Century, i 1. 
4' 
it is like to be a Mixture of and Sulphur, without Code. For Petre j 
alone will not take Fire. Andifanymanthinke, that the Sound may bee ! 
extinguifhed, or deaded , by difeharging the Pent Aire> before.it (torn- j 
metiuothe Meath of the Peece, and to the open Aire • That is not pro- ! 
bable \ For it will make more diuided Sounds : As if you fhouldmake a j 
Crofte Barrell hollow, thorow the Barrell of a Peece, it may be, it would j 
giuefeuerall Sounds, both attheNofc,andat the fides. But 1 conceine, I 
that if it were polhble, tobringtopaffe, that there fhould bee no Aires 
pent at the Mouth of the Peece, the Bullet might flye with fmall, or no 
Noife. Forfirft it is certaine, there is no No i/e in the Percnlfion of the 
Flame vponthc Bullet. Next the Bullet, in piercing thorow the Aire, ma¬ 
ke th no Nrn/e ; As hath beene faid. And then, if there be no Pent Aires 
that ftrikethvpon Open Aire, there is no Caufeof Noife . And yet the 
Flying of th e Bullet will not be ftayed. For that Motion (ashathbeenc 
oft faid) is in the Parts of the Bullet , and not in the Aire. So as triall mud j 
be made by taking fome fmall Concaue of Metal/ no more than you meane 
to fill with powder • And laying the Bullet in the Mouth of it, halfeout 
into the Open Aire. 
I heard it affirmed by a Man, that was a great Dealer in Se crets, but 
he was but vaine 5 That there was a Confpiracy (which himfelfe hindred,) 
to hauekilled Queene Mary^Siilev to gueene Elizabeth, by a hawin'glaf/e, 
when One walked in Saint lames Parke, from the Leads of the Houfe. But 
thus much(no doubt) is true 5 That if Burning-Gla/fes could be brought to 
a great ftrength, (as they talke generally of Buwing-Glajjes } that are able j 
to burne a Natty.) the Perea fion of the Aire alone, by fuch a Burning glafe, 
would make no Noife 5 No more than is found in Cor ufeat ions, and Light¬ 
nings ^ without Thunders , 
Ifuppofe, that Imprejjion of the Aire with Sounds, asketbatimetobe 
conueighed to the Senfe ■ As well as the Imprefon of Species vifible : Or 
elfe they will not be heard. And therefore as the Bullet motteth id fvoft y 
that it is lnufible • So the fame Swiftnejfe of Motion maketh it Inaudible . 
For wee fee, that the Apprehenfion of the Eye, is quicker than that of the 
Eares. 
All Eruptions of Aire, though fmall and flighty giuean Entity ofSound ; 
which wee call Cracklings puffing. Spittings &c. As in hay-fdt, and hay- 
lea/ses, caft into the Fire ; So in Chefnuts , when they leape forth of the j 
A flies \ So in Greene wood , laid vpon the Fire, efpecially Roots £ 0 in Cm i 
dies that fpit Flame , if they bee wet; So in Raffing , Sneezing , &c. So in a 
Rofe Lea/e gathered together into the fashion of a Purftgand broken vpon \ 
the Fore* head, or Backe of the Hand,as Children vfc. 
T HE Coufe giuen of Sound, that it fhoiild be ah Elifionof the Aires 
(wherbv ,if they meane any thing,they meane a Cutting , or D/aiding 
or elfe an Attenuating of the Aire) is bn t a Terme of Ignorance • And.che 
Motion is but a Catch of the Wit vpon afewlnftances; As the Manner 
is m the Phylofophy Receiued. And it is common with Men, that if they 
haue 
121 
122 
123. 
Experiments 
in Conforc 
touching Pro- 
duftion, Confer- 
uat;on,-in&Vc- 
Linn of Sounds-, 
And the Office 
