NATURAL HISTORY. 



and lasting. The swiftest in consuming was that 

 with saw-dust ; which first burned fair till some part 

 of the candle was consumed, and the dust gathered 

 about the snaste ; but then it made the snaste big and 

 long, and to burn duskishly, and the candle wasted 

 in half the time of the wax pure. The next in swift 

 ness were the oil and butter, which consumed by a 

 fifth part swifter than the pure wax. Then followed 

 in swiftness the clear wax itself. Then the bay-salt, 

 which lasted about an eighth part longer than the 

 clear wax. Then followed the aqua vita?, which 

 lasted about a fifth part longer than the clear wax. 

 Then followed the milk and water, with little differ 

 ence from the aqua vitas, but the water slowest. 

 And in these four last, the wick would spit forth 

 little sparks. For the nitre, it would not hold lighted 

 above some twelve pulses, but all the while it would 

 spit out portions of flame, which afterwards woald 

 go out into a vapour. For the brimstone, it would 

 hold lighted much about the same time with the 

 nitre ; but then after a little while it would harden 

 and cake about the snaste ; so that the mixture of 

 bay-salt with wax wall win an eighth part of the time 

 of lasting, and the water a fifth. 



370. After the several materials were tried, trial 

 was likewise made of several wicks ; as of ordinary 

 cotton, sewing thread, rush, silk, straw, and wood. 

 The silk, straw, and wood, would flame a little, till 

 they came to the wax, and then go out : of the other 

 three, the thread consumed faster than the cotton, by 

 a sixth part of time : the cotton next ; then 

 the rush consumed slower than the eotton, by 



