II. Theſe, Pyrophilus, are the chief things that Occurr to me at preſent, about the Nature of Whiteneſs and Blackneſs, which it they have Rendred it ſo much as Probable, that in Moſt; or at leaſt Many Caſes, the Cauſes of theſe Qualities may be ſuch as I have Adventur'd to Deliver, it is as much as I Pretend to; for till I have Opportunity to Examine the Matter by ſome further Tryals, I am not ſure, but that in ſome White and Black Bodies, there may Concurr to the Colour ſome peculiar Texture or Diſpoſition of the Body, whereby the Motion of the Small Corpuſcles that make up the Incident Beams of Light, may be Differingly Modify'd, before they reach the Eye, eſpecially in this, that White Bodies do not only Copiouſly Reflect thoſe Incident Corpuſcles Outwards, but Reflect them Briskly, and do not otherwiſe Alter them in the manner of their Motion. Nor ſhall I now ſtay to Enquire, whether ſome of thoſe other ways, (as a Diſpoſition to Alter the Velocity, the Rotation, or the Order and Manner of Appulſe ſo the Eye of the Reflected Corpuſcles
that Compos'd the Incident Beams of Light) which we mention'd when we conſider'd the Production of Colours in General, may not in ſome Caſes be Applicable to thoſe of White and Black Bodies: For I am yet ſo much a Seeker in this Matter, and ſo little Wedded to the Opinions I have propos'd, that what I am to add ſhall be but the Beginning of a Collection of Experiments and Obſervation towards the Hiſtory of Whiteneſs and Blackneſs, without at preſent interpoſing my Explications of them, that ſo, I may aſſiſt your Enquires without much Fore-ſtalling or Biaſſing your Judgment.
EXPERIMENT
IN
CONSORT,
Touching
Whiteneſs & Blackneſs.
EXPERIMENT I.
Aving promis'd in the [114], and [115]. Pages of the foregoing Diſcourſe of Whiteneſs and Blackneſs, to ſhew, that thoſe two Colours may by a change of Texture in bodies, each of them apart Diaphanous and Colourleſs, be at pleaſure and in a trice as well Generated as Deſtroy'd, We ſhall begin with Experiments that may acquit us of that promiſe.