MicrocrarHias 209 
' Which,by the way,may hint us the reafon of that fo much admited ap? 
pearance of thofe fo highly efteem’d bodies, as alfo of the like in mother. | 
of Pearl!-fhells, and in multitudes of other fhelly Sea-fubftances; for they 
each of them confifting of an infinite number of very thin fhells: or Ja+ 
minated orbiculations, caufe fuch multitudes of reflections, thatthecom-. 
| pofitions of them together with the reflections of others that:are fo thin 
| __ asto afford colours (of which I elfewhere: give the reafon): gives a vee . 
ry pleafant reflection of light. And that this is the trae caufe,feems likely; 
firft, becaufe all thofe fo appearing bodies are compounded of multitudes 
| __-of plated fubftances. And next that,by ordering any trafpareént fubftance 
| afterthismanner,the like Phenomena may be produc’d ; thiswill be made 
| very obvious by the blowing of Glafs into. exceeding thin’ fhells,’and 
then breaking theminto fcales,which any lamp-worker will pretently do; | 
for a goodquantity of thefe {cales,laid ina heap together,have much the | 
fame refemblance of Pearls. Another way, not lefs inftructive and plea- 
fant, is a way which I have feveral times done, which is by working and 
toffing,as ‘twere, a parcel of pure cryftalline glafs whilft it is kept glowing 
hot in the blown flame of a Lamp, tor;by that means,that purely tran{pa- 
rent body will be fo divided into an infinite number of plates, or {mall 
{trings, with interpos'd aerial plates and fibres, that from the multiplicity 
_ Of the reflections from:each of thofe internal furfaces, it may be drawn 
_ ut into curious Pear]-like or Silver wire, which though fmall, will yet | 
__ be opacous’; the fame thing I have done.with a compofition of red Colo- | 
phon and Turpentine, and a little Bee’s Wax, and’ may be donelikewife 
_ with Birdlime, and fuch like glutinous and tranfparent bodies : But tore+ 
turn to our defcription. Fisted Sid es So has oie aces mane 
~The fall blunt head of this Infect was furnifh’d on eithér fide of it 
probabl 
p’an 
F f 
nS Sa. 2. 
‘ % ~e 
