Notes.
[1] L. Annæ Senecæ Natur. Quest. l. 6. c. 5.
[2] He that desires more instances of this kind and matter, that according to this doctrine may much help the Theory of colours, and particularly the force both of Sulphureous and volatile, is likewise of Alcalizate and Acid Salts, and in what particulars, Colours likely depend not in the causation from any Salt at all, may beg his information from M. Boyle who hath some while since honoured me with the sight of his papers concerning this subject, containing many excellent experiments, made by him for the Elucidation of this doctrine, &c Dr. R. Sharrock in his ingenious and usefull History of the Propagation and Improvement of Vegetables, published in the yeare 1660.
[3] See the Discourse of the Nature of Whiteness and Blackness.
[4] Since for his eminent Qualities and Loyalty Grac'd, by his Majesty, with the Honour of Knighthood.
[5] Exercitat. 325 Parag. 4
[6] Album quippe & agrum, hoc quidem asperum esse dicit, hoc vero læve. de Sensu & Sensib. 3. 3.
[7] Epist. 2. pag. 45.
[8] Gent. Septen. Histor. lib. 4 cap. 13.
[9] Hist. Anatom. Cent. 3. Hist. 44.
[10] Olearius Voyage de Mosco. et de Perse liv. 3.
[11] Piso Nat. & Med. Hist. Brasil. lib 1. in fine.
[12] Purchas Pilgrim. Second part, Seventh Book 3. Chap. Sect 5.
[13] Purchas. Ibid.
[14] Purchas Ibid. in fin
[15] See Scaliger Exercit. 325. Sect. 9.
[16] Nicolaus Monardes lib simplic. ex India allatis, cap. 27.
[17] Kircher. Art. Mag. lucis & umbræ, lib. 1. part. 3.
[18] Herbarists are wont to call this Plant Cyanus vulgaris minor.
[19] Paracelsus de Mineral. tract. 1. pag. m. 243
[20] See Parkinson Th. Boran. Trib. 9. cap. 26.
[21] Parkinson, Thea. Bot. Trib. 4 cap. 12.
[22] Beguinus, Tyr. Chy. Lib. 2º. Cap. 13º.
[23] Libr. 2do Cap. 34.
[24] See the latter end of the fiftieth Experiment.
[25] The Curious Reader that desires further Information concerning Lakes, may Resort to the 7th Book of Neri's Art of Glass, Englished (6 or 7 years since the Writing of this 49th Experiment) and Illustrated with Learned Observations, by the Inquisitive and experienc'd Dr. Charles Merret.
[26] Boetius de Boot. Gem. & Lapid. Histor. Lib. 3. Cap. 8.
[27] Musæi Wormiani. Cap. 17.
[28] Purchas's Pilgrim. lib. 1. cap. 4. pag. 104.
[29] In the year 1619.
[30] Benvonuto Cellini nell Arte del Gioiellare, Lib. 1. pag. 10.
[31] The Narrative in the Authors own words, is this. Ego (sayes he) sanctè affirmare possum me unam aureo Annulo inclusam perpetuo gestare, cujus facultatem (si gemmæ est) nunquam satis admirari potui. Gestaverat enim ante Triginta annos Hispanus quidam non procula puternis ædibus habitans. Is cum vitâ functus esset, & ipsius suspellex (ut moris apud nos est) venum exposita esset, inter cætera etiam Turcois exponebatur. Verum nemo (licet complures eo concurrissent, ut eam propter Coloris Elegantiam, quam vivo Domino habuerat emerent) sibi emptam voluit, pristinum enim nitorem & Colorem prorsus amiserat, ut potius Malachites, quam Turcois videretur. Aderat tum temporis gemmæ habendæ desiderio etiam parens & frater meus, qui antea sæpius gratiam & elegantiam ipsius viderant, mirabundi eam nunc tam esse deformem, Emit eam nihilominus pater, satisque vili pretio, qua omnibus contemptui erat, ac presentes non eam esse quam Hispanus gestarat, arbitrarentur. Domum reversus Pater, qui tam turpem Gemmam gestare sibi indecorum putabat, eam mihi dono dat, inquiens; Quandoquidem, fili mi, vulgi fama est, Turcoidem, ut facultates suas exercere possit, dono dari debere tibi eam devoveo, ego acceptam Gemmam sculptori trado, at gentilitia mea insignia illi, quamadmodum fieri solet, in Jaspide Chalcedono, aliisque Ignobilioribus Gemmis, insculperat. Turpe enim existimabam, hujusmodi Gemmâ ornatus gratia, dum gratiam nullam haberet, uti. Paret Sculptor redditque Gemmam, quam gesto pro annulo Signatorio. Vix per mensem gestaram, redit illi pristinus color, sed non ita nitens propter Sculpturam, ac inæqualem superficiem. Miramur omnes gemmam, atque id præcipuè quod color indies pulchrior fieret. Id quià observabam, nunquam fere eam à manu deposui, ita ut nunc adhuc candem gestem.
[32] Olaus Wormius, in Musæ. 18º pag. 186.
[33] Musæ. Worm. pag. 99.
[34] Arte Vetraria, lib. 7 cap. 102.
[35] These were brought in and Read before the Royal Society, (the Day following) Oct. 28. 1663.
[36] The Stone it self being to be shown to the Royal Society, when the Observations were deliver'd, I was willing (being in haste) to omit the Description of it, which is in short, That it was a Flat or Table Diamond, of about a third part of an Inch in length, and somewhat less in breadth, that it was a Dull Stone, and of a very bad Water, having in the Day time very little of the Vividness of ev'n ordinary Diamonds, and being Blemished with a whitish Cloud about the middle of it, which covered near a third part of the Stone.
[37] Hast made me forget to take notice that I went abroad the same Morning, the Sun shining forth clear enough, to look upon the Diamond though a Microscope, that I might try whether by that Magnifying Glass any thing of peculiar could be discern'd in the Texture of the Stone, and especially of the whitish Cloud that possest a good part of it. But for all my attention I could not discover any peculiarity worth mentioning.
[38] V. For it drew light Bodies like Amber, Jet, and other Concretes that are noted to do so; But its attractive power seem'd inferiour to theirs.
[39] IX. We durst not hold it in the Flame of a Candle, no more than put it into a naked Fire; For fear too Violent a Heat (which has been observ'd to spoil many other precious Stones) should vitiate and impair a Jewel, that was but borrow'd, and was suppos'd to be the only one of its Kind.
[40] XV. We likewise Plung'd it as soon as we had excited it, under Liquors of several sorts, as Spirit of Wine, Oyl both Chymical and express'd, an Acid Spirit, and as I remember an Alcalizate Solution, and found not any of those various Liquors to destroy its Shining property.
[41] XVI. Having found by this Observation, that a warm Liquor would not extinguish Light in the Diamond, I thought fit to try, whether by reason of its warmth it would not excite it, and divers times I found, that if it were kept therein, till the Water had leisure to communicate some of its Heat to it, it would often shine as soon as it was taken out, and probably we should have seen it Shine more, whilst it was in the Water, if some degree of Opacity which heated Water is wont to acquire, upon the score of the Numerous little Bubbles generated in it, had not kept us from discerning the Lustre of the Stone.
[42] I after bethought my self of imploying a way, which produc'd the desir'd Effect both sooner and better. For holding betwixt my Fingers a Steel Bodkin, near the Lower part of it, I press'd the point hard against the Surface of the Diamond, and much more if I struck the point against it, the Coruscation would be extremely suddain, and very Vivid, though very Vanishing too, and this way which commonly much surpris'd and pleas'd the Spectators, seem'd far more proper than the other, to show that pressure alone, if forcible enough, though it were so suddain, and short, that it could not well be suppos'd to give the Stone any thing near a sensible degree of Warmth, as may be suspected of Rubbing, yet 'tis sufficient to generate a very Vivid Light.
[43] We afterwards, try'd precious Stones, as Diamonds, Rubies, Saphires, and Emeralls, &c. but found not any of them to Shine except some Diamonds, and of these we were not upon so little practice, able to fore-tell before hand, which would be brought to Shine, and which would not; For several very good Diamonds, either would not Shine at all, or much less than others that were farr inferiour to them. And yet those Ingenious Men are mistaken, that think a Diamond must be foul and cloudy, as Mr. Claytons was, to be fit for Shining; for as we could bring some such to afford a Glimmering Light, so with some clear and excellent Diamonds, we could do the like. But none of those many that we try'd of all Kinds, were equal to the Diamond on which the Observations were made, not only considering the degree of Light it afforded, but the easiness wherewith it was excited, and the Comparatively great duration of its Shining.
Transcriber's notes.
The Errata of the printed book have all been corrected. They were as follows:
Pag. [142]. l. 20. These words, And to manifest, with the rest of what is by a mistake further printed in this fourth Experiment, belongeth, and is to be referred to the end of the second Eperiment, p.[137]. pag. [145]. l. 1. leg. matter. [146]. l. 4. leg. Bolts-head. pag [161]. in the marginal note l. 2. dele de ib. l. 3. lege lib 1. p [163]. l. ult. insert where between the words places and the. p. [164] l. 1. dele that. ibid, l. 8. leg Epidermis. ibid. l. 19 leg. 300. for 200. p. [169]. l. 22. leg. into it. p. [170]. l. 23. & 24. leg. Some Solutions hereafter to be mentioned, for the Solutions of Potashes, and other Lixiviate Salts. p. [171]. l. 6. insert part of between the words most and dissolved p. [176]. l. ult. insert the participle it between the words Judged and not p. [234]. l. 4. leg. Woud-wax or Wood-wax. p. [320] l. 29. leg. urine for urne.
In addition I have corrected the following original typos:
The preface: I devis'd tbem -> I devis'd them
The preface: make Expements -> make Experiments
The Publisher to the reader: made of Eperiments -> made of Experiments
I. Ch. III.6 divers Expements -> divers Experiments
I. Ch. III.13 epecially with some sorts -> especially with some sorts
II. Ch. II.8 Slightet Texture -> Slightest Texture
II. Exp. I two Colonrs -> two Colours
II. Exp. XIII were the change of Colour ... is attempted -> where the change (etc.)
III. Exp. XII avoiding of Ambignity -> avoiding of Ambiguity
III. Exp. XXIX Juice of this Sipce -> Juice of this Spice
III. Exp. XL forty second Expement -> forty second Experiment
III. Exp. XLIV keep them swimning -> keep them swimming
III. Exp. XLVI it seem'd propable to me -> it seem'd probable to me
III. Exp. XLVII where not comprehended -> were not comprehended
III. Exp. XLVIII frequent Igintion -> frequent Ignition
III. Exp. L I could tell yon -> I could tell you
A Copy of the Letter: nemo unqnam vere asserere -> nemo nunquam vere asserere
(ib.): what is reladed -> what is related
Observations: carefulsy drawn -> carefully drawn
- and emended
Phœnomenon/a to Phænomenon/a 10 times and
Cœruleous etc. -> Cæruleous 20 times
EXPERIMENTS
AND
CONSIDERATIONS
Touching
COLOURS.
Firſt occaſionally Written, among ſome other
Eſſays, to a Friend; and now ſuffer'd to
come abroad as
THE
BEGINNING
Of An
Experimental Hiſtory
OF
COLOURS.
By the Honourable ROBERT BOYLE,
Fellow of the ROYAL SOCIETY.
Non fingendum, aut excogitandum, ſed inveniendum,
quid Natura faciat, aut ferat. Bacon.
LONDON.
Printed for Henry Herringman at the
Anchor on the Lower walk of the New
Exchange. MDCLXIV.
THE
PREFACE.
Aving in convenient places of the following Treatiſe, mention'd the Motives, that induc'd me to write it, and the Scope I propos'd to my ſelf in it; I think it ſuperfluous to entertain the Reader now, with what he will meet with hereafter. And I ſhould judge it needleſs, to trouble others, or my ſelf, with any thing of Preface: were it not that I can ſcarce doubt, but this Book will fall into the hands of ſome Readers, who being unacquainted with the difficulty of attempts of this nature, will think itn ſtrange that I ſhould publiſh any thing about Colours, without a particular Theory of them. But I dare expect that Intelligent and Equitable Readers will conſider on my behalf: That the profeſſed Deſign of this Treatiſe is to deliver things rather Hiſtorical than Dogmatical, and conſequently if I have added divers new ſpeculative Conſiderations and hints, which perhaps may afford no deſpicable Aſſiſtance, towards the framing of a ſolid and comprehenſive Hypotheſis, I have done at least as much as I promis'd, or as the nature of my undertaking exacted. But another thing there is, which if it ſhould be objected, I fear I ſhould not be able ſo eaſily to anſwer it, and that is; That in the following treatiſe (eſpecially in the Third part of it) the Experiments might have been better Marſhall'd, and ſome of them deliver'd in fewer words. For I muſt confeſs that this Eſſay was written to a private Friend, and that too, by ſnatches, at ſeveral times, and places, and (after my manner) in looſe ſheets, of which I oftentimes had not all by me that I had already written, when I was writing more, ſo that it needs be no wonder if all the Experiments be not rang'd to the beſt Advantage, and if ſome connections and conſecutions of them might eaſily have been mended. Eſpecially ſince having careleſſly laid by the looſe Papers, for ſeveral years after they were written, when I came to put them together to diſpatch them to the Preſs, I found ſome of thoſe I reckon'd upon, to be very unſeaſonably wanting. And to make any great change in the order of the reſt, was more than the Printers importunity, and that, of my own avocations (and perhaps alſo conſiderabler ſolicitations) would permit. But though ſome few preambles of the particular Experiments might have (perchance) been ſpar'd, or ſhorten'd, if I had had all my Papers under my View at once; Yet in the moſt of thoſe Introductory paſſages, the Reader will (I hope) find hints, or Advertiſements, as well as Tranſitions. If I ſometimes ſeem to inſiſt long upon the circumſtances of a Tryall, I hope I ſhall be eaſily excuſed by thoſe that both know, how nice divers experiments of Colours are, and conſider that I was not barely to relate them, but ſo as to teach a young Gentleman to make them. And if I was not ſollicitous, to make a nicer diviſion of the whole Treatiſe, than into three parts, whereof the One contains ſome Conſiderations about Colours in general. The Other exhibits a ſpecimen of an Account of particular Colours, Exemplifi'd in Whiteneſs and Blackneſs. And the Third promiſcuous Experiments about the remaining Colours (eſpecially Red) in order to a Theory of them. If, I ſay, I contented my ſelf with this eaſie Diviſion of my Diſcourſe, it was perhaps becauſe I did not think it ſo neceſſary to be Curious about the Method or Contrivance of a Treatiſe, wherein I do not pretend to preſent my Reader with a compleat Fabrick, or ſo much as Modell; but only to bring in Materials proper for the Building; And if I did not well know how Ingenious the Curioſity and Civility of Friends makes them, to perſwade Men by ſpecious allegations, to gratifie their deſires; I ſhould have been made to believe by perſons very well qualify'd to judge of matters of this nature, that the following Experiments will not need the addition of accurate Method and ſpeculative Notions to procure Acceptance for the Treatiſe that contains them: For it hath been repreſented, That in moſt of them, as the Novelty will make them ſurprizing, and the Quickneſs of performance, keep them from being tedious; ſo the ſenſible changes, that are effected by them, are ſo manifest, ſo great, and ſo ſudden, that ſcarce any will be diſpleaſed to ſee them, and thoſe that are any thing Curious will ſcarce be able to ſee them, without finding themſelves excited, to make Reflexions upon Them. But though with me, who love to meaſure Phyſical things by their uſe, not their ſtrangeneſs, or prettineſs, the partiality of others prevails not to make me over value theſe, or look upon them in themſelves as other than Trifles: Yet I confeſs, that ever ſince I did divers years ago ſhew ſome of them to a Learned Company of Virtuoſi: ſo many perſons of differing Conditions, and ev'n Sexes, have been Curious to ſee them, and pleas'd not to Diſlike them, that I cannot Deſpair, but that by complying with thoſe that urge the Publication of them, I may both gratifie and excite the Curious, and lay perhaps a Foundation whereon either others or my ſelf may in time ſuperſtruct a ſubſtantial theory of Colours. And if Ariſtotle, after his Maſter Plato, have rightly obſerv'd Admiration to be the Parent of Philoſophy, the wonder, ſome of theſe Trifles have been wont to produce in all ſorts of Beholders, and the acceſs they have ſometimes gain'd ev'n to the Cloſets of Ladies, ſeem to promiſe, that ſince the ſubject is ſo pleaſing, that the Speculation appears as Delightful! as Difficult, ſuch eaſie and recreative Experiments, which require but little time, or charge, or trouble in the making, and when made are ſenſible and ſurprizing enough, may contribute more than others, (far more important but as much more difficult) to recommend thoſe parts of Learning (Chymistry and Corpuſcular Philoſophy) by which they have been produc'd, and to which they give Teſtimony ev'n to ſuch kind of perſons, as value a pretty Trick more than a true Notion, and would ſcarce admit Philoſophy, if it approach'd them in another Dreſs: without the ſtrangeneſs or endearments of pleaſantneſs to recommend it. I know that I do but ill conſult my own Advantage in the conſenting to the Publication of the following Treatiſe: For thoſe things, which, whilſt men knew not how they were perform'd, appear'd ſo ſtrange, will, when the way of making them, and the Grounds on which I devis'd them, ſhall be Publick, quickly loſe all that their being Rarityes, and their being thought Myſteries, contributed to recommend them. But 'tis fitter for Mountebancks than Naturalis to deſire to have their diſcoverys rather admir'd than underſtood, and for my part I had much rather deſerve the thanks of the Ingenious, than enjoy the Applauſe of the Ignorant. And if I can ſo farr contribute to the diſcovery of the nature of Colours, as to help the Curious to it, I ſhall have reach'd my End, and ſav'd my ſelf ſome Labour which elſe I may chance be tempted to undergo in proſecuting that ſubect, and Adding to this Treatiſe, which I therefore call a History, becauſe it chiefly contains matters of fact, and which Hiſtory the Title declares me to look upon but as Begun: Becauſe though that above a hundred, not to ſay a hundred and fifty Experiments, (ſome looſe, and others interwoven amongſt the diſcourſes themſelves) may ſuffice to give a Beginning to a Hiſtory not hitherto, that I know, begun, by any; yet the ſubject is ſo fruitfull, and ſo worthy, that thoſe that are Curious of theſe Matters will be farr more wanting to themſelves than I can ſuſpect, if what I now publiſh prove any more than a Beginning. For, as I hope my Endeavours may afford them ſome aſſistance towards this work, ſo thoſe Endeavours are much too Vnfiniſh'd to give them any diſcouragement, as if there were little left for others to do towards the Hiſtory of Colours.
For (firſt) I have been willing to leave unmention'd the moſt part of thoſe Phænomena of Colours, that Nature preſents us of her own accord, (that is, without being guided or over-ruld by man) ſuch as the different Colours that ſeveral ſorts of Fruites paſs through before they are perfectly ripe, and thoſe that appear upon the fading of flowers and leaves, and the putrifaction (and its ſeveral degrees) of fruits, &c. together with a thouſand other obvious Instances of the changes of colours. Nor have I much medled with thoſe familiar Phænomena wherein man is not an Idle ſpectator; ſuch as the Greenneſs produc'd by ſalt in Beef much powder'd, and the Redneſs produc'd in the ſhells of Lobſters upon the boyling of thoſe fiſhes; For I was willing to leave the gathering of Obſervations to thoſe that have not the Opportunity to make Experiments. And for the ſame Reaſons, among others, I did purpoſly omit the Lucriferous practiſe of Trades-men about colours; as the ways of making Pigments, of Bleanching wax, of dying Scarlet, &c. though to divers of them I be not a stranger, and of ſome I have myſelf made Tryall.
Next; I did purpoſely paſs by divers Experiments of other Writers that I had made Tryall of (and that not without regiſtring ſome of their Events) unleſs I could ſome way or other improve them, becauſe I wanted leaſure to inſert them, and had thoughts of proſecuting the work once begun of laying together thoſe I had examin'd by themſelves in caſe of my not being prevented by others diligence. So that there remains not a little, among the things that are already publiſhed, to imploy thoſe that have a mind to exerciſe themſelves in repeating and examining them. And I will not undertake, that none of the things deliver'd, ev'n in this Treatiſe, though never ſo faithfully ſet down, may not prove to be thus farr of this Sort, as to afford the Curious ſomewhat to add about them. For I remember that I have ſomewhere in the Book it ſelf acknowledged, that having written it by ſnatches, partly in the Counntrey, and partly at unſeaſonable times of the year, when the want of fit Inſtruments, and of a competent variety of flowers, ſalts, Pigments, and other materials made me leave ſome of the following Experiments, (eſpecialy thoſe about Emphatical Colours) far more unfiniſh'd than they ſhould have been, if it had been as eaſie for me to ſupply what was wanting to compleat them, as to diſcern. Thirdly to avoyd diſcouraging the young Gentleman I call Pyrophilus, whom the leſs Familiar, and more Laborious operations of Chymistry would probably have frighted, I purpoſely declin'd in what I writ to him, the ſetting down any Number of ſuch Chymicall Experiments, as, by being very elaborate or tedious, would either require much skill, or exerciſe his patience. And yet that this ſort of Experiments is exceedingly Numerous, and might more than a little inrich the Hiſtory of Colours, thoſe that are vers'd in Chymical proceſſes, will, I preſume, eaſily allow me.
And (Laſtly) for as much as I have occaſion more than once in my ſeveral Writings to treat either porpoſely or incidentally of matters relating to Colours; I did not, perhaps, conceive my ſelf oblig'd, to deliver in one Treatiſe all that I would ſay concerning that ſubject.
But to conclude, by ſumming up what I would ſay concerning what I have and what I have not done, in the following Papers; I ſhall not (on the one ſide) deny, that conſidering that I pretended not to write an accurate Treatiſe of Colours, but an Occaſional Eſſay to acquaint a private friend with what then occurrd to me of the things I had thought or try'd concerning them; I might preſume I did enough for once, if I did clearly and faithfully ſet down, though not all the Experiments I could, yet at leaſt ſuch a variety of them, that an attentive Reader that ſhall conſider the Grounds on which they have been made, and the hints that are purpoſely (though diſperſedly) couched in them, may eaſily compound them, and otherwiſe vary them, ſo as very much to increaſe their Number. And yet (on the other ſide) I am ſo ſenſible both of how much I have, either out of neceſſity or choice, left undone, and of the fruitfullneſs of the ſubject I have begun to handle; that though I had performed far more then 'tis like many Readers will judge I have, I ſhould yet be very free to let them apply to my Attempts that of Seneca, where having ſpoken of the Study of Natures Myſteries, and Particularly of the Cauſe of Earth-Quakes, he ſubjoins.[a]1] Nulla res conſummata eſt dum incipit. Nec in hac tantum re omnium maxima ac involutiſſimá, in quâ etiam cum multum actum erit, omnis ætas, quod agat inveniet; ſed in omni alio Negotio, longè ſemper à perfecto fuere Principia.
The Publiſher to the
READER.
Friendly Reader,
Ere is preſented to thy view one of the Abſtruſeſt as well as the Gentileſt Subjects of Natural Philoſophy, the Experimentall Hiſtory of Colours; which though the Noble Author be pleaſed to think but Begun, yet I muſt take leave to ſay, that I think it ſo well begun, that the work is more than half diſpatcht. Concerning which I cannot but give this advertiſement to the Reader, that I have heard the Author expreſs himſelf, that it would not ſurpriſe him, if it ſhould happen to be objected, that ſome of theſe Experiments have been already publiſhed, partly by Chymiſts, and partly by two or three very freſh Writers upon other Subjects. And though the number of theſe Experiments be but very ſmall, and though they be none of the conſiderableſt, yet it may on this occaſion be further repreſented, that it is eaſie for our Author to name ſeveral men, (of whoſe number I can truly name my ſelf) who remember either their having ſeen him make, or their having read, his Accounts of the Experiments delivered in the following Tract ſeveral years ſince, and long before the publication of the Books, wherein they are mentioned. Nay in divers paſſages (where he could do it without any great inconvenience) he hath ſtruck out Experiments, which he had tryed many years ago, becauſe he ſince found them divulged by perſons from whom he had not the leaſt hint of them; which yet is not touched, with deſign to reflect upon any Ingenious Man, as if he were a Plagiary: For, though our Generous Author were not reſerved enough in ſhowing his Experiments to thoſe that expreſſed a Curioſity to ſee them (amongſt whom a very Learned Man hath been pleaſed publickly to acknowledge it ſeveral years ago[a]2]; yet the ſame thing may be well enough lighted on by perſons that know nothing of one another. And eſpecially Chymical Laboratories may many times afford the ſame Phænomenon about Colours to ſeveral perſons at the ſame or differing times. And as for the few Phænomena mentioned in the ſame Chymical writers, as well as in the following Treatiſe, our Author hath given an account, why he did not decline rejecting them, in the Anotations upon the 47th Experiment of the third part. Not here to mention, what he elſewhere ſaith, to ſhew what uſe may be Juſtifiably made of Experiments not of his own deviſing by a writer of Natural Hiſtory, if, what he employes of others mens, be well examined or verified by himſelf.
In the mean time, this Treatiſe is ſuch, that there needs no other invitation to peruſe it, but that tis compoſed by one of the Deepeſt & Moſt indefatigable ſearchers of Nature, which, I think the World, as far as I know it, affords. For mine own part, I feel a Secret Joy within me, to ſee ſuch beginings upon ſuch Themes, it being demonſtratively true, Mota facilius moveri, which cauſeth me to entertain ſtrong hopes, that this Illuſtrious Virtuoſo and Reſtleſs Inquirer into Nature's Secrets will not ſtop here, but go on and proſper in the Diſquiſition or the other principal Colours, Green, Red, and Yellow. The Reaſoning faculty ſet once afloat, will be carried on, and that with eaſe, eſpecially, when the productions thereof meet, as they do here, with ſo greedy an Entertainment at home and abroad. I am confident, that the ROYAL SOCIETY, lately conſtituted by his MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY for improving Natural knowledge, will Judge it their intereſt to exhort our Author to the proſecution of this Argument, conſidering, how much it is their deſign and buſineſs to accumulate a good ſtock of ſuch accurate Obſervations and Experiments, as may afford them and their Offpring genuine Matter to raiſe a Maſculine Philoſophy upon, whereby the Mind of Man may be enobled with the Knowledge of ſolid Truths, and the Life of Man benefited with ampler accommodations, than it hath been hitherto.
Our Great Author, one of the Pillars of that Illuſtrious Corporation, is conſtantly furniſhing large Symbola's to this work, and is now falln, as you ſee, upon ſo comprehenſive and important a theme, as will, if inſiſted on and compleated, prove one of the conſiderableſt peeces of that ſtructure. To which, if he ſhall pleaſe to add his Treatiſe of Heat and Flame, as he is ready to publiſh his Experimental Accounts of Cold, I eſteem, the World will be obliged to Him for having ſhewed them both the Right and Left Hand of Nature, and the Operations thereof.
The conſidering Reader will by this very Treatiſe ſee abundant cauſe to ſollicit the Author for more; ſure I am, that of whatever of the Productions of his Ingeny comes into Forein parts (where I am happy in the acquaintance of many intelligent friends) is highly valued; And to my knowledge, there are thoſe among the French, that have lately begun to learn Engliſh, on purpoſe to enable themſelves to read his Books, being impatient of their Traduction into Latin. If I durſt ſay all, I know of the Elogies received by me from abroad concerning Him, I ſhould perhaps make this Preamble too prolix, and certainly offend the modeſty of our Author.
Wherefore I ſhall leave this, and conclude with deſiring the Reader, that if he meet with other faults beſides thoſe, that the Errata take notice of (as I believe he may) he will pleaſe to conſider both the weakneſs of the Authors eyes, for not reviewing, and the manifold Avocations of the Publiſher for not doing his part; who taketh his leave with inviting thoſe, that have alſo conſidered this Nice ſubject experimentally, to follow the Example of our Noble Author, and impart ſuch and the like performances to the now very inquiſitive world. Farewell.
H. O.
