«7\f aturall Hijiorj: 
Plight of Bodies thorow the Aire, and of other Mechanical! Motions, (as 
hath bcene partly touched before, andfhall bee throughly handled in , 
due place) is not feene at all.. But neuerthelelfe, if you know it not, orj 
enquire it not attentiuelv and diligently, you fhall neuer bee able todif-1 
cerne, and much lefleto produce a Number of MechanicalMotions. A- 
gaiine,as to the Motions Corporall,wkhin the EnclofuresofBodies,where- 
by the Effe&s (which were mentioned before)palfe betweene the Spirits, 
and the Tangible Parts • (which are, Arefaflion, CoUtquation, ConcoCtion, 
Maturation, foe.) they are notat all handled. But they are put off by the 
Names of J^ertues, and Natures, and Actions , and Fajions, and liich other 
Logical Words. 
Experiment 
Solitary tou¬ 
ching rhe 
Vovter of Heat. 
9 6 
I T iscertaine, that of all Power sin Mature, Heatis thechiefe 5 both in 
the Frame of Nature , and in the workes of Art. Certaine it is likewife, 
that the Eife&s of Heat , are moft aduanced, when it worketh vpon a Bo¬ 
dy, without Ioffe or diflipation of the Matter 5 for that euer betrayeth > 
the Account. And therefore it is true, that the power of Heat isbeft 
perceiued in VifliUations ^ which are performed in dole Veftells, and Re¬ 
ceptacles. But yet there is a higher Degree ; For howfoeuer Dijhllati- 
ons doe keepe the Body in Cels, and Cloifters, without Going abroad j 
yet they gitiefpace vnto Bodies roturne into Vapour ; Toreturne into 
Liquor s and to Seperate one part from another. So as Nature doth 
Expatiate, although it hath not full Liberty whereby the true and VI -1 
time Operations of Heat are not attained. But if Bodies may bee altered [ 
by Heat, and yet no fuch Reciprocation of Rarefaction ^ and of Cortden/a- 
non, and of separation > admitted • then it is like that this Proteus of Mat¬ 
ter , being held by the Sleeues, will turne and change into many Meta- 
worphofes. Take therefore a Square VefJ'ell of Iron, in forme of a Cube, 
and let it hauc good thicke and ftrong Sides. Put into it a Cube of 
Wood y that may fill it as dole as may be 5 And let it haue a Couer of Iron, 
as ftrong (at leaft)as the Sides * And let it bee well Luted, after the man¬ 
ner of the Chymifts, Then place the Vefjell within burning Coales, kept 
quicke kindled, forfome few houres fpace. Then take the VeJJell from! 
the Fire, and take off the Couer, and fee what is become of the Wood. I 
conceiuethatfince all Inflammation, and Evaporation arevtterly prohibi¬ 
ted, and the Body ftill turned vpon itlelfe, thatoneof thefetwo effects 
will follow: Either that the Bodj/oCtheiveodw'dibce tiirnedinto akinde 
of Amalagmay (as the chymfls call it • ) Or that the Finer Part will bee 
turned into Aire, and the Grofierftickeas it were baked, andincruftatc 
vpon the Sides of the Vejfell^ being become of a Denfer Matter, than the 
Wood it felfe, Crude. And for another Triall, take alfo water, and put 
it in the like VelTell,ftopped as before-But vfe a gentler Heat, and remoue 
the VelTellfometimes from the Fire , Andagaine, after fomefmall time 
when it is Cold, renue the Heating ofic: And repeat this Alteration fome 
few times • And if you can once bring to pafle, that the wifr, which is 
one of the Simpleftof Bodies, bee changed in Colour, Odour, or Talk 
after! 
