Dr. Falconer's Remarks on the , &c. 26 1 
Remarks on the Knowledge of the Ancients, 
By William Falconer, M. D. F. R. S. 
Communicated by Dr. Percival. Read October 16, 
1782. 
r B ■ H E fuperiority of the Moderns over the 
Ancients, in mod branches of Natural 
Philofophy, is generally received as an acknow¬ 
ledged truth, and is, probably, well founded, 
Neverthelefs, I am inclined to think, that the 
ignorance of the ancients has been over-rated, 
and, that feveral things were known to them, 
ac lead as fadls, and matters of obfervation, 
which are not apprehended to be fo, by the 
generality of people. Much learning and induf- 
try has been bellowed on this fubjedt, by the 
Rev. Mr. Dutens, in his very ingenious Inquiry 
into the Origin of the Difcoveries attributed 
to the Moderns, to which I beg leave to add 
a few remarks, that have occurred to me in the 
courfe of reading. And 
I. I believe it is efteemed to be an origi¬ 
nal difeovery of Dr. Black, That water which 
had been boiled was more eafily frozen, than 
water that had not undergone that operation. 
S 3 But, 
