so that winds may pass as it were through Channels which seems to be done in some whirlwinds 18. Enquire for how long time very much ordinary or little time winds use to continue and then slack and as it were expire and die Likewise how the rising and beginning of winds useth to be what their languishing or cessation is whether suddenly or by degrees or how From the bounds of the winds let your Inquisition pass over to the successions of winds either amongst themselves or in respect of rain and showrs for when they lead their rings it were pretty to know the order of their dancing Successions of Winds 19. Whether there be any more certain rule or observation concerning the successions of winds one to another or whether it have any relation to the motion of the Sun or otherwise if it have any what manner of one it is 20. Enquire concerning the succession and the alteration or taking turns of the winds and rain seeing it is ordinarily and often seen that rain lays the wind and the wind doth disperse the rain 21. Whether after a certain term and period of years the succession of winds begin anew and if it be so what that period is and how long From the succession of the winds let the Inquisition pass to their motions and the motions of winds are comprehended in seven Inquisitions whereof three are contained in the former Articles four remain as yet untouched For we have enquired of the motion of winds divided into the several Regions of the Heaven also of the Motion upon three lines upward downward and laterally Likewise of the accidental motion of compressions or Restraints There remain the fourth of Progressions or going forward the fifth of Undulation or waving the sixth of conflict or skirmish the seventh in humane Instruments and Engines Divers Motions of the Winds 22. Seeing Progression is always from some certain place or bound enquire diligently or as well as thou canst concerning the place of the first beginning and as it were the spring of any wind For winds seem to be like unto Fame for though they make a noise and run up and down yet they hide their heads amongst the Clouds so is their Progress as for example if the vehement Northern wind which blew at York such a day do blow at London two days after 23. Omit not the Inquisition of Undulation of winds We call Undulation of winds that motion by which the wind in or for a little space of time rises and abates as the waves of the water which Turns may easily be apprehended by the hearing of them in houses and you must so much the rather mark the differences of Undulation or of Furrowing between the water and the air because in the air and winds there wants the Motion of gravity or weight which is a great part of the cause of the waves rising in the water 24. Enquire carefully concerning the Conflict and meeting of winds which blow at one and the same time First whether at the same time there blow several Original winds for we do not speak of reverberated winds which if it comes to pass what Windings they engender and bring forth in their motion and also what Condensations and Alterations they produce in the body of the Air 25. Whether one wind blow above at the same time as another blows here below with us For it hath been observed by some that sometimes the Clouds are carried one way when the Weather-cock upon a Steeple stands another Also that the Clouds have been driven by a strong gale when we here below have had a great calm 26. Make an exact particular description of the motion of the winds in driving on Ships with their Sails 27. Let there be a Description made of the motion of the winds in the sails of Ships and the sails of Wind-mills in the flight of Hawks and Birds also in things that are ordinary and for sport as of displayed Colours flying Dragons Duels with winds c. From the motions of winds let the Inquisition pass to the force and power of them Of the power of Winds 28. What winds do or can do concerning Currents or Tides of waters in their keepings back puttings forth or inlets and overflowings 29. What they do concerning Plants and Insects bringing in of Locusts Blastings and Mill-dews 30. What they effect concerning Purging or Clearing and infecting of the air in Plagues Sicknesses and Diseases of Beasts 31. What they effect concerning the conveying to us things which we call spiritual as sounds rayes and the like From the powers of winds let the Inquisition pass to the Prognosticks of winds not only for the use of Predictions but because they lead us on to the causes For Prognosticks do either shew us the preparations of things before they be brought into action or the beginnings before they appear to the sense Prognosticks of Winds 32. Let all manner of good Prognosticks of winds be carefully gathered together besides Astrological ones of which we set down formerly how far they are to be enquired after and let them either be taken out of Meteors or Waters or instincts of Beasts or any other way Lastly close up the Inquisition with enquiring after the imitations of winds either in Natural or Artificial things Imitations of Winds 33. Enquire of the Imitations of winds in Natural things such as breaths inclosed within the bodies of living Creatures and breaths within the receptacles of distilling Vessels Enquire concerning made Gales and Artificial winds as Bellows Refrigeratories or coolers in Parlours or Dining rooms c. Let the Heads or Articles be such Neither is it unknown to me that it will be impossible to answer to some of these according to the small quantity of experience that we have But as in civil causes a good Lawyer knows what Interrogatories the Cause requires to have witnesses examined upon but what the witnesses can answer he knows not The same thing is incident to us in Natural History Let those who come after us endeavour for the rest THE HISTORY The Names of Winds To the first Article WE give Names to Winds rather as they are numbred in their order and degrees than by their own Antiquity this we do for memories and perspicuities sake But we adde the old words also because of the assenting voices or opinions of old Authors of which having taken though with somewhat a doubtful judgment many things they will hardly be known but under such names as themselves have used Let the general division be this Let Cardinal winds be those which blow from Corners or Angles of the World Semicardinal those which blow in the half-wards of those and Median Winds those which blow between these half-wards Likewise of those which blow betwixt these half-wards let those be called Major Medians which blow in a Quadrant or fourth part of these divisions the lesser Medians are all the rest Now the particular division is that which
and like Hirelings serve both to sail and grind and would be useful for many other things if humane care were not wanting Their Natures are reckoned amongst secret and bidden things Neither is that to be wondred at seeing the Nature and Power of the Air is unknown whom the Winds do serve and flatter as Eolus doth Juno in the Poets They are not primary Creatures nor any of the six days works no more than the rest of the Meteors actually but after born by the order of the Creation PARTICULAR TOPICKS OR Articles of Inquisition Concerning the Winds The Names of Winds DEscribe or set down the Winds according to the Sea-mans industry and give them Names either new or old so that you keep your self constant to them Winds are either general or precise either peculiar or free I call them general which always blow precise those which blow at certain times Attendants or Peculiar those which blow most commonly Free Winds those which blow indifferently or at any time General Winds 2. Whether there be any General Winds which are the very self motion of the Air and if there be any such in order to what motion and in what places they blow Precise or fixed Winds 3. What Winds are Aniversary or yearly winds returning by turns and in what Countrys Whether there be any Wind so precisely fixed that it returns regularly at certain days and hours like unto the flowing of the Sea Attending or Peculiar Winds 4. What Winds are peculiar and ordinary in Countrys which observe a certain time in the same Countrys which are Spring winds and which are Summer winds which Autumnal which Brumal which Equinoctial which Solstitial which are belonging to the Morning which to Noon which to the Evening and which to the Night 5. What winds are Sea winds and what winds blow from the Continent and mark and set down the differences of the Sea and Land winds carefully as well of those which blow at Land and Sea as of those which blow from Land and Sea Free Winds 6. Whether winds do not blow from all parts of Heaven Winds do not vary much more in the parts of Heaven from which they blow than in their own qualities Some are vehement some mild some constant some mutable some hot some cold some moistning and dissolving some drying and astringent some gather clouds and are rainy and peradventure Stormy some disperse the clouds and are clear Divers qualities of Winds 7. Enquire and give accompt which are the winds of all the forenamed sorts or kinds and how they vary according to the regions and places There are three local beginnings of Winds either they are thrown and cast down from above or they spring out of the Earth or they are made up of the very body of the Air. Local beginnings of Winds 8. According to these three beginnings enquire concerning winds Namely which are thrown down out of that which they call the middle Region of the Air which breath out of the concavities of the earth whether they break out together or whether they breath out of the Earth imperceiveably and scattering and afterwards gather together like rivolets into a River Finally which are scatteringly engendred from the swellings and dilatations of the neighbouring Air Neither are the generations of the winds original only for some there are also accidental namely by the compressions or restraints of the Air and by the percussions and repercussions of it Accidental Generations and Production of Winds 9. Enquire concerning these accidental Generations of winds They are not properly generations of winds for they rather increase and strengthen winds than produce and excite them Hitherto of the community of winds There are also certain rare and prodigious winds such as are called tempests whirle-winds and storms These are above ground There are likewise some that are subterraneal and under ground whereof some vaporous and Mercurial they are perceiveable in Mines Some are sulphurous they are sent out geting an issue by Earthquakes or do flame out of fiery Mountains Extraordinary Winds and sudden Blasts 10. Enquire concerning such rare and prodigious winds and of all miraculous and wonderful things done by winds From the several sorts of winds let the Inquisition pass to those things which contribute towards the winds for we will so express it because the word Efficient signifies more and the word concomitant less than we mean and to those things which seem to raise or to appease the winds Things contributing or making for the Winds and raising and appeasing them 11. Enquire sparingly concerning Astrological considerations of winds neither care thou for the over-curious Schemes of the heaven only do not neglect the more manifest Observations of winds rising about the rising of some stars or about the Eclipses of the Luminaries or Conjunctions of Planets nor much less on those which depend on the courses of the Sun and Moon 12. What Meteors of several sorts do contribute or make for winds what the earth-quakes what rain what the skirmishing of winds one with another for these things are linked together and one draws on the other 13. What the diversity of Vapours and exhalations contributes towards the winds and which of them do most engender winds and how far the Nature of winds doth follow these its materials 14. What those things which are here upon the earth or are there done do contribute towards the winds what the hills and the dissolutions of Snow upon them what those masses of Ice which swim upon the Sea and are carried to some place what the differences of soil and land so it be of some large extent what Ponds Sands Woods and Champion ground what those things which we men do here as burning of Heath and the like doth contribute to the manuring of Land the firing of Towns in time of War the drying up of Ponds and Lakes the continual shooting off of Guns the ringing of many Bells together in great Cities and the like These things and Acts of ours are but as small straws yet something they may do 15. Enquire concerning all manner of raisings or allayings of winds but be sparing in fabulous and superstitious causes From those things which make for the winds let the Inquisition proceed to enquire of the bounds of the winds of their Height Extention and Continuance The bounds of Winds 16. Enquire carefully of the Height or elevation of winds and whether there be any tops of mountains to which the winds do not reach or whether Clouds may be seen sometimes to stand still and not move when the winds at the same time blow strongly upon the earth 17. Enquire diligently of the spaces or rooms which the winds take up at once and within what bounds they blew As for example if the south wind blew in such a place whether it be known certainly that at the same time the North wind blew ten miles off And contrariwise into how narrow and straight bounds the winds may be reduced
rise before Tempests 8. The weak subterraneal spirit which is breathed out scatteringly is not perceived upon the earth until it be gathered into wind by reason the earth is full of pores but when it issues from under the water it is presently perceived by reason of the waters continuity by some manner swelling 9. We resolved before that in Cavernous and Denny places there were attendant winds insomuch that those winds seem to have their local beginnings out of the earth 10. In great and rocky Hills winds are found to breath sooner namely before they be perceived in the Valleys and more frequently namely when it is calm weather in the valleys But all mountains and rocks are cavernous and hollow 11. In Wales in the County of Denbigh a mountainous and rocky Country out of certain Caves as Gilbertus relateth are such vehement eruptions of wind that cloaths or linnen laid out there upon any occasion are blown up and carried a great way up into the air 12. In Aber Barry near Severn in Wales in a rocky cliff are certain holes to which if you lay your ear you shall hear divers sounds and murmurs of winds under ground An Indirect Experiment Acosta hath observed that the Towns of Plata and Potosa in Peru are not far distant one from the other and both situated upon a high and hilly ground so that they differ not in that And yet Potosa hath a cold and winter-like air and Plata hath a mild and spring-like témperature which difference it seems may be attributed to the silver Mines which are near Potosa Which sheweth that there are breathing places of the earth as in relation to hot and cold 13. If the earth be the first cold thing according to Parmenides whose opinion is not contemptible seeing cold and density are knit together by a strict knot it is no less probable that there are hotter breaths sent out from the Central cold of the earth than are cast down from the cold of the higher air 14. There are certain Wells in Dalmatia and the Country of Cyrene as some of the Ancients record into which if you cast a stone there will presently arise tempests as if the stone had broken some covering of a place in which the force of the winds was inclosed An Indirect Experiment Aetna and divers other Mountains cast out fire therefore it is likely that air may likewise break forth especially being dilatated and set into motion by heat in subterraneal places 15. It hath been noted that both before and after Earth-quakes there hath blown certain noxious and forraign winds as there are certain little smothers usually before and after great firings and burnings Monition The Air shut up in the earth is forced to break out for several causes sometimes a mass of earth ill joined together falls into a hollow place of the earth sometimes waters do ingulf themselves sometimes the Air is extended by subterraneal heats and seeks for more room sometimes the earth which before was solid and vaulted being by fires turned into ashes no longer able to bear it self up falls And many such like causes And so these Inquisitions have been made concerning the first local beginning of winds Now followeth the second origine or beginning from above namely from that which they call the middle Region of the air Monition But let no man understand what hath been spoken so far amiss as if we should deny the rest of the winds also are brought forth of the earth by vapours But this first kind was of winds which come forth of the earth being already perfectly framed winds 16. It hath been observed that there is a murmuring of woods before we do plainly perceive the winds whereby it is conjectured that the wind descends from a higher place which is likewise observed in Hills as we said before but the cause is more ambiguous by reason of the concavity and hollowness of the hills 17. Wind follows darted or as we call them shooting stars and it come that way as the star hath shot whereby it appears that the air hath been moved above before the motion comes to us 18. The opening of the Firmament and dispersion of Clouds are Prognosticks of winds before they blow here on earth which also shews that the winds begin above 19. Small stars are not seen before the rising of winds though the night be clear and fair Because it should seem the Air grows thick and is less transparent by reason of that matter which afterward is turned into wind 20. There appears Circles about the body of the Moon the Sun looks sometimes blood red at its setting the Moon rises red at her fourth rising and there are many more Prognosticks of winds on high whereof we will speak in its proper place which shews that the matter of the winds is there begun and prepared 21. In these Experiments you must note that difference we spake of namely of the two-fold generation of winds on high that is to say before the gathering together of vapours into a Cloud and after For the Prognosticks of Circles about and colours of the Sun and Moon have something of the Cloud but that darting and occultation of the lesser stars is in fair and clear weather 22. When the wind comes out of a Cloud ready formed either the Cloud is totally dispersed and turned into wind or it is torn and rent in sunder and the wind breaks out as in a storm 23. There are many Indirect Experiments in the world concerning the repercussion by cold So that it being certain that there are most extream colds in the middle region of the Air it is likewise plain that vapours for the most part cannot break through that place without being joined and gathered together or darted according to the opinion of the Ancients which in this particular is true and sound The third local beginning of winds is of those which are ingendred here in the lower part of the air which we also call swellings or overburthenings of the Air. A thing very familiar and frequent yet passed over with silence A Commentation The generation of those winds which are made up in this lower part of the Air is a thing no more obscure than this namely that the Air newly composed and made up of water and attenuated and resolved vapours joined with the first Air cannot be contained within the same bounds as it was before but groweth out and is turned and takes up further room Yet there are in this two things to be granted First that one drop of water turned into air whatsoever they fabulously speak of the tenth proportion of the Elements requires at least a hundred times more room than it had before Secondly that a little new air and moved added to the old air shaketh the whole and sets it into motion as we may perceive by a little wind that comes forth of a pair of Bellows or in at a little crevise of a window or wall
by the cold of the middle Region all fantastical and arbitrary opinions yet out of such threds they weave long pieces namely Cobwebs But all impulsion of the Air is wind and Exhalations mixed with the air contribute more to the motion than to the matter and moist vapours by a proportionate heat are easilier dissolved into wind than dry Exhalations and many winds are engendred in the lowest Region of the Air and breath out of the earth besides those which are thrown down and beaten back 1. The Natural wheeling of the air as we said in the Article of General Winds without any other external cause bringeth forth winds preceptible within the Tropicks where the Conversion is ingreater Circles 2. Next to the Natural Motion of the Air before we enquire of the Sun who is the chief begetter of winds let us see whether any thing ought to be attributed to the Moon and other Asters by clear experience 3. There arise many great and strong winds some hours before the Eclipse of the Moon so that if the Moon be Eclipsed in the middle of the night the winds blow the precedent evening if the Moon be Eclipsed towards the morning then the winds blow in the middle of the precedent night 4. In Peru which is a very windy Country Acosta observes that winds blow most when the Moon is at the full Injunction It were certainly a thing worthy to be observed what power the Ages and Motions of the Moon have upon the winds seeing they have some power over the waters As for example whether the winds be not in a greater commotion in full and new Moons than in her first and last Quarters as we find it to be in the flowings of waters For though some do conveniently feign the command of the Moon to be over the waters as the Sun and Planets over the air yet it is certain that the water and the air are very Homogeneal bodies and that the Moon next to the Sun hath most power over all things here below 5. It hath been observed by men that about the Conjunctions of Planets greater winds do blow 6. At the rising of Orion there rise commonly divers winds and storms But we must advise whether this be not because Orion rises in such a season of the year as is most effectual for the generation of winds so that it is rather a concomitant than causing thing Which may also very well be questioned concerning rain at the rising of the Hyades and the Pleiades and concerning storms at the rising of Arcturus And so much concerning the Moon and Stars 7. The Sun is questionless the primary efficient of many winds working by its heat on a twofold matter namely the body of the air and likewise vapours and exhalations 8. When the Sun is most powerful dilatates and extends the air though it be pure and without any commixion one third part which is no small matter so that by meer dilatation there must needs arise some small wind in the Suns ways and that rather two or three hours after its rising than at his first rise 9. In Europe the nights are hotter in Peru three hours in the morning and all for one cause namely by reason of winds and gales ceasing and lying still at those hours 10. In a Vitro Calendari dilatated or extended air beats down the water as it were with a breath but in a Vitro Pileato which is filled only with air the dilatated air swells the Bladder as a manifest and apparent wind 11. We have made trial of such a kind of wind in a round Tower every way closed up For we have placed a hearth or fire-place in the middest of it laying a fire of Charcoal throughly kindled upon it that there might be the less smoak and on the side of the hearth at a small distance hath been a thread hung up with a cross of Feathers to the end that it might easily be moved So after a little stay the heat increasing and the Air dilatating the thread and the Feather cross which hung upon it waved up and down in a various motion and having made a hole in the window of the Tower there came out a hot breath which was not continual but with intermission and waving 12. Also the reception of Air by cold after dilatation begets such a wind but weaker by reason of the lesser force of cold So that in Peru under every little shadow we find not only more coolness than here with us by Antiperistasis but a manifest kind of gale through the reception of air when it comes into the shade And so much concerning wind occasioned by meer dilatation or reception of Air. 13. Winds proceeding from the meer motion of the air without any commixion of vapours are but gentle and soft Let us see what may be said concerning Vaporary winds we mean such as are engendred by vapours which may be so much more vehement than the other as a dilatation of a drop of water turned into air exceeds any dilatation of Air already made which it doth by many degrees as we shewed before 14. The efficient cause of vapourary winds which are they that commonly blow is the Sun and its proportionate heat the matter is Vapors and Exhalations which are turned and resolved into Air. I say Air and not any thing but Air yet at the first not very pure 15. A small heat of the Sun doth not raise Vapours and consequently causes no wind 16. A mean or middle heat of the Sun raiseth and excites vapours but doth not presently dissipate them Therefore if there be any great store of them they gather together into rain either simply of it self or joined with wind if there be but small store of them they turn only to wind 17. The Suns heat in its increase inclines more to the generation of winds in its decrease of rains 18. The great and continued heat of the Sun attenuates and disperses vapours and sublimes them and withal equally mixes and incorporates them with the Air wherby the Air becomes calm and serene 19. The more equal and continuate heat of the Sun is less apt for the generation of winds that which is more unequal and intermitted is more apt Wherefore in sailing into Russia they are less troubled with winds than in the Brittish Sea because of the length of the days but in Peru under the Equinoctial are frequent winds by reason of the great inequality of heat taking turns night and day 20. In Vapours is to be considered both the quantity and quality A small quantity engenders weak winds a mean or middle store stronger great store engenders rain either calm or accompanied with wind 21. Vapours out of the Sea and Rivers and over-flown Marishes engender far greater quantity of winds than the exhalations of the earth But those winds which are engendred on the land and dry places are more obstinate and last longer and are for the most part such as are
Northern winds sharp penetrating cold burneth c. 28. Other things also which I omit for brevity This we use to call the Table of Essence and presence The second Aphorism SEcondly there is manifestation to be made to the understanding of instances which are deprived of their nature which was first given them For the Forme as we said before ought as well to be absent where the primary Nature is absent as be present where it is present But this would be infinite in all things Wherefore Negatives are to be added to the Affirmatives and Privations are onely to be looked upon in those subjects which are nearly allyed to those others in which the Primary Nature is and appears And this we use to call the Table of Declination or Absence in proximo or the next degree The nearest Instances which are deprived of the Nature of Heat A Negative or Subjunctive Instance to the first Affirmative Instance The Moon and the stars and the Comets Beams are not found hot by the sence of feeling yea one may observe extreame cold seasons at full Moons But the greater fixed Stars when the Sun comes under them or nigh unto them are thought to increase and exasperate the heat of the Sun as it is when the Sun is in Leo and in the Dog-days Six Negatives to the second Instance 1. The Sun-beams give not any heat in that which they call the middle Region of the air for which is commonly given a tolerable reason For that Region or part of the air is neither near unto the body of the Sun from which issue the beams nor yet unto the earth by which the said beams are reflected And this appears by the tops of those Hills which are of a great height where the Snow lyeth continually But on the contrary it hath been noted by some that on the top of the Peak of Tenariff and also of some Hills of Peru the tops of the hils have no snow upon them the snow lying lower upon the ascent of the Hill and besides the air is not cold upon the tops of those Hils but very piercing and sharp so that upon those hils of Peru it pricks and hurts the eyes with its too much acrimony and pricks the Orifice of the Ventricle and causeth vomiting And it was noted by the Ancients that on the top of Olympus there was such a tenuity of air that they who ascended thither were fain to carry with them spunges steeped in Water and Vinegar and hold them to their mouths and nostrils lest the tenuity or subtilness of the Air should hinder their breathing Upon the top of which montain it was also said the air was so clear and free from Winds and Rain that if the Priests had written upon the Ashes which remained upon Jupiters Altar after the Sacrifices had been there offered unto him the Letters would remain there and not be blown away or blotted out until the next year And to this hour those which ascend to the top of Tenariff which they do by night and not by day are called upon and hastned to descend presently after Sun-rising For fear as it should seem lest the tenuity of the air should dissolve their spirits and suffocate them 2. The reflexion of the Sun-beams in those Countries which are nigh unto the Polar Circles is very weak and ineffectual in its heat so that the Dutch who wintred in Nova Zembla when they expected their ship should be freed from the great heaps and mountains of Ice which were grown about it in the beginning of the Month of July were frustrated of their hopes and forced to come away in their ship boat So that the Beams of the Sun seem to be of small strength when they are direct even upon plain ground nor yet when they are reflected unless they be multiplyed and united which happeneth when the Sun grows to be more perpendicular for the incidence of the beams makes more acute Angles so that the lines of the beams are more near whereas contrariwise in great obliquities of the Sun the Angles are very obtuse and consequently the lines of the beams more distant But in the mean time we must note that there may be many operations of the Sun-beams and in the nature of heat which are not proportioned to our touch or feeling so that in respect of us they do not operate so far as calefaction or heating but in respect of some other bodies they may execute the Operations and Functions of heat 3. Let us try such an experiment as this Let there be a Glass made and framed of a contrary quality to a burning-Glass and let this glass be held between the Sun and our hand and let us observe whether that will diminish the heat of the Sun as a burning-Glass doth increase it For it is manifest in the Optick beams that as the Glass is of an unequal thickness in the middle and on the sides so the things which are seen thorow them are either more diffused or more contracted So the same should be in the matter of heat 4. Let it be carefully tryed whether the strongest and best made Burning-Glasses can gather up the beams of the Moon in such sort as the least degree of warmness or tepidity may proceed from them And if that degree of tepidity should be too weak and subtile to be perceived by the sense of feeling let recourse be had to those kinds of Weather-Glasses that shew the Constitution of the air whether it be hot or cold and let the Moon-beams fall thorow a burning-Glass into the Orifice of this Weather-Glass and observe whether the tepidity do cause any fall or abatement of the water that is in the said Weather-Glass 5. Let the Burning-Glass be used over some hot thing that is not radious or luminous as a hot Iron or stone which is not red or fire hot or boyling water or the like and let it be observed whether there be any increase or augmentation of heat as there is in the Sun-beams 6. Let a Burning-Glass also be tried with a common flame One Negative to the third Affirmative Instance There is no manifest or constant effect found in Comets if so be they also may be reckoned amongst Meteors for the increasing the heat of the Weather according to the season of the year though drought have commonly been observed to follow Also bright beams and columns openings of the Element and the like are more commonly seen in Winter than in Summer especially in extream cold weather so it be joyned with Drought But Thunders and flashes of Lightning do seldome happen in Winter but onely in time of great heat But those which we call falling or shooting stars are commonly thought to consist rather of some bright visions or slimie matter set on fire than of any stronger fiery Nature But of this we will enquire further To the fourth one There are some Coruscations which yield light but do not burn And those are always
define things rather by effects and discommodities than by Internal causes either points at by that Axiome That two bodies cannot be in one place or calls it a Motion that there may be no penetration of dimensions Neither is it fitting to propose any examples of this Motion for it is in every manner of body Let the second Motion be the Motion which we call of Connexion by which bodies will not suffer themselves in any part to be severed from the touching of another body as rejoycing in that mutual connexion and touching Which Motion the Schools call the Motion of their being no vacuity as when water is drawn up by sucking or by Pipes the flesh by Ventoses or Cupping-glasses or when water stands still and remains in Pitchers with holes in them unless the Pitcher be opened and the Air let in and many things of this kind Let the third Motion be that Motion which we call of Liberty by which bodies seek to free themselves from a preternatural pressure or stretching and restore themselves into a dimension fitting for their bodies Of which Motion there are likewise innumerable examples as concerning the freeing from Pressure of water in swimming of air in flying of the Water in rowing of the Air in the waving of winds Neither doth the Motion of the Air thrust up together shew it self very absurdly in Guns which Children play with and are commonly called Pot-guns which are made of a piece of Elder made hollow into which they thrust a piece of some juycie root or the like at both the ends then with a Scowrer they thrust this root up at one end towards the other root which is at the other end which flyeth out with a sound before the lowermost root or the scourer toucheth it As for the freeing from tensure or stretching this Motion shews it self in an Egg-shel after the Egge is sucked up in Strings and Leather and Cloth which will shrink up again after they are stretched unless they have quite altered their dimensions by standing too long a time stretched c. And this Motion the Schools call the Motion out of the Form of the Element and that ignorantly enough seeing that this Motion belongs not only to air water and flame but to every diversity of consistencie as of Wood Iron Lead Cloth Parchment c. In which each several bodies have a model or prefixed extent of their dimensions and from thence are hardly drawn to any notable space But this Motion of Liberty being most obvious and belonging to infinites it will be advisedly done to distinguish it plainly and well for many do most carelesly confound this Motion with the other two of Antitype and connexion Namely the Motion from Pressure with the Motion of antitypie and that of extension with the Motion of connexion Therefore if the compressed bodies did yield or extend themselves that there might not follow a Penetration of dimensions the bodies extended would grow back and contract themselves that Vacuity might not follow But if compressed air would recover and turn it self into the thickness or density of Water or Wood into the density of a stone penetration of dimensions would be needless and yet there might be a far greater Compression than they can any way admit of And in the same manner if Water could dilatate it self into the rarity of air or a Stone into the rarity of Wood there would be no need of vacuity and yet there might be a far greater extension of them than they can any way suffer Therefore the thing is not reduced to Penetration of dimensions and vacuity but only in latter ends of Condensation and Rarefaction when notwithstanding these Motions stay and stop a long way on this side of them and nothing else but desires of the bodies to preserve themselves in their own Consistencies or if they had rather in their own Forms and not to recede from them suddenly unless they be altered by mild means and by consent But it is far more necessary because it draws many things after it to have it intimated unto men that a Violent Motion which we call Mechanical and Democritus who in expediting of his first Motions may be accounted less than the meanest of Philosophers calls the Motion of the Coast is nothing else but the Motion of Liberty namely from compression to Relaxation For in every simple Protrusion and thrusting forward or flying in the air there is no summotion or local carriage before the parts of the body do preternaturally or beyond nature suffer and be compressed by the driver and then the Parts successively thrusting one another the whole is carried not only going forward but withall wheeling that by this means the Parts may free themselves or suffer more than is just And so much for this Motion Let the fourth Motion be that which we have termed Motion of Hyles which Motion is in a manner contrary to that Motion which we have spoken of namely the Motion of Liberty For in the Motion of Liberty the bodies do utterly abhor reject and shun a new Dimension or new Sphere or new Dilatation or Contraction for this variety of words express all one thing and strive with all their might to recover and return to their old Consistency But contrariwise in this motion of Hyles the bodies do desire a new Sphere or Dimension and do willingly and withall their might as in Gun-powder hasten towards it But the most powerful and most frequent if not the onely instruments of this motion are Heat and Cold. As for example if air be dilatated by Tensure or stretching out as by sucking of Glass-Eggs it hath a longing desire to be restored But if you apply Heat to it it will contrariwise desire to be dilatated and to be in a new Sphere and passes into it willingly as into a new Forme as they call it Neither after it is dilatated doth it care for returning unless it be invited to it by application of some cold thing which is not properly a return but a repeated Transmutation And in the like manner water if it be restrained within narrower bounds by compression it spurns against it and desires to be again what it was namely larger But if there comes a strong and continued cold it changeth willingly and of its own accord and is condensed into Ice and if the cold continue and is not interrupted by warm weather as it is oftentimes in deep Caves and Grots it turns to Chrystal or some such like matter and is never restored to its primitive being Let the fifth motion be the motion of Continuation we do not mean the simple and primary continuation with some other body or substance for that is the motion of Connexion but of Continuation of it self in a certain body For it is most certain that all bodies do abhor the dissolution of Continuity some more some less but all in some measure For as in hard bodies as steel or glass the reluctancy against
But this we are sure of that the reason which Lucippus and Democritus give to bring in a vacuity namely because without it the same bodies could not fill up and contain greater and lesser spaces is false For certainly it is the fold of the matter doubling and redoubling it self by spaces within certain bounds without interposition of Vacuity Neither is there in air two thousand times more for so much it must be of Vacuity than there is in Gold which is sufficiently known to us by the most powerful vertues of Pneumatick or windy bodies which otherwise would swim in Vacuity like small dust and many other Demonstrations And the rest of the Motions do govern and are governed one by another according to the Vigor Quantity Incitation Ejaculation and according to the helps and hindrances which do happen As for example some Load-stone armed will draw up and hold Iron which shall weigh threescore times as much as it self so far the Motion of the lesser Congregation doth predominate above the Motion of the greater Congregation And if there be any greater weight it yields A Beam will bear some weight of timber So far doth the Motion of Liberty predominate upon the motion of the greater Congregation But if the weight be more it will yield Leather stretched out to such an extent will not tear So far the Motion of Continuation predominates upon the Motion of Extension But if it be stretched any further the Leather tears and the Motion of Continuation doth yield Water runs out at a crevise of such a bigness so far the Motion of the greater Congregation predominates over the Motion of Continuation and if the crevise be lesser it yields and the Motion of Continuation overcomes The powder of Sulphur alone put into a Gun with a Bullet and fired doth not drive out the Bullet In that the Motion of the greater Congregation overcomes the motion of Hyles but gun-powder being put in overcomes the motion of Hyles in the Brimstone being helped by the Motions of Hyles and of Flight in the Niter and so of the rest For the instances of strife which shew the predominancy of vertues and according to what means and degrees they predominate and yield is to be sought out by a sharp and diligent Inquisition Likewise the means and ways of the succumbency and yielding of Motions are carefully to be looked into Namely whether they cease altogether or whether they only strive so to do and are withheld For in bodies here with us there is no true rest neither in the whole nor in the parts but only in appearance and seemingness And this seeming Quietness or rest is caused either by the Counterpoise or the predominancy of Motions By counterpoise as in Scales which stand even if the weights be equal By predominancy as in pitchers which have holes in them where the water lyeth still and is kept from falling by the predominancy of the motion of Connexion Yet we must observe as we said before how far those yielding Motions do strive For if any one through striving be kept down stretched out upon the earth with his arms and legs bound or otherwise held and yet he with all his force strive to get up his striving is nothing the less though it doth not availe But the condition of this thing namely whether the yielding motion be as it were annihilated by the predominancy or whether the strife continue though it is not perceived which lyeth hidden in Conflicts will peradventure appear in concurrencies Let the trial be made in Guns whether a Gun will shoot a bullet furthest in a direct line which we call point blank or shooting upwards where the only force carries the Bullet or downwards where the Motion of Gravity concurs with the force of the blow Also the Rules of Predominancies which come in the way are to be gathered together As the commoner the good is which is desired the stronger it is As the motion of Connexion which looks upon the communion of the Universal is stronger than the Motion of Gravity or weight which looks only upon the communion of dense and solid things Also that the desires of a private good most commonly do not prevail against the desires which are for a more Publick good but in some small quantities Which would God we might obtain in Civil Affairs The way how to find out the Causes of the Ebbing and flowing of the Sea THis motion must of necessity be brought to passe either by the Progress and Regresse of waters like unto water tossed up and down in a Tub which when it washeth one side of the Tub forsaketh the other side or by the rising and falling of the waters from the bottome like unto water that boiles up and falls again Now which of these two causes must be the cause of Ebbing and Flowing is the question If the first assertion be admitted of then of necessity when the flowing of the sea is one way the sea must at the same time in one place or other be Ebbing and this is the thing which we enquired Acost a with some others after diligent enquirie have observed that on the shoars of Florida and the opposite shoars of Spain and Africk the Ebbings and Flowings of the Sea are at the same time and not contrariwise when it flows at the shoars of Florida it ebbs on the shoars of Spain and Africa But if one give more attention and take better heed the rising motion is not confirmed nor the motion by Progress denyed For it may be that the motion of waters in Progress may be and yet it may flow upon the opposite banks of the same Channel at the same time namely if the waters be forced and driven in from another place as it is in Rivers which ebb and flow on both their banks on each side at the same time this motion notwithstanding being a meer motion in Progress namely of waters coming in at the mouths of the Rivers out of the Sea so in the same manner waters coming in great abundance out of the Indian Eastern Ocean may be be driven and thrust into the Channel of the Atlantick Sea and therefore may over-flow both banks at one time Therefore we must enquire whether there be ever another Channel by which the waters may ebb and so diminish at the same time And behold here is the south sea at hand which is no lesser than the Atlantick sea but large and extended sufficiently for this purpose So now at last we are come to the Instance of the Cross concerning this subject which word is taken from Crosses which are set up in cross ways and point out the separations of them And these we use to call Decisory and Judicial Instances and in some cases Instance of Oracle and mandate The manner of them is this When in the Inquisition of some Nature the understanding is suspended and uncertain to which of the two or more natures the Cause of the