Part 36

Your new _Author_ endeavours to prove, that Water in its own proper nature is thicker then Earth; which, to my sense and reason, seems not probable; for although water is less porous then earth in its exterior figure, yet 'tis not so thick as earth in its interior nature: Neither can I conceive it to be true, that water in its own nature, and as long as it remains water, should be as hard as Crystal, or stone, as his opinion is; for though Elements are so pliant (being not composed of many different parts and figures) as they can change and rechange their exterior figures, yet they do not alter their interior nature without a total dissolution; but your _Author_ may as well say, that the interior nature of man is dust and ashes, as that water in its interior nature is as thick as earth, and as hard as Christal, or stone; whereas yet a man, when he becomes dust and ashes, is not a man; and therefore, when water is become so thick as earth, or so hard as stone, it is not water; I mean when it is so in its interior nature, not in its exterior figure; for the exterior figure may be contracted, when yet the interior nature is dilative; and so the exterior may be thick or hard, when the interior is soft and rare. But you may say, that water is a close, and heavy, as also a smooth and glossy body. I answer: That doth not prove its interior nature to be hard, dense, thick, or contracted; for the interior nature and parts of a body may be different from the exterior figure or parts; neither doth the close joyning of parts hinder dilatation; for if so, a line or circle could not dilate or extend: But this close uniting of the parts of water is caused through its wet and glutinous quality, which wet and sticking quality is caused by a watery dilatation; for though water hath not interiously so rare a dilatation as Air, Fire, and Light, yet it hath not so close a contraction as Earth, Stone, or Metal; neither are all bodies that are smooth and shining, more solid and dense, then those that are rough and dark; for light is more smooth, glossy, and shining, then Water, Metal, Earth, or Transparent-stones, and yet is of a dilative nature. But because some bodies and figures which are transparent and smooth, are dense, hard, and thick, we cannot in reason, or sense, say, that all bodies and figures are so. As for Transparency, it is caused through a purity of substance, and an evenness of parts: the like is glossiness, onely glossiness requires not so much regularity, as transparency. But to return to Water; its exterior Circle-figure may dilate beyond the degree of the propriety or nature of water, or contract beneath the propriety or nature of water. Your _Author_ may say, Water is a globous body, and all globous bodies tend to a Center. I answer: That my sense and reason cannot perceive, but that Circles and Globes do as easily dilate, as contract: for if all Globes and Circles should endeavour to draw or fall from the circumference to the Center, the Center of the whole World, or at least of some parts of the World, would be as a Chaos: besides, it is against sense and reason, that all Matter should strive to a Center; for humane sense and reason may observe, that all Creatures, and so Matter, desire liberty, and a Center is but a Prison in comparison to the Circumference; wherefore if Matter crowds, it is rather by force, then a voluntary action. You will say, All Creatures desire rest, and in a Center there's rest. I answer; Humane sense and reason cannot perceive any rest in Nature: for all things, as I have proved heretofore, are in a perpetual motion. But concerning Water, you may ask me, _Madam_, Whether congeal'd Water, as Ice, if it never thaw, remains Water? To which, I answer: That the interior nature of Water remains as long as the Ice remains, although the outward form is changed; but if Ice be contracted into the firmness and density of Crystal, or Diamond, or the like, so as to be beyond the nature of Water, and not capable to be that Water again, then it is transformed into another Creature, or thing, which is neither Water, nor Ice, but a Stone; for the Icy contraction doth no more alter the interior nature of Water, which is dilating, then the binding of a man with Chains alters his nature from being a man; and it might be said as well, that the nature of Air is not dilating, when inclosed in a bladder, as that Water doth not remain Water in its interior nature, when it is contracted into Ice. But you may ask, Whether one extreme can change into another? I answer: To my sense and reason it were possible, if extremes were in Nature; but I do not perceive that in Nature there be any, although my sense and reason doth perceive alterations in the effects of Nature; for though one and the same part may alter from contraction to dilation, and from dilation to contraction; yet this contraction and dilation are not extremes, neither are they performed at one and the same time, but at different times. But having sufficiently declared my opinion hereof in my former Letters, I'l add no more, but rest,

Madam,

_Your faithful Friend_

_and Servant._

XII.

_MADAM,_

My discourse of Water in my last Letter has given you occasion to enquire after the reason, _Why the weight of a great body of water doth not press so hard and heavily as to bruise or crush a body, when it is sunk down to the bottom?_ As for example: If a man should be drowned, and afterwards cast out from the bottom of a great Sea, or River, upon the shore; he would onely be found smother'd or choak'd to death, and not press'd, crush'd, or bruised, by the weight of water. I answer; The reasons are plain: for, first, the nature of a mans respiration requires such a temperature of breath to suck in, as is neither too thick, nor too thin for his lungs, and the rest of his interior parts, as also for the organs and passages of his exterior senses, but fit, proper, and proportionable to those mentioned parts of his body: As for example; in a too thin and rarified air, man will be as apt to die for want of breath, as in a too gross and thick air he is apt to die with a superfluity of the substance he imbreaths; for thick smoak, or thick vapour, as also too gross air, will soon smother a man to death; and as for choaking, if a man takes more into his throat then he can swallow, he will die; and if his stomack be filled with more food then it is able to digest, if it cannot discharge it self, he will die with the excess of food; and if there be no food, or too little put into it, he will also die for want of food. So the eye, if it receives too many, or too gross, or too bright objects, it will be dazled or blinded, and some objects through their purity are not to be seen at all: The same for Hearing, and the rest of the exterior senses: And this is the reason, why man, or some animal Creatures are smother'd and choak'd with water; because water is thicker then the grossest air or vapour; for if smoak, which is rarer then water, will smother and choak a man, well may water, being so much thicker. But yet this smothering or choaking doth not prove, that water hath an interior or innate density (as your _Authors_ opinion is) no more then smoak, or thick and gross air hath; but the density of water is caused more through the wet and moist exterior parts, joyning and uniting closely together; and the interior nature of smoak being more moist or glutinous then thin air, and so more apt to unite its exterior parts, it makes it to come in effect nearer to water; for though water and smoak are both of rare natures, yet not so rare as clear and pure air; neither is water or smoak so porous as pure air, by reason the exterior parts of water and smoak are more moist or glutinous then pure air. But the thickness of water and smoak is the onely cause of the smothering of men, or some animals, as by stopping their breath, for a man can no more live without air, then he can without food; and a well tempered or middle degree of air is the most proper for animal Respiration; for if the air be too thick, it may soon smother or choak him; and if too thin, it is not sufficient to give him breath: And this is the reason that a man being drown'd, is not onely smother'd, but choak'd by water; because there enters more through the exterior passages into his body then can be digested; for water is apt to flow more forcibly and with greater strength then air; not that it is more dilating then air, but by reason it is thicker, and so stronger, or of more force; for the denser a body is, the stronger it is; and a heavy body, when moved, is more forcible then a light body. But I pray by this expression mistake not the nature of water; for the interior nature of water hath not that gravity, which heavy or dense bodies have, its nature being rare and light, as air, or fire; but the weight of water, as I said before, proceeds onely from the closeness and compactness of its exterior parts, not through a contraction in its interior nature; and there is no argument, which proves better, that water in its interior nature is dilating, then that its weight is not apt to press to a point; for though water is apt to descend, through the union of its parts, yet it cannot press hard, by reason of its dilating nature, which hinders that heavy pressing quality; for a dilating body cannot have a contracted weight, I mean, so as to press to a Center, which is to a point; and this is the reason, that when a grave or heavy body sinks down to the bottom of water, it is not opprest, hurt, crusht, or bruised by the weight of water; for, as I said, the nature of water being dilating, it can no more press hard to a center, then vapour, air, or fire: The truth is, water would be as apt to ascend as descend, if it were not for the wet, glutinous and sticking, cleaving quality of its exterior parts; but as the quantity and quality of the exterior parts makes water apt to sink, or descend, so the dilating nature makes it apt to flow, if no hinderance stop its course; also the quantity and quality of its exterior parts is the cause, that some heavy bodies do swim without sinking: as for example; a great heavy Ship will not readily sink, unless its weight be so contracted as to break asunder the united parts of water; for the wet quality of water causing its exterior parts to joyn close, gives it such an united strength, as to be able to bear a heavy burden, if the weight be dilated, or level, and not piercing or penetrating; for those bodies that are most compact, will sink sooner, although of less weight then those that are more dilated although of greater weight: Also the exterior and outward shape or form makes some bodies more apt to sink then others; Indeed, the outward form and shape of Creatures is one of the chief causes of either sinking or swimming. But to conclude, water in its interior nature is of a mean or middle degree, as neither too rare, nor too grave a body; and for its exterior quality, it is in as high a degree for wetness, as fire is for heat; and being apt both to divide, and to unite, it can bear a burden, and devour a burden, so that some bodies may swim, and others sink; and the cause, that a sunk body is not opprest, crush'd, or squeesed, is the dilating nature and quality of water, which hinders its parts from pressing or crowding towards a point or center; for although water is heavy, and apt to descend, yet its weight is not caused by a contraction of its substance, but by a union of its parts. Thus, _Madam_, I have obeyed your commands, in giving you my reasons to your propounded question, which if you approve, I have my aim; if not, I submit to your better judgment: for you know I am in all respects,

Madam,

_Your Faithful Friend_

_to serve you._

XIII.

_MADAM,_

I am glad, you are pleased with my reasons I gave to your propounded question concerning the weight of Water; and since you have been pleased to send me some more of that subject, I shall be ready also to give my answer to them, according to the capacity of my judgment. First, you desire to know, _How it comes, that Water will by degrees ascend through a narrow pipe, when the pipe is placed straight upright; or perpendicular?_ The reason, in my opinion is, that Water, having a dilative nature, when it finds an obstruction to descend or flow even, will dilate it self ascendingly, according as it hath liberty, or freedom, and strength, or quantity; the truth is, water would be more apt to ascend then to descend, were it not for the close uniting of its liquid Parts, which causes its exterior density, and this density makes it of more weight then its nature is; and the proof that water is apt in its nature to ascend, is, that some sorts of vapours are made onely by the dilation and rarefaction of ascending Water. Your second question is, _Why the surface of water seems to be concave in its middle, and higher on every side?_ I answer, The interior figure of water is a circular figure, which being a round figure, is both concave, and convex; for where one is, the other must be; and the motions of ebbing and flowing, and ascending or descending, are partly of that figure; and so according to the exterior dilating strength or weakness, the exterior parts of water become either concave or convex; for in a full strength, as a full stream, the exterior parts of water flow in a convex figure, but when they want strength, they ebb in a concave figure. Your third question is, _What makes frozen water apt to break those Vessels wherein it is contained, in the act of freezing or congealing?_ I answer: The same cause that makes water clear, as also more swell'd then usually it is: which cause is the inherent dilative nature of water; for water being naturally dilative, when as cold attractions do assault it, the moist dilations of water in the conflict use more then their ordinary strength to resist those cold contracting motions, by which the body of water dilates it self into a larger compass, according as it hath liberty or freedom, or quantity of parts; and the cold parts not being able to drive the water back to its natural compass, bind it as it is extended, like as if a beast should be bound when his legs and neck are thrust out at the largest extent, in striving to kick or thrust away his enemies and imprisoners: And so the reason why water breaks these vessels wherein it is inclosed, in the act of its freezing or congealing is, that when the cold contractions are so strong as they endeavour to extinguish the dilating nature of water, the water refilling, forces its parts so, as they break the vessel which incloses them: The same reason makes Ice clear and transparent; for it is not the rarefaction of water that doth it, but the dilation, which causes the parts of water to be not onely more loose and porous, but also more smooth and even, by resisting the cold contractions; for every part endeavours to defend their borders with a well ordered and regular flowing or streaming, and not onely to defend, but to enlarge their compass against their enemies. Your fourth question is, How it comes _that Snow and Salt mixt together doth make Ice?_ The reason, in my judgment, is, that Salt being very active, and partly of the nature of fire, doth sometimes preserve, and sometimes destroy other bodies, according to its power, or rather according to the nature of those bodies it works on; and salt being mixt with snow, endeavours to destroy it; but having not so much force, melts it onely by its heat, and reduces it into its first principle, which is water, altering the figure of snow; but the cold contractions remaining in the water, and endeavouring to maintain and keep their power, straight draw the water or melted snow into the figure of ice, so as neither the salts heat, nor the waters dilative nature, are able to resist or destroy those cold contractions; for although they destroy'd the first figure, which is snow, yet they cannot hinder the second, which is Ice. Your last question is, _How the Clouds can hang so long in the Skie without falling down?_ Truly, _Madam_, I do not perceive that Clouds, being come to their full weight and gravity, do keep up in the air, but some of them fall down in showres of rain, others in great and numerous flakes of snow; some are turned into wind, and some fall down in thick mists, so that they onely keep up so long, until they are of a full weight for descent, or till their figure is altered into some other body, as into air, wind, rain, lightning, thunder, snow, hail, mist, and the like. But many times their dilating motions keep or hinder them from descending, to which contracting motions are required. In my opinion, it is more to be admired, that the Sea doth not rise, then that Clouds do not fall; for, as we see, Clouds fall very often, as also change from being Clouds, to some other figure: Wherefore it is neither the Sun, nor Stars, nor the Vapours, which arise from the Earth, and cause the Clouds, nor the porosity of their bodies, nor the Air, that can keep or hinder them from falling or changing to some other body; but they being come to their full weight, fall or change according as is fittest for them. And these are all the reasons I can give you for the present; if they do not satisfie you, I will study for others, and in all occasions endeavour to express my self,

Madam,

_Your constant Friend,_

_and faithful Servant._

XIV.

_MADAM,_

Since in my last, I made mention of the Congealing of Water into Ice and Snow, I cannot choose, but by the way tell you, that I did lately meet with an _Author_, who is of opinion, That Snow is nothing else but Ice broken or ground into small pieces. To which, I answer: That this opinion may serve very well for a Fancy, but not for a Rational Truth, or at least for a Probable Reason; For why may not the cold motions make snow without beating or grinding, as well as they make Ice? Surely Nature is wiser then to trouble her self with unnecessary labour, and to make an easie work difficult, as Art her Creature doth, or as some dull humane capacities conceive; for it is more easie for Nature to make Snow by some sorts of cold contractions, as she makes Ice by other sorts of cold contractions, then to force Air and Wind to beat, grinde, or pound Ice into Snow, which would cause a confusion and disturbance through the Irregularity of several parts, being jumbled in a confused manner together. The truth is, it would rather cause a War in Nature, then a natural production, alteration, or transformation: Neither can I conceive, in what region this turbulent and laborious work should be acted; certainly not in the caverns of the Earth, for snow descends from the upper Region. But, perchance, this _Author_ believes, that Nature imploys Wind as a Hand, and the Cold air as a Spoon, to beat Ice like the white of an Egg into a froth of Snow. But the great quantity of Snow, in many places, doth prove, that Snow is not made of the fragments of Ice, but that some sorts of cold contractions on a watery body, make the figure of snow in the substance of water, as other sorts of cold contractions make the figure of ice; which motions and figures I have treated of in my Book of Philosophy, according to that Judgment and Reason which Nature has bestowed upon me. The Author of this Fancy, gives the same reason for Snow being white: _For Ice_, says he, _is a transparent body, and all transparent bodies, when beaten into powder, appear white; and since Snow is nothing else but Ice powder'd small, it must of necessity shew white._ Truly, _Madam_, I am not so experienced, as to know that all transparent bodies, being beaten small, shew white; but grant it be so, yet that doth not prove, that the whiteness of snow proceeds from the broken parts of Ice, unless it be proved that the whiteness of all bodies proceeds from the powdering of transparent bodies, which I am sure he cannot do; for Silver, and millions of other things are white, which were never produced from the powder of transparent bodies: Neither do I know any reason against it, but that which makes a Lilly white, may also be the cause of the whiteness of Snow, that is, such a figure as makes a white colour; for different figures, in my opinion, are the cause of different colours, as you will find in my Book of Philosophy, where I say, that Nature by contraction of lines draws such or such a Figure, which is such or such a Colour; as such a Figure is red, and such a Figure is green, and so of all the rest: But the Palest colours, and so white, are the loosest and slackest figures; Indeed, white, which is the nearest colour to light, is the smoothest, evenest and straightest figure, and composed of the smallest lines: As for example; suppose the figure of 8. were the colour of Red, and the figure of 1. the colour of White; or suppose the figure of Red to be a _z._ and the figure of an _r._ to be the figure of Green, and a straight _l._ the figure of White; And mixt figures make mixt colours: The like examples may be brought of other Figures, as of a Harpsichord and its strings, a Lute and its strings, a Harp and its strings, &c. By which your Reason shall judg, whether it be not easier for Nature, to make Snow and its whiteness by the way of contraction, then by the way of dissolution: As for example; Nature in making Snow, contracts or congeals the exterior figure of Water into the figure of a Harp, which is a Triangular figure with the figure of straight strings within it; for the exterior figure of the Harp represents the exterior figure of Snow, and the figure of the strings extended in straight lines represent the figure of its whiteness. And thus it is easier to make Snow and its whiteness at one act, then first to contract or congeal water into Ice, and then to cause wind and cold air to beat and break that Ice into powder, and lastly to contract or congeal that powder into flakes of Snow. Which would be a very troublesom work for Nature, _viz._ to produce one effect by so many violent actions and several labours, when the making of two figures by one action will serve the turn. But Nature is wiser then any of her Creatures can conceive; for she knows how to make, and how to dissolve, form; and transform, with facility and ease, without any difficulty; for her actions are all easie and free, yet so subtil, curious and various, as not any part or creature of Nature can exactly or throughly trace her ways, or know her wisdom. And thus leaving her, I rest,

Madam,

_Your faithful Friend_

_and Servant._

XV.

_MADAM,_