Chapter IX: Preface (8)

I could instance also in the Figure of _Sea-salt_, and _Sal-gem_, that it is compos’d of a texture of _Globules_, placed in a _cubical_ form, as L, and that all the Figures of those Salts may be imitated by this texture of _Globules_ and by no other whatsoever. And that the forms of _Vitriol_ and of _Salt-Peter_, as also of _Crystal_, _Hore-frost_, &c. are compounded of these two textures, but modulated by certain proprieties: But I have not here time to insist upon, as I have not neither to shew by what means _Globules_ come to be thus context, and what those _Globules_ are, and many other particulars requisite to a full and intelligible explication of this propriety of bodies. Nor have I hitherto found indeed an opportunity of prosecuting the inquiry so farr as I design’d; nor do I know when I may, it requiring abundance of time, and a great deal of assistance to go through with what I design’d; the model of which was this:

First, to get as exact and full a collection as I could, of all the differing kinds of Geometrical figur’d bodies, some three or four several bodies of each kind.

Secondly, with them to get as exact a History as possibly I could learn of their places of Generation or finding, and to enquire after as many circumstances that tended to the Illustrating of this Enquiry, as possibly I could observe.

Thirdly, to make as many trials as upon experience I could find requisite, in Dissolutions and Coagulations of several crystallizing Salts; for the needfull instruction and information in this Enquiry.

Fourthly, to make several trials on divers other bodies, as Metals, Minerals, and Stones, by dissolving them in several _Menstruums_, and crystalizing them, to see what Figures would arise from those several _Compositums_.

Fifthly, to make Compositions and Coagulations of several Salts together into the same mass, to observe of what Figure the product of them would be; and in all, to note as many circumstances as I should judge conducive to my Enquiry.

Sixthly, to enquire the closeness or rarity of the texture of these bodies, by examining their gravity, and their refraction, &c.

Seventhly, to enquire particularly what operations the fire has upon several kinds of Salts, what changes it causes in their Figures, Textures, or Energies.

Eighthly, to examine their manner of dissolution, or acting upon those bodies dissoluble in them; The texture of those bodies before and after the process. And this for the History.

Next for the Solution, To have examin’d by what, and how many means, such and such Figures, actions and effects could be produc’d possibly.

And lastly, from all circumstances well weigh’d, I should have endeavoured to have shewn which of them was most likely, and (if the informations by these Enquiries would have born it) to have demonstrated which of them it must be, and was.

But to proceed, As I believe it next to the Globular the most simple; so do I, in the second place, judge it not less pleasant; for that which makes an Enquiry pleasant, are, first a noble _Inventum_ that promises to crown the successfull endeavour; and such must certainly the knowledge of the efficient and concurrent causes of all these curious Geometrical Figures be, which has made the Philosophers hitherto to conclude nature in these things to play the Geometrician, according to that saying of _Plato_, Ὁ Θεὸς γεομετρεῖ. Or next, a great variety of matter in the Enquiry; and here we meet with nothing less than the _Mathematicks_ of nature, having every day a new Figure to contemplate, or a variation of the same in another body,

Which do afford us a third thing, which will yet more sweeten the Enquiry, and that is, a multitude of information; we are not so much to grope in the dark, as in most other Enquiries, where the _Inventum_ is great; for having such a multitude of instances to compare, and such easie ways of generating, or compounding and of destroying the form, as in the _Solution_ and _Crystallization_ of Salts, we cannot but learn plentifull information to proceed by. And this will further appear from the universality of the Principle which Nature has made use of almost in all inanimate bodies. And therefore, as the contemplation of them all conduces to the knowledg of any one; so from a Scientifical knowledge of any one does follow the fame of all, and every one.

And fourthly, for the usefulness of this knowledge, when acquir’d; certainly none can doubt, that considers that it caries us a step forward into the Labyrinth of Nature, in the right way towards the end we propose our selves in all Philosophical Enquiries. So that knowing what is the form of Inanimate or Mineral bodies, we shall be the better able to proceed in our next Enquiry after the forms of Vegetative bodies; and last of all, of Animate ones, that seeming to be the highest step of natural knowledge that the mind of man is capable of.

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Observ. XIV. _Of several kindes of frozen _Figures_._

I have very often in a Morning, when there has been a great _hoar-frost_, with an indifferently magnifying _Microscope_, observ’d the small _Stiriæ_, or Crystalline beard, which then usually covers the face of most bodies that lie open to the cold air, and found them to be generally _Hexangular prismatical_ bodies, much like the long Crystals of _Salt-peter_, save onely that the ends of them were differing: for whereas those of _Nitre_ are for the most part _pyramidal_, being terminated either in a point or edge; these of Frost were hollow, and the cavity in some seem’d pretty deep, and this cavity was the more plainly to be seen, because usually one or other of the six _parallelogram_ sides was wanting, or at least much shorter then the rest.

But this was onely the Figure of the _Bearded hoar-frost_; and as for the particles of other kinds of _hoar-frosts_, they seem’d for the most part irregular, or of no certain Figure. Nay, the parts of those curious branchings, or _vortices_, that usually in cold weather tarnish the surface of Glass, appear through the _Microscope_ very rude and unshapen, as do most other kinds of frozen _Figures_, which to the naked eye seem exceeding neat and curious, such as the Figures of _Snow_, frozen _Urine_, _Hail_, several _Figures_ frozen in common Water, &c. Some Observations of each of which I shall hereunto annex, because if well consider’d and examin’d, they may, perhaps, prove very instructive for the finding out of what I have endeavoured in the preceding Observation to shew, to be (next the _Globular Figure_ which is caus’d by _congruity_, as I hope I have made probable in the sixth _Observation_) the most simple and plain operation of Nature, of which, notwithstanding we are yet ignorant.