Chapter 24

Thus you see, _Pyrophilus_, that though to some I may have seem'd to have lighted on this (50th.) Experiment by chance, and though others may imagine, that to have excogitated it, must have proceeded from some extraordinary insight into the nature of Colours, yet indeed, the devising of it need not be look'd upon as any great matter, especially to one that is a little vers'd in the notions, I have in these, and other Papers hinted concerning the differences of Salts. And perhaps I might add upon more than conjecture, that these very notions and some particulars scatteringly deliver'd in this Treatise, being skilfully put together, may suggest divers matters (at least,) about Colours, that will not be altogether Despicable. But those hinted, _Pyrophilus_, I must now leave such as You to prosecute, having already spent farr more time than I intended to allow my self in acquainting You with particular Experiments and Observations concerning the changes of Colour, to which I might have added many more, but that I hope I may have presented You with a competent number to make out in some measure what I have at the beginning of this Essay either propos'd as my Design in this Tract, or deliver'd as my Conjectures concerning these matters. And it not being my present Designe, as I have more than once Declar'd, to deliver any Positive Hypothesis or solemn Theory of Colours, but only to furnish You with some Experiments towards the framing of such a Theory; I shall add nothing to what I have said already, but a request that you would not be forward to think I have been mistaken in any thing I have deliver'd as matter of Fact concerning the changes of Colours, in case you should not every time you trye it, find it exactly to succeed. For besides the Contingencies to which we have elsewhere shewn some other Experiments to be obnoxious, the omission or variation of a seemingly unconsiderable circumstance, may hinder the success of an Experiment, wherein no other fault has been committed. Of which truth I shall only give you that single and almost obvious, but yet illustrious instance of the Art of Dying Scarlets, for though you should see every Ingredient that is us'd about it, though I should particularly inform You of the weight of each, and though you should be present at the kindling of the fire, and at the increasing and remitting of it, when ever the degree of Heat is to be alter'd, and though (in a word) you should see every thing done so particularly that you would scarce harbour the least doubt of your comprehending the whole Art: Yet if I should not disclose to You, that the Vessels, that immediately contain the Tinging Ingredients, are to be made of or to be lin'd with Tin, You would never be able by all that I could tell you else (at-least, if the Famousest and Candidest Artificers do not strangely delude themselves) to bring your Tincture of Chochinele to Dye a perfect Scarlet. So much depends upon the very Vessel, wherein the Tinging matters are boyl'd, and so great an Influence may an unheeded Circumstance have on the Success of Experiments concerning Colours.

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_FINIS._

* * * * *

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF SOME OBSERVATIONS Made by Mr. _BOYLE_

About a _Diamond_ that _Shines_ in the Dark.

First enclosed in a Letter written to a Friend,

And now together with it annexed to the Foregoing Treatise, upon the score of the Affinity Betwixt _Light_ and _Colours_.

* * * * *

_LONDON,_

Printed for _Henry Herringman_. 1664

* * * * *

A COPY OF THE LETTER

That Mr. _Boyle_ wrote to Sir _Robert Morray_, to accompany the _Observations_ touching the _Shining Diamond_.

_SIR,_

Though Sir _Robert Morray_ and Monsieur _Zulichem_ be Persons that have deserv'd so well of the Commonwealth of Learning, that I should think my self unworthy to be look'd upon as a Member of it, if I declin'd to Obey them, or to Serve them; yet I should not without Reluctancy send you the Notes, you desire for him, if I did not hope that you will transmit together with them, some Account why they are not less unworthy of his perusal; which, that you may do; I must inform you, how the writing of them was Occasion'd, which in short was thus. As I was just going out of Town, hearing that an Ingenious Gentleman of my Acquaintance, lately return'd from _Italy_, had a Diamond, that being rubb'd, would shine in the Dark, and that he was not far off, I snatch'd time from my Occasions to make him a Visit, but finding him ready to go abroad, and having in vain try'd to make the Stone yield any Light in the Day time, I borrow'd it of him for that Night, upon condition to restore it him within a Day or two at furthest, at _Gresham_ College, where we appointed to attend the meeting of the Society, that was then to be at that place. And hereupon I hasted that Evening out of Town, and finding after Supper that the Stone which in the Day time would afford no discernable Light, was really Conspicuous in the Dark, I was so taken with the Novelty, and so desirous to make some use of an opportunity that was like to last so little a while, that though at that time I had no body to assist me but a Foot-Boy, yet sitting up late, I made a shift that Night to try a pretty number of such of the things that then came into my thoughts, as were not in that place and time unpracticable. And the next Day being otherwise imploy'd, I was fain to make use of a drowsie part of the Night to set down hastily in Writing what I had observ'd, and without having the time in the Morning, to stay the transcribing of it, I order'd the Observations to be brought after me to _Gresham_ College, where you may remember, that they were together with the Stone it self shown to the Royal Society, by which they had the good Fortune not to be dislik'd, though several things were through hast omitted, some of which you will find in the Margin of the inclosed Paper. The substance of this short Narrative I hope you will let Monsieur _Zulichem_ know, that he may be kept from expecting any thing of finish'd in the Observations, and be dispos'd to excuse the want of it. But such as they are, I hope they will prove (without a Clinch) Luciferous Experiments, by setting the Speculations of the Curious on work, in a diligent Inquiry after the Nature of Light, towards the discovery of which, perhaps they have not yet met with so considerable an Experiment, since here we see Light produc'd in a dead and opacous Body, and that not as in rotten Wood, or in Fishes, or as in the _Bolonian_ Stone, by a Natural Corruption, or by a Violent Destruction of the Texture of the Body, but by so slight a Mechanical operation upon its Texture, as we seem to know what it is, and as is immediately perform'd, and that several wayes without at all prejudicing the Body, or making any sensible alterations in its Manifest Qualities. And I am the more willing to expose my hasty Tryals to Monsieur _Zulichem_, and to You, because, he being upon the Consideration of Dioptricks, so odd a _Phænomenon_ relateing to the Subject, as probably he treats of, Light will, I hope, excite a person to consider it, that is wont to consider things he treats of very well. And for you Sir, I hope you will both recrute and perfect the Observations you receive, For you know that I cannot add to them, having a good while since restor'd to Mr. _Clayton_ the Stone, which though it be now in the hands of a Prince that so highly deserves, by understanding them, the greatest Curiosities; yet he vouchsafes you that access to him as keeps me from doubting, you may easily obtain leave to make further Tryals with it, of such a Monarch as ours, that is not more inquisitive himself, than a favourer of them that are so. I doubt not but these Notes will put you in mind of the Motion you made to the Society, to impose upon me the Task of bringing in, what I had on other occasions observ'd concerning shining Bodies. But though I deny not, that I sometimes made observations about the _Bolonian_ Stone, and try'd some Experiments about some other shining Bodies; Yet the same Reasons that reduc'd me then to be unwilling to receive ev'n their commands, must now be my Apology for not answering your Expectations, Namely the abstruse nature of Light, and my being already over-burden'd, and but too much kept imploy'd by the Urgency of the Press, as well as by more concerning and distracting Occasions. But yet I will tell you some part of what I have met with in reference to the Stone, of which I send you an account. Because I find on the one side, that a great many think it no Rarity upon a mistaken perswasion, that not only there are store of Carbuncles, of which this is one; but that all Diamonds and other Glistering Jewels shine in the Dark. Whereas on the other side there are very Learn'd Men, who (plausibly enough) deny that there are any Carbuncles or shining Stones at all.

And certainly, those Judicious men have much more to say for themselves, than the others commonly Plead, and therefore did deservedly look upon Mr. _Clayton_'s Diamond as a great Rarity. For not only _Boetius de Boot_, who is judg'd the best Author on this Subject, ascribes no such Virtue to Diamonds, but begins what he delivers of Carbuncles, with this passage.[26] _Magna fama est Carbunculi. Is vulgo putatur in tenebris Carbonis instar lucere; fortassis quia Pyropus seu Anthrax appellatus a veteribus fuit. Verum hactenus nemo nunquam verè asserere ausus fuit, se gemmam noctu lucentem vidisse. Garcias ab Horto proregis Indiæ Medicus, refert se allocutum fuisse, qui se vidisse affirmarent. Sed iis fidem non habuit._ And a later Author, the Diligent and Judicious _Johannes de Laet_ in his Chapter of Carbuncles and of Rubies, has this passage. _Quia autem Carbunculi, Pyropi & Anthraces a veteribus nominantur, vulgo creditum fuit, Carbonis instar in tenebris lucere, quod tamen nullâ gemmâ hastenus deprehensum, licet à quibusdam temerè jactetur._ And the recentest Writer I have met with on this Subject, _Olaus Wormius_, in his Account of his well furnish'd _Musæum_, do's, where he treats of Rubies, concurr with the former Writers by these Words.[27] _Sunt qui Rubinum veterum Carbunculum esse existimant, sed deest una illa nota, quod in tenebris instar Anthracis non luceat: Ast talem Carbunculum in rerum naturâ non inveniri major pars Authoram existimant. Licet unum aut alterum in India apud Magnates quosdam reperiri scribant, cum tamen ex aliorum relatione id habeant saltem, sed ipsi non viderint._ In confirmation of which I shall only add, that hearing of a Rubie, so very Vivid, that the Jewellers themselves have several times begg'd leave of the fair Lady to whom it belong'd, that they might try their choicest Rubies by comparing them with That, I had the Opportunity by the Favour of this Lady and her Husband, (both which I have the Honour to be acquainted with) to make a Trial of this famous Rubie in the Night, and in a Room well Darkn'd, but not only could not discern any thing of Light, by looking on the Stone before any thing had been done to it, but could not by all my Rubbing bring it to afford the least Glimmering of Light.

[26] Boetius de Boot. Gem. & Lapid. Histor. Lib. 3. Cap. 8.

[27] Musæi Wormiani. Cap. 17.

But, Sir, though I be very backward to admit strange things for truths, yet I am not very forward to reject them as impossibilities, and therefore I would not discourage any from making further Inquiry, whether or no there be Really in _Rerum natura_, any such thing as a true Carbuncle or Stone that without Rubbing will shine in the Dark. For if such a thing can be found, it may afford no small Assistance to the Curious in the Investigation of Light, besides the Nobleness and Rarity of the thing it selfe. And though _Vartomannus_ was not an Eye witness of what he relates, that the King of _Pegu_, one of the Chief Kings of the _East-Indies_, had a true Carbuncle of that Bigness and Splendour, that it shin'd very Gloriously in the Dark, and though _Garcias ab Horto_, the _Indian_ Vice-Roys Physician, speaks of another Carbuncle, only upon the Report of one, that he Discours'd with, who affirmed himself to have seen it; yet as we are not sure that these Men that gave themselves out to be Eye-witnesses speak true, yet they may have done so for ought we know to the contrary. And I could present you with a much considerabler Testimony to the same purpose, if I had the permission of a Person concern'd, without whose leave I must not do it. I might tell you that _Marcus Paulus Venetus_[28] (whose suppos'd Fables, divers of our later Travellours and Navigatours have since found to be truths) speaking of the King of _Zeilan_ that then was, tells us, that he was said to have the best Rubie in the World, a Palm long and as big as a mans Arm, without spot, shining like a Fire, and he subjoyns, that the Great _Cham_, under whom _Paulus_ was a considerable Officer, sent and offer'd the value of a City for it; But the King answer'd, he would not give it for the treasure of the World, nor part with it, having been his Ancestours. And I could add, that in the Relation made by two _Russian_ Cossacks of their Journey into _Catay_[29], written to their Emperour, they mention'd their having been told by the people of those parts, that their King had a Stone, which Lights as the Sun both Day and Night, call'd in their Language _Sarra_, which those Cossacks interpret a Ruby. But these Relations are too uncertain for me to build any thing upon, and therefore I shall proceed to tell you, that there came hither about two years since out of _America_, the Governour of one of the Principal Colonies there, an Ancient _Virtuoso_, and one that has the Honour to be a member of the Royal Society; this Gentleman finding some of the chief Affairs of his Country committed to another and me, made me divers Visits, and in one of them when I enquir'd what Rare Stones they had in those parts of the _Indies_ he belong'd to, he told me, that the _Indians_ had a Tradition that in a certain hardly accessible Hill, a pretty way up in the Country, there was a Stone which in the Night time shin'd very vividly, and to a great distance, and he assur'd me, that though he thought it not fit to venture himself so far among those Savages, yet he purposely sent thither a bold _Englishman_, with some Natives to be his guides, and that this Messenger brought him back word, that at a distance from the Hillock he had plainly perceiv'd such a shining Substance as the _Indians_ Tradition mention'd, and being stimulated by Curiosity, had slighted those Superstitious Fears of the Inhabitants, and with much ado by reason of the Difficulty of the way, had made a shift to clamber up to that part of the Hill, where, by a very heedful Observation, he suppos'd himself to have seen the Light: but whether 'twere that he had mistaken the place, or for some other Reason, he could not find it there, though when he was return'd to his former Station, he did agen see the Light shining in the same place where it shone before. A further Account of this Light I expect from the Gentleman that gave me this, who lately sent me the news of his being landed in that Country. And though I reserve to my self a full Liberty of Believing no more than I see cause; yet I do the less scruple to relate this, because a good part of it agrees well enough with another Story that I shall in the next place have occasion to subjoyn, in order whereunto I shall tell you, that though the Learned Authors I formerly mention'd, tell us, that no Writer has affirm'd his having himself seen a real Carbuncle, yet, considering the Light of Mr. _Claytons_ Diamond, it recall'd into my mind, that some years before, when I was Inquisitive about Stones, I had met with an old _Italian_ Book highly extoll'd to me by very competent Judges, and that though the Book were very scarce, I had purchas'd it at a dear Rate, for the sake of a few considerable passages I met with in it, and particularly one, which being very remarkable in it self, and pertinent to our present Argument, I shall put it for you, though not word for word, which I fear I have forgot to do, yet as to the Sense, into _English_.

[28] _Purchas_'s Pilgrim. lib. 1. cap. 4. pag. 104.

[29] In the year 1619.