C J 
lafily^ thatj^befides the broken par ts^ there arc fbme other^ 
which feem to have loft their regularity, not fo much in being 
broken, as by various winds, firft geptly thaw*dj and then 
froze into little irregular dumpers again. 
From whence the true notion and Exterual inature of Snov^ 
feemeth to appearj t//a.Tha| not only fome few parts of Snow^ 
butj^ Ofiginaliyg the whole body of it or of a Snowy cloud, is 
an infinite mafs of Icicles regularly figured 5 cot one particle 
thereof / I fay^Qr/^/iiii/^i not one ofio many millions, being 
iDdetermioate or irregular: That is to (ay^a Gloud of Vapours 
being gathered ipto drops, the faid drops forthwith defcendi 
upon which defireot, meeting with a foft freezing wind ^ or at 
leaft paffing through a Colder Region of Air^, each drop is im- 
mediately froze into an Icicle^ fhooting it felf forth iotofevcral 
points or Jiiria on each hand from- ward itsCenter.-But ftill con- 
tiouing their defcent, and meeting with fome fprinkliog and 
intermixed gales of warmer air, or in their continual motion 
andwaftageto and fro touching upon each other 5 fome are 
a little thaw'd^ blunted, frofted, clumpcxd, others broken^ 
but the moft hanked and clung io fevcral parcels together, 
which we call Flakes of fpow. 
It being known what is, we uoderflaod, why, though 
it feem to be foft, yet**tis truly hard §. becaufe true Ice ^ the 
ioleparable propertj^ whereof is, to be hard ; leeming only 
to be foftj becaufeupoo the firft touchof the finger upon any 
of its fharp edges or points, they ioftan'tly thaw 5 or otherwife 
iiey would pierce our fingers as lb many Lancets. 
Why again, though Spow be true Ice, and fo an hard and 
deod body, yet very light , becaufe of the extream thinnefs 
ofeach Icicle in comparifon ofits breadrk For fo Gold5which 
though t f all bodies the moft ponderous^ yet being beaten in- 
^ leaves, rides upon the leaft breath of Air j and fo in all other 
iodies, where there is but little matter contained within large 
Amecions,. and poffibly in, no other Cafe.., 
Alfo howitis^^^^^ not bccaufe hard 5 for thrre are many 
(on bodies- white yMt becaufe coofiftent of- parti ali of them 
fiogly tranfparenr, but being mixed together, appear white f 
ts the parts of Froth, GIS, Ice, mdmlm Tianfpareot bodies, 
whfiher loft or hard*. > ^ Xhm.. 
