the Peripateticks touching the Souls action That according to the same Opinion a Substance is said not to act immediately through it self but through superadded Powers p. 85. 2. That a Substance acteth through as many different Powers as it produceth different Acts. p. 86. 3. That the said Powers are really and formally distinct from the essence of the Soul ib. 4. That Powers are concreated with the Soul and do immediately emanate from her Essence p. 87. 5. That immaterial Powers are inherent in the Soul as in their Agent Material ones in the Matter as in their Subject ib. 6. That Powers are distinguisht by their Acts and Objects The Authors Intent in treating of the Faculties of the Soul ib. CHAP. II. Of all the usual Acceptions of power 1. The Etymology of Power The Synonyma's of Power p. 88. 2. The various Acceptions of power ib. 3. What a Passive Natural Power and a Supernatural Passive or Obediential Power is ib. 4. Various Divisions of Power p. 89. CHAP. III. Of the Nature of Power according to the Author 1. The Analogal Concept of Power as it is common to all its Analogata p. 90. 2. Whether there be Real Powers 91. 3. Certain Conclusions touching Powers p. 93. 4. That all Substances act immediately through themselves p. 95. 5. That a Peripatetick Power is a Non Ens Physicum p. 97. 6. That all Powers are really Identificated with their Subject ib. 7. That Powers are distinguisht modully from their Subject p. 98. 8. How Powers are taken in the Abstract ib. 9. The Manner of the Remission and Intention of Powers p. 99. 10. The Number of the Formal Acts caused by a singular Substance ib. 11. The Number of the Formal Acts caused by an Organical Substance p. 101. 12. The Solutions of several Doubts touching Powers ib. 13. That all Creatures have an absolute Power secundum quid of acting p. 102. 14. In what sense Hippocrates and Galen apprehended Powers ib. The FIRST PART The Fourth Book CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Natural Theology 1. What Theology is p. 1. 2. That Theosophy is a fitter name to signifie the same which is here intended by Theology That in knowing God we become Philosophers p. 2. 3. What a Habit is ib. 4. What it is to live happily That there is a mean or middle way of living which is neither living in happiness or living in misery p. 3. 5. How Theology is divided ib. 6. What Natural Theology is What Supernatural Theology is The first Doubts of a Natural man ib. 7. The Dignity of Theology p. 4. CHAP. II. Of the end of Natural Theology 1. Wherein Moral Philosopy differeth from Natural Theology and wherein it agreeth with it That the Heathen Philosophers were no true Philosophers Aristotle his dying words Epicure his miserable death after so pleasant a life p. 5. 2. A Description of the greatest Happiness Queries touching the greatest Happiness p. 6. 3. Whether the greatest Happiness is the neerest and principal end of Theology ib. 4. How the greatest Happeness is otherwise called p. 7. CHAP. III. Of GOOD 1. What Good is p. 7. 2. That Aristotle 's Definition of Good is erroneous ib. p. 8. 3. Diogenes his Definition of Good 9. 4. The Explanation of the Definition of Good How the several kinds of Good differ from one another ib. 5. What Moral Good is what moral evil is p. 10. 6. What Theologick Good and evil is ib. CHAP. IV. Of Moral Good and Moral Evil. 1. An Explanation of the Definition of Moral Good What is understood by a Natural State The ambiguity of the word Natural p. 10. 2. What Moral Good it is which doth respect the Body What Moral Good it is which respecteth the Soul p. 11 3. An Explanation of the Definition of Moral Evil. That God doth not properly bend to his creatures p. 12. 4. The Distinction between these two predicates to be Good and to do Good ib. 5. How Moral Good turns to Moral Evil. p. 13. 6. That Man as he is in a neutral state is in a middle state between supernatural and preternatural ib. CHAP. V. Of Theologick Good and Theologick Evil. 1. An Explanation of the Definition of Theologick Good p. 14. 2. An Explication of the Definition of Theologick Evil. ib. 3. What honest usefull and pleasant Good is p. 15. 4. What Natural Sensible and Moral Good is ib. CHAP. VI. Of the greatest and highest Good 1. A further illustration of the greatest Good p. 16. 2. That the highest Good is the neerest end of Natural Theology ib. 3. What the Summum Bonum is otherwise called That the greatest Good is our last end p. 17. 4. The inexpressible Joy which the soul obtains in possessing the greatest Good ib. 5. Two great benefits which the soul receiveth from the Summum Bonum p. 18. CHAP. VII Of the false Summum Bonum 1. The Summum Bonum of the Epicureans unfolded and rejected p. 19. 2. That Wealth is a greater terment than a Summum Bonum The Riches of Seneca That we ought to follow his example p. 20. 3. That to be taken up in merry discourses is not the greatest happiness ib. p. 21. 4. That it is not the greatest happiness to be merry twice or thrice a week at a mans country house p. 22. 5. That honour is not the greatest good ib. 6. That swearing is no happiness ib. 7. The Author's ground why he was compelled to make use of so light a style in this Chapter p. 23. 8. That all these enumerated instances are highly to be embraced as good but not as the greatest Good That meat and drink are to be taken with temperance ib. 9. That Riches are not absolutely to be rejected p. 24. 10. That mutual converse is commendable ib. 11. That a constant society is necessary to man ib. 12. That we ought to give honour to whom honour is due p. 25. 13. That we ought not to refuse an Oath tendred by the Magistrate ib. CHAP. VIII Of the Subject of Natural Theology 1. Man consisting of Body and Soul is the adequate subject of Natural Theology p. 26. 2. Reasons proving the Soul to be the original and principal subject of Theology ib. 3. That the Understanding and Will are really and formally one The confutation of the vulgar definition of will A full explication of the will and the manner of its acting What speculative and practical signifie p. 27 c. 4. What the will is in a large sense p. 34 5. What the will is in a strict sense ib. 6. An explanation upon the first description of will p. 35. 7. The effects of the will Whether appetibility doth not equally imply volibility and appetibility in a strict sense p. 36. 8. Whether mans appetite is distinct from his will ib. CHAP. XIX Of Free-will by reason 1. Wherein man doth most differ from Animals or Naturals p. 38. 2. To what acts the freedom of man's will in reference to its acting doth extend What the
most rational spirit p 88. 2. That Man by means of his first and second Light understood all beings perfectly in their proper natures as they were p. 89 3. That the first man did not sleep during his incorrupt estate ib. 4. That the first man did eat and drink ib. 5. That the first man would have generated in the same manner and through the same parts as he did afterwards but without that shame and sinfull lust That there were no co-Adamites The absurdity of that blasphemous opinion touching prae-Adamites ib. 6. That the first man was beyond danger of erring in any action proceeding from his soul. p. 90 7. A rational inquiry into the first sinne and knowledg of the first Commandment ib. 8. The manner of man's fall proved by reason His punishment for the breach of the first Commandment p. 91. 9. A further collection of man's pupunishment for his first sinne That a present unavoidable temporal death was part of man's punishment and not a present unavoidable eternal death ib. 10 That man after his fall was not become utterly evil p. 92. 11. An enumeration of the relicts of Good in man p. 93. CHAP. XVIII Of the manner of the Suppression Extinction Predominance and Triumph of the Habit of Good 1. The repetition of some of the principal principles of this Treatise 94. 2. What it is that hindreth the Habit of Good ib. 3. How the good Habit happens to be deaded and overcome by the evil habit How the good Habit happens to suppresse and vanquish the evil habit ib. 4. That we are apt to incline most to those things that are forbidden p. 95. 5. A proof inferring darkness to proceed from the prevalence of the corporeal appetite ib. 6. Why it is that a man must necessarily die The ground detected upon which the Papists were induced to state a Purgatory Their error rejected p. 96. 7. That the propertion of these two Habits is various in every individual subject ib. CHAP. XIX Of Original Sinne. 1. How it is possible for two contrary Habits to inhere in one subject 97. 2. The absurdities that follow this Assertion viz. That the evil habit inheres in the soul perse ib. 3. In what manner the Habit of good is taken to inhere per se in the soul. p. 98. 4. That God created every man theologically good Several Objections relating to the same assertion answered ib. 5. How the soul partaketh of the guilt of Original Sinne. The opinion of the Synod of Rochel upon this matter p. 99. c. CHAP. XX. Of the manner of Man's Multiplication 1. The state of the controversie 101. 2. That the Rational Soul is not generated or produced by generation That there are three kinds of productions out of nothing ib. 3. That the Soul is not propagated either from the Father or Mother ib. 102. 4. That impious opinion concluding the Rational Soul to be generated tanquam ex traduce confuted 103. 5. An Objection against the Authors opinion answered ib. 6. That the foetus before the advent of the Rational Soul is informated with a form analogal to a sentient form p. 104. 7. That God is the remote cause of man's generation ib. 8. That man doth generate man naturally and perse ib. 9. The opinion of Austin Jerome and others upon this matter p. 105. CHAP. XXI Of Practick Natural Faith 1. What a man is to consider to prevent his downfall p. 207. 2. Man's danger and folly the Devils policy A certain means whereby to be delivered from this imminent danger The whole mystery and summe of man's salvation ib. 108. 3. The main Question of this whole Treatise decided p. 109. 4. Scripture proofs accidentally proposed inferring implicit faith in a natural man to be justifying ib. 5. The general Rules of Practick faith p. 110 6. The occasion of man's fall briefly repeated ib. 7. Fifteen Reasons against all passions p. 111 112. 8. Arguments against all bodily pleasures p. 113. 9. The military discipline of a natural man instructing him to warre against all his enemies that oppose him in his way to his greatest happiness p. 114 115. 10. The greatest and most necessary rule of this military art A scandal taken off from Physicians p. 116. 11. Another great measure of the said Art p. 117. 12. Whence a natural man is to expect assistance in case he is weakned by his enemies p. 118. 13. Whether the soul expiring out of the body is to be an Angel or for ever to abide without office What the office of a separated soul is 119. 14. How long she is to continue in office The consummation and description of the change of the world The resurrection proved by reason The description of the second Paradise concluded by reason ib. 15. To what objects the faculties of men when possest of the second Paradise will extend That they shall remember and know one another That they shall eat and drink that they shall not generate that the same person who redeemed man from his misery shall reign over him in Paradise p. 120 121. CHAP. XXII Comprizing a brief account of the Religion of the Heathen Philosophers 1. Socrates his belief of God p. 122. 2. What God is according to Homer p. 123. 3. What Plato thought God to be ib. 4. Thales his saying of God ib. 5. Instances proving the Heathens to have known Gods Attributes particularly that Thales believed God's Omniscience and God's unchangeable Decrees ib 6. That Socrates asserted God's Omniscience Omnipotence his creating of the world in time his Iustice and Mercy God's Omnipresence ib. 7. The Articles of Plato 's Faith p. 124 125. 8. Aristotle 's Belief p. 126. 9. Virgil's opinion of divine things ib. 10. The divine Song of Orpheus p. 127. 11. Trismegistus upon the Creation of the world ib. 128. Natural Philosophy The SECOND PART The First Book CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Natural Philosophy 1. THe Etymology and Synonima's of Natural Philosophy p. 1. 2. The Definition of Natural Philosophy p. 2. 3. An Explanation of the said Definition ib. 4. What a Natural Being is ib. 5. What a Natural Essence is ib. 6. What Nature is ib. 7. The various Acceptions of Nature ib. CHAP. II. Comprehending an Explanation of the Definition of a Natural Being 1. What is meant by Disposition p. 3. 2. An Objection against the Definition of a Natural Being answered p. 4. 3. What it is to act according to Truth ib. 4. That the Subject of this Science is more properly named a natural Being than a natural Body ib. 5. Aristotles Definition of Nature rejected by several Arguments p. 5. 6. That Nature is a property of a natural Being p. 6. 7. The difference between Nature and Art ib. 8. That Nature in respect to God acteth constantly for an End p. 7. 9. The Division of Nature ib. CHAP. III. Of the Principles of a Natural Being 1. That Privation is no Principle of a Physical Generation or of a Physical Being That
sutable to him he cannot let his desires slide another way The worst actions which men do act are either when they are alone or when they are in other company and absent from their partner When they are in other company they are apt to be drunk to swear and to project base designs which a man seldome or never doth perpetrate in the presence with his mate Or if he did it is an hundred to one if her fear modesty or some other vertue did not prevent him Man could seldome think evil thoughts because his companion is supposed to divert him in proposing pleasant or usefull discourses What woman is there which can be inordinate in any of these fore-instanced actions if she is suted to a mate and adheres to his fellowship onely 'T is true women and men although both joyn'd in a constant adherence have sometimes agreed in wicked designs but this hapneth alwayes in a couple unsutably paired and consequently much given to wandring so that they did not contract that evil habit from themselves but from others Had the first man and the first woman continued constantly together it would have been a far harder task for the Devil to have deluded them but they being separated although but for a few moments and either of them admitting conference with the Devil were soon corrupted What an easie task of Government would it be if most men were paired so as never to be asunder from their fellow They could hardly assent to mischief or if they were bent to it Law might sooner work upon their joint-interest than if it were single But take this only as by way of discourse XII It is necessary among men to give honour to whom it is due and to return it with thanks when they do deserve it Were it only to cause a distinction of persons in respect to civil Government it doth imply a necessity It is proper for us to know what honour is for how could we else acquit our duty in this part to God to the supream Magistrate or to our Parents XIII We are not to be over-scrupulous in taking of an oath provided it tend to the preservation of the Commonwealth and that the supream Magistrate be it the King Prince or plural Magistrate do require it We are obliged to it upon a double consideration 1. Because the Magistrate doth command or imposed it which is obliging among all Nations 2. Because it tends to the preservation of the whole body of the people And this common reason doth convince to be binding CHAP. VIII Of the Subject of Natural Theology 1. Man consisting of Body and Soul is the adequate subject of Natural Theology 2. Reasons proving the Soul to be the original and principal subject of Theology 3. That the Understanding and Will are really and formally one The confutation of the vulgar definition of Will A full explication of the Will and the manner of its acting What speculalative and practical signifie 4. What the Will is in a large sense 5. What the Will is in a strict sense 6. An Explanation upon the first description of Will 7. The Effects of the Will Whether appetibility doth not equally imply volibility and appetibility in a strict sense 8. Whether mans appetite is distinct from his Will I. THe fourth Question proposed is Which is the Subject of Natural Theology By Subject I mean the Subjectum inhaesionis wherein this habit is inherent To answer you in general The whole man as he consisteth of soul and body is the subject of Theology for the effects of it to wit happinesse and joy are as sensibly received by the body as by the soul for the body receiveth its essence conservation and bodily pleasures from it The soul cannot alone be properly said to be the subject because the soul without the body is not man II. The soul is originally and principally the subject of Theology I say originally because the soul is the original cause of the pleasures of the body yea and of its constitution for the body was created for the soul and not the soul for the body The soul is the original cause of the pleasures of the body in that the soul doth make choice of them and applieth them to the body for example meat drink and other pleasures are applyed to the body in that the soul makes choice of them and conceiveth them to be pleasant to the body otherwise the body could not attain to them The soul can enjoy pleasures when the body is in paine but the body cannot when the soul is in paine The soul is the principal subject of Theology because the greatest happinesse and good is enjoyed by it the delights of the body not being comparable to them of the soul The soul receiveth its pleasure by instants of time the body onely by succession III. The operation whereby the soul doth imbrace the greatest good and happinesse is from the understanding as it is speculative and practick and not as it is a two-fold faculty formally distinct through the understanding and the will for these are not really and essentially distinct I prove it if the understanding cannot understand without the will or the will without the understanding then they are not really and essentially distinct because it is proper to beings which are really and essentially distinct to operate without each other But the understanding cannot understand without the will neither can the will will without the understanding Therefore they are not really distinct I prove the Minor The will is primarly a bending of the understanding to an action of the mind but the understanding cannot understand unlesse it bends to that action of the mind So neither can the understanding be bent to action unlesse it understandeth Wherefore the one doth imply the other The most there is between them is a modal distinction You may object that it follows hence that a man may be said to will when he understandeth to understand when he willeth which predications are absurd I answer That it includes no absurdity at all for a man when he understandeth doth will every particular act of the understanding which he understandeth or otherwise how could he understand On the other side a man understandeth when he willeth according to that trite saying Ignoti nulla Cupido That which a man doth not know he cannot desire or will Wherefore I argue again that the one includeth the other the will implyeth the understanding and the understanding the will Possibly you may deny my supposed definition of will which is a bending to an action of the mind If you refuse it propose a better Your opinion it may be is to wander with the multitude and so you commend this The will is through which a man by a fore-going knowledge doth covet a sutable or convenient good and shunneth an inconvenient evil I will first account the absurdities of this definition and afterwards prove them to be so First you
That the evil habit inheres in the soul per se. 3. In what manner the Habit of good is taken to inhere per se in the soul. 4. That God created every man theologically good Several Objections relating to the same assertion answered 5. How the soul partaketh of the guilt of Original Sinne. The opinion of the Synod of Rochel upon this matter I. NOw we may easily explain how two contrary habits can inhere in one and the same subject No question it is impossible two contraries should inhere both per se in one subject for the nature of contraries is to expell one another out of the same subject Yet it is not repugnant but that two contrary habits may inhere both in one subject provided the one exist in it per se and the other per accidens or that they be not inherent in one partial subject although they may in the total for it is possible for a man to be afflicted with two contrary diseases in two parts of his body yet both are sustained by one total subject In like manner may the evil habit be principally and originally inherent in the body and the good habit in the soul yet both these are contained in one man II. Notwithstanding all this there are some who obstinately do affirm that the evil habit inheres in the soul per se but how do they prove it Certainly upon these suppositions 1. That the habits may be altered and the substance remain the same 2. That the first man acted through habits 3. That the good habit being removed the evil habit succeeded in its steed and consequently that an Accident doth migrate è subjecto in subjectum which is against their own maxims These suppositions being all false as hath been proved at large cannot be a firm foundation for any conclusion whatever they have built upon them And therefore I conclude again 1. That in the first man there was a natural disposition of acting good but no habit 2. That there became two habits in man after his fall the one of good and the other of evil III. That the habit of good inheres in man per se Quatenus actionis principium dicatur anima inest ei habitus bonus per se aut prout habitus sit accidens secundum istud potest animae attributi inesse per accidens quia ipse habitus est accidens quae tamen mihi est in usitata locutio And the habit of evil per accidens Non quatenus proficiscatur ab anima tanquam à mali principio sed duntaxat quatenus sit animae instrumentum Here one may object If an evil act proceed per se from the soul than the evil habit is also inherent in her per se. As to this the same I may argue from a good act and thence infer the inherence of the good habit per se. But it is certain that two contrary opposites secundum idem ad idem cannot exist together at the same instant in the same subject so that the one habit must necessarily inesse per se and the other per accidens Before I go farther let me tell you once for all when I say that the good habit is per se in man I do not imply that it is ex se but è Dei gratia è voluntate potentia divina ordinata to deny this is to rob God of his honour and is no lesse than a blasphemy wherefore it ought to be a great caution to all men how they assert good habits per se or good works per se lest they offend IV. God creates every man theologically good that is God infuseth the soul theologically good into the body being good also for otherwise God would be supposed to joyn good to evil How could the body be evil before the advent of the soul If it were evil it must be morally evil for there is no doubt but it was and remaineth physically good but that cannot be admitted because there is no moral evil without a rational will Good and evil is taken in a double sense 1. Good or evil is that which is agreeable or disagreeable with the Law of God 2. Good or evil is which is convenient and sutable or inconvenient and unsutable to a being According to the first acception The soul is infused good into a good body because of the reason fore-mentioned But according to the last it is not Here may be demanded Whether it agreeth with God's goodnesse to infuse a good soul into an unsutable body I answer That it doth not detract one title from God's goodnesse for he hath ordained that man should multiply and increase and therefore hath given man a power of increasing and multiplying The power which man exerciseth to multiply is through propagation of his body only and uniting the soul to it The body being then prepared for the souls reception the soul at that instant is raised out of the body è potentia materiae receptiva not out of it as è materiali principio eductivo like unto material forms but by the divine power which is ever present where God hath ordained his benediction so that God doth not withdraw his power of creating a soul when ever a body is prepared for it although that body is generated by the worst of men because God hath ordained it for God doth create a soul not because a wicked man hath disposed a body for the reception of it but because of his ordained blessing to mans increase V. The soul being united to the body immediately partaketh of the guilt of original sinne What original sinne is me thinks is not distinctly expounded by our ordinary institutionists They say It is a natural disposition to evil naturally descending from Adam to all men it is that which is called The sinne dwelling in man The Law of our members The old man The flesh The body of sinne c. First I demand What sinne is I shall be answered That it is a breach of God's Law Ergo A sinne is an act for to break God's Law is to act against God's Law A disposition say they is whereby an agent can act Ergo A disposition to sinne is no sinne because a disposition is no act but whereby we can or do act So that original sinne is the first act of sinne which the first man acted who comprehending in him whole mankind since all men were to descend from him the sinne which he acted was also acted by whole mankind and consequently the guilt of that sinne is imputed to every man The habit of sinne being entered through one act whereby we are render'd prone to evil and commit actual sinne or do act sinne the same habit and disposition hath also ceased on all mankind So that original is rather the first actual sinne after which followed the habit of sinning and with the original or first sinne of man the habit of sinning is withall communicated to mans posterity This very sense
quemadmodum à lampadis flamma flammam excipimus illa nihilominus integra remanente He moveth a Question Whether the soul of a whelp is a part of the soul of the dog that begot him And why not For a material soul is divided according to the division of the matter and she is whole in its part which is most evident in plants Wherefore a soul begetteth a soul by protruding her self much after the same manner as we kindle a flame with a flame of a lamp the which neverthelesse remaineth entire Here Scaliger explains the propagation of beasts and plants and others do impiously apply the same to the rational soul and consequently make her material But to the point the rational soul cannot protrude her self in this manner because she is indivisible As for a flame that protrudes its self because it is divisible and communicateth a part of its self to another combustible matter and so raiseth a flame but this is not so in the soul. V. After the confirmation of my opinion it is requisite I should answer to what may be objected against it If the soul cannot generate a soul may one say or cannot generate his like then man is inferiour to other living creatures which do generate their like I answer That man doth generate his like for it is apparent that the Sonne i◠like the Father and that in a nobler manner than animals or vegetables who do naturally generate their like as to matter and a corruptible form but man doth generate the matter and disposeth it for the reception of an incorruptible form which done the form is immediately united to it in instanti not from the soul singly and originally but from the divine power which is alwayes concomitant to God's benediction by which he hath through his ordained will freely tied him self The divine power being then alwayes present and concomitant to the generating soul doth as it were give a rational soul to the plastick faculty of the genitures when she is ready to unite it to the body where observe that the generating soul is a subordinate and mediate cause of the infusion of the other rational soul. The creating power of God is the primar principal and immediate cause of man's rational soul and its production It is the primar and immediate cause of the soul because it createth her God of his goodnesse and blessing doth give the soul now at that instant created to the generating soul as to a subordinate and instrumental cause VI. By the generating soul I intend a material and divisible form inherent in the genitures mixt out of that which is contributed from the Father and that other from the Mother This form is analogal to a sensitive soul but notwithstanding must not be counted to be of the same species and doth informate the body of the Infant untill the advent of the indivisible immaterial immortal and rational soul and then it doth acquit the name of a form and becomes a faculty power and instrument to the said rational soul. VII God is the remote cause of man's generation and production because God doth notimmediately unite and insuse the soul into the body for were God the next cause of uniting the soul to the body then true enough man could not be said to generate man because the introduction or eduction of the form into or out of the mattor is the generation of the whole Now then man is the subordinate cause of the soul and its infusion by reason his propagature receiveth the soul which is to be infused from God who is the primar and original cause of it VIII Conclus 2. Man doth generate man naturally and per se although he doth not propagate the soul from himself I prove it He that uniteth the form to the matter as in this instance of uniting the soul to the body doth produce the totum compositum as to generate or produce the whole man But man uniteth the soul to the body therefore he generates or produces the whole man 2. Man generateth man naturally and per se because he hath an absolute secundum quid power of uniting the soul to the body for otherwise he were inferiour to other creatures This power is given him in these expressed words of Scripture saving my purpose Let man multiply How could man multiply had he not this power For did God infuse the soul immediately as Divines generally hold man could not be said to multiply but God The generating soul therefore is the Causa proxima of the infusion of the soul into the body Wherefore there are alwayes souls ready that are created at the same moment when needfull which are given to the generating soul otherwise were its uniting power in vain V. It is well expressed by Austin If the soul be seminated with the flesh it shall also die with the flesh And by Jerome If the soul of man and of Beasts be ex traduce then consequently both must be corruptible Plato in his Dialog Phaed. infers the soul's advent from without as an Herculean argument to prove her immortality Coelius Rhodoginus lib. 6. Antiq. Lect. doth wittily expresse Aristotle's meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first whereof was asserted by him to be mortal the latter to be immortal And if I mistake not he seems to affirm no lesse Lib. 2. d. gener cap. 3. viz. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is inherent in the sperm but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a divine rice and immortal Well may Tho. Aquinas pronounce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon all those that should maintain the rational soul to be extraduce since most Heathen Philosophers did believe otherwise What because those dull Lutherans had not the wit to know that original sinne was propagated through the body therefore they must revive that Bombastin opinion concluding the soul to be propagated likewise for to demonstrate her to participate of the said sinne This we have shewed with more probability already and therefore let us henceforth beware of so dangerous and atheistical an assertion CHAP. XXI Of Practick Natural Faith 1. What a man is to consider to prevent his downfall 2. Man's danger and folly the Devils policy A certain means whereby to be delivered from this imminent danger The whole mystery and summe of man's salvation 3. The main Question of this whole Treatise decided 4. Scripture proofs accidentally proposed inferring implicit faith in a natural man to be justifying 5. The general Rules of practick Faith 6. The occasion of man's fall briefly repeated 7. Fifteen Reasons against all passions 8. Arguments against all bodily pleasures 9. The military discipline of a natural man instructing him to warre against all his enemies that oppose him in his way to his greatest happinesse 10. The greatest and most necessary rule of this military art A scandal taken off from Physicians 11. Another great measure of the said Art 12. Whence a natural man
is to expect assistance in case he is weakned by his enemies 13. Whether the soul expiring out of the body is to be an Angel or for ever to abide without office What the office of a separated soul is 14. How long she is to continue in office The consummation and description of the change of the world The resurrection proved by reason The description of the second Paradise concluded by reason 15. To what objects the faculties of men when possest of the second Paradise will extend That they shall remember and know one another That they shall eat and drink that they shall not generate that the same person who redeemed man from his misery shall reign over him in Paradise I. ARt thou not stupified or hast thou not lost thy reason through a confirmed Atheism then what hath been hitherto delivered may take place in thee and gain thee a full insight into thy past present and future state On the one hand you know your misery and pravity by comparing the course of your life with that rule which is imprinted in your heart On the other hand you may fadom your own strength and since that is decayed and weakned you may spie God ready to assist and succour you in this contention and strife against your enemies labouring all to pull him down But how to procure God's aid and succour 't is that which I am about to advise you in In the first place consider whose enemy thou art and ever hast been and what associates thou art adjoyned unto under whose banner it is thou fightest to what end or what victory it is you expect II. As to the first thou art God's enemy and hast been so from the minute thou wast conceived in The associates among whose company and number thou hast ranged and listed thy self are Infidels Atheists Wretches and Devils The Banner under which thou marchest and fightest is Satans or the Prince of Devils The end and victory which thou fightest for were it possible is to throw God out of his Throne Now bethink thy self art thou not a fool that fightest against the mighty one who is able to destroy thee in a moment Art thou not blinded to fight with such associates Were that mote but removed out of thy eye thou wouldst soon be astonisht at their wickednesse and detest their company The Banner is as a vail cast before thy eyes to keep thee ignorant of the Devils aim and craft which tends to lead thee into utter destruction The Design whereunto thou hast subscribed is the greatest piece of rebellion and treachery Now then is it not time for thee to flie and make thy escape Yet a moment and God soundeth his alarm and so ye are all laid in the ground and cast into an everlasting dungeon But whither canst thou flie but God will pursue thee Thou canst not cast thy self immediately upon God for his justice doth judge thy crime high treason and therefore unpardonable so that thou art condemned to execution First satisfie God's justice and then submit But how may you enquire Certainly O man if thou art to satisfie God's justice and to appease his wrath then thou art lost and cast away for ever and yet since man hath sinned man must surely expect God's wrath Now the means for thy escape is to cast thy self upon God's mercy which is infinite and therefore of an equal weight to balance his justice and believe assuredly that God's mercy will move his infinite-wisdome to find out some way or other whereby to satisfie his justice 'T is true we have all sinned in one man to wit the first man but if God doth send one righteous man into the world who through his perfect obedience to the Law doth intirely recover God's favour through his sufferings doth satisfie God's justice through his death acquit us from the guilt and punishment of and for the first or original sinne and he afterwards rise again from the dead as a Conquerour of Death and sinne this one man's satisfaction and obedience is sufficient to blot out all men's guilt and merit God's favour and acceptance for all men because as the sinne of one first man is the original cause of all our sinnes and as his sin is imputed to us so the satisfaction of one second man provided he be of the same stock that we are of is enough to satisfie for the sinne of that one first man and consequently also for the sinnes which we have committed through the participation of that first sinne and his plenar obedience if it be imputed to us as the first sinne was is sufficient to compleat and perfect all our imperfect good actions and to make them theologically good But some may reply That it is repugnant to man's nature if he be of the same stock that we are of to undergo death and rise again or to be born without sinne which is requisite for otherwise how can he be throughly righteous You have great reason to doubt of this for it is a mystery which doth exceed man's capacity and is impossible for a natural man to dive into or ever come to any particular knowledg of it unlesse immediatly revealed by inspiration to some men from whom it should descend to us Neverthelesse this very thing is possible with God and therefore we ought not to doubt of it in the least but according to that divine saying of Solon De Deo non est inquirendum sed credendum We are not to enquire of God but to believe in him and particularly in his mercy and wisdom This is the great mystery ground and summe of our salvation III. But the main Question that may be moved here is Whether this implicit faith may be termed justifying that is Whether man in believing inclusively in God's mercy and goodnesse as including that God is most wise and therefore can order or appoint a means for his restoration and redemption and that he is mercifull and therefore will order and appoint those means of salvation to such who earnestly desire it and believe in him Mark I said also Goodnesse for that is necessary to be believed into because although that through God's mercy we are redeemed and restored to our primitive perfection yet it is through his goodnesse or grace as Divines usually expresse it that we abide with him to all eternity To this may be answered that it is not improbable for since it would be impious to affirm that all children are damned because they have not an actual faith we may safely suppose that God being infinitely mercifull will save them as farre as they have an inclinative faith or a disposition to it an actual faith cannot be required because of their immaturity If then children are saved through their inclinative faith certainly this fore-mentioned actual faith doth counterpoize that of children Besides man in believing according to the state of this Question doth his uttermost and that from a good principle to a good
likewise free to defend a penetration of bodies IV. We find a very dense contest among Philosophers about the manner of condensation and rarefaction 1. Scotus in 4. Distinct 22. Quaest. 4. opiniates that there are new parts of quantity produced in rarefaction and other old ones corrupted 2. Marsilius in his Metaph. Quest. 9. Art 2. asserteth that in rarefaction and condensation the whole or entire old quantity is corrupted 3. Others to salve their Doctrine of Condensation and Rarefaction are constrained to affirm a penetration of quantity which they say may naturally happen provided it be not of all but of some parts only 4. Hurtado Phys. Disput. 15. Sect. 5. Subject 4. laies down a Principle invented by his Master which according to his Judgment proveth an Expedient to expound the nature of Rarity and Density There are saith he certain indivisibles contained in bodies through the inflation or puffing up of which bodies do acquire a greater or less place But to avoid all inconveniences they allow these indivisible points not to be formally only but virtually also divisible and extensible according to place and force impelled upon them To this Opinion doth Arriaga also subscribe Disp. 16. Sect. 9. 5. The Jâ—suits of Conimbrica Lib. 1. Cap. 5. q. 17. Art 1. state that Rarity and Density are consistent in a certain quality inherent in quantity through which that quantity is contracted or extended to a greater or less space In fine after a long sweat they are forced to confess ingenuously with Hurtado that this difficulty is not to be cleared V. The subtil Doctor runs far beyond his Byas in admitting a natural corruption in parts and that happening almost every moment wherefore he is rejected by all in this particular What the Assertors of the third Opinion have stiffely affirmed in their whole Philosophy that they are now reduced to deny and exposed to a probation of a penetration of quantity which if a quantity is consistent of potential parts only and indivisible into indivisibilities then no question but it will go for them for then it remains indisputable that in a Line the points do all penetrate one another and consequently must consist out of infinite potential parts Hurtado and Arriaga do now yield to actual formal indivisibles but yet virtually divisible How an indivisible can be inflated they do omit the illustration This is most certain that contiguous indivisibles are inextensible and therefore may not be inflated 2. This Inflation is violent but there are many bodies naturally dense as the earth and therefore inflation being violent is not a means tending to addensation Besides they pass by to express their meaning of Indivisibles whether such as Zeno and Democritus teached or others VI. If they side with Democritus they fall into a greater Errour for his Indivisibles were 1. Infinite 2. Fluctuating in a void place 3. Of various Figures All three most notorious contradictions For can a thing be infinite and yet be terminated with Figures a plain Contradiction 2. Can finite bodies be produced out of infinite material Causes If material causes are infinite the body constituted by them must also be infinite Wherefore another Contradiction 3. There is no real vacuum but an imaginary one 4. Can a thing be indivisible and yet be under various figures There is no figure indivisible but a round Minimum because all its parts are fallen equally so close to the Center that they escape a real division thereby although not a mental one but other figures as Triangles must of necessity be devisible because all figures are made out of a Circle or Rotundity for take away the Angles of a Triangle Quadrangle c. and there remaines a Circle The reason why a round Minimum escapes division is because there is nothing sticking out whereupon an extrinsick Agent can take hold because its extream imaginary parts are strongest in being equally united to the Center and therefore one imaginary part is so strengthned by the other fastened to the other that any real division is impossible upon them but a triangular or any other angular figure is divisible because its real parts are unequally allied to the Center whence there ariseth a strong opposition in one respect and yet a small resistance in another for the angles do receive the force of an extrinsick Agent but a round minimum shoves it off and so makes but little resistance and yet a great opposition we see that a small round Bullet shall pass where a great angular body shall not although impelled with the same force and do consist of the same matter the reason is because in a round figure there is less resistance and the opposition is the greater because of the union of parts I have oft thought upon the intention of that ordinary Saying Vis unita est fortior Strength united is made stronger This holds good only in a round figure for therein force is most united for all its parts are equally allied to the Center and every part helpeth the other and makes no resistance but great opposition This appears in your round short-arst Fellowes who shall carry a greater burden then the biggest and tallest men I do remember that I have seen at a Sea-Village called Scheeveling in the Low-Countries a dozen men or fewer remove and carry a Pink of no very small burden upon their backs from the shore into the Sea Their strength was very improportionable to move so great a body but the placing of themselves in a round Figure did soon square their force to the Bulk Three of them were placed before at one side of the bowes three on the other side three more on each side of the Ship and so those twelve moved with their backs one against the other circularly not thrusting the Ship forward or from them for then they could not have done it but every man moved circularly to the Center and against the force of his Diametrical opposite and so lifted the fore parts of the Ship up upon their backs which being a little raised from the ground fell or moved forward through her own declining weight Touching the men themselves each of them put himself into a circular posture applying his back against the Ship resting his hands and arms upon his Knee and inclining his Head and Neck towards his Breast But this by the way The Conimbricenses endeavour to help the matter by shifting it off to a quality inherent in quantity Indeed I had alwaies apprehended a quality according to the Peripateticks to have inhered in a substance and not in quantity for it is absurd to assert in their Philosophy that one Accident inheres in the other Nevertheless they intend Matter by Quantity wherefore by the way you may observe that nolentes volentes they cannot apprehend any thing by Matter but quantity as I have proved before Further to patch the cause of Density upon Quality is a blind shifting for Quality is so remote a name
remoteness the air is aptest for concretion 2. Those winds blow stronger in the night than in the day Because the internal air of the clouds is then strongest squeezed and least dispersed through the Suns heat 3. The Monzones that blow from the South blow usually stronger and somewhat longer than the others because the Sun being then got into the arctick declination is now obliquely imminent upon the waters and therefore raises the greater quantity of vapours VVhereas on the other side a greater part of its oblique rayes are taken up by the Land 4. They are oft intended by the Moons demission of weighty minima's upon them The common winds are deprehended in the temperate and rigid Zones The East winds blow when a cloud opens at its VVest side in the East the North wind blows when it is vented at the South side in the North c. The winds if any thing durable must spout out of great long clouds otherwise they would soon be emptied besides clouds through the commotion of the air do succeed one another and are united when the former is suckt out as it vvere Sometimes the vvind seems to come dovvn from over our heads because a cloud is opened there More frequently from the finitor because clouds do most usually meet in union thereabout Sometimes the vvindes blovv from the North and South at once because tvvo clouds in those Regions are a venting Sometimes besides the continuation of a durable vvind there breaks out suddenly another vvind upon us by a blast because there is a cloud breaks out underneath those great ones that cause the durable vvind Provincial vvinds are occasioned through bursting out of those clouds that surround the respective Provinces For example If a Country is apt to be most beset vvith clouds on its North sides then Northerly winds vvill prove its Provincials Annual vvinds are caused through the particular aspects of the Sun at such a time of the year raising vapours tovvards such a plage or corner and rarefying their clouds at such a side Winds accidentally and violently are most of them coole and dry because bursting out with a force they must necessarily cause a compression upon objected bodies and through their tenuity must rub off the dampness from the same bodies Yet some winds prove more particularly very cold and dry because many earthy minims that are incorporated with the imprisoned air break forth along with them causing a strong punctual compression or acute cold Hence North winds happen to partake so much of coldness because they are incorporated with many terrestrial minima's transmitted from the Polars North Northeast winds in winter feel very pinching and nipping cold yea numming because of the commixture of frosty minims with their air South winds are moist because their production depends upon clouds transmitted from the Meridies whose body is very damp and waterish they are hot besides because they have been smitten with the Suns torrid rayes These are noxious and pernicious because through their warm moisture communicated to the ambient air they move relaxe swell and dissolve all the humours of the body whence there must necessarily arise an exestuation or fermentation of the bloud By the way let me tell you the reason why many clouds move against the stream of the air Because their winds bursting on the contrary side draw them like fire bursting out of a squib draweth the same after it Winds blow equally through their equal eruption high through their greater union and force directed outward and being augmented by the violent detention of the ambient cloud Some winds rise in the night because the internal breath of their clouds is now united through a privative and positive coldness Others are intended by the help of the dissolving Sun for the cloud being too close outwardly and the inward breath not very strong needed the rarefaction of the Sun Hence Northern winds are raised in the day because the faces of the clouds are objected directly against the heat of the Sun Whereas South winds are laid in the day because the Sun rarefying the back parts of their clouds attracts their breath backwards and disperseth it Tempestuous winds are distinguisht by five names 1. Ecnephias from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the clouds or an Oricane which is a sudden and most impetuous wind bursting out directly from above out of the sky and breaking in upon the Sea and Ships cause it to rise into mountainous waves and these oft to be overset if their sails be up wherefore Mariners in the East and VVest Indian Ocean as soon as they spy a small cloud in the heavens seemingly not much bigger than the top of ones hat take in their Sails immediately or if at anchor they are forced to cut their Cables and expose themselves to the free waves of the Sea for to prevent foundring The cause of so sudden a fury is questionless a great quantity of incrassated air admitted to condensed fire pent in hard within the stiff clouds and so setting force against force the air and condensed fire are forced with one violence to break through the thick clouds which although strongly striving to keep themselves in continuation yet at last choose to give way and to suffer some parts of them to be gathered into a small cloud whereupon that furious AEolus soon puts the whole Climate into a commotion scattering withall a spout of hot water kindled through the great sight rotting whatever it touches especially wollen cloaths and breeding worms 2. Turbo Typhon from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beat or a violent whirlwind is caused through the same condensed fire and incrassated air violently bursting out of several spouts whose circular refraction meeting upon the Surface of the water or land oft carries a Ship sheer out of the water or any other moveable bodies from the land I have oft been told of Ships that have been lifted out of the water and cast upon the shore by such winds as these but how true I know not although it seems probable enough 3. Praester from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I kindle is a surious wind caused through the violent eruption of exhalations or a condensed fire kindled within the clouds and incrassated air which doth not only ruinate houses and trees but oft burns them down to the ground and puts the Sea into a boyling heat 4. Exhydria is a vehement bursting out of wind attended with a great shower of rain and hail But none of these violent winds prove lasting because the flatuosity contained within the clouds erupting in so great a measure must soon be exhausted whereas were it evacuated in a less proportion they must necessarily prove more durable Among all the winds none delights more in the greatest and longest furies and storms than the South Southwest in the winter because it derives from the Meridies or torrid Zone where vapours are drawn up in very great measures and that constantly because of the
VVhat an alteration or accidental change is That the differences of Temperament are as many as there are Minima's of the Elements excepting four p. 119. CHAP. XIX Of the Division of Temperaments 1. VVhat an equal and unequal Temperament is That there never was but one temperament ad pondus That Adams Body was not tempered ad pondus That neither Gold nor any Celestial bodies are tempered ad pondus p. 120. 2. That all temperaments ad Justiriam are constantly in changing That there are no two bodies in the world exactly agreeing to one another in temperature p. 121. 3. The Latitude of temperaments How the corruption of one body ever proves the generation of another p. 122. 4. That there is no such unequal temperament as is vulgarly imagined That there is an equal temperament is proved against the vulgar opinion That where Forms are equal their matters must also be equal p. 123 124. 5. VVhat a Distemper is That Galen intended by an unequal temperature p. 125. 6. VVhen a man may be termed temperate That bodies are said to be intemperate ib. 126 127. 7. The combination of the second Qualities of the Elements in a temperature Their Effects p. 128. CHAP. XX. Of Alteration Coction Decoction Generation Putrefaction and Corruption 1. VVhat Coction and Putrefaction is The Difference between Putrefaction and Corruption p. 130. 2. The Authors Definition of Alteration The effects of Alteration ib. 3. The Division of Alteration p. 131. 4. That the first Qualities of the Peripateticks are not intended by the acquisition of new Qualities without Matter Wherein Alteration differs from Mixtion or Temperament ib. 5. The Definition of Coction Why a man was changed much more in his youth than when come to maturity p. 132 133. 6. The Constitution of women Which are the best and worst Constitutions in men That heat is not the sole cause of Coction p. 134 135. 7. The kinds of Coction What Maturation Elixation and Assation are p. 136. 8. VVhat Decoction is and the manner of it p. 137. 9. The definition of Putrefaction 139 10. VVhat Generation imports in a large and strict acception Whether the Seed of a Plant or Animal is essentially distinguisht from a young Plant or new born Animal That heat is not the sole efficient in Generation p. 139. 11. VVhether the innate heat is not indued with a power of converting adventitious heat into its own nature Whether the innate heat be Celestial or Elementary p. 140 141 142. 12. The Definition of Corruption Why the innate heat becomes oft more vigorous after violent Feavers Whether Life may be prolonged to an eval duration What the Catochization of a Flame is By what means many pretend to prolong life That the production of life to an eval duration is impossible Whether our Dayes be determined The ambiguity of Corruption Whether Corruption be possible in the Elements p. 143 to 149. CHAP. XXI Of Light 1. VVhat Light is The manner of the production of a Flame p. 150. 2. The properties and effects of Light p. 151. 3. That Light is an effect or consequent of a Flame Whence it happens that our Eyes strike fire when we hit our Foreheads against any hard Body That Light is not a quality of fire alone That Light is not fire rarefied That where there is Light there is not alwayes heat near to it How Virginals and Organs are made to play by themselves p. 152 153. 4. That Light is a continuous obduction of the Ayr. That Light is diffused to a far extent in an instant and how Why the whole tract of Air is not enlightned at once p. 154 155. 5. The manner of the Lights working upon the Eye-sight That sight is actuated by reception and not by emission p. 156. 6. The reason of the difference between the extent of illumination and calefaction That Light cannot be precipitated ib. 7. That Light is not the mediate cause of all the Effects produced by the Stars That Light hath only a power of acting immediately and per se upon the optick spirits How the Air happens to burst through a sudden great light That a sudden great Light may blind kill or cast a man into an Apoplexy p. 157. 8. How Light renders all Objects visible Why a peice of Money cast into a Basin filled with water appears bigger than it is The causes of apparent Colours Why a great Object appears but small to one afar off The difference between lux and lumen What a Beam is What a Splendour is That the Lights begot by the Stars and other flames are not distinguished specie How the Coelum Empyreum is said to be Lucid p. 158 159. CHAP. XXII Of Colours 1. The Authors Definition of a Colour That Light is a Colour Aristotles Definition of colour examined p. 160 161 162. 2. Scaligers Absurdities touching Colours and Light p. 163. 3. What colour Light is of and why termed a single Colour That Light doth not efficienter render an Object visible How a mixt Colour worketh upon the sight and how it is conveyed to it ib. 164. 4. The Causes of the variations of Mercury in its colour through each several preparation p. 165. 5. That Colours are formally relations only to our sight That a mixt colour is not an intentional quality That besides the relation of colours there is an absolute foundation in their original Subjects How the same fundamental colours act p. 166. 6. That there are no apparent colours but all are true p. 167. 7. The Differences of colours What colour focal fire is of The fundamental colours of mixt bodies p. 168 169 170 171. 8. What reflection of light is What refraction of colours is Aristotles Definition of colour rejected The Effects of a double reflection The Reasons of the variations of Colour in Apples held over the water and Looking-glasses The variation of Illumination by various Glasses p. 172. 9. The Division of Glasses The cause of the variation of colour in a Prism ib. 173 174. 10. The Nature of Refraction Why colours are not refracted in the Eye p. 175 176. CHAP. XXIII Of Sounds 1. The Definition of a Sound That the Collision of two solid Bodies is not alwayes necessary for to raise a Sound p. 177. 2. Whether a Sound be inherent in the Air or in the body sounding The manner of Production of a Sound p. 178. 3. Whether a Sound is propagated through the water intentionally only That a Sound may be made and heard under water p. 179. 4. That a Sound is a real pluffing up of the Air. How a Sound is propagated through the Air and how far Why a small Sound raised at one end of a Mast or Beam may be easily heard at the other end Why the Noise of the treading of a Troop of Horse may be heard at a far distance p. 180 181 182. 5. The difference between a Sound and a Light or Colour That it is possible for a man to hear with his eyes
of the organ and of the contrary habit of darknesse But I shall explain my meaning more amply The first man in the state of his integrity had no habit in him whence his acts proceeded but were effected through a natural disposition and principle of good which God through his bounty had conferred upon him This natural disposition produced its first acts as perfect or with the same facility as it did the following acts for otherwise man could not be supposed to have been created perfect V. Hence it appears that man at his first creation had no habit for a habit according to Philosophers is Habitus est qualitas adventitia ad operandum cum facilitate an acquired quality through which a substance is inclined to act with ease Observe then 1. It is an acquired quality that is not natural 2. That through a habit we do operate with ease which supposeth there was a difficulty of working before we had acquired this habit But wherein lay the difficulty either in the power of acting or in the instrument or in the object upon which it acted There could be no difficulty in the power for that inhering in the substantial form is unalterable Ergo in the instrument and object Now then the difficulty in the instrument and object is removed by often fitting the organ to the object and the object to the organ and so you see a habit is acquired through many repeated acts Wherefore the first man in his entire state needed no habit he acting all things naturally and with ease His organs were all perfect and had no resistance in them against the power or no unfitnesse to the object so likewise the objects were all fitted to their several organs CHAP. XVII Containing rational discoveries of Mans primitive and second estate 1. That Man was created most perfect A proof from reason inferring God to be a most rational spirit 2. That Man by means of his first and second light understood all beings perfectly in their proper natures as they were 3. That the first man did not sleep during his incorrupt estate 4. That the first man did eat and drink 5. That the first man would have generated in the same manner and through the same parts as he did afterwards but without that shame and sinfull lust That there were no co-Adamites The absurdity of that blasphemous opinion touching prae-Adamites 6. That the first man was beyond danger of erring in any action proceeding from his soul. 7. A rational inquiry into the first sinne and knowledg of the first Commandment 8. The manner of man's fall proved by reason His punishment for the breach of the first Commandment 9. A further collection of man's punishment for his first sinne That a present unavoidable temporal death was part of mans punishment and not a present unavoidable eternal death 10. That man after his fall was not become utterly evil 11. An enumeration of the relicts of Good in man TO tell you how darknesse first ceased on man it will be necessary to examine and dive into his first creation the state and manner of it and hence by way of consequence to deduct the casualties and accidents to which he was exposed First Beyond all arguments Man was created most perfect in his essence and operations because whatever is immediatly created by God must be perfect the reason is in that God is a most perfect cause and therefore his immediate effects and acts cannot but be most perfect and man above all he being created according to God's own image You may demand how I come to know that I answer that man may easily apprehend that God is a spirit because his substance is immediatly imperceptible through any of the external senses were he material his body would be perceptible through its trinal dimension of parts neverthelesse his acts upon material objects are but mediately every minute perceived by us through the said intermediate actions upon material objects Secondly We know that he is most rational and understanding because Right Reason cannot but judg all his acts to be most Rational on the other part the soul knoweth her self to be a spirit because her essence is also immediately imperceptible by any of the external senses That she is rational needs no proof Wherefore hence it is apparent enough that man was created after God's image II. The first light then being most perfect produced also its second light in no lesse perfection particularly that which is instrumentall to its Reasoning which made man capable of understanding all things in the world in their own nature Besides there was no resistence or obscurity in any of the objects because they being all created for the service of man had their natures as it were writ upon their breast so that herein they were at the command of the understanding not only so but his will exercised a free and despotick command over all God's creatures whether inanimated or animated which latter and particularly beasts were all of a meek and obedient nature otherwise they could not have fitted man's occasions III. Whether man in this state naturally slept or not is dubious yet it is more probable that he did not because sleep ariseth from an imperfection of the Body and wearinesse of the animal spirits which is not to be supposed in so perfect a creature Besides sleep would have detracted part of his happinesse because an intermission from joy is a kind of misery and a total abolishment of joy is a total misery IV. Man did eat and drink for otherwise many parts of his body as his stomack gutts liver spleen kidnies bladder c. would have been formed in vain V. Man had he continued in his primitive state would have generated and in the same manner through the same parts as he did since although without that sinfull lust and shame The reason is Because the sparmatick parts or genitals would else be supposed to be superadded for no end It is probable that Adam did not generate in his incorrupt state for if he had he would have begot children since that through his entire perfection he could misse of no end in any of his actions who not participating of original sinne would in like manner have continued their race to this day and have remained in Paradice but finding that no such Paradice can at present be discovered upon earth and that all the best parts of the earth are known we may justly inferre the probability of the fore-stated conclusion Possibly you may object That Paradise is in another material world as supposing every Star to be a world I answer That your objection is absurd and hath no apparent foundation as I have proved in my Physicks The same reasons do also shew the absurdity of that blasphemous opinion touching Pra-Adamites and co-Adamites VI. There was no action or pleasure if immediately proceeding from the soul wherein man could erre because the soul having a resemblance to the Divine Nature had
God By no means God is not pleased with any praises but of such as are like to him as for others they are an abomination to him Praising denotes a gladnesse or joy which cannot he in any one who is yet detained by his original misery We must therefore desire God to help us in striving and resisting against all bodily pleasures and passions I say strive for we must labour hard or else God will scarce help us And this was not unknown to the worst of Heathens as their common saying doth witnesse Dii laboribus omnia vendunt The gods sell all things for labour When now you begin to feel your misery to be lessened then praise God with all your heart and with all gladnesse for his Mercy and Goodnesse extended towards you and herein you are to abide for ever for as God's Mercy is without end even so must you continue in praises without end Lastly Beg of God to illuminate your understanding that you may understand all things more distinctly thereby to admire God the more And now you do begin somewhat to resemble the first man in all his mental operations and felicities But the body still remaining unclean it is necessary for the soul to leave it for a while that it may be purified through fire with the rest of the Elements and so be made a fit palace to receive the soul in again The soul needs no purification and therefore ascendeth directly to God's bosome So that I do much agree herein that there is a Purgatory for the body but none for the soul. XIII Hereupon enquiry may be made Whether the soul expiring out of the body and carried to God if Good or to the Devil if evil is to be an Angel or to live with God for ever without any office Or Whether she is to be re-united to the body when purified It is probable that the soul deserting the body is to be immediately an Angel and to continue in office untill such time that the compleat number of souls have likewise finisht their course I prove it It is improbable that the soul should desist from serving God and professing its duty because she was created for the same end Secondly Her condition would exceed that of Angels were she exempted from all duty these being also created for God's service for Spirits are called Angels from their Office which is to serve God The word is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoting a messenger which again from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I send The Office which the separated soul is capable of exercising is of taking care of souls yet in the body in helping and assisting them for as the Devil doth seduce us by depraving our appetites and fancies so to the contrary do Angels enlighten our understandings and suppress our immoderate appetites XIV This office they shall remain in untill the consummation of the world at which time every soul shall be re-united to its body now purified by fire and transformed into a splendid substance All the Elements shall then be sublimed into a pure nature and all other things else shall return to what they were at the time of the first man's innocency Beasts shall receive new natures their wild ones shall become tame and obedient to man as formerly The poisonous herbs shall be changed again into wholsome All flowers shall re-indue their primitive fragrancy Summarily all men that shall escape the terrour of that great day of judicature shall be placed in the same state and Paradice which the first man enjoyed and the same Law shall be imposed upon men as before Man shall abide eternally in Paradise he shall eat and drink but he shall not generate The great instrument and cause of man's redemption shall eternally reign over him Here I have described man's second Paradise there remains only the proof of its particulars 1. That the separated soul shall be re-united to its body is apparent because God created her at first with a natural propensity to the body and that she should be a perfection to it which propensity is yet remaining in her because God doth not recall any thing that he doth or hath done This propensity is a certain sign that God will raise up its body again otherways it would be in vain The body 't is likely will be the same Quoad formam accidentalem figuram according to its precedent form shape and figure because thereby the saved souls may know one another again when they meet in Paradise and rejoyce together alwayes praising God for his mercy and goodnesse XV. The soul being now returned to its body must be contained by a corporeal place This corporeal place must be a Paradise upon earth because God did first bestow it upon man as being agreeable to his integrity and perfection and of the other side as being consentaneous to God's infinite goodnesse through which he conferred a compleat and entire happinesse upon man The same now remaining to wit man's perfection and God's goodnesse it is certain that he will conferre the same happinesse upon man namely Paradise because God in his wisdom finding it to be suitable to man then will ordain the same again now his wisdom being the same If God then is pleased to conferre the same Paradise upon man it is evident that all the Elements shall be purified otherwayes how could it be a fit place for to imbrace so pure a substance The same Law 't is probable shall continue because the same obedience and duty will be required from man as before Beasts Herbs and Flowers the second Paradise shall abound with because God judged it convenient before and therefore his wisdome being unchangeable will judge the same then He shall eat and drink because otherwayes the fruits of Paradise and mans nutritive organs should be in vain He shall not generate because the number of men will be compleated The cause and instrument of our Redemption was an entirely righteous and effentially holy man yet more than a man for it was impossible for man alone to satisfie God's justice since then the chief instrument of our salvation was a man his body being of the same nature with others must require a corporeal place but of this little can be said since man through his reason cannot dive unto it neither is it revealed unlesse obscurely What shall I say more to you O that most splendid second Paradise abounding with innumerable springs of ineffable joys This is the Palace whither the victorious Soul shall be conducted by a number of glorious Angels to the greatest of Kings attended by myriads of Cherubims there in the sight of them all to receive the Laurel and to be installed into an everlasting dignity office and possession Thence she takes her place among those illustrious attendants and sings Hymns to the melodious ear of the chief Musician O hear their sweet noise ring Gloria Gloria Deo in excelsis Te Deum laudamus in
of water proved Why water disperseth it self into Drops Why Sea-men cannot make Land upon the Cap-head when they may upon the Top Mast-head Why the Stars do appear sooner to those in the East-Seas then to others in the West 5. That water is thick but not dense Whence it is that water is smooth Why Ayr makes a Bubble upon the water when it breaks forth That the least Atoms of Ayr cannot break through the water without raising a Bubble Why the same doth not happen to Earth 6. That Moysture is not the first quality of Ayr neither doth the Ayr naturally moysten any body but to the contrary dryeth it 7. The form of Ayr. What Tenuity is Why Feathers Cobwebs and other light Bodies do expand themselves when thrown through the Ayr. Why Grease Oyl Wax c. do make Splatches when poured upon the ground Why Gunpowder Smoak Breathes of living creatures Vapours Exhalations Dust c. do diffuse themselves in that manner Whence it is that the least breath moves and shakes the Ayr. The relative form of Ayr. Why Spirits of Wine mix easier and sooner with water then one water with another 8. The first quality of fire What Rarity is Whence it is that a Torch or Candle spreads its Beames circularly as appears at a distance That Fire is roof the cause of it Fire's Relative nature A comparing of all the first qualities of the Elements one to the other 1. THe Form lately mentioned may justly be surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfection because it confers a Perfection upon matter But to return where I left After sufficient evidence that each of the Elements are actuated by a distinct form I begin first with the Earth whose form and first quality is weight pondus with density 1. Because through it it performeth all its Operations and Effects 2. The form or first quality of a body is unremoveable but dense weight is unremoveable from earth ergo it is its form and first quality whereas dryness which is brought in competition with it by all Peripateticks is removeable for earth may be moystened with water This is an Herculean Argument if well weighed 3. A Privation cannot be the first quality of earth because it is accidental to it but dryness is only a privation of moysture and consequently accidental I confirm the Minor had there never been any moysture who could ever have thought of dryness Again in the ordinary Ideom of speech we say such a thing is dry because we feel no dampness in it for first we feel and gather it together to try whether we can feel any moysture but perceiving no moysture or dampness we say it is dry Ergo because of the privation of moysture Further moysture and dryness are privative opposites because the one being removed the other also vanishes For take away sight and you take away blindness it being improper to say a thing is blind unless in opposition to sight The same is appliable to dryness and moysture take away moysture and then it will be improper to say dryness Lastly the Peripatetick description of dryness proves no less Dryness is whose subject is easily contained within its own bounds but difficultly within anothers Now unless there were water within whose bounds it could not be contained there could be no dryness since that dryness is whose subject cannot be contained unless difficultly within the bounds of water or Ayr either II. All elements and each of them are actuated by a respective or relative form that is their being and conservation consisteth in a relation of a dependence from each other for instance the earth is inconsistent of it self for through its incomprehensible gravity it would move to an infinitum which is repugnant to its truth so that through its pondus it inclineth to the fire which again through its lightness bendeth to it and so meeting one another they embrace and constitute each other in their being Well may Authors term their close and entire union a discors amicitia or amica discordia since their motion to each other is so fierce and eager that it doth as it were appear a fighting or discord but it tending to so mutual a good and benefit proves the greatest friendship But should coldness and heat be stated to be the form or first qualities of the Elements they could not subsist one moment because they are the greatest contraries and therefore would not cease from their most incenst hostility before each were expelled from their common subject as we see plainly in water and fire III. This makes way to free water from coldness to which it is neither but a privation of heat For suppose there were a dish of water placed without the sphear of the elements it would be improper to say it were either hot or cold Neither is Moysture the first quality of water for water of it self per se doth not moysten any thing absolutely that is freed from all mixture I prove it To moysten is nothing else but to be thinly covered or dasht over with water or its vapours but water when it is in its absolute state is of so thick parts that it is unapt to adhere to any thing We observe that Quick-silver or rather quick Lead for so it is in effect and melted Lead although liquid yet they do not moysten because their parts are thick By thickness I do not intend a depth of quantity or of matter only but such a depth of quantity that is not porous or a crassitude whose parts are diducted and drawn out into a continuity and that throughout all its dimensions and therefore through defect of tenuity doth not adhere to whatever is immerst in it even so it is with water which supposed in its absolute or separated state doth by far exceed quick-Lead in thickness and consequently is unapt for humectation but in the state wherein it now is which is mixed and attenuated with much fire and ayr it doth easily adhere to whatever body that is dipt in it This is the reason why water in hot Countries doth sooner quench thirst then in cold or wine sooner then water because the watery parts are more subtilized by the indivisibilities of fire that are dispersed through them Now water abates drought but little because of its crassitude Experience tels us that one little measure of water acuated with Spirits of Vitriol of Sulphur or of Salt-Peter doth moysten the body and abate thirst in a Feaver more then a Pint of water single because the water is subtilized by the forementioned Ingredients But Physitians vulgarly adscribe this effect to the penetrability of the admixtures A blind reason because water doth penetrate to the internals therefore it moystens the more this is not all for suppose that water did penetrate yet it would not moysten because it doth not adhere to the parts which it doth touch wherefore it is only to be imputed to its subtilization All which demonstrates that water in its
below because the ayr here is much freed from that irrigation of waterish moysture which the vapours contribute to the lowermost Region as impelling all extraneous vapours and exhalâ—tion to a body Moreover I will give you a reason for it To dry is to dissipate and disperse moysture or dampishness adhering to any substance but the ayr being a most subtil body doth through its subtility attenuate the water which attenuated fals off from that body whereunto it first hung and is then imbibed by the ayr which it doth afterwards detrude to its proper place Lightness with tenuity is the form and first quality of ayr What lightness is I have set down before Tenuity is a continuous exparsion and diffusion into all dimensions As water is weighty with crassitude so contrariwise as it were is air light with tenuity I prove that ayr is light because all aerial bodies as Cobwebs Feathers although they are complicated yet being cast forth into the ayr their parts are diffused from the Center to the Circumference Grease Tallow Oyl Wax c. these bodies because they do much participate of Ayr when melted and dropt upon the ground do spread themselves into broad splatches not contracting themselves like earth or water into close round bodies but rather contrariwise Gunpowder when kindled Smoak breathes of living Creatures Vapours Exhalations Dust c. are all diducted from their Center to the Circumference through the natural motion of the air inclosed within their bodies The Ayr if condensed as they say but improperly is in a counter-natural state for then it makes use of violence ergo its diffusion to the Circumference is natural to it That the air is tenuous or confisting of thin parts expanded in continuity into all dimensions its rupture doth signifie for were it contiguous every subtil exhalation or wind would not move it but might easily transpire through its porosity without concussing it but it being continuous is compelled to break which rupture causes both its commotion and sound Hence it is that the least breath moves the air and makes a sound in it The reason why the water is moved or at any time a sound is made in it is because it being continuous is subject to ruptures which disposeth it to both but neither happens to fire or earth because they are porous and only contiguous Lastly It s being and preservation is impossible without this relative form For through it the Ayr doth moderate balance and is subservient to it self and other Elements Water is weighty with crassitude and through its so being it compasses the earth so narrowly that the fire is unable of striking through its continuity for to meet the earth wherefore Ayr being light with tenuity doth diffuse and expand the body of water and so the fire is led to the earth by the conduct of the Ayr. Again water being of that weight would move to an infinitum and the lightness of fire is insufficient to stay it because water is heavy and thick and therefore contrary to fire which is light and rare and through that quality must necessarily expel the fire wherefore air is requisite for to balance its weight and having partly the same nature with water and partly different yet not contrary is alone capable of mixing with the water Ayr is partly of the same nature with water because they are both continuous and so do thereby immediately at their first conjunction pervade each other and come to an exact union This I will illustrate to you by an Example Affuse Spirits of Wine to Water you see they will mixe exactly in a moment for you may presently after tast them equally at the bottom of the Glass and at the top Now it is evident that Spirits of Wine are very ayry and fiery and therefore because continuous mingle instantly with the water But fire refuseth to mixe with it because it is contiguous and light and altogether contrary as it were It is different because it moves to the Circumference and water to the Center Pray observe the wisdom of Nature this is most necessity for although they are both continuous how could they mix unless the one did move to the Center and the other from it whereby they come to meet one another in an instant Did they move both to the Center they could not mix or meet together for being then supposed to be of an equal weight that which was undermost would remain undermost much in the manner of two Horses going both one pace one before the other about in a Mill who will hardly meet unless the one turnes its gate and go contrarily to the other and so they do immediately confront one another Hence it is that wine mixes quicker by far with water then one kind of water doth with another By this you may discern the absolute necessity of these motions in the Elements both for mixtion and their mutual conservation VIII The first quality of fire is Levity with Rarity Rarity is a subtility or minority of parts whereby its minima's are contiguous one to the other Who ever doubted of the lightness of fire Doth not fire diffuse its heat equally from its Center to the Circumference Doth not the fire in a Torch cast its light circularly from its Center That fire abhors a continuity we perceive by its burning for we see that the flames in Spirits of Wine do terminate into points which points make a roughness whereas were the fire continuous its terms would be smooth like unto those of Water and Ayr. Doth not the fire work through the smallest pores ergo through its contiguous points Hence it is that fire passes where ayr is shut out It s relative nature is constituted by its contiguity of parts for through it it is fitted for the embracing of earth were it continuous and light it would shun the earth or if admitted into the earth the earth would disrupt and expel it like as it disrupts and expels Ayr. Wherefore through its porosity and contiguity it enters the earth and the earth enters it each opening its pores at this friendly reception Nevertheless supposing that contiguity had no contrariety to continuity yet would the Ayr not be light enough to sustain the weight of the body of earth besides there must be two gravities conceived for one lightness and two or three continuities for one contiguity so that of absolute necessity a fourth Element must be added that might be answering to the earths gravity and density through its levity and rarity That which is light and rare is more vibrating and by far of greater activity and energy then that which is light and thin Summarily let us take a view of all their first qualities and compare them together Water and Ayr do communicate in a perfect friendship and so doth Earth and Fire water and earth ayr and water fire and ayr are all beholding to one another yet not in the same respect but divers Water and Fire
beings derive their rise and original from one is evident in that all beings arised from the Chaos 2. In their several kinds as in man all men took their Original from one first man Adam God proposes among the perfectest living creatures a pattern of all the rest which is man Now he being multiplied through one although not from one man it is not improbable that all other Species of living creatures multiplied through one 3. We read in the first Chap. That God did first create the moving Creatures that is one of every kind for otherwise Moses would have written that God immediately and primarily had created two of every kind In v. 20. Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creatures and fowles In v. 21. He plainly expresseth that God created every living creature that moveth that is one of every kind as I said before And in the 24th Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind not living creatures after their kind And in the 29 v. Every Herb bearing Seed not Herbs So that this is not to be doubted of You may object that in the 24th v. It is said that God created great Whales ergo more then one I deny the Consequence for Whales here denotes the plurality of Species of great Fishes to wit Porposes Dolphins Whales strictly so named c. not the plurality of Individua in every kind 4. Nature is uniform and not various in acting ergo since she created the first man single and out of him a woman it is apparent that she observed the same order and manner of creating every other perfect moving creature You may object that according to the Antecedence which I offer as a Maxime man should be created in the same manner as Beasts I Answer If you consider him only as a moving Creature having a sensitive soul he was but if as he is man that is Mens sivo Substantia spiritualis rationalis in corpus hominis vivens sensitivum a Natura infusa a Mind or a spiritual rational substance infused by God into a living and moving body then no doubt but the action is various since it is in diversa actionis specie 5. God acteth by the fewest Meanes but one is fewer or less then more ergo If then all beings are multiplied through one then this one must necessarily be the greatest I prove the Consequence You are to apprehend that man as he is an Animal is propagated in the same manner as other Animals Being then propagated through one that one must have been indued with the greatest and strongest vertue of propagation because that wasting and weakning in progress of time could not be sufficient to last out a whole race this greatest vertue must be assixed to a proportionate subject or body which must then be the greatest body for the greatest vertue cannot be contained in a less subject then the greatest body this is evident in a great flame which must be maintained in a great place 2. We may remember out of History that the nearer men lived to the first man the greater and stronger bodies they had the longer they lived the more numerous issue they had and the more generous and the less exercised in wickedness all which proceeded from a stronger vertue and a greater body If so then it is not improbale that the first man and all the first of other kinds of Animals were the greatest for the same reason Besides we read in Joshua 14. 15. That Arba in some Bibles written Adam was the greatest among the Anakims Which most Interpreters judge to be spoken of the first man Adam But possibly you may reply that if Adam was the greatest man he must have been thought to be a Giant but a Giant is monstrous wherefore Adam was not the greatest man I deny the Minor for monstrous is that which doth degenerate from the Species so that it makes a difference between that which is adjudged to be a Monster and the Species as the abundance or defect of parts or a deformation in some or all parts through which its Subject is rendered different from the Species to which it was intended but a great greater or greatest man is no more a Monster then a little less or least man because there is no difference between either in number form or figure of parts 'T is true Giants have been generally received for Monsters but then they were differing from other men in number and figure of parts as the Cyclopes a great sort of people faigned by the Poets to have had but one eye in the midst of their Forehead and to be Vulcans Journeymen employed in making weapons for Jupiter Grandeur of body if actuated by sufficiency of vigorous spirits is a perfection denoting strength of all the animal and vegetative faculties fitted for long life and propagation which therefore must not be detracted from the first of all kinds II. Hence I may then safely infer that in the Firmament the greatest part of the heterogeneous elements and a great proportion of fire were coagulated into the greatest flame which was the Sun Out of the courser part of the Sun God created another great body next to the greatest the greatest which was the Moon For as Earth Waters and Animals were defaecated by having other bodies formed out of their courser matter so it was also in the Element of fire This is most obvious in Animals whose Female was formed out of the courser part of the Male whereby it becometh more excellent and vigorous in all its actions This may be contradicted in that a Lioness is taken to be more vigorous and fierce then a Lion I Answer that this kind of sierceness and apparent vigour is in all Females but it is not lasting more a spurt and shew of vigour and fierceness then real and durable III. These two great flames did by their hourly motion produce other great ones which again propagated as it were lesser and thence little ones which were those by us now called Stars But of these more particularly hereafter IV. In the Ayr the like coagulation formed the thin Clouds consisting of a great part of Ayr incrassated through a smaller quantity of water and punctually divided by the same proportion of fire balanced and incorporated with the least measure of earth These Cloudes have their continual abode in the ayr seldom vanishing Their Colour is blewish arising from its incrassation through water and incorporation with earth for the ayr of it self is so thin that it is insufficient to unite a light or cause reflection but being reduced to a thicker consistence by the co-expansion of water with it it becomes capable of uniting reflecting and propagating a light now were there no Particle of earth affixt to this mixture the colour would be transparent lucid or Chrystalline But being somewhat obtenebrated through the density of earth is changed into a light blew or light Sky-colour V. Thus did the great
and there are so many qualities that unless they indigitate to a particular sensible quality they effect little Their vain Groapings Guessings and Ignorances depend upon the Cloud which they leave upon the nature of Density and Rarity for did they but study the true Definition of either it would not a little contribute to their Information In the first place They imagine Density to be a violent quality whereas you see it is natural 2. They make no distinction between Density Thickness for Thickness doth in the same sense although improperly contain much matter in little Dimensions notwithstanding they are different so doth Thinness contain little matter under great Dimensions as improperly as Rarity Wherein is Rarity then distinct from Thinness nevertheless do Authors affirm that many thin bodies are dense The same is attested by Cardan How then can the above-given Definition stand good A thing shall then contain at once much matter in small dimensions and little matter in great dimensions ergo a thing is thin and thick rare and dense at once No question it is also an erroneous Assertion that some thin bodies are essentially dense or that any thick bodies are essentially rare neither is Tenuity or Crassitude the cause of Density as Scaliger doth well infer in his 283 Exerc. but a contiguous Gravity VII The first power or Form of Fire is Levity with Contiguity The Second next slowing thence is Rarity which is an expansion or diduction of a body that is light with Contiguity This followeth Levity with Contiguity because a thing which is contiguously light cannot but be diducted Scaliger doth justly except against Cardan in Exerc. 4. You say that the reason or manner of a rare and dense body is taken from the multitude or paucity of matter Moreover it is not the multitude or paucity of Matter makes Density or Rarity neither doth Density cause the multitude of matter or Rarity the paucity of it The Demonstration is the same for both because the same body may be rarified or condensed without the encrease or decrease of Matter Averrhoes Lib. 4. Phys. Comment 84. doth hesitate very much in this Particular as appeares by his contradictory affirmations for in that place he asserts that Rarity and Density are contraries in quantity Again in the next following Comment he saith that Rarity and Density are not of the essence of quantity In Lib. 7. Phys. Com. 15. he affirms Rarity and Density to be qualities but in Lib. 1. Metaph. Com. 15. he refers them to the Predicament of Situs and Lib. 8. Phys. Com. 77. he saith that Rarefaction and Condensation are Local Motions Zimara doth labour to draw all these various Dictates of Averrhoes to a good sense When he seemed to place them in the Category of Situs saith he his intention was only to relate the Opinion of other men In saying that Rarefaction and Condensation were in the Predicament of quantity he meant that quantity did consecute them but not formally for a greater quantity doth follow Rarity and thence the possession of a greater place wherefore Rarefaction is primarily and essentially an alteration and a motion to quality but secondarily and by consequence it is to a greater quantity and a larger place Tolet. Lib. 4. Phys. Cap. 9. Text 84. tels us the Opinion of Aristotle upon this intricate Point He expounds his Judgment upon Rarefaction which in short implies Rarity and Density to be two contrary qualities educed out of the power of matter as others also are for when a thing is condensed or rarified that doth not happen properly because something is expelled or something doth enter or because the parts are conjoyned among themselves or are separated by reason of a vacuum voidness but because such a quality Rarity or Density is educed out of the power of matter so as that its Subject should be changed as when it is made hot or cold for the Ancients said that no part of a thing was changed in Rarefaction or Addensation but that its parts came only somewhat nearer or were removed from between themselves However Aristotles Dictates contain nothing of this but when a thing is rarefied or condensed the whole and the parts too are changed by an accidental mutation in receiving a quality educed out of the power of matter which is apparent because in a rare body every part is rare which if Rarity hapned only through the separation of parts among themselves the parts doubtless would remain dense which is false as appeares in things that are rare and most in the Elements A great deal ado about nothing That which through it self is most obvious they involve into obstruseness through their Cavils Whether Averrhoes intended his words in that meaning as Zimara comments or not which is more probable because he doth not give the least hint of an indirect sense of his words and therefore they are to be understood in their direct intention As for Zimara his reconciliation that alledging no reason and since the same might be guessed of his words although he had purposed them for a contrary signification it doth not merit any acceptance is not material either promising no truth or evidence Tolet. rejects the Judgment of the Ancients upon this Particular but hath not the ingenuity to add Reasons to consute them only from an inbred School-bending to Aristotle saith as he is told He declares then with the Philosopher that in Rarefaction and Addensation the whole and parts are changed by an accidental mutation in receiving a quality educed out of matter because in a rare body every part is rare In the first place his Reason is weak for in a rare body every part is not rare as appeares in the ayr which they term to be rare wherein many dense parts as black Clouds are contained nevertheless the whole Body is called Ayr a majori 2. Supposing that every part of the whole is rare he infers nothing but that every part or the whole is rare which is idem per idem 2. If Rarity saith he were caused through separation of parts among themselves the parts would remain dense It seems by Rarity and Density he apprehends nothing else but the diminution or augmentation of quantity for in the same Comment he writes thus You must note that to be made little out of great is to be condensed and out of little great to be rarified Here he contradicts himself before he stated them qualities now they are changed into quantities But to his Reason 'T is true as he saith if Rarity were caused through separation of parts in a mean body among themselves the parts would remain dense supposing that the light parts were separated from it But supposing the dense parts of a mean that is equally consistent of dense and rare parts body the remaining parts would be rare 2. A dense body is not rarefied through any separation of its parts or inflation of its minima's but by the adjoyning of
light and rare parts to it I wonder what accidental change it is he means it must be either to quantity and then it is the same with augmentation and diminution or to quality and then it is an alteration or a locomotive quality but he mentions none Supposing it to be a quality the question is whether this doth arise in that subject with the adherence to its primitive matter of the extrinsick Agent or whether it doth migrate out of its own subject into another It is not the latter for I have proved in my Dispute of Powers that an Accident doth not migrate out of one Subject into another If the first then it is by the entring of another body between the parts that are separated and what body is that but fire It is that which through its contiguous lightness doth render a dense body rare and so condensation is by expelling the light parts or admitting more parts of a dense body as of earth which doth condensate through its contiguous gravity Wherefore we are not forced to grant a vacuum in Rarefaction because a body is rarefied through the supplying of the supposed voyd spaces by the presence of fire Neither need we to assert a penetration of bodies in Condensation since that those parts which are supposed to be penetrated into the substance of others are expelled It is not then as Tolet writes that rarefaction is become great out of little without the apposition or detraction of a new Substance for were it so then of a necessity there must be allowed a penetration of bodies in condensation and a vacuum in Rarefaction wherefore Scaliger saith well in his 4th Exerc. That there can be no addensation or rarefaction although Rarity and Density are really in them in any single body Ergo dum inter unum minimum naturale ignis puri minima continua circumsita nullum medium corpus intercedat quonam igitur modo queunt esse propius ant longinquius sine intervallo mutuave cor porum penetratione Wherefore since between one natural minimum of pure fire the surrounding continuated minima's which are the minima's of the ayr there is no middle body interposed how then can they be nearer or further without an interval or mutual penetration of bodies The reason as I said before is because without the adjunction of another body to a single one there is no rarefaction or condensation Observe by the way that many of the Parepateticks make a two-fold rarity in bodies The one they confound with a thinness as you may read in Arist. Lab. 2. de part Anim. Cap. 1. And Grammat Lib. 2. de ortu inter Context 8. This they refer to the Category of Quality and doth consecute heat The other which is the more frequent and proper acception of Rarity as they say is which doth not consist in a Tenuity of a substance but in the distance of parts between one another and so they call a sponge rare because it hath parts distant from one another through an interposed space not really void which containes no body but is filled with another thin and insensible body as in a Sponge whose parts are called void wherein notwithstanding ayr is contained This kind of Rarity they refer to the Category of Situs I take them in this last Acception and demand whether it is not the ayr which causes that situation and distance of parts For the Sponge is condensed through expressing the ayr by compression of the Sponge If so then it is not a single quality educed out of the power of matter but the entring of the ayr into its pores which doth rarifie as they term it the Sponge Zabarel Lib. de Calore Coelest Cap. 3. attributes Rarity to the causality of heat and density to Coldness But before he had proposed an Objection which was that heat is produced by rarefaction and attrition To this he strives to answer below but finding he could not go through with it recants and states That in the Elements as they are simple their heat doth produce Rarity and so doth Rarity reciprocally produce heat An absurdity to affirm the effect to be the cause of its cause and the cause to be the effect of it self 2. Heat is not the cause of Rarity because fire is the rarest of all in its own Region and yet as they confess fire is not hot in its own Seat VIII The first quality of water is gravity with continuity the second emanating thence is Crassitude which is a thick consistence exporrected through all its dimensions You will grant me that Crassitude proceeds from an arct and near union of parts or from a close compression of the said parts This compression and union derives from gravity this gravity being continuous doth necessarily cause a crassitude for were it contiguous it would effect a density There is nothing unless it be water or waterish bodies that is thick as Oyles Gums Rozzens fat Tallow are all waterish so far at they are thick yet not without the admistion of most Ayr Ice Chrystal Diamonds and most Precious stones are waterish and therefore thick Choler Pepper the Stars c. are rare because they are fiery that is participate more of fire then of any other Element Flies Cobwebs Clouds c. are thin because they are ayery All earthy bodies are dense as Minerals Stones c. Now as it is necessary that all the Elements should meet in every body so it is necessary that there should concomitate Rarity Density Tenuity and Crassitude in each mixt body Wherefore do not think it strange that thinness and thickness should be in one body although they are counted contraries among Authors I cannot but admire that all Philosopers to this very day should have confounded the signification of these words thick dense thin rare naming thick bodies dense thin ones rare and so reciprocally as if they were one whereas there is a great distinction between them Aristotle Johan Grammat Tolet Zabarel and many others take thinness and rarity to be the same as also thickness and density whereas you may now evidently know that they are altogether distinct and wherein they are so It is erroneous to say that water is dense or fire thick ayr rare c. but water is alone thick ayr thin earth dense and fire rare Bartholin Lib. 1. Phys. Cap. 5. defines Thickness by an adulterine cause Thickness saith he is thought to derive from coldness and density And a little before he described Density to be derived from coldness and thickness Mark his thick dulness in asserting thickness to be the cause of density and density of thickness The cause must be prior causato natura saltem but here neither is prior He makes a difference in their names but in re he concludes them to be one IX The first quality of Ayr is Levity with Continuity its second is Tenuity which is a thin consistence of a substance wherefore Thinness and Thickness are
as it were modi consistentiae Heat is not the cause of tenuity in ayr because heat is accidental to Ayr and tenuity is essential or at least co-essential but that which is accidental and extrinsick cannot be the cause of that which is essential and intrinsick The next effect we can imagine to emanate from lightness with continuity or the greatest diduction and yet remaining continuated must needs be Tenuity Besides these there are some more qualities restant as Obtuseness and Acuteness Asperity and Levor Solidity and Liquidity Softness and Hardness Lentor and Friability It is a mistake in Authors to derive the Original of these Qualities from the Elements as they constitute a mixt body and thence to term them Qualities of a mixt body To the contrary they do emanate from the Elements as they are conceived in their absolute form as hath been proved These Qualities you may nominate third fourth and fifth according as the understanding doth apprehend the one to be before the other in Nature although not in Time The third qualities of the Elements are Obtuseness Acuteness c. I prove it because we apprehend them next to the second qualities for the understanding in discerning these sensible qualities is lead by the Senses as its Pilots now our tact or feeling being the first in esse operari is also imployed in distinguishing those first second and third Qualities and for that reason they are all called tactible or tangible qualities The first action made by any of the Elements upon the tact is local motion as Gravity and Levity for feeling any Element its weight or lightness would be the First thing we should perceive the next would be its rarity or density The third acuteness or hebetude the fourth asperity or levor the fifth hardness or softness the sixth solidity or liquidity the seventh lentor or friability There is a twofold Acuteness formally differing from one another 1. An Acuteness deriving from Density 2. An Acuteness emanating from Rarity Acuteness is a quality whereby our tact is most divided Obtuseness is a quality whereby our tact is least divided Acuteness is in Fire and Earth but in a different manner Acuteness in fire is a rare acuteness whereby it most divideth our tact through its parts being contiguously diducted or spread from the Center The acuteness inherent in earth is a dense acuteness whereby it divides our tact through a dense acuteness or minima's moving through their pressing weight to the Center Obtuseness is a quality following crassitude and tenuity whereby its subject compresseth our tact or divideth it less or least and in longer time Obtuseness in ayr is a quality immediately produced by its tenuity and continuous Expansion for were it contiguous it would be acute but being continuous one part hindreth the other from penetrating or dividing any objected body And so its parts acting together and equally they effect a compression This compression or obtuseness in the ayr is thin and subtil and more potent then that in water because it resisteth less and therefore is also less opposed and through its subtility is capable of making stronger opposition Obtuseness in water issueth out of a thick quality or from its continuous depressing vertue This Obtuseness and that in ayr as also acuteness in fire and earth are altogether different as I said before but through the narrowness of the Language I am compelled to attribute each to two several beings adding some notes of Distinction The same understand of all the other derived Qualities Asperity is a quality immediately consecuting Acuteness and Levor is a quality emanating from Hebetude or Obtuseness Asperity more plainly is an inequality or roughness in the surface of a body this experience tels us proceedeth from a sharpness or Acuteness Levor is an equality of the Surface descending from Hebetude or a continuous pressure or diduction Asperity in fire is a rare diffusing and vibrating asperity that in earth is a dense heavy contracting asperity I prove it our feeling certifieth us that fire is a rare diffusing and vibrating roughness and so feeling earth we feel a dense heavy and contracting roughness From a contiguous and dense Asperity spreades hardness which is a quality where by its subject is difficulty pressed down into it self So thin Levor begetteth softness which is a quality whereby its subject easily giveth way into it self to pressure Hardness in earth may properly be termed Rigidity or a rugged hardness because the earth doth only of all the Elements possess its center and therefore cannot introcede into it self That Rigidity is caused by Asperity its ordinary Definition among Physitians doth testifie Rigidity say they is a hardness with Asperity or a roughness that is from asperity From a continuous and thick Obtuseness derives a smooth hardness such as is conceived in Chrystal or Ice and is alone proper to water Softness in fire being unequal or rough is whereby it giveth way towards its Circumference if pressed from without Softness in ayr being equal and smooth is whereby it giveth way towards its Circumference if pressed from without Solidity is an effect of hardness through which a body is consistent that is uncapable of flowing So water is a smooth solid body because of its peculiar hardness and earth is a rugged solid body likewise because of its proper hardness Liquidity is an effect of Softness whereby a body is apt to flow or to be diducted In Fire it is rare and acute in Ayr thin and obtuse Solidity produceth Friability which is a quality whereby its parts are separable From one another in minute particles wherefore since Solidity cannot give way by flowing it giveth way through Friability Lentor is a quality produced by Liquidity and is whereby a body is rendered deductible by reason of its continuity of Parts We may otherwise apprehend these qualities to differ from one another secundum magis minus thus Asperity is a greater Acuteness of parts Hardness is a greater Asperity or thick Levor Solidity is a greater Hardness Levor is a greater Obtuseness Softness is a greater thin Levor Liquidity is a greater Softness CHAP. XV. Of the Respective Qualities of the Elements particularly of Fire Earth and Water 1. What is meant by the Respective Qualities of the Elements Why they are termed Second Qualities 2. That heat is the second respective or accidental quality of fire That fire is not burning hot within its own Region That fire doth not burn unless it flames is proved by an Experiment through Aq. fort 3. That heat in fire is violently produced The manner of the production of a Flame What it is which we call hot warm or burning How fire dissolves and consumes a body into Ashes 4. That Heat is nothing else but a Multiplication Condensation and Retention of the parts of fire The degrees of Heat in fire and how it cometh to be warm hot scorching hot blistering hot burning hot and consuming hot 5. A way
how to try the force of fire by Scales Why fire doth not alwaies feel hot in the Ayr. 6. Plato and Scaliger their Opinion touching heat 7. The Parepatetick Description of Heat rejected How fire separateth Silver from Gold and Lead from Silver 8. What the second respective quality of Earth is What Cold is The manner of operation of Cold upon our Tact. 9. The second respective quality of Water That water cooles differently from Earth 10. Aristotle and Zabarel their wavering Opinions touching Cold. That Earth is the primum frigidum 1. THe Respective Qualities of the Elements are such as do consecute the congress of the same Elements They are called Qualities per accidens in respect they are supposed to befall them after their production in their absolute Form They are withal termed Second Qualities because they are produced by the First Qualities of the Elements in their congress II. The Second Accidental Quality emanating from fire in its concurse to mixture is Heat The manner of production of heat is accidental and violent That it is accidental is evident because fire in its own Region as the Parepateticks themselves allow is seated beyond all degrees of heat or at least doth not burn It doth not burn because it flames not for nothing doth burn unless it is exalted to a flame or contains a flame within it self A red hot Iron burneth no longer then the flame of the fire lodgeth within its pores nay it doth not so much as effect warmth unless the fire that is contained within its pores flames a little but this flame is so litâ—le that it fleeth the eye-sight If a red hot Iron burneth strongly because it containes a great flame and the same Iron burneth less and less as the fire flaming diminisheth it is a certain sign that where its flame is extinguisht its heat is vanished with it Again none ever doubted but that in a flaming Torch there is an actual burning fire Now tell me when the flame is ready to go out whither that fire goeth Your Answer must be that it is dispersed through the Ayr but then the fire being dispersed through the ayr is no more hot no not warm because it doth not flame wherefore fire naturally and per se is not hot I ask you again whether there is not fire contained in Aqua fortis You will answer me affirmatively But then doth this fire burn No it doth not so much as warm your hand through a Glass If you make the fire in the Aqua fortis flame you will find that it shall not only warm but also burn your hand Powre Aqua fortis upon any Mettal as upon the Filings of Brass contained in a precipitating Glass you will soon see it change into a flame smoak and burning heat through the Glass That it flames the light which appeares within the Glass testifieth Possibly you may object that Aqua fortis if powred upon cloath or your hand will burn and yet not flame To this I answer That Cloath through the subtility of its haires doth open the body of Aqua fortis which being opened the fire cometh forth and it withheld by a thickned ayr adhering to the Cloath which causeth a subtil flame yet seldom visible although sometimes there appeares a Glance The like is effected by powring it upon your hand and then we say it doth enflame the hand because there appeares a subtil flame Wherefore Physitians say well such a part is enflamed when it burnes because there is no burning heat without a flame Nevertheless the fire contained within a mixt body may burn and yet its heat may not be sensible but then its flame is withal imperceptible The reason is because the thickness and density of the circumjacent Elements do hinder the penetration of heat out of that body as also of its light III. It is violent by reason its production is depending upon an extrinsick and violent detention The manner of it is thus Fire being violently concentrated in a mixture striveth to pass the Pores of the earth which it doth with little difficulty but being arrived to a thick ayr the fire is there detained by it notwithstanding do the other parts yet remaining within the Pores of the earth continually and successively follow one another and being all united and condensed which is violent to the fire they make a greater force for strength united is made stronger whereby they dilate and expand the incrassated Ayr this Dilatation and expansion of the Ayr by fire condensed within its belly or bladder is that which we call a Flame Now how fire begetteth heat and becometh burning I shall instantly explain First let me tell you what heat is You know that we name all things according to their natures which they manifest to us in affecting our senses So we call that a Sound which affecteth our Eares and according as it doth divide our auditory spirits and nerves we nominate it harsh or shrill c. Even so we name a thing hot when it doth in a certain manner divide our tangent spirits and Membrane or shorter we say a thing is hot when it feeles hot When our spirits are a little shaked or moved by small and loose Particles of flames then it seemes to be warm but when our tangent parts are divided by dense and forcible Particles of fire then we say it burns so that it is only a division of our tangent parts by the dividing and penetrating parts of fire which we call burning This division is different from a cut or incision which is made by a dense acute body and therefore it separates the whole part but through the acuteness of fire its ayry and waterish parts only are divided contiguously because the fire is contiguous Now the more the parts of fire are condensed the stronger it penetrates divides and consumes The reason why burning fire doth consume or dissolve a body into ashes is because it breakes through the ayry and waterish parts by its great force of contiguous lightness which parts being discontinued and expelled the earth is left alone because the ayry and waterish parts were the glâ—w of that body Fire doth only break through the ayry and waterish parts because they only do resist as it were the fire as for the earthy minims they do not so much resist the fire because being contiguous they give way to its passing IV. Secondly That heat is nothing else but a multiplication condensation detention of igneous parts I prove also hence Hold your hand at a certain distance to a fire at the first application of your hand you will feel no heat or warmth but having held it there a little while you shall begin to feel warmth and continuing your hand somewhat longer at the same distance you will feel heat the reason is because at your first application the fire not yet being sufficiently detained or condensed by your hand you felt no warmth but after a certain condensation
and gathering of the hot parts of the fire it begins to move and stir the ayry parts contained within the pores of your hand and after a further condensation it makes force and penetrates through the ayry parts of the hand Hence when you feel a pricking pain then you cry it burnes this pricking is nothing else but the passing of the fire through the ayry parts and dividing it in Points and Pricks The reason why it doth force so through your hand is because the ayry parts of it doth condense the parts of the fire So that according to the multiplication condensation and detention of the fire warmth becometh hot hot scorching hot scorching hot blistering hot blistering hot burning and burning hot becometh lastly to be consuming hot and these are all the degrees of condensation of fire V. I shall not think my labour lost if I propose a way whereby to balance and know the force of fire and to distinguish exactly what fire giveth the greatest heat In my Road let me tell you that balancing is a way whereby to know and compute the force of a thing The balancing of weighty bodies as of earth earthy and waterish bodies they call weighing because it is the trying of the force of weight that is how much stronger one thing moveth to the Center then another Upon the same ground one may as justly term the balancing of light bodies as of fire and ayr lighting which is the measuring of the force of bodies from the Center * The Scales hung perpendicular over the Fire A. B The Scales inverted D Flatness upon the gibbous side of the Scale for to place the weights upon From what hath been discoursed upon a reason may be drawn why fire that is inherent in the ayr is not sensibly warm namely because it is not enough condensed through the ambient Ayr. VI. Now that you shall not conceit that what hath been proposed is altogether my own Notion I will adduce the judgment of Plato upon this Particular who although hitting right upon many things yet they were soon dasht out by the Arrogance of the Peripateticks In the first place saith he in Timaeo let us consider for what reason fire is said to be hot which we shall soon come to know if we do but observe the Division and separation made by it That it is a certain sharpness and passion is manifest almost to all we must consider the subtility of its Angles the thinness of its sides the smalness of its Particles the swiftness of its motion through all which it is forcible and penetrating and that which it doth swiftly meet it alwaies divides and dissipates considering also the generation of its figure that dividing our bodies through no other nature and dividing it in smal parts doth induce that passion which is justly called Heat Here you see Plato hath hinted right at many things appertaining to the Notion of Heat He saith heat is a passion that is as I said before that we call heat a certain sensation induced by the division of fiery minims 2. You may observe that his opinion asserts heat to be a quality migrating out of fire into the body which it heateth but that it heateth by dividing and penetrating through the diffusion of its small parts Scaliger Exerc. 12. d. 3. maintains the heat which is in red hot Copper not to be a quality raised in it by the fire but to be fire in substance contained and condensed between its Pores Arist. Lib. 2. de gener Cap. 2. describes heat to be that which congregates such bodies as are of one Genus For saith he to segregate which is that which they say fire doth is to congregate congenited bodies and such as are of the same Genus for it is accidental that it removes strange bodies His Followers propose the same in other words viz. Heat is a quality through which homgeneous bodies are congregated and heterogeneous disgregated I object against this that fire is hot but fire doth through liquation mix Brass and Silver together Grease and Oyl Wine and Water c. But these are not bodies of one nature Wherefore fire doth not alwaies disgregate heterogeneous bodies 2. The heat of a Potters Oven congregateth Ayr Water and Earth together but Ayr Water and Earth are heterogeneous Bodies Ergo. 3. If heat congregates homogeneous Bodies then the hotter a thing is the more it must congregate homogeneous Bodies but the Consequence is false and therefore the Antecedence is false also The falsity of the Consequence appeares hence that if the body of man be hotter then its temperamentum ad justitiam requires then it gathers and breeds heterogeneous humors in the Bloud as Choler and adust Melancholy 4. The heat of the Sun raises mud and other heterogeneous bodies in the bottom of waters and causeth them to congregate and unite with the body of the same waters 5. Some of his Sectators demonstrate the reality of this effect of fire in that it congregates Gold through liquation and so separates Silver and other Metals from it To this I answer that the same heat having exactly mixed them before can as well if intended re-unite them again as it hath separated them Neither is this separation any other but per accidens although the union is per se. I prove it It is true at the first melting there is a kind of Separation of Silver from Gold and of Lead from Silver but this befalleth accidentally only for the Silver is separated from Gold and Silver from Lead because Silver being melted before Gold and Lead before Silver and the Gold remaining as yet unmelted and silver also after the Liquation of Lead they must of necessity sink down through the first melted parts of Silver and Lead as being yet unmelted for Silver which is contained within the body of Gold will be melted and attenuated within its body before the Gold it self is scarce mollified whose parts being now mollified through their dense weight squeeze the Silver out of their Pores Wherefore this separation is effected by the fire per accidens but augment your heat to such a degree as to melt your Gold then cast some more Silver to it and see whether they will not mix I believe you will find it so Lastly This is not a Description of heat but the mentioning of one of its Effects for heat formally is another thing VII The Second quality per Accidens of earth is a punctual violent compression to the Center As the earth doth meet the fire in its first quality so it doth also in its second Earth when it is violently detained from its Center it doth punctually compress that body which doth detain it towards its Center If you take up a handful of Sand from the ground doth it not compress your hand downwards Likewise the pressing downwards in all bodies proceeds from the detention of earth in their bodies Observe cast earth upon earth and it will hardly
compress its parts any more then it was compressed before but a stone or other mixt heavy body lying upon the ground presseth a hole into the ground yet if as much more earth as there is contained in such a stone were cast upon the same place it would not make any sensible cavity or Impression the reason is because in a stone or mixt body the earth is violently detained and therefore useth the greater force or compression to the Center but earth being in its natural seat doth not This quality may be called coldness supposing it to be a passion wrought upon the tact by the earth punctually pressing to the Center In this sense coldness is an absolute quality in another it may be taken for a privation of heat because it seizeth upon the tact only in the absence of heat According to the former sense doth the Poet elegantly explain the nature of Cold. Nam penetrabile frigus adurit For the penetrating cold doth burn By penetrating its compression is intended That the cold is penetrating and pressing none that ever hath been in Greenland will deny wherefore in that it is an absolute quality In the latter sense it may be taken for a privation for it is the absence of heat which effecteth Coldness yet not per se but per accidens because as long as the heat is in a body it doth through its motion ad extra balance and temper the motion of cold ad iutra but the heat being departed then coldness doth through its compression punctually divide the continuous parts of the body as the ayry and waterish parts of it and so coldness is reduced to action through the defect of heat to balance it This we are sensible of in the Winter at which time there being a detraction of the ambient heat the earthy parts contained in the Ayr do then through their weight press down upon us and being arrived to our skin they repel the heat which being repelled they joyn with the earthy parts of our Body and so cause a greater punctual compression whence we soon feel a dense acuteness thence an asperity and thence a hardness or rigidity When again we approach the fire then its heat joynes with our internal heat and expelling the extrinsick cold parts it doth force the intrinsick ones back to the Circumference and so we grow hot again VIII There is also a Compression observeable in water but much different from that caused by earth water compressing the tact with a continuation and not punctually and therefore the compression made by water is equal thick and obtuse whence it is that when we have newly washt our hands with cold water we feel a thick levor upon them caused by the continuous pressure of the water The division which produceth this cold passion in our tact is not by separating or disjoyning its continuous parts but by squeezing the Ayr contained within its pores which being squeezed impelleth also the fiery spirits seated about these Pores from which impulsion we feel a punctual and acute division so that the passion raised by water doth per se only compress obtusely the continuous parts of our tact through a squeezing and per accidens it disuniteth them punctually by impelling the fiery spirits effentially inhering in the said tangent parts besides water containing some earthy points doth by reason of them excite withal a small acute compression Arist. Lib. 2. de ort anim Cap. 4. and in Lib. 1. de Meteor Cap. 4. seemes to assert that coldness is nothing else but a privation of heat For saith he the two Elements implying water and earth remain cold by reason of the defect of circular motion making heat Zabarel Lib. 2. de qual Elem. cap. 3. makes good my Opinion although by guess or at least we must say that coldness is really in it self a positive quality but wherein this positive quality consisteth he knoweth not but that it ariseth from a privation of heat and in respect of heat it may take place among privations This tends to the same purpose as I have stated before namely that coldness cannot act unless heat be absent in such a proportion as that it may have power over it The same is appliable to heat and the other qualities viz. that they are privations in regard they cannot act without the absence of their Opposites but that they are positive because they act sensibly in the absence of the said opposites But what shall I think of Aristotle who hath soon altered his opinion in Lib. 2. de Ort. Inter. Text. 9. Cold is that doth equally conjoyn and congregate bodies that are of the same Gender as well as those of a differing Gender A plain Contradiction for that which doth conjoyn and congregate bodies by condensation must be positive according to his own words yet nevertheless above he asserted it to be a Privation I wave this and proceed in making disquisition upon his Definition Broath as long as it remaines boyling hot the fat of it is contained within it being exactly mixed with the water but assoon as it cooles it is separated and cast forth to the top ergo cold doth segregate heterogenea from homogenea Earth separates her self from water and water segregates her parts from fire and ayr but water and earth are cold and yet do not congregate their own parts with others of another gender Ergo. 2. This is no more but the mentioning of one of its remote effects for they themselves grant that it produceth this effect through condensation ergo cold is not formally defined but described through one of its effects It now proves easie to us to decide that inveterated dispute concerning the primum frigidum That which doth most divide the tact by compression is the primum frigidum or the coldest but the earth doth most compress our tact or tangent parts for it doth compress the tact acutely and water obtusely only ergo it is the coldest 2. According to their own Tenents that which doth most condense is the coldest but earth condenses most for it condensates her own parts into Metals and Stones but water although it incrassates yet it cannot condense bodies into that consistence which earth doth ergo 3. That which is heaviest is the coldest for condensation is an effect of weight but earth is heaviest ergo Lastly If it be your pleasure to name Earth a frigidum in summo and Water a frigidum in remisso Fire a calidum in summo sive intenso and Ayr calidum in remisso you may without Offence CHAP. XVI Of the remaining Respective Qualities of the Elements 1. The Second Respective Quality of the Ayr. That water cannot be really and essentially attenuated The State of the Controversie 2. That Ayr cannot be really and essentially incrassated Why a man whilst he is alive sinkes down into the water and is drowned and afterwards is cast up again That a woman is longer in sinking or drowning then a
greater quantity is penetrated must have the greater weight or as great as it was under the greater quantity or else part of its Matter and Form must be annihilated but bodies that are incrassated or condensed have by much a less weight then they had before because the light elements which did before distend their bodies and through that distention their force of weight was intended as I have shewed before are departed Besides Experience speakes the same especially in this Instance the true reason of which was never laid down by any a man yet living or any other creature when alive is much heavier then when he is dead and this appeares in a man who whilst he was alive sinks towards the bottom into the water and is drowned the reason is because through the great heat which was inherent in that man the heavy and terrestial parts were the more detained from the Center they again being thus detained moved stronger towards the center therfore make the body heavier during their violent detention through the great heat which was in the said man when alive so that through this great weight the alive body sinkes down to the bottom now when a man is suffocated and the heat squeezed out of him by the thick compressing parts of the water then he is rendered less heavy and immediately leaves the inferiour parts of water as being less weighty then the said profound parts Nevertheless although the vital flame was soon extinguisht yet there remain ayry and some fiery parts in man which detain the earthy and waterish parts of his body so that although the vital fire is expelled yet these ayry and restant fiery parts not being overcome before a certain term of dayes in some sooner or longer occasion that a man doth not grow lighter then the water before a prefixt time varying according to the proportion and texture of the light elements and then being grown lighter then the water he swimmeth atop Every day after a man is drowned as the heat and ayry parts are expelled he is more and more elevated from the ground until he cometh to the top A strong compact well set man is at least 8 or 9 daies in ascending because his heat was deeper and in greater quantity impacted into his body but therefore sinkes sooner to the bottom as I have heard Seamen relate how that some of their men falling overboard were gone under water in the twinckling of an eye but then they were big lusty strong men as they told me On the contrary we hear how that weak and tender women have fallen into the River and have swom upon the water until watermen have rowed to them and taken them up and many weakly women that were suspected to be Witches being cast into the water for a trial have been wickedly and wrongfully adjudged to be Witches because they were long in sinking and alas it is natural the reason was because they were comparatively light for their earthy parts were not so much detained consequently moved not so forcibly downwards no doubt but their Coats conduced also somewhat to it Whence I collect that an ordinary woman is almost one third longer descending to the bottom then an ordinary man because a man from being a third stronger because he is a third heavier through the force of the light Elements but I mean not through fat or corpulency then a woman is conjectured to have one third more heat then a woman In case a man or woman is drowned in the Sea where it is deep if he be suffocated and dead before he comes to the ground he will not reach the bottom But to make this more clear I will demonstrate it through another Principle viz. the lightness of fire and ayr which is whereby they spread themselves equally from the Center to the Circumference Now that great heat burning within the body of man doth potently press down all the heavy parts of the body towards the Circumference The ambient or external parts of man are the Circumference which being so vigorously pressed must needs be very much intended in their motion downwards hence it is that when a man is in sinking he feeles a pressing within his own body whereby he finds himself to be violently as it were precipitated to the bottom and add to this the violent detention of the weighty parts and the depression of the superficial parts of the water and judge whether all this is not enough to draw him down to the bottom Pray now judge a little at the simplicity of the reason which the Peripateticks give for this They say that there is a fight between mans heat and the water and therefore the water draweth him to her innermost part where she detaines him until his heat is overcome and then the water casteth him up again Others say that mans Lungs being filled with ayr underneath after he is drowned is lifted up by it What groapings and absurdities First They suppose that the water draweth and that the fight is between the heat of man and the moysture whereas the water doth not draw neither is the fight so much between the water and heat as it is between the heat and earthy parts of the body which with the natural declination of those terrestrial parts and the assistance of the water from without doth depress a man or other living creature downwards 2. Why a man is detained such a time and no longer or shorter before he is cast up again they cannot conceive 3. How man is cast up is unknown to them it is not because his Lungs are filled with Ayr for it is more probable they are stopt up with water The reason and manner of his being cast upwards is 1. His body is rendered less weighty by the expulsion of the heat 2. His body is retcht out and diducted through the coldness of earth and especially of the water and therefore is rendered lighter for as compression and condensation is a mark of weight so diduction and extension of lightness Wherefore every particle of water being thicker and heavier then the extended body doth depress underneath it towards its center and so much the more because the dead body doth as it were detain the parts of water about it from their center and so through this depression of the water under the Corps it is lifted up by little and little Besides it is somewhat puft up with winds and vapours underneath the water which thence do lift it up towards the Element of Ayr. The reason why a Dog Cat Hare Fox Horse and other living Creatures are longer in being drowned although they have more heat inherent in them and as much earth comparatively as a man is because their haires being light close and divided do sustain them for the water being continuous doth strive against its being divided by contiguous parts which being light strive also against their depression This by the way III. Neither is the earth subject to
such a Rarefaction or greater Condensation because it consisteth as I have proved out of indivisible minima's If then we should grant a rarefaction or greater condensation we must allow the minima's of earth to be divisible for how could they either be retcht or give way into themselves else and so it would be divisible and indivisible at once which is absurd The same Argument serves against the condensation and rarefaction of fire But more of this in our Discourse de vacuo IV. Condensation Rarefaction Attenuation and Incrassation although impossible in this sense yet in another are usually received and may be allowed Condensation in a tolerable acception is when a rare body is united to a dense body and because it is then as it were made one body with the dense substance it is said to be condensed Thus when fire is united to earth it is said to be condensed but through this condensation there is nothing detracted from or added to the natural rarity of the fire 2. Condensation is also taken for the frequent and constant following of one particle of fire upon the other Now you must not conceive that the fire hereby is condensed or impacted in its rarity no but that one part pusheth the other forward and being so pusht forward one before the other they are said to be condensed that is following one another so close as that they just come to touch one another Thus we say that condensed fire warmeth or heateth the hand because many parts follow one another and so push one another forward into the substance of the hand so that condensation of fire in this sense is nothing else but an approximation of the parts of fire that were dispersed before 2. Fire burneth the hand when its parts being condensed according to both these two acceptions are received and collected following close upon one another and so do burn the hand The reason is because as the force of earth and water is intended by violent detention so is fire which being violently detained by earth and water doth move with greater force Besides through the latter of these condensations the parts of fire are more collected and united The fire is violently detained when it is detained from moving from the Center to the Circumference Besides according to these two latter acceptions you are to understand condensation above whereas I have attributed it to fire A body is said to be rarefied when it is affixed to a rare element thus they conceive earth to be rarefied when its minima's are diffused by a portion of fire A body is attenuated when it is united to a thin Element so water is attenuated when its parts are diducted through the renuity of Ayr. A body is said to be incrassated when it is adjoyned to a thick Element Thus Ayr is understood to be incrassated when it is cloathed about with water Remember that I have made use of these words in my foregoing Discourses according to the said Interpretations V. The Third Relative Qualities are such as do immediately emanate from the Second The third respective Quality of fire is Dryness A Dryness is an expulsion of Moysture which fire doth by forcing it to the Circumference and dividing ad extra its continuity Dryness in the earth is an effect of coldness through which it divides ad intra the continuity of moysture inwards and forceth it to the Center Moysture is an effect of water through which it overlaies a body with its own thick substance expanded in ayr it is a quality whereby it overlayes a body with its thin substance Aristotle in stead of describing these qualities he sets down one of their Attributes Moysture is that which is difficultly contained within its own bounds and easily within others This is openly false for the ayr is difficultly contained within the bounds of others insomuch that it striveth to break through with violence and therefore is more easily contained within its own bounds So water is easier contained within its own bounds for when it is poured upon the earth it vanisheth presently which is not a containing of it Besides granting this Attribute to them both it is only a mark of Moysture and not the Description of its formality No doubt but water is moyster then ayr because it is more apt to cleave through its thickness and adhere to a body then ayr which by reason of its tenuity is not so tenacious Wherefore it is Idleness in thâ—se who say that the ayr is moyster then water although water moistneth more because of its thickness And as concerning the primum siccum it belongeth to the earth because that obtaineth greater force in detracting waterish moysture which is the moystest That it doth so appeares hence because the waterish moysture through its weight is more obedient to the impulse of earth then of fire But if you agree to term nothing moyst but what hath a palpable Dampness and that drying which removeth the said dampness then water alone is moystning and ayr drying because ayr through its tenuity divides the crassitude of the water and so disperseth it CHAP. XVII Of Mixtion 1. What Mixtion is Three Conditions required in a Mixtion 2. Whether Mixtion and the generation of a mixt body differ really 3. Aristotles Definition of Mixtion examined Whether the Elements remain entire in mixt Bodies 4. That there is no such Intension or Remission of Qualities as the Peripateticks do apprehend The Authors sense of Remission and Intention 5. That a Mixtion is erroneously divided into a perfect and imperfect Mixtion HItherto we have sufficiently declared the absolute and respective Qualities of the Elements That which I must next apply my self unto is to enarrate the qualities befalling them joyntly in their union one with the other I. Their union is called Mixtion which is an union of the Elements in Minima's or Points Observe that mixtion sometimes is taken for the union of parts not in points but particles and is termed Union by Apposition as when you mixe Barly and Oates together into one heap Anaxagoras and many of the ancient Philosophers did opiniate that Mixtion consisted only in the apposition of little parts to one body but Aristotle hath justly reprehended them for this Assertion and confuted their Opinion Lib. 2. de Gen. Corrup Cap. 10. Properly Mixtion is effected through an exact confusion of parts and their union in Minima's or the least particles the exactness consisteth in this that there must be an equal measure sive ad pondus sive ad justitiam of parts Parts are either little or great The great are constituted out of little and the little out of the least In mixture to wit an equal one are generally three condititions required 1. A mutual contact without which there must be a vacuum in misto a mixt body 2. This mutual contact must be in points whereby every point of an Element toucheth the minimum of another hence they say well mixtio fit
per minima that mistion is caused through Minima's 3. A reaction of each of the elements whereby the light Elements receive the weighty ones and the continuous the contiguous ones These three conditions are implied in my Definition by union in minima's for union cannot happen without a mutual contact A mutual contact is attained unto through the first qualities of the Elements whereby they move one to the other and so there passeth a mutual embrace or reaction between them II. Here the Peripateticks setting aside the reality of the thing begin again to move a notional question whether mixtion and the generation of a mixt body differ from one another Doubtless there is no real difference between them for where the Elements are mixed there the generation of a mixt body is accomplishr and where there is a generation of a mixt body there is also a mistion of the Elements Wherefore it is a sound Definition that mistion is the generation of a mixt body out of the Elements Zabarel I remember makes an intentional difference between them in attributing mistion to the Elements alone because mistion hath a particular respect to the Elements as they are apprehended through this mixture to be the termini a quo but the generation of a mixt body hath more a respect to the terminus ad quem This is simple for since that mistion is by them counted a motion it must then equally have respect to the terminus a quo and the terminus ad quem because there is no natural motion but it moves a quo and ad quem and besides do they not define Generation to be a mutation from non esse to esse Wherefore according to their own words generation doth equally regard the terminus a quo and ad quem ergo there is no distinctio rationis between them But they reply that mixtion is not the mixture of a mixt body but of the Elements and generation is not the generation of the Elements but of a mixt body How sinisterly This is not the question but the doubt is whether by mixture a mixt body is not as much implyed as the Elements Yes for a mixture is the union of the Elements By union understand a perduction of the Elements into an unity that is one body and is not this the terminus ad quem III. Aristotle defineth mistion to be an union of alterated miscibles to wit bodies Here the word alterated is cast as a Bone among his Disciples which each of them falleth a gnawing in interpreting it and a knorring at it in raising altercations and cavils about it Alteration say they is a mutual action and passion of the Elements through their contrary qualities through which they obtund hebetate refract immutate one another and what not And not understanding the nature of obtusion refraction or immutation but erroneously conceiving the forms of the Elements to be diminished by reason they think that the heat of the Elements is expelled refracted and diminished by cold and so of the other Elements they fall a quarrelling whether the forms of the Elements remain whole or entire in their mixtures If any body now should ask them what they mean by form they would reply that it was the first principle of motion in a body and if you ask them further what that principle of motion is they will tell you it is hidden If it is hidden I wonder how they come to know it ergo they tell you what a thing is which they do not know But to the question I affirm that the elements remain actually and entire in their substantial forms in mixt bodies I prove it the substantial form of a thing is inseparable from its matter supposing the thing to remain that which it was for if a property is inseparable much more is the form Besides the form giveth a thing to be that which it is But the elements remain elements in a mixt body because their qualities are sensible not in gradu remisso in a remiss degree but in an intense degree Who ever doubted but that earth in Gold or Lead is as weighty and more then it is in its own Region for being laid upon the earth it makes a Dent into it ergo it is heavier Questionless focal fire is hotter then fire in its own Region Oyl is moyster then ayr or water ergo according to their own Principles these qualities which they call first qualities and are forced to acknowledge to be forms are inherent in the forementioned bodies in an intense degree As for the Refraction Intention Remission or Immutation of the Elements which they take their refuge unto in declaring the reasons of Mixtion as to a Sanctuary are meer Notions there being in reality no such intension or remission of the Elements unless through access or recess of new parts IV. But let us make a deeper search into this Nicety so much disputed upon by all Ancient and Modern Philosophers and that which makes me the more willing to examine this scruple is because it hath hitherto been one of my main Principles That an Element being violently detained is intended and corroborated in its strength and power This is the deepest and furthest doubt that can be moved it being concerning the most remote power and first cause of action in the Elements I have already taken away the difficulty touching Incrassation and Attenuation and shewed that the Matter of a thick Element was not really attenuated in its own substance or increased in matter because it possessed a larger place although seemingly it was wherefore I did assume the use of those words but in an improper acception In that place the question was about the increase of matter now it is concerning the increase or intention and remission of Forms or Qualities strengths and vertues of the Elements The same I said in relation to Condensation and Incrassation I must apply to Intention and Remission that properly they are to be taken for a real increment or decrement of qualities in themselves without the detraction or addition of new parts containing the same vertue as if the same heat in the third degree should be supposed capable of being intended to the fourth degree without the additament of new heat This is impossible because of the same reasons which were given against the possibility of a proper and real Condensation and Incrassation 2. A quality may be said to be intended or remitted but improperly and per Accidens as when a force or quality is accidentally intended as by a more convenient position and yet the quality or force is neither more or less but the same it was As for example Take hold of a Hammer about the middle and strike with it with all your strength and take hold again of the same Hammer about the end and strike although but with the same force yet the last impulse shall be stronger then the first Here you see is an accidental intension of force hapened through
pondus 2. That all Temperaments ad Justitiam are constantly in changing That there are no two bodies in the world exactly agreeing to one another in temperature 3. The Latitude of Temperaments How the corruption of one body ever proves the generation of another 4. That there is no such unequal temperament as is vulgarly imagined That there is an equal temperament is proved against the vulgar opinion That where Forms are equal their matters must also be equal 5. What a Distemper is What Galen intended by an unequal temperature 6. VVhen a man may be termed temperate VVhat bodies are said to be intemperate 7. The combination of the second Qualities of the Elements in a temperature Their Effects I. A Temperament is divided into an equal temperament or a temperamentum ad pondus or unequal otherwise called by Philosophers a temperamentum ad justitiam An equal temperament is constituted out of an equal proportion of the forms of the Elements and therefore it is called a temperamentum ad pondus because it is so equally tempered that if it were weighed one Element would not over-balance the other This Temperament consisteth of an Arithmetical proportion It is otherwise called an anatick temperament An unequal temperament is where the elementary forms are united in an unequal proportion It is called temperamentum ad justitiam because there is just such a proportion of the forms of the Elements as to fit it to act such an act or to exercise such Offices The proportion observeable in this temperament is a Geometrical proportion whereby one Element overtops the other or is elevated above the other in such a degree or measure as to produce such certain effects Nature never appeared in more then in one temperament ad pondus but ever after in temperaments ad justitiam as I have shewed a little before I have proved that the Chaos was the only temperament ad pondus which its nature and end did require thereby it was rendered capable of existing in a vacuum void space and needed no external place to contain it because it contained it self The body of Adam in his Innocency was not temperated ad pondus because it would have rendered him immoveable for the Elements being supposed to be in an equal proportion and counterpoysing one another local motion must have been impossible Celestial bodies although of so long a duration or Gold whatever Alchymists say to the contrary are neither tempered ad pondus because the one could then not be heavy or the others light II. Since that a temperament ad justitiam ever obtaines one Element or two or three predominating over the others its force being greater then the others doth by that means free it self daily from their detention by which a temperament is constantly in changing increasing in one and decreasing in another quality this experience tels us viz. that every being after its first production in a sensible time undergoeth a sensible change of its Temperament and consequently undergoeth an insensible change of temperature in an unsensible time in such a manner that there is no body but doth at least change every minute of time in the detraction of a Minimum Hence we are supplied with a reason why there are not two bodies to be found exactly like unto one another in temperament because bodies are alwaies a changing You may object That many substances produce effects diametrically like to one another ergo their temperament must be alike withal I deny the Antecedence for although their Effects are alike according to their appearance to our senses notwithstanding Reason perswades us that there must be an insensible dissimilitude between their temperaments and consequently between their Effects III. The degrees of Changes or Latitude of Temperaments in bodies are these 1. There is an insensible change or alteration which our senses cannot discern but it is only discoverable through Reason 2. The second degree is a sensible alteration which is evidently discernable by sense in that its effects are sensibly different yet they must not be so far deviated from the wonted preceding effects as to be judged entirely unlike to them 3. A total change and mutation of Form to the reception of which the two forementioned alterations are previous dispositions This degree of change in respect to the expulsion of the preceding form is taken for a Corruption in regard of the subsequent form it is accounted a Generation Hence derives this Maxime Generatiounius est corruptio alterius vice versa The Generation of one is the corruption of another I cannot resemble the expulsion of a form out of a body and a reception of another into the same subject to a better example then to a Ship in sight to one standing on the Pierhead at Dover but out of sight to those that are at Calice whither the Ship is bound now the further this Ship sailes the more it appeares in sight to them at Calice and the less to the others at Dover until it is come quite into sight to them at Calice and then it is quite gone out of sight from the others Even so it is in alteration for as the Ship fore-instanced groweth insensibly less and recedes from one Coast to another so an alteration likewise is insensible But after a sensible time the ship appears sensibly less and more remote so after a sensible time an Alteration groweth sensible and as the Ship at last after these insensible and sensible diminutions and recesses is suddenly quite gone out of sight and vanished so a mix body after all these insensible and sensible alterations is suddenly changed into another form and become another substance the former being vanished The same is observeable in man who altering insensibly every day in his temperament draweth nearer and nearer to his Bed of rest and after some years expiration findes sensibly that he is altered in his temperament both which alterations dispose him to his last sudden change and substantial mutation Galens delineation of the Latitude of temperaments doth tend to the confirmation of what I have proposed Lib. 1. de Temper he writes thus If a quality is exuperant it becomes an Intemperies if it be yet more augmented it turnes to a Disease if it be most increased it is Death or a substantial mutation IV. A Temperament is vulgarly likewise divided into equal or a temperament ad pondus and unequal or a temperament ad justitiam They define an equal temperament to be that which is equally and exquisitely tempered and an unequal temperament to be that which is unequally and inexquisitely mixt If this be their meaning of equal and unequal then their division is illegal because a temperament ad justitiam is as exquisitely and equally mixt as a temperament ad pondus for Gold is tempered ad justitiam but none will deny that Gold is equally tempered in particles although not in great pieces That it is equally tempered in Particles its equal colour equal consistence of
body equal weight c. do testifie Can any assert otherwise but that man is equally tempered in Particles To the contrary an unequal temperament is no temperament or in the least tending to the generation of a mixt body but to its corruption as you shall read below Had they by an equal temperament implied an equal proportion of the Elements equally mixt then their Definition would have been beyond controuling But give me leave to make somewhat a further disquisition upon their subtilities Others state a twofold equal temperament 1. When the elements concur in a mixt body in equal weights and in equal mole and bigness This temperament say they may be better faigned and if it be found at any time it doth not abide long but passeth in a moment their Reasons are 1. Because a mixt body would rest in no place for if it rested upon the earth then the earth must predominate if in the fire then the sire must predominate c. 2. Neither could it be moved for if it moved downwards the heavy elements would prevail if upwards the light ones 3. The most active quality would overcome consume the others 4. There can be no mistion unless some of the first qualities conquer and others be conquered 2. When the elements concur with equal force but not with equal mole which temperament may also be better conceived in our mind then imagined to be real Those forementioned Arguments seem to disprove a possible real Temperament ad pondus but how depravately I shall instantly discover 1. I affirm that a Mixtum ad pondus would rest in its own internal place because it contains it self neither doth it stand in need of an external place for only mixta ad justitiam do necessarily require a place to rest in because they having one element prevailing over the others which moves them to the region of that element whereof it self is a part where being arrived are contained by that entire elementary body which is called a place because it contains those bodies that are arrived to it 2. Their second Argument only deducts a true inference from a true supposition for doubtless a body tempered ad pondus could not be moved to an external place from any internal Principle because none had so much prevalence over the other as to move it And for what they assert concerning the not duration of a mixtum ad pondus is erroneous for an eval duration may be proved by their own words thus that which contains no contrary principle of motion in it self is incorruptible and consequently of an eval duration but according to their own words such a body cannot be moved ergo 3. This Argument is drawn from a false supposition for in a mixtum ad pondus all qualities are equally active wherefore it is uncapable of dissolution or being overcome 4. The last Argument is absolutely false As to the latter part of their Distinction it is grounded upon a supposition not to be supposed which is that there should be a possibility of the equality of qualities or force in a mixt body and not of quantities I prove the contrary viz. that where ever there is an equality of qualities there must also be an equality of matter Suppose that to balance one minimum of Earth there needs a hundred times as many or more minima's of fire these hundred minima's if they were deprived of their lightness or form and that one minimum of its gravity the remaining matter of those hundred would be no more then the matter of this one Look below for according to the Philosopher himself it is the forma quantitativa that causes a quantum in Matter All temperaments in respect to the proportion of the ingreding Elements are equal but all temperaments in respect to the manner of mistion are not equal Wherefore according to the manner of Mistion a temperament is divisible into equal and unequal An equal temperament there is whose parts are equally mixt one with the other throughout their whole substance or subject For example Suppose the same as before that 100 minima's of fire were a sufficient number to balance one minimum of earth and that a thousand Centenaries or proportions of fire were to be mixt with a thousand minima's of earth now to make this an equal temperament there must between every hundredth minim of fire be interposed one minim of earth and so throughout their whole subject But supposing that in one particle of that substance there was admixt one minim of earth between a hundred and in another Particle but one between two or three or four hundred this would cause an inequal temperament An equal temperament is simpliciter called a temperament or temperature and its intire being is called a mistum temperatum or a temperate mixt body V. An unequal temperament is called an Intemperies or distemper because it is not equally tempered Hence Galen writes Lib. 2. Aphor. That an unequal temperature causes a difficulty By an unequal temperature questionless he means an Intemperies or Distemper But the same Galen Lib. de Intemper inequ towards the latter end seems to acknowledge an aequalis Intemperies in these words But if all ones members are wholly tota per tota altered and changed they are immediately freed from their pain they are then seated in a difficult state I distinguish an Intemperies into one that is a beginning intemperies inchoata and another that is confirmed intemperies confirmata or into a primar and secondary distemper It is of a confirmed and secondary distemper that Galen speaks of here but all beginning primar distempers are unequal neither is a confirmed distemper equally mixt but only equally spread for were it equally mixt the body containing would be rendered more durable by it as in Vinegar where the hot adventitious parts first causing an Intemperies in wine is afterwards equally mixt with its fixed spirits through which its body is become more durable VI. A man is said to be temperate whose temperament doth dispose him to perform his Actions and Functions perfectest This temperament is not a temperamentum ad pondus for through it he could not have been hot enough to have executed his natural or vital offices Hence such a one is said to be perfecte temperatus whose temperament ad justitiam is the perfectest that is executes its offices most perfectly The heat of this temperament is a mild and gentle heat or calor blandus A Cholerick man is as properly said to be tempered ad justitiam but then his temper is comparatively less perfect and his heat more sharp calor acris Now when a perfectly tempered man is distempered his heat is sharp which in a Cholerick man is temperate but that heat is unequally mixt with the qualities of the first temperate party and equally in the latter wherefore the same heat which is counted temperate in one is intemperate in another Fernelius Lib. 3. Cap. 11. excepts well against the denominating
fire again moving to the earth and the ayr to the water at last they become altogether entirely altered embracing one another which constitutes a temperament ad justitiam They being all thus reduced to a temperament the alteration is much abated but still continues although in a very small and insensible manner which causes a stability for a while in the body so temperated the reason of that great abatement of alteration is because the Elements being now dispersed and divided into small parts retain a less force and exercise a less opposition one against another and therefore the temperament becomes stable Observe then that Coction is swift because of the greatness of alteration 2. The temperament ad justitiam is stable and ad tempus quasi consistens 3. Putrefaction is the swiftest because its alteration is the swiftest as you shall read by and by Hence you may easily collect the reason why a man in his youth alters or changes so much and at his adult years is seated in a consistent temperament and changes not for a long while whereas a youth we see changes every day or at least it is observable every Moneth for stay away from a known youth but a Moneth and when you see him again you will mark that he is altered This every Mother can spy out after she hath been gone forth from her Child but an hour or two and at her return cry out Oh how is my Child altered The reason is because the calidum innatum is copiously shut up within the central particles of each part and therefore moves strongly by Alteration Hence Authors conclude Infants to be perfused with a more copious calidum innatum then when they come to be grown up in years The force of this â—â—Nrâ—â— promogenious heat is such that it altereth Children almost every moment Hence we may know why every external alteration of Diet Weather or Climate doth so easily injure them because besides that they are much altered internally wherefore the least alteration from without if durable soon disperseth and inflames their heat and proves a frequent cause of so numerous deaths of Children whereas men and women their heat being now consistent and making but small force their flesh closer c. are not so much subjected to Diseases and such sudden deaths VI. Women die faster that is thicker then men and are more disposed to sickness then they because their innate heat and ayr do effect greater alterations upon their bodies as having but little earth or compressing density in comparison to men to resist the light Elements and moderate their irruptions and therefore women seldom reach to any equal or consistent temperature but are alwaies in changing which in them after 18 20 or 24 years expiration is particularly called breaking because then they alter so fast that they swiftly put a period to their dayes and that because their bodies being lax and porous their innate heat shoots through in particles and now in minima's without which there can be no durable temperature Were their bodies heavier and denser the minima's of earth would divide their heat into minima's and reduce it to a temperature If then their innate heat doth constantly cohere in particles and is never dirempted into minima's it retaining in that case stronger force then otherwise it could do in minima's it alterates their bodies continually and so they never attain to any consistency of age Many sexagenarian Widowers or men of threescore years of age do alter less and flower then most women do from their five and thirtieth year wherefore they do rather cover a wife of twenty because she will just last as long in her Prime or will be as fast in breaking altering and changing her temperament form and shape in one year as the old man shall alter or change in three or four years and so they grow deformed in an equal time Wherefore a mans consistent age may last out the beauties of two or three women one after the other and because of this some in their mirth have proclaimed a woman after her 35th year to be fitter for an Hospital then to continue a Wife No wonder if a Woman be more fierce furious and of a more rash swift Judgment then a man for their spirits and heat moving in great troops and confluences of Particles must needs move swift which swiftness of motion is the cause of their sudden rages nimble tongues and rash wits To the contrary a mans heat being tempered to minima's moves more flow therefore is less passionate and of a surer Judgment A Cholerick man with a soft and glabrous skin is likest to a woman in temperament and is undoubtedly tied to all manner of Passion as Fear Love Anger to Rashness of Opinion forgetfulness hazarding and foolish venturing and at other times because of his Fear is as obstinate and refractory in hazarding He is perfectly unfortunate of a short life and disposed to continual alterations fitter for nothing then to fill up a Church yard in a short space of time A man of a cholerick and melancholy temperature with a soft skin and somewhat rough is likewise of a short life but somewhat longer in his course then the former His Fancy is contrived for plotting of base and inhumane designes his Opinion is atheistical his heart full of cheating and murderous thoughts he is merciless and cruel to all his nearest relations are as great a prey to him as strangers Among men of this Temperature is a twofold difference the one is more cholerick then melancholy the other more melancholy then cholerick The colour of the first is yellowish of the last swarty The former exceeds the latter by far in conditions and is correctible but with great pains and notwithstanding is of a detestable nature but as for the latter his pravity is abominable only fit to make a Hangman or else is most likely to come to the Gallowes himself The best temperature of all is a sanguine tempered with melancholy this portends all honesty modesty faithfulness pleasingness of humour long life great fortunes pregnancy of wit ingenuity a rare fancy for new Inventions tenacity of Memory a sifting Judgment profoundness of Meditations couragious and generous in fine fit for all things Wherefore it was a true Saying of Arist. that none could be wise unless he was somewhat melancholy A pure sanguine temperature is of all humours the most pleasing lovely perfectly innocent of a long life and very fortunate I could set down here demonstrable and certain Rules whereby to know infallibly the particular Inclinations Passions and Faculties of every person but apprehending that the Art might be abused by the Vulgar and that the knowledge of it might prove as prejudicial to some as profitable to others I judge it more convenient to preserve its rarity and admirableness by secrecy Authors do successively attribute the causality of Coction to heat alone but how erroneously you may now easily judge since that I
spirits How the Air happens to burst through a sudden great light That a sudden great Light may blind kill or cast a man into an Apoplexy 8. How Light renders all Objects visible Why a piece of Money cast into a Basin filled with water appears bigger than it is The causes of apparent Colours Why a great Object appears but small to one afar off The difference between lux and lumen What a Beam is What a Splendour is That the Lights begot by the Stars and other flames are not distinguished specie How the Coelum Empyreum is said to be Lucid. I. VVE are now to ennumerate and unfold the remaining qualities risen from the mixture of the Elements such are Light Colours Sounds Odors and Sapors We will first begin with Light as being the excellentest among them Light is a quality emanating from flaming fire A flame is nothing else but incrassated Air expanded and deducted in rotundity by condensed fire which is detained and imprisoned within the foresaid qualified Air. The difficulties requiring illustration are 1. How the fire comes to be condensed 2. How imprisoned 3. Why the Air doth immediately surround it 4. How light is propagated and the manner of its action As to the first Fire I have told you will not burn unless it be condensed for being naturally rare it penetrates through the incrassated Air with ease but being condensed it doth not because it is adjoyned to a heavy gross body namely the minima's of the Earth and Water which doth put a stop to its pass but nevertheless the force of fire is stronger by reason of those adjoyned heavy minima's For fire being violently detained by them is grown stronger 2. Fire being to divide another thick body makes use of the compressing accuteness of Earth to divide it which it effects by protruding those dense parts before it for through its single rarity it could not 2. Fire flying out and being expulsed out of a mixt body if it doth not meet with incrassated Air to retain it will pass and vanish but hitting against incrassated Air it strives to pass the Air again being continuous doth maintain her continuity with all her force and thirdly the fire moving circularly makes a circular dent into the mass of the said thickned Ayr which it beats against the advenient Ayr also striving from all parts to recover its situation and therefore necessarily surrounding the fire The Ayr again is also become stronger because of its violent detention notwithstanding the fire being the more potent doth diduct it into an oval or round Figure in the same manner as Wind striving to pass the water doth blow it up into a bubble Fire being thus condensed imprisoned and surrounded with thick ayr and diducting the same ayr into an oval or round Figure is called a flame II. The properties of a flame are 1. to be burning hot 2. to be an lux illuminans illuminating light The burning proceeds from the particles of condensed fire violently striking through the moisture of a mixt body whereby it divides it into ashes or a black crust tending to ashes Before I shew the manner of emanation of Light let us first examine what it is we call Light Light is that which is visible and renders all things about it visible Wherefore you do mark that Light is nothing but that which affects and moves the eye-sight If then I make it appear to you whereby it is that fire doth affect the Eye-sight therein I shew you the manner of emanation or operation of Light You must apprehend the optick spirits to be a thin continuous body equally interwoven through all its parts with a proportion of thin yet a little condensed fire for were it not a little dense it could not heat so that it is very like to the ambient ayr in substance and its other qualities 2. Supposing it to be an ayr we must conceive it to be continuous with the ambient ayr when the eyes are open This premitted I infer light to be nothing else but a continuous obduction of the Ayr caused by a flaming fire But let me here intreat your serious intention upon what I shall discover concerning the nature of Light it being one of the difficultest mysteries of all Philosophy and although its effects are luminous to the Eye yet its nature is obscure to the Understanding The search of this moved Plato to leave Athens and set saile for Sicily to speculate those flames of the mount AEtna Empedocles the Philosopher hazarded himself so far for to make a discovery of the nature of a flame and its light that he left his body in the Mongibell fire for an experiment although much beyond his purpose It is almost known to all how that the Learned Pliny took shipping from the promontory Misenas to be traversed to the Mount Pomponianus whither curiosity had driven him to fathom the depths of the Vesuvian flames but before he could feel the heat the smoak smothered him III. First then I prove that Light is an effect of a flame There is no flame but it causeth light and by the light we know it is a flame Ergo Light is an inseparable accident and a propriety quartimodi of a flame the Antecedence is undoubted Doth not a Candle a Torch a focall flame cause lights Or did you ever see light and doubted of the flame of it What is the reason when we hit our fore-heads against any hard thing we say there strikes a light out of our eyes It is because the violence of the stroke did discontinuate the optick ayr through which the condensed fire did unite and diduct the intrinsick ayr which was incrassated through the same stroke and so made a flame or rather a flash which is a sudden flame that is quickly lighted and quickly laid Secondly Light is not a single quality inhering in fire alone for were it so then where ever fire is there should be light but to the contrary we find that there is fire inherent in the ayr and many other bodies yet the ayr remains dark after the descent of the Planets 2. Were fire naturally light we could never be in darkness because the vast Region of fire is so large that it could not but illuminate thrice the extent of the ayr Thirdly Light is not fire rarefied and exporrected throughout all the dimensions of the ayr for who could ever imagine that a Candle being so small a flame should serve to be drawn out through the ayr and fill it with light to the extent of six or eight Leagues for a Candle may be seen at Sea in a clear dark night six or eight Leagues off or further so that it is absurd to imagine this and unworthy of a Philosophers maintaining it 2. It is impossible that fire could be so exactly mixt with ayr in an instant for so large an extent 3. There is never a particle of illuminated ayr but it is light to the full extent
of the illumination if so then there must be a penetration of bodies Fourthly Light is not fire rarefied for were it so then that fire which is most rarefied should be lightest but the consequence is false Ergo the Antecedence also I prove the falsity of the consequence Fire in Brimstone or flaming Brandy is more rare than the fire of a Candle and yet it doth nothing near enlighten so much as the flame of a Candle Fire most rarefied as it is naturally is not at all light Lamps have burned in Tombs for many years together and have enlightned the same for as many years but it is absurd to conceive that fire could have lasted or been sufficient to be rarefied through the ayr for so many years some simply deny the possibility of it although the same may be brought to pass at this present time 4. Where light is there is not alwaies heat near to it for if the contrary were true then an equal light must have an equal heat but this is averred to be false in Greenland where in their day-season it is as light as it is in the East-Indies and lighter thâ—n it is in the Indies in the Winter and yet the heat in the Indies is infinitely more intense than it is in Greenland for here it is never hot although less cold at some times above others Some Author makes use of a musical Instrument of Cornel. Drebbel to prove against all sense and reason that where ever Light is there is also heat These kind of Instruments are common enough now adaies they were Organs and Virginals that played by themselves All which saith the Author depended upon the rarefaction and condensation of some subtil body conserved in a Cavity within the bulck of the whole Instrument for as soon as the Sun shined they would have motion and play their parts And there is no doubt but that grew out of the rarefaction of the subtil Liquor he made use of which was dilated as soon as the ayr was warmed by the Sun beams Was ever a wise man so much wronged as to be made to believe that a little subtil Liquor could blow the bellows of Organs and that the beams of the Sun should penetrate through Boards and Iron and rarefie the Liquor contained therein and that the interposition of a cloud should lessen the sound of the Instrument if so why should not the interposition of a board rather lessen the sound for a boord shall keep away more heat from a thing than the interposition of a thin cloud The business is this there was no heat required to the motion of the said Instrument for had there been so a fire made in the Room could have supplied the action of the Sun after its descension The Instruments were made to move by a piece of Clock-work which was placed near to the keyes the work it self was moved by weights hung to it or otherwise by a thing made within it like to the spring of a Watch now when the wheels are almost run about then the keyes strike feebler and so the sound is diminished this he calls the interposition of a cloud neither is there any such rarefaction as he imagines to himself and therefore is infinitely mistaken throughout his Book in the nature of rarefaction and condensation Wherefore this is no proof that the Suns light is alwaies hot 2. The same Philosopher argues That the reason why we do not feel the warmth of Light is because it is not hot enough to move our tact for that which moves our tact by hear must be of the same warmth or hotter This is another supposed subtility of his That which is not warm cannot be said to be hot because heat is a degree above warmth now in case there is so little warmth in a mixt body that the cold of earth or water doth overcome it that body is not to be called hot or warm but cold even so it is here in case that Light hath not so much heat as to warm but rather cools as we feel it enough in the Winter it is not to be said to be hot but cold VVho could imagine that a Candle should heat the Ayr twenty or thirty Leagues about its light extending about in circumference to little less IV. Light is a continuous obduction or thrusting up or puffing up of the ayr which puffing up is as it were an opening to the whole body of the ayr in the same manner almost as wind being puffed under water raises and puffs up the whole body of it to a large extent by which the water seems to be opened throughout all its body I say it is continuous for were it a disruption of the ayr and not continuous it would cause a sound A continuous obduction is an equal drawing up or support of the ayr to the Circumference That which doth originally cause this obduction is the fire condensed which bears the ayr up equally and circularly like as when you blow sudds up into bubbles which likewise seems to create a light The ayr being obducted originally about the light its whole body is also obducted to a far extent at the very same moment For supposing that the ayr is continuous and that there is no such condensation as the Vulgar imagines as is effected by penetration of parts or diminution of quantity the ayr being trust up at one place must also be trust up all about to a certain extent The same is manifest in water by puffing a thick wind through a Reed underneath it which little wind although unproportionate to the heavy body of water which it raises puffs up all the parts of water at once that is in a moment the reason is because the water being continuous and nothing between it throughout all its dimensions but what is continuous lyeth as continuately close which is the nearest closeness as can be conceived wherefore puffing one part up you must necessarily at the same instant puff up all the other parts about it because they cannot introcede into one another Or otherwise the reason why so improportionate a body should suffice to bear up so heavy a body as the water for a puff of wind if it be blown deep under the water will raise fifty pounds of water more or less according to its force is because the wind having moved the neerest parts of water they bear one another up continuately unto the very Surface So it is with the ayr being puffed up by the fire which at the same instant doth puff up all its parts about Here you may object If the ayr be obducted in that manner by the flame of the fire and that it giveth way continuately throughout its whole body without an intrinsick incrassation then the least fire must stir the whole tract of Air about it I answer That the Air is partially incrassated and not thorowly throughout all its dimensions wherefore when it is so puffed up it is
only obducted in its extent according to the force of the flame and when it is so stretcht as it were through the fires obduction it receives the force of the flame partly only because it is contracted by expelling the extrinsick bodies contained within it so yields to the fires obduction The clearer the ayr is the greater light it makes because it containing no extraneous bodies cannot contract it self from the obtension of the fire by expelling such bodies but being totally continuous it is obtended so far as the said ayr is continuous and according to the force of the fire The reason then why a light is terminated is through the contraction of the ayr and oft times through the density of an intermediate body as of thick vapours and exhalations According to the diminution of the flame the ayr relaxes and so the light diminisheth V. The cause why a dense body is uncapable of generating a light is by reason it is contiguous and cannot be obducted or stretcht as it were I have said That that is light which moves our eye-sight even hence I wil sensibly prove to you that light is nothing but a continuous obduction of ayr Suppose that the optick spirits are for the greatest part an ayr to which the external ayr when the Eye-lids are open is joyned in continuity and becomes one continuous body with the optick ayr in a manner as when one float of water toucheth another they become continuately one Wherefore then when the ayr is continuously obducted as far as where it is continuated to our optick ayr it must necessarily also obduct and stretch the same optick ayr because it is continuous to it That light moves the sight by stretching the optick ayr is evident in that when we look against the light although its origin is far off we feel a stretching in our eyes 2. VVhen we have wearied our selves by seeing we complain that we feel a stretching in our eyes In case the ayr is not obducted so far as to reach our eyes then we do not see it as when a thing is out of sight the reason why we cannot see it although nothing is interposed to hinder is because its stretching doth not reach as far as our Eyes Hence you may observe that visus non fit emittendo sed recipiendo motum flammae sight is not actuated through the emission of beams from our sight but through the receiving of the motion of a flame and more through suffering patiendo non agendo than acting VI. The fire of a Flame is to some extent dispersed through the Ayr and so far it heats the Ayr nevertheless its enlightning is much further extended The Sun which is the greatest Flame its heat in the Summer reaches to us in a very intense quality its light would reach a hundred or more times further then it were the tract of the Ayr extended to a larger quantity but because it is not therefore its heat in the torrid Zone and in the temperate ones in the Summer reaches as far as its light which although it doth is not therefore to be accounted the essence of Light as some have simply imagined So that it was no less Mistake to believe that the Sun's light could be precipitated in a Glass and some to have collected of it no less then two Ounces and half a day The vertue of this Precipitate is described to penetrate into the substance of the hardest Metal I do believe that it is very possible to precipitate such small bodies constituted out of the fiery emissions of the Sun whose vertue cannot but be very penetrative through the predominance of fire in them but nevertheless it is not the light which is precipitated but fiery substances neither is fire the light it self but the cause of it Light is a property following the union of a flame with the Ayr wherefore the Ayr is rather to be taken for the principal Subject VII Light is not the primar cause of all the effects produced by the Stars but their temperament and exsuperating heat Accidentally or privatively their remoteness and remission of heat may be a cause of coldness and incrassation of the Ayr and consequently of its obscurity The light of the Sun doth not comfort the vital Spirits neither doth it act immediately upon them at all although through its heat it may help and excite the vital heat of some frigid temperatures The light hath only a power of acting immediately and per se upon the Optick spirits and through altering them may prove a mediate cause of Vital and Animal Alterations I prove it If you go forth out of the dark into the light you feel a distention or rather an obtension of your visive spirits return again out of the light into the dark and you will first perceive a relaxation and afterwards a contraction of your sight The mediated effect of light is a quickning of the Vital and Animal Spirits which are moved by continuation from the obtension of the Optick Ayr. A sudden great light causes a bursting of the Air which happens when the Air is so much obtended that it can stretch no more and then of a necessity it must burst A bursting is a sudden breaking of a body throughout all its dimensions and parts as it were The air is bursted through a great lightning or a flash before a thunder which if the same bursting do reach diametrically to the optick air of an open eye it will certainly blind yea sometime kill a man because the same bursting is continued unto and upon the optick spirits and sometimes is also further continuated that it bursteth the whole Treasure of the Animal spirits which necessarily must effect an Apoplexy A man coming forth suddenly out of the dark into a great light is often struck blind because his optick Spirits are bursted through the sudden and strong obtention or if it obtends the optick Air to the next lower degree so as it may not cause a bursting it then produceth a dazling of the sight that is an over-stretching of the optick spirits VIII How light renders all things visible is a matter worthy of Enquiry The air being thus obtended and made visible through light is terminated every where about by the surfaces of terminated bodies These terminated surfaces resist the obtended air and according to their several degrees of mixture or of fundamental light and darkness do attenuate refract diminish contract or condensate the obtension If the surface of the resisting object is continuous and weighty it attenuates and refracts or reflects the light of the air and of that nature is water for water being adunited to air in continuity doth not only sustain the obtension of the air but also through its reflexion obtends the obtended air yet more and so the obtension upon the water must be greater by reason it stops the obducted air more then any thing else wherefore its light is thinner but withal greater
makes all bodies therein contained shew greater Besides water containing much air in her body suffereth also an obtension of that whereby bodies must necessarily appear bigger then they are The reason why a piece of Money in a Bason with water appears bigger then it is is because the water through impregnation with peregrine air proper thickness and continuity doth reflect and admit much obtended air or light which being altered by the colour of the money doth appear much bigger then if seen through thin air alone Light is diminisht because the air is condensed so that whatever doth condense the air must diminish its light and obduction Whatever body light appulses against it is thereby darkned because the body which it strikes against condenses the air According to this degree of condensation the light is gradually diminisht and darkned if it be terminated in a most dense earthy body then it appears black if against a body that hath less earth or density it appears brown that is to say at the point of reflection against an Object and so gradually in all other This change being wrought upon the terminating obtension by an objected body it is repercussed to a certain distance namely as far as the repercutient action of that object can reach which is as far as until the Air doth recover its proper station If we are far off from an Object it appears less then it is because its action doth diminish gradually like unto the streams of water which about the center of action are greater but the more remote they are the less they grow A Flame is called a Light Lux because it begets light The light begot in the Air is called Lumen an Illumination Wherefore these lights are not really distinguisht but ratione Neither is a flame to be called a light unless when it doth obduct the Air neither is the Air to be termed a light or illumination unless when it is obducted by a flame Radius a Beam is a diducted line of a flame tending directly from the Center to the Circumference A Splendor is the intention of light by a reflection or refraction upon a thick continuous smooth body The Lights begot by the Stars and other flames are not distinguisht specie because they depend upon the same causes namely upon Fire and Air. Their difference consists in consistency purity bigness c. The Coelum Empyreum or Heavens of the Angels are said to be lucid which may be understood tropically or properly If properly possibly it hath a vertue of obducting the air like unto a flame If tropically lucid is equipollent to glorious The Bodies of the risen Saints shall appear glorious and splendid possibly because they shall be more ayry and fiery that is flammy CHAP. XXII Of Colours 1. The Authors Definition of a Colour That Light is a Colour Aristotles Definition of colour examined 2. Scaligers Absurdities touching Colours and Light 3. What colour Light is of and why termed a single Colour That Light doth not efficienter render an Object visible How a mixt Colour worketh upon the sight and how it is conveyed to it 4. The Causes of the variations of Mercury in its colour through each several preparation 5. That Colours are formally relations only to our sight That a mixt colour is not an intentional quality That besides the relation of colours there is an absolute foundation in their original Subjects How the same fundamental colours act 6. That there are no apparent colours but all are true 7. The Differences of colours What colour focal fire is of The fundamental colours of mixt bodies 8. What reflection of light is What refraction of colours is Aristotles Definition of colour rejected The Effects of a double reflection The Reasons of the variations of Colour in Apples held over the water and Looking-glasses The variation of Illumination by various Glasses 9. The Division of Glasses The cause of the variation of colour in a Prism 10. The Nature of Refraction Why colours are not refracted in the Eye I. COlour is a Mode or Quality of a mixt being through which it moves the sight if so then certainly Light is a Colour For 1. It proceeds from a mixt body 2. It moves the sight primarly immediately and per se. I prove it We do distinguish light from darkness and a light body from a dark one by our sight ergo it moves the sight Probably you may deny my Definition of colour wherefore I shall for your further satisfaction compare it with that of Aristotle and prove it to be consentaneous to it differing only in Precision ours being less universal and nearer to sense then his Lumen which is equipollent to colour est actus perspicui quatenus perspicui Light or rather Illumination is the act of a perspicuous body quatenus perspicui is redundant By actus is implied an actuation or motion 2. By perspicuous is intended a body that is capable of receiving or rather of reflecting light And is not the sight capable of receiving or reflecting light and of being actuated by it Or if you will take colour for a quality following the temperament and mistion of the Elements the difference is not great this being a Definition of colour as it is considered in it-self a priori the other described a posteriori relatively and accidentally for it is per accidens to it to move the sight I cannot but reflect at Scaligers boldness who pretending to exceed Cardan in subtility so as he seemed to reprehend and correct him in every Distinction but with more absurdity then he supposed Cardan to be less subtil and particularly about Colours and light Exercit. CCCXXV d. 2. Here he infers a real and formal difference between an Accident and its Subject the contrary hath so plainly been demonstrated 2. That an Accident is constituted out of a Power and Act. The falsity of which is detected in my Disp. of Pow. These Assertions are not exempted from Absurdities 1. An Accident and a Substance being really and formally different and owing their production to one substantial efficient it follows that a Substance produceth effects differing from it self in specie 2. That a Substance is an efficient of a Power and Act. Power and Act being two positive contraries one substancial efficient is inferred to be an efficient secundum idem ad idem of two positive contraries for a power according to Aristotle is not a privation for then it were a non ens reale but a positive 3. Neither is Power or Substance the true matter of colour Not the power for that is like to the matter not the substance that being the sole whole substance Wherefore if neither power or substance be the true matter it cannot be any real thing because whatever is real consists of Matter and Form Wherefore saith he we should say that it hath a substance for its subject wherein it is inherent but in it self it hath a power and act out
of which it is made one in the subject and distinct from the subject out of which essence that property of visible is produced A manifest contradiction First he saith that an Accident hath alwaies a substance for its subject and yet in it self it hath a power and act Assuredly none will affirm a power to be in an accident but in the subject for to receive such an Accident this he alloweth himself for an accident saith he is alwaies in a substance as its subject ergo it hath its essence from a subject if then a subject giveth its essence it giveth praecedentia and consequentia esse it is then the power that is from the subject as also the act ergo an Accident is nothing but the subject modified 4. Constituting Principles as Matter and Form are required to exist at one time but the power and act cannot exist at one time for assoon as the act is advened the power is fled If then you assert it to be a principium generationis then the subject thus constituted doth consist of a Principle perse and another per accidens Besides it followes that an accident is an actus purus if so then an accident is more perfect then a man or an Angel Wherefore it appears that a colour is nothing else but a modification of a subject and of the same rank that other accidents are of besides that colour is exempted from a power and act and that the substance is rather to be conceived to be instructed with a power of being coloured The subsequent distinction confirms my Interpretation of his words For saith he light is an act of visibility that is it is an action upon a visible substance for visibility in the abstract being invisible he ought rather to have declared how a lucid substance acted through its modality or action upon our sense The same Scaliger in the said Dist. asserts that Light is neither white or whiteness No doubt it is no whiteness for that he never saw existent without a body unless it was a Spirit in his Fancy But the question is whether it is not white His Argument alledged against it is because it cannot be seen in the Air and doth not terminate the sight The former condition of his Reason is simpliciter necessary the latter is only necessary necessitate consequentiae by consequence I reply to his Argument 1. That light is visible in the air as I have shewed before 2. Light were it imaginable to inhere in an infinite subject it would be interminate and yet move the sight terminately for a man who is blinded by a thin Cataract knowes when it is day and when night because the light of the Sun moveth his Optick Air although very obtusely and yet he neither sees the termination of the Sun or of the Air. 3. Light is not invisible because of the thinness of the Air but visible because of its obductibility 4. The airs intermination is falsly supposed to be the cause of its invisibility for it is really terminate because a being and termination in the concrete are convertible Further it is evident that light must be necessarily terminated both in the body whence it is derived and in the body wherein it is received notwithstanding it is not alwaies necessary for us to perceive or see the lights termination in it self for that we seldom do although it is terminated in and by our sight According to our forestated definition light is accounted a colour but most single that is without any composition or reflection II. I call light a single colour not absolutely as if it were so in its own nature and constitution but because it moves our sight singly without representing any mixt colour with it to the sight This single motion of light is only its obtension continuated in the optick air is otherwise known by the name of an interminate Pellucid In case light be reflected and gathered in great quantity by air thickned and somewhat condensed by thin and by a little condensed clouds it produces a thick pellucid or whiteness in the air which continuated to the optick air produces the same whiteness there This we perceive when the Sun is said to shine which it doth ever when no thick dense clouds are interposed that its Raies are condensed by thin clouded air being a little condensed That the thin shining light is whitish is further apparent by the Peripatetick description of white White is a colour which doth most disperse the sight but so doth the Sun shining light ergo it is whitish Or according to others White is that which containeth much light ergo light is most white because propter quod unumquodque tale est illud magis tale est Light being the cause and fountain of white must be most white in it self III. Light Lumen is actus visibilitatis saith Scaliger that is it renders a visible thing visible But how not efficienter for then without light in the air there should be no fundamental colours and every colour must be produced through light at the moment of its appulse but as a medium or causa sine qua non As a medium in that it doth defer the ratio obductibilitatis of every Object to the eye The manner of it is thus every mixt colour is nothing else but the degree of the alteration of the mixt objects wrought upon the air by their greater or less pinching contracting or deading of it Supposing that the greatest extention of the ayr causes a pellucidness that which gathers contracts or deads the ayr a little and staies its obtension is white that which gathereth it yet more is yellow That which doth gather it most is black that which gathers it less is brown and so gradually This gathering of the obtended ayr by the objected mixt colour is a kind of a pinching whereby the ayr is continuately pinched to the extent of a certain Sphaere The ayr being pinched doth continuately pinch the optick ayr which if it be a little pinched by an objected colour it discerneth it to be white or if very much it discerneth it to be black hence when we enter into a mourning Room hung about with black cloath we perceive a perfect pinching or contraction in our Eyes Here may be demanded Whence this various manner of pinching proceeds since that pinching is caused by a solid object if so then the solider an object is the more it should pinch and consequently the blacker it should be which seems erroneous for Gold is of a yellow colour which otherwise should be blackest because it is the most solid of all bodies I answer That this various manner of pinching depends upon the degrees of the gathering of light or obtended ayr That which doth most gather or deads the ayr being a continuous or fluid body is a dense and contiguous body so that the more dense that a body is the more light it gathers and pinches the stronger and
consequently is the deeper coloured But that which is continuous although very thick yet it gathers nothing near so much as a continuous body because its continuity hinders its pass and so the light reflects upon it and produces a splendor whereas a contiguous body divides the ayr and giveth way for its entrance and so it pinches and next darkneth it Wherefore Gold being continuous that is consisting of much water condensed and ayr incrassated reflects the light and so produces a splendor Now that Gold consisteth of those moist parts I prove it because Gold contains a Lentor in it which is a concomitant of water and ayr as I shewed you before for cast a piece of Gold into the fire and let it lye there for some proportionate time and being taken out you may diduct it into any form or figure and turn or bend it any way Since that Gold consisteth of a proportion of continuous parts it is thereby rendred splendid and yellow from the proportion of contiguous parts contained within it Wherefore if you reduce Gold into a Calx you deprive it of its splendor because you have taken away its continuity of parts IV. Give me leave to demonstrate to you the reasons of all the various colours which Mercury attains to through its various preparations and thence you may collect the reasons of Colours befalling all other bodies whether Mineral or Vegetable through their several preparations Mercury is 1. splendid because of its thick continuity of parts 2. It s Silver-like colour derives from its paucity of contiguous parts which it containing in that small quantity doth render it a little darker than white and is the cause why it is not pellucid like unto water 3. The reason why Mercury becometh white like unto a white frost by being dissolved by Aqua Fort. is because it is diducted and attenuated through all its dimensions and therefore collecting and pinching the light a little only it appears white 4. Mercury changeth into a yellow colour after it hath been dissolved by oyl of Vitriol and being separated from the dissolvent by exhalation it abides white but being cast into water it changeth yellow The whiteness which remains in Mercury after the evaporation of the oyl is the colour of the corosive salt coagulated into an attenuated body by the Mercurial vertue The casting it into water doth deprive it of the forementioned salt which is dissolved into water that which doth remain is the courser part of the salt incorporated with the Mercury whose substance contains such a proportion of earth as to gather somuch of the obtended ayr and to pinch it into a yellowish colour 5. The whiteness of Mercury sublimate corrosive and of Mercury sublimate Dulufied derives more from the attenuated salt than the body the Mercury 6. The same corrosive Mercury sublimate dissolved into fair water and precipitated by oyl of Tartar changeth into a clay red Here you must not imagine that it is the oyl of Tartar in a drop or two doth colour the whole substance of the precipitated body for it self is of another colour besides were it of the same it is improportionate to colour a whole body by a drop or two It happens then through the deprivation of the thinner parts of the corrosive salt swimming in the water That which the oyl of Tartar performed in this preparation is nothing but to free the body from its detaining spirit which it doth by attracting it to its own body and uniting it self with it into a small body the red colour depends upon the quantity of thickned earth of the precipitate I shall not importune you with the relation of colours befalling through other preparations since you may easily infer a reason of them from what hath been proposed concerning the variation of colours in Mercury V. From this discourse I do further infer 1. That the formality of colours doth mainly consist in a respectiveness and relation to our sight and is no hing else but what man by his sight discerns it to be for had man no sight there would be no colours although there would be an alteration upon the ayr extended Likewise light would not be light but ayr obtended So that I say the Absolutum fundamentum Relationis suppositae would be there but not ipsa relatio because the Correlatum is defective The like understand of sounds sents or tasts which as to us are nothing but certain realities moving our animal spirits by certain respective modes which realities moving the senses in certain modes are called such or such sensible qualities what they may be further really in themselves we know not because we perceive no more of them than what we call such and such the others although real yet we suppose them to be non entia because we do not perceive or know them But I prove the Proposition All positive and absolute beings perform their actions responding to their modes But none of these fore-mentioned qualities may be so termed sensible qualities to wit colours sounds unless modifying the senses 2. That a mixt colour is not an intentional quality produced by the coloured object in the ayr but a real quality really inhering or effected in the ayr by the original action of a fundamental colour What shall an intentional quality act really Ergo Quiddam esset in effectu quod prius non fuerit in causa which contradicts that Maxime concluding the contrary Besides colour would be affected with two sorts of accidents one really inherent in the object the other in the ayr 3. It supposeth accidents to migrate è subjecto in subjectum which is impossible Nevertheless Scaliger pretends to prove Light to be a quality produced in the ayr and distinct from the efficient that is that Lumen is really distinguisht from Lux if so then Lumen could exist when Lux is separated and removed from it but that cannot be ergo there is no real distinction between them According to the same rule we might raise a real distinction between the coloured object immediately altering the ayr and the colour or lumen produced in the ayr from that colour being a Lux in comparison to the other This real distinction is rejected by the same Arguments because a colour in the ayr or a Lumen cannot exist when the colour or Lux in the object is removed 3. That notwithstanding the respective formality there is a real foundation in coloured bodies which is a certain degree of temperature whereby they being somewhat contrary to our sense move and act but mediately upon its temperament 4. That through this absolute foundation a colour doth move or act really upon the ayr and through it upon other inanimate bodies yet not as it is a colour but as it is an absolute foundation or a degree of temperament This motion is not very considerable for although it may move a light thin body out its place yet it will hardly move locally a thick or
of the Sun and in oyl or fat cast into focal fire burning white Here may be objected That Snow is white Ergo it should consist most of fire which it doth not I repeat my distinction of durable and changeable colours and affirm that whiteness depending upon fire is deprehended only in durable and compact permixt bodies the other inherent in changeable subjects and thin open bodies derives more from the ingredient light entring their pores where being a little pinched and collected appears white so that this may be thought to be as much the colour of the condensed light as of the body which lasteth no longer than it is condensed by condensed water and that being melted the colour vanisheth withall possibly you will turn your objection to a bone which being white doth not contain fire predominating in it I answer That a bone consists of much fire and ayr as appears in its flammability and therefore is white Lastly you may object That a Marble stone or Alabaster is white but neither are fiery I answer That both do consist of a condensed and attenuated water and not without a little rarefaction caused by the fire Suppose that Marble were only a natural water which as I have demonstrated is naturally thick and consistent like unto Ice and condensed with a little earth certainly it would be of a transparent and crystalline colour this Ice being yet more condensed by earth pinches and collects the light a little and so appears white Wherefore observe that this white is primarily an extrinsick colour depending on the incidence of light and not fundamental alone wrought by the internal temperature of the mixt body So that this objection doth conclude nothing against our Assertion mentioning intrinsick colours acting from a compact mixt body The reason why Marble and Alabaster are shining is because their body is consistent of a continuated substance to wit thick water Intermediate colours are such as arise out of the descent of the Elements from their extreams To wit thus The less there is of fire the less it is intrinsecally and fundamentally white the less there is of earth the more an object diminisheth in blackness Which degradations constitute the intermediate colours Intermediate colours are almost infinite but enumerating them according to the above-stated condition of Latitude of Colours they are vulgarly counted ten in number 1. Yellowish Subflavus 2. Yellow 3. Reddish Subruber 4. Red. 5. Greenish 6. Green 7. Blewish 8. Blew 9. Brownish 10. Brown Red is an equal mixture of Black and White and is the Center and middle of all colours being equally interjacent between the two extreams so that all colours are between Red and White and between Red and Black as appears in the subnext scheme of colours Before I proceed I will commend to you a very necessary distinction of intermediate colours which are either fundamental or extrinsick The fundamental intermediate colours are those that are constituted by the internally proportionated Elements in temperament and are compactly permisted The extrinsick colours are such as are as much imputable to the external incidence and ingredience of Light This premitted I say that a fundamental Red doth only consecute a body mixed and temperated ad pondus which was alone in the Chaos the noblest of colours befitting so noble a body Of those red colours which we now have a sanguine cometh nearest to it because it proceeds from the exactest temperature ad justitiam which is nearest to that ad pondus The change from this towards the extreams as before constitutes a different colour if to water its change is into a green as you may observe in the bloud of hydropick bodies appearing greenish if to air blewish as you see it doth in the clouds which is changed out of a Red Cloud being dispersed into a greater measure of air if to Harth Brown if to Fire Yellow which is manifest in Bloud turning to a Yellow if predominated by fire or Choller to Brown if predominated by Melancholy or Earth to Blew if attenuated or incorporated with predominant air Besides these there are many others which because approaching to some one of the forementioned I shall not think material to relate but refer you to Scaligers CCCXXVth Exerc. where you have the names of most colours set down What Splendor and the cause of it is you know already its opposite is a deadishness which as splendor is effected upon a smooth and continuated body so is this effected upon a ruggid and contiguous body Luminous and Opake are also Opposites The latter is distinguisht from black in that this is taken for a fundamental colour the other for an extrinsick privation of light VIII Reflection of light is the beating back or reaction of a splendid or thick body upon the obtended air which Reflection obtending and stretching the air yet more then it was before makes it apdear much lighter That it is made lighter is discerned by the eye which is more forcibly obtended by the reflected light which if it be much causes a dazling in the eyes and is nothing else but an over-retching of the optick air and Membranes and sometimes is so great that it presses water out of the eyes Reflection is only upon continuous bodies as Gold Silver Brass Steel Precious Stones Glass and Water c. IX Refraction of colours is a reflection seeming to be broke as when you put a Stick into the water the colour of it seems to be broke By an internal reflection its colour seems to be more augmented in quantity and extent of parts then really it is The manner of it is thus Mark that a superficial reflection doth not augment the extent of a colour which reflects the light for Gold or Crystal is not augmented in extent of colour that is seems not bigger then really it is by reflecting light superficially neither do they render a colour in the air bigger then it is 2. A double reflection is the continuation of a reflection for there is also a reflection of light within the very body of an object as you may see by a piece of Money cast into the water or big Sands lodged sometime within the center of a Diamond or Crystal causing a reflection although remote from the Surface wherefore a Colour is not well described by Arist. Lib. de Sens. Sensil to be the extremity of a terminated perspicuous body for I have told you where and how it may be visible in the intrinsick body of an Object Notwithstanding this Scaligers Objection in Exerc. 325. d. 4. against colour stated to be the extremity of an Object is invalid His Objection is because a Chesnut is coloured in the middle as well as in its extremity ergo saith he Colour is not the extremity But how did he know a Chesnut to be coloured in the middle Questionless by seeing it cut through if so then that middle cut through is now come to be the extremity so there
it becomes as it were two Bodies and is reflected also in a double Species but were it continued in equality it would be expressed but as one single Species The reason why an inequality in one continuous body causes a refraction is because every protuberance contracts the Species of an object reflected upon it and consequently must represent each of them in a several Species Wherefore a Prism doth represent the same colours of each side of its angle because of the Refraction of the Light arriving through the Inequality of the Angle The ground of the other appearances of a Prism you may easily collect without any further repetition The Sun appears as manifold in the water as the water is rendered unequal through undulation There is no Refraction without a Reflection wherefore Refraction is erroneously divided into simple and mixt supposing simple to be a Refraction without a Reflection which is scarce imaginable The eye of man consisting of continuated equal crystalline parts as Membranes and Humours doth not refract Objects reflected upon it because of the said continuous equality but in case any of the Humours are discontinuated by an interjacent Body Objects appear double because of the Refraction in the eye happening through the inequality of the said interjacent Body A Scheme representing the Derivation of Colours CHAP. XXIII Of Sounds 1. The Definition of a Sound That the Collision of two solid Bodies is not alwaies necessary for to raise a Sound 2. Whether a Sound be inherent in the Air or in the body sounding The manner of Production of a Sound 3. Whether a Sound is propagated through the water intentionally only That a Sound may be made and heard under water 4. That a Sound is a real pluffing up of the Air. How a Sound is propagated through the Air and how far Why a small Sound raised at one end of a Mast or Beam may be easily heard at the other end Why the Noyse of the treading of a Troop of Horse may be heard at a far distance 5. The difference between a Sound and a Light or Colour That it is possible for a man to hear with his eyes and see with his ears likewise for other Creatures to hear and see by means of their feeling 6. The difference of Sounds Why the Sound of a Bell or Drum ceaseth assoon as you touch them with your finger Why an empty Glass causes a greater Sound then if filled with water 7. The Reasons of Concords in Musick 8. The Causes of the variation of Sounds Why celestial bodies Rain and Hail do make but little noyse in the Air. 9. How Sounds are restected How Sounds are intended and remitted 10. The manner of Refraction of Sounds What an undulating Sound is 11. How a Voyce is formed I. SOund is a Quality whereby a natural body moves the Hearing This is a Formal and Relative Definition of a Sound because we call that a Sound which moves the auditory Spirits or internal air of our hearing Besides this it hath a fundamental Essence which is nothing else but a Concussion and Conquassation of the air or otherwise it is the air suddenly and violently concussed or conquassated vibrated or rather pluft up by an extrinsick continuous body be it hard or sof liquid or solid single or double that is between two In the first place I might here question whether a soft or liquid body is apt to make a Sound since Aristotle in his 26. T. de Anim. Chap. 8. states a Sound to be the percussion or collision of two solid hard bodies and particularly that soft bodies as a Sponge or wool do make no sound Notwithstanding this Assertion of Arist. which afterwards I shall make appear to be false I prove that liquid and soft bodies make a sound Poure water to water and hearken whether they make no sound beat one Sponge against another and listen to their sound throw one Pack of woollen cloath upon the other and hearken whether they make no sound II. Next let us enquire whether a sound be a quality inherent in the solid bodies or in the air Not in the solid bodies because they give very little sound in a small compass of air and consequently none without air Wherefore it must rather inhere in the air I prove it a sound is a Passion but it is the air that receives this Passion ergo the sound is in the air The passion is to be krutcht pluft up or shaked 2. A sound sometimes is made when the air is immediately pluft up by one body as when we make a noise by switching the air we hear a sound is made in the air The Definition of a sound asserts it to be a violent and sudden concussion for if you do concuss the air although pent between two hard bodies softly and retortedly it will make no sensible sound because the air gets out from between them by pressing gradually upon its adjacent parts without being pluft up or being kept in by them and so escapes making a noyse But when it is suddenly and violently pressed upon by one or two bodies it is forced to pluffe up because the adjacent air doth not give way fast enough The air being pluft up or concussed is continuated to the ear by reason that one part pluffes up another so the parts of air lying close in continuation one upon the other are soon pluft up continuated to the auditory air within the ears which it moves likewise with the same degree and property of pluffing as the degree of percussion was first made upon it by the property of the percutient How air is pluft up may easily be aprehended viz. by two bodies suddenly violently squeezing out the air which was between them by their sudden collision against one another For instance clap your hands hard together you may by the subtil feeling of your face perceive the air pluft up from between them Or else a pluffing may also be caused by a smart impulsion of the parts of air upon one another by a Stick Board or any other single continuous body The Reason of a sounds celerity and extent of motion to such an improportionable distance you may apprehend from the cause of the swiftness of the lights diffusion treated of in the foregoing Chapt. But withal mark that Light and diffusion of colours are by far swifter then sounds because a Flame being a most subtil and forcible body doth much swifter obtend the air besides the air doth rather accur in an obtension to prevent its disruption then recede whereas in making a sound the air is longer in being obtruded or pluft away from the percutients because it retrocedes and the force percussing doth not compass it circularly from all sides but adversly only Hence it is that at a distance we see a Hatchet driven into Wood long before we hear the sound of it or that we see Lightning before we hear the Thunder III. I remember it is an
ordinary doubt moved by the Peripateticks Through what medium a sound is deferred to the hearing Their solution is that a sound is really deferred through the air as through a medium but intentionally through the water This seems to partake of no small absurdity for many of them do assert that a sound is subjectively in the air if so then a sound would be said to be its own medium which is absurd for a medium is ever intended to be a different thing from that to which it is a medium Touching their Solution it is partly false in that they affirm a sound to be intentionally only deferred through the water But why more intentionally through the water then through the air I will first propose an Instance inferring water to be capable of receiving a Sound and then enquire further into the case Frogs croaking under the water make a Sound there which we hear above the water likewise we hear the Sound of a Pole hitting against a stone under water Certainly none will deny but that the Sound of these is really propagated by obtruding the air through its bursting upwards for we see the water plainly burst or pluffe upwards a little before we hear the noyse made by a Frog or Pole ergo the action of a Sound is real as well in or through the water as through the air Possibly they may grant me that the noyse made in the water is a real action but deny the noyse made in the air and propagated through the water to be real asserting it to be intentional only I prove it to be reall A great sound made in the air doth sensibly cause a streame in the water ergo its action is really continued upon the water But again a sound being made in the air its action is much obtused because of the improportion between water being very thick and air being very thin so that a great noise in the air will make but a little noise in the water and a little noise in the air will make no sensible noise in the water But were this audible quality in the water intentional then the least sound in the air would be perceptible in the water But the one is false ergo the other is false also That a great sound in the air is audible in the water yet but very obtusely is testified by duckers or divers under the water the same is seconded by Pliny in his natural history 10. b. 70. Chap. attributing hearing and tasting unto fishes and relating that fishes have been called together by a certain sound to take their food Gellius lib. 16. noct attic c. 19. doth also recite out of Herodotus that Arion being cast over-board by the Sea-men did through the harmonical sound of his Musick draw the Dolphins to him whereof one took him upon his back and carried him safe to a Harbor Supposing this to be but a story nevertheless the allusion of the famous Inventor witnesses that fishes can hear under the water IV. Certainly few will require any proof from me that a sound is a real concussion or pluffing of the ayr since there is no great sound but it shakes air houses and the earth too whereon we stand and that sometimes to a very great distance Some years past it hapned that the Magazine of Delf a Town in the Low-countries was blown up by an accidental fire sighted upon the gunpowder the great sound or Concussion of the ayr caused through this blast was extended to many miles insomuch that it was very perfectly perceived at Amsterdam The same blast forced open one of the windows of the Chamber where an Acquaintance of mine lay then at the Hague with that violence that its rebounding against the Wall broke most of the panes At Dunkirk the sound raised by blowing up of two or three barrels of Gunpowder killed a boy although at some distance from it which accident hapned because the Concussion or pluffing of the ayr was continuated with that force that it did in that manner violently concusse or rather disrupt the animal and vital spirits of the boys body which in a manner are as I said before a continuous ayr intermixt with some contiguities of fire and earth I have formerly told you That the propagation of ayr or any quality or effect inherent and impressed in and upon the ayr reaches no further than its continuity is extending and works only upon other continuous bodies The reason is because the same action is continued only upon bodies which are of the same nature and which receive that action in the same manner Wherefore ayr and water being both continuous and united in continuity do receive the effects acted upon their continuities alike and in the same manner that is to say as far as they are both continuous and the effects are acted upon their continuities in a like manner Saving that the tenuity of the one and crassitude of the other doth hinder or facilitate augment or diminish the said action thus continuated from one to the other Further as much as one is deprived from its continuity by having its body intermixt with contiguous indivisibles so much there is detracted from the intenseness of the act continuated unto it by another continuous body Thirdly as the various incidence of light doth alter the face of colours so doth the various continuation of other various bodies variously qualified in their continuity by having other contiguous bodies immixt in them alter the property of the sound continued in them Lastly since a sound is an effect impressed upon the continuity of the ayr nothing is more averse to it or drowns it sooner than a contiguous body By help of these Theorems you may now resolve the node of several difficulties touching sounds 1. Why doth earth or fire dead a sound more than water glass or paper or why is a sound propagable through water glass or paper and is quite deaded by earth in a manner that by how much earth or fire there is contained in a body by so much a sound is deaded by that body and by how much water or ayr there is contained in an intermediate body by so much a sound is propagated further The reason is because a propagated sound is nothing else but the vibration of ayr continuously continued upon a continuous body to which continuity contiguity is contrary I will explain it to you by a conquassation of water whereby it is concussed into streams these streams so concussed are propagated into other more remote streams but if you interpose a board near the centrical streams in will hinder the propagation of the same streams because it doth divide the continuity of water Even so it is with water glass and paper those being continuous do propagate the ayrs quality in as much as they are continuous But let us dive a little further into this and question whether the continuity of the thick waterish substance of glass and of
water be the cause of the propagation of this continuity in sounds or of the ayr admitted within the subtil invisible pores of glasse or of both I answer of both but of the one primarily and perse of the other secundarily and per accidens First I prove it is of the thick waterish parts for a great noise as perhaps of a Gun will bend the glass of a window which glass through its continuity again communicates the same impression to the adjacent ayr In little sounds the waterish part of a glass is not moved but the ayry parts contained within it which propagate the same motion into the next adjacent parts for it is improbable the motion of every small sound should move so solid a body as that of glass unless it were the ayr contained within its subtil porosities Likewise in water it self as it is now the sound which is propagated through it or from it is not alwaies the motion of water it self but of the ayr contained within the water for it is also improbable that every slight sound should be sufficient to move the weighty body of water Besides were it not through the ayr but through the water a sound could not be propagated in so short a space The reason why the sound caused by a soft percussion of the ayr upon one end of a long Beam or of a Mast is so readily heard by another applying his ear to the other end of it is because that sound is propagated by the percussed ayr slyding down along the Surface of the said Beam or Mast not because the sound is propagated through the internal continuity of the Beam or Mast for that were impossible for the sound to reach to the other end through so thick a body in so short a time or by so gentle a percussion But were the sound made by the force of a great Hammer it is not improbable but the sound would pass through the body of it The noise of a Troop of Horse marching over a plain hard sandy ground may be heard at a far distance because the sound is continuately propagated by the ayr impelled along the Surface of the earth there being no contiguous body interposed to dead its sound or interrupt its continuation for otherwise any length of grass or quantity of corn standing in the fields between the hearers and the horses would interrupt and dead the sound The same reason may be applyed to resolve one why a sound made in the ayr by one upon the water is heard from a further distance than if made upon the land because the earth being contiguous doth somewhat dead and interrupt the propagation of a sound but the water being continuous and smooth doth rather further it because it doth slide and reflect the sound from her and so makes it greater and swifter than otherwise it would be if propagated through the ayr alone Water attenuated by the ayr makes a real sound to those that are under water because it concusses the auditory ayr V. This plussing up of ayr in a sound is distinguisht from the obtension of it by light 1. In that in obtensions the ayr moves to the body obtending whereas in plussing the ayr moves from the percutient 2. A plussing is a more course action whereas the other is much more subtil for they are both motions almost of the same kind differing only in tenuity and crassitude Whence I infer That there is no other difference between the Optick and Auditory spirits or ayr than that the Optick ayr is by far subtiller the other more course both having Membranes to qualifie their Objects Hence let us examine whether it be possible for a man to see or discern a voice or sound with his eyes or to hear a colour A man who hath all his senses well qualified if he make trial of the query will bring in his verdict for the impossibility of it Wherefore let us propose the doubt in a more probable state to wit whether a man whose Optick spirits be thick and his Membranes thin and somewhat denser is capable of perceiving and discerning a voice or sound through his sight 2. Whether a man whose Auditory spirits are very thin and Membrane more thick and transparent than ordinary be capable of perceiving colours and light I affirm it and will make it appear to you by experience and reason I have oft been told that the Constable of Castile his brother could perfectly discern sounds and voices by his eyes How this came to pass I shall easily demonstrate by considering first the disposition of his ocular Membranes and Optick spirits The Membranes of his eyes were somewhat thin and course not overmuch transparent standing deep in his head Whence this hapned I do farther explain to you He was deaf in such a degree that the greatest Thunder could not be perceived by him when his Eyes were shut This deafness arose from a total coalition of his Auditory passage and want of a Tympanum The matter of this Tympanum was converted by the plastick vertue in his formation to the constitution of the membranes of his Eyes whence the said membranes appeared deadish course and skinny in short the Tympanum of his eare was in a manner transferred to his eyes His Optick spirits must then of a necessity be thicker or less thin than ordinary for to be proportionable to that membrane for all parts of the body are informated with spirits proportionable to their consistency and in effect their modus consistentiae is caused from the modus consistentiae spirituum fixorum His eyes stood deep in his head and so thereby framed a grove wherein the sound was congregated In fine his eyes were the greater half eyes and the less half eares That all this is agreeable his other acts did testifie because his sight was imperfect he could not see at a distance Objects unless they were great and lustrous could not be perfectly discerned by him on the other side his hearing through his eyes was by far more imperfect a moderate sound he did not perceive a loud sound or voice he was alone sensible of Since then he was capable of perceiving sounds through his eyes no wonder if he learned his speech from thence for speech is nothing else but an ecchoing of a voice spoken by another and perceived by spirits disposed to receive its impression by expressing the same impression again by the tongue in the same manner as it was impressed Now his speech being very imperfect and unequal did testifie that the voices perceived by his eyes were imperfect and unequal That it is possible for an Animal to see colours with its eares is evident in a Mole whose ears not being very deep but its Tympanum somewhat transparent is thereby disposed to distinguish light from darkness and one colour from another that it perceives colours and light is granted by all which it cannot do by its eyes for it hath none ergo it must
be by its ears alone which as I have shewed are disposed to seeing almost as well as to hearing But you may object That Authors do assign eyes to a Mole which are imagined by them to be in some places upon their heads where the skin seems somewhat thinner and glabrous I answer That this is a great mistake for were those places distinated for their eyes they would be pervious which they are not for underneath the common bone of their head is obducted Besides this of the Mole I have heard of men who could discern light by their ears Let us still proceed in searching further into the niceties of founds and colours and examine whether it be possible for an animal to perceive colours and sounds by its tact Certainly yes for if its Membranes be moderately thin and transparent and the spirits fixt in them be moderately course questionless it will see colours by its tact Flies Fleas Worms c. do perceive colours and light For Flies in the day time we see they fly to and rest themselves in a definite place without hitting against any opposite body beyond their aime Or again if one goes to catch a Flie the noise which the hand makes by concussing the air in moving to her scares the Flie and makes her slee away The first instance is an example of a flies perceiving colours objects and light which must needs be perceived by her tact since it hath no other visible eyes although lookt for in a magnifying glass The last testifies its perceiving of noise by the tact because it doth equally perceive it from all parts but had it ears it would perceive it more from one part than another The same is also apparent in Fleas Worms and other insects Fishes it is certain hear a sound under water but not by their ears for they have none but by their eyes which are almost equally disposed to hearing and seeing More then this I believe that colours and sounds are smelt and tasted by some Creatures VI. The reason why so many several kinds of objects are perceived by one faculty in some insects is because their bodies are so little that it is impossible secundum quid that nature should have destined distinct Organs for the perceiving of each object and therefore those several faculties are confounded into one The difference of sounds is taken from their quantity which is threefold Longitude Latitude and Profundity The Longitude of a sound is the duration of it The Latitude is its sharpness and smoothness The thickness is its Altitude and Profundity A sound is said to be long or short from its Longitude A long sound is a sound continued in length or in the same tone so holding your finger long upon the key of an Organ makes it to be long if you keep down the key but a little while it makes but a short sound The cause of a long sound is the keeping the air in the same concussion or pluffing Hence it is that as long as you keep your finger upon the key of a pair of Virginals the sound doth last because you keep the air up in one and the same concussion but as soon as you withdraw your finger the sound vanisheth presently after because the cloath which is fastned at the top of the Jack by touching the string doth stay its concussing motion by interrupting its continuity and by that means the ayr is quieted The same reason resolves why the sound of a Bell or of a Lute string is shortned or presently deaded as soon as you touch either with your finger Namely because the ayr of the Bell being vibrated by a concutient its propagation is shortned and deaded by dividing its continuity and staying the propagating sounding ayr through interposing a contiguous body whereby the ayr is relaxed and driven back The reason why sounding upon one side of a Drum the motion of that sound is prolonged to the other side is because the ayr is not stopt by any contiguous body but holding your finger upon either side the sound is forthwith shortned Why is the sound of an empty drinking Glass more prolonged than if it were filled up with water because the water being thicker and heavier is not so easily percussed as the ayr A sound is said to be smooth or harsh from its crassitude which depends upon the levor and asperity equality and inequality of the percutient and upon its smartness and softness in concussing From its profundity and Altitude a sound is termed base or course and trebble or high or equal and unequal thus they say la is high and fine ut course and base Sounds are termed equal if they are of the same profundity or altitude and so unisons are called equal all other intervals of sounds are called unequal as a Diapason Diapente a Diatesseron a third a sixt and a second c. Notwithstanding this inequality and rice there is between several tones from one to eight a concord observable which doth very much affect and please the ear the cause of it hath appeared to be very abstruse to many which in effect is obvious enough A Diapason strikes a sweet concord because that distance of tone doth affect the ear the ear is affected with it because sounds of that distance move it in such a manner as that the one sets off the other very much in the same manner as four sets off a sweet taste or as a white sets off a black or a Summers heat of the body is set off by coming between a pair of fine cool sheets or as the heat drought hapning when a man hath made himself hot and dry by running is much set oft by a draught of cool drink So that you may take notice that there 〈◊〉 extreme Concords belonging to every sense in particular not only so but you may also observe intermediate Concords between their Objects as a black Suit is well set off by a pair of Scarlet Hose and is pleasing to the eye this is a mediate concord between the extreams namely white and black as a Diapente is a middle concord to a Diapason A black Suit is a concord to a Pearl-colour Stockin so is a Diapason a Concord to a Diatessaron Moreover there are also Discords in Colours and Objects of other senses as well as in sounds As a Seventh is a discord to an Unison so is a pair of Brown Mill'd Hose to a black Suit or a pair of black Hose to a Grey Suit In fine you may perceive as many discords and concords between the objects of all the other Senses as between Sounds Hence I infer that the same Reason why a pair of black Hose is a Discord to a light Gray suit for most peoples fight is disaffected with such an opposition or why Vinegar is a Concord to Sugar for the Palat is as much affected with their Concord as the Hearing with a Concord of Sounds will prove satisfactory to the disquisition upon
which is the raising of a feeling It is moved by being diducted either by depression or weight or any other thick continuous diduction So that whatever is thin light or rare doth effuge the sense of the tact hence it is that the air thin vapours exhalations or spirits are not immediately felt That which doth gently stir quaver these tangent spirits is said to feel pleasing and delightful Hence it is that kissing seems to feel so pleasing to many because that hapning to a thin part being withal of an exquisite feeling where the spirits being gently stirred and quavered by the application of other lips doth cause a delightful feeling That this is so is testified by most who kiss for a delight in that they do at that instant of the application of lips feel a creeping quaking spirit in their lips The same delightful feeling happens also to a Dog applying his chops to a Bitches taile A soft object doth gently stir the tangent spirits of the extremities of the fingers and is perfectly pleasing and therefore many men love to handle and feel boys and girles cheeks That which doth so much diduct the tactile spirits as to divide and burst them doth subvert the tact and causes a pain As for the other differences of tangibles they are taken from the degree and property of raising feeling in tangibles so we say a thing feels heavy light hot cold moist dry fiery waterish earthy hard soft rough smooth c. the description of all which I do omit as having set them down above A gentle titillation is one of the delightful tangibles which gentleness if otherwise exceeding and inferring violence doth become painful as appears in the French scab or manginess Titillation sometimes insers violence not by dividing the tangent spirits through it self and immediately but by accident through gathering the spirits too much together through its light appulse to which they do accur in great quantity and oft do as it were thereby overstrain or overreatch themselves It seldom happens that ones proper feeling doth tickle any part of his body as his knee or palm of the hand But if another do gently touch it it tickles him the reason is because that which toucheth a part must be of a certain distant temperament from the part felt which is not in a mans own self but in every other man besides ones fansie adds much to it Natural Philosophy The SECOND PART The Second Book CHAP. I. Of the Commerce of the Earth with the other Elements 1. The Authors purpose touching his Method in the Preceding Book and a further Explication of some terms made use of there 2. That the Earth is the Center of the world Copernicus his Astronomy examined 3. The Earths Division into three Regions and their particular extent 4. What Bodies are generated in the third Region of the Earth and the manner of their Production That the Coldness of the Earth is the principal efficient of Stones and Metals How a Stone is generated in the Kidneyes and in the Bladder A rare Instance of a Stone takenout of the Bladder The generation of a Flint Marble Jaspis Cornelian Diamond Ruby Gold Copper Iron Mercury Silver The places of Mines 5. Of the transmutation of Metals Whether Silver be transmutable into Gold Whether Gold may be rendered potable The Effects of the supposed Aurum potabile and what it is 6. Of earthy saltish Juices The Generation of Common Salt Salt-Gemme Saltpeter Allom Salt-Armoniack and Vitriol and of their kinds 7. Of earthy unctious Juices viz. Sulphur Arsenick Amber Naptha Peteroyl Asphaltos Oyl of Earth Sea-coal and Jeatstone of their kinds and vertues 8. Of the mean Juyces of the Earth viz. Mercury Antimony Marcasita Cobaltum Chalcitis Misy and Sory Whether any of these mean Juices are to be stated Principles of Metals I. HItherto I have discoursed of the Elements their Production Forms Second and Third Single and Mixt Qualities with intention to have declared their Dissolution from the Chaos and separation from one another and therefore I did only mention so much touching their nature as might suffice to discover the reason and causes of their effects produced by them through their dissolution At that time and place I thought it unseasonable to demonstrate the causes of their only apparent contrary motions and effects whereby they return to one another and exercise a mutual commerce between each other and seem but really do not to change into one anothers Nature all which together with the particular relation of each Element as they are consisting at present of local motion in general and in particular of Attraction and Repuision and of Meteors I shall endeavour to propose to you by a sensible Demonstration Why I judged it unseasonable to treat of these Particulars above was because I would not oppress your Phansie with seeming contrary Notions but really agreeing to a hair and so might have endangered the Conception and Retention of the precedent ones which now I may with more safety attempt supposing you to have weighed the Reasons and to have narrowly searcht into their meaning Neither shall I repeat any thing of what hath been set down already but proceed where I left off only since now I may with security discover my meaning of these Expressions of moving from the Center to the Circumference and to the Center from the Circumference both which I have hitherto made use of for to perduce you to a true apprehension of the Chaos and its dissolution By moving from the Center to the Circumference was not intended a deserting of the proper Center of those Elements that were said so to move but 1. To move so from their Center as to tend and be diffused thence to the Circumference into the greatest tenuity or rarity but not to desert their proper Center for then they could not move at all because all motions are peracted upon an immoveable which must be a Center 2. To move from the circumference to the center is not to desert the circumference be reduced by penetration into a central point as Mathematicians do imagine but to be contracted to a Center from a circumference for to gain the greatest dense weight or weighty crassitude like others are diffused for to gain the greatest rarity or tenuity and that naturally for density or crassitude cannot be attained by any other manner then by a contraction to a Center and rarity and tenuity but by a diffusion from a Center 3. Intending by moving from a Center to a Circumference to signifie a tendency to the greatest contiguous rarity or continuous levity I do not exclude but that such light Elements in a confusion with opposite Elements as it happened in the Chaos may also tend from a Center of Magnitude because they are expelled by the overpowering weighty Elements expelling them from their Center and so in this signification I have sometimes intended by moving from the Center a deserting of the Center
so improportionable a measure that they cannot be thought to impel the earth to the least local motion Moreover earth is of so heavy a body that it is rendered altogether incapable of circular local motion otherwise were the Mass of earth so prone to such a swift circular motion certainly its parts as terrestrial mixt bodies would retain the same inclination to the same motion which we find to be contrary According to the Perip this supposition all light bodies ordinarily so called must be said to be heavy and all heavy bodies light for bodies by them are counted heavy which move downward that is towards the center ergo fire must be said to be heavy earth light because the one moves upwards to its supposed universal center the other from it But this is absurd Can a point move through so vast or almost immense a Region and with that velocity In all other Natural things we find that a Point of any Element hath no force or proportion to move through a span of another Element although that point be supposed to be detained violently Take a particle of Earth which is no point and let it fall out of your hand it will hardly move down to the earth or if it doth it is so slow that is hardly perceptible but much less would a point move If then the earth be but as a point to so immense a Region it cannot be supposed to move Possible you do reply that it is impelled by an extrinsick movent Suppose I granted it its motion being violent could not be durable besides the proportion of a point is insinitely too little for to receive such a most swift impulse which through its littleness it would doubtless effuge Were the Earth a Planet or Star it is supposed it should cast a light which is repugnant to its Nature through which as I have shewed before she is rendered dark and is the cause of all darkness Were this absurdity admitted all our knowledge which hitherto wise men have so laboured to accomplish would be in vain for as I said before earth and earthy bodies must be light fire and fiery bodies must be heavy and enjoy their rest water and waterish bodies must be likewise heavy the air and ayry bodies must be weighty and enjoy their rest for if the earth moves it is certainly moved through the air the which according to that supposition must be immoveable because all moveables omne mobile sit super immobili are moved upon an immoveable Subject All dark colours must be supposed light all Astronomical appearances shadows sounds tasts Sents and all mixt bodies must then be understood to be contrary to what really they are Scripture is likewise plain against it Job 26. 7. Psal. 24. 2. For he hath founded it namely the earth upon the Seas and est ablisht it upon the flouds Job 38. 6. Whereupon are the foundations there of to wit of the Earth fastened or who laid the corner stone thereof Psal. 104. 5. Who laid the foundations of the Earth that it should not be moved for ever What need there more words to consute so absurd an Opinion But to return to my Proposition That the Earth must necessarily be the Center of the world I proved it above where I did defer the reason of its rest to this place The earth of all the elements doth alone enjoy her rest because she alone doth possess a Center whereby she enjoyes her own natural internal motion but suppose another element to possess the place of her center the Earth to cover it immediately then doubtless the Earth would continue in external motion because its parts are violently detained from a center press upon that body which doth oppose it by keeping her out of her place until she had removed it which being removed it could not be thought to be longer in external local motion since she had recovered her natural place unless we should absurdly imagine that one part should move against the other for to gain a penetration of bodies If then N. Copern D. Origan and others who strive to maintain the threefold motion of the earth viz. of inclination and declination its dayly and yearly motion had discovered that the earth were violently detained by some other Element or body then they might have thence demonstrated a motion but then this motion could have been no other than the motion of water is about the earth whereby the earth would have moved about its detaining body which if it had it would have been immoveable nevertheless as to its external place only it would have turned about and have made several appearances of faces or spots in brief it would have had the same motion which Copernicus adscribed to the Sun Hence it is more than apparent that the earth is the Center of the world and doth enjoy her rest The reason of its rest is so demonstrative that no rational body can deny it I proceed III. The earth may commodiously be divided into three regions differing from one another in purity of body weight density c. The first Region I call the central region because it extends nearest about the Cencer It s Periphery is about 120. degrees its Diameter is 38 â— â— This Region consists of most pure earth and most freed from the peregrin Elements wherefore its weight and density is the weightiest and most dense It contains no mixt bodies within it self because it is so remote that the peregrin Elements cannot move thither besides that smallest proportion of peregrin Elements which may happily be supposed to be detained in the central region is so much depressed and firmely detained by the weight of the earth that it is impossible it should come to any head to constitute a mixt body It s colour must be conceived to be a pure fundamental black The second or the middle region contains in its circumference 240 degrees its Latitude is 191 9 degr This region is less weighty and dense than the central as being accompanied with a greater proportion of extraneous Elements It harbours some mixt bodies as imperfect stones but no Metals The reason of this assertion is drawn from the proportion of the Elements which there are not enough in quantity to constitute the body of metals or perfect stones besides we cannot imagine that the earth should contain any hollownesses in the second region which are requisite as I shall shew by and by for the generation of perfect stones and metals IV. The third region of the earth comprehends in its circuit 360 degrees in its Latitude not its compleat diameter 191 9. This last or extreme region consists of most that is more than the two former regions extraneous Elements because it is situated nearer to the proper regions of the said extraneous Elements which do violently strive to enter her body as you shall read anon whereby and through which the earth especially near to her surface is
lye towards the North Pole of the Heavens or of the Earth because it tends downwards withall Poles are vulgarly described to be the two extremities of an axis axeltree about which a Globe or Wheel moves round If so then properly a Loadstone cannot be said to have either Axis or Poles because according to the vulgar opinion it doth not move round Wherefore the former denomination is improperly attributed to it viz. the extreme central point of its tendency towards the Arctick Pole is termed the North Pole of the stone and the opposite extremity is called the South Pole of it Next remember out of the Ch. of Coct that all bodies in their decoction do run off their temperament through streams or small mixtures of the Elements gradually deserting the decocting bodies and taking their egress or fuming through their pores These pores tend most from the transcurrent Axis towards the North. That its pores tend most towards the North is evident by its intrinsick parts within as you may see when it is cut through running variously intorted towards the North in streaks these streaks are distinguisht from one another through interjacent porosities otherwise they would be continuously one That the Loadstone emits fumes is testified from its looseness and inequality of mixture For all parts as I have shewed before that are unequally mixt suffer a discontinuation of their mixture because one Element being predominant and having its force united through the said unequal mixture must needs make way for its effumation and afterwards break through by egressing fumes but such is the Loadstone Ergo. 2. That these fumes or effluvia do effumate through their Northerly pores the experiment it self doth confirm to us For we see that they attract Steel most at the North side besides they usually rub the cross wires of Sea-Compasses at the North side as being most effumous there Thus much for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now for the manner of its attraction and here it is disputed whether the Loadstone attracts Iron or Iron the Loadstone Hereunto I answer That neither the Loadstone doth properly attract Iron or Iron it However since Iron is moved toward the Loadstone but accidentally by means of his effluvia or steames therefore the Loadstone is said to draw Iron to it 2. Iron doth improperly move it self to the Loadstone being incited to the same motion through the steames of the Loadstone entring through its pores into its substance The streams of the Loadstone are through their particular form and external shape or figure fitted to enter into the pores of Iron which are in like manner fitted to receive the streams of the Loadstone they being admitted do reserate the substance of Iron or through their specifick penetrability do free the volatil parts of that Iron from the fixt ones whence they do immediately through their fiery principle dilate and diffuse themselves towards that part of the Circumference where they feel the continual effumations of the Loadstone yet more to unite them which reeking out and being further diducted by a continuation of succeeding parts do draw the course parts along with it as being still continuatly united to them Or plainer the said fumes of the Loadstone having entered the pores of Iron do immediately loosen the spirits of the Iron which being dilated and united to the fumes of the Loadstone must needs covet a greater place the want of which causeth them both to spout out at those holes which are most patent which must necessarily be those through which the Magnetical fumes entered This sudden spouting out must cause an attraction of the Iron because the extrinsick air doth suddenly enter its pores on the opposite side for to recover a place within the Iron which it had lost without by being driven back out of its place by the prorupting fumes This sudden irruption of the air on the opposite side drives the Iron forwards to that place whence it was first repelled This you will the better understand if you compare it with our discourse set down in the Chapter of Local motion and of a Vacuum These steams of the Iron do effumate through all the pores where the vertue of the Loadstone hath touched it especially at the Center of opposition to the stone whence they breaking out in great quantity do draw the body of Iron directly towards the Loadstone But if the objected Iron be defended by being besmeared with Oil or any other greasie substance or by being dipt into water it puts by and obtuses the Fumes of Loadstone That the Loadstone doth effuse Fumes from it is further made known to us 1. Through its inequality of mixture and looseness of Substance as I hinted before 2. Either it must act that is attract at a distance or else operate through steams it cannot at a distance that being only proper to supernatural Agents and denied to all natural ones ergo the last 3. If you burn it it will cast a visible blew sulphurecus smoaky Flame 4. It is not the Iron doth primarily effuse steams towards the Loadstone because it is more compact and less exhalable Hence Scaliger might now have resolved his Doubt whether the Loadstone drew Iron or Iron it Why these Fumes do exhale most towards the North we have told you already Do not let it seem strange to you that the emanations of this stone should reserate the mixture and Temperament of Iron it being common to many other bodies although Authors are not pleased to take notice of it The fumes of Mercury do open the body of Gold The heat of the Sun opens the body of water and attracts Vapours thence Amber through its Emissives attracts Dust Paper c. But of these elsewhere Why the stone moves steel variously according to its diverse position happens through the variety and obliquity of its Pores variously and obliquely directing its steames and variously withal entring the Pores of the objected Steel V. The Reason of the second Property is because two Loadstones being alike in mixture of body and in Effumations cannot act upon one another for all actions are upon Contraries But in case the one be more concocted then the other and in some wise dissembling in their mixtures then doubtless the one will act upon the other and the more concocted will attract the less The cause of the third is that the Emanations of the Loadstone being appelled and harboured in an extraneous body as that of Steel do with more ease and in greater smoakes as I have said before exhale out of it and consequently attract Iron stronger and work with a greater Bent towards the Northern Pole Besides steel collects all the egressing steames of the stone which being concentrated in the body of the said steel and consequently received in greater quantity must prove more forcible The solution of the fourth is containned in the first The Reason of the fifth is
because steel is purified from its grosser parts which did before somewhat hinder the ingress of the Influence of the Loadstone and cohibite the Effluvia of the affected body Sixthly It attracts Copper or Brass because of the likeness of its Pores and mixture to Iron whence it doth aptly receive the Energy of the Loadstone The Reason of the Seventh may be drawn from the Third 8. The Magnete happens to lose its strength through Rust because its decoction is thereby stayed and its temperament subverted Moysture and its being exposed to the air do lessen its vertue because the latter doth so much disperse its emanations and accelerate its decoction the former dissolves its temperament Spices weaken its attraction because through their heat they disperse and discontinuate the emanating spirits the like may be said of the juyce of Garlick and Onions Mercury doth also destroy the temperament of the stone It s vertue happens at last to relinquish it through the natural course of Decoction The Reason of the Eighth is because the emanations do in that position easily joyn together slowing in like course and figure from their bodies Many more Conclusions might be deduced from the Experiments of the Loadstone whose solution may easily be stated from what hath been already proposed VI. It s Nautical Vertue is the great wonder of Nature to all Naturalists to whom the Cause is no less stupendious This Property is whereby one part of the stone moveth towards the South the other to the North. Bodintu Lib. 2. Theat Nat. proposeth an Experiment relating to this Property somewhat different to what others have observed An Iron Needle saith he being gently rubbed against that part of the Magnete where it lookt towards the North whill◠it stuck to the Rock and placed in a Balance doth place that extremity which was rubbed against the stone towards the North. The same vertue it exerciseth towards the South if the Needle be rubbed against the South part of the Loadstone Neither is the strength of the Magnete less in its Eastern and Western part although the stone cannot turn it self towards the Regions of the world yet the Iron Needle can What we have said cannot be understood unless it be experimented for if you lay a piece of the Magnete upon a Board swimming in the water and lay that side of the Magnete which looked towards the South before it was removed out of its natural Seat against the side of another Loadstone which before it was cut out lookt likewise towards the South then will the swimming stone flee to the other side of the Vessel in the water If you should turn the North part of the Magnete to the South part of the other Magnete swimming in the water the swimming part would suddenly come near and through a wonderful consent be both joyned to one another although the wood of the Vessel be between The same will also happen if you put an Iron Needle into a Glass full of water being run through a piece of a Reed and hold a piece of a Magnete in your other hand one side of the Magnete will attract the Needle the other will repel it Thus far Bodinus The last Property of attraction doth not appertain to this place the cause of which may nevertheless be made clear to you by what is foregoing The former touching its Vergency is observable if it be true but I doubt he hath not made tryal of it Besides none else do make mention of it which were it real they would not omit the Observation That which may next be disputed upon is whether the Loadstone turns to the South or North Pole of the earth or to the said Poles of the Heavens or to neither In the first place I wonder what they intend by a North and South Pole of the Earth Those that agree to Copernicus hold that they are the extream points of the Axeltree whereon the Earth doth move Others who deny Earth a motion affirm them to be those points of the Earth that are responding to the Poles of the Heavens that is which do lie perpendicularly or diametrically under the said Poles The former Opinion states the Poles of the Earth different from those of the Heavens Among the latter some have consented to believe the Poles of the Earth to be where the extremities of the Compass-Needles do diametrically point to the arctick and antarctick Poles that is where the length of the Needle is according to a right Line coincident with the imaginary axletree of the Poles of the world The onely place of coincidence is concluded to be near the tenth degree beyond the Fortunate Islands but that is false since the same coincidence is also observed in other places from whence for that reason most do continue their mensuration of the Earths Longitude But grant the Poles of the Earth be at the points forementioned why shall we apprehend the Loadstone rather to move towards the Poles of the Earth then of the Heavens What the Earth say they attracts the points of the Loadstone to her Poles An Absurdity why should not the Earth through the same principle of attraction draw other terrestrial bodies to it or what is it they intend by a principle of attraction I had thought that among the wandering Philosophers nothing but Fire and Air had been attractive Moreover did the Magnete alwaies incline towards the Poles of the Earth then it must be exempted from all deviation which it is not for in divers Meridians it hath divers respects to the Poles of the World and consequently to those of the Earth In Nova Zembla it deflects 17 degrees towards the East In Norway 16. About Neurenburgh 10. So in the Southwest Climates its deviation is no less various Wherefore after all this we must be constrained to assert the Magnete not to incline directly either to the South or North Pole of the Heavens or of the Earth although as I said before its Vergency is towards the North and South The points of the Magnets Vergency are directly tending to the Poles of the Air That is The Poles of the Loadstone are directly coincident with those of the Air. You see its Poles are primarily neither perpendicular to those of the Heavens or of the Earth Ergo its Poles do appropriate a particular situation But before I prove their seat it will not be improper to prefer the probation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Poles The emanations of the Loadstone move circularly ergo they must have real Poles or immoveable points for a Body is uncapable of a circular motion in all its parts A real Axis is no less necessary It being impossible to conceive two extream immoveable points in a globous body without being fastned or continuated to other fixt points which must likewise remain void of the same circular motion and so on from one extream point to the opposite extream point That the steames of the said stone affect a
circular motion is evident in that the continuous effluvia of all bodies convert themselves into a like motion Doth not the thick smoak of Coales of Gunpowder of Boyling water in fine of all things in the World turn themselves round in the open air What is it you can cast up into the air but it will incline to a circular motion Do not those little Atoms that are seen by us in the Rayes of the shining Sun the same which some Author is pleased to term light it self probably because the Sun through its reflection and refraction upon them engrosses its light so as to render them to be light glistering bodies to the eye make choice of a turning and winding motion Which if so what reason is there to move us to detract the said motion from the continuous steames of the Heraclian stone Authors I remember as Gilbert Cabeus Kircher and others are accustomed to pronounce the Loadstone to contain a collection of all the properties of the Earth in her and reciprocally the Earth to partake of the qualifications of the Loadstone but without reason Nevertheless I may justly set down that the Loadstone is enricht with all the dignities and vertues of Fire and Air For as Fire and Air attract move circularly are diffused to the periphery even so doth this stone Here we may equally imagine Poles Axis Polar Circles AEquator Meridian Horizon a common and proper motion c. VII I shall begin with its Poles whose Axis in most places interfects the Axis of the fiery Heavens into oblique angles which in some Climates happen to be more or less obtuse or acute except that about the tenth degree beyond the Fortunate Islands and in some few other Meridians its Axis and Poles are coincident with those of the Firmament The stone may be justly compared to a Planet which as it doth in some stations of the Heaven seem to be eccentrical in others concentrical so this may be termed eccentrick or concentrick or rather conpolar and expolar It s greatest expolarity or declination from the Poles of the Firmament is by Mariners deprehended to be extended to seventeen degrees Dr. Gilbert makes them up 23. that is within 30 min. equal to the greatest declination of the Poles of the Zodiack but he omits the proof It s Center is the body of the stone about which the steames move round like the Wings of a Mill do rowl about their Axeltree It s polar circles may be conceived to be those that describe the distance of the Poles of the stone from those of the Firmament and of the Air. The AEquator is the middle circle imagined to divide the Orbe of the steams into two equal parts viz. of North and South It acquires a new Meridian in as many places as its Poles vary in their declination or ascension It s Horizon is the Circle equally dividing its upper Hemisphaere from the lower Next we will propose certain Theoremes of the Compass Needle 1. The Mariners Needle if gently rubbed against the Magnete throughout its length and especially about both the points doth imitate the nature of it particularly of attraction and of inclining towards the North and South 2. If the Needle be touched throughout its whole length it doth tend Northwards and Southwards with more force than if only rubbed at one end or point 3. The Needle being only touched at the South end will only in the Meridional plage incline towards the South and if at the North point it inclineth to the North in the Septentrional parts 4. The Needle being rubbed about the middle doth incline towards the North and South although very weakly and slowly IX These Theorems together with the foregoing ones we shall instantly endeavour to demonstrate You must observe that the motion of the emanating fumes of the Magnete is from East to West and from West to East and consequently its Poles or immoveable points must be North and South as you may more plainly understand by this Scheme where a is mark for the South Pole of the streames and b for the North γ for East and δ for the West That the Magnete moves circularly in the manner aforesaid is evidenced by its circular attraction for small pieces of Steel being placed about it are all obliquely attracted and forced to it and not directly which is an undoubted sign of the stones circular motion 2. These Effluvia issuing forth in great fumes are through a superabundance protruded into small bodies of steames which through an overforcing impulse of the air do as it were reverberate move back again but circularly towards the stone like as we see thick smoaks do in a Chimney still reserving their naturall motion from East to West Wherefore it is through their circular motion that Steel is impelled to them obliquely and through their reverberating impulse it is forced directly to the body of the Loadstone Likewise the extreme part of the Compass Needle being impregnated with the steames of the Magnete which in the foresaid manner affecting a circular motion from East to West make choice of the extreme point of the Needle N for one of its Poles viz. its North Pole which necessarily must remain immoveable and look towards the North supposing its motion to be from East to West But if those steames were rowled from South to North as Cartesius imagined then the Needle would constantly be shaken by a motion tending upwards and downwards which it is not To the contrary we see that the said Needle is very inclinable to move Eastward and Westward if but lightly toucht because of the steams moving from East to West and from VVest to East for the motion of the Needle excited by a conquassation moves circularly in raising it self and moving towards the East and thence depressing it self and returning to the VVest 3. How can it be rationally conceived that these steames should rowl from South to North since they cannot move the Needle that waies it being fastned at the middle 4. Hence you may be resolved why the Needle being only toucht at one extremity doth tend Northwards with a greater force because its rowling requiring a freedom of circulating Eastward and Westward fixes the point Northerly as being one of its Poles Besides this motion obversing about its extremity urgeth a greater force upon the whole Needle because there it and all other bodies viz. at the extremity are the weakest and least potent to resist Likewise the same Needle being affricted at its Southerly part in Southern Regions Verges to the South because of the Southern Pole of the air as that of the North point to the North in Northerly Countries because of its imitating the North Pole of the air But if touched about the middle its Vergency is the same although with less force because the weight of the Needle doth most resist the impulse of the Magnetical effluvia at its centrical parts Next for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit
a Porringer Poole or Lake striving no longer for a Center for it enjoyes one there doth not move downwards of it self or is thence circularly reflected as water is when it is deprived from its Center wherefore that motion downwards which is in the water in a Porringer Lake or Pool is not caused intrinsecally through a bent for a center but by an extrinsick impulse of the air striving downwards for it center and meeting with thick water which it cannot easily pass it bends and forceth the stronger upon it that so it may give way But the air in a Compass box is still detained from its center especially by the intercurrent emanations of the Needle about whose extremity both air and Magnetical steames move circularly together as upon one of the Poles More than all this the air within the Box is still continuated to the whole tract of the air whereby it is assisted and furthered in its circular motion Whereas water is discontinuated from its intire body But you may instance That the Box together with the glass atop doth interrupt the continuation of the air within the Compass from its Elementary body without or if that did not certainly the whole Compass Box being thrust deep under water would and nevertheless the Needle would point South and North. I answer That a thousand glasses or boxes would scarce be sufficient to hinder the communication of the air since they are all pervious Yet I cannot but grant that the water may which if it doth it doth only diminish the strength of the Needles Vergency but doth not quite abolish it unless the air within begins to be incrassated by water entring in vapours and then its circular motion and consequently the Needles Vergency is quite lost and abolished Wherefore I conclude That the air in the Box although under water doth continue in a circular motion because of its detention from a center untill it is incrassated by water XII But before I come too near to the conclusion of this Chapter let me take the leasure to balance what Cartesius sets down upon this matter After the enumeration of the properties of the Magnete he observes that there are striated particles that are sent down from the South part of Heaven and bowed quite into another kind of shape different from those that rain down from the North whence it is that the one cannot enter into those Channels and passages which the other can He further observes that the South particles do pass directly from their seat through the midst of the earth and when passed return back again with the air that is cast about the earth because the passages through which they pass are such that they cannot return back again through the same The like is to be understood of those particles that press through the earth from the North. In the mean time as many new parts as there do alwaies come on from the South and North part of the Heavens so many there do return or fall back through the East and West parts of the Heavens or else are dispersed in their journey and lose their Figures not in passing the middle Region of the earth because there their passages are made fit for them through which they flow very swiftly without any hinderance but in returning through the air water and other bodies of the outward earth wherein they find no such passages they are moved with much more difficulty and do constantly meet with particles of the second and third Element by which they labouring to expel them are sometimes diminisht Now in case these striated particles hit against the Loadstone lying in its natural position then they find a clear passage and go through because he saith a Loadstone is pervious in the same manner as the earth is and therefore calleth the Earth also a Magnete The Poles of the Loadstone he states to be the middle points of its passages on both ends That which is the middle point between those passages that are disposed to receive the particles descending from the North part of the Heavens is the North Pole and its opposite point is the South Pole But when the striated particles that come from the Poles of the Earth hit against the passages of the Magnete lying athwart then they do by that force which they have of persevering in their motion according to right Lines impell it untill they have reduced it to its natural position and so they effect that its South Pole provided it be not detained by any external force turns towards the North Pole of the Earth and its North Pole towards the South Pole of the Earth Because those particles that tend from the North Pole of the Earth through the air to the South came first from the South part of the Heavens through the midst of the earth and the others that return to the North came from the North. Here you have the chief of the forementioned Authors fansie upon the demonstration of the properties of the Loadstone In the first place how can any one probably conceive that there are striated parts sent down from Heaven for consider the immense distance which he agrees to the interposition of thick clouds filled up with dense exhalations and the continuous depth of the air Is not the air potent enough to dissolve all bodies contained within its bowels doth it not dissolve the thick frozen clouds into snow hail and thick rain Doth it not dissolve the coagulated exhalations of the earth that are so tenacious Much more those striated parts which he himself confesses are dissipated at their return through the force of the ambient air that in so short a time passage Why should these striated particles descend more from the polar Regions of the Heavens than from the East and West parts Are not the Poles of the Heavens immoveable of the least efficacy Are not those parts of the Firmament alwaies discerned to be clearest and most freed from obscure bodies Is not the North and South air so much condensed and congealed that it is impossible for it to give passage to such subtil bodies as the pores of the Magnet do require I say impossible to subtil bodies because they need force to press through and so much the more because they are discontinuated But had our Author asserted them to rain down from the East and West parts where the air is thinnest and less nebulous and where the Coelestial bodies exercise their greatest influences it would have deserved a freer reception but then his Chimera would have been rendred monstrous and unfit to explain the reasons of the Magnetical vertues The south streaks saith he are intorted in a form different from those of the North whence had he that news what Because one Pole of the Magnete inclineth to the North and the other to the South therefore these streaks must needs be sent down from the North and South Is this a Mathematical Demonstration to conclude
substantia agens acting substance which if so then an accident is not really distinguisht from a substance and a substance must be conceived to act immediately through her self Aristotle lib. de respir. describes life to be the permansion or abiding of the vegetable foul with the heat From which that of Scaliger exercit 202. sect 5. is little different Life is the union of the soul with the body Here the Philosopher appears only to describe life to be a duration which is but an accident neither doth Scaliger's union signifie any thing more 2. They distinguish the soul really from the heat and body which in the same sense are identificated The matter and form of life of a living substance or a Plant are originally the matter and form of the Elements That the matter of living substances is Elementary there are few or none among the wandring Philosophers but will assert it with me yet as for their form their great Master hath obliged them to deny it to be Elementary and to state it to be of no baser a rice than Coelestial Give me leave here to make inquiry what it is they imply for a form Is it the vegetable soul which Aristotle makes mention of in his definition of life Or is it the soul together with the heat wherein it is detained which is accounted of an extract equally noble with her Be it how it will the soul is really distinguisht by them from the matter and from the Celestial heat here they take heat in a sense common with Physicians for Calidum innatum that is heat residing it the radical moisture its subject and acknowledged for a form So likewise the heat Calidum innatum is diversified from the matter and from the soul wherefore it is neither matter or form What then Their confession owns it to be a body Celestial and therefore no Elementary matter Were I tied to defend their tenents I should answer that there was a twofold matter to be conceived in every living body the one Celestial and the other Elementary But then again one might justly reply That beings are not to be multiplied beyond necessity They do answer for themselves That it is to be imagined a tye vinculum whereby the soul is tied to the body So then according to this Doctrine of theirs I should understand the vegetable soul to be immaterial and of the same nature in respect to its rice and immortality with the rational soul for even that is in like manner tied to the body by means of the Calidum innatum and are both apprehended by Aristotle to be Celestial of no mixt body and really differing from their matter If so the vegetable soul must be received for immortal as being subject to no corruption or dissolution because it is Celestial and consequently a single Essence without any composition and to which no sublunary agent can be contrary But again how can it be a single essence since it is divisible and therefore consisteth of a quantitative extension and is a totum integrale Such is their Philosophy full of contradictions and errours In the next place I would willingly know how this innate heat together with its primogenial moisture may properly be termed Celestial since it is not freed from corruption and dissolution whereas all Celestial bodies are exempted from dissolution and therefore the Philosopher takes them for eternal Are not coldness and dryness as much necessary per se for life as heat and moisture Are heat and moisture sole agents without coldness or dryness or are fire and water sufficient principles for actuating life In no wise for as you have read they are uncapable of existing in one subject unless accompanied by air and earth II. Wherefore I say That the form of life is spirits or subtilities of the Elements united in mixtion and a just temperament Spirits are derived from the word spiro I breathe as being bodies no less subtil than a breath Their constitution is out of the best concocted temperated and nearest united parts of the Elements in which parts the Elements embracing one another so arctly minutely and intimately do of a necessity separate themselves from the courser parts of the mixture and so become moveable through the said course parts they acquire withal a great force through the predominancy of fire condensed by earthy minim's and glued together by incrassated air The force and agility in motion of the influent Spirits depends upon the compression of the weighty parts of the body depressing the said spirits out of their places because they hinder the weighty parts from their center which being through their incrassated air naturally gendred glib and slippery do the easier yield to slip out and in from one place to another The efficient of spirits is the universal external heat viz. The Celestial heat mainly proceeding from the greater mixt bodies contained within the heavens For although the peregrin Element's contained within the earth are capable enough of uniting themselves and constituting a mixt body through their proper form yet they remain unable of uniting themselves so arctly as thereby to become spiritous and constitute a living substance wherefore they do stand in need of the external efficiency of the Celestial bodies which through their subtil heat do accelerate their most intimate union in uniting the internal heat before dispersed through the parts of a body to a center whereunto they could not reach without the arct and firm adherence of some incrassated aerial and terrestrial parts which here are yet more closely united into one and refined from their grosser parts Hence it is that Vegetables are no where generated but where a sufficient influence may arrive from the Celestial bodies and for this reason the earth at a certain depth doth not harbour any living Creature as any Vermine or Plants but only near to its Surface The qualification or gradual distinction of this heat partially effects the difference of living bodies for to such a Vegetable only such a degree and qualification of Celestial heat is requisite and to another another and withal observe that this efficient heat doth not become formal neither doth it unite it self to the intrinsick heat of a Plant but exhales after the execution of its office The reason is because it is in many particulars unlike to the internal spirit of a Vegetable and therefore being unfit to be united to it must consequently after the performance of its function expire The spirits predominating in fire reside in an incrassated air the which being continuated throughout the whole matter is the immediate subject whereby the spirits are likewise extended throughout the same body and are although mediately rendred continuous III. The properties of a vegetative form are to be moveable forcible actually warm mollifying attractive recentive concocting expulsive nutritive accretive and plastick The two former I have touched just before Touching the third I say those spirits are actually warm but not sensible to our
moisture as may force them through their intumescence to raise a womb where they meet where being arrived they are immediately cherished and further actuated united and condensed by the close and cold temperature of the womb This actuation conceives a flame because through it the fire happens to be united and thence dilated by the incrassated air whose immediate effect is a flame now being come to a flame they attract nutriment out from their matrix in the same manner as was set down before The spiritous parts of this advening nutriment is united to the central parts of the flame which it doth increase it s other parts that are more humorous and less defecated are concreased by the lesser heat of the extreme parts or a heat lessened through the greater force of the extrinsick cold That which is worthy of inquiry here is Why the heat or vital flame strives to maintain the central parts moreover this seems to thwart what I have inserted before viz. That it is the nature of fire to be diffused from the center 2. Whence it is occasioned that the weighty parts as the dense and humoral ones are expelled to the Circumference For solution of the first you are to call to mind that the Elements in that stare wherein they are at present do war one against the other for the Center which if each did possess this motion would cease in them the fire then being now in possession of the Center contracts it self and strives to maintain its place nevertheless it doth not forbear diffusing its parts circularly to the circumference because through its natural rarity it is obliged to extend it self to a certain sphere The reason of the second is Because the igneous and ayry parts being united into a flame and into a greater force do over-power the other Elements and impell them to the Periphery where they being strengthned by the ambient coldness of the Matrix are stayed and do concrease into a thick skin by this also the internal flame is prevented from dissipating its life and the better fitted to elaborate its design which is to work it self into shapes of small bodies of several Figures and of various Properties and in those shapes to diffuse each within a proportion of other Elements likewise variously tempered And so you have in brief a perfect delineation of the Earths conception and formation of Seeds whose spirits being now beset with thick dense parts are catochizated that is the flame is maintained in such a posture which it had when it had just accomplisht the plasis of the internal organical parts or in some the flame may be extinguisht through the near oppression by heavy parts which afterwards being stirred and fortified by an extrinsick heat relaxing its parts returns to a flame Whence it happens that seeds may be kept several months yea years without protruding their parts but being committed to the ground especially where the mild heat of the heavens doth penetrate perfused also with a moderate moysture do soon after come to a germination The same may be effected by any other mild heat like we see that many seeds are perduced to a growth before the spring of the year in warm chests or in dunged ground Eggs are frequently harched by the heat of an Athanor or by being placed between two Cushions stuft with hot dungs Silk-worms Eggs are likewise brought to life by childrens heat being carried for two or three weeks between their shirts and wascoats all which instances testifie that the heat of the Sun is no more then Elementary since other Elementary heats agree with it in its noblest efficience which is of actuating and exciting life within the genitures of living bodies possibly it may somewhat exceed them as being more universal equal less opposed and consequently more vigorous and subtil The time when the Earth is most marked with Matrices is in the Spring and Fall because the astral heat is then so tempered that it doth gently attract great quantity of exhalations and humours neither is it long after before they conceive the influences of the Stars being then pregnant in subtilizing and raising seminal matter The cause of the variety of Seeds and Plants thence resulting I have set down above and withall why it is that Non omnis fert omnia tellus every kind of Earth doth not produce all kinds of herbs but why herbs of the hottest nature are sometime conceived within the body of water might be further examined In order to the solution of this Probleme you must note that the seeds of such herbs as do bud forth out of the water were not first conceived within the water as water but where it was somewhat condensed by Earth as usually it is towards the sides where those Plants do most shew themselves for water in other places where it is fluid is uncapable of receiving the impression of a womb excepting only where it is rendred tenacious and consistent through its qualification with glutinous or clayish earth And this shall serve for a reason to shew that herbs germinate out of water although they are not conceived within it The ground why the hottest herbs as Brooklime Watercresses Water crowfoot c. are generated in the water is in that the spirits informating those Plants are subtil and rare easily escaping their detention by any terrestrial matrix as not being close enough by reason of its contiguity of parts but water be the spirits never so subtil or rare is sufficient to retain stay congregate and impell them to a more dense union whence it is that such substances prove very acre and igneous to the pallat by reason of its continuous weight Next let us enumerate the properties of a vegetable Seed 1. Is to be an abridgment of a greater body or in a small quantity to comprehend the rudiments of a greater substance so that there is no similar or organical part of a germinated plant but which was rudimentally contained within its seed 2. To be included within one or more pellicles 3. To lye as it were dead for a certain time 4. To need an efficient for the kindling of its life whence it is that the Earth was uncapable of protruding any plants before the Heavens were separated from the Earth through whose efficiency to wit their heat living substances were produced 5. To need an internal matrix for its production and germination which is not alwaies necessary for the seeds of animals as appears in the Eggs of Fowl and Silk-worms 6. Only to be qualified with a nutritive accretive and propagative vertue 7. To consist intrinsecally of a farinaceous matter VII The germination of a plant is its motion out of the Seed to the same compleat constitution of a Being or Essence which it hath at its perfection Motion in this definition comprehends the same kinds of motion which Accretion was said to do and withall is specified by its terminus a quo the seed and a
1. That the disburdening of the Eastern Rivers into the Ocean is not the cause of its Circulation neither are the Sun or Moon the principal causes of this motion 2. The periodical course of the Ocean The causes of the high and low waters of the Ocean 3. How it is possible that the Ocean should move so swiftly as in 24 hours and somewhat more to flow about the terrestrial Globe 4. A further Explanation of the causes of the intumescence and detumescence of the Ocean The causes of the anticipation of the floud of the Ocean 5. That the Suns intense heat in the torrid Zone is a potent adjuvant cause of the Oceans Circulation and likewise the minima's descending from the Moon and the Polar Regions I. HAving in one of the Chapt. of the precedent Book posed a demonstrative and evident ground of the universal course of the great Ocean and the straitness of that Chapt. not permitting the finishing of the fabrick intended by us upon it Therefore this present plain shall serve for to compleat the delineation thereof but encountring with some rocky stones thereon it is requisite they should be rowled aside before the said Atlantick waves may procure a necessary assent of the true cause of their dayly circular floating The conceit of some Philosophers hath induced them to state the copious irreption of many large and deep Rivers into the Eoan Sea for the principal cause of its circulation the which tumefying its body do thereby press it westward This solution seems void of all reason the evacuation of the presupposed Rivers having no proportion to the replenishing of so extended a body as the Ocean scarce of a Lake or an inland Sea as we have observed of the lake Haneygaban and the Euxian Sea Besides many great Rivers disburdening themselves into the Occiduan Sea might upon the same ground return the course of the Ocean Eastward But imagine it was so why should not the said tumefaction rather incline the sea westward than further eastward Others rejecting the former opinion have in their fansie groven the ground whereon the sea beats deeper and deeper towards the west and so the ground being situated higher in the East shelving down gradually to the west the sea doth through its natural gravity rowl it self to the deeper lower Plane but then the eastern waters being arrived to the west how shall they return to the east again for to continue the said motion Wherefore this opinion may take its place among the Castles in the air Shall we then ascribe the cause of this motion to the rarefaction of the sea through the beams of the Sun which as it is successively rarefied doth swell and press its preceding parts forward As touching the Moon she cannot come into consideration here as being rather noted for condensation than rarefaction First I deny that the Sun doth any whit rarifie the Eastern Ocean because according to their Tenent the rarefaction of the sea happens through the commotion of the subsidencies and terrestrial exhalations contained within the bowels of the sea and scattered through its substance whereby it becomes tumefied which I grant in case the Sun casts its beams obliquely into the depth of the Ocean but I prove the contrary supposing the Sun doth cast its beams directly into the Eastern waters In AEgypt it seldom rains because the Sun casting its beams directly into the waters doth through the same degree of heat through which it might raise vapours dissolve them again likewise in the East Ocean the Sun subtilizing the waters doth doubtless through its heat commove exhalations and subsidencies but the waters being through the same heat attenuated are rendred uncapable of sustaining those terrestrial bodies wherefore they sinking deeper to the ground rather cause a detumescence of the sea I have alwaies observed that waters swell more through the cold than heat and that inundations happen for the most part after a frost besides it is obvious that Rivers are much tumefied when they are frozen and that by reason of the foresaid tumefaction inundations happen more frequently in the winter than at any other time of the year Des-Cartes imagineth the compression of the Moon together with the Earths motion about her own Axis to be the cause of the waters circular motion pressing it from East to West and the variation of this pressure to depend upon the various removal of the Moon from the Center of the Earth effecting the anticipation and various celerity of the waters motion So that where the Earth is obverted to the face of the Moon there the waters must be at their lowest being pressed towards the next quarter of the Surface where they are at their highest whence they are carried about through the Earths proper motion c. 1. I deny his supposition of the Earths motion as being fabulous which we have confuted elsewhere He might as well assert that there be as many Neptunes under water moving it circularly as Aristotle stated intelligencies to drive the Heavens for even this he might excuse by saying it was but an Assumption to prove a Phaenomenon of the water 2. What needs he to affirm a tumour of the water for since he assumes the Earth to move circularly we cannot but grant that the water must also move with it as constituting one Globe together 5. Why doth he in vain reassume in the 55 Sect. that out-worn Doctr. of Aristotle touching the Moons driving of the water which argues him to be very unconstant with himself 4. His stating the air to be so complicable and soft a body renders it very unfit for compressing and driving so vast and weighty a body as the Ocean 5. Can any one rationally or probably conceive that the Sun much less the Moon being so remore and whose forcible effects are so little felt by sublunary bodies should be capable of driving so deep so large and so heavy a body as the Ocean which is as powerful to resist through its extream gravity as all the Celestial bodies are potent to move through their extream lightness What because the Ocean and the Moon move one way therefore the one must either follow or move the other What can a passion so durable and constant and so equal depend upon a violent cause Since then such phansies are ridiculous and not to be proposed by any Philosopher let us now proceed in the unfolding of so difficult and admirable a matter as the course of the Ocean which we have formerly demonstrated to flow about the earth once in 12 hours and somewhat more II. Moreover besides this single motion making a sharper inspection into the drift of the Ocean it will appear to us to absolve a compounded periodical course in a perfixt time namely in 15 daies which space may be called a marinal or nautical month The meaning hereof is imagining a part of the Ocean to flow circularly from a certain point or more plainly a Bowle to rowl circularly
ground swimming atop it in the forme of clay or mud they having little or no sandy ground within their dikes or bankes Hence it appears that towards the constitution of a Hill these conditions must be required 1. A great quantity of water must be bored underneath the Earth for a small quantity would prove invalid to lift it up 2. They must form their Cavern very deep for near the Surface they would sooner break through than raise the earth 3. The ground under which they bore must be very dense dry and sandy for to keep in the water for were it moist or loose it would not rise but sooner break Besides this density and sandiness of the earth doth serve to concentrate and conclomerate the earth into one body whereby it is gradually raised and lifted up From this discourse observe why hills are sandy and dry although containing such a bulk of water underneath them viz. because of the closeness or density of the minima's or sands of the earth compelling the water under them 2. The reason why all hills do not emit fountains of water is because the water is lodged very deep under them or because of the extream density of their terrestrial minima's V. This cannot but confute that improbable opinion asserting hills to be formed through the violence of the waters after the Deluge carrying great pieces of the earth along with them in returning to their receptacle another reason against this is because great torrents tumbling down with a tempestuous fury and causing an Inundation or Deluge wherever they touch scarce leave any sign of inequality of the earth behind them 2. Here may then be demanded from them how and whence those hills before or after the Deluge of Noah or of Ogâ—ges or Deucaleon it is the same received their formation Hills there were before for besides the Bible Josephus Abydenus Berosus and others make mention of a very high hill in Armenia major called Barin by others Chardaeus whereupon a pious man should have saved himself in an Ark. So Ovid speaks of the Mount Parnassus whose height should have preserved Deucaleon with his wife Pyrrha from the rage of the Deluge Others to save the matter have conceited the Stars to have attracted lumps out of the earth and so raised them into hills but this opinion is so absurd that it needs no confutation The Vulgar observing most hills to be sandy do beyond all reproof believe that they are nothing else but congestions of sand or earth heaped up by the winds I shall not think it much to insert their judgment touching a very high hill in Holland situated a mile off from the Hague towards Shiveling and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called the High Clift which about a hundred years ago they say was of that height that one might have washt his hand in the clouds upon the top of it but now is diminisht to one third to what it was and I my self can remember that it was much higher than now it is The cause of this diminution they adscribe to the winds blowing down the sands out of which they say all those small hills that are about it were formed But to rectifie their apprehensions who can rationally judge that winds are forcible enough to remove hills of that weight and bigness or that winds should be strong enough to heap up such a Mountain Any one would sooner imagine the winds to blow them down If then winds have not the power to raise a Mountain certainly they are too weak to pull one down Or thus If winds be so powerful why did they not blow down such hils before they came to that height 2. Hills in many Islands of the West-Indies are raised much higher where the winds are much more out ragious Wherefore the cause of the diminution of the fore-mentioned High Clift must be adscribed to the removal of the water underneath whereby the hill doth gradually sink and grow lesser and boring further into several places about hath raised those other hills VI. But since hills are so numerous Lakes and Rivers not scarce a disquisition must be made whence and how such a vast quantity of water doth redound within the bowels of the earth The peregrin Element of water within the earth bears no proportion of affording a competent moisture towards the casting up of so many monstrous Mountains or scattering such large perennal Fountains and Rivers or of depressing the Surface of the earth by such vast Lakes Wherefore I say nothing appears full enough to effuse such dimensions of water but the Ocean alone whose belly being oppressed with an inexhaustible plenitude is constantly irritated to vomit up its superfluities into the weaker and lower parts of the earth Reason will incline us to this truth that must be the original of waters whereinto they are disburdened for otherwise if the Sea did retain all those waters evacuated by Rivers it would manifestly increase but since it doth not it is an argument that the Sea expels as much as it receives but that is the Ocean Ergo. 2. Many Lakes Fountains and Rivers although remote from the lips of the Sea do notwithstanding participate of the flowing and ebbing thereof as that Fountain in the Island Gades another near Burdeaux c. ergo the sea doth press water thither 3. The divine words of Solomon confirm the same to us Eccl. 1. 7. Unto the Place from whence the Rivers come thither do they return again but that is into the Sea Ergo. 4. The ancient Church-men do also subscribe to this viz. Isidor lib. 3. de Orig. Cap. 20. Basil. Hom. 4. Hex Jerom upon Eccles. 1. Damasc. lib. 2. de sid orth c. 9. Hugo de S. Vict. upon Gen. Dionys. upon Prov. 8. c. The manner of the Seas conveyance or passage to the innermost parts of the earth is by screwing pressing and penetrating through the lowermost parts for there the Sea is most potent exercising its weight refracted to the sides whereas atop it is too weak or were it strong enough it would break forth before it had passed any considerable way Besides its own weight the saltness of the Sea doth very much conduce to the intending of its force for those salin particles are apt to undergo a dividing and cutting pressure VII Places that are bordering upon the Sea are alwaies and every where cast up into high hills or mountains because they receive the first impulse of the Sea waters pressing underneath Hence it is that every where about the Coasts are encompassed by hills Mountains are oft higher and greater within the Land than near the Sea because they are raised by the meeting of great quantities of water impelled from two Seas So the Alpes are cast up by the water impelled from the Venetian Gulph of the one side and the Tyrrhenian Sea of the other both meeting under them The Peak of Teneriffe is thrust up to the height of threescore miles through casting up all that
motion much more air whose fluidity and coherence is much more disposed to a circular motion 2. Fire is a contiguous body but that moves circularly ergo air much more because it is continuous 3. The uppermost clouds are alwaies observed to move circularly ergo the air that doth contain them 4. Comets whereof some are seated near to the extremity of the supream Region of the air do move circularly ergo the air must also move circularly III. Against the airs circular motion may be objected that the clouds swimming in the air like a ship in the water are carried about with the air but the said clouds do move variously sometimes Eastward Southward or Northward c. Ergo the air is also various in its motions I answer 1. That the clouds only near the Polars are various in their motion which variety is only befalling the inferiour clouds Herein it bears a resemblance to the motion of water near the Polars varying although but accidentally from the course of the Ocean Besides that there is a difference in motion between the superiour middle and inferiour clouds is manifest by the Moons light about her quarters disclosing the inferiour clouds to move one way and those above another way 2. The clouds do oft stream against the tide of the air as you shall read by and by 3. The clouds in the torrid Zone namely the superiour ones are very uniform in their motion constantly floating from East to West IV. The air taking its beginning of circular motion underneath about the Center the Globe constituted by the weighty Elements must needs be thought to be its Axletree whereupon it moves Its Poles must be corresponding to the North and South extremities of the said Globe which together with the Axis are doubtless immoveable and consequently must only be apprehended in the earth because that alone is immoveable Here observe that the air in the torrid Zone moves swiftest because it is equidistant from its Poles and hath the most space to accomplish Where it is near the Poles its motion is of the least vigour and nearest seems to be immoveable V. The proportion of the Element of air to the Element of fire is the same as water is to earth Because air is the same in its respective nature comparatively to fire that water is to earth for as water is a continuous heavy body immediately superadded to earth being of a contiguous weight so is air a continuous light substance annext to fire being of a contiguous levity wherefore then the same reason infers air to have the same proportion to fire that water hath to earth Hence we must conclude that the profundity of the tract of air is much larger than it is stated by vulgar Astronomists and the profundity of fire much less than it is computed by the same phantasticks Otherwise it would seem an improportion and disorder in the Elements not to be supposed The profundity of the air we may aptly distinguish into three equal Sections or Regions 1. The first or supream is constituted by air most infested by fire 2. The middle Region is where the air is lightest and thinnest and enjoys its greater purity 3. The third Region comprehends those thick visible clouds I will begin with the description of the first Region As far as the uppermost Region of water is attenuated by the air so far considering the diversity of proportion is the air also rarefied by fire and as the air doth press down to the bottom of the waters even so doth the fire in it strive for the Center to the extream depth of air but is much more in proportion in the supream Region The middle Region is purest in her own parts because of the equidistance from her neighbouring Elements but is nevertheless somewhat nubilous The lower Region is as much incrassated with clouds or vapours concreased and reduced from its extream tenuity as the waters are attenuated and reduced from their extream crassitude to that degree of Attenuation through air Because those parts of water whose places are replenisht with others of air must recede into the air for to place themselves somewhere Against this discourse Nonius lib. de crep Alhazen lib. 3. perspect Vitell. li. 10. Pr. 60. and others may seem to set themselves as appears by their demonstrations although obscure enough inferring the tract of air not to exceed 25 Leagues in profundity because Comets being generated in the air and keeping their station there do seldom or never clime up higher But on the contrary will they assert the Maculae or spots of the Moon which doubtless are aerial and near to the supream region of the air and other clouds that seem not to be far distant from the Moon to be no higher than 25 Leagues An absurdity Neither are Comets so near some appearing but little lower than the Moon some higher others in the same degree of Altitude so that Comets if any while durable are not seated in the air but in the Region of fire because they move from East to West with the same swiftness that other lucid bodies do that are contained in the fiery Region CHAP. XV. Of the production of Clouds 1. What a cloud is how generated its difference How a Rainbow is produced Whether there appeared any Rainbows before the Floud 2. The generation of Rain 3. How Snow and Hail are engendred 4. The manner of generation of Winds 5. The difference of winds Of Monzones Provincial winds general winds c. Of the kinds of storms and their causes What a mist and a dew are I. Nubes a cloud is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to swim because a cloud seems to swim in the air A Cloud is an aerial body engendred out of air incrassated by water and somewhat condensed by earth Its kinds are very various differing in mixture magnitude equality colour situation and motion Some appear disrupted discontinuated others intire uniform Some are great others small some even flat hollow unequal others are black red blew brown luminous dark others of various colours reflecting Rainbows Some are situated in the North South c. Others move uniformly difformly swift slow Eastward Westward c. Their generation is thus the air and fire irrupting incessantly into the earth and water are after their arrival thither shut in and cut off from their bodies and being violently compressed from all sides are forced by the over-powring of the weighty Elements to return to their former region whereunto they after some contention do yield yet not without carrying away a measure of water and earth closely adhering to them These retroceding particles as they come out give entrance to other air attempting an irruption with its body whereby they are elevated continually untill they are arrived to that part of the Region of the air where it is least infested with the fiery Element Here the air finding it self strongest and least oppressed
with bodies discontinuating its substance doth press those heterogeneous bodies together into clouds through its vertue of moving to an union and not through its coldness for air of it self where it doth in any wise enjoy its purity is estranged from cold and is naturally rather inclined to warmth The reason why clouds are less apt to concrease where the Sun hath power is because the parts of the air there are weakned through the rarefaction and discontinuation by torrid minima's These clouds according to their mixture vary in continuation viz. some are thicker and more concreased than others which through their greater renixe are propelled from the others of a less renitency Clouds containing much earth and thence rendred dense appear black if they are much expanded according to their diduction they refract the light variously appearing red white blew c. The clouds through their gradual proportion of renitency being disrupted and sinking gradually under one another refract the light of the Sun according to their graduall situation seeming to be illuminated with several and gradual colours whose appearance is called a Rainbow viz. The lower being more thick and dense than the rest refract the light blackish that above it being less dense brownish that above this purple or greenish the other reddish yellowish c. A Rainbow is not seen by us unless we be interposed between the Sun and the Clouds reflecting and refracting that is we must stand on that side of the clouds that is irradiated In Thomas's Island the Moon doth sometimes cause a light kind of a Rainbow after a rain Touching the figure of a Rainbow it is semicircular because the air is expanded in a circular figure and moved circularly towards us Many do make a scruple whether there ever appeared any Rainbow before the Floud gathering their ground of doubting from Gen. 9. 13. I do set my Bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of a Covenant between me and the earth Hereunto I answer That these words do not seem to make out any thing else but that God did assume the Bow for a sign rather implying that the Heavens had been disposed to the susception of Rainbows from the Creation For even then were the Heavens filled up with clouds fit for the reflection of such a light That a Morning Rainbow doth portend wet and an Evening one fair weather is vulgarly reported which nevertheless is very uncertain For the most part it either doth precede rain or follow it The reason is because the forementioned gradual declination and incrassation doth cause a rain Rain is the decidence of clouds in drops Clouds although incrassated and condensed gathered and compressed by the ambient air striving to be freed of them yet cannot be expelled and protruded all at once because their extent is too large and their circumference obtuse whence they are unfit to be protruded at once unless they were most condensed into an acute or cutting Surface Why they cannot be compressed into a less compass and a greater acuteness is because of a great quantity of air contained within them Touching their diruption into drops it is to be imputed to the external compression of the clouds squeezing the internal air into particles which as they burst out do each protrude a drop of rain Or thus Suppose the clouds at such times to be puft up with bubbles of internal air and the diruption of each bubble to send down a drop of rain Oft times with rain a great wind blows down along with it which is nothing else but the air pent within the said clouds and bursting out of them A windiness doth oft hold up the rain because it shatters and disperses the parts of the said dense clouds wherby their consistency is broken Rains are very frequent in the Autumn and the Winter because the Sun casting its rayes obliquely towards those Countries where the seasons of the year are manifestly observed doth raise a greater abundance of vapours more than it can dissolve or disperse besides a great number of clouds are sent from other places where the Sun doth through its Summer heat raise such a great quantity of vapours which meeting and being impacted upon one another and etruded cause great rains at those times of the year The Moon hath also great power in dissolving a cloud into rain for she sending down and impelling great abundance of dense weighty minims doth very much further the descent of drops Frosty minims exercise a strong vertue in stifning the air whereby it is rendred more firm to contain the clouds and hinder their precipitation besides they do also disperse the clouds through their effective crassitude Whence it is that it rains so seldom in frosty weather But as soon as the thow is begun likely the clouds meet and fall down in a rain Which if sometimes pouring down in great showers is called a Nimbus if in small drops but descending close is called an Imber The cause of this difference depends upon the density of the clouds and the proportion of air pent within them Those rainy clouds do sometimes contain a great quantity of earthy minims which meeting are through a petrisick vertue changed into stones raining down at the dissolution of the said clouds Other contents consisting of reddish or whitish exhalations drawn up from the earth may give such a red or white tincture to the clouds which when dispersed into rain may appear bloudy or milky Frog or Fish-spawns have sometimes been attracted up into the air being inclosed within vapours where within the matrix of a close cloud they have been vivified and afterwards rained down again A Nebula is a small thin cloud generated in the lower Region of the air out of thin vapours The reason why those vapours ascended no higher is because they were concreased in the lower parts of the lower Region of the air through the force of the air in the night being rendred potent through the absence of the Suns discontinuating raies A mist is the incrassation of vapours contained in the lowermost parts of the air The dew is the decidence of drops from subtil vapours concreased through the privative coldness of nocturnal air III. Snow is the decidence of clouds in flocks whose production depends upon the concrescence of drops by frosty minima's and their attenuation through aerial particles whence they are soft and do reflect the light whitish It usually falls after a degelation when the congealed clouds are somewhat loosened It dissolves or melts through deserting the frosty minima's Hail is the decidence of drops in hard small quadrangular bodies Their congelation is also occasioned through the detention of frosty minima's within the drops of water Their hardness is from a less commixture of air whence the water doth the more enjoy her own crassitude and hardness IV. Wind is a violent eruption of incrassated air pent within the clouds puffing disrupting and taring the Element of air asunder Hence when
or through it without taking its first impulse from against a body whence through reflection it might pass through This premitted I answer that according to the first intention a Vacuum is capable of giving a passage to a body locally moving through it provided it takes its progress from without upon an immoveable center I prove it Air Fire and the other Elements move through a Vacuum for otherwise did they move through another body it would infer a penetration of bodies If then the Elements obtain such a power ergo consequently their mixt bodies 2. This Maxim Omne mobile sit super immobili i. e. All moveables move upon an immoveable body is alone to be understood of the foundation of motion viz. That all moveables must move from an immoveable Center that is take their beginning thence either by impulse reflection refraction or continuated protrusion 3. That Motion whereby a moveable passeth through a Vacuum is continuated upon its own Center or upon another body instead of a Center for all motions must take their beginning upon an immoveable or at least upon that which is not inclined to the same motion in the same swiftness that the body which moves upon it doth 4. A single body can neither press through not move that is out of its place locally in a Vacuum because it enjoying its Center and not being violently detained would rest upon that Center 5. Neither can a mixt body move locally that is change its ubi in a Vacuum because the reason of a bodies changing of its ubi is the impulsion of another body striving for its center upon it For example water moves upwards because the air striving for its Center protrudes it out of its seat upwards as hath been mentioned air being compressed within the body of water is moved out of it because of the waters compression downwards whereby it is squeezed upwards But not through its own motion Now in a Vacuum there is no external body to strive or to impell upon it 6. A body would not cease to move locally internally because of the violent detentions of the Elements contained within pressing one another away from the Center 7. Suppose there were a confusion of the four Elements as big as a fist cast without the Universe they would change their internal places as the Elements changed theirs in the Chaos viz. The weighty Elements being less in extent would sooner gain the Center than the others and as for the rest they would move in the same manner as the Elements move here but of this more in the next Chapter And now you may easily comprehend that the present world doth not at all change it s Ubi but is immoveably fixed although continually changing its internal places 8. Angels if conceited to be pure spirits may move in and through a Vacuum but if apprehended to be of a circumscriptive quantity they cannot CHAP. XIX Of Physical Motion 1. What a Physical Motion is The kinds of it The definition of Alteration Local Motion and quantitative motions The subdivision of Local Motion 2. That all alterative and quantitative motions are direct 3. That all externall motions are violent 4. That all weighty mixt bodies being removed from their Element are disposed to be detruded downwards from without but do not move from any internal inclination or appetite they have to their universal Center 5. The causes of swiftness and slowness of external Local Motion 6. That light bodies are disposed to be moved upwards 7. That ayry bodies being seated in the fiery Region are disposed to be moved downwards 1. THe same reason that perswaded me to treate of a Vacuum and Antiperistasis in the preceding Chapter is also a motive why I deferred the Treatise of Physical motions hither Physical motions are so called in opposition to Hyperphysical or Metaphysical and are proper to natural bodies A Physical motion then is a change of a natural body in any one or more of its Physical modes or in all A change is a transitus passing from that which is not to that which is to be Whence we may plainly collect the differences of it to be as many as it may vary in its Modes and intirely in its Essence viz. Physical motion is either to quantity quality action passion relation situation duration to a new Essence c. and particularly to a greater or less quantity to colour figure heat coldness c. This infers that there are many more universal differences or kinds of motion than Aristotle stated However I shall only insist upon these three as being most taken notice of viz. Alteration which is a change of a quality of a Physical being External Local motion which is a change of the external place wherein a natural being is seated And Auction and Diminution which are changes of the quantity of a natural being Alteration as I said before in the Chapter of Coct is nothing else but the change of internal places of the Elements in a mixt body Thus a body grows hot when the intrinsick fire of a mixt body begins to be more united and condensed and is nothing else but the change of internal places which by this fire were dispersed and now are reduced in o a lesser number or into places more united and less remote So a mixt body happens to grow colder when the earthy minims within it change their places and are reduced to nearer places and so grow more piercing to the center apprehend the same of the other qualities External Local Motion is either understood in a large sense as it comprehends alteration or change of internal places or as it denotes a single internal motion from an internal place to an internal place and in this acception we have made use of the word above in assigning the forms of the Elements or strictly it is restrained to external Local Motion which is the change of an external place in natural bodies That is whereby natural bodies are moved out of one external place into another The universal Elements naturally and strictly are not subjected to Local Motion since their change of place is only internal to wit within one another Whereas external Local motion is restricted to the change of an external place however we may improperly or in a large sence conceive them to move locally Neither are the Elements capable of auction or diminution because their quantity and forms are definite wherefore they are only apt to undergo alteration or change of their internal places like we have hitherto demonstrated Mixt bodies are disposed to the change of their external and internal places Of their internal it is apparent since they are never exempted from alteration their external is no less obvious Auction or Diminution are changes of the Elements in a mixt body both of internal and external places That is do comprehend a local motion and alteration The subdivisions of these three are various but for brevities sake we shall here only appose that
are disposed to be moved downwards because they cannot move themselves thither but concur to that motion only by their disposition V. This disposition is nothing else but the renitency or stubbornness of the weighty mixt body discontinuating the air or fire and resisting their motion to the center-wards the intension and remission of the said renitency depends upon the greater or lesser density or crassitude whence it is also that some bodies are moved swifter downwards because they consist of a greater density sustaining a more violent impulse of the air which were they less dense would be moved slower because of a less renitency 2. Or thus the air being discontinuated by an interposed weighty mixt body doth primarily strive from all parts to a reunion by its expansive vertue especially from above because of its greater strength there as being less discontinuated and weakened by exhalations and vapours whence the greatest force descending doth also direct the impulsion downwards Wherefore a weighty body as Mercury or any other Mineral is moved much swifter downwards or according to the ordinary Ideom of speech weighs much heavier on the top of high hills than below But you shall read more in the next Chapt. VI. All light bodies being seated in a weighty Element are disposed to be moved upwards whence it is that subterraneous air is oft forced upwards by the earths compressing vertue Likewise a piece of Cork depressed under water is by the waters gravity closing underneath in the same manner as we have explained it in the 2. Part. the 1. Book Chap. 16. 2. Par. squeezed upwards without any intrinsick propensity for otherwise the same Cork being also disposed to be pressed downwards in the air must be supposed to have two internal propensities which is absurd A flame burning in the ayry Regions is forced upwards by its disposition of levity tenuity and rarity Thus The air sinding it self injured by the discontinuating flame presses upon her and strives from all sides to squeeze her away The flame being over-powered is forced to slip or slide away whether its disposition may best yield downwards it cannot tend because there it is resisted by the courser air infested with weighty peregrin Elements Ergo upwards because there it finds the way most open to give free passage to its light rarity and tenuity On the contrary a weighty body because of its density and crassitude finds the passage clearer downwards by reason it is most driven from the tenuity of the air atop but supposing the air to enjoy its center doubtless those weighty bodies would be cast forth upwards to the Circumference VII Ayry bodies that are seated in a fiery Element are moved downwards because the rarity of the fire sinking downwards for a center doth impell them also thither whose disposition being continuous and thin are the better disposed to slide away from the fire compressing them all about downwards because upwards the said bodies striving to maintain their particular Centers would be more discontinuated where the force of fire must also be strongest Whence you may observe that weighty bodies and light bodies are both moved to one terminus ad quem in the fiery regions Touching the causes of refraction and reflection you shall read them in the next Chapter Hence a great part of the first Book of the second Part will be rendred much plainer which I did forbear to illustrate further because of avoiding needless repetitions intending to treat of these by themselves viz. why water or any other weighty body being violently detained is much intended in its strength or why water is more depressing atop or when it is most remote from her Center than underneath namely because of the depression of the air adding much to the drowning of a man as we have mentioned in 12th and 16th Chapters and so many other passages CHAP. XX. Of Attraction Expulsion Projection Disruption Undulation and Recurrent Motion 1. How air is attracted by a water-spout or Siphon 2. The manner of another kind of Attraction by a sucking Leather 3. How two flat Marble stones clapt close together draw one another up 4. How a Wine-Coopers Pipe attracts Wine out of a Cask 5. How sucking with ones mouth attracts water 6. How a Sucker attracts the water 7. The manner of Attraction by Filtration 8. The manner of Electrical attraction 9. How fire and fiery bodies are said to attract 10. What Projection is and the manner of it 11. What Disruption Undulation and Recurrent motion are 1. I Thought fit to subject these remaining kinds of motion to the preceding and to treat of them in a distinct Chapter viz. Attraction Expulsion Projection Disruption Undulation and Recurrent motion I shall only insist upon some particular kinds of attraction What Attraction is the name doth explain How air is attracted by water and water properly by air hath been proposed in the foregoing Chapters Attraction is further evident 1. In a Siphon or water-spout wherewith they usually cast up water for to quench a fire Here the water is attracted by the drawing up of the Sucker not through a bending for to avoid a Vacuum but through the natural cohesion in continuancy of the air to the Sucker or aerial parts contained within the Sucker Now the air doth cohere more strongly because there is no body to discontinue it within the Siphon but is rather assisted in a continuated cohesion by the continuity of the sides of the Siphon and of the Sucker Or otherwise if the air did strive to separate how could it For suppose it should be discontinuated from the Sucker then through that discontinuation there must be some certain void space effected if so then that air which did before fill up that void space must have been withdrawn into some other place or else it must through penetration have sunk into its own substance besides the air that was expelled up vards must have penetrated into its own body by condensation or into the body of the water all which is impossible since a penetration of bodies is an annihilation But here inquiry may be made whether it is the continuated cohesion of the air with the water causes the succession of the water upon the air or whether the air which through haling up of the Sucker is expelled upwards out of the Siphon doth for to procure a place protrude the air cohering about the external sides of the Siphon downwards into the water through whose insufflation the water is propelled upwards into the Siphon I answer both waies for it is impossible that such a great weight of water should ascend so easily with so little a force as the attraction of the Sucker unless it were assisted by the strong force of the air pomped out out of a necessity and impossibility of shrinking pressing down and protruding the water upwards That this is so the external circular pressure and dent which we see about the outsides of the water about the lower end
of the Siphon and the internal pussing up of the water within the Siphon do testifie II. Another kind of Attraction not unlike to this is observable in boyes their sucking Leathers being wetted and clapt flat upon a stone and afterwards drawn up with a packthread fastned in it attracts the stone with it The cause is alone the continuous cohesion of the water to the stone defending it self from the disruption of the air the which as soon as breaking through occasions the separation of the Leather from the stone III. Two smooth flat equal Marble stones clapt close one upon the other the uppermost attracts the lowermost if equally lifted up from their Center by a ring fastned to it because of the air through its continuity sticking fast to the lowermost and the undermost stones but if disrupted through an unequal lifting the lowermost stone falls In the same manner doth a plain board cast upon the water attract it into a Rising when lifted up by the central part IV. A Wine-Coopers Pipe attracts Wine out of the bung-hole of a Cask The Pipe is somewhat long and narrower towards the bottom and the top but wider in the middle which thrust open at both ends into a Cask full of Wine through the Bung-hole and afterwards applying one 's Thum close to the hole atop may attract a competent quantity of Wine out of the Vessel which with the opening of the upper hole runs out again But methinks that this and the forementioned attractions might rather be termed cohesions or detensions since that which doth attract is the extrinsick attractor viz. ones arm The cause of its attraction is the immission of the Pipe into the Cask to a certain depth where the air being excluded from it and closed with your Thumb you will find a drawing or sucking to your Thumb which is nothing else but the weight of the Wine pressed downwards and notwithstanding cleaving fast to the continuity of your Thumb which being continuous and obtuse doth sustain the liquor continuated to it whereas were it subtil that it could give way as the free air it would not be contained so But suppose you thrusted a Beaker with the mouth downwards under water and stopt a small hole made on the bottom of it with your Thumb the water would not keep in there because the air would enter underneath through which the parts of the water would be disunited and so desert the supposed cohesion of parts why the Wine descends at the opening of the upper hole is through the impulse of the air entring V. The sucking of water through a Reed by the mouth is effected by causing a flat closs cohesion of your Tongue and lips with the continuous parts of water or air for what is contiguous cannot be suckt unless by means of its inherency in continuous bodies because its parts are unapt to cohere To all these kinds of cohesions or adhesions the closeness of sides of those external bodies that cohere together through the internal cohesion of air doth mainly contribute by keeping off the discontinuating air as the closeness of the sucking leather sticking of the two Marble stones of the sides of the Wine-Coopers Pipe of the Lips in sucking c. VI. A Sucker otherwise called a Siphon being a Pipe consisting of two arms of an unequal length meeting in a curvilineal Angle attracts water out of a Vessel untill it be all run out provided it be set running by sucking the water down to the lowermost part of the longer arm being placed without the said Vessel This instance gives us a plain demonstration that attraction is caused by the means of the cohesion of continuous parts to other continuous ones especially if separated through a close Cane from dividing bodies as the air and by the same cause kept close together for water as I said before will alwaies through its weight and continuity cohere and keep close to its next central parts and never separates unless through a disunion by the air or other bodies Hence it is also that water is easily led to any height if impelled by any force through a close Pipe or by a Sucker But why water contained within the shorter arm should yield to water contained within the longer may justly be doubted The reason is because the water contained within the longer Pipe being more in quantity is heavier than the other and therefore prevails and is more disposed for to be pressed downwards But then you might reply That the water of the shorter Pipe is assisted in weight by the other proportion contained within the capacity of the Vessel I answer That the water of the shorter arm is impelled forward through the pressure of the said water contained within the capacity of the Vessel But not through its own gravity pressing downward towards the Center of the world for every proportion of water as I said before retaining the nature of their universal Element only strives for to maintain its own center and therefore water if enjoying a center within its own Circumference wherever it be doth not press or weigh but strives to maintain its nature in rest But that which doth cause a force upon water downwards in the Vessel is the strong sinking down of the air tending downwards for its Center For otherwise water in a Vessel would contain it self in a round figure which it cannot because it is reduced to a flatness by the sinking air VII Attraction by Filtration is performed by causing one end of a piece of Flannell or other wollen cloath to hang into any Liquor over the brim of the containing Vessel and the other end into an empty one whereby the light parts of the water ascend up the cloath and distill into the other Vessel This is effected by separating the thick parts of water and rarefying it through the labels subtil fibres whence the other heavy parts of the water by descending downwards and being pressed by the air do over-press its subtiler and aerial parts upwards the grosser and heavier remaining behind By this it appears that Filtration and other kinds of Attraction already mentioned are not so much Attractions as violent Expulsions As the water of a Sucker will not run out unless the longer arm exceeds the depth of the water in length so neither will water attracted by a filter distill down into the empty vessel unless the distilling Label be lower than the water contained within the other Vessel for the same reason VIII Attraction effected by Amber or other Bituminous bodies otherwise called Electrical attraction depends on emanations or continuous steams emitted from Amber especially if rubbed consisting of incrassated air and fire being impelled circularly untill where they are gathered by a continuous body which if light do return with those emanations upwards for the said emanations being diducted expansive and light are by the weighty comparativè vapourous air of this lower Region striving to keep their nearness to the center squeezed
then the Sun at once must illustrate more then the mediety of the Globe and consequently the nights would be shorter then the daies although under the Line at the season of the AEquinoxe but that is false ergo Again were the Sun greater than the Earth ergo its heat would be communicated in an equal violence upon all the parts of it for why should it not as much powr out showers of heat conically as you say it doth its light Here you cannot accur to excuse your self by the distance or remoteness of the Sun thence contracting its heat for then it must likewise contract its light 3. They assert supposing the shadow of the Earth to be conical that therefore the Sun must be necessarily greater But for what reason Not because the Sun is greater but because the light is larger wherefore the largeness of the light doth not conclude any thing touching the bigness of the Sun I not the light of a Candle or Touch much larger than its flame Is not the same Candle apt to overcast an Object much bigger than it self with light that shall exceed its mediety and consequently the shadow of such a body must be conical Whence it is that a body ten thousand times less than the air is capable of illuminating its whole tract because a body of that proportion is big enough to obtend the air throughout its whole depth But if you should imagine with the Peripateticks that light is efficiently produced by the lucid substance of the Sun I know not how then indeed the body of the Sun must be many times bigger than the earth because the Lumen would be but just of the same extent with the Lux. But I need not to answer to this since the contrary hath been plainly proved After all this I state II. 1. That the Sun were he so much lesser than the terraqueous globe than I suppose he is would be big enough to illuminate its whole Hemisphere at once for if the light of a Candle doth illuminate the air thirty leagues round much more would the Sun the whole Hemisphere whose substance is by far more pure lucid and bigger in that proportion in comparison with the aerial region then a focal light being of an impure dark substance is in comparison to the Circumference of 30 Leagues III. 2. The shadow of the earth is to some extent cylindrical I prove it Is not the shadow of a man standing in the Sun cylindrical to some extent Is not the shadow of a Pen or other small body being held at some distance before a Candle whose Lux is bigger than the body objected cylindrical to some extent Besides as I proved above it is evident in the Equinoxes The reason is because a dense body doth obscure and dead the light as far as it is dense now the earth being dense all about the entire Horizon no wonder if it doth dead and obscure the Suns light to the extent of its Hemisphere IV. 3. The Sun existing in the Equinoctial doth at once illuminate the whole Hemisphere of the earth from one Pole to the other If the Sun existing in the Meridian is seen at once by those under the torrid Zone from the Ascension of the AEquator that are 90 degrees off Eastward and as many Westward from its Descension then the Sun must also be seen as many degr off to the Southward as to the Northward that is to each Pole because the Sun being globous doth obtend the air equally about to all the parts of the Compass But the Sun in the Meridian is seen at one time by those that are 90 degr Eastward or Westward ergo V. 4. By so many degrees as the Sun declineth to the North by so many degrees doth a perfect shadow or darkness cover the South polar Earth and the like conceive of the South Declination 5. The Suns gradual declination causes a prolongation or abbreviation of its diurnal light and shadow or the equality and inequality of the daies and nights 6. The Sun is much greater than he appeares to be because the clouds and depth of the air do diminish its species in the manner of a great fire appearing but like a small spark at a great distance Astronomers are not only forward in prescribing the bigness of the Stars but also their distances And how is that possible since they cannot sensibly demonstrate the Diameter of the World or define any certain extent in the Heavens for to compare another Terrestrial length unto neither can they ever find out an exact account of any length upon the Earth responding to a degree of any of the Orbs of Heaven If so what do all their observations touching the Stars Paralaxis amount unto VI. The body of the Sun is usually expressed as resembling a mans face whose Marks and Signatures are nothing else but certain protuberancies and spots The like is apparent in the Moons face These protuberancies are nothing but inequalities of their cloudy bodies appearing like unto clouds in the air thicker or more compact in one place and thinner and looser in another The Telescopium or Prospective Glass discerns those spots to be moveable and not unlikely since they being the external parts of those gross and looser clouds are apt to be displaced and change their situation through the obtrusion befalling them by the most rapid motion of the Heavens These do sometimes increase and accrease either through dispersion or apposition of new clouds floating here and there in the Planets their way as they move which oft causes a distinction of their bigger or lesser appearance at some times than at others VII The Moon is by all Astronomers believed to be less than the terrestrial globe because the shadow of the eclipse of the Sun is much too little to obtenebrate all the Earth But supposing the Sun to be of so inapparent a bigness and distance from the Earth as the vulgar of Astronomers do receive him to be of and the Moon to be of a far greater distance from the Earth than she is certainly the shadow which she would cast must be much less than her body although it were forty times bigger than it is because the Sun being greater than she must according to the ordinary Doctrine of shadows only suffer her to cast a conical shadow whose extreme point not reaching to the Earth or if it did could not be a certain token whence to draw the proportion or distance of Stars Wherefore according to their own principles the Moon may be conceived to exceed the Earth far in bigness since they cannot attain to any probable account of the distances of the Stars 2. We must also suppose the Moon to be a lucid body although yielding to the Sun in that particular and therefore to illuminate the Earth somewhat for otherwise in every total perfect Eclipse it would prove as dark as pitch if so what ground doth there remain to take measure of her shadow since
the weighty body is also impelled forward but by refraction by the aid of the said weighty minims Here you may reply That the air doth also depress the body downwards and consequently detain it I answer Besides what I have stated in the solution of the six Problems at the 3 Art that as far as the air is continuous and so depresseth a body it doth detain it within its continuity but being rendred contiguous by the discontinuating weighty minims grants passage to any impelled body The first part of the Solution is apparent in drawing any weighty body under water through it where you may perceive a very forcible detention by reason of the continuity of the parts of the water the latter in drawing it through fire What concerns Dr. Gilberts Magnetick Effluvia Monsieur Gassendy his rigid Cords or Hooks which are by some borrowed to explain the differences of intention of Gravity are sutil since they are only pulled out of their Phanfies without any probable proof for either III. The precedent Solution may also be applied to this Problem viz. Why a pair of Scales are easier moved being empty than when balanced by equal weights IV. Whence is it that a man may carry a greater weight upon a Wheelbarrow than upon his back I answer Because in carrying a weight upon a Wheelbarrow he only thrusts it forward and is assisted by the contiguous pressure of the air qualified as we have proposed in the 2 Problem 2. Because the Wheel being circular is easily propelled A circular body is easier propelled because it is thrust forward upon single points which it is certain yield obedience with the least resistance to the force impelling 3. Because of the reason of the fift Problem V. A man impelling a weighty body from him shall easier impel it by making use of a Pole to thrust it forwards than if he tumbled it along with his arms only whence it is that they usually affix a long Iron handle to those great rouling stones that are used in Gardens for to even the ground 2. One shall cast a stone further with a sling than without it 3. Likewise a stroke given with a hammer with a long handle is much more forcible than if made by one with a short handle or striking with a long handled hammer the stroke shall be of a greater force if held by the farther end of it than if otherwise taken hold nearer to the hammer 4. A cuff given with a swing of ones arm makes by far a greater impression than a thump 5. A stick is easier broken upon ones knee the farther the hands are removed from it and the harder the nearer they are applied 6. The longer an Oar is the swifter the vection of the Boat is although impelled with the same force that a shorter may be All these being Problematically proposed are resolved by one and the same answer viz. Supposing the air to press so potently downwards I say that it being shoven and elevated before at the body propelled supposing it also to be continuous and consequently not complicable that is contiguously introceding as I have told you before is forced to rise up and to sink down again behind at the place out of which it was propelled but the instant before where through that violent and most swift descent and refraction against the body of the Propulsor and of the backward air must needs shove hard between the body propelled and the propulsor and backward air and so by that means must add a great force to the impulse of the said weighty body This premitted I say 2. That the more or the greater body of air is moved by the greater or longer impelled body the stronger swifter and easier the said greater or longer body must be impelled Hence we must also deduce the reason why a body being already in motion is easier moved forwards than one that is at rest 3. I say that a Globous Body is easiest impelled because the Air meeting with no resistance or stay by Angles slides quicker over it and consequently driveth the faster besides an angular Body having many plain sides breaking the force of the Air doth not force the air so much as a globous body that inverting the air quite contrary into a circular Figure upwards whereas naturally it striveth in a circular Figure downwards whereby the Air is much irritated and intended in its force Why an angular Body resisteth an impulse stronger is because the Air in depressing downwards takes faster hold of it in pressing upon its Plane being thereby and its angles hindred or cut off from sliding off as appears in the quadrangular stone exhibited in this apposed Scheme where you may plainly see the difference of the figures of the air in its elevation by bodies of various figures Here may be objected against these subconclusions that the air were it of that force as to superadd so much to the impulsor and impulse would evidently press down the loose Coat of the driver and be plainly felt by him Touching the force of the air no doubt but it is very great according to the commotion and irritation thereof as appears in expelling the flame out of a Gun in bursting thick Glass bottels c. 2. It doth not press down the loose garments of the impulsor because they are supported by air underneath and being very pervious and therefore not resisting gives passage to their meeting 3. It s force is not felt because it is equal and presseth the propulsor forward with a gradual equal and smooth force VI. Why is a Stick being thrust some part of it into a Hole apter to be broke near the Hole if bended than any where else I Answer that through the bending of the Stick the moveable parts of it viz. the air water and fire that are perfused within throughout its Pores are compressed towards the other end where being stopt through the compression of the sides of the Hole do tumefie the Stick there whereby together with the continuation of the force bending it is disrupted The said Spirits recurring in a Stick bowed only and not broken cause the relaxation of the inflexion forcing the solid parts of the Stick into their pristine position by their return VII Whether Gold doth attract Mercury Answ. The Vulgar imagineth it to be so because a piece of Gold being held in a Patients Mouth that is a salivating or lately hath salivated by Mercurials is changed white through its attracting the Mercury But how should it attract by its Volatick Spirits possibly No certainly for the whole Rabble of Chymical Vulcans finds its Spirits to be fixed beyond those of all other Bodies How then Not by acting a distanti Ergo it is fallacious that Gold attracts Mercury and more probable that the spirits of Mercury being ordinarily termed fugitive cannot be coagulated or collected but by the densest body whence it is that only Gold doth collect and coagulate its spirits about its
purity that is in its absolute state doth moysten less then Quicksilver which is not at all IV. The Form or first quality of water is gravity with crassitude There is no single word I can think upon in any Language that I know full enough to express what I do here intend and therefore am compelled to substitute these I explain them thus You must apprehend that gravity is a motion from the Circumference to the Center Levity is a diffusion or motion from the Center to the Circumference Now there is a gravity with density that is which hath density accompanying it Density is a closeness of minima's not diducted into a continuity but potentialiter that is Logicè porous and such is proper to earth There is also a gravity with crassitude which is a weight whose parts are diducted into a continuity or I might rather express my self whose parts do concentrate or move from the Circumference to the Center with a continuity that is without any potential pores dividing its matter as in Quicksilver diduct its body to the Circumference as much as you can yet its part will concentrate with a continuity but if you diduct earth you will perceive its porosity so that its body is altogether discontinuated Water is then weighty with a crassitude I prove it First that it is weighty or that its parts move from the Circumference to the Center Water when divided through force doth unite it self in globosity as appears in drops where all its parts falling from the circumference close to their center form a globosity 2. Water doth not only in its divided parts concentrate but also in its whole quantity This is evident to them that are at sea and approaching to the Land they first make it from the top-mast-head whereas standing at the foot of it upon the Deck they cannot The reason is because the water being swelled up in a round figure the top is interposed between the sight of those that stand upon the Deck and the Land-marks as hils or steeples but they that are aloft viz. upon the Yard arm or top-mast may easily discover them because they stand higher then the top of the swelling of the water The same is also remarkeable in a Bowl filled up with water to the Brim where you may discern the water to be elevated in the middle and proportionably descending to the Brim to constitute a round Figure Archimedes doth most excellently infer the same by demonstration but since the alleadging of it would protract time and try your patience I do omit it Lastly The Stars rising and going down do plainly demonstrate the roundness of the water for to those that sayl in the Eastern Seas the Stars do appear sooner then to others in the Western Ocean because the swelling of the water hindreth the light of the Stars rising in the East from illuminating those in the West The same Argument doth withal perswade us that the earth is round and consequently that its parts do all fall from the Outside to the Center V. Secondly That water hath a crassitude joyning to its gravity sight doth declare to us for it is impossible to discern any porosity in water although dropped in a magnifying Glass which in Sand is not It s levor or most exact smoothness expressing its continuity accompanying its weight is an undoubted mark of its crassitude whereas roughness is alwaies a consequent of contiguity and porosity There is not the least or subtilest spark of fire or ayr can pass the substance of water unless it first break the water and so make its way to get through this is the reason why the least portion of ayr when inclosed within the Intrailes of water cannot get out unless it first raises a bubble upon the water which being broke it procures its vent Nor the least Atome of fire cannot transpire through water unless it disrupts the water by a bubble as we see happens when water seeths or disperse the water into vapours and carry vapours and all with it But ayr and fire do easily go through earth because its parts being only contiguous and porous have no obstacle to obstruct them for sand we see in furnaces will suffer the greatest heat or fire to pass through without any disturbance of its parts Lastly Its respectiveness or relation doth require this form both for its own conservation and for others For the earths relative form being to meet and take hold through its weight and porosity this porosity is necessary for admitting the fire within its bowels for were it continuous as water is it would expel fire and dead it of the fire and by ballancing its lightness to preserve their beings mutually it needs the assistance of water for to inclose the fire when it is received by the earth and through its continuity to keep it in otherwise it would soon break through its pores and desert it So that you see that water by doing the earth this courtesie preserveth her self for were she not stayed likewise in her motion through the fire and ayr she would move to an infinitum VI. Moisture is not the first quality or form of the ayr I prove it Moysture as I said before is nothing else but the adhesion of a moyst body to another which it doth affect or touch Now in this moyst body there must be a certain proportion or Ratio substantiae of quantity it must neither be too thick or too thin Water therefore in its purity is unapt to moysten because it is too thick so ayr in its absolute state is too thin to adhere to any body that it reaches unto If ayr in its mixt nature through which it is rendred of a far thicker consistence is nevertheless not yet thick enough to adhere to the sides of another substance much less in its purity Who ever hath really perceived the moysture of Ayr I daily hear people say hang such a thing up to dry in the ayr but yet I never heard any say hang it up in the ayr to moysten but wet it in the water This drying Faculty of the ayr Peripateticks assert to be accidental to it namely through the permixtion of exhalations with the ayr Alas this is like to one of their Evasions Do we not know that the ayr in its lowest region is rather accidentally moyst because of its imbibition of vapours copiously ascending with the fire or heat tending out of the water to its element Is not the heat more apt to conveigh vapours that do so narrowly enclose it then earth which of it self permits free egress to fire yea where an Ounce of Exhalations ascends there arises a Pint of Vapours Waving this I state the case concerning the second Region of the Ayr or of the top of Mountains where according to their own judgment neither Vapours or â—xhalations are so much dispersed as to be capable of drying or moystning any ex rinsick body even here do wet things dry quicker then
appears no great subtility in his argument Wherefore I do grant that a fundamental colour is also in the center of an opake body but then it is no formal Colour that is it is not actu visible except in the Surface Crystalline bodies are internally visible throughout all their parts and do augment the extent of a colour To augment the extent of a colour is to dilate it or to make it less pinching upon the air then it was without reflection for example an Apple seen through the air appears no bigger then it is but if held over the water and its colour perceived reflected seems much bigger the reason is because the colour of the Apple pincheth the air which air thus pinched beating against the water is reflected that is is beaten back again which reflection is a greater obtension of that air so pinched and the same obtension or stretching must needs dilate that air thus pinched which dilation is the augmentation of the colour of the Apple The colour of the apple impressed upon the air by its pinching seems to be rendered paler through the said reflection because the dilatation of the air being through it made lighter doth through that light somewhat expel the obscurity of the colour of the Apple Here observe that this reflection is not a single reflection but a reflection upon a reflection which I call double I will more amply explain it to you A single reflection is which doth reflect upon the extream surface and descends no deeper thus it is upon Gold or Brass The double reflection is when this extream superficial reflection is continued and propagated by the circumferential parts next adjacent to the extream surface which makes the first reflection stronger and therefore more dilatating the coloured air which more dilatating of the coloured air makes the colour appear sensibly larger although the colour is somewhat dilated by a single reflection but it being insensible we do not state it to be larger The reason why an Apple held over the water and seen at a certain distance obliquely from the side appears much more enlarged then seen directly is because the light is reflected in a larger extent and consequently the colour impressed upon it must be more dilated Hence you may also be resolved why some Looking-Glasses render ones face bigger and paler then it is This happens through the thickness of the Glass wherein the second reflection is continued from some depth and therefore doth more obtend the air and dilate its impressed colour Thin and gibbous Glasses render a face less and swarthy because they do less reflect the light and rather loosen its obtension through their thinness A little piece of a plain Looking-Glass doth represent no more of the face then its bigness will permit so that if it be no bigger then your eye you will see no more in it then your eye A gibbous or spherical Looking-Glass be it never so little doth represent the whole face of a man although but obscurely Now let us enquire into the ground and cause of these different Representations Alhazenus and Vitellio seem to assert that all colours are represented in a Pyramid that is by being equally fastigiated from their extream circumference unto a point of reflection and therefore they term this optick Pyramid simpliciter an optick figure as if all colours whether radial or luminous were represented through it But this is contradicted by the Experiment of a plain Looking-Glass where the figure of an Object is not at all augmented or diminisht but reflected in an equal extent as it is represented through a simple vision Notwithstanding it holds true in Objects reflected upon spherick Looking-Glasses where as I have proposed just now objects if circular are reflected in a conical optick figure and if lineal their radiature is reflected in a triangular or pyramidal optick figure The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these is vulgar enough but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I could never hear from any 1. It is certain that all colours are represented through their direct Rayes or in direct Lines 2. These Rayes are nothing else but the pinchings of the luminous air by the Objects 3. These pinches being plain or sometimes bubbly are equally and plainly reflected by a plain Looking-Glass and therefore the Object reflected seems equal to the Object when perceived by a simple vision But in case the Object be reflected by a spherical Glass then the central parts of it are reflected by the extream protuberance of the Glass in a sloping manner not plain because the body reflecting is not plain for it is the reflecting body which gives it its extent of figure as I said before if it be plain it reflects that bubble plain that is stretches it out to a plainness which must be full as big as the Bubble can stretch out But the reflecting body not being plain but falling slopingly the coloured air fals down with it and is thereby contracted into a lesser extent in the same manner as when you spread a Handkerchief upon a plain table the Handkerchief thus extended is of a larger figure then when you cover your head with it where its figure is contracted to a less compass because of the declining figure of the head IX Robert Flud Tract 2. Part 4. Lib. 4. sets down this division of Glasses A Glass is either regular or made up out of regulars A regular Glass is plain or difform The latter is 1. A Concave which causes a thing to seem bigger then it is 2. Convexe which causes a thing to seem lesser then it is 3 4. Pyramidal and Columnal making a thing to appear longer then it is 5. Spherical which causes a thing to seem broader then it is To these difform Glasses Cylindraick Conical and Parabolical Glasses are to be referred The causes of their various reflections you may easily deduce from our Discourse wherefore I shall spend no more time about it The obliquated Radiatures of an Object are propagated to a certain distance and sphere beyond which the said Object is invisible Hence you may know why a piece of Money being placed in a Bason and going back from it until it is out of sight comes to your sight again if you cause water to be powred upon it The propagation of an Object reflected is circular and therefore to as many as can stand about that Bason where money was placed in the same will appear The various Colours appearing to the eye looking through a Prism are effected through the gradual diminutions of Light passing through the depth of the said Prism and modifying the Sand contained within the body of the Glass the same colours do also appear to us when we see against the Light through a Glass full of water X. But to pursue my discourse of Refraction There must not only be a Reflection but also a discontinuation or abruption of planeness or equality of the Body reflected and thereby
and propelled upwards which commonly tends to the emitting body because the greater quantity of those steams are gathered perpendicularly under the said emitting body and so do return the same way Hence observe That Amber doth not attract so potently on the top of high Mountains because its steams being weightier than the air is there do spread themselves further whereby they are deprived of a return Neither will Amber attract in a thick vapourous air because its steams are detained from dispersion IX Fire and fiery bodies as Onions Soap c. are said to attract but improperly because their attraction is nothing else but an expulsion of those bodies which they are imagined to attract For instance Fire is said to attract water air c. This is nothing else but fire piercing into the substance of water or air whereby it doth expel them into those places which it leaves or which are near to it Hence vapours are seldom attracted or rather expelled into the places where fire doth continually pass as directly under the AEquator because it fills those places with its own presence but are reflected towards the sides as towards the North and South Pole whose spaces are not filled up with its torrid rayes Now judge a little of that most barbarous practice among Physitians in applying Reddishes Salt leaven yea Epispastick Plasters to the Wrists and Feet of Feaverish Patients What rage what torments are poor men put to how are their Feavers Paraphrensies exacerbated through their diabolical practice These things do not attract without piercing into a mans Veins and Arteries and through their greater force of heat and violence do protrude the less heat of the body and by a short stay do put the whole body into a consuming fire How many men have I seen murthered in that manner 'T is true in malignant and Pestilential Feavers they have their use but not in single putrid ones Now by what hath been proposed in this Paragraph we may easily apprehend the manner of all water-works and of raising water higher than its source as that which is performed by the invention of Archimedes through a brazen or leaden Serpent or by wheels impelling water into Pipes c. Hence we may also conceive the manner of the attraction or rather expulsion of the degrees of water in a Thermometer or invention to measure the degrees of heat and cold and the differences of them in several Rooms Towns Seasons of the year c. The Instrument is nothing but a long glass Pipe towards the end somewhat turning up being left open for to poure in any liquor which according to the rarefaction or condensation of the air contained within the Pipe above will either ascend or descend in so many more or less degrees as the air is altered by rarefaction through the heat of the ambient air or condensation through the cold minims of earth within the said ambient air compressing the water more or less through its increase of quantity Touching the Magdenburg Invention the air is attracted outwards in the same manner as we have explained the attraction of water by a water-spout namely by a continuation cohesion and adhesion to the Sucker The air attracted out of the capacity of the Receiver doth also through the same means attract air and fire inhering in the rarefied and attenuated water without in the koop that again in the koop attracts air from without for to fill up its spaces which is as ready to press in because that air which was pumped out of the capacity wants room without This succession of air is continuated by pumping untill the air within is quite filled up with the incrassated air attracted from without whose thickness will not suffer it self to be pumped out any longer so that as the air within begins to be incrassated so the pumping without falls harder and harder Towards the latter end there seems to be a forcible retraction of the Sucker making a great noise through its return because the capacity of the Receiver being replenisht to the very pores of the glass which being rendred somewhat flexible through the passing and tumefying of the incrassated and rarefied air afterwards beginning to condense through greater access of fire is violently through the great external force of the pumping somewhat forced to bend or yield inwards whose renitency and force to return retracts the Sucker through continuation and cohesion of the incrassated air Next we are to pursue the manner of acceleration of weighty bodies downwards It is certain that a natural mixt weighty body falling directly down from atop without interruption to the bottom doth acquire a greater celerity the further it recedes from the beginning of its descent because the lower or farther it descends through propulsion of the superiour air the more and the greater body viz. of air under it it compresses which for to prevent the penetration of its own body is the more and violenter irritated to run round about the descending weighty body for to recover the place left by the said body where arriving doth as it were rebound against the superiour parts of the air which doth very much intend the celerity of the said bodies motion and the same gradually increasing doth also gradually accelerate the descending body the further it falls Some are of opinion that the acceleration of descending bodies is caused by Atoms falling down from the Celestial Orbs which as they do more and more encrease by being retained by the descending body do likewise more and more accelerate its descent This can scarce be because those Atoms reflecting and returning from the Surface of the Terrestrial Globe are in greater number underneath the body than above ergo according to that manner of reasoning a body falling from on high should rather be gradually retarded 3. A body should also fall swifter in the Winter than in the Summer in cold Countries than in hot because those Atoms are most numerous there but the contrary is true Ergo no true consequence In like manner do light bodies acquire a greater swiftness in ascending the higher they are propelled whence it is that Fowl flying high move much swifter than below Retardation is caused through causes opposite to these now mentioned X. Projection is whereby a body is moved swifter by the forcible impulse of the Projector than it would do otherwise Thus an Arrow is swiftly moved out of a Bow or a stone being cast out of the hand because of the force of the impulse of the Projector The cause of the intention of this impulse is the great swiftness of the said impulse at the beginning whereby the air is swiftly propelled before whose most swift return about the sides of the body projected causes the continuation of the swiftness of the first impulse but gradually diminishing by how much the further it recedes from the beginning A ball projected out of a Canon is propelled with that swiftness because of the swiftness of
the first smart impulse The truth of the foresaid reason and manner is apparent in shooting a pole through the water where we may see the water at the farther end raised into a tumor which running about the sides to the other end causeth its propulsion Whence it is also that when there appears no more of the tumor of the water before the pole its motion doth instantly cease XI Disruption or bursting is a sudden separation of the parts of a body through a violent force moving from within This we see happens oft in Canons when over-charged or in bottels filled with water being frozen in the Winter o. Wine in the Summer being close stopt The cause of these latter must be imputed to frosty or fiery minims entring through the pores of the bottels in greater quantity than their capacity can take in and disrupting them for to avoid a penetration of bodies Bodies are oft said to burst through driness as Instruments c. but very improperly since it is the fiery or frosty minims entring their pores and filling their capacities and afterwards disrupting them because of avoiding a penetration of bodies So Instrument-strings are apt to break in moist weather because their continuation is disrupted through penetration of moist bodies into their pores Undulation is a motion whereby a body is moved to and fro like to water shaken in a basin or to the motion of a Bell. The cause is likewise adscribed to the first motion of the Impulsor which being terminated at the end of its return is beat back through the direct descent of the air impelling it by reason it lieth athwart Recurrent motion being but little different from this I shall therefore say no more of it The cause of reflection is the return of the impulse impressed upon the air or water both being media deferentia perpendicularly or obliquely upwards from a hard and plane reflecting body Of refraction the cause is the shuving off of the impulse downwards by the shelving sides of an angular hard body CHAP. XXI Of Fire being an Introduction to a New Astronomy 1. The Fires division into three Regions 2. The qualification of the inferiour Region What the Sun is What his torrid Rayes are and how generated 3. How the other Planets were generated 4. How the fixed Stars were generated 5. A further explanation of the Stars their Ventilation That there are many Stars within the Planetary Region that are invisible Of the appearance of new Stars or Comets Of the Galaxia or Milk-way 6. That the fiery Regions are much attenuated I. THe ground of the fires tending downwards you may easily collect from what I have set down touching the waters and airs commerce with the other Elements It s profundity we may likewise divide into three Regions The first whereof containing the Planetary bodies the next the fixed Stars and the third consisting most of purefire II. The inferiour Region through its nearer approximation to the air and its immersion into it is cast into a subtil flame whose subtility doth effuge our sight and Tact. The Sun is a great body generated out of the peregrin Elements contained in the inferiour igneous Region consisting most of condensed fire and incrassated air extended and blown up into the greatest flame and conglomerated within the greatest fiery cloud These igneous clouds are like to the windy clouds of the air which as they do daily blast down wind upon the earth so do these cast fiery rayes among which that which surrounds the Sun doth vendicate the greatest power to it selfe The manner of casting of its fiery rayes is the same with that of winds viz. The Region of fire forceth up every day or continually a great quantity of air somewhat incrassated and condensed into its own sphere through its descending force striving for a Center This incrassated and condensed air is impelled violently into the body of the Stars by other subtil flames as being more forcible to drive the said adventitious matter from them because their parts are so closely ingaged that they can scarce slow a minim without a penetration Wherefore they must necessarily be impelled gradually into the bodies of the Stars because these are mixt bodies that give way so much in themselves by expelling fiery or torrid minima's down into the air as to be capacious enough of receiving so many airy particles as the Elementary fire doth force up every moment But before I proceed in unfolding the manner of the Celestial mixt bodies their ventilations I must insist somewhat further upon their constitution III. The Celestial mixt bodies are not only like to clouds in their daily and minutely ventilations but also in their constitutions viz. The inferiour ones as the Planets are constituted out of the courser and more mixt matter of the finer cloudy air in the inferiour Region of the Element of fire like the clouds of the inferiour Region of air are constituted out of the courser part of vapours Their coagulation is effected through the force of the fiery Element crushing their matter from below upwards and again is repelled back from the superiour parts of the said fiery Elements because through its being pressed up are scanted of room and therefore do press downwards not only for room but also because of reuniting where they are divided by the said coagulated bodies Now it may easily appear to you 1. Whence that rotundity or rather globosity doth arrive to them viz. because they are circularly crusht 2. Because the air and fire of the said Planets do naturally spread themselves equally from the Center to the Circumference whence a circular figure must needs follow Also 3. That Stars are nothing else but the thicker and denser part of the Heavens coagulated into fiery mixt bodies to wit flames 3. That as they do decrease by Ventilation every day so they do also increase by the introsusception of new aerial particles 4. That they must necessarily be very durable because of the duration of their causes For as the great force of the inferiour parts of the igneous Heavens never desist from striving for the Center and do every day cast up great proportions of aerial matter so do the superiour parts never cease from compressing them into the bodies of the other condensed flames being disposed as I said before through their ventilation to receive them 2. Because the aerial parts being got into the Center of the flames cease from all external Local motion striving only to maintain their Center in rest IV. Fixed Stars are generated out of the subtiler parts of the forementioned aerial evaporations being through their less resisting gravity redounding from water earth in them rendred capable of being screwed up higher to the second Region where they are coagulated through the same motions of the Heavens that Planetary clouds are These are responding to the permanent clouds of the second Region of the air which as they are spread into more large