104 NOVUM OKGANUM. 



yet sufficiently investigated to enable us to subjoin a ne 

 gative instance to the affirmative. 



Eleventh negative to the sixth affirmative. 



All flame is constantly more or less warm, and this in 

 stance is not altogether negative. Yet it is said that the 

 ignis fatuus (as it is called), and which sometimes is driven 

 against walls, has but little heat ; perhaps it resembles that 

 of spirits of wine, which is mild and gentle. That flame 

 however, appears yet milder, which in some well authenti 

 cated and serious histories, is said to have appeared round 

 the head and hair of boys and virgins, and instead of burn 

 ing their hair, merely to have played about it. And it is 

 most certain that a sort of flash, without any evident heat, 

 has sometimes been seen about a horse when sweating at 

 night, or in damp weather. It is also a well known fact,* 

 and it was almost considered as a miracle, that a few years 

 since a girl s apron sparkled when a little shaken or rubbed ; 

 which was perhaps occasioned by the alum or salts with 

 which the apron was imbued, and which after having been 

 stuck together and incrusted rather strongly were broken 

 by the friction. It is well known that all sugar, whether 

 candied or plain, if it be hard, will sparkle when broken or 

 scraped in the dark. In like manner sea and salt water is 

 sometimes found to shine at night when struck violently 

 by the oar. The foam of the s^a when agitated by tem 

 pests also sparkles at night, and the Spaniards call this 

 appearance the sea s lungs. It has not been sufficiently 

 ascertained what degree of heat attends the flame which 

 the ancient sailors called Castor and Pollux, and the mo 

 derns call St. Ermus fire. 



Twelfth negative to the seventh affirmative. 



Every ignited body that is red-hot is always warm, al 

 though without flame, nor is any negative instance subjoined 

 to this affirmative. Rotten wood, however, approaches 

 nearly to it, for it shines at night, and yet is not found to be 

 warm ; and the putrefying scales of fish which shine in the 

 same manner are not warm to the touch, nor the body of 

 the glowworm, or of the fly called lucciola.f 



Thirteenth negative to the eighth affirmative. 



The situation and nature of the soil of natural warm baths 

 has not been sufficiently investigated, and therefore a ne 

 gative instance is not subjoined. 



* Was it a silk apron, which will exhibit electric sparks ! but silk was then 

 scarce, 

 t The Italian fire-fly. 



