Century IV. 



77 



The Opinion of fome of the Ancients, that Blown Aires do preferve Bo- 

 dies,lon^er than other Aires ^ feemeth to Me Probable ; For that the Blown 

 Aires, being Over-charged and Compelled, will hardly receive the Exha- 

 Sgofany Thing, but rather repulfe it. It was tried in a Blown Bladder, 

 whereintoFlemwasput, and like wife a Flower, and it forted not: For Dry 

 Bladders will not Blow. And New Bladders rather further Putrefaction : The 

 way were therefore, to blow ftrongly, with a Paire of Bellows, into a Hogf- 



Shining in the 

 Dark.. 

 352 



head, putting into the Hogfhead (before ) that which you would have pre- 

 ferred-, And in the inftant that you withdraw the Bellowes, flop the Hole 

 clofe. ' 



^pHe Experiment oiWood that Shineth in the Dark, we have diligently Experiment 

 1 driven, and purfued; The rather, for that of all Things, that give Light JSfiifW 

 here below,jit is the moft Durable And hath leaft Apparent Motion. Fire 

 and Flame are in continual Expence; Sugar iliining only while it is in Scra- 

 ping ; And Salt-Water while it is in Daihing -, Glo-Worms have their Shi- 

 ning while they live,or a little after; Onely Scales of Fifties ( Putrefied ) feem 

 to be of the fame Nature with Shining Wood: And it is true, that all Putrefa- 

 ction hath with it an Inward Motion, as well as Fire, or Light. The Triall 

 forted thus. 1 . The Shining is in fome Pieces more Bright^ in fome more 

 Dimme 5 but the moft Bright of all doth not attain to the Light of a Glo- 

 voorm. '2. The Woods that have been tried to mine, are chiefly Sallow, and 

 Willow, Alfo the Aft, and Hafie; It may be, it holdeth in others. 3 . Both 

 Roots, and Bodies do mine, but the Roots better. 4. The Colour of the Shi- 

 ning Part, by Day-light, is in fome Pieces White^ in fome Pieces inclining 

 to Red-, Which in the Country they call the White, and Red C arret. 5 . The 

 Part that Shineth, is, ( for the moft Part ) fome what Soft^ and Moiji to feel 

 to-, But fome was found to be Firme and Hard ; So as it might be figured 

 into a Croft e, or into Beads, &c. But you muft not look to have an Image, 

 or the like, in any Thing that is Lightfome For even a face in Iron red 

 Hot will not be feen, the Light confounding the fmall differences of Light- 

 fome and Darkfome, which (hew the figure. 6. There was the Shining Part 

 pared of, till you came to chat, that did not Shine-, But within two Dayes the 

 I Part Contiguous began alfo to Shine, being laid abroad in the Dew So 

 as it feemeth the Putrefaction fpreadeth. 7. There was other dead 

 Wood o{ like kinde,that was Laid abroad, which Shined not at the firft^ But 

 after a Nights lying abroad began toftrine.8. There was other Wood, that did 

 Fir ft Shine-.. And being laid dry in the Houfe, within five or fix dayes, Loft 

 the Shining', And laid abroad agam^Recoveredthe Shining.9. Shining Woods , 

 beins; laid in a Dry Ro owe, within a Seven night, loft their Shining-, But being 

 laid In a Cellar., or Dark Room, kept the Shining. 10. The Boring of 

 }j les , in that kind of Wood , and then laying it abroad , feemeth to con- 

 duce to make it Shine : The Canje is, for that all Solution of 'Continuity doth 

 help on Putrefaction, as was touched before. 11. No Wood hath been yet 

 tried to Shine-, that was cut down alive y but fuch as was Rooted, both in 

 Stock, and Root, while it grew. 12. Part of the Wood that Shined, was 

 fteeped in Oyle, and retained the Shining a Fortnight. 13. The like fucceeded 

 in fome Steeped 'in Water , and much better. 14. How long the Shining will 

 continue, if the Wood be laid abroad every Night, and taken in and Sprinkled 

 with Water in the Day, is not yet tryed. 15. Triall was made of laying it 

 abroad in Froftie weather , which hurt, it not. 16. There was a great 

 Piece of a Root, which did {hine,,and the Shining Part was Cut off,ti\\ no more* 

 H ? Shinedi 



