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That this Phafnomenon is no way owing to the 
prefllire of the Atmofphere, has been, I think iufficient- 
Jy prov’d by Mr. Havksbees Experiments* 
And that the caufe aflign'd by the fame ingenious 
and inquifitive Perfon, namely the attradion of the 
concave Surface, in which the fufpended Liquor is con- 
tain’d, is likewife infufficienc for producing this effed, 
I thus demonftrate. • 
Since in every capillary Tube the height, to which 
the Water will fpontaneoufly afeend, is reciprocally as 
the Diameter of the Tube, it follows, that the Surface 
containing the fufpended Water in every Tube is al- 
ways a given Quantity : but the Column of Water fuf 
pended is, as the Diameter of the Tube. Therefore, 
if the attradion of the containing Surface be the caufe 
of the Waters fufpenfion j it will follow, that equal 
caufes produce unequal effeds, w hich is abfurd. 
To this it may perhaps be objeded, that, in tW’O 
Tubes of unequal Diameters, the circumftances are di- 
fferent, and therefore the two Caufes, tho* they be equal 
in themfelves, may produce effeds that are unequal. 
For the lefler Tube has not only a greater Curvature, 
but thofe parts of the Water, which lie in the middle of 
the Tube, are nearer to the attrading Surface, than in 
the wider. But from this if any thing follows, it muft 
be, that the narrower Tube will fufpend the greater 
quantity of Water, which is contrary tb Experiment. 
For the Columns fufpended are as the Diameters of 
the Tubes. 
But as Experiments are generally more fatisfadory 
in things of this nature, than Mathematical reafonings, 
it may not be amife to make ufe of the following, 
which appear to me to contain an Expirmemum Cru- 
(is. 
Tig, 
