NATURAL HISTORY. 



than ordinary charcoal. Turf, and peat, and cow- 

 sheards, are cheap fuels, and last long. Small-coal, 

 or briar-coal poured upon charcoal, make them last 

 longer. Sedge is a cheap fuel to brew or bake with : 

 the rather because it is good for nothing else. Trial 

 would be made of some mixture of sea-coal with earth 

 or chalk ; for if that mixture be, 1 as the sea-coal men 

 use it, privily to make the bulk of the coal greater, it 

 is deceit ; but if it be used purposely, and be made 

 known, it is saving. 



Experiment solitary touching the gathering of wind for 



freshness. 



776. It is at this day in use in Gaza, to couch pot- 

 sheards or vessels of earth in their walls, to gather the 

 wind from the top, and to pass it down in spouts into 

 rooms. 2 It is a device for freshness in great heats: and 

 it is said there are some rooms in Italy and Spain for 

 freshness, and gathering the winds and air, in the heats 

 of summer; but they be but pennings of the winds 

 and enlarging them again, and making them rever 

 berate and go round in circles, rather than this de 

 vice of spouts in the wall. 



Experiment solitary touching the trials of airs. 



777. There would be used much diligence in the 

 choice of some bodies and places, (as it were) for the 

 tasting of air ; to discover the wholesomeness or un- 

 wholesomeness, as well of seasons, as of the seats of 

 dwellings. It is certain that there be some houses, 

 wherein confitures and pies will gather mould more 



1 So in the original. Bacon probably wrote be used. J. S. 



2 Sandys, p. 116. 



