[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.