Chap. 5. ^/^ E S S A Y, &c. 145 



This Account of Pacuvius may feem fome- 

 thing ftrange at firft, being, as I fuppofe, 

 founded on the Dodrine of Epicurus and 

 Lucretius^ who argued, that the World was 

 at firft form'd or made of Air. But when we 

 examine a little nearer into it, we fiiall find 

 it fo extenfive, that nothing in Nature is 

 able to fubfift without it. 



, I (hall hereafter be more particular in its'^hefeyerai 

 Benefits on Plants and Vegetables, and at^^;'^^^''^ 

 prefent ihall obferve, that without it, the very 

 Fire that we make ufe of would expire 5 not 

 only for that it blows up and kindles Wood 

 and Coals, but alfo from a Natural Sulphur 

 that feeds and maintains it ^ fo that if one 

 take a Candle and put it into a Veffel out of 

 which the Air is pumpt by a Pneumatick En- 

 gine or Air-Pump, it would foon go out: 

 And if, in like manner, a Moufe or any other 

 Animal, it would quickly be thrown into the 

 greatefl: Convulfions, and foon ( in lefs thaa 

 three Hours ) to Death itfelf. But the moft 

 remarkable, is that of Sound 5 fince a Bell 

 put into one of thefe Glafs-Veffels, may be 

 perceived to fhake, but not to ring 5 but upon 

 the letting of Air in, makes its ufual Sound : 

 By which 'tis plain, that Sound is only the. 

 Percuflion of and occafion'd by Air 5 of 

 fo great an Ufe is this Aery Meteor. 



I fhall not trouble niy Reader with the 



nice Diftindions of Meteorologifts as to the 



Specifick Properties of Air, nor of its 



Weight, &c. that being not much to my 



V o L, I. L Pur- 



