Chap. TS?. 



illee|Uftll>that which hath moft fides and angles, conttineth ftfll 

 the greater floore. Whence it is that Mathematicians conclude a 

 circle to be the moft capacious of all figures r and what they fay 

 of lines in refpc& of a mperficies; the tame with proportion they 

 fay of furfaces in refpeft of the body contained.And accordingly 

 we lee by confcquence, that in the making a bag of a long nap- 

 kin, if the napkin befcwed together longwife, it holdcth a great 

 deal lefle then if it be fewed together broad wife. 



By this we fee plain!y,that if any body which is in a thick and 

 fliort figure, be forced into a thinner (which by becoming thin- 

 ner, muft likewife become either longer or broader ; for what 

 it lofcth one way it muft get another)then that fuperficies muft 

 needs be ftretched ; which in our cafe, is a Phyficall outfide, or 

 materiall part of a folid body, not a Mathematicall confidera- 

 tion of an indivifible Entity. We fee allb that this change of fi- 

 gures happeneth in the bend ing of all thofe bodies , whereof we 

 are now enquiring the reafon why fbme of them reftore them- 

 fclves to their originall figures,and others ftand as they arc bent. 



Then to begin with the latter fort, we find that they are of a 

 moift nature; as among metalls, lead, and tinne; and among o- 

 ther bodics,thofe which we account foft. And we may determine 

 that this effect proceedeth, partly from the humidity of the bo- 

 dy that ftandcth bent ; and partly from a drinefle peculiar to it 

 that comprchendeth and fixeth the humidity of it. For by the 

 firft, they are rendered capable of being driven into any figure, 

 which nature or art defireth : and by the fecond, they are prc- 

 fcrved from having their gravity put them out of what figure 

 they have once received. 



But becaufe thefe two conditions are common to all fblid bo- 

 die?,we may conclude, that if no other circumftance concurred 

 the cffe arifing out of them would likewife be common to all 

 fuchrand therefore, where \ve find it other wife, we muft leek fur- 

 ther fora caufe of that tran'greflion.As for example,ifyou bend 

 the bodies of young trees, or the branches of others, they will 

 return to their due figure. It is true, they will fbmetimes lean to- 

 wards that way they have been bent : as may be icen even in 

 great trees after violent tcmpefts ; and generally the heads of 

 trees, and the ears of corn, and the grown hedgerowes will all 

 bend one way in fbme countries, where fbme one wind hath a 



main. 





