140 Mayow 



if the aforesaid plane were extremely smooth, so that 

 all the rays falling upon it were reflected towards c^ 

 the plane could not be seen at all by an eye situated 

 at « ; so that it appears that an image of the plane is 

 propagated by certain rays reflected to the eye. But 

 this answer seems unsatisfactory, for if the rays of 

 light falling upon the said plane were reflected in 

 that manner in every direction, then almost the whole 

 chamber would be illuminated by reflected rays, just 

 as the chamber at c will be lighted up if the said plane 

 is polished and capable of reflecting the rays of light. 

 For since we suppose the plane to appear white, the 

 rays of light ought to be reflected all round in no small 

 amount, for white is supposed to be produced only 

 when the rays of light^are very densely reflected. But 

 in fact, although the said plane is seen as white by the 

 aforesaid eye, yet the eye will be all the while in dark- 

 ness, and will not be able to discern what is nearest 

 to it. And yet if the eye were placed at c, where, 

 namely, the rays reflected from the polished surface 

 tend, it would be dazzled with light and would see 

 everything near it illuminated by reflected light. 



Besides it would follow from this hypothesis that the 

 rays of light so reflected from any white surface are 

 more dense than those which emanate from fire or any 

 flame of a red or less white colour. For it is supposed 

 that the intermediate colours, such as red and others 

 of that kind, are produced by light and darkness 

 variously intermixed, while white results from light 

 when most densely reflected. But this is by no means 

 the case ; for if a reddish fire, such as that of burning 

 coals, were kindled in the said chamber, the whole 

 chamber would be illuminated by its rays, while the 

 colour white is propagated with scarcely a trace of light. 

 Still I would not deny that a white surface reflects 



