Part 10
_An Account of a not ordinary _Burning Concave_, lately made at _Lyons_, and compared with several others made formerly. Of Monsieur _Hevelius_ his promise of communicating to the World his Invention of making _Optick Glasses_; and of the hopes, given by Monsieur _Christian Hugens_ of _Zulichem_, to perform something of the like nature; as also of the Expectations, conceived of some Persons in _England_, to improve _Telescopes_. An intimation of a way of making more lively Counterfeits of Nature in _Wax_, then are extant in _Painting_; and of a new kind of _Maps_ in a low _Relievo_, or _Sculpture_, both practised in _France_. Some _Anatomical_ Observations of Milk found in Veins instead of Blood; and of Grass found in the Wind-pipes of some Animals. Of a place in _England_, where, without Petrifying Water, Wood is turned into Stone. Of the nature of a certain Stone, found in the _Indies_ in the head of a _Serpent_. Of the way, used in the _Mogol's_ Dominions, to make _Salt-petre_. An Account of _Hevelius_ his _Prodromus Cometicus_, and of some Animadversions made upon it by a _French_ Philosopher; as also of the Jesuit _Kircher_'s _Mundus Subterraneus_._
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_An Account of a not ordinary _Burning Concave_, lately made at _Lyons_, and compared with several others made formerly._
An opportunity being presented to revive the publishing of these Papers, which for some Moneths hath been {96} discontinued by reason of the great Mortality in _London_, where they were begun to be Printed; it hath been thought fit to embrace the same, and to make use thereof for the gratifying of the Curious, that have been pleased to think well of such Communications: To re-enter whereupon, there offers it self, first of all a Relation of an uncommon _Burning-glass_, not long since made in _France_, in the City of _Lyons_, by one called Monsieur _de Vilette_, as it was sent to the Publisher of these Tracts, in two Letters, whereof the one was in _Latine_, the other in French, to this effect.
Concerning the Efficacy of Monsieur _de Villete_ his Burning Glass, all what the _P. Bertet_ hath written of it, is true. We have seen the effects of it repeated over and over again, in the Morning, at Noon, and in the Afternoon, alwaies performing very powerfully; burning or melting any Matter, very few excepted. The _Figure_ of it is round, being thirty Inches, and somewhat better in _Diameter_. On one side it hath a Frame of a Circle of Steel, to the end that it may keep its just Measure: 'Tis easie to remove it from place to place, though it be above an hundred weight, and 'tis easily put in all sorts of postures. The _burning Point_ is distant from the Centre of the Glass, about three Feet. The _Focus_ is about half a _Louys d'or_ large. One may pass ones hand through it, if it be done nimbly; for if it stay there the time of a second Minute, there is danger of receiving much hurt.
_Green wood_ takes fire in it, in an instant, as do also many other Bodies.
A small peice of _Pot-Iron_ was melted, and _Seconds_ ready to drop down, in 40. A _Silver Peice_ of 15 _Pence_ was pierced, in 24. A _gross Nail_ (called _le Claude paisan_) was melted, in 30. The end of a _Sword-blade_ of _Olinde_, was burn'd, in 43. A _Brass Counter_ was pierced, in 06. A piece of _red Copper_ was melted ready to drop down, in 42. {97} A peice of a _Chamber Quarry-stone_ was vitrified, and put into a Glass-drop, in 45. _Steel_, whereof Watch-makers make their springs, was found melted, in 09. A _Mineral-Stone_, such as is used in Harquebusses _à rovët_, was calcin'd and vitrified, in 1. _just._ A peice of _Morter_ was vitrified, in 52.
In short, there is hardly any Body, which is not destroyed by this Fire. If one would melt it by it any great quantity of Mettal, that would require much time, the Action of Burning not being perform'd but within the bigness of the _Focus_, so that ordinarily none but small pieces are exposed to it. One Mounsieur _de Alibert_ buys it, paying for it Fifteen hundred Livers.
Since this Information, there were, upon occasion given from thence, upon the same subject, further communicated from _Paris_ the following Particulars.
I see by two of the Letters, that you incline to believe, the Glasses of _Maginus_ and _Septalius_ do approach to that of _Lyons_: But I can assure you, they come very far short of it. You may consult _Maginus_ his Book, where he describes his; and there are some persons here that have seen one of his best, which had but about twenty Inches Diameter; so that this of _Lyons_ must perform at least twice as much. As to _Septalius_, we expect the Relations of it from Intelligent and Impartial men. It cannot well be compared to that of _Lyons_: but in bigness; and in this case, if it have five _Palms_ (as you say) that would be about 3½ feet _French_, and so it were a Foot bigger, which would make it half as much greater in surface: But as to the Effects, seeing it burns so far off, they cannot be very violent. And I have heard one say, that had seen it, that it did not set Wood on Fire but after the time of saying a _Miserere_. You may judge of the difference of the Effects, since that of _Lyons_ gathers its Beams together within the space of seven or eight _Lines_; {98} and that of _Septalius_ must scatter them in the compass of three Inches. Some here do intend to make of them yea and bigger ones; but we must stay till they be done, &c.
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Of _Monsieur _Hevelius_'s Promise of imparting to the World his Invention of making _Optick Glasses_; and of the hopes given by Monsieur _Hugens_ of _Zulichem_, to perform something of the like nature; as also of the Expectations, conceived of some Ingenious Persons in _England_ to improve_ Telescopes.
That eminent Astronomer of _Dantzick_, Monsieur _Hevelius_, writes to his Correspondent in _London_, as followeth:
What hath been done in the grinding of Optick-glasses in your parts, and how those beginnings, mentioned by you formerly, do continue and succeed, I very much covet to hear, 'Tis now above Ten Years, since I my self invented a peculiar way of grinding such Glasses, and reduced it also into practice; by which 'tis easie, without any considerable danger of failing, to make and polish Optick-glasses of any _Conick_ Section, and that (which is most notable) in any dish of any Section of a _Sphere_: which Invention I have as yet discovered to none, my purpose being, for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, to describe the whole method thereof in my _Celestial Machine_, and to propose it to the Examination and Judgment of the _Royal Society_; not doubting at all, but they will find the way true and practicable, my self having already made several Glasses by it, which many Learned Men have seen and tryed.
Monsieur _Hugens_, inquiring also in a Letter, newly written by him to a Friend of his in _England_, of the success of the attempts made by an ingenious _English_ Man for perfecting such Glasses, and urging the prosecution of the same, {99} so as to shew by the effects the practicableness of the Invention, mentions thereupon, That he intends very shortly to try something in that kind, of the success whereof he declares to have good hopes.
Monsieur _du Son_, that excellent Mechanician, doth also at this very present employ himself in _London_, to bring _Telescopes_ to perfection, by grinding Glasses of a _Parabolical_ Figure, by the means whereof he hopes to enable the Curious to discover more by a Tube of one Foot long, or thereabouts, furnished with Glasses thus figured, then can be done by any other Tubes of very many times more that length: The success hereof will ('tis thought) shortly appear.
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_An Advertisement of a way of making more lively Counterfeits of Nature in _Wax_, then are extant in _Painting_: And of a new kind of _Maps_ in a low _Relievo_. Both practised in_ France.
This was communicated by the Ingenious Mr. _John Evelyn_, to whom it was sent from _Paris_ is a Letter, as followeth.
Here is in our Neighbourhood a _French-man_, who makes more lively Counterfeits of Nature in _Wax_, then ever I yet saw in _Painting_, haveing an extraordinary address in modelling the Figures, and mixing the Colours and Shadows; making the Eyes so lively, that they kill all things of this Art I ever beheld; He pretends to make a visit into _England_ with some of his Peices.
I have also seen a new kind of _Maps_ in low _Relievo_, or Sculpture; For example the Isle of _Antibe_, upon a square of about eight Foot, made of Boards, with a Frame like a Picture: There is represented the Sea, with Ships and other Vessels Artificially made, with their _Canons_ and Tackle of Wood fixed upon the surface, after a new and most admirable manner. The Rocks about the Island exactly form'd, {100} as they are upon the Natural Place; and the Island it self, with all its Inequalities, and Hills and Dales; the Town, the Forts, the little Houses, Platform, and Canons mounted; and even the Gardens and Platforms of Trees, with their green leaves standing upright, at if they were growing in their Natural Colours: in _fine_, Men, Beasts, and whatever you may imagine to have any protuberancy above the level of the Sea. This new, delightful, and most instructive form of _Map_, or _Wooden Country_, you are to look upon either _Horizontally_, or _side-long_, and it affords equally a very pleasant object.
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_Some _Anatomical_ Observations of Milk found in Veins, instead of Blood; and of Grass, found in the Wind-pipes of some _Animals_._
A curious Person wrote not long since from _Paris_, that there they had, in the house of a Physitian, newly open'd a Mans Vein, wherein they found _Milk_, instead of _Blood_. This being imparted to Mr. _Boyle_ at _Oxford_, his Answer was, That the like Observation about _White Blood_, had been made by a Learned Physitian of his acquaintance, and the thing being by him look'd upon as remarkable, he was desirous to have it very circumstantially from the said Physitian himself, before he would say more of it. The next Moneth may bring us in this Account.
The other Particular, mention'd in the Title of this Head, came in a Letter sent also by Mr. _Boyle_, in these words:
I shall acquaint you, That Two very Ingenious Men, Dr. _Clark_, and Dr. _Lower_, were pleased to give me an account of a pretty odd kind of Observation: One of them assuring me, That he had several times, in the _Lungs_ of _Sheep_, found considerable quantity of Grass in the very Branches of the _Aspera Arteria_: And the other relating to me, That a few Weeks since, he, and a couple of {101} Physitians, were invited to look upon an Ox, that had for two or three daies almost continually held his Neck streight up, and was dead of a Disease, the owner could not conjecture at; whereupon the parts belonging to the Neck and Throat, being open'd, they found, to their wounder, the _Aspera Arteria_ in its very Trunk all stuff'd with Grass as if it had been thrust there by main force: which gives us a just cause of marvelling and inquiring, both how such a quantity of Grass should get in there; and how, being there, such an Animal could live with it so long.
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_Of a place in _England_, where, without petrifying Water, Wood is turned into Stone._
The same Searcher of Nature, that was alledged in the immediately precedent Observations, did impart also the following, in another Letter from _Oxford_, where he saith,
I was a while since visited by a Gentleman, who tells me, That he met with a place in these parts of _England_, where, though there be no petrifying Spring (for that I particularly asked) Wood is turned into Stone in the _Sandy Earth_ it self, after a better manner then by any Water I have yet seen: For I had the Curiosity to go to look upon peices of Wood, he brought thence, and hope for the opportunity of making some tryals to examine the matter a little further, then I have yet been able to do. _Thus far that Letter._
Since which time, He was pleased to give this further Information of the same matter, with a _Mantissa_ of some other Particulars, belonging to this Subject, in these Words.
I was lately making some Tryals with the Petrifyed Wood I told you off, which I find to be a very odde substance, wonderfully hard and fixed. If I had opportunity to Re-print the _History of Fluidity_ and _Firmness_, I could add divers things about _Stones_, that perhaps would not be disliked; and I hope, if God vouchsafe me a little leisure, {102} to insert several of them in fit places of that _History_, against the next Edition. Here is a certain Stone, that is thought to be Petrifyed Bone, being in shap'd like a Bone, with the Marrow taken out; but with a fit _Menstruum_, I found that I could easily dissolve it, like other soft Stones: and possibly it may prove as fit as _Osteocolla_, for the same Medicinal uses.
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_Of the nature of a certain Stone, found in the _Indies_, in the head of a _Serpent_._
There was, some while ago, sent by Sir _Philiberto Vernatti_, from _Java major_, where he resides, to Sir _Robert Moray_, for the Repository of the _Royal Society_, a certain Stone, affirmed by the presenter to be found in the Head of a _Snake_, which laid upon any Wound, made by any venomous Creature, is said to stick to it, and to draw away all Poyson: and then, being put in Milk, to void its Poyson therein, and to make the Milk turn blew; in which manner it must be used, till the Wound be cleansed.
The like Relations having been made, by several others, of such a Stone, and some also in this City affirming, to have made the Experiment with success, it was thought worth while, to inquire further into the truth of this Matter: since which time, nothing hath been met with but an Information, delivered by that Ingenious _Parisian_, Monsieur _Thevenot_, in his second _Tome_, of the _Relations of divers considerable Voyages_, whereof he lately presented some Exemplars to his Friends in _England_. The Book being in French, and not common, 'tis conceived it will not be amiss to insert here the said Information, which is to this effect:
In the _East Indies_ and in the Kingdom of _Quamsy_ in _China_, there is found a Stone in the Head of a certain _Serpent_ (which they call by a name signifying _Hairy Serpents_) which heals the bitings of the same Serpent, that else would kill in 24 hours. This Stone is round, white in the middle and about the {103} edges blew or greenish. Being applyed to the Wound, it adheres to it of it self, and falls not off, but after it hath sucked the Poyson, then they wash it in Milk, wherein 'tis left awhile, till it return to its natural condition. It is a rare Stone, for if it be put the second time upon the Wound, and stick to it, 'tis a sign it had not suck'd all the Venome during its first application, but if it stick not, 'tis a mark that all the Poyson was drawn out at first. So far our _French_ Author: wherein appears no considerable difference from the written Relation before mentioned.
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_Of the way, used in the _Mogol_'s Dominions, to make _Saltpetre_._
This is delivered in the same Book of Monsieur _Thevenot_, and the manner of it having been inquired after, by several curious Persons, to compare it with that which is used in _Europe_, 'tis presum'd, they will not be displeased to find it inserted here in _English_, which is as followeth:
_Saltpetre_ is found in many places of the _East-Indies_, but cheifly about _Agra_, and in the Villages, that heretofore have been numerously inhabited, but are now deserted. They draw it out of three sorts of Earth, black, yellow, and white: the best is that which is drawn out of the black, for it is free from _common_ Salt. They work it in this manner: They make two Pits, flat at the bottom, like those wherein common Salt is made; one of them having much more compass than the other, they fill _that_ with Earth, upon which they let run Water, and by the feet of People they tread it, and reduce it to the consistency of a Pap, and so they let it stand for two daies, that the Water may extract all the Salt that is in the Earth: Then they pass this Water into another Pit, in which it christallizes into _Saltpetre_, They let it boil once or twice in a Caldron, according as they will have it whiter and purer. Whilest it is over the Fire, they scum it continually, and fill it out into great Earthen Pots, which {104} hold each 25 or 30 pounds, and these they expose to clear Nights; and if there be any impurity remaining, it will fall to the bottom: Afterwards they break the Pots, and dry the Salt in the Sun. One might make vast quantities of Saltpetre in these parts; but the Country people feeling that _We_ buy of it, and that the _English_ begin to do the same, they now sell us a _Maon_ of 6 pounds for two _Rupias_ and a half, which we had formerly for half that price.
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_An account of _Hevelius_ his _Prodromus Cometicus_, together with some Animadversions made upon it by a _French_ Philosopher._
This excellent _Dantiscan_ Astronomer, _Hevelius_, in his _Prodromus_ (by him so call'd, because it is as a Harbinger to his _Cometography_, which hath already so far passed the Press, that of twelve Books there are but three remaining to be Printed) gives an account of the Observations he hath made of the _First_ of the two late Comets; reserving those he hath made of the _second_, for that great Treatise, where he also intends to deliver the Matter of this _first_ more particularly, and more fully than he hath done here.
In this Account he represents the Rise, Place, Course, Swiftness, Faces and Train of this Comet, interweaving his Conceptions both about the Region of Comets in general (whether in the _Air_, or the _Æther_?) and the Causes of their Generation: In the search of which latter, he intimates to have received much assistance from his _Telescope_.
He observes this Comet not before _Decemb._ 4/14, (though he conceives it might have been seen since _Novemb._ 23 _st. n._) & he saw it no longer then _Feb._ 3/13: though several others have seen it both sooner, and later: and though himself continued to look out for it till _March_ 7. _st. n._ but fruitlesly, whereof he thinks the reason to have been its too great distance and tenuity.
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He finds, its apparent Motion was not made in a _Just_ great Circle, but deviated considerably from it; and conceives, that every Comet falls to this deviation, when this apparent Motion grows slow, and the Star becomes Stationary (which, as he saith, it doth in respect of the _Ecliptick_, not its own _Orbite_,) Here he observes, That from _Decemb._ 8/18, to _Decem._ 30. _Jan._ 9. its course was almost a great Circle: but that _then_ it began to deflect from that Circle towards the _North_; so that afterwards, with a very notable and conspicuous Curvity, it directed its course towards _Primam Arietis_: Of which deflection, he ventures to assign the cause from the Cometical Matter, the various position and the distance of the Comet from the Earth and the Sun, the annual Motion of the Earth, and the impressed Motion, and the inclination of the _discus_ of the Cometical Body.
He is pretty positive, that without the _annual Motion_ of the _Earth_, no rational Account can be given of any Comet, but that all is involved with perplexities, and deform'd by absurdities.
He inquires, since all Comets have the peculiar _Ingenite_ Motion, what kind of Line it is, they describe by that Motion of their own? whether circular, or streight, or curve, or partly streight and partly curve? And if curve, whether regular or irregular? if regular, whether Elliptick, or Parabolar, or Hyperbolical? He answers, That this Motion is _Conical_; and judgeth, that by the _Conick_ path all the _Phænomena_ of Comets can, without any inconveniency, be ready solved; even of that, which (by History) in fifty daies, passed through more then the 12 Signs in the _Zodiack_: And of that, which in two daies ran through eight Signs: and of another, which in 48 daies posted through all the Signs, _contra seriem_. Which how it can be explicated upon the supposition of the Earths standing still, and upon the denying of the annual Motion thereof, he understands not at all. {106}
He refers to his _Cometography_ these Disquisitions: whether all Comets (in their innate Motion) move equal _spaces_ in equal _Times_? which is the swiftest, and which the slowest Motion they are capable of? what the cause of this acceleration and retardation of their true Motion?
He puts it out of doubt, that they are in the _Sky_ it self, producing reasons for it that are very considerable, and alledging amongst others, That the _Parallaxes_ doe clearly evince it, which he finds far less in Comets, then in the _Moon_, yea then sometimes in the _Sun_ it self. Where he also represents, That he hath deduced the _Horizontal Parallax_ of this very Comet from one onely Observation, made _Feb._ 4. _st. n._ by which he found, That then it was distant from the Earth 5000 Semidiameters of the same, or 4300000 _German_ miles. From this distance from the earth, he deduces, That on that Day when it was so remote from the Earth, its true _Diameter_ was 2560 _German_ miles, which is three times bigger then the Diameter of the Earth, and almost six times bigger then that of the Moon, whose Diameter, according to his _Theory_, is 442 _German_ miles.
He finds the _Matter_ of Comets to be in the _Æther_ it self, making the _Æther_ and the _Air_ to differ only in purity, and esteeming, That the _Planets_ do emit their Exhalations, and have their _Atmospheres_ like unto our Earth. Where he affirms, That the Sun alone may cast out so much Matter at any time in one year, as that thence shall be produced not one or two Comets, equallizing the Moon in Diamiter, but very many; which if so, what contribution may not be expected from the other Planets?
Of this Cometical Matter, he thinks, That first it is by little and little gathered together, then coagulated and condensed, and thereby reduced to a less Diameter; but then, after a while it resolves again, and grows dilute and pale, and at last is dissipated. And accordingly he affirms, That he hath observed the Head of this Comet at first more confused, thin and pale, afterwards clearer and clearer. {107}
He conceives, That all Comets do respect the _Sun_ as their _King_ and _Centre_, as _Planets_ do, making them a kind of _Spurious Planets_, that emulate the _true_ ones in their Motion almost in all things.
The _Train_, he makes nothing else but the Beams of the Sun, falling on the head of the Comet, and passing through the same, refracted and reflected. And amongst his _Observations_ and _Schemes_ of this Comet, there occurs one, wherein the Tail is _curve_, so seen by him _Decemb._ 11/21. He assigns the causes why the Trains do so much vary, and shews also, on what depends their length.
Whether the _same_ Comet returns again, as the Spots in the Sun? and, whether in the time of great _Conjunctions_ they are more easily generated? and whether they can be certainly foretold? with several other Inquiries, he refers for to his _great Book_.