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TRANSLATION OF

CATALOGUE OF BODIES, ATTRACTIVE AND NOT

ATTRACTIVE.

BY ARCHBISHOP TENNISON.

PUBLISHED IN THE BACONIANA, 1678.

If there be made a turn-pin of any metal, after the fashion of a magnetic needle, and amber be applied to one end of it, after having been gently rubbed, the pin will turn.

Amber heated by the fire, be it warmish, hot, or set on fire, it does not draw.

A little bar of iron red-hot, flame, a lighted candle, a hot coal, put nigh sheaves (or straws) or turn-pins, (or compass needles,) do not draw.

Amber, in a greater mass, if it be polite, draws, though not rubbed in a lesser quantity, and in a less polite mass, it draws not without rubbing.

Crystal, lapis specularis, glass, and other such electric bodies, if burned, or scorched, draw not. Pitch, the softer rosin, benjoin, asphaltum, camphire, galbanum, ammoniac, storax, assa, these draw not at all when the air is hot: but when it is cooler, they draw weakly, and so that we can just perceive them to do so.

applied to a shiver, or a compass-needle, draws best of all.

The electric virtue is as vigorous, for a time, in its retention, as it was in its first attraction. Flame (amber being put within the sphere of its activity) is not drawn by it.

A drop of water, amber being applied towards it, is drawn into a cone.

If electric bodies be rubbed too hard, their attraction is thereby hindered.

Those bodies, which in a clear sky do scarce draw, in a thick air move not at all.

Water put upon amber choketh its attractive force, though it draweth the water itself.

Fat* so encompassing amber, that it toucheth it, takes away its attraction; but being so put betwixt it and the object to be drawn, as not to touch it, it doth not take it away.

Oil put upon amber, hinders not its motion: Reeking air, blown-up amber, &c., from the neither doth amber, rubbed with the finger moistmouth, or from a moister atmosphere, chokethened with oil, lose its attractive virtue. the attractive virtue.

If a paper, or a piece of linen, be put between amber and chaff, there is no motion, or attraction made.

Amber, or other electrics, warmed by the sunbeams, have not their attractive virtue so awakened, as by rubbing.

Amber rubbed, and exposed to the beams of the sun, retains its attractive force the longer; and does not so soon lose it, as it would do in the shadow.

Amber, jeats, and the like, do more strongly excite, and longer retain the objects they draw, although the rubbing be but little. But diamonds, crystal, glass, ought to be rubbed longer, that they may appear hot, ere they be used for attrac tion.

Flames nigh to amber, though the distance be very small, are not drawn by it.

Amber, &c., draw the smoke of a lamp newly extinguished.

Amber draws smoke more strongly when it Heat derived from a burning-glass to amber, comes forth, and is more gross; and more weakly, &c., does not help its attraction.

Sulphur, and hard wax, set on fire, do not draw.

Amber, when, immediately after rubbing, it is

when it ascends and becomes thinner.

A body drawn by electric bodies, is not manifestly altered, but only leans itself upon them.

For by Sarca, I suppose, he meaneth Sarcia.

INQUISITION OF THE CONVERSIONS OF BODIES.

TRANSLATED BY A. BLAIR, ESQ., 1830.

Inquisition of the Conversions, Transmutations, Multiplications, and Productions of Bodies.

EARTH, by fire, is converted into bricks, which are of the nature of stones, and which we use for building, like stones. So with tiles.

Naphtha, which was that bituminous cement, wherewith the walls of Babylon were built, by time acquires exceedingly great hardness and firmness, equal to stone.

In clayey lands, where are pebbles and gravel, you shall find huge stones, concreted of pebbles and gravel, with stony matter interposed, as hard, or truly harder, than the pebbles themselves.

There are certain springs of water, wherein if you immerse wood, it shall be turned into the nature of stone; so as that the part sunk in the water shall become stone, the part above the water shall remain wood.

The viscous matter about the kidneys and bladder, in the human body, is converted into a pebble or stony matter. A stone, also, is often found in the gall-bladder; and sometimes, but this is most rare, in the vena porta.

Quære, how much time is required, that the matter of earth, in stone-quarries, may be converted into the stony nature?

Water, as there is reason to think, is changed into crystal; which may be seen in many caverns, where the crystal hangs in drops.

You may have an experiment of wood, o the stalks of plants, buried in quicksilver, whe ther they will harden, and, as it were, petrify, or no.

Report has much prevailed of a stone bred in the head of an old and great toad.

It is related that a certain nobleman, digging in the bed of his pool, found an egg turned into stone, the white and yolk retaining their proper colour; but the shell brightly sparkling, like a diamond exquisitely cut in faces.

Make experiment of some bodies, let down near to the bottom of a well, as wood, or other softer substances; but let them not touch the water, lest they rot.

They say that the white of an egg, through long insolation, or exposure in the sunbeams, has contracted the hardness of a stone.

Mud, in water, is converted in the shells of fishes, as in muscles,-(the fish) which are found in pools of fresh water, that flow not, and are covered with moss. But the substance of those shells is exceedingly delicate, clear, and glistening.

THE MASCULINE BIRTH OF TIME;

OR, THE

GREAT INSTAURATION OF MAN'S DOMINION OVER THE UNIVERSE

To God the Father, God the Word, God the | passages of sense, and the kindling of greater Holy Ghost, I address my most humbled and natural light, any infidelity or darkness may ardent prayers, that, mindful of the miseries of arise in our minds towards the mysteries of God; man, and of this pilgrimage of life, of which the days are few and evil, they would open up yet new sources of refreshment from the fountains of good, for the alleviation of our sorrows; and, also, that things divine may not in this be prejudiced by things human, nor from the opening up of the

but rather that, by the understanding cleansed and purified from fantastic and vain ideas, yet wholly submissive and subjected to the divine oracles, those things which are of faith may be rendered to faith.

2Y2

W. G. G. 533

TRANSLATION OF

THE MASCULINE BIRTH OF TIME;

OR,

THREE BOOKS CONCERNING THE INTERPRETATION OF NATURE.

1. THE PURIFICATION AND APPLICATION OF human things,) as I shall disclose to you these THE MIND. things with the fullest conviction, with the deep

2. THE LIGHT of Nature, or METHOD OF IN- est forecast of my mind, and after the profoundest

TERPRETATION.

research into the present state of knowledge, in

3. NATURE ILLUMINATED, OR THE TRUTH OF the method of all others the most legitimate. THINGS.

C. I. Legitimate Mode of Statement.

"And what," you will say, "is this legitimate method? Have done with artifice and circumlocution; show me the naked truth of your design, I find, my son, that men in showing forth, and that I may be able to form a judgment for myno less in concealing the knowledge which they self." I would, my dearest son, that matters think they have acquired, have not acted in a were in such a state with you as to render this spirit of good faith and of duty. No less mis- possible. Do you suppose that when all the enchievous, though perhaps less shameful, is the trances and passages to the minds of all men are error of those who, with good intentions, but lit-infested and obstructed with the darkest idols, and tle wisdom, are ignorant of the art and rules these deep-seated and burned in, as it were, into proper for setting forth their several subjects. their substance, that clear and smooth spaces can We do not intend, however, to begin a complaint | be found for receiving the true and natural rays of either this perversity or ignorance in the ex- of objects? A new process must be instituted, pounders of knowledge. Had they, by unskilful by which to insinuate ourselves into minds so enteaching, broken down the weight of the subjects tirely obstructed. For as the delusions of the taught, it might, no doubt, have been matter insane are removed by art and ingenuity, but agof just indignation. But, in teaching inaptitude, gravated by violence and opposition, so must we it was natural to expect absurdity. I, however, adapt ourselves here to the universal insanity. far different from such instructors, intend to im- What! do even those less difficult requisites per part to you not fictions of imagination or shadows taining to the legitimate method of delivering of words; not a mixture of religion; not certain knowledge, appear to you such light and easy commonplace observations, or certain well-known matters? That it be ingenuous, that is, afford experiments adjusted to conformity with fanciful no handle or occasion for error; that it have a theories, but to bind, and place at your command, certain native and inseparable quality, both to nature with her offspring about her; and can this conciliate belief, and repel the injuries of time, so be supposed a theme fit to be debased by preten- that the knowledge so delivered, like a vigorous sion or unskilfulness, or other defective treatment. and healthy plant, may daily shoot and thrive; So may I exist, my son, and so may I extend the that it appear to place itself in, and adapt itself to now deplorably narrow limits of man's dominion the situation of its proper and reasonable reader: over the universe to the permitted boundaries, whether I shall show in the sequel all these qua(which is the only object of my prayers among | lities or not, I appeal to futurity. W. G. G.

THE HISTORY AND FIRST INQUISITION OF

SOUND AND HEARING,

AND

TOUCHING THE FORM OF SOUND, AND THE SECRET PROCESS OF SOUND, OR THE WOOD OF SOUND AND HEARING.

Or the generation of sound, and the first per- customary, and as it were invariable, when trials cussion. and observations have grown into art, that the Of the lasting of sound, and of the perishing mathematic and practic is pursued, the physic is and extinction of sounds.

Of the confusion and perturbation of sounds. Of the accessory aids and impediments of sounds.

Of the stay of sound, and the diversity of mediums.

Of the penetration of sounds.

Of the carriage of sounds, and their direction or spreading, and of the area which sound fills, together and severally.

Of the variety of the bodies, which yield sound; and the instruments; and of the species of sounds which occur.

left. Moreover, optic fareth some whit better; for not only the art of painting, and beauty, and symmetry are propounded unto optic, but the contemplation of all visibles; but unto music, only musical tones. Therefore we do inquire of sounds. Of the Generation of Sound, and the First Percussion.

The collision, or elision, as they speak, meaning thereby some section or cutting of the air, which they will have to be the cause of sound, imports neither the form, nor the secret process of sound, but is a term of ignorance and superficial

Of the multiplication, majoration, diminution, contemplation. and fraction of sounds.

Of the repercussion of sounds, and echo.

Of the consent and dissents of audibles and visibles, and of other (so called) spiritual species. Of the quickness of the generation and extinction of sound, and the time in which they are effected.

Of the affinity or non-affinity which sound hath with the motion, local and perceptible, of the air in which it is carried.

Of the communication of the air percussed and elided, with the ambient air, and bodies, or their spirits.

Of the forming or articulation of sound.
Of the very impression of sounds upon the

sense.

Of the organ of hearing, and its disposition and indisposition, helps, and hindrances.

The inquiry into sound and hearing I have thought well forthwith to set on foot; for it advantageth the understanding, and, as it were, makes matter of its health, that the contemplations of the spiritual species, as they call them, and of operations at distance, he mixed with the contemplation of those things, which work by communication only of the substance to the touch. Again, the observations concerning sounds have brought forth to us the art of music. But it is

Sound is diffused and moves with so small an impulse in its generation; also so far, and that in round, not much depending on the first direction; withal so smoothly, without any evident motion, found either by flame, or by feathers and straws, or in any other manner; that it seems altogether hard that the form of sound should be any cutting, or local and perceptible motion of the air, howsoever this may hold the part of the efficient.

For that sound is so suddenly generated, and straightway dies, it seems necessary that either its generation do a little thrust the air from its nature, and its perishing restore it, as in the compressions of waters, whereas a body cast into the water makes many circles in the waters, that come of the water at first compressed, afterward restoring itself into its proper consistence and dimension; (which we have used to call the motion of liberty;) or that, contrariwise, the generation of sound be an impression pleasant and kindly, that winneth upon the air, and whereunto the air freely stirreth itself, and that its extinction be from some enmity, which suffers not the air longer to enjoy that agitation and impression; as in the generation of the very body of flame, wherein the generation of the flame appears to be made with alacrity, but by the air and other environing adversaries presently to be destroyed. The whistling which is made by the mouth.

Instances of the percussion of a hard body against the air, are seen in musical stringed instruments; in the whistling of an arrow, as it flies through the air; in the beating of the air, although it strike not any hard body; also, in regals, their sound is given by the air striking against water; in the pipe they call the nightingale-pipe, which gives sound continually tumbling; in water agitated and restoring itself again; and in the toys wherewith children please themselves, (they call them cocks,) in imitation of the voices of birds; likewise in other hydraulics.

without use of a whistle, may be effected by suck- | back of the hand, or upon the forehead, cracks by ing in of the breath toward the inner parts of the eruption of the air. mouth, not only by expelling of the breath outwards; and clearly all sucking of the air inwards gives a sound, which seems exceeding worthy of remark: because the sound is generated against the perceptible motion of the air, so as the first impulsion of the air appears plainly to be the remote efficient, and no part of the form of sound. In like manner, if there be an egg of glass taken, and the air through a small hole forcibly sucked out; then the hole stopped with wax, and it be laid by for a time; if afterwards the wax be removed from the hole, you shall hear plainly the hissing of the air entering into the egg, being drawn, to wit, by the inner air, after forcible rarefaction, restoring itself. So as in this trial also, sound is generated contrarily to the perceptible motion of the air.

In like manner, in the toy that is called a jew'sharp, holding the sides betwixt the teeth, the little tongue of iron is drawn outwards and jarred, when it flies back inwards against the air that is in the mouth, and thence is a sound created.

And in these three trials it may not be doubted but that sound is generated by the percussion of the air inwards towards the mouth on the egg of glass.

Sound is generated by percussions. The percussion is either of air against air, or of a hard body against the air, or of a hard body against a hard body.

The instance of the percussion of air against air chiefly prevails in the human voice, and in the voices of birds and of other animals; next in musical wind instruments; also in ordnance, greater and less, where the percussion that gives the sound is generated chiefly by the percussion of the confined air that issues from the mouth of the piece against the outer air; for the bullet wherewith it is charged makes not much to the noise. Neither is the percussion of a soft body against a soft body only seen in the percussion of air against air, but also of air against flame, as in the raising of a flame with bellows; also flames amongst themselves, when one drives another, yield a certain roaring; but whether the air assist here may be further inquired. Also, all flame that suddenly taketh, if it be of any greatness, makes a sound, rather, as I think, in displacing of the air than of itself. Also in eruptions, there is percussion made of the spirit breaking out against the air adjacent; as in the cracklings made by dry leaves, or bay-salt, and many other things, when cast into the fire; and in thunder, either by the spirit oreaking out from the cloud, or wallowing and tossed to and fro, as in the more hollow and lengthened rolling of thunder; also we see in eport that a fresh rose-leaf gathered together so as it shall contain air, and struck upon the

Instances of the percussion of a hard body against a hard body, are found either simply, or with communication of some air enclosed beside that air, which is cut or elided between the hard bodies percussed; simply, as in all hammering or knocking of hard bodies, with communication of air penned in, as in bells and drums.

A stone cast forcibly into the water gives a sound; as do the drops of rain falling upon the water, and no less wave dashing against wave, in which there is percussion betwixt a hard body and water.

It seemeth to be constant in the generation of all sound, that there are certain parts of air, and that air is required between the bodies percussed; which air, in the percussion of a hard body against the air, and of a hard body against a hard body, appears manifestly to be cut or elided. I judge that flame should suffice for this in the stead of air, as if in the midst of a great flame a bell should be rung, or stones knocked together; but in the percussion of air against air this elision or separation appears more dark, but the air seems only to be beaten and driven, and that in a soft voice, very gently. But it seems, even in this kind, to need that there be some elision of the zir percussed by the air percussing: for even in air moved by a fan, the air from the side of the fir and when air is blown out of bellows, the blast of air from the mouth, divides the other air. But concerning this kind of elision of the air, which happens when the percussion of air against air createth sound, as in the voice, let inquiry be made further.

It is well doubted, whether the percussion that produces sound, when the air is percussed by a string, or otherwise, be from the beginning, when the string starting back percusses the air, or a little after, the air, to wit, being compressed by the first percussion, and thereafter acting the part, as it were, of a hard body.

When sound is yielded by the percussion of air against air, it is required that there be an imprisoning or penning of the air in some concave, as in whistling by the mouth, in pipes, in the viol, in the voice; which is divided, where

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