S6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1666. 



As to the book itself, he professes that he does not write it against Geo- 

 metry, but geometers ; and that his design in it is to show, that there is no 

 less uncertainty and falsity in the writings of mathematicians, than there is in 

 those of naturalists, moralists, &c. though he judges that physics, ethics, and 

 politics, if they were well demonstrated, would be as certain as the mathe- 

 matics. 



Attacking the mathematical principles as they are found in books, and withal 

 some demonstrations, he takes to task Euclid himself, instead of all, as the 

 master of all geometricians, and with him his best interpreter Clavius, examin- 

 ing in the first place the principles of Euclid : Secondly, declaring false what 

 is superstructed upon them, whether by Euclid or Clavius, or any geometer 

 whatsoever that has made use of those or other (as he is pleased to entitle 

 them) false principles. Thirdly, pretending that he means so to combat 

 all, both principles and demonstrations, undertaken by him, as that he will 

 substitute better in their room, lest he should seem to undermine the science 

 itself. 



IV. King Solomon's Portraiture of Old Age ; by John Smith, M. D. This 

 treatise being a philosophical discourse, though upon a sacred theme, may cer- 

 tainly claim a place among Philosophical Transactions. Among other ingeni- 

 ous observations on the subject, the author gives the following very curious 

 one ; that the expression of Solomon (Eccles. chap. 12.) probably denotes the 

 same doctrine as the discovery of the sagacious Harvey, of the Blood's Circu- 

 lation. The pitche?- being interpreted for the veins, the fountain for the right 

 ventricle of tlw heart ; the cistern for the left ; the wheel the circulation. 



A neiv Frigorific Experiment, showing how a considerable Degree of Cold 

 may he suddenly produced, without the help of Snow, Ice, Hail, 

 Wind, or Nitre, and that at any Time of the Year. By Mr. Boyle. 

 Nn5,p.255i 



Among the several ways by which I have made infrigidating mixtures with 

 sal ammoniac (muriate of ammonia) the most simple and easy is this: Take 

 1 lb. of powdered sal ammoniac and about three pints or pounds of water ; put 

 the salt into the liquor, either altogether, if your design be to produce an in- 

 tense but short coldness ; or, at two, three, or four several times, if you desire 

 that the produced coldness should rather last somewhat longer than be so 

 great. Stir the powder in the liquor with a stick or whalebone (or some other 

 thing that will not be acted upon by the brine) to hasten the dissolution of the 



