170 MOTION of Small Lighted WICKS 



That the equilibrium, however, amongft the parts of water, 

 is difturbed by the local application of heat, though in a much 

 fmaller degree that what obtains among the inflammable fluids, 

 appears from an experiment I was led to make with a fmall 

 thin cup fwimming on water, and fo contrived as to carry and 

 feed with oil a wick, placed a httle way down from the lip in 

 the infide, fo as to be on a level with the water. T he confe- 

 quence of this conftrudlion was, that the cup moved upon the 

 water very flowly, but always with the flame evidently flern- 

 m.ofl:. The fame cup, when taken from the water, and put in- 

 to a bafon of ftrong rum, failed a great deal faller, and accord- 

 ing to the fame ufual law. 



I AM much afraid, that by this time I have wearied you by 

 fuch a detail of minute fadls and circumflances, and by thofe 

 frequent repetitions which every new fubjedl more or lefs re- 

 quires.. And 1 ever remain. 



Dear Sir, 



Your mofl; obedient faithful fervant^ 



Pat. Wilson.. 



P. S. Should you be inclined to repeat any of the experi- 

 mients, the following diredions and mifcellaneous obfervations 

 may be attended to : The thread I made ufe of for the wicks 

 was of that foft kind commonly employed in the flowering of 

 muflin. After making the pundure in the bafe, you put through 

 a bit of the thread, which clip fliort off below, and with a pin 

 force in the burr gently round the thread, to give the bafe a 

 proper hold of it. Then clip away the fuperfluous thread above, 

 leaving the wick about a quarter of an inch long ; and fo the 

 lamp is completed. Set it then upon the oil, by taking hold of 

 the wick, that the paper bafe may not be bent or diftorted by 



handling 



