Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	foot_n	half_a	inch_n	1,859	5	11.0254	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50778	A new treatise of natural philosophy, free'd from the intricacies of the schools adorned with many curious experiments both medicinal and chymical : as also with several observations useful for the health of the body.	Midgley, Robert, 1655?-1723.	1687 (1687)	Wing M1995; ESTC R31226	136,898	356

as the Air in the Vial is condensed and gives way From this Experiment I conclude two things in defence of a Vacuum Whereof the first is That the air is before rarified in the Vial and that the parts of it are more dilated But this rarefaction of the air cannot be done but by the help of the great and more copious Vacuums The other is That the Water could not ascend in the Vial unless the air did give way and was condensed But air cannot be condensed unless the parts of it close nearer together and that they could not do without a Vacuum therefore we must conclude that air is condensed by the help of Vacuums which are partly taken away and lessened as well in Quality as in Number as it happens in a Bushel full of Corn or Salt when it is moved by which motion it is not a little condensed and the Atoms of Fire beget a dilating Motion to the air in the Glass but Cold produces a condensing Motion and as it is condensed and becomes more gross the aiery Atoms do also draw the Water as it were with small hooks or the external air lying upon the Water makes it ascend by Reason of the Vacuum which gives place or at least does not resist the weight of the Air. But perhaps they will say that there is no Vacuum in the air but that many Particles of subtile matter do go out from the Vial and give place to the ascending Water But this answer gives no manner of satisfaction because there is no body to force this subtile Matter neither is there any way through which it may pass as also there is no Cause assigned why the Water is forced upwards As to this we must have recourse to the small empty spaces which are found in all Bodies which Bodies are more or less fluid or solid as they have more or less of Matter or Renitency as there is the greater or lesser number of those Vacuums whereof we speak dispersed through them CHAP. XXIII Of a Congregate Vacuum against Aristotle and Cartesius GASSENDUS is not only against these two Philosophers concerning a Dispersed Vacuum but also about a Congregate one which is very remarkable and is to be found about divers Compound Bodies Aristotle who fights for Quality or Accidents distinct from Substance rejects a Vacuum as a thing which Nature can no ways endure But Cartesius speaks yet more hardly of it for he affirms that the Production of it in the World does not only exceed the power of Second Causes but even of the First Cause it self Aristotle endeavours to prove his Doctrine after this manner to wit That in his Opinion a Vacuum would interrupt and hinder the Motion and Action of Natural Causes For if indeed Light and Heat be Accidents the Sun could not produce either of them in a Vacuum or through it though there was never so little of it in the Air equal to the least imaginable point for according to this Opinion they are Accidents and have need of a Subject which a Vacuum does not afford them Descartes Builds upon another Foundation for he acknowledges no difference between Extention and Matter extended and therefore he affirms that there is no distance between two Walls betwixt which there is no air nor Matter but that they would fall close together Which how ridiculous it is we shall see by what follows I affirm therefore That Nature doth not abhor a Vacuum nor that it is impossible that there should be a Vacuum in Nature for indeed there is no ground for this imaginary fear and the Experiment which I bring will most solidly demonstrate the Existence of a Vacuum This Experiment was made at Clermont by the late Mr. Paschall a Man well esteemed by all that knew him he took a Glass Tube four Foot long divided into Inches and Lines open at one end only through which being filled with Quick-Silver and then put into an Earthen Vessel full of Water and Quick-Silver immediately the Quick-Silver that was in the Tube did descend and stuck at the height of Twenty five Inches and Five Lines and a half and remained visibly in that State for the space of Five Hours This Experiment was afterwards made in several places two or three times I and several persons of Quality and Learning being present and indeed every time it did more or less sink down according to the highness or lowness of the place where the Experiment was made without any visible alteration in one and the same place I conclude that the space which remains above the Quick-silver is a Vacuum and that nothing but Light is contained within it we must therefore say either that Light is not an accident but a body which fills the space or else that this space is a Vacuum and that Light is in it without its subject It may be said that the Glass being porous the Air or some other Body more subtile might enter into the Tube and replenish the space left by the descending Quick-silver but that cannot be because the Quick-silver descends on a sudden and the Air could not so suddenly enter in without breaking of the Glass But if it did enter why does not the Quick-silver descend to the very bottom but remain suspended at a Certain height From this Experiment it appears That a Vacuum according to the conception which Aristotle hath left us of it is not impossible to be in Nature Secondly that the external Air by its weight presses upon the Water and Quick-silver in the Earthen Vessel for otherwise all the Quick-silver contained in the Tube would fall down to the very bottom Thirdly that the same Air hath a greater pressure in Vallies than in Mountains especially upon those that are very high because here it is more subtile and rare and more dilated by disseminated Vacuums whereby its weight is lessened together with its strength and resistency The Opinion of Cartesius is yet more ridiculous who affirms That a Vacuum is impossible even in respect of the Divine Power which Opinion is no less impious than it is rash for no Man can deny but that God is able to reduce into nothing the Air that is contained in the Vial and also to hinder any other body from coming into its place Descartes says that this Hypothesis is impossible and that if this Air was annihilated the sides of the Viol would immediately touch one another because says he things betwixt which nothing interposes do touch one another That is true that when nothing was there nothing could be there or when things come together to be joined But we suppose here that the parts of the Vial remain in their first State as indeed they do if they are not any ways moved which they do not God Almighty hindring and whosoever denys that God Almighty is able to hinder this Motion and this Contiguity in so supposing is ridiculous and rash prescribing Limits to God Almighty's Power There is