88 ^ PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1684. 



curious experiments, made in the Academy del Cimento, at Florence. — The 

 Italian author prefixed a preface, explaining the design of the academy, to 

 advance real knowledge, &c. 



1. The experiments are comprised under 10 heads, treating of several sub- 

 jects. Having described some of their instruments, as thermometers (of 

 which they seem to bid fairest for the invention ; the first having been brought 

 from Florence, and shown here, though they were reduced to a standard, 

 and received their perfection hence), the pendulum, and other instruments. 

 They come then to their first head, the air's pressure ; where most of the 

 known mercurial experiments are tried and confirmed, objections answered, 

 &c. with several experiments made in vacuo, both on animate and inanimate 

 bodies. 



2. Under the second head, on freezing, they are very curious in examining 

 the expansion, force, and proceedure of freezing, both natural and artificial. 

 To these are added, some experiments about the alteration of the capacity of 

 vessels by heat and cold. 



3. Experiments to show water incapable of compression. — 4. Against positive 

 levity. — 5. Magnetical experiments. — 6. On electric bodies. — 7. About the 

 change of colours of fluids by the mixture of other fluids; where it is observ- 

 able, that water distilled in lead inturbidates all spring, river, and Bath waters. 

 — 8. About the motion of sounds made with several camion, and musket shot. 

 — 9. Of projected bodies, their motion. 



The ] 0th contains a miscellany of experiments not reducible to any of the 

 former heads; as, the comparative weight of air and water; difference of 

 weight of bodies hot and cold; force of heat in rarefaction. Of glass, whe- 

 ther penetrable : of light, and its quick motion : of burning glasses : of 

 bodies affording light when broken to pieces. Experiments on the digestion 

 of animals, &c. 



struction and use of which may be seen in the essays above noticed, which are a collection of expe- 

 riments made by the early members of this academy. Indeed the sole and professed object of the 

 academy, was to make and record experiments in natural philosophy ; a practice which had been 

 introduced by Galileo, Torricelli, Aggiunti, and Viviani, who had thus prepared the way for this 

 institution. Among its early and respectable members were, Paul del Buono, who in 1657 invented 

 the instrument for trying the incompressibility of water, viz. a thick globular shell of gold, having 

 its cavity filled with water ; then tlie globe being compressed by a strong screw, the water came 

 through the pores of the gold, rather than yield to tlie compression : also, Borelli, well known for 

 his ingenious treatise De Motu Animalium, and other works; Candide del Buono, brother of Paul; 

 Alex. Marsili, Vincent Viviani, Francis Redi, and the Count Laurence Magalotti, secretary of the. 

 academy, who collected and published the above volume of experiments. But, notwithstanding 

 these hopeftd beginnings, we have heard little or notliing more of the academy since that time. 



