_MADAM,_
Since in my last, I made mention of the Congealing of Water into Ice
and Snow, I cannot choose, but by the way tell you, that I did lately
meet with an _Author_, who is of opinion, That Snow is nothing else but
Ice broken or ground into small pieces. To which, I answer: That this
opinion may serve very well for a Fancy, but not for a Rational Truth,
or at least for a Probable Reason; For why may not the cold motions
make snow without beating or grinding, as well as they make Ice? Surely
Nature is wiser then to trouble her self with unnecessary labour, and
to make an easie work difficult, as Art her Creature doth, or as some
dull humane capacities conceive; for it is more easie for Nature to
make Snow by some sorts of cold contractions, as she makes Ice by other
sorts of cold contractions, then to force Air and Wind to beat, grinde,
or pound Ice into Snow, which would cause a confusion and disturbance
through the Irregularity of several parts, being jumbled in a confused
manner together. The truth is, it would rather cause a War in Nature,
then a natural production, alteration, or transformation: Neither can
I conceive, in what region this turbulent and laborious work should be
acted; certainly not in the caverns of the Earth, for snow descends
from the upper Region. But, perchance, this _Author_ believes, that
Nature imploys Wind as a Hand, and the Cold air as a Spoon, to beat Ice
like the white of an Egg into a froth of Snow. But the great quantity
of Snow, in many places, doth prove, that Snow is not made of the
fragments of Ice, but that some sorts of cold contractions on a watery
body, make the figure of snow in the substance of water, as other sorts
of cold contractions make the figure of ice; which motions and figures
I have treated of in my Book of Philosophy, according to that Judgment
and Reason which Nature has bestowed upon me. The Author of this Fancy,
gives the same reason for Snow being white: _For Ice_, says he, _is
a transparent body, and all transparent bodies, when beaten into
powder, appear white; and since Snow is nothing else but Ice powder'd
small, it must of necessity shew white._ Truly, _Madam_, I am not so
experienced, as to know that all transparent bodies, being beaten
small, shew white; but grant it be so, yet that doth not prove, that
the whiteness of snow proceeds from the broken parts of Ice, unless it
be proved that the whiteness of all bodies proceeds from the powdering
of transparent bodies, which I am sure he cannot do; for Silver, and
millions of other things are white, which were never produced from the
powder of transparent bodies: Neither do I know any reason against
it, but that which makes a Lilly white, may also be the cause of the
whiteness of Snow, that is, such a figure as makes a white colour; for
different figures, in my opinion, are the cause of different colours,
as you will find in my Book of Philosophy, where I say, that Nature
by contraction of lines draws such or such a Figure, which is such or
such a Colour; as such a Figure is red, and such a Figure is green,
and so of all the rest: But the Palest colours, and so white, are the
loosest and slackest figures; Indeed, white, which is the nearest
colour to light, is the smoothest, evenest and straightest figure, and
composed of the smallest lines: As for example; suppose the figure of
8. were the colour of Red, and the figure of 1. the colour of White; or
suppose the figure of Red to be a _z._ and the figure of an _r._ to be
the figure of Green, and a straight _l._ the figure of White; And mixt
figures make mixt colours: The like examples may be brought of other
Figures, as of a Harpsichord and its strings, a Lute and its strings,
a Harp and its strings, &c. By which your Reason shall judg, whether
it be not easier for Nature, to make Snow and its whiteness by the way
of contraction, then by the way of dissolution: As for example; Nature
in making Snow, contracts or congeals the exterior figure of Water into
the figure of a Harp, which is a Triangular figure with the figure
of straight strings within it; for the exterior figure of the Harp
represents the exterior figure of Snow, and the figure of the strings
extended in straight lines represent the figure of its whiteness. And
thus it is easier to make Snow and its whiteness at one act, then first
to contract or congeal water into Ice, and then to cause wind and cold
air to beat and break that Ice into powder, and lastly to contract
or congeal that powder into flakes of Snow. Which would be a very
troublesom work for Nature, _viz._ to produce one effect by so many
violent actions and several labours, when the making of two figures by
one action will serve the turn. But Nature is wiser then any of her
Creatures can conceive; for she knows how to make, and how to dissolve,
form; and transform, with facility and ease, without any difficulty;
for her actions are all easie and free, yet so subtil, curious and
various, as not any part or creature of Nature can exactly or throughly
trace her ways, or know her wisdom. And thus leaving her, I rest,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend_
_and Servant._