CENTURY III. Ill 



knots in gardens shew best from an upper window 

 or terras. 



200. But to make an exact trial of it, let a man 

 stand in a chamber not much above the ground, and 

 speak out at the window, through a trunk, to one 

 standing on the ground, as softly as he can, the 

 other laying his ear close to the trunk ; then &quot; via 

 &quot; versa,&quot; let the other speak below, keeping the same 

 proportion of softness ; and let him in the chamber 

 lay his ear to the trunk : and this may be the aptest 

 means to make a judgment, whether sounds descend 

 or ascend better. 



Experiments in consort touching the lasting and perish 

 ing of sounds ; and touching the time they require to 

 their generation or delation. 



.207. After that sound is created, which is in 

 a moment, we find it continueth some small time, 

 melting by little and little. In this there is a won 

 derful error amongst men, who take this to be a 

 continuance of the first sound ; whereas, in truth, 

 it is a renovation, and not a continuance ; for the 

 body percussed hath, by reason of the percussion, a 

 trepidation wrought in the minute parts, and so 

 reneweth the percussion of the air. This appeareth 

 manifestly, because that the melting sound of a bell, 

 or of a string strucken, which is thought to be a con 

 tinuance, ceaseth as soon as the bell or string are 

 touched. As in a virginal, as soon as ever the jack 

 falleth, and toucheth the string, the sound ceaseth ; 

 and in a bell, after you have chimed upon it, if you 



