CENTURY IX. 451 



&c. and other bodies which dissolve in water; as 

 salt, sugar, &c. The cause of the former procecdeth 

 from the dilatation of the spirits by heat : the cause 

 of the latter proceedeth from the opening of the 

 tangible parts, which desire to receive the liquor. 

 Again, there are some bodies that dissolve with 

 both ; as gum, etc. And those be such bodies, as on 

 the one side have good store of spirit ; and on the 

 other side, have the tangible parts indigent of 

 moisture ; for the former helpeth to the dilating 

 of the spirits by fire; and the latter stimulateth the 

 parts to receive the liquor. 



Experiment solitary touching bodies fragile and tough. 

 841. Of bodies, some are fragile : and some are 

 tough, and not fragile ; and in the breaking, some 

 fragile bodies break but where the force is ; so me 

 shatter and fly in many pieces. Of fragility, the 

 cause is an impotency to be extended ; and therefore 

 stone is more fragile than metal; and so fictile earth 

 is more fragile than crude earth ; and dry wood than 

 green. And the cause of this unaptness to extension, 

 is the small quantity of spirits, for it is the spirit 

 that furthereth the extension or dilatation of bodies, 

 and it is ever concomitant with porosity, and with 

 dryness in the tangible parts : contrariwise, tough 

 bodies have more spirit, and fewer pores, and 

 moister tangible parts : therefore we see that parch 

 ment or leather will stretch, paper will not ; woollen 

 cloth will tenter, linen scarcely. 



