Part 38

On this occasion, the same Gentleman relates, that once seeing a Spider bruised into a small Glass of Water, and that it tinged {392} it somewhat of a Sky-colour, he was, upon owning his surprise thereat, informed, that a dozen of them being put in, they would dye it to almost a full _Azure_. Which is touch't here, that, the Experiment being so easie to make, it may be tried, when the season furnishes those Insects; meantime, it seems not more incredible, that this Creature should yield a Sky-colour, when put in water, than that _Cochineel_, which also is but an Insect, should afford a fine _red_, when steep'd in the same Liquor.

* * * * *

_An Account Of Some Books._

_I._ Le Tome troisieme et dernier des Lettres de _M. DES-CARTES_.

As the two first _Tomes_ of M. _Des-Cartes_ his Letters, contain Questions, for the most part of a _Moral_ and _Physiological_ Nature, proposed to, and answer'd by him; so _this_ consists of the Contests, he had upon several Subjects with divers Men eminent in his time.

To pass by that sharp Contest, he was engaged in by some Professors of Divinity at _Utrecht_, who endeavoured to discredit his Philosophy, as leading to Libertinisme and Atheisme, notwithstanding he made it so much his business, as to assert the Existence of a Deity, and the Immortality of a Soul: We shall take notice of what is more to our purpose, _vid._ the Differences, he had touching his _Dioptricks_ and _Geometry_.

As for his _Dioptricks_, though a great part of the Learned World have much esteem'd that Treatise, as leaving little to be said after him upon that Subject; yet there have not been wanting Mathematicians, who have declared their disagreement from his Principles in that Doctrine. The first of them was the Jesuit _Bourdin_, Mathematick Professor in the Colledg of _Clermont_ at _Paris_; but this difference was soon at an end. A second was Mr. _Hobbs_, upon whose account he wrote several Letters to _Mersennus_, containing many remarks conducing to the Knowledge of the Nature of _Reflection_ and _Refraction_. But the Person, that did most learnedly and resolutely attack the said _Dioptricks_, was Monsieur _Fermat_, {393} writing first about it to _Mersennus_, who soon communicated his Objections to M. _Des-Cartes_, who failed not to return his Answer to them. But _Fermat_ replied, and _Des-Cartes_ likewise; and after many reciprocations, in which each party pretended to have the advantage, the matter rested; until M. _Fermat_ taking occasion to write afresh of it to M. _De la Chambre_, several years after _Des-Cartes_'s death, upon occasion of a Book, written M. _De la Chambre_, _Of Light_; discoursed with this new _Author_ after the same rate, as he had done before with _Des-Cartes_ himself, and seemed to invite some-body of his friends, to re-assume the former contest. Whereupon M. _Clerselier_ and M. _Rohault_ took up the Gantlet, to assert the Doctrine of the deceased Philosopher, exchanging several Letters with M. _Fermat_, all inserted in this _Tome_, and serving fully to instruct the Reader of this Difference, and withal to elucidate many difficult points of the Subject of _Refractions_; especially of this particular, _Whether the Motion of Light is more easily, and with more expedition, perform'd through _dense_ Mediums, than _rare_._

Besides this, though one would think, Disputes had no place in _Geometry_, since all proofs there, are as many Demonstrations; yet M. _Des-Cartes_ hath had several scufles touching that Science. As M. _Fermat_ had assaulted his _Dioptricks_, so He reciprocally examined his Treatise _De Maximis & Minimis_, pretending to have met with _Paralogismes_ in it. But the Cause of M. _Fermat_ was learnedly pleaded for, by some of his Friends, who took their turn to examine the Treatise of _Des-Carte_'s Geometry; whereupon many _Letters_ were exchanged, to be found this Book, and deserving to be considered; which doubtless the Curious would easily be induced to do, if Copies of this Book were to be obtain'd here in _England_, besides that one, which the _Publisher_ received from his _Parisian_ Correspondent, and which affords him the opportunity of giving this, though but Cursory, Account of it.

As to _Physicks_, there occur chiefly two Questions, learnedly treated of in this _Volume_, though not without some heat between M. _Des-Cartes_ and M. _Roberval_. The _one_ is, touching the Vibrations of Bodies suspended in the Air, and their Center of Agitation: about which, there is also a Letter inserted of {394} M. _Des-Cartes_ to that late Noble and Learned English Knight, Sir _Charles Cavendish_. The _other_ is, whether Motion can be made without supposing a _Vacuum_: where 'tis represented, That, if one comprehend well the Nature, ascribed to the _Materia subtilis_, and how Motions, called _Circular_, are made, which need not be just _Ovals_ or _true_ Circles, but are only called Circular, in regard that their Motion ends, where it had begun, whatever irregularity there be in the Middle; and also, that all the Inequalities, that may be in the Magnitude or Figure of the parts, may be compensated by other inequalities, met with in their Swiftness, and by the facility, with which the parts of the _Subtle Matter_, or of the first _Cartesian_ Element, which are found every where, happen to be divided, or to accommodate their Figure to the Space, they are to fill up: If these things be well understood and considered, that then no difficulty can remain touching the Motion of the parts of Matter _in pleno_.

Besides all these particulars, treated of in this _Tome_, there occur many pretty Questions concerning _Numbers_, the _Cycloid_, the manner of _Working Glasses for Telescopes_, the way of _Weighing Air_, and many other Curiosities, Mathematical and Physical.

_II. _ASTRONOMIA REFORMATA_, Auctore _JOHANNE BAPT. RICCIOLI_, Soc. Jesu._

For the Notice of this Book, and the Account of the Chief Heads contained therein, we are obliged to the _Journal des Scavans_; which informs us,

_First_, That the Design of this Work is, that, because several _Astronomers_, having had their several _Hypotheses_, there is found so great a diversity of opinions, that it is difficult thence to conclude any thing certain; this Author judged it also necessary, to compare together all the best Observations, and upon examination of what they have most certain in them, to reform upon that measure the Principles of Astronomy.

_Secondly_, That this _Volume_ is divided into two Parts, whereof the _First_ is composed of _Ten_ Books; in which the Author {395} considers the principal Observations, hitherto made of the Motion of the Planets and the Fixed Stars, of their Magnitude, Figure, and other Accidents; drawing thence several Conclusions, in which he establishes his _Hypothesis_. The _second_ contains his _Astronomical Tables_, made according to the _Hypotheses_ of the First Part, together with Instructions teaching the manner of using them.

_Thirdly_, That Astronomers will find in this Book many very remarkable things, concerning the _Apparent Diameter of the Sun_ and the other Stars, the Motion of the _Libration of the Moon_, the _Eclipses_, _Parallaxes_, and _Refractions_: And that this Author shews, that there is a great difference between _Optical_ and _Astronomical_ Refraction, which _Tycho_ and many others have confounded; undertaking to prove, that, whereas these _Astronomers_ have believed, that the remoter any Star is, the less is its Refraction, on the contrary the Refraction is the greater, the more a Star is distant. And among many other things, he ingeniously explicates the two contrary Motions of the Sun, from East to West, and _vice versa_, by one onely Motion upon a _Spiral_, turning about a _Cone_.

_Fourthly_, That he represents, How uneasie it is to establish sure Principles of this Science, by reason of the difficulties of making exact Observations. So, for example, in the Observation of the _Equinox_, every one is mistaken by so many _Hours_, as he is of _Minutes_, in the Elevation of the _Pole_, or the Diameter of the Sun, or the Refraction, or in any other circumstance. In the Observation of the _Solstice_, the error of one only _Second_ causeth a mistake of an _Hour_ and an _half_: mean time 'tis almost impossible to avoid the error of a _Second_; and even the sharpest sight will not be able to perceive it, except it be assisted with an Instrument of a prodigious bigness. For to mark _Seconds_, though Lines were drawn as subtil as the single threds of a Silk-worms Clew, (which are the smallest spaces to be discerned by the sharpest Eye) by the Calculation made by this Author there would need an Instrument of 48. feet _Radius_, since Experience shews, that there needs no more at most, than 3600. threds of Silk to cover the space of an _inch_. But, suppose one could have a _Quadrant_ of this bigness, who can assure himself, that dividing it into {396} 324000. parts (for so many _Seconds_ there are in 90. _Degrees_) either in placing it, or in observing, he shall not mistake the thickness of a single thred of Silk? He adds, that Great Instruments have their defects, as the small ones: For in those, that are _Movable_, if the thred, on which the Lead hangs, is any thing big, it cannot exactly mark _Seconds_; if it be very fine, it breaks, because of its great length, and the weight of the Lead: And in the _Fixed_ ones, the greater the _Diameter_ is, the less the Shadow or the Light is terminated; so that it is painful enough, exactly to discern the extremities thereof. Yet 'tis certain, that the greater the Instruments are, the surer _Astronomers_ may be: Whence it is, the some _Astronomers_ have made use of _Obelisks_ of a vast bigness, to take the _Altitudes_; and Signior _Cassini_, after the example of _Egnatio Dante_, caused a hole to be made on the highest part of a Wall of 95. feet in a Church at _Bononia_, through which the beams of the Sun falling on the Floor, mark as exactly as is possible, the height of that Luminary.

_Fifthly_, That the Author reasons for the _Immobility of the Earth_ after this manner. He supposes for certain, that the swiftness of the Motion of heavy bodies doth still _increase_ in their descent; to confirm which principle, he affirms to have experimented, That, if you let fall a Ball into one of the Scales of a Ballance, according to the proportion of the height, it falls from, it raiseth different weights in the other Scale. For example, A Wooden Ball, of 1½ ounce, falling from a height of 35 inches, raiseth a weight of 5. ounces; from the height of 140 inches, a weight of 20 ounces; from that of 315 inches, one of 45 ounces; and from another of 560 inches, one of 80 ounces, &c. From this principle he concludes the Earth to be at Rest; for _saith he_, if it should have a Diurnal Motion upon its Center, Heavy Bodies being carried along with it by its motion, would in descending describe a _Curve Line_, and, as he shews by a _Calculus_, made by him, run equal spaces in equal times; whence it follows, that the Celerity of their Motion would not increase in descending, and that consequently their stroke would not be stronger, after they had fallen thorow a longer space. {397}

_III. _ANATOME MEDULLAE SPINALIS, ET NERVORUM_ inde provenientium, _GERARDI BLASII_, M. D._

The Author shews in this little _Tract_ a way of taking the entire _Medulla Spinalis_, or Marrow of the Back, out of its _Theca_ or Bony Receptacle _without Laceration_; which else happens frequently, both of the Nerves proceeding from it, and of the Coats investing it; not to name other parts of the same. This he affirms to have been put into practice by himself, by a fine Saw and Wedge; which are to be dexterously used: and he produceth accordingly in excellent Cuts, the Representations of the Structure of the said _Medulla_ thus taken out, and the _Nerves_, thence proceeding; and that of several Animals, Dogs, Swine, Sheep.

He intermixes several Observations, touching the _Singleness_ of this _Medulla_, against _Lindanus_ and others; its _Original_; vid. Whether it be the Root of the Brain, or the Brain the Root of it: its difference of _Softness_ and _Hardness_ in several Animals; where he notes, that in _Swine_ it is much softer than in Dogs, &c.

He exhibits also the Arteries, Nerves, and Veins, dispersed through this _Medulla_, and inquires, Whether the _Nerves_ proceed from the _Medulla_ it self, or its _Meninx_; and discourses also of the _Principle_ and _Distribution_ of the Nerves; referring for ampler information in this and the other particulars, to that Excellent Book of the Learned Dr. _Willis_, _De Anatome Cerebri_. {398}

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_Advertisement._

_It was thought fit to publish here_ the following _Advertisement_ of _John Evelyn_ Esquire, and that, as himself proposed it. _Viz_,

Being much solicited by many worthy Persons, to publish a _Second Edition_ of my Discourse and Directions concerning _Timber, &c._ which was printed at the Command and by the Encouragement of the _R. Society_, I do humbly request, that if any Person have any Material, Additions or Reformations, which he thinks necessary either to the Part, which concerns the Improvement of _Forrest-Trees_, or that of _Cider_, he would be pleased to communicate his Notes and Directions to Mr. _H. Oldenburgh_, one of the Secretaries of the said Society, at his House in the _Palmal_ of _St. James's Fields Westminster_, with what speed they conveniently can, before our _Lady-day_ next, to be inserted into this intended _Edition_.

* * * * *

NOTE,

_What was observed, _Numb. 20_. p. 364, l. 18, of the Number of _Vegetables_,_ (_vid._ That they are about 410.) _found in _England_; and catalogued by Dr. _Merret_ in his _Pinax_, &c. is to be understood only of the _different Kinds_ of Plants, not of the several sorts of several Plants; for, these being comprised, the Number will amount to about 1400._

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{399}

THE _PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS_ OF Two Years, 1665 and 1666, beginning _March_ 6. 1665. and ending with _February_ 1666; abbreviated in an ALPHABETICAL TABLE: And also afterwards Digested into a more _NATURAL METHOD_.

In the TABLE, the first _Figure_ signifies the _Number_ of the _Tracts:_ the second, the _Page_, as it is remarked in the same.

A.

_Agriculture_, Head of Inquiries concerning it. _num._ 5 _pag._ 91.

_Air._ The weight of it in all changes, by wind, weather, or whatever other influence observable by a standing _Mercurial Balance_, call'd a _Baroscope_, hinted in reference to M. _Hooks_ Micrography, n. 2. p. 31. applied to particulars by Dr _Beale_, 9. 153. with additions, 10. 163. described with observables relating to an Earth-quake about _Oxford_ by Dr. _Wallis_, 10. 167. Mr. Boyle's remarks on the same, 11. 181. The _Wheel-Baroscope_ improved and delineated by M. _Hook_, 13. 218. Another Balance of the Air contrived by M. _Boyle_, and call'd _Statical_, by which the former may be exactly stated and examin'd for many particular applications, 14. 231.

_Anatome_, see _Flesh_, _Blood_, _Animals_, _Lungs_, _Petrification_, _Taste_; item, _Steno_, _Graeff_, _Bellinus_, _Redi_, in the _Liste of Books_.

_Animals_, one may live by the blood of another, the whole mass of his own blood being drawn out, and the blood of another infus'd in the mean time, 20. 353. See _Bloods Tranfusion_. The Generation and Functions of Animals deduced by Mechanical principles, without recourse to _substantial form_, 18. 325. See _Honor. Fabri._ & n. 20. p. 365. See also _Guarini_.

_Artificial Instruments_ or _Engins._ To weigh _air_, see _Baroscope_, or rather _Air_. To discern drought or moisture of the Air, see _Hygroscope_. n. 2. p. 31. appliable in the observation of _Tydes_, 17. 300. _Thermometers_, to measure degrees of heat and cold, 2. 31. described, 10. 166. applied in the examination of _Tydes_, 17. 300. An Instrument for graduating _Thermometers_, to make them _Standards_ of heat and cold, 2. 31. A new Engine for grinding any Optick Glasses of a Sphærical figure, 2. 31. To measure the Refractions of Liquors of all kinds, for establishing the Laws of Refraction, 2. 32. To break the hardest Rocks in _Mines_, 5. 82. To try for _fresh_ waters at the bottom of the _Seas_, 9. 147. To find the greatest depths in the Sea, 9. 147. The _Engin_ for fetching up fresh water defended by Explication, 13. 228. Huge _Wheels_, and other Engins for _Mines_, 2. 23. By the fall of water to blow wind, as with Bellows, 2. 25. {400}

_Astronomical_ Remarks of a _New Star_ seen by _Hevelius_ in _Pectore Cygni_, which he supposeth to be the same, which _Kepler_ saw A. 1601. and continued until 1602. and was not seen again until 1662. and then almost always hiding it self till 24. _Nov._ 1666. _That_, seen by _Kepler_ was of the third magnitude; this now, of the sixth or seventh. Q. Whether it changes place and magnitude, 19. 349. The _Scheme_, 21. 372. A _New Star_ in _Collo Ceti_, observ'd from 1638, to 1664, 1665, 1666. with its vicissitudes and periods, and causes of change, open'd by _Bullialdus_, who conceives the bigger part of that round body to be obscure, and the whole to turn about its own Center, 21. 382. Another _New Star_ call'd _Nebulosa_ in _Cingulo Andromedæ_, seen when the Comet appear'd 1665. observ'd by the said _Bullialdus_ to appear and disappear by turns, _ibid._ 383. A method for observing the _Eclipses of the Moon_, free from the common Inconveniences, by M. _Rook_, 22. 387.

B.

_Baroscope._ See _Air_ and _Artificial_ Instruments.

_Blood._ The new Operation of _Transfusing_ blood into the veins, out of one Animal into another; with considerations upon it, 20. 353. The first Rise of this Invention, 7. 208. The Success, 19. 352. Proposals and Queries, for the improvement of this Experiment, by M. _Boyle_, 22. 385, 386.

Little Blood-letting in _China_, 14. 249. Blood found in some mens veins like Milk, or of the colour of Milk, 6. 100. again p. 117. 118. and again 8. 139.

A _Bolus_ in _Hungary_ good as _Bole Armenick_, 1. 11.

The _Bononian Stone_, see _Light_ or _Stone_, 21. 375.

_Books_ abbreviated, or recited: Laur. _Bellinus_ de Gustùs Organo novissimè deprehenso, 20. 366. abbrev. Gerh. _Blasii_ Anatome Medullæ Spinalis & Nervorum inde procedentium, abbrev. 22. 397. Mr. _Boyle_ of Thermometers and History of Cold, abbrev. 1. 8. more 3. 46. ---- His _Hydrostatical Paradoxes_ abbrev. 8. 145. more largely 10. 173. ---- His _Origin of Forms_ and _Qualities_, 8. 145. abbreviated 11. 191. Monsieur _de Bourges_ his Relation of the Bishop of _Beryte_ his Voyages in _Turky_, _Persia_, _India,_ abbrev. 18. 324. _Bullialdi_ Monita duc, abbrev. 21. 381. See sup á _Astronomy_. _Des Cartes_ his Third Volume of _Letters_, 22. 392. _De la Chambre_'s Causes of the inundation of the Nile, abbr. 14. 251. _Cordemoy_ of the difference of Bodies and Souls, or Spirits, and their operation upon one another, abbrev. 17. 306. _Euclidis_ Elementa Geometrica novo ordine de nonstrata, 15. 261. Hon. _Fabri_ Soc. Jes. Tract. duo 1. de Plantis & Genet. Animalium. 2. de Homine; abbreviated, 18. 325. _Felibien_ of the most excellent Paintings, 21. 383. Catalogue of _Fermats_ Writings, and his character, 1. 15. _De Graeff_, de Succi Pancreatici natura & usu, abbrev. 10. 178. _Guarini_ Placita Philosophica, abbreviated, 20. 365. _Hevelius_'s Prodromus Cometicus, abbrev. 6. 104. His _Descriptio Cometica cum Mantissa_, abbrev. 17. 301. _Hobbes_ de Principiis & Ratione Geometrarum, described, 14. 193. Animadverted upon by Dr. _Wallis_, 16. 289. _Hooks_ Micrographical and Telescopical Observations, Philosophical Instruments and Inventions, abbr. 2. 29. _Kircher_'s Mundus Subterraneus, abbrev. 6. 109. _Lower_'s Vindication of Dr. _Willis_ de Febribus, 4. 77. _Meret_'s Pinax Rerum Naturalium Britannicarum, continens Vegetabilis, Animalia & Fossilia, in hac insula reperta, inchoatus; abbr. 20. 364. _Parker_'s Tentamina Physico Theologica, abbrev. 18. 324. _Redi_ an Italian Philosopher, of Vipers, abbrev. 9. 160. _Ricciolo_'s Astronomia Reformato, Volumen quartum abbrev. 22. 394. _Smith_ of K. _Solomon_'s Pourtraicture of Old Age, 14. 254. {401} _Stetonis_ de Musculis & Glandulis observatium Specimen; cum duabus Epistolis Anatomicis, abbrev. 10. 176. _Sydenhami_ Methodus Curandi Febras, abbrev. 12. 210. _Thevenot's_ Relation of curious Voyages, with a Geographical description of _China_, abbr. 14. 248. The English _Vineyard_ vindicated, 15. 262. Isaac _Vossius_ de Origine Nili, abbreviated, 17. 304. _Vlug-Beig_ great Grand-child to the famous _Tamerlane_, his Catalogue of fix't Stars, with their Longitudes, Latitudes, and Magnitudes, taken at _Samarcand_, A. 1437. Translated out of a _Persian_ M. S. by M. _Hyde_, Keeper of the Bodleian Library, 8. 145. The _Burning_ Concave of _M. de Vilette_ in _Lyons_, burning and melting any matter (very few excepted.) What, and How, and at what distance. The proportion; and compared with other rare burning Concaves, 6. 96.

C.

In _China_ very ancient Books found of the nature and vertues of Herbs, Trees and Stones, 14. 249. The Root _there_ called _Genseng_, very restorative and cordial, recovering agonizing persons, sold there each pound for three pounds of silver, 14. 249.

_China_ Dishes how made there, _ibid._ A way found in _Europe_ to make _China_-Dishes, 7. 127.

_Chymists_ in _China_ pretend to make Gold, and promise Immortality, 14. 249.

_Cold_, see M. _Boyles_ History, abbrev. More Inquiries, and some answers touching _Cold_, 19. 344. How _Cold_ may be produced in hottest Summers by _Sal Armoniack_, discovered by M. _Boyle_, 15. 255. Some suggestions see remedies against _Cold_, by D. _Beale_, 21. 379.

_Comets._ The motions of the Comet of _Decemb._ 1664. predicted, 1. 3. _Cassini_ concurs; 2. 17. _Auzout_, who first predicted the motion, reflects upon _Cassini_, 2. 18. and predicts the motions of the second Comet of _March, April_ 1665. n. 3. 36.

Controversies and Discourses, some at large, concerning _Comets_, n. 1. p. 3. n. 2. p. 17, 18. n. 3. p. 36. n. 6. p. 104. n. 9. p. 150. n. 17. p. 301. Many considerables abbreviated, n. 6. p. 104. n. 17. p. 301.

D.

_Damps_ in Mines pernicious, 3. 44. and how killing, _ibid._

_Directions_ for Seamen bound for far Voyages, by M. _Rook_, 8. 140. Mr. _Boyles_ Inquiries, 18. 315.

Philosophical _Directions_ or Inquiries for such as Travel into _Turky_, 20. 360.

_Directions_, or general Heads for a natural History of a Countrey, by M. _Boyle_, 11. 186.

_Directions_ or Inquiries concerning _Mines_, by the same, 19. 330.

_Diamonds_ where, and how the fairest are discover'd, 18. 327.

E.

The _Earthquake_ about _Oxford_, Anno 1665. described by D. _Wallis_, 10. 181. by M. _Boyle_, 11. 179. noting the Concomitants thereof by _Baroscope_ and _Thermometer_.