and whether, 10 caft it be , it might be fubjeaed to Tome 
oiherof our Seofcs befides our ^S'?^^ whereby we migbt ex- 
amine 3 whether it had aoy affioky with othe^^ 
Beings that we are acquainted with here below? 
He further taking notice of the Difputes between the Pe^ 
ripatetkkj, Carieftans ^ and Atomip of old^ concerning the 
nature of Light, whether it be a meer Quah'ty, or a Mo- 
dification of Motion in an ^Ethereal matter, or a Corpo- 
real fubftance 5 and doubting, JWhethei* the Corporeity of 
Light would be in haft determin'd hj mttx Ratioanatiom t 
He thought it very well worth the endeavouring to try^ Whe- 
ther he could do any thing towards Clearing the difputeof it 
by Experiments efpecially being pe^waded , that, if fuch 
an attempt fliould prove fuccefstul 5 the coofequeoccs of it 
would be very great and ufefo! towards th^ explicating of di- 
vers Fh£nomem m divers parts of Natural Philofophy 5 as in 
Chymifiry, Botanickf, zud, (if there be any fuch) the allowable 
part of Aerology, 
Now to cbmpafi'what he aimed afj he intended firfl to try, 
what hecould dobythe?;;!?^!?^^?/*^^^^^^^;/ . and then^what 
could be obtaio'd (tom Flame. But having been hitherto dif- 
appointed by the cold and wet vi^eather from profecutiog 
his ziitm^X^ViXlhthQ Sun. beams^ fo far at leaft as to build on 
them as yets and therefore referviog an account of them for 
another opportunity ; he recites io this Effay that fort of 
Experiments, which depending lefson Cafualtics, 'twas more 
io his power to bring to an iflue 3 ^;j6. thofe made with Flame-^ 
of which he hath delivered a good number 3 willing to 
contribute fomething towards the Hiftpry, that now per- 
haps will be thought fit td be made of the Increafe or De- 
crement, thacparticqlar Bodies may receive by being expo- 
fed to the Fire 5 confideriog alfo, that the Incongruity of the 
Dodrioe here sflerted to the Opinioi s of the Schools ^ and 
the general Prepoffeffions of Mapkiod , made it fit by a 
confiderable variety and number of Experiments to obviate^ 
as far as might be^ the differing Obje^lionsand Evafions^ 
wherewith a Truth fo paradoxical may expe6t to be cxcoun- 
tred* Certain it is, that this Difcovery cannot but excite the 
luquifitive to exercifc their ftgacity in fiudingoutj what kind 
. ^ of ^- 
