15. Whether _Mummies_ be found in the sands of _Arabia_, that are the dryed
flesh of men buried in those sandy Deserts in travelling? And how they
differ in their vertue from the Embalmed ones?
16. Whether the parts about the City of _Constantinople_ or _Asia Minor_,
be as subject to Earth-quakes now, as they have been formerly? And whether
the Eastern Winds do not Plague the said City with Mists, and cause that
inconstancy of Weather, it is said to be subject to?
17. Whether the Earth-quakes in _Zant_ and _Cephalonia_ be so frequent, as
now and then to happen nine or ten times a Month? And whether these Isles
be not very Cavernous?
18. What is the height of Mount _Caucasus_, its position, temper in its
several parts, &c.
19. With what declivity the Water runs out of the _Euxine-Sea_ into the
_Propontis_? With what depth? And if the many Tides and Eddies, so famous
by the name of the _Euripi_, have any certain Period? {362}
20. If in the _Euxine-Sea_ there can be found any sign of the _Caspian
Seas_ emptying it self into it by a passage under ground? If there be any
different Colour, or Temper as to Heat or Cold; or any Current or Motion in
the Water, that may give light to it?
21. By what Inland passages they go to _China_; there being now a passage
for _Caravans_ throughout those places, that would formerly admit of no
Correspondence by reason of the Barbarisme of the Inhabitants?
22. Whether in the Aquaeducts, they make, they line the inside with as good
Plaister, as the Ancients did? and how theirs is made?
23. To inquire after these excellent works of Antiquity, of which that
Country is full, and which by the ignorant are not thought worth notice or
preservation? And particularly, what is the bigness and structure of the
Aquaeducts, made in several places about _Constantinople_ by _Solyman_ the
Magnificent? &c.
* * * * *
_An Observation of Optick Glasses made of _Rock-Chrystal_._
This is contained in a Letter of _Eustachio Divini_, Printed in _Italian_
at _Rome_, as the _39. Journal des Scavans_ extracts it, _vid._
[Sidenote: * It may be queried whether those were true Veins, or only
Superficial Strictures, and slight scratches.]
Though it be commonly believed, that _Rock-Christal_ is not fit for
Optick-Glasses, because there are many Veins in it; yet _Eustachio Divini_
made one of it, which _he saith_ proved an excellent one, though full of
Veins. *
* * * * *
_An Accompt of the Use of the Grain of _Kermes_ for Coloration._
This was communicated by the Ingenious Dr. _Croon_, as he received it from
one Monsieur _Verny_, a _French_ Apothecary at _Montpelier_; who having
described the Grain of _Kermes_, to be an excrescence growing upon the
Wood, and often upon the {363} leaves of a Shrub, plentifull in
_Languedock_, and gather'd in the end of _May_, and the beginning of
_June_, full of a red Juyce; subjoyns two Uses, which that Grain hath, the
one for _Medicine_, the other for _Dying of Wool_. Waving the _first_,
notice shall only be taken here of the _latter_, vid. That, for _Dying_,
they take the Grain of _Kermes_, when ripe, and spread it upon Linnen: And
at first, whilst it abounds most in moisture, 'tis turn'd twice or thrice a
day, to prevent its Heating. And when there appears red powder amongst it,
they separate it, passing it through a Searce; and then again spread abroad
the Grain upon Linnen, untill there be perceived the same redness of the
powder; and at the end, this red power appears _about_ and _on_ the surface
of the Grain, which is still to be pass'd through a Searce, till it render
no more.
And in the beginning, when the small red Grains are seen to move (as they
will do) they are sprinkled over with strong Vinegar, and rubb'd between
ones hands: afterwards little balls are form'd thereof, which are expos'd
to the Sun to dry.
If this red powder should be let alone, without pouring Vinegar or some
other accid liquor upon it, out of every Grain thereof would be form'd a
little Fly, which would skip and fly up and down for a day or two, and at
last changing its colour, fall down quite dead, deprived of all the
bitterness, the Grains, whence they are generated, had before.
The Grain being altogether emptyed of its pulp or red powder, 'tis wash'd
in Wine, and then expos'd to the Sun Being well dryed, 'tis rubb'd in a
Sack to render it bright; and then 'tis put up in small Sacks, putting in
the midst, according to the quantity, the Grain has afforded, 10. or 12.
pounds (for a _Quintal_) of the dust, which is the red powder, that came
out of it. And accordingly, as the Grain affords more or less of the said
powder, Dyers buy more or less of it.
'Tis to be noted, That the first red powder, which appears, issues out of
the Hole of the Grain, that is on the side, where the Grain adhered to the
Plant. And that, which about the end appears sticking on the Grain, hath
been alive in the husk, having pierced its covers though the hole, whence
it commonly issues, remains close as to the Eye. {364}
* * * * *
_An Account of Some Books lately published._
1. _PINAX Rerum Naturalium BRITANNICARUM, continens VEGETABILIA, ANIMALIA &
FOSSILIA in hoc Insula reperta, inchoatus, Auth._ Christophoro Merret,
_Med. D. & utriusque_ Societatis Regiae _socio._
The Learned and Inquisitive Author of this Book, hath by his laudable
example of collecting together, what Natural things are to be found here in
_England_, of all sorts (which he has done upon his own expences) given an
invitation to the curious in all parts of the world to attempt the like,
thereby to establish the much desired and highly useful commerce among
_Naturalists_, and to contribute every where to the composing of a genuine
and full _History of Nature_.
In the _Preface_ he intimates, that his stock does still encrease dayly;
and that therefore the Reader may expect an _Appendix_ to this collection.
In the Body of the Book, he enumerates all the _Species_, Alphabetically:
And, as to _Vegetables_, he reckons up about 410 sorts; and gives their
_Latine_ and _English_ Names, and the _Places_ and _Times_ of their growth:
reducing them afterwards to certain _Classes_, hitherto used by _Botanick_
Writers in their _Histories_ of _Plants_: Adding the _Etymology_ of their
Generick Names, and a compendious _Register_ of the Time, _when_ and _how
long_ the _English_ Plants do shoot and flourish.
As to _Animals_, he finds of them about 340 kinds in _England_, whereof the
_fourfooted_ are about 50, _Birds_ 170, and _Fishes_ 120. _Insects_ are
innumerable, which yet he endeavours to enumerate, and to reduce to certain
_Classes_; into which he also brings the three former kinds.
Concerning _Fossils_, he _first_ takes notice of the _Metals_ found in
_English_ Mines; as _Silver, Tin, Copper, Iron, Lead, Antimony_, and some
_Gold_ extracted out of _Tin_. Next of the _Stones_, of which he finds
about 70 sorts; & amongst them, _Bristol Diamonds, Agates, Hyacinths,
Emerods, Loadstones, Toad-stones_, (which last yet he affirms to be nothing
but the grinding-teeth of the {365} Fish _Lupus_) _Pearls, Corals, Marble,
Alablaster, Emery:_ To which he adds the various kinds of _Coals_; as also
_Bitumens, Turfs_ and _Jets_. And _thirdly_ of the various kinds of _Allam,
Vitriol, Niter, Sea-salt, Pit-salt_. But _fourthly_ of the various
_Earths_, of which he reckons up 15. peculiar sorts (besides those that
serve for _Husbandry_, which are not easily numbred;) and amongst them,
_Read-lead, Black-lead_ and _Fullers-earth_.
He concludes all with mentioning the several _Meteors_ appearing in
_England_; and the _Hot springs_; and _Medical Waters_; as also, the
_Salin, Petrifying_, and some more unusual Springs: _Item, Subterraneous
Trees, Subterraneous Rivers, Ebbings and Flowings of Wells_, &c.
II. _PLACITA PHILOSOPHICA Guarini._ The chief subject of this Treatise is
Natural _Philosophy_; upon many important questions whereof it enlargeth,
as those of the Motion of the Coelestial Bodies, of Light, of Meteors, and
of the vital and animal functions; leaving sometimes the common opinions,
and delighting in the defence of _Paradoxes_.
_E. G._ That the material substantial Form, is nothing but _mera potentia_,
and subsists not by it self: by which means the Author judges, he can free
himself from many great difficulties touching _Generation_ and
_Corruption_, which do perplex the other Philosophers.
He holds _Epicycles_ to be impossible, and _Excentricks_, not sufficient to
explicate the motion of the Stars; but that all the irregularities of this
motion may be salved by the means of certain _Spiral_ Lines; largely
proving this _Hypothesis_, and particularly explicating the motion of each
Planet.
He denies the middle Region of the Air to be cold; and believes that cold
is not necessary to condense the vapours into Water.
He admits not that received Axiome, _That the generation of one Body is the
corruption of another_; maintaining that there are _Generations_, to which
no corruption ever preceded; and that it may happen, that one Animal
without dying may be changed into another Animal.
He alledges several reasons to evince, that the Air breathed in, enters not
only into the whole capacity of the Chest, but also into the lower belly.
{366}
He is of opinion that the Air, which is commonly believed to corrupt
easily, is incorruptible; alledging among other reasons, this for one, that
experience shews, that if a Bottle be exactly stop'd, there is never any
mixt Body form'd in it; wherefore, _saith he_, the Air is not corrupted
there.
He maintains, that 'tis not the _Magnet_ that draws the Iron, but rather
the Iron that attracts the _Magnet_. To explain which he affirms, that the
Load-stone spreads abroad out of it self many corpuscles, which the
substance of the Iron imbibes, and that, as dry things attract those that
are moist, by the same reason Iron drawn the Loadstone.
He rejects the _species intentionales_, _Vital_ and _Animal_ Spirits, and
holds many other uncommon opinions, touching _Light_, the _Iris_, the _Flux
and Reflux of the Sea_, &c.