unferviceable, with regard to the Eyes of Men, and many other Creatures; because the Animals to whofe Senfe this Light is proportioned can fee by Night; which it is not fo probable they fhould do without Light, or by an internal Light of their own ". 189. It muft here be observed, that we treat only of the Failures or Infufficiencies of the Senfes, and the Remedies thereof: for the Deceptions of the Senfes fhould be referred to the particular Enquiries of Senfe, and Senfibility; excepting only that grand Fallacy of the Senfes, in making the Meafure and Rule of Things correfpond to Man; and not to the Univerfe: which is an Error that cannot be corrected, but by Reason and univerfal Philofophy. APHORISM XLI. 190. Among our Prerogative Inftances, we affign the eighteenth Place (18.) Journyto Journying Inftances; which we alfo term Inftances of the Road, and fome- ing Instances. times Jointed Inftances: that is, fuch as indicate the Motions of Nature, gradually continued, or connected. But the Inftances of this Kind rather efcape the Obfervation than the Sense. And, indeed, the Negligence of Strangely paf Men is here furprizing: for they contemplate Nature only by Fits and fed over. Starts, or periodically; and then too it is after Bodies are compleat and finifhed; and not in their Procefs, or whilft the Operation is in hand. But if any Man defired to confider, and examine, the Contrivances and Industry of a certain Artificer, he would not be content to view only the rude Materials of the Workman, and then immediately the finish'd Work; but covet to be prefent whilft the Artift profecutes his Labour, and exercises his Skill. And the like Courfe fhould be taken in the Works of Nature. 191. For Example; if any one would enquire into the Vegetation of Exemplified in Plants, he fhould have an Eye from the first sowing of the Seed, Vegetation. and examine it, almoft every Day, by taking, or plucking up, a Seed after it had remain'd, for one, two, or three Days, in the Ground; to obferve, with Diligence, (1.) when, and in what manner, the Seed begins to fwell, grow plump, and be fill'd, or become turgid, as it were, with Spirit: (2.) Next, how it burfts the Skin, and ftrikes its Fibres, with fome Tendency upwards; unless the Earth be very stubborn: (3.) How it fhoots its Fibres, in part, to conftitute Roots downwards; in part, to form Stems upwards; and fometimes creeping sideways, if it there find z See the Author's Table of Enquiry for the History of Light and Splendor, Vol. III. 2. 322. See de Augment. Scientiar. p. 111, 112, 113; and the Sylva Sylvarum, passim. See Part I. Apb. 42, &c. VOL. II. Uuu the In the Hatching of Egg, &C. In the relax the Earth more open, pervious, and yielding: with many Particulars of the fame Kind. 192. And the like fhould be done as to Eggs, during their hatching: where the whole Procefs of Vivification, and Organization, might be eafily viewed; and what becomes of the Yolk, what of the White, &c. Understand the fame of Creatures bred from Putrefaction: for as to perfect, terreftrial Animals, 'tis fomewhat inhumane to enquire into them, by cutting the Fatus out of the Uterus; unlefs when Opportunity offers, by Death, Abortions, the Fortune of the Chace, & A Watch, therefore, is, by all means, to be kept upon Nature; as she is better discover'd by Night than by Day: for thefe Contemplations and Enquiries may be called Nocturnal; by reafon of the Smallness, and Durability, or flow burning of the Watch-Light, here fet up. 193. The fame is alfo to be attempted in inanimate Bodies; and this ing or opening we have endeavour'd after, by obferving the Ways wherein Liquors open of inanimate themfelves by Fire: for Water opens one way, Wine another, Vinegar Bodies. another, Verjuice another; and Milk, Oil, &c. with a ftill greater Difference; as may be easily perceived by boiling them over a foft Fire, in a Glafs Veffel. But thefe Things are here touched lightly; the Place for treating them more exactly and fully, being when we come to enquire into the latent Process of Things: for it must be all along remember'd, that we do not, at prefent, treat Things themselves, but barely produce Examples. APHORISM XLII. 194. In the nineteenth Place come Supplemental Inftances; or Inftances of Subftitution; which we alfo call Inftances of Refuge; that is, fuch as afford Information where the Senfes perfectly fail us: fo that we have recourfe to them when the proper Inftances cannot be had. This Subftitution is procured two Ways; viz. either by Approximation, or by Analogy. 195. For Example; there is no Medium found, that can poffibly exclude the Operation of the Loadstone, in moving Iron; not Gold, not Silver, Stone, Glafs, Wood, Water, Oil, Cloth, Air, Flame, &c. yet, by an exact Scrutiny, fome Medium may perhaps be found to deaden this Virtue, more than any other Medium, comparatively, and in fome degree. 196. So, See Dr. Grew's Anatomy of Plants, as alfo that of Malpighi; and several Pieces to the fame Purpose in the Philofophical Transactions, French Memoirs, &c. See Harvey, Highmore, Malpighi, &c. upon this Subject. e Viz. Where fhe is removed from human Sight; as fhe is in thefe grand Works, the Formation of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals. See this Subject profecuted in the Author's Hiftory of Condensation and Rarifaction, p. 535, See the Author's Hiftory of Condensation and Rarifaction throughout, Vol. III. p. 507, &t. 196. Thus fuppofe, the Loadstone would not attract Iron fo much thro' Exemplified in Gold of a certain Thicknefs, as thro the fame Space of Air; or not fo the Loadstone. much thro' ignited Silver, as thro' the fame when cold, &c. for we have not made the Trials: but it is fufficient to propofe them, by way of Example ". 197. In like manner, there is no Body found here upon the Earth, And in Heat. but what is fufceptible of Heat, when applied to the Fire: yet Air receives Heat much fooner than a Stone. And fuch is the Subftitution made in the way of Degree, or Approximation. 198. The Subftitution by Analogy, is ufeful; but lefs certain: and there- And (2) By fore to be practifed with Judgment. This is perform'd when an infen- Analogy. fible Thing is brought down to the Senfe; not by the fenfible Operations of the infenfible Body itfelf; but by confidering fome other fenfible Body of kin thereto. 199. For Example; if the Subject of Enquiry were the Mixture of Exemplified in Spirits, which are invifible Subftances: we are here to obferve, that there the Mixture of Spirits. feems to be a certain Affinity between Bodies, and the Matter that feeds or nourishes them. Thus Oil and fat Bodies feem to be the Food of Flame; and Water and aqucous Bodies, the Food of Air: for Flames multiply themselves upon the Exhalations of Oil; and Air upon the Vapour of Water. In this Enquiry, therefore, we may confider the Mixture of Water and Oil, which is manifeft to the Senfe; tho' the Mixture of Air and Flame is not perceptible. Now, Oil and Water are very imperfectly mix'd together by Compofition, or Agitation; but more curiously and elaborately in Plants, Blood, and the Parts of Animals and, therefore, fomething of the like kind may happen as to the Mixture of Flame and Air in untangible Bodies. For, tho' Flame and Air do not well incorporate by fimple Motion; yet they seem to mix in the Spirits of Plants, and Animals; the rather, because all animal Spirits prey upon both Kinds of Moisture, viz. the aqueous, the unctuous, as its Alimenti. 200. In like manner, if the Subject of Enquiry be not the perfect In the CompeMixture of pneumatical, or untangible Bodies, but only their Com-fition of unpofition; viz. whether they will eafily mix among themselves or rather, tangible Bo fuppofe, for Example, certain Winds, or Exhalations, or other pneumatical Bodies, which mix not with common Air, but only lodge and float therein, under the Form of Globules and Drops; as being rather broke and ground by the Air, than received into and incorporated with it. Now this cannot be perceived by the Senfe, either in common Air, or other pneumatical Bodies, by reason of their Subtilty, or Fineness; but a certain Image, or Representation, may be had of the Thing, See below, Aph. 43. §. 204. See the Axioms at the Clofe of the History of Life and Death, Vol. III. p. 418, &r. See alfo Mr. Boyle's Experiments to this purpofe. Abridgm. Vol. II. p. 469. with regard to its Poffibility, in tangible Fluids; fuch as Quickfilver, Oil, Water, and even in Air itfelf, when it is broke and diffipated; or rifes in small Particles, or Bubbles thro' Water; and again, an Image of it may be had in the groffer Fumes; and laftly, in Duft, rais'd and floating in the Air: in all which Cafes, there is no Incorporation made. And this Reprefentation is not faulty, provided it be first carefully examined, whether, among pneumatical Bodies, there may be such an Heterogeneity as is found among Liquors: for in cafe there is, then these Representations by Analogy may be commodiously fubftituted m. Supplemental 201. And tho', as we before observed, Information is to be derived Inftances, from these Supplemental Inftances, by way of Refuge or Recourfe", when wherein ufeproper Inftances are wanting; yet we would have it understood, that they ful, when the proper ones are alfo of great Ufe, even when the proper Inftances are procurable; may be bad. particularly in ftrengthening the Information, with the Affiftance of thofe. But the Time for treating of these Inftances more exactly, is when we come, by the Law of Order, to the Helps of Induction°. (20.) Lancing Inftances. Their Ufe. APHORISM XLIII. 202. In the twentieth Place come Lancing Inftances; which we alfo, for a different Reafon, call by the Name of Vellicating Inftances. We call them Vellicating Inftances, because they twitch the Understanding; and Lancing Inftances, because they cut or lance through Nature: whence we also call them Democritical Inftances; that is, fuch as remind the Understanding of the admirable and exquifite Subtilty of Nature; fo as to excite and awaken it to Attention, Obfervation, and proper Enquiry. Exemplified in 203. For Example; the following are Lancing or Vellicating Inftances. great Variety. (1.) That so small a Drop of Ink, in a Pen, fhould be drawn out into fo many Letters, or Lines, as we find it; (2.) that Silver gilt upon its external Surface, fhould be drawn to fuch a vaft Length of gilded Wire ; (3.) that fo very fmall a Worm as that found in the Skin, fhould have a Spirit, and a peculiar Structure, and Organization of different Parts; (4.) that a little Saffron fhould tinge a whole Hogfhead of Water; (5.) that a little Civet, or Musk, fhould fill a large Chamber with its Odour; (6.) that fuch a great Cloud of Smoke fhould be rais'd from a little Incense; (7.) that the exact Differences of Sounds fhould be every Way * These being heterogeneous Fluids, and not mixing together upon fhaking. convey'd m See Mr. Boyle upon the different Surfaces of Fluids in contact. Abridgm. Vol. I. p. 316318. and 388-396. n See above, §. 194. • A Part of the Novum Organum that is wanting. See above, Part II. Apb. 21. Alluding to the Atoms of Democritus. See the Author's Effay upon the Corpufcular Philofophy, Vol. III. p. 599. 4 See Mr. Boyle upon Effluvia, Abridgm. Vol. I. p. 405. See Mr. Bogle upon Effluvia, &c. Vol. I. p. 397-438. convey'd through the Air; and even through the Holes and Pores of Wood and Water, (tho' much weakened, indeed, in the Paffage ;) and be reflected with great Diftinctnefs and Velocity; (8.) that Lightand Colour should fo fuddenly pass through fuch a Bulk of folid Matter, as Glass, or of a Fluid, as Water; yet fo as at the fame time to convey a great and exquifite Variety of Images; even tho' the Light fuffers Retraction and Reflection; (9.) that the Loadftone fhould operate through all Kinds of Bodies, even the most Compact and Solid; and what is ftill more wonderful; (10.) that in all these Cafes, the Action of one Thing, does not greatly hinder the Action of another, in a neutral or indifferent Medium, fuch as the Air is. Thus numberlefs Images of visible Objects are carried through the Air; numberless Percuffions of articulate Voices; numberlefs fpecific Odours; as those of Violets, Roses, &c. even Cold, Heat, and magnetical Virtues; all pafs through the Air, at once, without obftructing one another; as if each of them had its own separate Way or Paffage, fo as to prevent impinging againft, meeting with, or obftructing one another. we 204. To thefe Lancing Inftances, may be advantageously fubjoined thofe term the Limiting Inftances, with regard to this Lancing; as for Example, in the Cafes juft mentioned, that (1.) one Action does not disturb or hinder another of a different Kind; tho' two of the fame Kind damp or extinguish each other; that, (2.) the Light of the Sun extinguishes or overpowers the Light of the Glow-worm; that, (3.) the Report of a Cannon drowns the Voice; that, (4.) a ftronger Odour overpowers one that is more delicate; that, (5.) a ftronger Heat prevails over one that is more gentle; and, (6.) that an Iron-Plate put between the Loadstone and a Needle, hinders the magnetic Virtue. But the proper Place of treating thefe Inftances alfo, is under the Helps of Induction. 205. And fo much for the Inftances of Help to the Senfes, which are Introduction of capital Ufe in the Bufinefs of Information: for Information begins with to Practice. the Senfe. But the whole Affair terminates in Practice, and Works: which are the End; as Information is the Beginning". And, therefore, the Inftances of principal Ufe in Practice, are next to follow. APHORISM XLIV. 206. The Inftances of principal Ufe in Practice are of two Kinds, and Practical InJeven in Number; all which we call by the general Name of Practical stances, what. Inftances. Now Practice has two Inconveniences, or Defects; and fo many general Kinds of Prerogative Instances". For Practice either fails, or over-burdens. Practice fails principally from a wrong Determina A Part not entered upon by the Author. See above, Aph. 21. and 43. tion, See above, Aph. 38. See Part II. Aph. 1. Viz. Two, correfponding to the two Kinds of Defects of Practice: four Defects of the firft Kind are enumerated in this Paragraph; and three of the fecond, in the next. |