An Account of Four Books

An Account of four Books. 1. Tracts, consisting of Observations about the SALTNESS of the SEA: An Account of a Statical HYGROSCOPE and its Uses; together with an Appendix about the FORCE of the AIR'S MOISTURE: And a Fragment about the NATURAL and PRETERNATURAL STATE of BODIES: By the Honorable R. Boyle. To all which is premised, A Sceptical Dialogue about the POSITIVE or PRIVATIVE NATURE of COLD: By a Member of the R. Society. London, 1673, in 8°. The Dialogue about Cold presenting itself first in the Body of this Book, though it be named last in the Title-page, we shall first of all take notice of the same in the Account we intend to give of these Tracts. One of these Dialogists therefore having taken occasion from Mr. Boyle's History of Cold to express his wonder, that that Noble and Intelligent Author had in that History omitted to tell the Learned world, whether he asserts Cold to be a Positive quality, or a bare Privation of Heat; and another of them having conjectur'd the principal reason of that silence to be that Author's unwillingness to deliver in abstruse subjects a positive opinion before a compleat History of the Phænomena be deliver'd; it being much safer to reserve that for the latter end, when the Nature of the thing inquired into may of itself result from the Considerations, suggested by the precedent matters of fact surveyed and compared together: These two, I say, having thus made an Introduction to this Discourse, the Author of it maketh it his business to examine all the weighty Arguments, alledged by Gassendus, seeming strongly to maintain the Positive nature of Cold; but yet in strict ratiocination found to be not cogent. Where the Author, among other particulars, shews, that those Bodies must be Cold as to sense, whose parts are less agitated than those of our Hands, and consequently Metals, Stone, Wood, and other Solid bodies, as also all unmixed Liquors we know, being heated by the fire, will grow cold again of themselves, because the adventitious motion ceasing by degrees, either upon the recess of the igneous corpuscles, or the imparting of the extraneous agitation to the Air or other contiguous bodies, the Stone or Water, &c. will again have so much fainter an agitation, than that of a man's Sensory, as to be by him judged Cold. And if this already impaired agitation be still more and more lessen'd, the Body will still grow colder and colder without the help of any Positive cause; till at length the agil parts, that kept it warm or fluid, being quite expelled or disabled, the form of the liquor, for example, comes to be exchanged for that of Ice. Several considerable Experiments of Mr. Boyle's being in this Discourse occasionally refer'd to, one of the Interlocators mentions not only the particular scruples, but also divers phenomena of Experiments, that kept the same Gentleman from declaring himself about the Nature and Cause of Cold. To this Dialogue are annexed three small pieces by Mr. Boyle; The first contains two Problems about Cold, grounded on New Experiments; whereof one is, How upon the mixture of two or three Bodies there should manifestly ensue a great and tumultuary agitation of small parts, and yet even during this conflict, not any sensible Heat, but a considerable degree of Cold be produced, and that even in the Internal parts of the mixture? The other is, Whence the vast force of freezing water proceeds? The second, delivers an Attempt to manifest and measure the great Expansive force of Freezing water, by three Experiments. The third, recites a New Experiment about the Production of Cold by the Conflict of bodies appearing to make an Ebullition. From these Particulars this Book proceeds to another Tract, containing Observations and Experiments about the Saltiness of the Sea. In it the Author, not being satisfied with the opinion of the Peripateticks, who derive the Saltiness of the Sea from the Aduction of the water by the Sun-beams, and having answered the arguments alleged for that opinion (where, upon occasion, many considerable Observations and Experiments do occur,) delivers us his own sentiments about the Cause of that Phenomenon, therein agreeing with the famous Gassendi and some other Modern Writers, viz. That the Sea derives its saltiness from from the Salt that is dissolved in it; which Saltness he takes to be supplied not only from Rocks and other Masses of Salt found either at the bottom or at the sides of the Sea, but also from Subterranean Steams and from the Salt, which the rains, rivers and other waters dissolve in their passage through divers parts of the Earth, and so carry along with them into the Sea. Here he takes occasion to speak of his attempt of distilling sweet water from Sea-water; which done, he first removes some Objections; next, considers of the Cause of the bitterness joined to the Saltness of the Sea-water; then, takes notice not only of the differing Colors and other Qualities of the differing parts of the Sea, arguing, that 'tis not everywhere of an Uniform substance; but also of the Sea-waters capableness of Purefaction: To all which he subjoins divers Observations about the various Degrees of the Saltness of the Sea, and what himself observed and tried concerning the Saltness of our Sea and the Gravity of the Sea-water between England and France; concluding this whole Discourse with two suspicions; the one, that, at least, in many places, the Saltness of the Sea may continually, though but slowly, increase not only by the accession of that Saline matter, that is imported by Salt-springs, and that which Rivers and Land floods do rob the Earth of; but also by the Saline steams plentifully ascending into the Sea from Subterranean Fires: the other, that Sea-water may be render'd much more salt to the taste by volatile Salts, and yet be very little heavier. Upon this argument follows a Section, that should have been subjoined to the Relations about the Bottom of the Sea, formerly printed, but was not then seasonably deliver'd to the Printer; And therein is contained an Inquiry about the Vegetation and Growth of Plants in sub-marine Regions; where occur some Observations, made chiefly of that Stony plant, Corall, as also a sort of Laurel-trees growing about Manar at the bottom of the Sea, and the famous Maldivia Nut, born by a sort of Coco-trees that grow so likewise, and are thence either torn off by the agitation of the water, or gather'd by the Divers. After this follows a Paradox of the Natural and Preternatural State of Bodies, especially of the Air. Wherein the Author teaches, that as a Body, whatever state it be put into or kept in, obtaining ing or retaining that state according to the Catholick Laws of Nature, cannot be denied to be in a natural state; so upon the same ground 'twill be hard to deny, but that those Bodies, which are said to be in a violent state, may also be in a natural one, since the violence they are presum'd to suffer from outward Agents, is likewise exercised no otherwise than according to the establish't Laws of Universal Nature. This the Author exemplifies, and particularly applies to the state of the Air. As to his Discourse of a Statical Hygrocope, and the Uses of such Instruments, he pitches upon a fine Spunge, as that which is easily portable, and not easy to be divided or dissipated, and which by its readiness to soak in water, to him seem'd likely to imbibe the aqueous particles dispers'd in the Air; which also, by its porousness throughout hath much more superficies in reference to its bulk, than any body not otherwise let's fit for the intended use that came into his thoughts. It seems, our Author tryed divers other Bodies, as several Salts, Lute-strings, Cups turn'd out of light wood, white Sheeps-leather; but found none so convenient for his purpose, as a Spunge, which how he turn'd into a Hygrocope, is largely explained in this Discourse: To which are annex'd the various Utilities of Hygrosopes; as 1. To know the differing Variations of weather in the same month, day and hour. 2. To know how much one year and season is dryer or moister than another. 3. To discover and compare the changes of the Temperature of the Air, made by Winds, strong or weak; frosty, snowy, and other weather. 4. To compare the temperature of differing Houses, and differing Rooms in the same House. 5. To observe in a chamber the Effects of the presence or absence of a Fire in a chimney or stove. 6. To keep a chamber at the same degree, or at the assign'd degree of driness. To this is subjoined a New Experiment and other instances of the Efficacy of the Air's Moisture, not only upon Men's Healths, but upon subjects far less tender, and less curiously contrived, than Humane bodies, as Wood, Strings of Musical Instruments, Metallic pipes, Vitriolat Marcasites, and Ropes; of which last the Author makes use for an Experiment to shew, not only in general, that the Moisture of the Air may have a considerable Efficacy, but to assist us to make some estimate in known measures of the mechanical force of the Aerial moisture. II. Principia & Problemata aliquot Geometrica, anté desperata, nunc breviter explicata & demonstrata; Auth. T. H. Adalmesburiensis. Londini A. 1673, in 4°. The famous Author of this Tract having entertained the Reader with some Generals concerning the Subject, Principles and Method of Mathematicks, and with his Doctrine of Ratio, as also his sense of Algebraical operations, together with two Chapters of Quadrate Figures, Quadrate Numbers, and Angles; undertakes to confirm his former Doctrine; 1. Of the Ratio of the Circumference to the Radius of a Circle; 2. Of Mean Proportional; 3. Of the Ratio of a Quadrat to the Quadrant of a Circle inscribed in it; 4. Of Solids and their Superfices: To which last he subjoins another Method of demonstrating Solids and their Superfices by their Efficient causes. Which done, he concludes the Book with a Discourse touching Demonstrations; the principal and most frequent cause of Fallacies in the Mathematicks; and the Notion of the word Infinite: Complaining very much, that Geometry hath received its greatest prejudice from those, that discourse of a Line without Latitude; that take the side of a Square for the Root of a Number; that understand not the true nature of Ratio; and that speak unsavourly of Infinity. Which accusations how well they are grounded, we must leave to competent judges to determine. III. An Idea of a Phytological History propounded; together with a Continuation of the Anatomy of Vegetables, particularly prosecuted upon Roots; and an Account of the Vegetation of Roots grounded chiefly thereupon. By Nehemiah Grew M.D. and Fellow of the R. Society. London, 1673, in 8°. This Learned and Inquisitive Author, after the publication of his first endeavors about the Anatomy of Plants, (of which an Account was given in Numb. 78. of these Tracts,) being resolved upon a further prosecution of them, hath given us the Series of his Thoughts and Observations following thereupon in this his Second Book, distributed in three Parts. The first contains the Author's Idea or Design of a Phytological History, tending to the improvement of the knowledge of Vegetables: In order whereunto five general Means are by him propounded. The first is a particular and comparative Survey of whatever is of more External consideration about Vegetables, as of their Figures, Proportions, Seasons, Places, Motions. The second, a like Survey of the Organical parts by Anatomy, and how that is to be prosecuted both without and with a Microscope; together with the particulars to be observed, and what from observation made is probably attainable, viz. That from thence we may come to know, what the Communities of Vegetables are, as belonging to all; what their Distinctions to such a kind; their Properties, to such a species; and their Particularities, to such particular ones. The third, such another Survey of the Contents of Vegetables; of their several kinds, as Spirits, Airs and Vapors, clear Saps, Milks, Oyls, Gums, Sugars, Salts, &c. Of all which he would have observ'd their Receptacles, Motions, Qualities, Consistence, Colors, Smells, Tasts and Faculties chiefly residing in such or such a Plant above others. All these to be further examined by Contusion, Agitation, Frigescion, Infusion, Digestion, Decoction, Distillation, Arefaction, Affation, Ustion, Calcination, and by Composition with other bodies, and by Compounding the Experiment itself. A comparative prospect of all which ways of Observation being taken, by it at last the Communities and Differences of the Contents of Vegetables may be discern'd; the manner of their Causation and Original partly be judged of; and wherein it is that the Essence of their several Natures and Qualities consists, in some measure comprehended: And consequently both from the knowledge of their particular Natures, and the Analogy found betwixt them, we may be enabled better to conjecture and try, what any of them are or may be good for. The fourth means, a like Survey of the Principles as well as the Contents of the Organical parts: Whence will be attainable a further knowledge of the Modes of Vegetation, and of the Sensible Natures of Vegetables, as also of their more recluse Faculties and Powers. The fifth, a like Survey of those Bodies, either from which these Principles are derived, or wherewith they have any communion, which are Earth, and all solid receptacles; Water, and all liquid receptacles; Air, and Sun. All which our Author concludes with putting the Question once more, viz. In what manner these Principles are so adapted as to become capable of being assembled together in such a Number, Conjugation, Proportion and Union, as to make a Vegetable body? For the comprehension whereof he saith, we must also know, What are the Principles of these Principles: which though they may lie in a great abyss of obscurity, yet they are not by him judged to be altogether undiscoverable. So far the first part of this Book. The second, being a Continuation of the Anatomy of Vegetables, particularly prosecuted upon Roots, and premising something considerable as to their Figures, Motions (where he notes the motion of Descent to belong to very many other kinds besides the Bulbous) and Ages; it proceeds to the several Parts of a Root; as 1. the Skin, its external Accidents and Original, its Compounding parts, the one Parenchymous, consisting of bubbles, the other Lignous, consisting of Tubulary vessels. 2. The Bark; its Original, and external Accidents, its Compounding parts, likewise Parenchymous, and Lignous; which latter consists of Succiferous vessels, conjugated into Threds, but nowhere inoculated, nor ramified, but distinct as the fibres of a Nerve, which vessels are of various kinds, denominated from their contents, as Lymphæduæs, Lacteals, &c. 3. That portion of the Root within the Bark, of the like composition with the former, and its Lignous part compounded of Succiferous and Air-Vessels: Where the structure of the Bark, and, more visibly, of this portion of the Root, is compared with that of a Muscle; and the Air-vessels with Nerves: Concerning which latter vessels he observes with the Excellent Malpighi (who, about two years since, presented the Royal Society with his Manuscript upon the same subject, the Anatomy of Plants) the Spiral position of their parts; adding to that Observation, that that Spiral Zone, as Signor Malpighi calls it, is not one absolutely entire piece, but consists of two or more round and perfect Fibres standing collaterally together. 4. The Pith not common to all Roots; its Original, parenchymous Nature and Texture, like to a Rete mirabile or an infinite number of small fibres admirably complicated together; its contents being sometimes a limpid Liquor, sometimes a vaporous Air. And so much of the Second part. The third contains an Account of the Vegetation of Roots, grounded chiefly upon the foregoing Anatomy. Where our Author having soberly weighed, that all true Philosophy necessarily asserts a God, and secures our Veneration of Him, and of his Providence, and Laws, considers Nature as one Universal Monarchy, visible, as in all other particular Oeconomies, so no less in that of Vegetables, if we take notice, That the Soil is prepar'd by Rain, Rain, Sun, Wind, Air, and their several successions; that the parenchyma of the Bark of the Root, standing in the Soil thus prepared, receives the watry parts of the Soil; that the Skin strains the water and renders it more pure; that the sap thus strain'd, yet being compounded of heterogeneous parts, and they received into the said parenchyma, they will now ferment; whereby being yet further prepar'd, they will more easily insinuate themselves into all the Bubles of that parenchyma, which being in no place openly and visibly pervious, but everywhere composed of an infinit number of small bubles, the Sap therefore is not only fermented therein, and fitted for separation, but, as it passes through it, is every part of it strain'd an hundred times over from bubble to bubble. But then how the Sap thus fermented and strained is further distributed to the Organical parts, receives a tincture from the Fibres, passes on to the Succiferous and Air-vessels, nourishes them, is transmitted into the Pith, and there yet more kindly digested; in a word, How the whole progress of Vegetation is performed, is amply explain'd by our Author, and would take up too much room here to particularise. The Discerning and Candid Reader will find in the perusal of the Book itself abundance of Instruction in that matter; besides the explication of a great variety of phenomena, occurring in the contemplation of Vegetables; as, Why the Organical Parts are void of Taste, Smell and Colour. Whence the Succiferous Vessels are tough, and the Parenchymous parts friable? How the said succiferous Vessels grow in length, cylindrical, and hollow; the Lactiferous, how and why wider? How the Air-vessels are form'd? How the Parenchymous parts become fibrous, and the Fibres disposed into Bubles? How all stitched up together? Whence the situation of the Air-and Succiferous vessels; whence the Motion of the Air-vessels towards the circumference of the Root; and whence many of the succiferous left behind the Air-vessels in the Pith? How Roots come to be variously sized and shaped? How the Pith made as the Root thickens? Whence the Root long, whence ramified, whence Cylindrical or Pyramidal? How Roots are variously moved, as in a level, or perpendicular? How they grow deep or shallow? How variously aged? Whence the Contents of Vegetables are various? The Content of the Parenchymous fibres, the Pith, the Lymphæducts, the Lactiferous and the Aerial Vessels? The Content of a Vine, of Corn, &c. Whence so little oleous, of others more, &c. All All which is concluded with excellent Observations of the Odors of Vegetables, of their Colors and Tasts: And the whole piece illustrated with seven Tables of Cuts, representing the Figures of several Roots, as the Author had view'd them both with the naked Eye and the Microscope; together with an Explication of these Figures. IV. Thomae Bartholomii ACTA MEDICA & PHILOSOPHICA Ann. 1671. &c. 1672. Hafniæ, 1673, in 4°. In this curious Book are contained 139 Observations, amongst which we shall here take notice of these following: 1. The opening of Arteries, used in Eye-pains, Cataracts of Eyes, and divers other cases, with good success. 2. The Anatomie of a Horse of his Majesty of Denmark, the mouth of which, being yet alive, was suddenly grown so stiff and so closed, that it could not feed, and so pined away and died. Upon the death whereof, immediately the muscles of the neck and shoulders, that were tense and hard whilst the horse lived, became flaccid: In whose stomach, and between whose Guts and Peritoneum, were found abundance of small white and black worms, some living and some dead: Besides, its Heart was of an unusual bigness, and very hard on the left side, with a great polypus in the ventricles thereof; and the Lungs very small, hard, discolour'd, immoveable even by an immitted syringe. Moreover it had between the Muscles of the abdomen, and those of the neck, on both sides of the aspera arteria, store of an unusual water. Whence it was concluded by the Learned Dr. Simon Pauli, that the corrupted blood of this Horse and the extravasated lymph, having vellicated the Muscles, and withall the too straight bridles, used on this horse, having compressed the glanduls about his neck, and perhaps the horse's sweat having been too suddenly suppressed, this tetanus or stiffness had been occasioned. 3. The Cure of the Dropsie and the Stone in the Kidneys by Bier brew'd of Oaten malt, and fermented with Birch-water and Daucus-seeds. 4. The Cure of the Dropsie by decoctions of the flesh of Hedge-hogs, frequently tried with very good success. 5. The Rarities in the Isles of Fero near Scotland; among which is related, the living and feeding of whole flocks of sheep under the Snow; the so exceeding abundance of Grass there, that it fattens Oxen to that degree as to make them yield an 100 pound of of tallow; and the art of driving away and sinking Whales by Ca- storeum, kept between the outermost boards of the fore-deck or other convenient parts of a Ship. 6. Divers Observations and Experiments made upon Amberias, that a whole Cricket hath been found swimming in it; that two Gnats have been seen in it in coitu; that Amber will not be softened when put into boiling wax, nor well dissolved in Oyl of Spike, or Turpentine, or Rock-oyl; but will in Oyl of Lavender, and other distilled oyles, as also in rectified Spirit of wine; which mixture, he saith, yields an excellent medicine. On which occasion this pre- tty Experiment is added, viz. That Rock-oyl being kept in an Alem- bic for three weeks, and at the end of them the Oyl by a stronger fire totally extracted, the remaining hardened and solid body will emulate Amber in brightness and the attractiveness of straw, &c; though it be much more brittle than genuin Amber. 7. An Alga or Sea-weed growing on the Island shore, that yields a kind of Sugar, extracted by the heat of the Sun, and used by the Islanders instead of Sugar. 8. A viscus, growing copiously on Almond-trees in the moun- tains of Provence. 9. A new kind of Acetum, with ease and speed and before any previous fermentation to be drawn out of the flowers of the herb Gallium, serving like runnet for coagulating milk; which will not succeed by distilling Sorrel, &c. 10. A way of melting Regulus of Antimony without fire by mixing it with Sublimat, thus: Reguli Antimonii optimi źjv, eafq; in mortario vitreo marmoreóve in tenuissimum redige pollinem, quod in charta mundae sepone. In eodem mortari, sed prius expurgato, Mer- curii sublimi źxij itidem comminue in pulvisculum subtillissimum, tan- dem pollinem utrumque in charta, bacilli querni vel sagini agitatim- one crebra probe commixtionis ergo, conjunge. Tum pulveres hos ita permistas vitro quadrato minuscule vulgari quidem, sed strictio- ris orificii immitte, immissoq; bacilli frigidi extremitate latiori va- lidè & continuò comprime, ita ut superficies pulveris ubiq; pressa in arctum cogatur. Insìte premendo per semiboram & videbis bacillum tuum mox alcé subire massam, źóq; facto vitrum incalescere & mate- rium vitro contentam extra oras ejus se evolvere, spumare, effervesce- re, fundi, & totum cubiculum gravi vapore confundere. 11. A way of making two Spirits, both cold to the touch, to flame when mingled together, thus: Spiritus terebinthina Venetæ 12. A contrivance of making water not boil in the midst of boiling water, by hanging a narrow-mouth'd glass, half full of water, in the midst of an iron kettle filled with water, whereupon the ambient water may by a strong fire be made to boil, when as the water in the glass, though it be hot, yet will not boil at all, though some few bubbles be seen at the bottom, which do all vanish before they come to the top. 13. That water frozen receives nothing extraneous into itself; in regard it increases not in weight, as it neither decreases therein: And that glasses with water do not break when frozen in the open Air, whereas they do when frozen within doors. 4. A way of dissolving Silver and Mercury into a liquor by a vegetable Sulphur, that is, by mixing 8 ounces of good Aqua fortis, and 2 ounces of Camphir beaten small, and by putting them in a glass-vial upon warm sand, carefully decanting after half an hours time the dissolved oyl of Camphire from the Aqua fortis, and pouring an ounce of it upon two drachmes of fine and thinly beaten silver, boiling it together for a quarter of an hour by a mild heat of ashes; whereupon the Silver will plainly dissolve into a liquor. The same will hold with Mercury, taking the same quantity of it and the Camphir-oyl. 15. An un-common way of dissolving Gold, without adding common Salt or Sal Armoniac to the Aqua fortis, only by a double distillation of Aqua fortis from an equal quantity of Niter; by which preparation the Aqua fortis will not any more dissolve Silver, but precipitates it into a powder, though then it convert Gold into a yellow liquor. 16. That even in well-purged Mercury there is harbour'd an Acid. Which was discover'd by putting some very pure copper-plates into a new long glass, wherein was kept very well purged Mercury, and by keeping them there three months, without any other heat but that of the Sun. Whereupon the glass, which had been kept very close, being open'd, all the said plates appear'd to be cover'd with rust, though in the midst of so noble a liquor. 17. The Anatome of an Hedge-hog, in which was found a Muscle of a circular form embracing the panniculus carnosus, and reaching to the feet, tail and head of the animal, and thereby afflicting it for a circular contraction at its pleasure. 18. Of the Womb of a Hare dissolving her own fetus; which our Author from Mons. Steno attributes to a menstruum furnished by nature, and fit to prevent putrefaction. Whence some hope is raised for such women as retain dead children, if from other causes they abound not with putrid humors. 29. Of a poor Parisian Woman, which having for three years together taken no other food but Spirit of Wine, was thence burnt to ashes, when on a certain evening she sat down & fell asleep in a chair of straw. 20. That at Copenhagen, the Magnetick Needle did then vary 3 deg. 35 min. Westward; and that with the same Needle the variation at Huenna, being but 3 miles from Copenhagen, was found to be 2 deg. and 35 min. These observations were made by Dr. Erasmus Bartholin and Monsieur Picard, two able and accurate observers. 21. That by reason of the suspicion, which some considerable men entertain of the Variation of the Meridian, they have made in a convenient place at Copenhagen an accurate Meridian, for future observation and comparison. 22. That the Norwegians make use with great success of Tar of Fir-trees in Malignant Fevers, by drinking it in their bier: And that they employ the powder and moss of that Wood in very dangerous wounds; as also that Pitch is a present remedy for the Gout. 23. That an excessive fatness in a man of above 60 years of age was cured by Pills made of Mercruius dulcis, causing a great salivation: Where the Author notes from Dr. Borrichius, that, though it hath been already known, that a noysom pituita is discharged by the Salival glands, yet 'tis new, that the cause of too much fatness is carried off by the same way. 25. That a live Hedgehog being shut up in a great pipkin, and a flame made about it, the animal for a long while gave not any sign of pain; only it had contracted itself into the shape of a very round ball, shooting out his bristles round about, as if he would make them fight against the violence of the fire: which lasted a great while to the amazement of the bystanders, who took notice, that at length, all about him being red hot, and the flame striking upon his panniculus carnosus, and the bristles falling off together with it, the poor creature died with no other revenge than a slight grunting noise. 24. That the Humors of the Eyes of Gees and Hens, even the Chrysalin, have been restored, together with the sight, without any art, by Nature alone, and that perhaps by the afflux of the nervous liquor of the animals. London, Printed for J. Martyn, printer to the Royal Society, 1673.