Century VIII. 



JN the Sea, upon the South-Wejl of Sicily , much Coral is found. It is a Sub- 

 Marine Plant. It hath no Leaves It brancheth onely when it is under Wa- 

 rn 5 it is Soft, and 6V^/z of Colour ; But being brought into the Jilfe it be- 

 commech Hard and Shining Red , as we fee. It is faid alfo, to have a white 

 Berry-, But we find it not brought over with the cW.Belike it is caft away 

 as nothing worth : Inquire better of it , for the Discovery of the Nature of 

 the Plant." 



THe Manna of Calabria is the beft, and in mod Plenty. They gather it 

 from the Leaf of the Mulberry-Tree ; But not of fuch Mulberry-Trees, 

 as grow in the Va'lefs. And Manna falleth upon the Leaves by Night , as o- 

 ther Deam d oe. It fhould feem , that before thofe Beam come upon Trees 

 in the Valley' s, they diflipateand cannot hold out. It fhould feem alfo, the 

 Mulberry-leaf, it lelf hath fome Coagulating Vertuc, which infpiiTatcth 

 the Deaw, for that it is not found upon other Trees : Aud we fee by the Silk- 

 worm, which feedeth upon that Leaf, what a'dainty Smooth Juice it hath 

 and the Leaves alfo, (efpecially of the Black Mulberry, ) are fomewhat 

 Briftly,which may help to preferve the Dew. Certainly, it were notamifs, 

 to obferve a little better, the Deam that fall upon T rees, or Herbs, Growin J 

 on Mountains ; For it may be, many Deam fall,that fpend before they come 

 to the Valleys. Andlfuppofe, that he that would gather the beft May- 

 Dew for Medicine, ftiould gather it from the Hills. 



JT is faid, they have a manner, to prepare their Greek-wines,to keep them 

 from Fuming,and In-ebriating,by adding fome Sulphur, or Allome: Where- 

 of the one is Unttuom , and the other is Apingent. And certain it is, that 

 thofe two Natures do reprefs the Fumes. This Experiment would be tranf- 

 ferred unto other wine and Strong Beer , by Putting in fome like Subftances, 

 while they work} Which may make them both to Fume lefs,and to Inflame 

 lefs. 



JT is conceived by fome , (not improbably,) that the reafon , why wilde- 

 Fires (Whereof the principal ingredient is Bitumen,) do not quench 

 with Water, is, for that the firft Concretion of Bitumen, is a Mixture, of a Fie- 

 *7,and watry Subflance : So is not Sulphur. This appeareth , for that in the 

 Place neer Puteoli, which they call the Court of Vulcan,you fhall hear under 

 the Earth a Horrible Thundring of Fire, and Water , conflicting together : 

 And there break forth alfo Spouts of Boiling Water. Now that place yieldet h 

 great Quantities of Bitumen ^ Whereas <v£f/^, and Tefuvias , and the like, 

 which confift upon Sulphur, fhoot forth Smoake, and Ajhes, and Pumice t but 

 no Water. It is reported alfo, that Bitumen mingled with Lime, and put un- 

 der water, will make, as it were, an artificial Reck, The Subflance becomcth 

 foHard. 



Experiment 

 Solitary tou- 

 ching the 

 Growth, of 

 Coral. 

 780 



Experiment 

 S jJitary tou' 

 ching the 

 Gathering of 

 Manna. 



<?8i 



THere is a Cement, compounded of Flower , whites of Eggs, and Stone pow- 

 dred, that becommcth Hard as Marble-^ wherewith Piscina Mirabilis, 

 neer Cuma, is faid to have the Walls Plaftcred. And it is certain , anil 

 tried,that the Powder of Loadflone, and F//«r by the Addition of Whites of 

 Eggs, and Gum-Dragon, made into Fajte , will in a few dayes harden to the 

 Hardnefs of a Stone. 



It 



Experiment- 

 Solitary tou- 

 ching the 



Correcting of 

 wine. 



782 



Experiment 

 Solitary tou- 

 ching the 



Materials of 

 wHde-Fke. 



783 



Experiment 

 Solitary tou- 

 ching Plafter 

 growing as . 

 hard as Marble 

 784 



