112 NATURAL HISTORY. 



touch the bell the sound ceaseth. And in this you 

 must distinguish that there are two trepidations : 

 the one manifest and local ; as of the bell when it is 

 pensile : the other secret, of the minute parts ; such 

 as is described in the ninth instance. But it is true, 

 that the local helpeth the secret greatly. We see 

 likewise that in pipes, and other wind-instruments, 

 the sound lasteth no longer than the breath bloweth. 

 It is true, that in organs there is a confused murmur 

 for a while after you have played ; but that is but 

 while the bellows are in falling. 



208. It is certain, that in the noise of great ord 

 nance, where many are shot off together, the sound 

 will be carried, at the least, twenty miles upon the 

 land, and much farther upon the water. But then 

 it will come to the ear, not in the instant of the 

 shooting off, but it will come an hour or more later. 

 This must needs be a continuance of the first sound ; 

 for there is no trepidation which should renew it. 

 And the touching of the ordnance would not extin 

 guish the sound the sooner : so that in great sounds 

 the continuance is more than momentary. 



209. To try exactly the time wherein sound is 

 delated, let a man stand in a steeple, and have with 

 him a taper ; and let some veil be put before the 

 taper ; and let another man stand in the field a mile 

 off. Then let him in the steeple strike the bell ; and 

 in the same instant withdraw the veil ; and so let 

 him in the field tell by his pulse what distance of 

 time there is between the light seen, and the sound 

 heard : for it is certain that the delation of light is 



