300 MifceUanea Curiofa* 



A Difcourfe on this PROBLEM; 



Why Bodies dijfolved in Menftrua 

 SfecificaUy lighter than them- 

 f elves, fwim therein ? 



By Mr. William Molyneux, of 

 Dublin, Member of the Royal Society. 



THE Liberty of Philofophifing being 

 now univerfally granted between all 

 Men, I am fure that a difference in Opinion 

 will be no breach of afFe&ion between two in- 

 tirely Loving Brothers: And therefore I ftial! 

 take the freedom to propofe my own Thoughts 

 in a matter wherein my Brother Mr. Tho- 

 mas Molyneux hath appeared publickly in the 

 Novelks de la Refublique des Letres, Mois d J 

 Aout 1684. Art 4; and Mo Is de Janvier 1685. 

 Art -j. The Problem propofed is, Why Bodies 

 dijfolved float in Liquors lighter than themfelves ? 

 as for Example : Mercury dilfolved in ftrong 

 Spirit of Kitre fwims therein, tho' each fmall 

 Particle of Mercury, be far heavier than fo 

 much of the Liquor whofe place it occupies. 

 This, fays he, cannot be folvred by the prime 

 Law of Hydroftaticks, which is, that a Bo- 

 dy which is an equal quantity is heavier than 

 a like quantity of Liquor, finks in that Li- I 



quor j 



