hence that the Rhubarb of the fourth infusion loseth nothing of its Purgative Faculty thereby but being taken out and singly infused in a proportionate quantity of the like liquor it worketh as effectually as if it had never been infused before 2 Experience testiâ—ieth the Contrary viz. that a Drachm of Scamony singly infused in an ounce and half of White wine doth operate caeteris paribus by 15 parts of 20 more smartly then 5 drachms of Rhubarb successively infused in the like quantity of the same or any other convenient Liquor Here also is the most probable Cause why two Drachms of Antimony crude or Crocus Metallorum give as powerful a Vomitory impraegnation to a Pint of Saâ—â— or White wine as two ounces viz. because the menstruum hath no more Vacuities of the same Figure with the Atomical Efâ—luviums of the Antimony then what suffice to the imbibition or admission of the two Drachms For the Certitude of this we appeal to the experience of a Lady in Cheshire who seduced by an irregular Charity and an opinion of her own skill doth praetend to the cure of the sick and to that purpose praepares her Catholique Vomitory consisting of four Drachms and an half of crude stibium infused all night in 3 or 4 ounces of White wine and usually gives it without respect to the individual temperament of the Assument for one dose to the sick and yet as our selves have more then once observed the infusion doth work with no greater violence in some persons then as much of our common Emetique Infusion praescribed in the reformed Dispensatory of our Venerable College Nay more then this our selves have often reduced the Dose of the same Emetique Infusion down only to 4 Scruples and yet found its operation come not much short of the usual Dose of an ounce Hence also may be desumed a satisfactory reason for the impraegnation of one and the same Menstruum with various Tinctures for Example Why an Infusion of Rhubarb sated with its tincture doth afterward extract the tinctures of Agarick Senna the Cordial Flowers Cremor Tartari c. injected according to the praescript of the judicious Physician in order to his confection of a Compound Medicament requisite to the satisfaction of a Complex Scope or Intention SECT IV. A Third Argument for the comprobation of a Vacuum Disseminatum may be adferred from the Cause of the Difference of Bodies in the degrees of Gravity respective to their Density or Rarity i. e. according to the greater or less Inane Spaces interspersed among their insensible Particles And a Fourth likewise from the reason of the Calefaction of Bodies by the subingress or penetration of the Atoms of Fire into the empty Intervals variously disseminate among their minute particles But in respect that we conceive our Thesis sufficiently evinced by the Praecedent Reasons and that the consideration of the Causes of Gravity and Calefaction doth according to the propriety of Method belong to our succeeding Theory of Qualities we may not in this place insist upon them And as for those many Experiments of Water-hour-glasses Syringes Glass Fountains Cuppinglasses c. by the inconvincible Assertors of the Peripatetick Physiology commonly objected to a Vacuity we may expede them altogether in a word We confess those experiments do indeed demonstrate that Nature doth abhort a Vacuum Coacervatum as an heap of Sand abhors to admit an Empty Cavity great as a mans hand extracted from it but not that it doth abhor that Vacuum Disseminatum of which we have discoursed nay they rather demonstrate that Nature cannot well consist without these small empty Spaces interspersed among the insensible Particles of Bodies as an heap of Sand cannot consist without those small Interstices betwixt its Granules whose Figures prohibit their mutual contact in all points So that our Assertion ought not to be condemned as a Kaenodox inconsistent to the laws of Nature while it imports no more then this that as the Granules of a heap of Sand mutually flow together to replenish that great Cavity which the hand of a man by intrusion had made and by extraction left by reason of the Confluxibility of their Nature so also do the Granules or Atomical Particles of Aer Water and other Bodies of that Rare condition flow together by reason of the Fluidity or Confluxibility of their Nature to praevent the creation and remanence of any considerable or Coacervate Vacuum betwixt them To instance in one of the Experiments objected Water doth not distil from the upper into the lower part of a Clepsydra or Water-hour-glass so long as the Orifice above remains stopped because all places both above and below are ful nor can it descend until upon unstopping the hole the aer below can give place as being then admitted to succeed into the room of the lateral aer which also succeeds into the room of that which enâ—ered above at the orifice as that succeeds into the room of the Water descending by drops and so the motion is made by succession and continued by a kind of Circulation The same also may be accommodated to those Vessels which Gardners use for the irrigation of their Plants by opening the hole in the upper part thereof making the water issue forth below in artificial rain It only remains therefore that we endeavour to solve that Giant Difficulty proposed in defiance of our Vacuum Disseminatum by the mighty Mersennus in Phaenomen Pneumatic propos 31. thus Quomodo Vacuola solitò majora in rarefactione desinant aut minora facta in condensatione
containing less of matter then the Desert Space in the Tube and that is How it comes that during the Aequilibrium betwixt the â—eight of the Quicksilver in the Tube on the one hand and the long Cyâ—lindre of Aer on the other even then when the Base of the Cylindre of Aer is compressed to the term of subingression we find the aer as Fluxile soft and yeilding for if you move your hand transversly over the Restagnant Quicksilver you can deprehend none the least Tensity Rigidity or Urgency thereabout as any other part of the Region of Aer not altered from the Laxity of its natural contexture We reply that though nothing occurr in the whole Experiment more worthy our absolution yet nothing occurrs less worthy our admiration then this For if my hand when moved toward the region of the compressed Aer did leave the space which it possessed before motion absolutely Empty so as the aer impelled and dislodged by it could not circulate into the same in that case indeed might I perceive by a resistence obvening a manifest Tensity or Rigidity in the compressed aer but insomuch as when my hand leaves the region of the lax aer and enters that of the compressed there is as much of space lest in the lax aer for the compressed to recurr into as that which my hand possesseth in the region of the compressed and when it hath passed through the region of the compress'd and again enters the confines of the lax there is just so much of the lax aer propelled into the space left in the compressed as responds in proportion to the space possessed by it in the lax therefore doth my hand deprehend no sensible difference of Fluxility in either and yet is the Urgency or Contention of the Base of the Cylindre of aer impendent upon the restagnant Quicksilver constantly equal though it may be conceived to suffer an Undulation or Wavering motion by the traversing of my hand to and again by reason of the propulse and repulse This may be enforced by the Example of the Flame of a Candle which though ascending constantly with extreme pernicity or rapidity of motion and made more crass and tense by the admixture of its own â—uliginous Exhalations doth yet admit the traversing of your finger to and fro through it so easily as you can deprehend no difference of Fluxility between the parts of the Flame and those of the circumvironing Aer the cause whereof must be identical with the former Secondly by the Experience of Urinators or Divers who find the Extension and contraction of their arms and legs as free and easie at the depth of 20 fathoms as within a foot of the surface of the Water notwithstanding that water comes many degrees short of Aer in the point of Fluidity Thirdly by the Beams of the Sun For when these insinuate themselves through some slender hole or crany into a chamber their stream or Thread of Solary Atoms appears like a white shining wand by reason of those small Dusty bodies whose many faces or superficies making innumerable refractions and reflections of the rayes of Light towards the Eye and constantly maintains that figure though the wind blow strongly transverse and carry off those small dusty bodies or though with a fan you totally dispel them why Because fresh Particles of Dust succeeding into the rooms of those dispelled and aequally refracting and reflecting the incident radii of light toward the Eye conserve the Apparence still the same So though the wind blow off the first Cylindre of comprest aer yet doth a second a third c. instantly succeed into the same Space so as that region wherein the Base thereof is situated doth constantly remain comprest because the compression of the insensible Particles of the Aer and Wind during their Continuation in that region continues as great as was that of the particles formerly propulsed and abduced And Fourthly by the Rainbow which persisteth the same both in the extent of its Arch and the orderly-confused variety of Colours though the Sun rapt on in his diurnal tract shifts the angle of incidence from one part of the confronting Cloud to another every moment and the Wind change the Scene of the Aer and adduce consimilar small bodies whose various superficies making the like manifold Refractions and Reflexions of the incident lines of Light dispose them into the same colours and praesent the eye with the same delightful Apparition Which had the Hairbrain'd and Contentious Helmont in the least measure understood he must have blush't at his own most ridiculous whimsy that the Rainbow is a supernatural Meteor or Ens extempore created by Divinity as a sensible symbol of his Promise no more to destroy the inhabitants of the Earth by Water having no dependence at all on Natural Causes especially when the strongest Argument He could excogitate whereby to impugn the common Theory of the Schools concerning the production thereof by the refraction and reflection of the rayes of the Sun incident upon the variously figured parts of a thin and rorid Cloud in opposition diametrical was only this Oculis manibus pedidus cognovi istius figmenti falsitatem Cùm ne quidem simplex Nubes esset in loco Iridis Neque enim etsi manu Iridem finderem eamque per colores Iridis ducerem sensi quidpiam quod non ubique circumquaque in aere vicino imo non proin Colores â—ridis turbabantur aut confufionem tollerabant in Meteor on Anomalon SECT VII The Sixth and last Capital Difficulty UPon the eduction of the lower extreme of the Tube out of the region of the Restagnant Quicksilver into that of Water superaffused wherefore doth the Water instantly intrude into the Tube and the Quicksilver residuous therein by sensible degrees deflux until it hath totally surrendred unto it Solution This Phaenomenon can have for its Cause no other but the great Disparity of weight betwixt those two Liquors For insomuch as the subsistence of the Quicksilver in the erected Tube at the altitude of 27 digits justly belongs to the Aequipondium betwixt it and the circumpendent Cylindre of Aer and the proportion of Weight which Quicksilver holds to Water is the same that 14 holds to 1 it must as manifestly as inevitably follow that the Water being by so much less able in regard of its so much minority of Weight to sustain the impulse of the Aer uncessantly contending to deliver it self from that immoderate Compression must yeild to the descending Base of the aereal Cylindre and so ascend by degrees and possess the whole Space every part of Quicksilver that delapseth admitting 13 parts of Water into the Tube Here occurrs to us a fair opportunity of erecting upon the praemised foundation a rational Conjecture concerning the perpendicular Extent of the Region of Aer from the face of the Terraqueous Globe For if Aer be 10â—0
carmin 15. adscribes the imposition of this name to Archelaus in these Verses Post hos Archelaus divina mente paratam Concipit hanc molem confectam partibus illis Quos Atomos vocat ipse leveis c. But how unjustly even S. Augustine 8. de Civit. Dei cap 3. sufficiently declares saying that Archelaus deduced all things non ex Atomis sed ex Particulis dissimilibus And therefore though we may not file up the first Discovery of this noble Principle Atoms of all others hitherto excogitated the most verisimilous because most sufficient to the solution of all Natures Phaenomena among those many benefits which the Commonweal of Philosophy owes to the bounteous Wit of Epicurus yet hath his sagacity in accommodating them with so perfectly congruous an Appellation and successful industry in advancing and refining their Theory in the General worthily entituled him to the homage of a grateful Estimation equal to that which the merit of their Inventor claims 3 Concerning their EXISTENCE that there are such Things as Atoms or Insectile Bodies in Rerum Natura cannot be long doubted by any judicious man who shall thus reason with himself 1 Nature can produce Nothing out of Nothing nor reduce any thing to Nothing is an Axiome whose tranquility was never yet disturbed no not by those who havâ— invaded the â—ertitude of even First Notions and accused Geometry of delusion If so there must be some Common Stock or an Universal Something Ingenerable and Incorruptible of which being praeexistent all things are Generated and into which being indissoluble all things are at the period of their duration again resolved That Nature doth dissolve Bodies into exceeding minute or insensible particles Her self doth undeniably manifest as well in the Nutrition of Animate their Aliment being volatilized into so many insensible particles as those whereof the Body nourished doth consist otherwise there could be no General Apposition Accretion Assimilation as the Incineration of â—ead Bodies Which ground Des Cartes rightly apprehended to be so firm and evident that he thought the existence of his Insensible Particles sufficiently demonstrable from thence Quis dubitare potest saith He quin multa Corpora sint tam minuta ut ea nullo sensu deprehendamus si tantum consideret quidnam singulis horis adjiciatur iis quae lente augentur vel quid detraâ—atur ex iis quae sensim minuuntur Cresciâ— enim arbor quotidiè nec potest intelligi majorem illam reddi quam prius fuit nisi simul intelligatur aliquod corpus eidem adjungi Quis autem unquam sensu deprehenderit quaenam sint illa corpuscula quae in una die arbori crescenti accesserunt c. princip Philos. part 4. articul 201. That she cannot in her Dissolution of Bodies proceed to Infinity but must consist in some definite Term or extreme the lowest of Physical Quantity is demonstrable from hence that every real Magnitude is uncapable of interminable Division For since to an infinite process is required an infinite Time she could never Generate any thing New because the old would require an infinite time and process to their Dissolution Convicted by this apodictical Argument Aristotle 1 Phys. 9. detesting the odious Absurdity of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 running on to Infinity solemnly concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there must be an Extreme Matter wherein all Exolution is terminated only herein He recedes from the supposition of Democritus Epicurus and other Patrons of the same Doctrine that they terminated all Exolution in the Insectility of Atoms but He describes no such Extreme or point of Consistence his Materia Prima being stated rather Potential then Actual and absolutely devoid of all Quantity then which we know no more open and inexcusable a Contradiction Again if the Exolution of Bodies were not Definite and that Nature knowing no nâ— ultra did progress to Adnihilation then must it inevitably follow that the Matter of all things that have been formerly is totally Adnihilated and the matter of all things now Existent was educed out of Nothing Two most intolerable Absurdities since Adnihilation and Creation are terms nâ—t to be found in the Dictionary of Nature but proper only to Omnipotence nor is there any sober man who doth not understand the Common Material of Thiâ—gs to be constantly the same through the whole flux of Time or the duration of the World so as that from the Creation thereof by the Fiat of God no one particle of it can perish or vanish into Nothing until the total Dissolution of Nature by the same Metaphysical power nor any one particle of new matter be superadded thereto without miracle The Energy of Nature is definite and praescribed nor is she Commissioned with any other Efficacy then what extends to the moulding of Old Matter into New Figures and so the noblest Attribute we can allow her is that of a Translator Now to extract the spirit of all this since there must be an Extreme or ultimate Term of Exolubility beyond which can be progress since this Term can be conceived no other but the lowest degree of Physical Quantity and since beyond the Inâ—ectility of Atoms no Quantity Physical can be granted what can the genuine Consequent be but that in Nature there are extremly minute Bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indivisible and Immutable 2 For Confirmation as in the Universe there is Aliquid Inane something so purely Inane as that it is absolutely devoyd of all Corporiety so also must there be Aliquid Corporeum somewhat so purely Corporeal or solid as to be perfectly devoyd of all Inanity to which peculiar solidity nothing but Atoms in regard of their Indivisibility can praetend therefore is their Existence to be confessed This Reason Lucretius most elegantly thus urgeth Tum porrò si nil esset quod INANE vacaret Omne foret solidum nisi contrà CORPORA caeca Essent quae loca complerent quaecunque tenerent Omne quod est spatium Vacuum constaret Inane c. Lib. 1. 3 Evident it is to sense that in the World are two sorts of Bodies Soft and Hard now if we assume the Principles of all things to be exquisitely Hard or Solid then do we admit the production of not only Hard but also of soft Bodies to be possible because softness may arise to a Concretion of Hard Principles from the Intermistion of Inanity but if we assume soft Principles then do we exclude all possibility of the production of Hard Bodies that Solidity which is the Fundament of Hardness being substracted Therefore is the Concession of Atoms necessary 4 Nature is perpetually Constant in all her specifical Operations as in her Production and Promotion of Animals to the determinate periods of their Increment Stature Vigour and Duration and more evidently in the impression of those marks whereby each species is discriminated from other Now to what Cause can this Her Constancy be with greater
certain special Faculty or Virtue for a Cause to that motion praesumed and such must be their inhaerent Gravity or the tendency of weight Now in respect to either of these three last Proprieties Atoms may be conceived to admit of difference among themselves for in regard of Magnitude some may be greater then others of Figure some may be sphaerical others cubical some smooth others rough c. and of Gravity some may be more and others less ponderous though this can cause no degrees of Velocity or Tardity in their Motion it being formerly demonstrated that two bodies of different weights are aequally swift in their descent To these 4 Essential Attributes of Atoms Empiricus hath superadded a Fifth viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Renitency or Resistence But by his good leave we cannot understand this to be any distinct Propriety but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something resilient from and dependent on their solidity which is the formal reason of Resistence besides we may confound their Renitency with their Gravity insomuch as we commonly measure the Gravity of any thing by the renitency of it to our arms in the act of Elevation Which may be the reason why Aphrodisaeus lib. 1. Quest. cap. 2. enumerating the proprieties of Atoms takes no notice at all of their Gravity but blends it under the most sensible effect thereof Resistence The specifical are such as belong to Atoms of particular sorts of Figure as Smoothness Acuteness Angularity and their Contraries Asperity Obtuseness Orbicularity c. These in the dialect of Epicurus are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cognatae Proprietates Now all these Proprieties both Generical and Specifical or Originary and Dependent are truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch 1. adv Colot calls them Congenial and inseparable Other Proprieties there are adscriptive to Atoms such as their Concurse Connexion Position Order Number c. from which the Qualities of Compound Bodies do emerge but since they are only Communia Accidentia Common Accidents or as Lucretius Atomorum Eventa the fortuitous Events of Atoms considered as complex and coadunated in the Generation of Concretions and not in the intire simplicity of their Essence and consequently seperable from them therefore may we hope that our Reader will content himself with our bare mention of them in this place which is designed for the more advantagious Consideration of only the Essential and Inseparable SECT II. Concerning the Magnitude of Atoms MAgnitude and Atoms though two terms that make a graceful Consonance to ears acquainted with the most charming harmony of Reason may yet sound harsh and discordant in those of the Vulgar which is accustomed to accept Magnitude only Comparatively or as it stands Antithetical to Parvity and therefore it concerns us to provide against misapprehension by an early advertisement that in our assumption of Magnitude as the first essential Propriety of Atoms we intend not that they hold any sensible bulk but that contrary to Insectiles or Points Mathematical they are Entities Quantitive simply i. e. Realities endowed with certain corporeal Dimensions though most minute and consisting in the lowest degree of physical quantity so that even those of the largest size or rate are much below the perception and discernment of the acutest Opticks and remain commensurable only by the finer digits of rational Conjecture And somewhat the more requisite may this Praemonition seem in respect that no meaner an Author then Theodoret hath through gross inadvertency stumbled at the same block of ambiguity For in Serm. 4. therapâ—ut He positively affirms that Democritus Metrodorus and Epicurus by their exile Principles Atoms meant no other but those small pulverized fragments of bodies which the beams of the Sun transmitted through lattice Windows or chincks make visible in the aer when according to their genuine sense one of those dusty granules nay the smallest of all things discernable by the eyes of Linceus though advantaged by the most exquisite Engyscope doth consist of Myriads of Myriads of thousands of true Atoms which are yet corporeal and possess a determinate extension To avert the Wonder impendent on this nice assertion and tune our thoughts to a key high enough to attain the Verisimility thereof We are first to let them down to a worthy acknowledgment of the exceeding Grossnesse and Dulnesse of our Senses when compared to the superlative Subtility and Acuteness of Nature in most of her Operations for that once done we shall no longer boast the perspicacity of our Opticks nor circumscribe our Intellectuals with the narrow line of our sensible discoveries but learn there to set on our Reason to hunt where our sense is at a loss Doubtless the slender Crany of a Pismire contains more distinct Cellules then that magnificent Fabrick the Eschurial doth rooms which though imperceptible to the eye of the body are yet obvious to that of the mind since no man can imagine how otherwise the Faculties of sense and voluntary Motion can be maintained a perpetuall supply of Animal or aâ— Dâ— Hâ—rvâ—â— will have them Vital spirits being indispensably necessary to the continuation of those actions and therefore there must be Elaboratories for the praeparation and confection Treasuries for the conservation and various Conduits for the emission and occasional transvection of them into the Nerves and Muscles of that industrious and provident Animal The due resentment of which praegnant Instance is alone sufficient to demonstrate the incomputable degrees of distance betwixt the sensible Capacity of man and the curious Mechanicks of Nature and make the acutest of us all call for a Table-book to enroll this Aphorism Ubi humana industria subtilitasque desinit inde incipit industria subtilitasque Naturae The wings of our Arrogance being thus clipt let us display those of our Discoursive Faculty and try how near we can come to deprehend the Magnitude i. e. the Parvity of Atoms by an ingenious Conjecture Consider we first that an exquisite Artist will make the movement of a Watch indicating the minute of the hour the hour of the day the day of the week moneth year together with the age of the Moon and time of the Seas reciprocation and all this in so small a compass as to be decently worn in the pall of a ring while a bungling Smith can hardly bring down the model of his grosser wheels and balance so low as freely to perform their motions in the hollow of a Tower If so well may we allow the finer fingers of that grand Exemplar to all Artificers Nature to distinguish a greater multiplicity of parts in one Grain of Millet seed then ruder man can in that great Mountain Caucasus nay in the whole Terrestrial Globe Consider we with Magnenus that one grain of Frankinsense being fired doth so largely diffuse it self in fume as to fill a space in the aer more then seven hundred millions of times greater then it possessed before combustion For to the utmost dispersion
whose Base is the Hemisphere and point somewhat retused the superfice of the Pupil This perfectly accords to Keplers Canon Visionem fieri cum totius Hemispherij mundani quod est ante oculum amplius paulo idolum statuitur ad album subrufum Retinae cavae superficiei parietem in Paralipomen ad Vitellion cap. 5. de modo Vision num 1. Not that either He or we by the Optical Hemisphere intend only the Arch of the Firmament but any Ambite whatever including a variety of things obverted to the open eye partly directly partly obliquely or laterally and Circumquaque in all points about And this being conceded we need not long hunt for a reason why when the eye is open there alwayes is pourtraied in the bottom of the eye some one Total Image whose various parts may be called the Special Images of the diverse things at once objected For as the whole Hemisphere Visive includes the reason of the whole Visible so do the parts thereof include the reason of the special Visibles though situate at unequal distance And since the Hemisphere may be in respect either of its whole or parts more Remote and more Vicine hence comes it that no more Rayes arrive at the Eye from the Remote than the Vicine because in the Vicine indeed are less or fewer bodies than in the Remote but yet the Particles or Faces of the particles of bodies that are directly obverted to the Pupil are more Which certainly is the Cause why of two bodies the one Great the other Small the Dimensions seem equal provided the Great be so remote as to take up no greater a part of the Visive Hemisphere than the small because in that case the rayes emanant from it and in direct lines incident into the pupill of the Eye are no more then those deradiate from the small and consequently cannot represent more parts thereof or exhibit it in larger Dimensions Whereupon we may conclude that the Visive Faculty doth judge of the Magnitude of Objects by the proportion that the Image of each holds to the amplitude of the Concave of the Retina Tunica or that by how much every special Image shall make a greater part of the General Image that fills the whole Hemisphere Visive and so possess a greater part of the Concave of the Retina Tunica by so much the greater doth the Faculty judge the quantity thereof to be and â— Contra. And because a thing when near doth possess a greater part of the Visive Hemisphere than when remote therefore doth the special Image thereof also possess a greater part of the Concave in the Retina Tunica and so exhibit in greater Dimensions and it decreaseth or becometh so much the less by how much the farther it is abduced from the eye For it then makes room for another Image of another thing that is detected by the abduction of the former and enters the space of the Hemisphere obverted And hereupon may we ground a PARADOX That the Eye sees no more at one prospect then at another or that the Eye beholds as much when it looks on a shilling or any other object of as small diameter as when it speculates a Mountain nay the whole Heaven Which though obscure and despicable at first planting will yet require no more time to grow up to a firm and spreading truth than while we investigate the Reasons of Two Cozen-German optical Phaenomena's 1 Why an Object appears not only greater in dimensions but more distinct in parts when lookt upon near at hand than afarr off 2 Why an Object speculated through a Convex Glass appears both larger and more distinct than when beheld only with eye but through a Concave both Smaller and more confused To the solution of the First we are to reflect on some of the praecedent Assumptions For since every Visible diffuseth rayes from all points of it superfice into all regions of the medium according to the second Assumption and since the superfice of the most seemingly smooth and polite body is variously interspersed with Asperities from the various faces whereof innumerable rayes are emitted tending according their lines of Direction into all points of medium circularly according to the first Assumption and since those swarms of Emanations must be â—o much the more Dense and Congregate by how much the less they are elongated from their fountain or body exhalant and è Contra so much the more Rare and Disgregate by how much farther they are deduced according to the third Assumption Therefore by how much nearer the eye shall be to the object by so much a greater number of Rayes shall it receive from the various parts thereof and the particles of those parts and è Contra and Consequently by how much a greater number of rayes are received into the pupill of the eye by so much greater do the dimensions of the object and so much the more distinct do the parts of it superfice appear For it is axiomatical among the Masters of the Opticlâ—s and most perfectly demonstrated by Scheinerus in lib. 2. Fundament Optic part 1. cap. 13. that the Visive Axe consisteth not of one single raye but of many concurring in the point of the pyramid terminated in the concave of the Retina Tunica and as demonstrable that those rayes only concurr in that conglomerated stream which enters the Pupil that are emitted from the parts of the object directly obverted unto it all others â—ending into other quarters of the medium And hence is it that the image of a remote object consisting of rayes which though streaming from distant parts of the superfice thereof do yet by reason of their concurse in the retused point of the visive Pyramid represent those parts as Conjoyned thin and less united comparatively those parts must appear as Contiguouâ— in the visifical Representation or Image which are really Incontiguous or seperate in the object and upon consequence the object must be apprehended as Contracted or Less as consisting of fewer parts and also Confused as consisting of parts not well distinguisht This may be truly though somewhat grosly Exemplified in our prospect of two or three Hills situate at large distance from our eye and all included in the same Visive Hemisphere for their Elongation from the Eye makes them appear Contiguous nay one and the same Hill though perhaps they are by more then single miles distant each from other or when from a place of eminence we behold a spacious Campania beneath and apprehend it to be an intire Plane the Non-apparence of those innumerable interjacent Fosses Pits Rivers c. deprest places imposing upon the sense and exhibiting it in a smooth continued plane And to the solution of the second Problem a concise enquiry into the Causes of the different Effects of Concave and Convex Perspicils in the representation of Images Visible is only necessary A Concave Lens whether Plano-concave or Concave on both sides whether it
Causes why a Concave Glass whose Concavity consisteth of the segment of an Ellipsis reflecteth the rayes of the Sun in a more Acute Angle and consequently burneth both more vigorously and at greater Distance then one whose Concavity is the segment of a Parabola and why a Parabolical Section reflecteth them in an Angle more Acute and so burneth both at greater distance and more vigorously than the Section of Circle Especally if we familiarize this theory by the accommodation of these Figures Thus have we in a short Discourse not exceeding the narrow limits of a single Article intelligibly explicated the Cause of that so much admired Disparity in the Effects of Plane Convex and Concave Glasses as well Dioptrical or Trajecting the rayes of Light into the Aer beyond them as Catoptrical or Reflecting them back again from their obverted superfice And we ask leave to encrease our Digression only with this CONSECTARY Because the Rayes of Light and the rayes of visible Images are Analogical in their nature and flow hand in hand together into the Eye in the act of Vision therefore is it that to a man using a Plane Perspicil an object alwayes appears the same i. e. equal in dimensions and distinction of parts as it doth to his naked Eye by reason the Angle of its Extreams is the same in the Plane Glass as in the Eye But to a man using a Convex Perspicil an object appears Greater because the Angle of its Extreams is ampliâ—ied and through a Concave Less because the Angle is diminished In like manner the Image of an object reflected from a Plane Mirrour appears the same to the Spectator as if Deradiated immediately or without reflexion from the object it self because the Reflex Angle is equal to the Direct but the Image of an Object Reflected from a Convex Mirrour appears Less because the Angle of its Reflection is less than that of its Direction and from a Concave Greater because the Reflex Angle is greater than the Direct This may be autoptically Demonstrated thus If you admit the Image of a man or any thing else through a small perforation of the wall into an obscure chamber and fix a Convex Lens in the perforation with the Convex side toward the Light you shall admoving your eye thereto at Convenient distance observe the transmitted Image to be Amplified but receiving the Image on a sheet of white Paper posited where your Eye was you shall perceive it to be Minorated the Contrary Effect arising from a Concave Lens posited in the hole with its Concave side toward the Light And this because the Convex Congregating the rayes into the Pupill of the Eye and so making the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Apparition Greater for the cause formerly exposited doth also Congregate them on the Paper and therefore the Image cannot appear Contracted or Minorated but on the contrary the Concave Disgregating the rayes from the Pupil and so making the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Apparition less in the Retina of the Optick Nerve doth also Disgregate or diffuse them largely on all parts of the Paper and so the Image thereon received cannot but appear much Amplified SECT IV. HItherto we have in some degree of satisfaction explicated the Manner how by the Incursion of substantial Images deraâ—â—ated from the object to the Eye the Visive Faculty comes to apprehend the Colour Figure Magnitude Number and Distance of objects and therefore it remains only to the Complement of our present Designation that we explore the Reasons of the Perception of the Situation Quiet and Motion of objects by the sight To our more perspicuous solution of which notable Difficulty and to the illustration of many passages precedent in the two last Sections it must be confest not only ornamental or advantageous but simply necessary that we here Anatomize the whole Eye and consider the proper Uses of the several parts thereof those especially that are either immediately and primarily instrumental or only secundarily inservient to Vision But because the Axe of the Visive Pyramid is a perpendicular line beginning in the Extrems of the object and ending in the Amphiblestroides had the Eye been nailed or fixt in its orbita we must have been necessitated to traverse the whole Machine of the body for a position thereof convenient to Vision since it can distinctly apprehend no object but what lyes è directo opposite or have had this semi-rational sense whose glory builds on Variety restrained to the speculation of so few things that we should have received more Discomfort from their Paucity than either Information or Delight from their Discernment therefore that we might enjoy a more enlarged Prospect and read the whole Hemisphere over in one momentany act of Vision Nature hath furnished the Eyes with Muscles or Organs of agility that so they may accommodate themselves to every visible and hold a voluntary verlisity to the intended object Parâ—â—ula sic magnum pervisit Pupula Coelum And of these Ocular Muscles there are in Man just so many as there are kinds of Motion 4 Direct and 2 Oblique or Circular all situate within the Orbita and associated to the Optick Nerve and conjoining their Tendons at the Horny Membrane they constitute the Tunica Innomitata so named by Columbus who arrogates the invention thereof to himself though Galen lib. 10. de usu part cap. 2. makes express mention of it The First of the four Direct Muscles implanted in the superiour part of the Eye draweth it Upward whence it is denominated Atollens the Lifter up and Superbus the Proud because this is that we use in Haughty and sublime looks The Second situate in the inferiour part of the Eye and Antagonist to the former stoops the Eye Downward and thence is called Deprimens the Depressor and Humilis the Humble for this position of the eye speaks the Dejection and Humility of the Mind The Third fastned in the Major Canthus or great angle of the Eye and converting it toward the Nose is therefore named Adducens the Adducent and Bibitorius for in large draughts we frequently contract it The Fourth opposite both in situation and office to the former abduceth the Eye laterally toward the Ear and is therefore named Abducens and Indignatorius the scorning muscle for when we would cast a glance of scorn contempt or indignation we contract the Eye towards the outward angle by the help of this muscle If all these Four work together the Eye is retracted inward fixt and immote which kind of Motion Physitians call Motus Tonicus and in our language the Sett or Wist Look Of the â—blâ—que Muscles the First running betwixt the Eye and the tendons of the Second and Third Muscles by the outward angle ascends to the superior part of the Eye and inserted near to the Rainbow circumgyrates the Eye downward The Second and smallest twisted into a long tendon circumrotates the Eye toward
the Complexion of any two or more of them But here we are arrested by Two notable and to our praecedent theory seemingly inconsistent PROBLEMS which though of Difficulty enough to deserve the wealthy speculations of Archimedes do yet require from us at least a plausible Solution on the paenalty of no less than the loss of reputation and the posting up a Writ of Bankrupt against our reason by that austere Creditor Curiosity 1 How comes it that those two so discrepant and assymbolical Colours created by a Prism Vermillion and Caerule arise from Causes so Cognate the former only from the Commistion of a greater proportion of Light with a less of Shadows the Later from a less proportion of Light with a greater of Shadows 2 Why when those two Colours Emphatical Vermillion and Carule are by a Prism intermediate projected on a Wall or sheet of white paper beyond it from the light of a Candle if you put your eye in that place â—n which either of the two Colours is appinged so that another person conveniently posited in the same room may behold the same distinctly shining on the pupil of your eye yet shall you plainly and distinctly perceive the other Colour in the Glass For Example if the Vermillion appear on your eye you shall nevertheless clearly see a Caerule in the Glass and transpositively though your eye be manifestly and totally tincted with a Carule yet shall you see a Vermillion Touching the Former we shall adventure to desume the Solution thereof meerly from the Figure of the Prisme and determine the Reason on this only that the Rayes of Light arriving at the Base of the Triangle are trajected through it by a longer tract or way than those arriving at or nearer to the Top thereof and therefore the Glass being in that part most crass there must be more impervious particles obsistent to the Rayes of Light each one whereof repercussing its raye back again into the medium from the Glass causeth that the number of shadowes is multiplyed in that part of the object which the Base of the Triangle directly respecteth and consequently produceth a Caerule Tincture thereon Such as that not only by vulgar but many transcendently learned Heads adscribed to the Firmament which yet belongs rather to that vast many have said infinite Space betwixt it and our Terrestrial Globe being caused by the rayes of the Coelestial Lamps from swarms of minute bodies interposed thinly reflected toward our eyes For each of those impervious particles swarming in that immense space must repercuse a ray of Light deradiated from above and so by multiplying the number of shadows make the Firmament which otherwise according to probability would wear the mourning livery of Midnight appear totally invested in an Azure mantle This though meer Conjecture and indeed the subject is too sublime to admit of other than conjecture since St. Paul hath left us no observation concerning it in his rapture up into the third Heaven and the design of the Ganzaes is desperate hath in it somewhat more of reason then that confident conceipt of Athanas. Kircherus Art Magn. lucis umbrae lib. 1. part 3. cap. 3. de Chromatismis rerum naturalium Medium inter utrumque Caeruleum proximum viz. à nigro seu tenebroso colorem ad jucundissima illa Caelorum spatia inoffenso visu contemplanda Natura providentissima mundo contulit c. that the Providence of the Creator chose this Azure Tincture to invest the Firmament withal as the middle colour between the two Extreams White and Black that so our sight might not when we speculate that universal Canopy be either perstringed with the excessive lustre of the one nor terminated by the absolute opacity of the other Because if the natural Colour of the Firmament were Azure as He praesumes then would it by reason of the vast Space betwixt it and our sight and the repercussion of the greatest part of the rayes of Light from our eye by those Myriads of Myriads of Myriads of small bodies replenishing that intermediate Space necessarily appear of some other colour the experience of Sea-men assuring that all Colours White and that of pure Flame retaining to Whiteness only excepted lose themselves in long trajection through the medium and that even Land which is but few degrees removed from Opacity appears to the first discovery like a blewish Cloud lying level to the Horizon It being certain therefore that by how much the farther any Colour recedeth from Whiteness by so much the less way it is visible which the Graecian intimates in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Albus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod procul videatur and that even the Earth an Opace body to Sea-men first Kenning it at large distance appears clad in a kind of obscure blewish Mantle it cannot bee dissonant to reason to conceive that the natural Colour of the Firmament cannot be Azure since it so appears to us and that it is rather Opace because it appears Azure when illustrate by the reflected Light of the Coelestial Luminaries Again because the rayes of Light incident on the Top of the Prism are trajected through it by a shorter cut or passage than those incident on the Base and so meet with fewer impervious and retundent particles the Glass being in that part thinnest therefore is the number of shadows much less in that part of the object which respecteth the Cone or Top of the Triangle than in that which confronts the Base and those few shadows which remain undiminisht being commixt with a greater number of lines of light are transformed into the species of a Vermillion Red. Such as that daily observed in the impure Flame of our Culinary Fires which having many particles of Fuligenous Exhalations commixt with its pure luminous particles that continuedly ascending avert as many rayes of light from the eye of the Spectator and so in some degree obnubulate it throughout doth therefore put on the semblance of Redness Or such as the Sun and Moon commonly wear at their rising when the minor part though many of their rayes are reâ—used and averted from our sight by the particles of dense vapours diffused through the spatious Medium However this may be disputed yet is it warrantable to conceive that the superficial Particles of all Bodies clad in either of these Liveries Vermillion and Caerule may have in their Contexture obtained such a Disposition as to reflect Light permixt with small shadows in that definite Temperation or Modification in which it usually arrives at the eye after its Trajection through a Prism when it thereupon impresseth the sense of a Vermillion or Caerule As for the Enodation of the Later Difficulty it is comprehended in the Reasons of the Former For it being certain that the Vermillion projected by a Prisme doth consist of a greater proportion of Light mingled with a less of Shadows and the Caerule on the contrary of a greater proportion of shadows
Sound is produced in any part of the whole intermediate space betwixt CD And the Ground These stand upon is the Experience of Cloth which being violently shook in the aer for the excussion of dust doth only then emit a smart sound or Rapp when attaining the extremity of its Flexion it percusseth the superior aer and is in the manner of Sails swelled up by the inferior aer But in this instance and that consimilar one of Coach-whips it is almost evident even to the eye that the Rapp is made only by the Doubling of the Cloth or Chord at the end of their Flexion and therefore we are not convinced that the Concinnous Sound is then begun as these persuade in either C or D the period of each Flexion especially when the Chord in C and D seems rather to quiesce than move and some quiet must intercede betwixt two contrary motions of the same thing 4 But â—nsomuch as all sounds are caused by the Motion of the Aer and the Sound alwayes is loudest where the Motion of the Aer is most rapid 〈…〉 the whole sonorous line or space betwixt C and E the motion of the Aer intercluded is most swift when the Chord returns from C to E therefore doth Mersennus to whose judgment we most incline in this nicety conclude that the Harmonical sound is begun in the beginning of the first Recurse of the Chord from C to E and that it is then of the same Acuteness as are all the subsequent sounds made by the subsequent Recurses because the reason of the First Recurse seems to be the same with that of all the consequent To this some have objected that the sound of the First Recurse is too Expedite and short to be perceived by the Ear since even the Eye incomparably more prompt in the discernment of visibles cannot behold an object whose Apparence or Praesence exceeds not the Duration of the foresaid Recurse of the Chord from the extreme of its flexion C to E which doth scarce endure the â—600 part of a minute But this objection is soon dissolved by Experience which testifieth that if a quill or other impediment be placed some small space beyond E towards D so that the Chord may complete its first Recurse from C to E without interruption then will a sound be created and such as hath sufficient Acuteness though it be scarce momentany in Duration because the frequency of its Recurses is praevented Many other Problems there are concerning the Reasons of Sounds wherewith the insatiate Curiosity of Naturalists hath entertained it self in all ages but among them all we shall take cognizance of only those more eminent ones which as they seem most irreconcilably repugnant to our Theory when proposed so must they much confirm and illustrate the dignity thereof when clearly Dissolved by us without the least contradiction to or apostacy from our Principles assumed Since the unstrained Solution of the most difficult Phaenomenaes by the vertue of any Hypothesis is the best argument of its Verity and excellency above others that fail in their Deduction to remote Particulars PROBLEM 2. Whether may a Sound be created in a Vacuum if any such be in Nature SOLUT. To solve this by many accounted inexplicable Aenigme we need only to have recurse to our long since antecedent Distinction of a Vacuity Disseminate and Coacervate for that once entered our judgment we cannot indubitate that ingenious Experiment of Gaspar Berthius laureat Mathematician at Rome frequently and alwayes with honourable Attributes mentioned by Father Kircher in sundry of his Physicomathematical discourses which sensibly demonstrateth the actual production of a Sound in a Disseminate Vacuity The Experiment is thus made Having praepared a large Concave and almost sphaerical Glass aemulating the figure of a Cucurbite or Cupping-glass fix a small Bell such as is usual in striking Watches of the largest size on one side of the concave thereof and a moveable Hammer or striker at fit distance on the other so as the Hammer being elevated may fall upon the skirts of the Bell and then lute or coement on the Glass firmly and closely that all sensible insinuation of the ambient aer be praevented to one extreme of a Glass Tube of about an inch diametre in bore and 8 or 10 feet in length Then reversing the Tube pour into it a sufficient quantity of Quicksilver or Water to fill both it and the Head exactly This done stop the other extreme of the Tube with your finger or other stopple accommodate to the orifice and after gentle inversion immerge the same to a foot depth in a Vessel of Water and withdraw your stopple that so much of the Quicksilver contained in the Head and Tube as is superior in Gravity to the Cylindre of Aer from the summity of the Atmosphere incumbent on the surface of the Water in the subjacent Vessel may fall down leaving a considerable void Space in the superior part of the Tube Lastly apply a vigorous Loadstone to the outside of the Glass Head in the part respecting the moveable extreme of the Hammer that so by its Magnetical Effluxions transmitted through the incontiguities or minute pores of the Glass and fastned on to its Ansulae or smal Holds it may elevate the same which upon the subduction of its Attrahent or Elevator will instantly relapse upon the Bell and by that percussion produce a clear and shrill sound not much weaker than that emitted from the same Bell and Hammer in open aer Now that there is a certain Vacuity in that space of the Head and Tube deserted by the delapsed Quicksilver is sufficiently conspicuous even from hence that the ambient Aer seems so excluded on all hands that it cannot by its Periosis to borrow Platoes word or Circumpulsion succeed into the room abandoned by the Quicksilver and so redintegrate the solution of Continuity as in all other motions And that this Vacuity is not Total or Coacervate but only Gradual or Desseminate may be warrantably inferred from hence 1 That Nature is uncapable of so great a wound as a Coacervate Vacuity of such large dimensions as we have argued in our Chapter of a Vacuum Praeternatural in the First Book 2 That a Sound is produced therein for since a Sound is an Affection of the Aer or rather the Aer is the Material Cause of a Sound were there no aer in the Desert space there could be no Sound Wherefore it is most probable that in this so great distress ingenious Nature doth relieve herself by the insensible transmission of the most aethereal or subtile particles of the Circumpulsed Aer through the small and even with a microscope invisible Pores of the Glass into the Desert Space which replenish it to such a degree as to praevent a Total though not a Dispersed Vacuity therein and though the Grosser Parts of the extremly comprest Aer cannot likewise permeate the same slender or narrow Inlets yet is that
no impediment to the Creation of a Sound therein because the most tenuious and aethereal part of the aer is not only a sufficient but the sole material of a Sound as we have more than intimated in the 15. Art 2. Sect. of the present Chapter The only Difficulty remaining therefore is only this Why the sound made in the disseminate Vacuity should through the Glass-head pass so easily and imperturbed as to be heard by any in the circumstant space when common Experience certifieth that the Report of a Cannon at the distance of only a few yards cannot be heard through a Glass window into a room void of all chinks or crannies Nor need any man despair of expeding it For whoso considers the extraordinary and inscrutable wayes to which Nature frequently recurrs in cases of extreme Necessity and that the Distress she undergoes in the introduction of this violent Vacuity where her usual remedy the Peristaltick motion or Circumpulsion of the Aer is praevented by the interposition of a Solid is much more urgent than that she is put to in the Compression of the ambient aer by the explosion of Canons where the amplitude of uninterrupted space affords freedome of range to the motion imprest we say whoso well considers these things cannot doubt but that it is much easier to Nature to admit the trajection of the Sound produced in the Disseminate Vacuity through the pores of the Glass-head than the transmission of an External Sound into a close Chamber through a Glass window where is no Concavity for the Corroboration or Multiplication of the Sound and consequently where the impulse is far less respective to the quantity of the aer percussed and the resistence as much greater PROBLEM 3. Whence is it that all Sounds seem somewhat more Acute when heard far off and more Grave near at hand when the Contrary Effect is expected from their Causes it being demonstrated that the Gravity of a Sound ariseth mediately at least from the Tardity and Acuteness from the Velocity of the Motion that createth it and many great Clerks have affirmed that the motion of a Sound is less swift far off from than near to its origine according to that General Law of Motion omnia corpora ab externo mota tanto tardius moventur quanto à suo principio remotiora fuerint SOLUT. No Sound is Really but only Apparently more acute at great then at small distance and the Cause of that semblance is meerly this that every Sound near its origine in regard of the more vehement Commotion and proportionate resistence of the Aer dependent on its natural Elater or Expansory Faculty doth suffer some Obtusion or Flatning which gradually diminishing in its progress or Delation through the remoter parts of the Medium the Sound becomes more Clean Even and Exile and that Exility counterfeits a kind of Acuteness PROBLEM 4. Why doth Cold Water in its effusion from a Vessel make a more full and acute noise than Hot or Warm SOLUT. The substance of Cold Water being more Dense and Compact must be more weighty and consequently more swift in its fall and so the noise resulting from its impulsion of the aer more sharp than that of Hot which being rarefied by the fire or made more lax in the contexture of its particles looseth something of its former weight and so hath a slower descent and in respect of that slowness produceth a weaker and flatter sound And this is also the reason why Iron hot yieldeth not so smart and full a sound as when 't is cold PROBLEM 5. Why is the Lowing of a Calf much more Deep or Base than that of an Oxe Cow or Bull at their standard of growth contrary to all other Animals which have their voices more shrill and acute when they are young than when they are old SOLUT. The Cause of this singularity is found only in the peculiar Constitution of the Larynx of a Calf which is in amplitude equal to and in laxity and moysture much exceeds that of an Oxe Cow or Bull full grown and so Age doth Contract and Harden not ampliate the same as in all other Animals and it is well known that the wideness and laxity of the Asper Artery is the cause of all Grave or Base Voyces PROBLEM 6. Why is a Dissonance more easily discovered by the ear in a Barytonous or Base Voyce or Tone than in an Oxytonous or Treble SOLUT. Because the Barytonous voyce is of a slow Motion and the Oxytonous of a swift and the sence doth ever deprehend that object whose apparence is more durable more clearly and distinctly than that whose apparence is only instantaneous or less lasting CHAP. VII OF ODOVRS SECT I. WHoever is natively deprived of any one sense saith Aristotle in Analyticis is much less capable of any Science than He who hath all five Fingers on the left hand of his soul to use the metaphor of Casserius Placentinus in praefat ad lib. de sens Organ or all the Organs of the sensitive Faculty complete and His reason is that General Canon Nihil est in intellectu quod non prius fuerit in sensu the senses being the Windows through which the soul takes in her ideas of the nature of sensible Objects If so whoever hath any one sense less perfect than the others can hardly attain the Knowledge of the nature of objects proper to that sense and upon consequence the Cognition of the Essence of an ODOURE must be so much more difficult to acquire than that of Visibles and Audibles by how much less perfect the sense of SMELLING is in man than the sight and Hearing And that Man generally is not endowed for we may not with our noble Country man Sir Kenelme Digby charge this imperfection altogether upon the Errors of our Diet because we yet want a Parallel for his Iohn of Liege who being bred savagely among wild beasts in the Forrest of Ardenna could wind his pursuers at as great distance as Vultures do their prey and after his Cicuration or reduction to conversation with men retained so much of the former sagacity of his nose that He could hunt out his absen◠friends by the smell of their footsteps like our Blood-Hounds we say that man is not generally endowed with exquisiteness of smell needs no other eviction but this that He doth not deprehend or distinguish any but the stronger or vehement sorts of Odours and those either very offensive or very Grateful But albeit this difficulty of acquiring the knowledge of the Essence and immediate Causes of Odours hath its origine in the native Imperfection of our sense accommodate to the perception thereof yet hath it received no small advance from the obscurity of our Intectuals the Errors of human judgement and the common Effect thereof the contrary Opinions of Philosophers For however they unanimously decree that the proper object of smelling is an Odour and the adaequate
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fatuous which affecting the sense with no impression is indeed no Sapour but rather the Privation of all Sapidity To this Heteroclite are commonly referred the several species of Bread Corn Gourds Citrals Cucumbers c. Whose materials though crass are not yet terrene dry and adstrictive but diluted with a plentiful portion of aqueous moisture not exquisitely permixt because of the small allowance of heat to their Composition Now to pass from the faithful Abridgment to the aequitable Examen of this Doctrine of such sacred estimation in the Schools though the Enquiries of most have steered this course directed by the Chart of Aristotle and attempted the deduction of all Sapours from Primitive Qualities yet have they missed the Cape of truth For as Scaliger in lib. de Plantis excellently argues we may as safely derive Life Sense Increment voluntary Motion nay Risibility and Intellection actions flowing from Forms more noble and semi-divine from Elements immediately as Sapours from their First Qualities unless it can be first evinced that each Element hath some sapour actually inexistent which but barely to suppose is an absurdity gross enough to degrade the owner from the dignity of a Physiologist forever and openly repugnant to the Fundaments of the Aristotelean Philosophy To which argument of Scaligers we shall superadd this weighty exception of our own that according to the Hypothesis of First Elemental Qualities it is absolutely impossible to Explicate the Causes of that so great Diversity of Tasts not only among Animals of different species but Individuals of the same species of which we shall discourse more expresly in opportunity Wherefâ—re we account it both more honourable and satisfactory to incline rather to that laudable opinion of the Chymist whose Flames have so farr enlightned our reason as to shew that the Primary Cause of Sâ—pours doth consist in Salt because all pyrotechnical Dissolutions seem to establish that Axiome Sal est primum Sapidum Gustabile omnia quae saporem habent eam propter salem habent ubicunque enim sâ—por deprehenditur ibi sal est ubicunque sal ibi sapor as the judiciouâ— Sennertus hath observed de Consensu Chymicorum cum Galenic cap. 11. and Lucius Grillus hath copiously and solidly declared in that elaborate treatise of his de Sapore Amaro Dulci to which we remit the farther Curious But if we would Anatomize the Heart of this Subject and establish a more exact theory of the First Principles of a Sapour we must consult the Oracles of Democritus and Plato which tell us in short that all Sapours arise from the minute particles of Bodies of such determinate Figures and Contextures as being applied to the tongue they naturally produce that Affection therein which we call Gustation or Tasting Of Democritusâ—uctority â—uctority in this point no man can justly doubt while Aristotle de sens sensil cap. 4. avoucheth that He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did referr Sapours to Figures and Theophrastus in a more ample descant upon the text affirms that He defined the particular sorts of Figures which constitute the particular species of Sapours in these words Rotundas esse congruaque mole figuras quae Dulcem faciant magnâ figurâ quae Acerbum multangulâ miniméque orbiculari quae Acrem angulatâ distortâ quae Salsum rotundâ laevi distortâ quae Amarum tenui rotundâ— parvâ— quae Pinguem And what was Platoes persuasion concerning the same Argument Himsef most perspicuously explains in Timaeo where He in short adscribes the production of all Sapours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Asperity and Laevity and distinguishing all Sapours into two general orders the First a Pleasant or Sweet sort the other an Unpleasant which runs up into several branches for as it stands opposed to Sweet it is either Bitter or Salt or Acid or Acerb or Acer or Austere c. He derives the First kind from hence that the sapid object consists of particles so configurate that effused upon the organ of Tasting and entering the small pores or receptaries thereof they become symbolical or correspondent to its small particles in figure and contexture and so affect it gently evenly and concordantly and the Latter from hence that the sapid object is composed of such Particles as have their Figures and Contexture so disproportionate and incommensurable to the pores and particles of the tongue that invading it and entering its contexture they exasperate corrade and offend the same And hence was it that Lucretius seems to have borrowed his Ut facilè agnoscâ—s è laevibus atque rotundis Esse ea quae sensus jucunde tangere possunt At contra quae amara atque aspera cunque videntur Haec magis hamalis inter se cumque teneri Proptereaque solere vias rescindere nostris Sensibus introituque suo perrumpere corpus And this is the opinion to which we have espoused our constant assent as well upon the obligation of those Reasons formerly alledged in our Original of Qualities as upon this important Consideration that no other Hypothesis can afford a satisfactory Reason either of manner of the Sapours moving and affecting the sensory or why there is such infinite Variety of Tasts not only among Animals of different Species but even in individuals of the same Species and particularly in men among whom Millions are found who delight in Wormwood and abhorr Sugar some that feast their Pallates with Aloes others that think their mouths quite out of taste unless they be ruminating the leaves of Tobacco nay we have known a Noble person of our own Nation who had so singular a Pallate that whenever He took a Purging Potion would swallow it down by spoonfuls as judging the pleasure too great to be shortned by a hasty draught and when t was wholly exhausted would wish himself a Ruminating Animal that so He might taste it over and over as if Philoxenus wish for a Cranes neck were too short to reach the height of so desireable a delight and another who would not be persuaded but the Forbidden Fruit was a Coloquyntida Apple because he thought the taste of that the most Ambrosiack of all others But conceding with Democritus and Plato that the Variety of Sapours is caused meerly by the Diversity of Impressions on the spongy substance of the Tongue respective to the various Figures and Contextures of the minute Particles of Bodies applied thereto and by the salivous moisture thereof so admitted into the pores as sensibly to affect it we say conceding this we soon may solve this Dissimilitude of Tastes only by saying that because the Contexture of the particles of the tongue of one man is different from that of the particles of another therefore doth one delight in the savor of one thing the other of another every man being of necessity most pleased with the taste of that whose particles in figure and contexture are most symbolical or Correspondent to the Figures
conspurcatus attrectaret nisi incredibili voluptatis aestro percita essent Genetalia And let us but abate the temptation of this sense and libidinous invitement of it praeambulous to the act of Congression and we shall soon confess that so magnified delight of sensuality to be no other than what the noblest of Stoicks Marcus Antoninus defined it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the attrition of a base entrail and the excretion of a little snivel with a kind of convulsion as Hippocrates describes it This is that Fidus Achates or constant friend that conserves us in our first life which we spend in the dark prison of the womb ushers us into this which our improvidence trifles away for the most part on the blandishments of sensual Appetite and never forsakes us till Death hath translated us into an Eternal one For when all our other unconstant senses perish this faithful one doth not abandon us but at that moment which determines our mortality Whence Aristotle drew that prognostick de Anim. lib. 3. cap. 13. that if any Animal be once deprived of the sense of Touching death must immediately ensue for neither is it possible saith He that any living Creature should want this sense nor to the being of it is it necessary that it have any other sense beside this In a word this is that persuasive sense and whose testimony the wary Apostle chose to part with his infidelity and to conclude the presence of his revived Lord. That painful sense on the victory of whose torments the patient souls of Martyrs have ascended above their faith That Virtual and Medical sense by which the Great Physician of diseased nature was pleased to restore sight to the blind agility to the lame hearing to the deaf to extinguish the Feaver in Peters Mother-in-Law stop the inveterate issue in his Haemorhoidal Client unlock the adamantine gates of death and restore the widows son from the total privation to the perfect habit of life 2 That some Qualities are sensible to the Touch which yet are common to the perception of other senses also for no scholler can be ignorant of that Division of sensibles into Common and Proper and that among the Common are reckoned Motion Quiet Number Figure and Magnitude according to the list of Aristotle 2 de Anim. cap. 6. 3 and principally That the Qualities of Concretions either Commonly or Properly appertaining to the sense of Touching are to be considered in their several Relations to the Principles on which they depend First some result from the Universal matter Atomes in this respect that they intercept Inanity or space betwixt them and of this original are Rarity and Density with their Consequents Perspicuity and Opacity Secondly Some depend on the Common Materials in this respect that they are endowed with their three essential Proprieties Magnitude Figure Motion and that either Singly or Conjunctly 1 Singly and either from their Magnitude alone of which order is the Magnitude oâ— Quantity of any Concretion and the Consequents thereof Subtility and Hebetude or from their Figure alone of which sort is the Figure of every thing and the Consequents thereof Smoothness and Asperity c. or only from their Motivâ— Virtue of which kind is the Motive Force inhaerent in all things in thâ— General and that which assisteth and perfecteth the same in most things the Habit of Motion and particularly Gravity and Levity 2 Conjuncâ—ly from them all of which production are those commonly called the â—our First Qualities Heat Cold Dryness Moysture as also those which â—râ— deduced from them as Hardness Softness Flexility Ductility and all others of which Aristotle so copiously but scarce pertinently treateth in his fourth book of Meteors and lastly those by vulgar Physiologist named Occult Qualities which are also derivative from Atoms in resâ—â—ct of their three essential Proprieties and among these the most eminent and generally celebrated is the Attractive Virtue of the Loadstone Now on each of these we intend to bestowe particular speculation allowing it the â—â—me order which it holds in this scheme which seems to be only a faithful Transsumpt of the method of Nature and we shall begin at Rarity and Density 1 Because nothing can be generated but of Atoms commixt and that Commixture cannot be without more or less of the Inane space inâ—â—rcepted among their small masses so that if much of the Inane space 〈◊〉 intercepted among them the Concretion must be Rare if little Dense of meer necessity 2 Because the Four First reputed Qualities Heat Cold Dryness Moysture are posterior to Rarity and Density as appears by that of Aristotle physic 8. cap. 16. where according to the interpretation of Pacius He intimates that Heat and Cold Hardness and Sofâ—ness are certain kindes of Rarity and Density and therefore we are â—o set forth from them as the more Common in Nature and consequently the more necessary to be known a Generalioribus enim tanquam notioribus ad minus Generalia procedendum is the advice of Arist. physic 1. cap. 2. SECT II. COncerning the immediate Causes of Rarity and Density in Bodies divers Conceptions are delivered by Philosophers 1 Some observing that Rare bodies generally are less and Dense more Ponderous and that the Division of a body into small parts doth usually make it less swift in its descent through aer or water than while it was intire have thereupon determined the Reason of Rarity to consist in the actual division of a body into many small parts and on the contrary that of Density to consist in the Coadunation or Compaction of many small parts into one great continued mass But These considered not that Chrystal is not more rare though less weighty proportionately than a Diamond nor that the Velocity of bodies descending doth not encrease in proportion to the difference of their several Densities as their inadvertency made them praesume there being sundry other Causes besides the Density of a body assignable to its greater Velocity of motion in descent as the Heroical pen of Galileo hath clearly demonstrated in 1. Dialog de motu and our selves shall professedly evince in convenient place 2 Others indecently leaping from Physical to Metaphysical speculations and imagining the substance of a body to be a thing really distâ—nct from the Quantity thereof have derived Rarity and Density from the â—â—veral proportions which Quantity hath to its substance as if in Rarefaction a Body did receive no mutation of Figure but an Augmentation and in Condensation a Diminution of its Quantity But the excessive subtility or rather absolute incomprehensibility of this Distinction doth evidently confess it to be meerly Chimerical as we have formerly intimated in our discourse concerning the proper and genuine notions of Corporiety and Inanity 3 A Third sort there are who having detected the incompetency of the first opinion and absolute unintelligibility of the Second judiciously desume the more or less of Rarity in any body
to increase and decrease is competent only to a thing that consisteth of parts such as is the Organ not the Mind Nor is the acquisition of a Habit by assuefaction proper only to Man but in common also to all Living Creatures such especially as are used to the hand and government of Man as Horses Doggs Hawks and all prating and singing Birds And where we affirmed that some Faculties are capable of advancement to perfection by Habit we intended that there are other Faculties which are incapable thereof as chiefly the Natural Faculties in Animals and such as are not subject to the regiment of the Will though still we acknowledge that some of these there are which upon change of temperament in their respective Organs may acquire such a certain Habit as may oppose the original inclination and of this sort the principal is the Nutrient Faculty which may be accustomed even to Poison Lastly when we said Chiefly in Animals we were unwilling totally to exclude Plants because they also seem at least Analogically to acquire a kind of Habit as is evident from their constant retaining of any posture or incurvation which the hand of the Gardiner hath imposed upon them while they were tender and flexible as also that they may by degrees be accustomed to forein soils and what is more admirable if in their transplantation those parts of them which at first respected the South or East be converted to the North or West they seldome thrive never attain their due procerity Nay if the Experiments of some Physitians be true Minerals also may be admitted to attain a Habit by assuefaction For Baptista van Helmont in lib. de Magnetica Vulnerum curatione lib. de Pestis tumulo reports that He hath found a Saphire become so much the more efficacious an Attractive of the pestilential Venome from the Vitals by how much the more frequently it hath been circumduced about Carbuncles or Plague Sores as if Custome multiplied its Amuletary Virtue and taught it a more speedy way of conquest SECT II. AMong all Qualities of Concretions that deduce themselves from the Mobility of Atoms the most eminent is GRAVITY or the motion of perpendicular Descent from Weight Which though most obvious to the observation of Sense hath much of obscurity in its Nature leading the Reason of Man into various and perplext Conceptions concerning its Causes nor hath the judgment of any been yet so fortunate as to light upon a Demonstrative Theory concerning it or fix upon such a determination as doth not lye open to the objection of some considerable Difficulty So that it may well seem Ambition great enough for us onely with due uprightness to examine the Verisimility of each opinion touching the Formal Reason or Essence of Gravity that so we may direct younger Curiosities in which they may for the praesent most safely acquiesce Epicurus indeed well desumes the Gravity of all Concretions immediately from the Gravity of Simple Bodies or Atoms insomuch as all things are found to have so much more of Weight as they have of Atoms or Matter that composeth them and è contra Which reason the exact Ioh. Bapt. Balianus a Nobleman and Senatour of Genoa seriously perpending sets it down as a firm ground Gravitatem se habere ut Agens Materiam vero seu Materiale corpus ut Passum proinde gravia moveri juxta proportionem gravitatis ad materiam ubi sine impedimento naturalitèr perpendiculari motu ferantur moveri aequalitèr quia ubi plus est Gravitatis plus ibi paritèr sit Materiae seu Materialis quantitatis de motu Gravium Solidorum Liquidorum lib. 1. cap. 1. But this being too General and concerning rather the Cause of Comparative than Absolute Gravity leaves our Curiosity to a stricter search The Grand Dictator of the Schools Aristotle taking it for granted Unumquodque sensilium ita in suum locum ferri ut ad speciem that every corporeal Nature is by native tendency carried to its proper place as to its particular Species confidently inferrs this doctrine that Gravity and Levity are Qualities essentially inexistent in Concretions 4. de Caelo cap. 3. and passionately reprehending Democritus and Leucippus for affirming that there is no such thing in Nature as Absolute Gravity or Absolute Levity concludes that in Nature is something absolutely Heavy which is Earth and something Absolutely Light which is Fire de Caelo lib. 4. cap. 4. But neither of these Positions are more than Petitionary and so not worthy our assent as the Context of our subsequent Discourse doth sufficiently convince The Third opinion worthy our memory is that of Copernicus who considering that all Heavy Bodies either projected Upwards by external violence or dropt down from some eminent place are observed to fall perpendicularly down upon the same part of the Earth from which they were elevated or at which they are aimed and so that the Earth might be thence argued not to have any such Diurnal Vertigo as His Systeme ascribes unto it insomuch as then it could not but withdraw it self from Bodies falling down in direct lines and receive them at their fall not in the same place but some other more Westernly we say considering this Copernicus determined Gravity to be not any Internal Principle of tendency toward the middle or Centre of the Universe but an innate propension in the parts of the Earth separated from it to reduce themselves in direct lines or the nearest way to their Whole that so they may be conserved together with it and dispose themselves into the most convenient i. e. a sphaerical figure about the centre thereof His words are these Equidem existimo Gravitatem non aliud esse quà m Appetentiam quandam naturalem partibus inditam à Divina Providentia Opificis Universorum ut in unitatem integritatemque suam sese conferant in formam â—lobi coeuntes quam Affectionem credibile est etiam Soli Lunae caeterisque Errantibus fulgoribus inesse ut ejus efficacia in ea quâ— se repraesentant rotunditate permaneant lib. 1. cap. 9. So that according to this Copernican Assumption if any part of the Sun Moon or other Coelestial Orb were divelled from them it would by the impulse of this natural tendency soon return again in direct lines to its proper Orb not to the Centre of the Universe Which as Kepler in Epitom Astronom pag. 9â— well advertiseth is but a Point i. e. Nothing and destitute of all Appertibility and therefore ought not to be accounted the Term of tendency to all Heavy Bodies but rather the Terrestrial Globe together with its proper Centre yet not as a Centre but as the Middle of its Whole to which its Parts are carried by Cognation But this opinion hath as weak a claim to our Assent as either of the former as well because it cannot consist with the Encrease of Velocity in all Bodies descending perpendicularly by
Water and that of the Aer â—â—â—sisteth only in Degrees or more and less And though the 〈◊〉 of the Aer may be thought very inconsiderable in comparison o◠〈◊〉 great Violence imprest upon a Cannon Bullet shot upwâ—rd 〈…〉 the Aer yet be pleased to consider that it holds some 〈◊〉 proportion with the Renitency oâ— the Water Which 〈…〉 that we may understand compare we not only the very 〈◊〉 Ascent of a stone thrown upward from the bottome of the Sea to the large ascent of the same stone with equal force from the Earth thrown up into the Aer but also the almost insensible progress of a Bullet shot from a Cannon transversly through Water with that vast progress it is commonly observed to make through the Aer and we shall soon be convinced that as the Great Resistence of the Water is the Cause why the Stone or Bullet makes so small a progress therein so is the small Resistence of the Aer the Cause why they both pervade so great a space therein And thus is it Demonstrable that the Resistence of the superior Aer is the External Agent which constantly resisteth by degrees refracteth and at length wholly overcomes the imprest Force whereby Heavy Bodies are violently elevated up into the Aer The Difficulty remaining therefore doth only concern the Impellent Cause of their Fall Down again or whether the Aer besides the force of Resistence hath also any Depulsive Faculty which being imprest upon a stone bullet or other ponderous body at the top or highest point of its mountee serveth to turn the same Downward and afterward to continue its perpendicular descent till it arrive at and quiesce on the Earth Which indeed seems well worthy our Doubt because it is observable that Walls Pavements and the like solid and immote Bodies though they strongly resist the motion of bodies impinged against them doe not yet impress any Contrary motion thereupon the Rebound of a Ball or Bullet from a Wall being the effect meerly of the same force imprest upon it by the Racket or Gun-powder fired which first moved it as is evident even from hence that the Resilition of them to greater or less distance is according to the more or less of the Force imprest upon them Which those Gunners well understand who experiment the strength of their Powder by the greatness of the bullets rebound from a Wall And to solve this Difficulty we must distinguish betwixt Bodies that are devoid of Motion and which being distracted have no faculty of Restitution whereby to recollect their dissociated particles and so repair themselves of which sort are Walls Pavements c and such bodies that are actually in motion and which by reason of a natural Elater or Spring of Restitution easily and speedily redintegrate themselves and restore their severed parts to the same contexture and tenour which they held before their violent distraction to which classis the Aer doth principally belong Now concerning the First sort what we object of the non-impression of any Contrary motion upon Bodies impinged against them is most certainly true but not concerning the Latter For the Arm of a Tree being inflected doth not only resist the inflecting force but with such a spring return to its natural site as serveth to impel any body of competent weight that shall oppose its recurse to great distance as in the discharge of an Arrow from a Bow Thus also the Aer though otherwise unmoved may be so distracted by a Body violently pervading it as that the parts thereof urged by their own native Confluxibility the Cause of all Elaterical or Restorative Motion must soon return to their natural tenour and site and not without a certain violence and so replenish the place formâ—rly possest but now deserted by the body that distracted them Thâ—â— there is so powerful a Restorasive faculty in the Aer as we here â—ssume innumerable are the Experiments those especially by Philosophers usually alledged against a Vacuum Coacervate which attest However that you may the less doubt of its having some and a considâ—rable force of propelling bodies notwithstanding it be Fluid in so high a degree be pleased only to reflect your thoughts upon the great â—orce of Winds which tear up the deepest and firmest rooted Cedars â—â—om the ground demolish mighty Castles overset the proudest Câ—â—racts and rowle the whole Ocean up and down from shoar to shoâ—â— Consider the incredible violence wherewith a Bullet is discharged from a Wind-Gun through a firm plank of two or three inches thickness Consider that no effect is more admirable than that a very small quantity of Flame should with such prodigious impetuosity drive a Bullet so dense and ponderous from a Cannon through thâ— Gates of a City and at very great distance and yet the Flame 〈◊〉 the Gunpowder is not less but more Fluid than Aer Who without the certificate of Experience could believe that meerly by the force of so little Flame a substance the most Fluid of 〈◊〉 that we know not onely so weighty a Bullet should be driven with such pernicity forward through the aer to the distance of many furlongs but also that so vast a weight as a Cannon and its Carriage bear should at the same time be thereby driven backwards or made to recoyle What therefore will you say if this could not come to pass without the concurrence of the Aer For it seems to be effected when the Flame at the instant of its Creation seeking to possess a more ample room or space doth convâ—â— its impetus or violence as well upon the breech or hinder part 〈◊〉 the Canon as upon the bullet lying before it in the bore or 〈◊〉 which discharged through the concave is closely prest upon 〈◊〉 the pursuing flame so that the flame immediately perishing 〈◊〉 leaving a void space the Aer from the front or adverse part instaâ—â— rusheth into the bore and that with such impetuous pernicity 〈◊〉 it forceth the Cannon to give back and yeilds a Fragor or Report as loud as Thunder nay by the Commotion of the vicine Aer 〈◊〉 â—â—akes even the largest structures and shatters Glass-windows 〈◊〉 in the sphere of its violence And all meerly from the 〈◊〉 Motion of the Aer restoring its distracted parts to their nâ—â—ural tenour or Laxity so that you may be satisfied of its Capacity not only to resist the Ascent of a stone thrown upward but also of Depelling it downward by an imprest Motion Notwithstanding our conquest of the main body of this Difficulty abouâ— the Restorative Motion of the Aer we are yet to encounter 〈◊〉 formidable Reserve which consists of these Scruples When a 〈◊〉 is thrown upward doth not the Aer in each degree of 〈◊〉 ascent suffer a Distraction of its parts and so is compelled 〈◊〉 a Periosis or circular motion to succeed into the place left below by the stone Doth it not therefore impress rather an 〈◊〉 than a Depulsive
the Planets which â—â—â—â—iâ—hstanding the deluded sight are demonstâ—â—ted not to be in onâ— bu◠〈◊〉 sphereâ— somâ— farther â—rom some neâ—râ—â— to the Earth disperâ—e◠〈…〉 immense space For from heâ—ce that thâ— Distance betwixt 〈…〉 uâ— iâ— so vast thâ—t our sight not discerning the large spaces intercepted 〈…〉 them in theâ—â— several orbeâ— they all appeâ—â—e at the same distanc◠〈…〉 same â—ircumâ—â—rence woâ—â— Câ—ntre must be there wherâ— thâ— Eye 〈…〉 selâ— about doth behold them so that in whatsoever part of the 〈◊〉 â—pace oâ— thâ— World whether in the Moon Sun or any otheâ— Orb 〈◊〉 â—hall imaginâ— your selâ— to be placed still you must according to 〈…〉 oâ— your sight judge the World to be spherical anâ— that you 〈◊〉 in the verâ— centre of that Circumference in which you conceive all th◠〈◊〉 stars tâ— be constitute Trul◠〈◊〉 worthy thâ— admiration of a wise man to obserâ—e that the very Planeâ—◠〈◊〉 admitted by the Aristoteleans to have certâ—â—n motions 〈…〉 be moved in such Gyres as have not their Centres in the 〈…〉 immensly distant from it and yet that the same Persons 〈…〉 Contradict thâ—mselveâ— as to account that the Centre oâ— the 〈…〉 common Centre of the world about which all the Coelestâ—al 〈…〉 Difâ—â—culties perpended wâ— cannot infallâ—bl◠〈…〉 Earthy Bâ—â—ieâ— when descending in direct lineâ— to 〈…〉 toward the Centre of the Worâ—d and thougâ— the◠〈…〉 toward the Centre of the World yet doth that seem 〈…〉 is also by Accident that they are carried towaâ—â— the 〈…〉 Earth in which as being a meer imaginâ—ry Point the◠〈…〉 attain quiet For per se they are carried towarâ— the 〈…〉 who le or Principâ—e and having once attained thereâ—◠〈…〉 as they no more seek to pass on from thenc◠〈…〉 â—entre thaâ— an Infant received into his Nurses armes or lap 〈…〉 into heâ— Entrals and meerly per Accidens is it that they 〈…〉 the Centre of the Earth because tending in the neeres◠〈…〉 line to the place oâ— their quiet they must be directed 〈…〉 since if we suppose that direct line to be continued it must 〈…〉 the Centre of the Earth And thus have we left no stone 〈…〉 all Aristotles Theory of Gravity which is that Weight is a Quality esâ—â—ntially inhaerent in all terrene Concritions whereby they spontanâ—ousâ—y 〈◊〉 â—oward the Centre of the Terrestrial Globe aâ— to the Common Cenâ—â—e 〈…〉 place in the Vniverse The whole Remainder of our praesâ—â—◠〈◊〉 theâ—eâ—oâ—e concerns our farther Confirmâ—tion of that 〈…〉 of Gravity which we have espoused which is 〈…〉 meer Effect of the Magnetique Attraction of the Earth Let us therefore once more resume our Argument à Simili considering the Analogy betwixt the Attraction of Iron by a Loadstone and that of Terrene Concretions by the Earth not only as to the Manner of their respective Attractions but cheifly as to the parity of Reasons in our judgements upon their sensible Effects When a man holds a plate of Iron of 6 or 7 ounces weight in his hand with a vigorous Loadstone placed at convenient distance underneath his hand and finds the weight of the Iron to be encreased from ounces to pounds If Aristotle on one side should tell him that that great weight is a Quality essentially inhaerent in the Iron and Kepler or Gilbert on the other affirm to him that that weight is a quality meerly Adventitious or imprest upon it by the Attractive influence of the Loadstone subjacent 't is easie to determine to which of those so contrary judgements he would incline his assent If so well may we conceive the Gravity of a stone or other terrene body to belong not so much to the Body it self as to the Attraction of that Grand Magnet the Terraqueous Globe lying underneath it For supposing that a Loadstone were unknown to you placed underneath your hand when you lifted up a piece of Iron from the earth though it might be pardonable for you to conclude that the great weight which you would observe therein was a Quality essentially inhaerent in the Iron when yet in truth it was only External and Attractitious because you were ignorant of the Loadstone subjacent yet if after you were informed that the Loadstone was placed underneath your hand you should persever in the same opinion the greatest Candor imaginable could not but condemn you of inexcusable pertinacity in an Error Thus also your ignorance of the Earths being one Great Loadstone may excuse your adhaerence to the erroneous position of Aristotle concerning the formal Reason of Gravity but when you shall be convinced that the Terrestial Globe is naturally endowed with a certain Attractive or Magnetique Virtue in order to the retention of all its parts in cohaerence to it self and retraction of them when by violence distructed from it and that gravity is nothing but the effect of that virtue you can have no Plea left for the palliation of your obstinacy in case you recant not your former persuasion Nor ought it to impede your Conviction that a far greater Gravity or stronger Attractive Force is imprest upon a piece of Iron by a Loadstone than by the earth insomuch as a Loadstone suspended at convenient distance in the aer doth easily elevate a proportionate mass of Iron from the earth because this gradual Disparity proceeds only from hence that the Attractive Vertue is much more Collected or United in the Loadstone and so is so much more intense and vigorous according to its Dimensions than in the Earth in which it is more diffused nor doth it discover how great iâ— is in the â—ingle or divided parts but in the Whole of the Earth Thus if you lay but one Grain of salt upon your tongue it shall affect the same with more saltness than a Gallon of Sea-water not that there is less of salt in that great quantity of Sea Water but that the salt is therein more diffused But to lay aside the Loadstone and its Correlative Iron and come to our taste and Incomparative Argument since the Velocity of the motion of a stone falling downward is gradually augmented and by the accession of new degrees of Gravity grows greater and greater in each degree of its Descen◠〈◊〉 that Augmentation or Accession of Gravity and so of Velocâ—â—â— seems noâ— so reasonably adscriptive to any other cause as to this that it is the Attraction of the Earth encreasing in each degree of the stones Appropinquation to the Earth by reason of the greater Density or Union of its Magnetique Rayes What can be more 〈◊〉 than that the First degree of Gravity belonging to a stone no◠〈◊〉 moved should arise to it from the same Attraction of the 〈◊〉 When doubtless it is one and the same Gravity that causeth both those Effects the same in Specie though not in Gradâ—◠〈◊〉 no Quality can be better intended or augmented than by an Accession of more Degrees of force from the same Quality SECT III. LAstly as concerning LEVITY
the brim thereof Hence is it also that all bodiâ—â— attenuated into Fume are diffused into space an hundred nay sometimes a thousand degrees larger than what they possessed before From this Consectary we arrive at some Problems which stand directly in our way to another and the First is that Vulgar one Why the bottom of a Caldron wherein Water or any other Liquor is boyling is but moderately warm at most not so hot as to burn a mans hand applyed thereto The Cause of this culinary Wonder 〈◊〉 our Housewifes account it seems to be this when the Atoms of Heâ—t passing through the pores in the bottom of the Caldron into the water do ascend through it they elevate and carry along with them some particles thereof and at the same time other particles of Water next adjacent to them sink down and instantly flowe into the places deserted by the former which ascended and insinuate themselves into the now laxarated pores in the bottom of the caldron And though these are soon repelled upwards by other Atoms of Fire ascending thorowe the pores of the Vesselâ— and carried upwards as the former yet are there other particles of Water which sinking down insinuate also into the open pores of the vessel and by their conflâ—x or downward motion much refract the violence of the subingredient Atoms of Fire and so by this â—â—ciffitude of Heat and Moysture it comes to pass that the Heat cannot be diffused throughout the bottom of the Caldron the Humidity which falls into the pores of it in the same proportion as the Heat passeth thorow them hindering the possession of all â—ts empty spaces by the invading Atoms of Fire Nor doth it availe to the contrary that the Water which insinuates into the pores of the vessel is made Hot and so must calefie the same in some proportion as well as the Fire underneath it because boyling Water poured â—nto 〈◊〉 Caldron doth more than warm it For those particles of Water which successively enter into the void spaces of the vesselâ— are such as have not yet been penetrated per â—iâ—imas by the Aâ—â—ms of Fire For all the cold formerly entered into the water â—s not at once â—iscussed though the Water be in boyling the 〈◊〉 arising â—nly â—rom the cohaerence of the calefied with the 〈◊〉 particles of the Water And from the same Cause â—s â—t that a sheet of the thinneâ—t Venice Paper if so 〈…〉 hold Oyle infused into 〈…〉 doth endure the 〈…〉 Which some Cooks observing use to fry Bacon upon a sheet of Paper only Secondly Why doth Lime acquire an Heat and great Ebullition upon the affusion of Water since if our praecedent Assertion be true the Heat included in the Lime ought to be supprest so much the more by how much the more Aqueous Humidity is admixt unto it This Difficulty is discussed by Answering that the Aqueous Humidity of the Lime-stone is indeed wholly evaporated by fire in its calcination but yet the Pingous or Unctuous for the most part remains so that its Atoms of Fire lye still blended and incarcerated therein and when those expede themselves and by degrees expire into the ambient aer if they be impeded and repelled by water affused they recoyle upon the grumous masses of the Lime and by the Circumobsistence of the Humidity become more congregated and so upon the uniting of their forces make way for the Exsilition of the other Atoms of Fire which otherwise could not have attained their liberty but slowly and by succession one after another So that all the Atoms of Fire contained in the Lime issuing forth together they break through the water calefie it and make it bubble or boyle up the calefied parts thereof being yet cohaerent to the uncalefied The Third Problem is Why the Heat of Lime kindled by Water is more intense than that of any Flame whatever Answer that forasmuch as Flame is nothing but Fire Rarefied or as it were an Explication or Diffusion of those Atoms of Fire which were lately ambuscadoed in some Unctuous matter and that all Fire is so much more intense or vehement by how much more Dense it is i. e. by how much the more congregated the Atoms which constitute it are therefore is the Heat of Lime unslaking more vehement than that of any Flame in regard the smallest grains of Lime contain in them many Atoms of Fire which are not so diffused or disgregated in a moment as those in Flame So that a mans hand being waved to and fro in Flame is invaded by incomrably fewer particles of Fire than when it is dipt into or waved through water at the unslaking of Lime thereby the small granes of Lime adhaering unto and insinuating into the pores of the hand the many Atoms of fire invelloped in them incontinently explicate themselves violently penetrate and dilacerate the skin and other sentient parts and so produce that Pungent and Acute pain which is felt in all Ambustions From the same Reason also is it that a glowing Coale burns more vehemently than Flame and the Coals of more solid wood as Juniper Cedar Guaiacum Ebony Oke c. more vehemently than those of Looser wood such as Willow Elder Pine tree c. The like Disproportion is observable also in the Flames of divers Fewels for in the flame of Juniper are contained far more Igneous Atoms than in that of Willow and consequently they burn so much more vehemently True it is that spirit of Wine enflamed is so much more Ardent by how much more refined and cohobated yet this proceedeth from another Cause viz. that the Atoms of Fire issuing from spirit of Wine of the first Extraction have much of the Phletegme or Aqueous moysture of the Wine intermixt among them and so cannot be alleaged as an Example that impugne's our Reason of the Different Heats of several Flames The Fourth is that Vulgar Quaere Why boyling Oyle doth scald more dangerously than boyling Water To which it is easily Answered that Oyle being of an Unctuous and Tenacious consistence and so having its particles more firmly cohaerent than Water doth not permit the Atoms of Fire entered into it so easily to transpire so that being more agminous or swarming in oyl they must invade and dilacerate the hand of a man immersed into it both more thickly and deeply than those more Dispersed ones contained in boyling Water Which is also the Reason why Oyle made fervent is much longer in cooling than Water and may be extended to the Solution of the Fifth Problem viz. Wherefore do Metals especially Gold when melted or made glowing hot burn more violently than the Fire that melteth or heateth them especially since no Atoms of Fire can justly be affirmed to be lodged in them as in their proper seminary and so not to be educed from them upon their Liquation or Ignition For the Heat wherewith they procure Ambustion being not domestick but only Adventitious to them from the Fire
wherein they are melted or made red hot the reason why they burn so extreamly must be this that they are exceedingly Compact in substance and so their particles being more tenacious or reciprocally cohaerent then those of wood oyle or any other body whatever they more firmly keep together the Atoms of fire immitted into them insomuch that a man cannot touch them with his finger but instantly it is in all points invaded with whole swarms of igneous Atoms and most fiercely compunged and dilacerated And as for the Derasion of the skin from any part of an Animal immersed into melted metal this ariseth partly from the total dissolution of the tenour of the skin by the dense and on every side compungent Atoms of Fire partly from the Compression and Resistence of the parts of the Metal now made Fluid which are both so great that upon the withdrawing of the member immersed into the metal the part which is immediately prest upon by the particles thereof is detained behind and that 's the skin Hence also is it no longer a Problem Why red hâ—t Iron sets any Combustible matter on Fire for it is evident that it cannot inflame by its own substance but by the Atoms of Fire immitted into and for a while reteined in its Pores And this brings us to a Second CONSECTARY viz. That as the Degrees of Heat are various Physicians indeed allow only 4 and Physiologists but double that number the Former in order to the more convenient reduction of their Art to certain and established principles the Latter meerly in conformity to the Dictates of Aristotle but Neither upon absolute necessity since it is reasonable for any man to augment their number even above number at pleasure So also must the Degrees of fire be various For since Fire even according to Aristotle is only the Excess of Heat or Heat encreased to that height as to Burn or Enflame a thing if we begin at the gentle Meteor called Ignis Fatuus which lighting upon a mans hand and a good while adhereing thereto doth hardly warm it or at the fire of the purest spirit of Wine enflamed which also is very languid for it is frequent among the Irish for a Cure of their Endemious Fluxes of the belly to swallow down small balls of Cotton steept in spirit of wine and set on fire and that many times with good success We say if we begin from either of these weak Fires and run through all the intermediate ones to that of melted Gold which all men acknowledge to be the Highest we shall soon be convinced that the Degrees of Fire are so various as to arise even to innumerability Most true it is in the General that every Fire is so much the more intense by how much more numerous or agminous the Atoms of Fire are that make it yet if we regard only the Effect there must be allowed a convenient space of time for the requisite motion of those Atoms and a supply of fresh ones successively to invade and penetrate the thing to be burned or enflamed For since the Igneous Atoms exsilient from their involucrum or seminary and invading the extrems of a body objected to them are subject to easy Repercussion or rather Resilition from it therefore to the Calefaction Adustion or Inflammation of a body it is not sufficient that the body be only moved along by or over the Fire but it must be held neer or in it so long as till the first invading Igneous Atoms which otherwise would recoyle from it be impelled on and driven into the pores of the same by streams of other Igneous Atoms contiguously succeeding and pressing upon them And however the space of time be almost in assignably short in which the finger of a man touching a glowing Coale or melted metal is burned because the Atoms of Fire are therein exceeding Dense and Agminous and so penetrate the skin in all points yet nevertheless common observation assures that in the General a certain space of time is necessary to the Effect of Calefaction or Ambustion and that so much the Longer by how much the Fewer or more Disgregated the Igneous Atoms are either in the Body Calefying or the Aer conterminous thereto And this as formerly to the end that the Motion of the Igneous Atoms first assaulting the object may be continued and a supply of fresh ones promoting and impelling the former be afforded from the Focus or Seminary Hence is it that a mans hand may be frequently Waved to and fro in Flame without burning because the Atoms of Fire which invade it are repercussed and not by a continued aflux of others driven foreward into its pores the motion of his hand preventing the Continuity of their Fluor but if his hand be held still in the flame though but a very short time it must be burned because the first invading Atoms of Fire are impelled on by others and those again by others in a continent fluor so that their Motion is continued and a constant supply maintained Hence comes it also that no Metal can be molten only by a Flash or transient touch of the Fire for we are not yet fully satisfied of the verity of that vulgar tradition of the instantaneous melting of money in a purse or of a sword blade in its sheath by Lightning and if we were yet could we assign that prodigious Effect to some more probable Cause viz. the impetuosity of the motion and the exceeding Coarctation of those Atoms of Fire of which that peculiar species of Lightning doth consist but it must be so long held in or over the Fire as until the Igneous Atoms have totally pervaded its contexture and dissociated all its particles and therefore so much the longer stay in the fire doth every Metal require to its Fusion by how much the more Compact and Tenacious its particles are As the Degrees of Fire are various as to the more and less of Vehemency respective to the more and less Density or Congregation of the Igneous Atoms So likewise is there a considerably variety among Flames as to the more and less of Duration Concerning the Causes therefore of this Variety in the General we briefly observe that Flame hath its Greater or Less Duration respective to the 1. Various Materials or Bodies inflammable For such Bodies as have a greater Aversion to inflammation being commixt with others that are easily inflammable make their flame less Durable as Bay Salt dissolved in spirit of Wine shortens the duration of its flame by almost a third part as the Lord Bacon affirms upon exact experiment Nat. Hist. cent 4. and contrariwise such as approach neerer to an affinity with fire i. e have much of Unctuousness and plenty of igneous Atoms concealed therein yield the most lasting Flames as Oyle and Spirit of Wine commixt in due proportions and spirit of Salt to a tenth part commixt with Oyle Olive makes it burn twice as long in
or Attractive Force it is of pure necessity that the same space remaining look how much of Time is diminished so much is the motive Force encreased and what is the proportion of space to Time the same is the proportion of the Motive Force to Space And hence comes it that the proportion of space to Time being as that of 2 to 1 the Motive Force must have to space the proportion of 4 to 2 and consequently to Time not as 2 to 1 but as 4 to 1. Lastly as for DUCTILITY little remains Additional to what we have formerly said concerning the Formal Reason thereof but the Solution of that notable PROBLEM about the admirably vast Extensibility of that King not only of Metals but of the whole Earth Gold And indeed since we have it upon the testimony of our Experience that one Ounce of pure Gold may be by Malleation extended to such an amplitude as to cover ten Acres of Land and that one Grain thereof may be Wier drawne into a thread of such incomparable fineness as to commensurate 400 foot and consequently that one Ounce of Gold is capable of deduction into a thread whose length may fufill the measure of two hundred and thirty thousand and four hundred feet of six inches apiece we say this being avouched by those Mechaniques who deale in Beating of Gold into Leaves and Drawing it out into Wier it seems well worthy our Enquiry upon what Cause this stupendious Praerogative of Gold doth chiefly depend In a word therefore we conceive this superlative EXTENSIBILITY of Gold to be warrantably referrible to a Threefold Cause viz. the unparalleld Compactness of it substance the great Tenuity of its Component particles and the Multitude of small Hooks or Clawes whereby those particles reciprocally implicate each other and maintain the Continuity of the whole Mass. For 1 the exceeding Compactness of its Contexture doth afford parts sufficient to so great Extension i. e. such an abundance of them as upon the Decrement of the Mass in Profundity may rise up into the superfice and enlarge the Latitude or Longitude 2 The Tenuity of its component particles maketh the mass capable of Diminution in profundity and so of Augmentation in superfice even to an incredible proportion and 3 The Multitude of small Hooks whereby those Exile particles reciprocally cohaere sufficeth to the constant Continuity for while the mass is suffering under the Hammer no sooner can the stroke thereof dissociate one particle from its neighbour but instantly it layes hold of and fastneth upon another and as firmely cohaereth thereunto as to its former hold So that the mutual Cohaesion is maintained even above the highest degree of Extension or Attenuation which any imaginable Art can promise Nay so sufficient a Cause of incredible Ductility doth this last seem to be that Mersennus regarded no other as may be collected from these his words Sunt autem Corpora maximè Ductilia quae habent Atomos undique Hamatas ut Aurum cujus Atomi non ita possunt evolui ut sese deserant in inferioribus aut superioribus partibus quin laterales succedant quibus usque ad insignem tenuitatem perveniant Harmon lib. 3. propos 22. Corollario de Atomis This apprehended the Chymist needs not longer to perplex himself about the Cause of the Incorruptibility and incapacity of Volatilization in Gold and if his so promising Art can attain to the investment of any Metal with these Proprieties let other men dispute whether it be Gold or no for our parts we oblige our selves so to accept it Now that we may run through all other Secondary Qualities in this one Course we farther observe that to the praedominion of Softness men ought to refer SECTILITY such as is seen in wood Cut transversly and FISSILITY such as in wood cleft along the Grain For whateve is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sectile must in some sort return to the nature of Flexility seeing that the parts of it which are immediately pressed upon by the edge of the Axe Knife or other Cutting instrument must recede inwardly i. e. from the superfice to the profundity of the Mass and the Lateral parts at the same time give back on each hand for otherwise there could be no yeilding and so no cutting and in like manner whatever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fissille must have so much of Flexility also as that when the parts of it in the place upon which the Force is first discharged begin to be dissociated a certain Compression must run along successively to all the other parts which are afterwards to be dissociated But though a Fission or Cleaving may be made without any Deperdition of Substance or excession of parts from the body cleft those parts which were coadunated Sec. Longitudinem being only separated Sec. Longitudinem yet is that impossible in any Section whatever though made by the acutest edge imaginable because look how much of the body doth commensurate the bredth of the edge of the Cutting instrument so much at least is beaten off and destracted from the body betwixt the sides of the incision And thus much concerning the Consequents of Softness As for those of Hardness they are TRACTILITY and FRIABILITY For whatever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fractile capable of fraction into pieces as a Flint and most other stones must have so much of Rigidity the chief propriety of Hardness as may suffice to hinder the yeilding of it superfice upon pressure or percussion and consequently all subingression of superior particles into the small vacuities intercepted among the inferior ones and so to cause that the superfice is first diffracted and successively all the subjacent particles dissociated quite thorow to the contrary superfice the inferior particles being still pulsed by the Superior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of their Continuity So that the fragments into which the body is shattered are greater or less either according to the diverse contexture thereof in divers parts in respect whereof some parts may be contexed more Compactly and Firmely and others again more Laxly and Weakly or according to situation in respect whereof those parts which are neerer to the Circumference she off more easily than those which are more remote In like manner whatever is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friabile Brittle as Marble Glass Earthern Vessels c. must also have so much of Rigidity as to make it uncapable of Flexion Traction Diduction or Extension by any means whatever so that upon any forcible pression or percussion the whole mass or substance of it is shivered into dust or broken into greater fragments which are easily subject to be Crumbled into dust afterward Now that a Hard or Rigid bodie being percussed or pressed with force sufficient in one Extreme or Superfice the percussion or pressure may be propagated from part to part successively till it arrive at and be determined in the other extreme may be evinced by sundry most
〈◊〉 Experiments some whereof are recited by the Lord St. Alban in â—â—lva sylvarum Cent. 1. But this one will serve the turne When an Oyster or Tortois shell is let fall from a sufficient altitude upon a stone 〈◊〉 is usually shattered into many peices and that for no other Reason but this that the lower side whether Convex or Concave being vehemently impinged against the stone the particles thereof immediately knockt by the stone as vehemently give back and in their quick Retrocession impell the particles situate immediately above them whereupon those impelled particles with the same violence impell others next in order above them until the percussion being propagated from part to part successively quite home to the upper superfice it comes to pass that each percussed part giving back the whole shell is shattered into small Fragments All which may seem but a genuine Paraphrase upon the Text of Mersennus Harmonicor lib 2. propos 43. Duritiei verò proprietas appellatur Rigiditas quae fit ab Atomis ita sibi invicem cohaerentibus ut Deflexionem impediant quod contingit in Corporibus quae constant Atomis Cubicis octuedris tetruedis ex quibus resultat perfecta superficiecularum inter se cohaesio hinc â—it ut Rigida Corpora Fructilia sint non autem Sectilia ictu impacto tota in frusta dissiliant Qui adum praedictae superficiunculae se invicem premunt quae sunt ex una parte dimoventur ab iis quae ex alia adeo ut unico impetu externo Corpori impresso Contusio sentiatur per totum partium eodem momento fit separatio There yet remains a Quality which is the Ofspring neither of Softness alone nor Hardness alone but ought to be referred partly to the one partly to the other and that is RUPTILITY For not only such Bodies as challenge the Attribute of Softness are subject to Ruption when they are distressed beyond the tenour of their Contexture either by too much Inflexion as a Bow over bent or too much Distention as Leather or Parchment over strained or too much Malleation as a plate of Lead Iron or other Metal over hammerd but such also as claim the title of Hardness and that in an eminent proportion as Marble for a Pillar of Marble if long and slender and laid transversly or horizontally so as to rest only upon its two extrems is easily broken asunder by its own Weight For as Soft bodies when rackt or deduced beyond the râ—te of mutual Cohaerence among their parts must yeeld to the External Force which distresâ—eth them and so suffer total discontinuity so Hard ones when the Internal Force or their owne Weight is too great to be resisted by their Compactness as in the example of a long Marble Pillar not supported in the middle then must they likewise yeeld to that superior force and break asunder And here the Archer and Musician put in for a Solution of that PROBLEM which so frequently troubles them viz. Cur Chordae faciliâ—â—s circa Exâ—rema quam circa Medium frangantur cum vi vel pondere sive horizontaliter sive verticaliter trahuntur Why Bowstrings Lutestrings and other Chords though of uniforme Contexture throughout and equally distended in all parts do yet usually break asunder not in the middle or neer it but at one End where they are fastned The Cause certainly must be this that the Weight or drawing force doth alwayes first act upon the parts of the string which are neerest to it and successively upon those which are farthest off i. e. in the Middle so that the string suffering the greatest stress neer the Extrems is more subject to break there than in any other part Wherefore whenever a Bowstring breaks in or neer the middle it may safely be concluded that the string was weakest in that place To which we may add this also that Experienced Archers to praevent the frequent breaking of their strings and the danger of breaking the Bow thereby injoyn their String-makers to add a Link of Flax or Twist more at the Ends of each string than in any other parts of it and that they call the Forcing because Experience hath taught them that the Force of the Bow is most violently discharged upon those parts of the string which are neerest to the Horns CHAP. XV. OCCULT QUALITIES made MANIFEST SECT I. HAving thus long entertained it self with the most probable Reasons of the several wayes and means whereby Compound Bodies exhibite their several Attributes and Proprieties to the judicature of the Sensitive Faculties in Animals and principally in Man the Rule Perfection and grand Exemplar of all the rest t is high time for our Curiosity to turn a new leaf and sedulously address it self to the speculation of Another Order or Classis of Qualities such as are vulgarly distinguished from all those which have hitherto been the subject of our Disquisitions by the unhappy and discouraging Epithite OCCULT Wherein we use the scarce perfect Dialect of the Schools who too boldly praesuming that all those Qualities of Concretions which belong to the jurisdiction of the senses are dependent upon Known Causes and deprehended by Known Faculties have therefore termed them Manifest and as incircumspectly concluding that all those Proprieties of Bodies which fall not under the Cognizance of either of the Senses are derived from obscure and undiscoverable Causes and perceived by Unknown Faculties have accordingly determined them to be Immanifest or Occult. Not that we dare be guilty of such unpardonable Vanity and Arrogance as not most willingly to confess that to Ourselves all the Operations of Nature are meer Secrets that in all her ample catalogue of Qualities we have not met with so much as one which is not really Immanifest and Abstruse when we convert our thoughts either upon its Genuine and Proxime Causes or upon the Reason and Manner of its perception by that Sense whose proper Object it is and consequently that as the Sensibility of a thing doth noe way praesuppose its Intelligibility but that many things which are most obvious and open to the Sense as to their Effects may yet be remote and in the dark to the Understanding as to their Causes so on the Contrary doth not the Insensibility of a thing necessitate nay nor aggravate the Unintelligibility thereof but that many things which are above the sphere of the Senses may yet be as much within the reach of our Reason as the most sensible whatever Which being praecogitated as when we look back upon our praecedent Discourses touching the Originals and Perception of Sensible Qualities we have just ground to fear that they have not attained the happy shoar of verity but remain upon the wide and fluctuating ocean of meer Verisimility So also when we look forward upon our immediately subsequent Disquisitions into the Causes of many Insensible Qualities are we not destitute of good reason to hope that though we herein attempt the consignation of
to its owne nature leaveth the Milder and Sweeter for the aliment of the Fig tree and by that means both assisteth the procerity of the Tree and Meliorateth the Fruit thereof Thus also Garlick set neer to a Rose tree by consuming the Foetid juice of the ground and leaving the more Odorate and benigne to pass into the roots of the Rose tree doth both farther the Growth and Germination thereof and encrease the Sweetness of it Flowers But as for the Amity betwixt the Wild Poppy and Wheat we should refer it to another Cause viz. the Qualification of the ground by the tincture of the Wheat so as to praepare it for the Generation and growth of the Wild Poppy not by substraction of Disagreeing moisture but by Enriching the Soyle or impraegnating it with a fertility determinate to the production of some sorts of weeds and chiefly of that For most certain it is that there are certain â—orn-flowers which seldom or never spring up but amongst Corn and will hardly thrive though carefully and seasonably set in other places such are the Blew-bottle a kind of yellow single Marygold and the Wild-Poppy 2 This discovered we need not search far after the Reasons of those Antipathies which are reported to be between the Vine and Cole-woort the Oke and Olive the Brake and Reed Hemlock and Rew the Shrub called our Ladies Seal a certain Species of Bryony and the Cole-woort c. which are presumed to be so odious each to other from some secret Contrariety of their respective Forms that if any two of them that are Enemies be set neer together one or both will die For the truth is all Plants that are great Depraedators of the moisture of the earth defraud others that grow neer them of their requisite nourishment and so by degrees impoverishing at length destroy them So the Colewoort is an enemy not only to the Vine but any other Plant dwelling neer it because it is a very succulent and rank Plant and so exhausts the fattest and most prolifical juice of the ground And if it be true that the Vine will avoid the Society of the Colewoort by Averting its trunck and branches from it this may well be only in respect of its finding less nourishment on that side for as the Lord St. Alban hath well observed though the root continue still in the same place and position yet will the Trunk alwayes bend to that side on which it nourisheth most So likewise the Oke and Olive being large trees of many roots and great spenders of moisture doe never thrive well together because the stronger in Attraction of juice deceives and starves the weaker Thus Hemlock is a dangerous neighbour to Rew because being the Ranker Plant of the two and living upon the like juice it defrauds it of sufficient sustenance and makes it pine away for penury And the like of the rest 3 But what shall we think of that semiconjugall Alliance betwixt the Male and Female Palme trees which is so strong and manifest that the Femal which otherwise would languish as if she had the Green sickness and continue bâ—rren is observed to prosper and load her fruitful boughs with braces of Dates when she enjoys the Society of the Male nay to extend her arms to meet his embraces as if his masculine influence were necessary not only to her impregnâ—tion and the maturity of her numerous issue but even to her own health and welfare Why truly we cannot better expound this dark Riddle of Nature than by having recourse to some Corporeâ—l Emanations deradiated from the male which is the stronger and more spriteful plant to the Female which is the weaker and wants an Accession of heat and spirits For far enouâ—h frâ—m iâ—probable it is that such â—â—anation may contain much of the Males Sâ—minal and fruâ—tâ—â—â—ing virâ—â—â— and it hath been avouched by freqâ—â—nt Experiments that the blossoms and Flowers of the Male being dried and poudered and inspersed upon the branches of the Female are no less effâ—ctual to her Comfort and Fertility than the Vicinity of the Male himself We are told indeed by Heredotus and from his own strict observation that the Male Palm proâ—uceth yearly a Dwaâ—fish sort of Dates which being uncapable of maturiâ—â— and perfection men use therefore to gather early and bind them on the loaden branches of the Female that there corrupting and breeding a kind of small volant Inâ—ect resembling our Gâ—ats which the Natives 〈◊〉 Psâ—â—e though Theophrastus seems to appropriate thâ—t name only to those Fiyes thâ—t are a spontâ—neous proâ—uction out of the immature fruit 〈◊〉 the Wilde Figg tree suffering putrefactionâ— that they may advance the Growth and Maturity of her fruit not by any secret influence but the â—anâ—â—est Voracity of those Insects which continually preying upon the ripening fruit both open the topâ— oâ— them anâ— so make way for the rayes oâ— the Sun to enter more freely and deeply into their substance and â—uck out 〈◊〉 of the luxuriant crude and watery juice leavâ—ng the 〈…〉 â—nctuâ—us to the more easie digestion and assimâ—â—â—tâ—on of the â—ormerly â—â—â—rcharged Seminal Vâ—rtue of the Plant This we confess is â—â—ce anâ—â—â—â—usible but not totally satisfactory because it extends only to the Reâ—â—on of the Males remote Assistance of the Female in the maturatâ—â—n of her Fruit leaving us still to enquire Why she herself remains in a 〈◊〉 â—nd pining condition unless she enjoys the Society and invigorating 〈◊〉 of the Male and why she inclines her amorous boughs toward his as 〈◊〉 Neighbourhood were a kind of Divorce and nothing less thaâ— absolute Union could satisfie her Affection And what we hâ—ve heresâ—â—â— of the Sympathy betwixt the Male and Female Palms will not lose a â—rain of its Verisimility when our Reader shall please to accomodate 〈◊〉 to the Explanation of the Cause of the like Amity betwixt the â—ig â—ree and Caprificus or Wild Fig tree of which Pliny lib. 15. cap. 19. â—â—lates the very same story as Herodotus doth of the Palms 4 This puts us in mind of the great Sympathy betwixt Vine and Wine expressed from its Grapes and immured in Hoggheads though at the distance of many miles For it seems most convenient that it is from the like Diffusion of subtle Emanations imbued with the Seminal tincture of the Vine that Wines stored up in deep Cellars in the same Country where they grew for in England whither all wines are transported over sea no such Effect hath been observed the Remove being too large to admit any such Transmission of influence from the transmarine Vineyards to our Cellars become sick turbid and musty in the Cask at the same time the Vines Flower and Bud forth and again recover their former Clearness and Spirit so soon as that season is past And that this Conjecture may seem to smell the less of Phansy we desire you to consider through what large tracts of Aer even the Odours Exhalations much less Subtile
praestigious and Diabolical For it being certain that all Serpents are most highly offended at the smell and influx of those invisible Emanations proceeding from the Cornus by reason of some great Disproportion or Incompossibility betwixt those subtile Effluviaâ—s and the temperament of the Vital and Spiritual Substance of Serpents insomuch that in a moment they become strongly intoxicated thereby Why should it seem impossible that He who understands this invincible Enmity and how to manage a wand or rod of the Cornus with cunning and dexterity having first intoxicated a Serpent by the touch thereof should during that fit make him observe and readily conforme to all the various motions of that wand So as that the unlearned Spectators perceiving the Serpent to approach the Enchanter as he moves the wand neerer to himself to retreat from him as he puts the wand from him to turne round as the wand is moved round to dance as that is waved to and fro and lye still as in a trance when that is held still over him and all this while knowing nothing that the simple virtue of the wand is the Cause of all those mimical motions and gestures of the Serpent they are easily deluded into a belief that the whole seene is supernatural and the main Energy radicated in those words or Charms which the Impostor with great Ceremony and gravity of aspect mutters forth the better to disguise his Legerdemane and dissemble Nâ—ture in the Colours of a Miracle And as in this so in all other Magical Practices those Bombast Words nonesense Spells exotique Characters and Fanatick Ceremonies used by all Praestigiators and Enchanters have no Virtue or Efficacy at all that little only excepted which may consist meerly in the sounds and tones in which they are pronounced in respect whereof the eare may be pleased or displeased as to the Causation of the Effect intended nor doe they import any thing more than the Circumvention of the Spectâ—â—tors judgement and exaltation of his Imagination upon whom they prâ—etend to work the miracle Which considered it will be an argument not only of Christianism but of sound judgement in any man to conclude that excepting only some few particulars in which God hath been pleased to permit the Devil to exercise his Praestigiatory power and yet whoso shall consider the infinite Goodness of God will not easily be induced to beleive that He hath permitted any such at all all those Volumes of Stories of Fascinations Incantations Transformations Sympathies of men and beasts with Magical Telesms Gamahues or Waxen Images and the like mysterious Nothings are meer Fables execrable Romances So Epidemical we confess hath the Contagion of such Impostures been that among the People when any Person waxeth macilent and pines away we hear of nothing but Evil Neighbours Witchcraft Charms Statues of Wax and the like venefical fopperies and instantly some poor decrepite old woman is suspected and perhaps accâ—â—â—d of malice and Diabolical stratagems against the life of that person who all the while lieth languishing of some Common Disease and the leâ—â—â—ed Physician no sooner examines the case but he finds the sick mans Consumption to proceed from some inveterate malady of the bodie as Ulcer of the Lungs Hectique Fever Debility of the Stomack Liver or other common Concocting part or from long and deep Grief of mind In like manner when the Husband man observes his field to become barren 〈◊〉 chattel â—o cast then yong or die his corn to be blasted his fruits 〈…〉 immaturely or the like sinister Accidents nothing is more usual 〈◊〉 than to charge those misfortunes upon the Magical Impraecations of some offended Neighbour whom the multitude supposeth to be a 〈◊〉 man or Conjurer And yet were the Philosopher consulteâ—â—bouâ— those Disasters he would soon discover them to be the ordinary 〈◊〉 genuine Effects of Natural Causes and refer each Contingent 〈◊〉 proper original True it is likewise that many of those Sorcerers who◠〈◊〉 vulgar call White Witches in respect of the good they 〈…〉 frequently pâ—â—â—scribe certain Amulets or Perâ—apts for the praecentio◠〈…〉 of some diâ—â—ases and in this case if the Amulet or Perâ—apt 〈…〉 such Natural Ingredients as are endowed with Qualitieâ— repugâ—â—â—â— to the Disâ—â—se or its germane Causes we are not to deny 〈…〉 But as for those superstitious Invocations of Angels an◠〈◊〉 Salamons Characters Tetragrammatons Spells Circles an◠〈…〉 and ridiculous Magical Rites and Ceremonies used by the 〈◊〉 at the time of the Composition or Application of those Amulets or 〈◊〉 they are of no power or virtue at all and signifie nothing but 〈◊〉 Delusion of the Ignorant Again we grant that the Imagination 〈◊〉 Confidence of the sick Person being by such means exalteâ— may 〈◊〉 very much to his Recovery for it is no secret that the 〈…〉 men are for the most part erected and their drooping spirit◠〈…〉 by the good opinion they have entertained of the 〈…〉 Confidence they place in his praescripts but yet are 〈…〉 allow any Direct and Natural Efficacy to that 〈…〉 and Ceremonious administration of Remedies which are 〈◊〉 observed by such Impostors as praetend to Extraordinary skill an◠〈◊〉 supernatural way in the Cure of Diseases and seem to affect and 〈…〉 the detestable repute of Magicians And what we say of the 〈…〉 Amulets and the like we desire should 〈…〉 or Love-procuring Potions oâ— the Ligature 〈…〉 Wedding night to cause Impotency in new 〈…〉 then Brides a thing very frequent in Zant and Gascoâ—◠〈…〉 because each of these hath other Causes than those 〈…〉 Nugaments praescribed by those Cheaters and 〈…〉 they can have upon the persons to whom they 〈…〉 in the praepossession of their Phancy and 〈…〉 to Hope or Fear 9 〈…〉 a certain sort of Fascination Natural about which 〈…〉 and most Nurses when they observe 〈…〉 fall into Cachexâ—es languishing condition◠〈…〉 instantly crie out that some envious 〈…〉 them Concerning this secret therefore in 〈…〉 part hath no interest at all we say that if there be any thing of truth as to matter of Fact the Fascinating activity of the old malicious Crone must consist only in this that she doth evibrate or dart forth from her brain certain malignant Spirits or rayes which entering the tender body of the Infant do infect the purer spirits and so the blood in its Arteries and assimilating the same to their depraved and maligne nature corrupt all the Aliment of the body and alienate the parts from their genuine and requisite temperament Not that those Malignant Emissions can arrive at and infect an Infant that is absent as is vulgarly conceived but that the malicious old woman must be praesent and look with an oblique or wist look and breath upon the Child whose health she envies nay conjure up her Imagination to that height of malice as to imbue her spirits with the evil Miasme or Inquinament of those vitious and corrupt Humors wherewith her half-rotten Carcass is well stored and
is not every way of Apposition that will be convenient but only that when it is disposed in a direct line respondent to the same Ductus or situation of its Fibres according to which it was continued to the Earth beâ—ore its separation Nor is this meer Conjecture but a truth as firme as the Earth it self and as plain as sense can make it it being constâ—ntly observed that what situation a Loadstone had in its Matrix or minerall bed the very same it shall strongly affect and strictly observe evâ—r after at least while it is a Loadstone i. e. untill time or Fire have destroyed its Verticity And as for the Use thereof it is so â—ruitfull as to yield us the most probable Reason in Generall for sundry the most obscure among all Magneticall Apparences 1 Forasmuch as the Loadstone ever affects its native situation and that its Northern part did while it remained in its matrix adhaere to the Southern parts of the same magnetique vein that lay more North and its Southern part did adhaere to the Northern part of the magnetick vein that lay more South therefore is it that the North pole of a Loadstone doth never affect an union with the North pole of the earth nor its South pole direct to the South pole of the Earth but quite contrary its North pole converts to the South and its South to the North. So that whenever you observe a Loadstone freely swimming in a boate of Cork to convert or decline one of its poles to the North of the Earth you may assure your self that that is the South pole of the Loadstone and è contra 2 From the same and no other Cause is it also that when a Magnet is dissected or broken into two pieces and so two new poles created in each piece the Boreall pole of the one half shall never admit Coition with the Boreall pole of the other nor the Australl extreme of the one fragment affect conjunction wâ—th the Australl extreme of the the other but contrariwise the Australl end shall septentrionate and the septentrionaâ—â— Australize The same also happens whenever â—ny two Loâ—â—stones 〈◊〉 applied each to other the Cause being Generall viz. the Native 〈◊〉 or Grain of the Magnetique Fibres which is inverted wheneâ—â—â— the Boreall part of a Loadstone is applied to the Boreall paâ—t of the Earth or of another Loadstone or the Meridionall part of a Loaâ—stâ—ne be converted to the meridionall part of the Earth of another Loadstone as the Ductus of the Fibres in a shoot of a Plâ—nt is inverteâ— when the upper extreme thereof is inserted into the upper part of a sâ—oâ—k This considered when we observe the Animated Needle 〈…〉 Mariners Compass freely converting it self round upon the pin â—hereon it is aequilibrated that end which directeth to the Norâ—â— pole of the Earth must be the South point of the Needle and viceversally that must be the North cuspis of the Needle which conâ—rontetâ— the South of the Earth And when praesent a Loadstone to a magnetified Versory that part of the Loadstone must be the North pole to which the South cuspis of the Needle comes and that to which the North point of the Needle approaches must be the South of the Loadstone The same also may be concluded of the extremes of Irons when a Loadstone is applied unto them for that part of an Iron barr which laied meridionally hath respected the North must have been spirited by the Southern influence of the Earth and è contra and among our Fire Irons the upper end must have imbibed the Northern influence of the Earth and the Lower the Southern contrary to the assertion of some of our Magneticall Philosophers The NINTH the Analogy of the Earth to the Loadstone and other magnetically inspired bodies being so great and the Cause thereof so little obscure it may seem a justifiable inference That the Terriestriall Globe doth inwardly consist of certain continued Fibres running along from North to South or from South to North in one uninterrupted ductus and consequently that since the middle Fibre is as it were the Axis whose opposite extremes make the two Poles in case the whole Earth could be divided into two or more great parts there would instantly result in every part or division a special Axis two speciall Poles a speciall Aequator and all other conditions as formerly in the whole Globe so that the septentrionall part of one piece would conjoin it self to the Austrine part of another and the septentrionall parts reciprocally avert themselves each from other as the parts of a Loadstone And this we may understand to be that mighty and so long enquired Cause why all the parts of the Terrestriall Globe do so fiâ—mly cohaeâ—e and conserve the primitive Figure the Cohaesion Attractive Virtue constant Direction and spontaneous Verticity of all its genuine parts all whose Southern Fibres doe magnetically or individually conforme and conjoyn themselves to the Northern and their Northern to the Southern being the necessary Causes of that Firmness and constancy of Figure Impossible we confess it is to obtain any ocular Experiment of this constitution of the Earths internall Fibres the very Cortex of the Earth extending some miles in profundity but yet we desume a reasonable Conjecture thereof as well from the great similitude of effects wrought by the Earth and other Magneticks as the Experience of Miners who frequently observe and constantly affirme that the Veins of subterraneous Rocks from whose chinks they dig Iron oare doe allwayes tend from South to North and that the Veins of eminent Rocks which make the Giant Mountains upon the face of the Earth have generally the same Direction And though there are some Rowes or Tracts of Mountains that run from East to West or are of oblique situation yet are there alwayes some considerable intercisures among them from South to North so that that can be no sufficient argument that the interior Fibres of the Earth which are truely and entirely magneticall and subjacent under those Mountainous rocks doe not lye in a meridionall position or conforme to the Axis of the Earth The TENTH that since the observations of Miners ascertain us that the Ranges or Tracts of Rocks in the Cortex or accessible part of the Terrestriall Globe do for the most observe a praecisely Meridionall situation and tend from South to North and sometimes i. e. in some places deâ—lect toward the East and West with less and greater obliquity and that our Reason may from thence and the similitude of the Eâ—rth and Loadstone naturally extract a Conjecture that the Fibres of the Earths Kernell or inaccessible parts though for the most they tend praecisely from the South to the North may yet in many places more and lâ—ss Deflect toward the East and West we need no longer perplex ouâ— minds with enquiring Why all Magnetiques and especially the Versory or Needle of the Sea-mans Compass being horizontally
Concretion of which Aristoâ—le hath such large discourses and the Schools much larger the theory of Epicuruâ— instructs us that they are only Two The Fiâ—st and Gâ—and one is the Intermistion of Vacuity among the solid particles of bodies in respect whereof all Concretions are so much more easily Exsoluable or subject to Corruption by how much more of Vacuity they have intercepted among the solid particles that compose them according to that Dâ—stich of Lucretius Et quam quaeque magis cohiâ—et res intus Inane Tum magis his rebus penitâ—s tentata labascit The other is the Ingenite Gravity or natural and inamissible propensity of Atoms to Motion which always inciteth them to intestine commotions and continual attempts of exsilition So that where their Connexions and complications are but lax and easily exsoluble as in all Animals all Plants and some Metals there do they sooner and more easily expede themselves and so in short time totally dissolve the Concretions which they composed But where they are bound to a more lasting peace by more close compaction and reciprocal complications as in Gold and Adâ—mâ—nts there their inhaerent propensity to motion is so supprest as that they cannot disengâ—ge themselves each froâ— other without great difficulty and after many hundred yeers continual attempts of evolution convolution and exsilition Which is the true Reason both why Gold is the leâ—st Corruptible of all things yet known and why it is not wholly Incorruptible but obnoxious to spontaneous Dissolution though aâ—ter perhaps a million of yeers when after innumerable myriads of convolutions the Atoms which compose it have successively attained their liberty anâ— flye off one after another tâ—â—l the whole of that so closely compacted substance be â—iâ—solved From the Causes our thoughts are now at length arrived at the MANNERS or Ways of Generation anâ— Corruption and finâ— them to be of Two sorts General and Special Concerning the General we obâ—eâ—ve â—â—at accordâ—ng to the doâ—trine of Epicuâ—us whoâ—e great praeheâ—inenâ—e in point of Verisimility and Concordance throughout hath maâ—e us praeâ—er it to that of Aristotle which we have amâ—ly convicted of manifest Incomprehensibility and self-contradiction things are generated either immediately of Atoms themseâ—ves convened together and concreted and resolved again immediately into Atoms or immediately of praeexistent Concretions and resolved immâ—â—iately into them agâ—in Of the way how the Former is effected we have said enough in the second chapter of our Dâ—scourse against Atheism Aâ— to the Latter be pleased to undeâ—stand in a worâ— that all Generation is caused by either 1 A simple Transposition of paâ—ts of the same numerical matter Or 2 an Abjectâ—on of some paâ—ts of the old or prâ—â—xistent matter or 3 An Accession of new parts For howbeit all these three General wâ—ys of Generation are mostly so concurrent anâ— commixt as that one is hardly found wâ—thout the association of the other two yet when we consider â—ach of them in special and would determine which of them is praedominâ—nt over the others in the generation of this or that particular species of â—hings it will be necessâ—â—y that we allow this Discriminâ—tion First theâ—â—â—ore those things â—re sâ—â—d to be generate◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a meer Tâ—ansposition of parts which are observed to be spontaneous in their Proâ—uction as Frogs engendred only of muâ— or slâ—â—e Worms from putrid Chees c. because from the very â—elf-sâ—me praeeistâ—nt matter only by a various transposition of its parts succeeding reâ—uctâ—on of them to such or such a determâ—nâ—te order situation â—oâ—ething is generated of a nature absolutely new or quâ—te different from what thâ—t mâ—ttâ—r formerly had Anâ—â—â—ther also are we to refer thoâ—e Transmutaâ—â—â—â—â— of â—lements of which Arâ—stotle and the Scâ—ools have such frequent â—nd high discourses because when Aer is conceived to be changed into Water or Water transformed into Aer all the mysterie of those reciprocal metamorphoses amounts to no more than a meer putting of the parts of the same common and indifferent matter into different modes and the interception of more or less of Inanity among them as we have frequently demonstrated Secondly such things are conceived to be generated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Addition or Accession which are not spontaneous in their original but of seminal production and specificated by the univocal virtue of their seeds because in Propagation rightly accepted a very small quantity of seed pervading a greater mass of matter doth ferment coagulate and successively appose more and more parts thereof to itself and conform the same into the species of that thing from which it was derived and impraegnated with the idea of the whole and every part thereof And this Difference includes not only all Augmentation which is a kind of Aggeneration and consisteth only in the Apposition of new matter or substance and that in a greater proportion than what is decayed or exhausteâ— but also every Composition whatever such as is the Insition or Inoculation of Plants Thirdly such things are said to be generated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Detraction which arise from the Dissolution of others and subsist only by Excretion or Separation as Fire Smoke c. are derived from the Dissolution of wood and other combustible substances to which they were formerly commixt and Wax from the separation of Hony together with which it was blended in the Combs And as for the Contrary Corruption â—tis easie to deduce it from the contrary ways of disposing matter And here again the incircumspection of Aristotle manifestly discovers it self who multiplies the General ways of Generation to a superfluous number expresly teaching that every simple Generation ariseth from 1 either Transfiguration as when a statue is made of molten metal or 2 Addition as whâ—n Vegetables or Animals are Augmented or 3 Ablation as when a statue is hewn out of Marble all such parts being cut off and abjected as were superfluous to the perfection of the Figure designed or 4 Composition as in the structure of a house of various materials composed according to the rules of Architecture or 5 Alteration when a thing is changed as to matter as when Ashes are produced out of wood combust When notwithstanding had not his accustomed diligence been laid asleep or judgement perverted he must soon have perceived that his Transfiguration Addition and Ablation are really the very same with the Transposition Adjection and Detraction of our Epicurus and that Composition is necessarily referrible to Addition and Alteration to Transposition Concerning the Special modes or ways of Generation we need advertise you of only two Considerables 1 That each of the three General ways newly mentioned is so fruitful in possible variety as that the special subordinate ones whereof it is comprehensive are if not infinite yet absolutely innumerable ineffable incomprehensible For if the Letters of our Alphabet which are but 24 in number may be so variously composed as to make such
impulâ—◠〈…〉 from below upon the upper part of the stone◠〈…〉 projection of the stone upward during its Ascent the motion thereoâ—â—ould in every degree of its remove from the proâ—â—cient be Accelerated 〈…〉 same proportion as it s Downward motion is Accelerated in everâ—â—â—gree of its descent but Experience testifies â—hat â—ts upward motion 〈…〉 and more Retarded in every degree of its remoâ—â— from the projiciâ—â—â— and therefore it cannot be that the Downward motion thereof should be â—â—used nay not so much as advanced by the Aer Which thing â—asâ—endus 〈◊〉 Epist. de proport qua Gravia decidentia aâ—celerantu◠〈…〉 â—â—monstrated and we our selves out of him 〈◊〉 the 9 Article of our 2 〈◊〉 concerning Gravity and Levity in the 3. Book praecedent Wha◠〈◊〉 can remain but that it must be by ATTRACTION 〈◊〉 because no other Attractive Force which might begin and continu◠〈◊〉 Downward motion of a stone can be imagined unless it be that Magâ—â—â—â—que Virtue of the Earth whereby it Draws all Terrene Bodies to an 〈…〉 it self in order to their and its own better Conservation 〈…〉 Conclude that the Cause of the Downwarâ— motion oâ— all 〈…〉 is the Magnetique Attraction of the Earth Nor need we adferr other â—â—guments in this place to confirm this Positionâ— in respect we have 〈◊〉 made it the chief subject of the 2 Sect. of our Chap. of Gravity 〈…〉 whether we therefore remit our unsatisfied Reader From the Cause of 〈◊〉 Downward motion of Heavy bodies let us advance to the Acceleration 〈◊〉 them in every degree of space through which 〈…〉 reason why we should at all enquire 〈…〉 upward moâ—ion of Light bodies in every degree 〈…〉 as we know of no man but Aristotle that 〈…〉 motion of Fire and Aer is slower in the beginning and gradually 〈◊〉 and swifter in the progress And so short was 〈…〉 proving that his sâ—â—gular conception by Experiment as he ought 〈…〉 assumed â—t upon 〈◊〉 credit of only one poor Argument which is 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and other things of the like light and aspiring 〈…〉 Caelo cap. 8. were Extruded and Impelled 〈…〉 descending and crouding toward the 〈…〉 force as some have contended and weâ—e 〈…〉 spontaneous tendency of their own inhaerent 〈…〉 moved more swiftly in the beginning and moâ—e slowly 〈…〉 their motion but Fire and Aer are more 〈…〉 beginning 〈…〉 more and more swift in the progress of their Assent therefore are they not moved upward by the Extrusion and Impulsion but spontaneously or by their own Levity And to Confirm his Minor proposition that Fire and Aer are Accelerated in every degree of their Assent without the suffrage of any Experiment He subjoyns only that as a Greater quantity of Earth is moved downward more swiftly than a less so is a Greater quantity of Fire moved upward more swiftly than a less which could not be if either of them were Impelled or moved by an External Force But this is as the Former meerly Petitionary for why should not a Greater quantity of Earth or Fire be moved more swiftly than a less both being moved as we suppose by External force in â—â—se the External force be proportionate to the quantity of each Doubtless the force of the ambient Aer extruding and impelling flame upward is alwayâ— so much the greater or more sensible by how much more Copious the â—â—re is as may be evinced even from the greater Impetus and waving motion of the flame of a great fire though it cannot yet be discerned whether that Undulous or waving motion in a Great flame be as He praesumeâ—â— more swift and rapid than that more calm and equal one observed in the flame of a Candle Thaâ— you l say is enough to detect the incircumspection of Aristotle in assuming upon so weak grounds that the motion of Light things Ascending is accelerated in the progress and that in the same proportion as that of Heavy things Descending is accelerated but not enough to refute the Position it self and therefore we think it expedient to superad a Demonstrative Reason or two toward the plenary Refutation thereof Seeing it is evident from Experience that a Bladder blown up is so much the more hardly depressed in deep water by how much neerer it comâ—s to the bottom and a natural Consequent thereupon that the bladder in respect of the Aer included therein beginning its upward motion at the bottom of the Water is moved toward the region of Aer so much the more slowâ—y by how much the higher it riseth toward the surface of the Water or lower part of the region of Aer incumbent thereupon and that the Cause thereof is thâ—s that so much the fewer parts of Water are incumbent upon the bladder and aer contained therein and consequently so much the less must that force of Extrusion be whereby the parts of Water bearing downward impel them upward we may well infer hereupon that if we imagine that any Flame should ascend through the region of Aer till it arrived at the region of Fire feigned to be immediately above the region of Aer that Flame would always be moved so much the slower by how much the higher it should ascend or by how much the neerer it should arive at the region of Fire Because Fire and Aer are conceived to be of the same aspiring nature and because the same Reason holds good in proportion for the decrease of Velocity in the ascension of Flame through the Aer as for that of the decrease of velocity in the ascension of Aer included in a bladder through Water And as for Aristotles other relatâ—ve Assertion that a Greater quantity of Earth is moved more swiftly Downward than a Less manifest 〈…〉 without nay 〈…〉 Eâ—perience doth 〈…〉 inhaerent in bodies accountâ—â— Heavy and that every body must therefore â—all down so much the morâ— swiftly and violently by how much the more of Gravity 〈◊〉 possesseth Hâ—ving thus totally subverted Aristotleâ— erroneous Tenent that the 〈◊〉 of Lâ—ght bodies Ascending is Acceleâ—aâ—â—d in every degree of their Aâ—â—â—ntion it follows that we apply our selves to the consideration of the 〈◊〉 of tâ—e motion of Heavy bodies 〈◊〉 in every degree 〈…〉 Descention Wheâ—ein the First obsâ—â—vâ—ablâ— oâ—â—urring iâ— the 〈…〉 or that it is so which is easily proved from hence that in all ages 〈…〉 been observed that the motion of 〈◊〉 things Descendent 〈…〉 the beginning and grows swifter and swiâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 toward thâ— end 〈…〉 that in fine 〈◊〉 becomes highly rapid 〈…〉 that the 〈…〉 or impression made upon the Earth 〈…〉 down from 〈◊〉 high is always so much the greater or strongâ—â— by hâ—w much the 〈◊〉 â—he place is from which it â—ell The Second 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 or Cause of that velocity Encreasing in 〈…〉 which though enquired into by many of the Ancients seem◠〈…〉 been 〈◊〉 by none of them For 1 albeit Aristotle 〈◊〉 was so wary as 〈…〉 explicate his thoughts concerning it yâ—t â—oâ—h hiâ— great 〈◊〉 Simpliâ—â—â—â— tell
Difference in their Velocity We say some small Difference because if we take two Globes of different materials and weights but of the same or equal diameters as V. G. one of Lead the other of Wax we shall be very far from finding that the Heavier will be carried down more swiftly than the Lighter in a proportion to the excess of its Gravity For if one be ten times heavier than the other yet shall not the Heavier therefore both being turned off in the same instant arrive at the ground ten times sooner than the Lighter but at the same time as the heavier arrives at the ground from the altitude of 10 Fathoms the lighter shall come within a foot of the earth so far short doth the lighter come of being nine fathoms behind the Heavier And the Cause why the Lighter Globe of Wax is carried so swiftly is the same with that why a bullet of Lead of only an ounce weight is carried down as swiftly as another bullet of 100 pound And what though the Globe of Wax be as great in circumference as the other of Lead and somewhat greater yet seeing still it hath fewer parts to be attracted it therefore requires fewer magnetical rays to its attraction with equal velocity to the heavier But the Cause why it is carried somwhat though very little slower than the heavier is to be derived chiefly from the Aer resisting it underneath the Aer being more copious in proportion to the virtue Attrahent in respect of the greatness of its Ambite or Circumference and thence is it that Cork Pith of Elder straws feathers and the like less compact and so more light bodies fall down much more slowly From this Experiment and the Reason of it we have an opportunity of observing and easily understanding the Distinction of Gravity into Simple and Adjectitious the Former being that which is competent to a body though unmoved and whose quantity may be exactly determined by the balance suspending the body in the aer the Latter being proper only to a body moved and vanisheth as soon as the body attaineth quiet and whose measure is to be explored both from the quantity of the simple gravity which the body bears during its quiet and the Altitude from which it falls Thus assuming two Bullets the one of an ounce the other of 100 pound Simple Gravity according to the Scales the Adjectitious Gravity of the Lesser bullet acquired by the increment of its velocity during its descent must be less proportionably to its simple gravity than the Adjectitious gravity of the Greater bullet acquired by the increment of its Velocity during its Descent in the same time and from the same altitude because the space and time of the descent of both being equal the proportion of the acquired gravity of each must be respondent to the proportion of the simple gravity of each So that if in the end of the fall of the Lesser bullet of an ounce weight the Adjectitious Gravity of it shall amount to 10 ounces the Adjectitious gravity of the Greater of 100 pound weight shall in the end of its fall amount to a thousand pound nor can the Acquired Gravity of the Lesser ever equal that of the Greater unless it fall from a far greater Altitude Here perhaps you 'l Demand our opinion concerning that admirable because superlative Velocity which Galilaeo and other Mathematicians conceive that a bullet would acquire in case it should fall to the â—arth from those vast we might have said Immense heights of the Moon Sun and region of the Fixed starrs Of this therefore we say in short 1 That in this case Mathematicians are wont to suppose that there are the same Causes of Gravity and Velocity in those sublime places as are observed here with us below or neer the surface of the Earth and if they be not certainly our Description and Computation must be altogether vain and fruitless For if the Cause of Gravity and consequently of the Velocity be the Attraction made by the magnetique rays transmitted from the Earth forasmuch as those magnetique rays must become more Rare and fewer of them arrive at a body by how much farther it is removed from the Earth though perchance a bullet might be attracted down from the region of the Moon and if so the motion of the bullet would be very slow for a good while in respect of the very few magnetique rays that could arrive to that great height yet from that far greater height of thâ— region of the Fixt stars a bullet could not be attracted at all it being impossible that any magnetique ray should be transmitted so far as half way thither 2 But supposing that the magnetique Virtue of the Earth did extend thither and that a bullet from whence soever falling should begin its motion with that speed and proceed according to the same degrees of Acceleration which we observe in a stone or bullet falling from a very high tower then must it of necessity acquire that incredible Velocity which our Mathematicians describe To Particular conceding the Distances or Intervals betwixt the Earth and each of those Caelestial Orbs which our modern and best Astronomers generally assign a bullet would fall from the body or rather the Limbus of the Moon to the Earth in two hours and an half from the Limbus of the Sun in eleven hours and a quarter from the region of the Fixt stars in 39 hours and a quarter And so if we imagine the Earth to be perforated to the Centre since a bullet would fall from the superfice thereof down to the Centre in 20 minutes or the third part of an hour the same bullet coming from the moon would pervade the same space from the superfice of the Earth to the Centre of it in one minute and twenty seconds or the third part of a minute coming from the Sun it would pervade the same semidiametral space of the Earth in seventeen seconds and coming from the region of the Fixt stars it would percur the same semidiametral space of the Earth in five seconds So incredibly great would be the Velocity of a bullet falling from such vast Altitudes And this we think sufficient concerning the Downward motion of Bodies accounted Heavy SECT III. THe Remnant of our praesent Province consists only in the consideration of the Upward motion of Heavy Bodies PROJECTED concerning which the principal Enquiries among Philosophers are 1 VVhat and whence is that Force or Virtue motive whereby bodies projected are carried on after they are separated from the Projicient 2 What are the Laws of their motion Direct and Reflex Concerning the FIRST therefore we observe that Aristotle in 8. physic cap. ult and most of his Sectators confidently affirm that a stone thrown out of a sling an arrow shot from a bow a bullet discharged from a Gun c. is moved only by the Aer from the time of its separation from the sling bow or Gun and
reflects the incident rayes in a more Acute angle than a Parabolical and a Parabolical than a Spherical Art 3. A CONSECTARY Why a Plane Perspicil exhibits an objâ—ct in genuine Dimenâ—ioâ—s but a Convex in Amplified and a Concave in minorated Art 1. A Recapitulation of the principal Arguments precedent and summary of the subsequent 10 The â—â—x Muscles viz. 1 The Dâ—â—ect as the Deprâ—ment 〈◊〉 Abducent 2 And Oblique as the 2 Circumactors or Lovers Muscles Art 3. Why the Situation of an object is perceived by the sight Art 5. The same illustrate by an Experiment Art 6. Why the Motiâ—n and Quiet of obâ—ects â—re dâ—scerned by the sight Art 7. Why 〈◊〉 Images imitaâ—e the motions of tâ—eâ—r Artiâ—pes oâ— Oâ—iginals Art 8. Wâ—y the rightâ—ide â—ide of a Câ—toptrical Image respects the Lâ—ft of its Exemplar And why two Catoptrick Glasses confrontingly posited cause a Râ—stitution of the parts of the Image to the natural Form Art 1. The Argument duely acknowledged to â—e superlatively Difficult iâ— not absolutely Aâ—ataleptâ—cal Art 2. The sentence of Aristâ—tle concerning the Nature of Colours and the Commentâ—â—y of Scalâ—geâ— thereupâ—n Art 3. The opinion of Plato Art 4. Of the Pythagorean and Stoiâ—k Art 5. Of the Spagyrical Philosophers Art 6. The reason of the 〈…〉 and election of Democritus and Epicurus judgâ—â—ent touching the Generaâ—iâ—n of Colâ—uâ—s Art 7. The Text of Epicurus fully and faithfully expounded Art 1. A PARADOX That there are no Colours in the Dark Art 2. A familiar Experiment attesting the Verity thereof Art 3. The Constancy of all Artificial Tinctures dependent on the constancy of Disposition in the superficial Particles of the Bodies that wear them Art 4. That sâ— generally magnifâ—ed Distinction of Colors into Inhâ—rent and meerly Apparent redargued of manifeâ—t Câ—ntradâ—ction Art 5. The Emphatâ—â—al or Evanâ—d Coloâ—rs created by 〈◊〉 nâ— less Râ—al 〈◊〉 than the â—ost 〈◊〉 Tiâ—ctures Art 6. COROLLARY The Reasons of Emphatical Colours appinged on Bodies objected by a Prism Art 7. The true Difference of Emphatical and Durable Colour◠〈◊〉 Art 8. No Colour Formally inâ—â—erent in objects but onl◠〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 câ—â—â—rary to the constant 〈…〉 Art 9. 〈…〉 â—arther â—indiâ—ated from Difficulty by the 〈…〉 praâ—cedeâ—◠〈…〉 oâ— the Aâ—â—mists Art 1. The Nativity of White or the reason of its percepâ—ion by the sight Art 2. Black a meet Privation of Light Art 3. The Genealogâ— of all Intermediate Color Art 4. The Causes of the Sympathy Antipathy of some Colours Art 5. The intermistion of small shadows among the lines of Light absolutely necessary to the Generation of any Intermediate Colour Art 6. Two eminent PROBLEMS concerning the Generation and Transposition of the Vermillion and Caeâ—ule appinged on Bodies by Prismes Art 7. The Solution of the Former with a rational Conjecture of the Cause of the Blew apparent in the Concave of the Heavens Art 8. The Solution of the Later Art 9. The Reasons why the Author proceeds not to investigate the Causes of Compound Colours in Particular Art 10. He confesseth the Erection of this whole Discourse on simple Conjecture and enumerates the Difficulties to be subdued by him who hopes to attain an Apodictical Knowledge of the Essence Causes of Colours Art 11. Des Cartes attempt to dissolve the chief of those Difficulties unsucsessful because grounded on an unstable Hypothesis Art 1. The Clasp or Ligament of this to the praecedent Chapter Art 2. The Authors Notion of the Rays of Light Art 3. A Parallelism betwixt a stream of Watâ—r exsilient from the Cock of a Cistern and a Ray of Light emanant from its Lucid Fountain PRAECONSIDERABLES Art 4. Light distinguisht into Primary Secondary c. Art 5. All Light Debilitated by Reflection and why Art 6. An Example sensibly demonstrating the same Art 7. That light is in perpetual Motion according to Arist. Art 8. Light why Corroborated in some cases and Debilitated in others by Refraction COROLLARY Why the Figure of the Sun both rising setting apâ—ears rather Elliptical than Sphaerical Art 9. PARADOX That the proportion of Solary Rayes reflected by the superiour Aer or Aether toward the Earth is so smaâ—l as not to be sensible Art 10. That every Lucid Body as Lucid doth emit its Rayes Sphâ—erically but as Visible Pyramidally Art 11. That Light is invisible in the pure medium Art 1. The Necessity of the Authors confirmation of the Fâ—â—st Praeconsiderable Art 2. The CORPORIETY of Light demonstrated by its jâ—st Attributes viz. 1 Locomotion 2 Resilition 3 Refraction 4 Coition 5 Disgrâ—gation 6 Igniety Art 3. Aristotles Definition of Lighâ— a meer Ambage and incomprehensible Art 4. The 〈◊〉 of Light impâ—rts not the Coexistence of two Bâ—dies in one Place contrary to the Peripatetick Art 5. Nor the motion of a Bâ—dy to be Instantaneâ—us Art 6. The Invisibilitâ— of â—ight in the limpid medium no Argument of its Immateriality as the Peripatetick praesumes Art 7. Tâ—e Corporiety of Light fully consistent with the Duration of the Sun contrary to the Peripatetick Art 8. The inâ—â—nsibility of Heat in many Lucent Bâ—dieâ— no valid Argument against the praesent Thesis that Light is Flame Attenuated Art 1. An Elogy of the sense of Hearing and the Relation of this and the praecedent Chapter Art 2. The great Affinity betwixt Viâ—ibleâ—nd â—nd Audible species in their representation of the superficial Conditions of Objects Art 3. In the Causes and manner of their Destruction Art 4. In their Actinâ—bolism or Diffusion both Sphaerical and Pyramidal Art 5. In their certifying the sense of the Magnitude Figure and otherâ— Qualities of their Originals Art 6. In the obscuration of Less by Greater Art 7. In their offâ—nce of the organs when excessive Art 8. In thâ—ir production of Heat by Multiplication Art 9. In their Variability according to the various disposition of the Medium Art 10. In their chief Attributes of Lâ—comotion Exsilitiâ—â— â—mpaction Resilition Dâ—â—gregation Congâ—egation Art 1. The Product of the Praemises concerning the points of Consent Dissent of Audible and Visible Species viz. That Sounds are Corporeal Art 2. An obstruction oâ— praejudice from the generally supposed repugnant Authâ—rities of some of the Ancients expeded Art 3. An Argument of the Corporiety of Sounds Art 4. A Second Argumenâ— Câ—ROLLARâ— Art 5. The 〈…〉 where 〈…〉 dâ—sâ—ant fâ—â—m â—he Sonant aâ—d Repâ—â—cuâ—iâ—â—â— COROLLARY 2. Art 6. Why Concaves yeild the strongest and longest Sounds COROLLARY 3. Art 7. The reason of Conâ—urrent Echoes where the Audient is near the Reflectent and remote from the sonant COROLLARY 4. Art 8. Why Echoes Monâ—phâ—n rehearâ—e so much the fewer syllables by how much nearer the audient is to the Reflectenâ— COROLLARY 5. Art 9. The reaâ—on of Pâ—lyphâ—n Echoes Art 10. A Third Argument of the Materiality of Sâ—unds Art 11. The necessity of a certain Configuration in a Sound inferred from the Distinction of one sound from another by the Sense Art 12. The same confirmed by the Aâ—ctority
to Aristotle Art 1. The Link connecting this Section to the former Art 2. That Cold is no Privation of Heat but a Real and Positive Quality demonstrated Art 3. That the adaequate Notion of Cold ought to be deâ—umed from its General Effect viz. the Congregation and Compaction of bodies Art 4. Cold no â—mmaterial but a Substantial Quality Art 5. Gassendus conjectural Assignation of a Tetrahedical Figure to the Atoms of cold asserted by sundry weighty considerations Art 6. Cold not Essential to Earth Water nor Aer Art 7. 〈…〉 Art 8. Water the chief Antagonist to Fire not in respect of its Accidental Frigidity but Essential Humidity and that the Aer hath a juster title to the Principality of Cold than either Water or Earth Art 9. â—ROBLEM Why the breath of a man doth Warme when expiâ—ed with the mâ—uth wide open Cool when efflated with the mouth contracted Art 10. 〈…〉 the premises Art 1. Why Fluidity and 〈◊〉 are here considered before Humidity and 〈◊〉 Art 2. 〈…〉 Art 3. 〈…〉 a Firme Art 4. Fluidity defined Art 5. Wherein the Fâ—rmal Reaâ—on thereof doth consisâ— Art 6. The â—ame â—arther illustrated by the twoâ—â—â—ld Fluidâ—ty of Metals and tâ—e peculiar reason of each Art 7. Firmness defined Art 8. And dâ—rived froâ— either of â— Causes Art 1. Humidity defined Art 2. 〈◊〉 defined Art 3. 〈…〉 Art 5. PROBLEM 1. Why pure water cannot wash out oyle from a Cloâ—â— which yet waâ—er wherein Ashes have been decoâ—ted or soap dissolved easily doth Solut. Art 6. PROBLEM 2 Why stains of Ink are not to be taken out of cloths but with â—ome Acta Liquor Solut. Art 1. The 〈◊〉 of the Chapâ—er Art 2. 〈◊〉 â—nd Soft 〈◊〉 Art 3. The Difference betwixt a Sâ—ft and Fluid Art 4. Solidity of Atoms the Fundament of Hardness and Inanity intercepted amâ—ng them the fuâ—dament of Softness in all Concretions Art 5. Hardneâ—s and Soâ—â—nesâ— no 〈◊〉 but mâ—â—rly â—omparative Qualities as adscriptive to Concretions contrary to Aristotle Art 6. Sâ—ftness in Firme things deduced from the same cause as Fluidity in Fluid oneâ— Art 7. The General Reason of the Mollification of Hard and Indâ—ration of Sofâ— bodies Art 8. The special manners of the Mollification of Hard and Induration of Soft bodies Art 9. PRâ—â—LEM Why Iron is Hardned by being immersed red-hot into Cold Water and its SOLUTION Art 10. The Formal Reasons of Softness and Hardness Art 11. The ground of Aristotles Distinction betwixt Formatilia and Preâ—â—ilia Art 12. Two Axioms concerning illustrating the nature of Softness Art 1. Flexilitâ— â—â—actility â—uctility c. deâ—ived from Sâ—â—iness and Rigidity from â—aâ—dnâ—â—s Art 2. PROBLEM What is the Câ—use of the motion of Restoration in Flexiles and the SOLUT. Art 3. Two Obstructions expeded Art 4. Why Flexile bodies grow weak by over-much and over frequent Bending Art 5. The Reason of the frequent Vibrations or Diadrâ—ms of Lutestrings other Tractile Bodies declared to be the same with that of the Restorative Motâ—â—n of Flexiles and Demonstrated Art 6. PROBLEM Why the Vibrations or Diadrâ—ms of a Chord distâ—â—ded and percussed are Aeâ—uitemporane â—us â—hough not Aeâ—â—ispatial and the SOLUT. Art 7. PROBLEM Why doth a Chord of a duple length perform its diadroms in a proportion of time duple to a Chord of a single length both being distended by equal force yet if the Chord of the duple length be distended by a duple fore or weight it doth not perform its Diadroms in a proportion of time duple to that of the other but only if the Force or weight distending it be quadruple to the First supposed and its SOLUT. Art 8. The Reasons of the vast Ductility or Extensibility of Gold Art 9. Sectility and Fissility the Consequents of Softness Art 10. Tractility and Friability the Consequents of Hardness Art 11. Ruptility the Consequent partly of Sâ—ftness partly of Hardness Art 12. PROBLEM Why Chords dâ—â—â—â—enced are more apt to break neer the Endâ— than in the middle â—nd its SOLUT. Art 1. That the Insensibility of Qualities doth not import their Vnintelligibility contrary to the presumption of the Aristotelean Art 2. Upon what grounds and by whâ—m the Sanctuary of Occult Qualities was erected Art 3. Occult Qualities and profest Ignorance all one Art 4. The Refuge of Sympathies and Antipathies equally obstructive to the advance of Natural Science with that of Ignoâ—e Proprieties Art 5. Thatall Attraction referred to Secret Sympathy and all Repulsion adscribed to secret Antipathy betwixt the Agent and Patient is effected by Corporeal Instruments and such as resemble those whereby one body Attracteth or Repelleth another in sensible and mechanique operations Art 6. The Means of Attractions sympathetical explicated by a convenient Simile Art 7. The Means of Abaction and Repulsions Antipathetical explicated likewise by sundry similitudes Art 8. The First and General Caâ—ses of all Love and Hatred betwixt Animals Art 9. Why things Alike in their natures love and delight in the Society each of other and why Vnlike natures abhor and avoid each other Art 1. Th◠〈◊〉 of Qualitâ—â— repuâ—ed â—ccult Art 2. Natures 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 or Câ—â—â—piration of all parts of the Universe no Occult Qualâ—ty Art 3. The 〈…〉 of mans will Art 4. The Afflux and Reflux of the sâ—a inderivative from any immaterial Influx of the Moon Art 5. 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 and â—â—nversion of â—he 〈◊〉 and other Flowers Art 6. Why Garden Claver hideâ—h it sâ—alk in the heat of the day Art 7. Why the 〈…〉 usually 〈◊〉 soon after midnight and at break oâ— day Art 8. Why Shell-fish growe fat in the Full of the moon and lean again at the New Art 9. Why the Selenites resembles the Moon in all not several Aâ—spects Art 10. Why the 〈…〉 Art 11. 〈…〉 Art 12. A COROLLARY Why the Granules of Gold and Silver though much more pondrous then those of the Aqua Regis and Aqua Fortis wherein they are dissolved are yet held up and kept floating by them Art 13. The Cause of the Attraction of a Less Flame by a Greater Art 14. The Cause of the Invâ—â—ation of flame to Naphtha at distance Art 15. Of the Ascention of Water into the pores of a Spunge Art 16. The same illâ—strated by the example of a Syphon Art 17. The reason of the Percolation of Liquors by a cloth whose one end lieth in the liquor and other hangs over the brim of the vessel that contains it Art 18. The reasâ—â— of the 〈…〉 that ar◠〈◊〉 Art 19. The reason of the Discent betwixt Lute-strings of sheeps Guts and those of Woolfs Art 20. The tradition of the Consuming of all Feathers of Foul by those of the Eagle exploded Art 21. Why some certain Plants befriend and advance the growth and fruitfulness of others that are their neighbours Art 22. Why sâ—me Plants thrive 〈…〉 of some others Art 23. The â—â—ason of the great Frieâ—dship betwixâ— the Male and Femaâ—e Palm-trees Art 24. Why all â—â—ines grow â—ick and
be the segment of a great or small Circle projects the Image of an Object on a paper set at convenient distance from the tube that holds it Confused and insincere because it refracts the rayes thereof even to Disgregation so that never uniting again they are transmitted in divided streams and cause a chaos or perpetual confusion On the Contrary a Convex Lens refracts the rayes before divided even to a Concurse and Union and so makes that Image Distinct and Ordinate which at its incidence thereon was confused and inordinate And so much the more perfect must every Convex Lens be by how much greater the Sphere is of which it is a Section For as Kircher well observes in Magia parastatica if the Lens be not only a portion of a great sphere V. Gr. such a one whose diametre contains twenty or thirty Roman Palms but hath its own diametre consisting of one or two palmes it will represent objects of very large dimensions with so admirable similitude as to inform the Visive Faculty of all its Colours Parts and other discoverables in it superfice Of which sort are those excellent Glasses made by that famous Artist Eustachio Divini at Rome by the help whereof the Painters of Italy use to draw the most exquisite Chorographical Topographical and Prosopographical Tables in the World This Difference betwixt Concave and Convex Perspicils is thus stated by Kircher Art Magnae Lucis Umbrae lib. 10. Magiae part 2. Sect. 5. Hinc patet differentia lentis Conveâ—ae Concavae quod illa confusam speciem acceptam transmissamque semper distinguit optimè ordinat â—lla verò eandem perpetuo confundit unde officium lentis Convexae est easdem confusè accept is in debita distantia secundum suam potentiam distinguere ordinare And by Scheinerus in Fundam Optic lib. 3. part 1. cap. 11. thus Licet in vitro quocunque refractio ad perpendicularem semper accidat quia tamen ipsum superficie cava terminatur radij in aerem egressi potius disperguntur quà m colliguntur cujus contrarium evenit vitro Convexo ob contrariam extremitatem Rationes sumuntur à Refractionibus in diversa tendentibus vitri Convexi Concavi ob contrarias Extremitatum configurationes Concavitas enim radios semper magis divergit sicut Convexitas amplius colligit c. Now to draw these lines home to the Centre of our problem since the Rayes of a Visible Image trajected through a Convex Perspicil are so refracted as to concurr in the Visive Axe it is a clear consequence that therefore an object appears both larger in dimensions and more distinct in parts when speculated through a Convex Glass than when lookt upon only with the Eye because more of the rayes are by reason of the Convexity of its extreme obverted to the object conducted into the Pupil of the Eye than otherwise would have been For whereas some rayes proceeding from those points of the object which make the Centre of the Base of the Visive Pyramid according to the line of Direction incurr into the Pupil others emanant from other parts circumvicine to those central ones fall into the Iris others from other parts circumvicine fall upon the eye-lids and others from others more remote or nearer to the circumference of the Base of the Pyramid strike upon the Eyebrows Nose Forehead and other parts of the face the Convexity of the Glass causeth that all those rayes which otherwise would have been terminated on the Iris eye-lids brows nose forehead c. are Refracted and by refraction deflected from the lines of Direction so that concurring in the Visive Axe they enter the Pupil of the Eye in one united stream and so render the Image imprest on the Retina Tunica more lively and distinct and encreased by so many parts as are the rayes superadded to those which proceed from the parts directly confronting the Pupil On the Contrary because an Image trajected through a Concave Perspicill hath its rayes so refracted that they become more rare and Disgregate the object must therefore seem less in dimensions and more confused in parts because many of those rayes which according to direct tendency would have insinuated into the Pupill are diverted upon the Iris Eyelids and other circumvicine parts of the face Here opportunity enjoyns us to remember the duty of our Profession nor would Charity dispense should we in this place omit to prescribe some General Directions for the Melioration of sight or natively or accidentally imperfect The most common Diminutions of Sight and those that may best expect relief from Dioptrical Aphorisms and the use of Glasses are only Two Presbytia and Myopia The First as the word imports being most familiar to old men is Visus in perspiciendis object is propinquis obscuritas in remotis verò integrum acumen an imperfection of the sight by reason whereof objects near hand appear obscure and confused but at more distance sufficiently clear and distinct The Cause hereof generally is the defect of due Convexity on the outside of the Chrystalline Humor arising either from an Error of the Conformative Faculty in the Contexture of the parts of the Eye or and that mostly from a Consumption of part of the Chrystalline Humour by that Marasmus Old Age which makes the common Base of the Image Visible to be trajected so far inwards as not to be determined precisely in the Centre of the concave of the Retina Tunica And therefore according to the law of Contrariety the Cure of this frequent symptome is chiefly if not only to be hoped from the use of Convex Spectacles which determine the point of Concurse exactly in the Centre of the Retina Tunica the rayes by reason of the double Convexity viz. of the Lens and Chrystalline Humor being sooner and more vigorously united in the due place The Other being Contrary to the first and alwayes Native commonly named Purblindness Physitians define to be Obscuritus visus in cernendis rebus distantibus in propinquis verò integrum acumen a Dimness of the sight in the discernment of Objects unless they be appropinquate to the Eye The Causes hereof generally are either the too spherical Figure of the Chrystalline Humor or in the Ductus Ciliares or small Filaments of the Aranea Tunica the proper investment of the Chrystalline a certain ineptitude to that contraction requisite to the adduction of the Chrystalline inwards towards the retina tunica which is necessary to the discernment of objects at distance either of these Causes making the common Base of the Image to be determined in the Vitrious Humor and consequently the Image to arrive at the retina tunica perturbed and confused And therefore our advice is to all Purblind Persons that they use Concave Spectacles for such prolong the point of concurse untill it be convenient i. e. to the concave of the retina tunica Assumption the Sixth and last Since all objects speculated under the same
the strings caused in the Aer and the Aer caused in the spirits of the Animal and consequently that the Animal should suffer a kind of Itch or gentle vellication in all its nerves and muscles and to ease it self of that troublesom Affection move all its members not only with great agility but variety of motions correspnodent to those of the Harmony impressed upon its spiritual substance especially where the Harmony is proportionate to the specifical and perhaps individual Constitution of the same That the vital Humor of these and most other Spiders is both viscous and a subject capable of Sounds as we here assume may be inferred from the relation of Peter Martyr in Histor. sua Indiae Occidental that in the West Indies there is a certain species of Phalangiums or Venenate Spiders whose poyson being expressed is so exceedingly viscid and tenacious that the Natives use to draw and spin it out into long threads and twist those threads into Treble strings for their instruments of Musick as also from our own ocular testimony whenever we press a Spider to death And what is of greatest moment to our praesent Disquisition that the Venome of the Tarantula by rea on of the Acrimony or Mordacity of its Spiritual and hot particles causeth an uncessent Titillation or Itching joyned wiâ—h great heat in the nervous and musculous parts of mans body when it is in aestuation and commotion therein may be collected from the agreeing relations of all persons who have known the misery of Taraâ—tisme every one complaining of an insufferable Itch in all parts of his body during the paroxisme and finding a remission of the same immediately after profuse sweating For your farther Confirmation herein be pleased to hear Father Kircher tell you a memorable and pertinent story A certain Cappucine saith He of the Monastery belonging to that Order in Tarentum being bitten by a Tarantula and by his in that point too severe Superiors forbidden to have recourse either to Baths or Dancing for the cure of his infection as means that might seem too light and inconsistent with the gravity and rigid rules of his Profession was so miserably and beyond all patience tormented with an itching and burning in both the interior and and exterior parts of his body that rest and quiet were things he had long since been a stranger to and hoping to find some ease and allay of his restless pains by bathing in cold water he one night privily conveyed himself out of the Covent and leaped into an Arm of the Sea that embraced the town Where indeed he met with a perfect cure of aâ—l his torments and grievances being instantly drowned leaving his Brethren to lament their own great loss as well as the Sadness of his Face and his Superiors to repent the cruelty of that Superstition which had denied him the use of those innocent Remedies Musick and Dancing which the happy experience of many thousands had praescribed Lastly as it is not every Harmonical Ayre that suits with the Genius of every Tarantula but every particular species holds a secret Correspondence to some particular sorts of Instruments Tunes and 〈◊〉 composed of such and such Notes So likewise is it not the Musick of every instrument nor every modulation of sounds that move and excite every person infected with this kind of poyson but every Tarantiacal Patient requires such and such particular Harmonious Tunes Strains and Notes as are proportionate to that Diathesis or Disposition which results from the Commixture and Confermentation of his owne Humors and the Venome infused into his body Which is the Reason why some dance to no musick but that of Drums Trumpets and other loud and martial instruments and others again are easily charmed to Levolta's by the mild and gentle Consonances of Lutes and Tiorba's And if the Patient being of a hot and bilious Complexion be intoxicated by the venome of a Tarantula of the like Cholerick temperament upon the aestuation and confermentation of those two consimilar Humors the Patient shall become Feverish insatiately thirsty restless and furiously maniacal but where a Melancholy Tarantula hath empoysoned a man of the like dull and sluggish Constitution in that case He shall be infested with great and inexpugnable Drowsiness Stupidity Spontaneous Lassitude love of Solitude unseasonable and affected Silence and the like Symptoms contrary to the former and shall be relieved only by grave and solemne tunes the Accidents supervening upon this kind of intoxication alwayes following and betraying the capacity of the praedominant Humor and responding to that Harmony which hath the most of proportion to the Genius of the Poyson And as for the Annual Relapses of Patients into their Tarantâ—acal Fits the Cause thereof must be only this that the Reliques of the Poyson causing a fresh Commotion and Fermentation of the most susceptible Humors of the body and especially of the Serous and Bilious part of the blood for most persons thus affected have their Paroxysms in the hottest season of the year and imbuing them with exceeding great Acrimony and Mordacity diffuse themselves through the Arteries and Veins into all parts of the body and fixing more especially on the thin membranes that invest the muscles so oppress prick and vellicate them as that the infected shall know no rest nor case till he hath danced and sweat to the dissipation and expulsion of all those sharp and pungent particles that were diffused into the Habit of his body But what particular Sounds and Notes and Strains and Ayres are Accommodate to the Venome of this or that particular Tarantula we leave to the determination of the long experienced Musicians of Tarentum only thus much we may say in the General that by how much the more frequent Diminutions of Notes into halfs and quarters which is called Division and the more frequent permistion of Sharps and Flats in a Tone charged with frequent Semitones the Tune containeth by so much the more grateful will the same be to all Tarantulized Persons because from the Celerity of the motions it comes that the Dormant Venome is more nimbly agitated and so must sollicite them to dance the more spritely and vehemently Hence is it that the Musicians of Italy such especially who proress the certain and speedy Cure of the Tarantisme for the most part enrich and adorne their strains with various Divisions of Notes and that mostly in the Phrygian Tone because it consisteth of frequent Semitones 8 What we have here said concerning the Magick of Harmonious Sounds both upon the Tarantula it self and those unhappy men whom its Fascinating venome hath Tarantulized as it doth wholly take off the Incredibility of those Relations which some Natural Magicians have set down of the Incantation of Serpents by a wand of the Cornus or Dog tree so doth it also give us no obscure light into the dark Cause of that Effect which among the Ignorant and Superstitious hath ever passed for meerly