Chap. rp. eX Trerifc of B O IH S. a r J 



condcnfeth: and therefore fuch parts as by agicxtion were fpua 

 out into a fubcilc thrid<k of an inch long fof example, as, they 

 cool, do groiW bigger anckbigger 3 and-coniequcntly iliortcr and 

 fhorteu, till a length, they gather; taerulclves back into their 

 inain body; aridi there they letclc again in cold bicurnen as they 

 were at the firft ; and the light body that they (tick unjto, is 

 drawn back \vkh them* and eonfeqpeaily iturketh to the fwper- 

 ficiesof the bicumcn. As if fomtthing were tycd ac one end oil 

 a lurettring extended to its utruoft cajpocky, and the orhec cod: 

 veece faftened co (bme pinne; as the (h ing flirinkeofk up, fo that 

 which is tyed at it, muft neds move aeajcer and nearer the pin: 

 which artifice of nature jugglers do imitate, wbfia by jneajas of 

 an unfeen hair, they draw light bodies, to tlaetn. No.w if all tbis 

 operation be done,without your feeing the little thrkis w clj cauie 

 icjthe matter appears wondecfull & ftrange.Buc when you cojifi- 

 der this progrefle that we have fet dow,u,you \*iH judge it poiSble 



And this ieemeth to be the cafe of thole bodies which we call 

 Eleftricall; as yellow amber, jet> and the like. All which, are of 

 a bituminous unctuous nature, as appearerh by their eafic com- 

 buftibility & fmcll,when they are burned. And ifibmedo not fa 

 apparently fhew this un&uous nature jt is becauie either they ar 

 eo. tiard, or elie they have a high degree of aqueous humidity 

 joyned with their un&uofity : and in them the operation will 

 be duller in that proportion; for a.s we fee that un&uous liibf 

 ftances arc more odoriferous then others, & do fend their fteams 

 further off, and more efruracioufly; fo we cannot doubt but that 

 fiurh bodies as confift in a rnoift nature do accordingly fend forth 

 their emanations in a feebler proportion. Yet that proportion 

 will not be fo feeble,but that they may have an Elc&ricaJieftec}, 

 as well as the more efficacious Ele&ricall bodies, w ch may be per- 

 ceptible, if exa& experience be made by an instrument like the 

 mariners needle; as our learned countryman D' Gilbert teacheth 



But that in thofe eminent agents, the fpfrits, whereby they at- 

 tra6r, are unctuous, is plain, bccaufe the fire conftraeth them; 

 and fo if the agents be overheated they cannot work; but mo- 

 derate heat even of fire incrcafeth their operation. Again, they 

 are clogged by raifty aire, or by wetting: and likewile, are pier- 

 ced through and cut afunder by fpirit of wine or aquae ardentcs; 

 but oyl doth not hurt them. L&ewife, they yield more ipirits in 



O 4 the 



