86 NATURAL HISTORY. 



bodies likewise, as pitch, wax, bird-lime, cheese toasted, 

 will draw forth and rope. But the difference between 

 bodies fibrous and bodies viscous is plain : for all wool, 

 and tow, and cotton, and silk (especially raw silk) 

 have, besides their desire of continuance, in regard of 

 the tenuity of their thread, a greediness of moisture ; 

 and by moisture to join and incorporate with other 

 thread ; especially if there be a little wreathing ; as 

 appeareth by the twisting of thread, and the prac 

 tice of twirling about of spindles. And we see also 

 that sold and silver thread cannot be made without 



o 



twisting. 



Experiment solitary touching other passions of matter, 

 and characters of bodies. 



846. The differences of impressible and not impres 

 sible ; figurable and not figurable ; mouldable and not 

 mouldable ; scissile and not scissile ; and many other 

 passions of matter, 1 are plebeian notions, applied unto 

 the instruments and uses which men ordinarily prac 

 tise ; but they are all but the effects of some of these 

 causes following, which we will enumerate without 



o 7 



applying them, because that would be too long. 

 The first is the cession or not cession of bodies into 

 a smaller space or room, keeping the outward bulk, 

 and not flying up. The second is the stronger or 

 weaker appetite in bodies to continuity, and to fly dis 

 continuity. The third is the disposition of bodies to 

 contract, or not contract : and again, to extend, or not 

 extend. The fourth is the small quantity or great 

 quantity of the pneumatical in bodies. The fifth is 

 the nature of the pneumatical, whether it be native 



1 See Aristotle s list, Meteor, iv. 8. 



