Schem, 3. 
Fig. 2. 
.. The moft curious Carvings appearing no better then thofe rude Rufian’ 
_ Images we find mention’d in Parchas, where three notches at the end of a 
’ Stick, ftood fora face. And the moft fmooth and burnifh’d furfaces appear 
. Pieces onely from the variety of the RefleZions of light, whichis caus'd 
ec 
reafon of which odd phenomena, to one that has but diligently examin — 
MircROGRAPHIA. 
Obferv. V. Of watered Silks, or Stuffs. 
Here are but few Artificial things that are worth obferving with a 
Microfcope sand theretore I fhall {peak but briefly concerning them. 
For the Productions of art are fuch rude mif-fhapen things, that when 
view d with a Aéicrofcope,there is little elfe obfervable,but their deformity, 
moft rough and unpolifht : So that my firft Reafon why I fhall add but a 
few obfervations of them, is, their mif-ihapen form ; and the next, is their 
ufelefsnefs. For why fhould we trouble our felvesin the examination of 
that form or fhape (which is all we are able to reach with a A@icrofeope) 
which we know was defign’d for no higher a ufe, then what we were able. 
to view with our naked eye? Why fhould we endeavour to difcover 
myfteries in that which hasno fuch thing in it? And like Rabbixs find out 
Caballifms, and enigmas inthe Figure, and placing of Letters; where no 
fuch thing lies hid : whereas in zatwralformsthere are fome fo fmall, and. 
fo curious,and their defign'd bufinefs fo far remov'd beyond the reach of 
our fight,that the more we magnify the objeét, the more excellencies and 
myfteries do appears And the more we difcover the imperfections of our 
fenfes, and the Omnipotency and Infinite perfections of the great Crea+ 
tour. I fhall therefore onely add one or two Obfervations more of artif- 
cial things, and then come.to the Treaty concerning fuch matters as:are 
the Productions of amore curious Workman. One of thefe,fhall be that 
of ‘a piece of water'd Silk, reprefented in the fecond Figure of the third 
Scheme,asit appear d through the leaft magnifying Glafs. 4 B. fignifying 
the long way of the Stuff,and C D the broad way. This Stuffyif theright 
fide of it be looked upon, appears to the naked eye, all'over fo waved, 
undulated, or grain’d, with a curious, though irregular variety of brigh- 
ter and darker parts, that it adds no {mall gracefulnefs to’ the Glofvof it. 
It'is fo known a propriety, that it needs but little explication, but it is ob- 
fervable, which perhaps every one has not: confidered, that thofe parts 
which appear the darker part ofthe wave, in one pofition to the light, in 
another appears the lighter,and the contrary;and by this means the undu- 
Jations become tranfient, and in a continual change,according as the po- 
fition of the parts in refpect of the incident beams of light is varied. The 
it even with his naked eye, will be obvious enough. But‘he that obferves- 
it with a Adicrofcope, may more ‘eafily perceive what this Proteus is, and- 
how it comes to change its fhape. He may very eafily perceive, that it 
y the various fhape of the Particles, or little protuberant parts of the. 
thread that compole the furface; and that thofe parts of the waves that | 
agpeee 
