The Mathematical and Philosophical Works of the Right Rev. John Wilkins, Late Lord Bishop of Chester: III. An abstract of his essay towards a real character, and a philosophical languageVernor and Hood, 1802 - Cryptography |
Common terms and phrases
according affirms alphabet Archimedes Aristagoras Aristotle ascend ballista bodies bullet Cardan centre CHAP chapter character chymical Cochlea common commonly conceive concerning conjectures consist contrived convey conveyance discourse discovered distance diurnal motion divers doth easily easy engine enquiry equal equiponderate experiments express fall fastened fire force former framed fulciment George Dalgarno gravity hath been attempted Hist hundred instrument invention Jews kind labour lamp languages learned leaver letters likewise loadstone means mentioned move nature occasion opinion ordinary particular perpetual motion Plin plummet Plutarch Polybius Polyd Porta pound weight pounds proportion betwixt pulley purpose quæ racter relations Rerum revolution Romans saith screw Scrib secrecy secret sense secret writing shew signify speaking stiled stone strange strength substance Subtil sundry suppose ther things and notions tion tongue treats urim and thummim usually Vegetius Vitruvius vowels weight wheel whence whereby wherein words
Popular passages
Page 1 - That seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Page 222 - This design will likewise contribute much to the clearing of some of our modern differences in religion ; by unmasking many wild errors, that shelter themselves under the disguise of affected phrases ; which, being philosophically unfolded, and rendered according to the genuine and natural importance of words, will appear to be inconsistencies and contradictions. And several of those pretended mysterious profound notions, expressed in great swelling words, whereby some men set up for reputation,...
Page 170 - Tis safe from the uncertainty of tides, and the violence of tempests, which do never move the sea above five or six paces deep...
Page 232 - Essay towards a real character, and a philosophical language. (An alphabetical dictionary, wherein all English words according to their various significations, are either referred to their places in the philosophical tables, or explained by such words as are in those tables), pp.
Page 219 - But, on the other side, if all the water falling upon one wheel would be able to turn it round, then half of it would serve with two wheels, and the rest may be so disposed of in the fall as to serve unto some other useful, delightful ends. "When I first thought of this invention, I could scarce forbear, with Archimedes, to cry out
Page 208 - And if the gravity of the buHet be supposed so much to exceed the strength of the" magnet, that it cannot draw it directly when it is so near, then will it not be able to attract the bullet up the plane, when it is so much further off. So that none of all these magnetical experiments, which have been as yet discovered, are sufficient for the effecting of a perpetual motion, though these kind of qualities seem. most conducible imto it, and perhaps hereafter it may be f ontrived from them.
Page 185 - I answer, the main difficulty and labour of it will be in the raising of it from the ground ; near unto which, the earth's attractive vigour is of greatest efficacy. But for the better effecting of this, it may be helped by the strength of winds, and by taking its first rise from some mountain or other high place.
Page 172 - All kind of arts and manufactures may be exercised in this vessel. The observations made by it, may be both written, and (if need were) printed here likewise. Several colonies may thus inhabit, having their children born, and bred up without the knowledge of land, who could not chuse but be amazed with strange conceits upon the discovery of this upper world.
Page 171 - The deep caverns and subterraneous passages where the sea water in the course of its circulation doth vent itself into other places, and the like. The nature and kinds of fishes, the several arts of catching them, by alluring them with lights, by placing divers nets about the sides of this Vessel, shooting the greater sort of them with guns, which may be put out of the ship by the help of such bags as were mentioned before, with divers the like artifices and treacheries, which may be more successively...
Page 171 - It may be of very great advantage against a Navy of enemies, who by this means may be undermined in the water, and blown up.