234 
- pMteR OGRAPHTA |. 
and a tranfmigration into heaven, even whil ft we remain here upon earth 
inthe flefh, and a defcending or penetrating into the center and inner-. 
moft recefies of the earth, and all earthly bodies; nay, it would open not 
onely a cranney, but a large window (as I may fofpeak) into the Shop of 
Nature, whereby we might be enabled to fee both the tools and opera- - 
tors, and the very manner of the = it felf of Nature ; this, could 
it be effected, would as farr furpafs all other kind of perfpectives asthe 
vaft extent of Heaven does the {mall point of the Earth, which diftance 
it would immediately remove, and unite them, as twere, into one,at leaft, © 
that there fhould appear no more diftance between them then the length 
of the Tube, into the ends of which thefe Glaffes fhould be jnferted: 
Now, whether this may not be effected with parcels of Glafs of feveral 
denfities, I have fometimes proceeded fo farr as to doubt (though in 
© truth, as to the general, | have wholly defpair'd of it) for I have often 
obfery d in Optical Glafies a very great variety of the parts, which are 
commonly called Veins; nay, fome of them round enough (for they are 
for the moft part, drawn out into ftrings) to conftitute a kind of Jens. 
This I fhould further proceed to“ope, had any one been fo in- 
quifitive as to have found out the way of making any tranfparent body, 
either more denfe or more rare} for then it might be poflible to compofe 
a Globule that fhould be more denfe in the middle of it, then in any 
other part, and to compofe the whole bulk, fo as that there fhould be a 
continual gradual tranfition from one degree of denfity to another; fuch 
as fhould be found requifite for the defired infle@tion of the tranfmigra- 
ting Rays; but of this enough at prefent, becaufe I may fay more of it 
when I fet down my own Trials concerning the melioration of Dzoptricks, 
where I fhallenumerate with how many {feveral fubftances I have made 
both Aficrofcopes, and Telefcepes, and by what and how many, ways: Let 
fuch as have leifure and a epee! farther confider it. EB 
The next Query fhall be, whetherby the fame collection of a more 
denfe body thenthe other, or at leaft, of the denfer part of the other, 
there might not be imagin’d a reafon of the apparition of fome new fix'd 
Stars, as thofe in the Swan, Caffiope's Charr, Serpentarius,- Pifcis , Ce- 
4ws,&e ) 
Thirdly, Whether it be poffible to define the height of the Atmofphere 
from this inflection of the Rays, or from the Quickfilver Experiment of 
the rarifaction or extenfion of the Air. ~ . : Wace 
Fourthly, Whether the difparity between the upper and under Air be 
not fometimes fo great, as to make a reflecting fuperficies; I have had fe- 
veral Obfervations which feem to have proceeded from fome fuch caufe, 
but it would be too long to relate and examine. them. An Experiment, 
alfo fomewhat analogous to this, I have made with Salt-water and Frefh, 
which two liquors,in moft Pofitions,feem’d the fame, and not to be fepa- 
rated by any determinate fuperficies,which feparating furface yet in fome 
other Pofitions did plainly. appear. ave 
And if fo, Whether the reafon of the equal bounding or terminus of © 
3 ‘the under parts of the clouds may not proceed from this caufe 3 whether; 
