Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Part 11

_Of the way, used in the _Mogol_'s Dominions, to make _Saltpetre_._

This is delivered in the same Book of Monsieur _Thevenot_, and the manner of it having been inquired after, by several curious Persons, to compare it with that which is used in _Europe_, 'tis presum'd, they will not be displeased to find it inserted here in _English_, which is as followeth:

_Saltpetre_ is found in many places of the _East-Indies_, but cheifly about _Agra_, and in the Villages, that heretofore have been numerously inhabited, but are now deserted. They draw it out of three sorts of Earth, black, yellow, and white: the best is that which is drawn out of the black, for it is free from _common_ Salt. They work it in this manner: They make two Pits, flat at the bottom, like those wherein common Salt is made; one of them having much more compa.s.s than the other, they fill _that_ with Earth, upon which they let run Water, and by the feet of People they tread it, and reduce it to the consistency of a Pap, and so they let it stand for two daies, that the Water may extract all the Salt that is in the Earth: Then they pa.s.s this Water into another Pit, in which it christallizes into _Saltpetre_, They let it boil once or twice in a Caldron, according as they will have it whiter and purer. Whilest it is over the Fire, they sc.u.m it continually, and fill it out into great Earthen Pots, which {104} hold each 25 or 30 pounds, and these they expose to clear Nights; and if there be any impurity remaining, it will fall to the bottom: Afterwards they break the Pots, and dry the Salt in the Sun. One might make vast quant.i.ties of Saltpetre in these parts; but the Country people feeling that _We_ buy of it, and that the _English_ begin to do the same, they now sell us a _Maon_ of 6 pounds for two _Rupias_ and a half, which we had formerly for half that price.

_An account of _Hevelius_ his _Prodromus Cometicus_, together with some Animadversions made upon it by a _French_ Philosopher._

This excellent _Dantiscan_ Astronomer, _Hevelius_, in his _Prodromus_ (by him so call'd, because it is as a Harbinger to his _Cometography_, which hath already so far pa.s.sed the Press, that of twelve Books there are but three remaining to be Printed) gives an account of the Observations he hath made of the _First_ of the two late Comets; reserving those he hath made of the _second_, for that great Treatise, where he also intends to deliver the Matter of this _first_ more particularly, and more fully than he hath done here.

In this Account he represents the Rise, Place, Course, Swiftness, Faces and Train of this Comet, interweaving his Conceptions both about the Region of Comets in general (whether in the _Air_, or the _aether_?) and the Causes of their Generation: In the search of which latter, he intimates to have received much a.s.sistance from his _Telescope_.

He observes this Comet not before _Decemb._ 4/14, (though he conceives it might have been seen since _Novemb._ 23 _st. n._) & he saw it no longer then _Feb._ 3/13: though several others have seen it both sooner, and later: and though himself continued to look out for it till _March_ 7. _st.

n._ but fruitlesly, whereof he thinks the reason to have been its too great distance and tenuity.

{105}

He finds, its apparent Motion was not made in a _Just_ great Circle, but deviated considerably from it; and conceives, that every Comet falls to this deviation, when this apparent Motion grows slow, and the Star becomes Stationary (which, as he saith, it doth in respect of the _Ecliptick_, not its own _Orbite_,) Here he observes, That from _Decemb._ 8/18, to _Decem._ 30. _Jan._ 9. its course was almost a great Circle: but that _then_ it began to deflect from that Circle towards the _North_; so that afterwards, with a very notable and conspicuous Curvity, it directed its course towards _Primam Arietis_: Of which deflection, he ventures to a.s.sign the cause from the Cometical Matter, the various position and the distance of the Comet from the Earth and the Sun, the annual Motion of the Earth, and the impressed Motion, and the inclination of the _discus_ of the Cometical Body.

He is pretty positive, that without the _annual Motion_ of the _Earth_, no rational Account can be given of any Comet, but that all is involved with perplexities, and deform'd by absurdities.

He inquires, since all Comets have the peculiar _Ingenite_ Motion, what kind of Line it is, they describe by that Motion of their own? whether circular, or streight, or curve, or partly streight and partly curve? And if curve, whether regular or irregular? if regular, whether Elliptick, or Parabolar, or Hyperbolical? He answers, That this Motion is _Conical_; and judgeth, that by the _Conick_ path all the _Phaenomena_ of Comets can, without any inconveniency, be ready solved; even of that, which (by History) in fifty daies, pa.s.sed through more then the 12 Signs in the _Zodiack_: And of that, which in two daies ran through eight Signs: and of another, which in 48 daies posted through all the Signs, _contra seriem_.

Which how it can be explicated upon the supposition of the Earths standing still, and upon the denying of the annual Motion thereof, he understands not at all. {106}

He refers to his _Cometography_ these Disquisitions: whether all Comets (in their innate Motion) move equal _s.p.a.ces_ in equal _Times_? which is the swiftest, and which the slowest Motion they are capable of? what the cause of this acceleration and r.e.t.a.r.dation of their true Motion?

He puts it out of doubt, that they are in the _Sky_ it self, producing reasons for it that are very considerable, and alledging amongst others, That the _Parallaxes_ doe clearly evince it, which he finds far less in Comets, then in the _Moon_, yea then sometimes in the _Sun_ it self. Where he also represents, That he hath deduced the _Horizontal Parallax_ of this very Comet from one onely Observation, made _Feb._ 4. _st. n._ by which he found, That then it was distant from the Earth 5000 Semidiameters of the same, or 4300000 _German_ miles. From this distance from the earth, he deduces, That on that Day when it was so remote from the Earth, its true _Diameter_ was 2560 _German_ miles, which is three times bigger then the Diameter of the Earth, and almost six times bigger then that of the Moon, whose Diameter, according to his _Theory_, is 442 _German_ miles.

He finds the _Matter_ of Comets to be in the _aether_ it self, making the _aether_ and the _Air_ to differ only in purity, and esteeming, That the _Planets_ do emit their Exhalations, and have their _Atmospheres_ like unto our Earth. Where he affirms, That the Sun alone may cast out so much Matter at any time in one year, as that thence shall be produced not one or two Comets, equallizing the Moon in Diamiter, but very many; which if so, what contribution may not be expected from the other Planets?

Of this Cometical Matter, he thinks, That first it is by little and little gathered together, then coagulated and condensed, and thereby reduced to a less Diameter; but then, after a while it resolves again, and grows dilute and pale, and at last is dissipated. And accordingly he affirms, That he hath observed the Head of this Comet at first more confused, thin and pale, afterwards clearer and clearer. {107}

He conceives, That all Comets do respect the _Sun_ as their _King_ and _Centre_, as _Planets_ do, making them a kind of _Spurious Planets_, that emulate the _true_ ones in their Motion almost in all things.

The _Train_, he makes nothing else but the Beams of the Sun, falling on the head of the Comet, and pa.s.sing through the same, refracted and reflected.

And amongst his _Observations_ and _Schemes_ of this Comet, there occurs one, wherein the Tail is _curve_, so seen by him _Decemb._ 11/21. He a.s.signs the causes why the Trains do so much vary, and shews also, on what depends their length.

Whether the _same_ Comet returns again, as the Spots in the Sun? and, whether in the time of great _Conjunctions_ they are more easily generated?

and whether they can be certainly foretold? with several other Inquiries, he refers for to his _great Book_.

As to _Prognostications_, he somewhat complains, That men do more inquire what Comets _signifie_, then what they _are_, or how they are generated and moved; professing himself to be of the mind of those that would have Comets rather _admired_ then _feared_; there appearing indeed no cogent reason, why the Author of Nature may not intend them rather as Monitors of his _Glory_ and _Greatness_, then of his _Anger_ or _Displeasure_; especially seeing that some very diligent Men (among whom is _Gemma Frisius_) take notice of as great a number of _good_ as _bad_ Events, consequent to Comets. _Seneca_ also relating, That that Comet which appeared in his time, was so happy, that it did _Cometis detrahere infamiam_, it cleared the credit of Comets, and made People have good thoughts of them.

Having given some Account of what may be look'd for in this _Prodromus_, it follows, That some also should be rendred of the _Animadversions_ mention'd to have been made upon the same. This was done by that _Parisian_ Philosopher Monsieur _Auzout_, in a Letter of his to his Country-man Monsieur _Pet.i.t_; in which he strongly conceives, That this {108} _Prodromus_ contains some mistakes, of which he chiefly singles out one, as most considerable, in _Hevelius_'s Observation of _Feb._ 8/18, and declares thereupon, That he, and several very intilligent Astronomers of _France_ and _Italy_ concurring with him therein, (whereas M. _Hevelius_ to him seems to stand single, as to this particular) found by their Observations, That this Comet could not, on that day of _February_, be there where M.

_Hevelius_ placeth it, _viz._ In _Prima Arietis_; unless it be said, That it visited that Star of _Aries_ on the 18, and returned thence the 19^{th}, into its ordinary course; in which, according to his, and his several Correspondents Observations the Comet on _Feb._ 17. was distant from that _first Star_ of _Aries_ at least 1 degree and 17 minutes; and on _February_ 19. (he having missed, as well as his other Friends, the Observation on _Febr._ 18) was advanced in its way 12 or 13 minutes, but yet distant from the said Star _some minutes_ above a _whole degree_, and consequently far from having then pa.s.sed it. After which time M. _Auzout_ affirms to have seen it as well as several others, for many daies, and that until _March_ 7/17, observing, That about _Feb._ 26. or 27, when the Comet was nearest to the often-mentioned _first_ of _Aries_, it approached not nearer thereunto, then the distance of 50. minutes.

This important Difference between two very Learned, and very deserving Persons, being come to the knowledge of some of the ablest _Philosophers_ & _Astronomers_ of _England_, hath been by them thought worthy their Examination: and they being at this very present employed in the discussion thereof, by comparing what hath been done and published by the Dissenters, and by confronting with them their own Domestick Observations, are very likely to discern where the mistake lies; and having discern'd it, will certainly be found hightly impartial and ingenuous in giving their sense of the same. {109}

_Of the _Mundus Subterraneus_ of _Athanasius Kircher_._

This long expected _Subterraneous World_, is now come to light, dedicated (at least the _Exemplar_, that hath been perused by the _Publisher_ of these _Papers_, who hears, That other _Copies_ bear Dedication to other _Great Princes_) both to the present Pope, as being esteemed by the author to have a part of his _Apostolical Kingdom_ there; and to the _Roman Emperor_ now Regent, who indeed in his Kingdom of _Hungary_, and in several Provinces of _Germany_, hath very many and very considerable things, worthy to be observed, under _Ground_.

To give the Curious a taste of the _Contents_ of this _Volume_, and thereby to excite them to a farther search into the recesses of Nature, for the composure of a good _Natural History_; they may first take notice, That the Author, having given an account in the _Preface_, what encouragement he received, for writing this Book, from the opportunity of Travelling with the _Cardinal_ of _Ha.s.sia_ into _Sicily_ (in which Voyage, he saith, He met with, as it were, an _Epitome_ of what may be observable in the Subterraneous parts of the Earth; and in particular, with an Earth-quake of 14 daies duration, very instructive to him concerning several great Secrets of Nature:) having I say, thus Prefaced, he divided his Work into 12 _Books_, wherein he affirms not only to have explicated the Divine Structure of the under-ground World, and the wondrous distribution of the Work-houses of Nature, and her Majesty and Riches therein; but also to have opened the Causes of her Effects and Productions; whence, by the Marriage of Nature and Art, a happy Issue may follow for the use and benefit of Humane Life.

In the _First_ Book, he considers the nature of the Centre of the Earth, where he delivers several _Paradoxes_ touching the same, and Discourses of the Motion of heavy Bodies, of Pendulems, of Projectils. {110}

In the _second_ he treats of the Fabrick of the _Terrestrial Globe_, of the Influences it receives from the Coelestial Bodies, especially the _Sun_ and _Moon_, of both which _Luminaries_ he gives a _Scheme_; of the proportion of the Earth to the Sun and Moon; of the external conformation of the Earth, its Mountains, and their concatenations, decrease and increase, together with the strange transformation thereof. Further, of the Waters encompa.s.sing the Earth, and their various Communications by hidden Pa.s.sages; as also the heighth of Mountains, and of the depth of Seas; the dimension of the _Sicilian Straights_; the Magnetical Const.i.tution of the Earth, its Heterogeneous Nature, Interior Frame, Laboratories, Caves, Channels, &c.

In the _third_: Of the Nature of the Ocean, and the diversity of its Motions; of its general Motion from the _East_ to _West_, Currents; Reciprocations, Gulfs, Whirle-pools, Saltness, &c.

In the _fourth_: Of the Nature of the Subterraneous _Fire_, its necessity, diffusiveness, food, prodigious Effects through ignivomous Mountains; as also of the Nature of _Air_, and _Winds_, their power and variety; of the general Wind, how and whence generated; of Periodical and Anniversary Winds, and their Causes; as also of the production of Artificial Winds, for refreshment and other advantages. To which he subjoyns a Discourse, tending to prove, That all Meteors owe their Nativity to the Fiers of the Subterraneous World.

In the _fifth_: Of the Original of Springs, Rivers, Lakes; various differences and qualities of Waters, and the marks where they are to be met with under Ground; of Waters _Medical_, hot Baths, and their Differences, Causes, Virtues; together with the Wonderful Qualities and Proprieties of some Springs, as to their Colour, Taste, Smell, Weight, Salubrity, Flux and reflux, Petrifying power, &c.

In the _sixth_: Of the _Earth_ it self, and the great variety contained in the Womb thereof; of the manifold Productions {111} made therein, by the virtue of Salt and its Auxiliaries, the differences whereof are largly discoursed of, together with the way of extracting the same. In particular of _Saltpetre_, its Generation, Nature, Virtues; of the way of making _Gunpowder_, and the various uses thereof, as also the Nature, Qualities, Preparation, Medicinal and other uses of _Alume_ and _Vitriol_.

In the _Seventh_: Of some _Fossils_, as Sand, Gravel, Earths, and their various Differences, Qualities, uses Economical, Chymical, Medical: together with the strange varieties & changes happening in the Earth, and their causes; as also the requisits to _Agriculture_.

In the _eight_: First, of _Stones_, their Origine, Concretion, difference of Colours; and in particular, of _Gems_ and their variety, causes of generation, transparency in some and colours in others; as also of their various Figures and Pictures by Nature framed both in common and precious Stones, with their Causes. Secondly, of the Transformation of Juices, Salts, Plants, yea of Beasts and Men turn'd into Stone: together with the generation of Bony Substances under ground, by many esteemed to be the Bones of _Gyants_; and of _h.o.r.n.y_ Substances, taken for _Unicorns_ horns: as also of _Fossile wood_ and _Coals_, Thirdly, of _Bituminous Flowers, lapis Asbestos, Amber_, and its _Electrical_ virtue; together with the way how Insects, little Fishes, and Plants are Intombed therein. Fourthly; of Subterraneous _Animals_, Moles, Mice, Birds, Dragons; where is also treated, of those Animals that are found in the midst of Stones.

In the _ninth_; First, of Poysons, their primeval Origine from Minerals, and their accidental Generation in Vegetable and Animal Bodies, together with their differences; where 'tis discoursed, not only how Poysons may be bred in Men, but also, how the Poyfons of some Animals do infect and kill Men; and, where the Venom of Vipers lodges, and how mad _Dogs_ and _Tarantula's_ so communicate their Poyson, as that it exserts not its noxiousness, till after some {112} time: Where also occasion is taken to discourse on the Original of Diseases, and cure of Poysonous ones.

Secondly, of the wonderful Nature of _Sulphur, Antimony, Quick-silver_, their origine and qualities; together with the productions of _Corals_ and _Pearls_.

In the _tenth_: First of _Metallurgy_, and the way how that unctuous Body, out of which mettals are produced, is elaborated by Nature, and what therein are _Sulphur, Salt_, and _Mercury_; besides, what it is that renders Mettals fluid in the Fire, but not Stones and Vegetables, &c.

Secondly, of the Requisits to a perfect knowledge of the _Metallick Art_, and of the Qualities of the _Mine-master_; then of the Diseases of Mine-men, and their Cure, and the waies of purging the Mines of the Airs malignity; as also of _Metallognomy_, or the signs of latent Mettals, and by what Art they may be discovered. Thirdly, several Accounts sent to the Author, upon his Inquiries by the Mine-masters themselves, or other cheif Over-seers of the Mine-works, touching the variety, nature and properties of Minerals, and the many Accidents happening in Mines, particularly the _Hungarian_ ones at _Schemnitz_, and those of _Tyrol_. Fourthly, of several both _Hydraulick_ and _Wind-Engines_, to free the Mines from Water and noxious damps. Fiftly, Of the way of working Mettals, Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, and particularly of the method used at _Potosi_ in _Peru_, of extracting the Silver out of the Mineral: to which is added, a Discourse of _Salt-pits_, and the way of making Salt.

In the _eleventh_, First, of _Alchimy_, its Original and Antiquity, the Vessels and Instruments belonging thereunto. Secondly, of the _Philosophers Stone_, what is meant by it, and whether by means thereof true Gold can be produced? And in general, whether there be any such thing, as a true and real Trans.m.u.tation of one Mettal into another? Where are delivered the several Processes of the reputed _Adepti, Raymund Lulle, Azoth, Arnold de Villanova, Paracelsus, Sendivogius, &c._ but all exploded as fals and deceitful. Thirdly, {113} of the decisions in Law concerning Chimical Gold, true or fals. Fourthly, what the celebrated _Philosophers Stone_ was among the Ancients, and what they understood by the same?

In the _twelfth_: First, Of the _Seminal Principle_ of all things, its origine, nature and property; of the way how Nature proceeds in the Generation of _Minerals, Vegetables, Animals_; of Spontaneous Generation; of _Zeophyts, Insects_ of all sorts, and particularly of the Worms bred in Men; together with the causes why Nature would produce such swarms of infinite sorts of Insects. Secondly, of the variety and differences of _Vegetables_; of the requisits to know the _virtues_ of _Plants_, and of the several waies of _Engrafting_. Thirdly, of the _Art of Distilling_, whereby Nature is imitated, as doing all her under-ground works, in the Opinion of this Author, by _Distillation_. Fourthly, of the _Laboratories of various Arts_, in which, according to Natures pattern, used in her Subterraneous Operations, strange things may be performed: where treating of _Chymical Secrets_, the truth of the Preparation of _Aurum potabile_ is discussed, and the _Magisteries_ of Gold, Silver, Iron, Tin, Copper and Lead, examined: to which is subjoyned an _Appendix_, furnishing such Rules, whereby Students in _Chymistry_ may be directed in their work, and true Operations distinguished from fals ones. Fiftly, Of _Metallostaticks_, where by the mixture of Mettals and Minerals may be certainly known; together with a way of weighing the Proportions of _moist_ and _dry_, existent in every Compound, as well Vegetable and Animal, as Mineral.

Sixthly, of _Gla.s.s-making_, where is treated of the Nature of _Gla.s.s_; of the Artificial Production of all sorts of Precious Stones, partly from the Authors own Experiments, partly from the Communication of his Friends, and the Collection of the best Writers upon that subject. Seventhly, of _Fire-works_, where the Invention and Preparation of Gunpowder is largely discoursed of, and the waies of making _Squibs, Fires burning in Water_, {114} and many others, used in Publick Festivities, are described.

Eighthly, of some _Mechanical Arts_, as that of _Gold-smiths, Black smiths, Copper smiths, Wyre-drawers_, in the last whereof he resolves this _Problem_; a certain weight of Mettal, and the bigness of the hole, through which the Wyre is to be drawn, being given, to find into what length so much Mettal can be spun out.

Thus you have a view of this whole _Volume_; to which it may perhaps not be amiss to adde, for a Conclusion, some of those Particulars which are esteemed by the Authour to out-shine the rest, and are here and there inter-woven as such. For example, in the _First Part_.

The use of _Pindules_, for knowing by their means the _state_ of ones _Health_, from the different beatings of the _Pulse_, p. 51.

The _Chain_ of _Mountains_, so drawn over the Earth, that they make, as it were, an _Axis_, pa.s.sing from _Pole_ to _Pole_; and several transverse _ductus_, so cutting that _Axis_, as to make, in a manner, an _Equator_ and _Tropicks_ of Mountains: by which concatenation he imagines, That the several parts of the Earth are bound together for more firmness, p. 69.

A Relation of a strange _Diver_, by his continual converse in Water, so degenerated from himself, That he was grown more like an _Amphibium_, than a man, who, by the command of a _Sicilian_ King, went down to the bottom of _Charibdis_, and brought a remarkable account of the condition of that place, p. 98.

A Description of the Origine of the _Nile_, as this Author found it in a certain _MS._ of one of his own _Society_, called _Peter Pais_, whom he affirms to have been an Eye-witness, and to have visited the Head of the _Emperor of aethiopia_ himself _Anno_ 1618. which _Ma.n.u.script_, he saith, was brought to _Rome_, out of _Africa_, by their _Procurator_ of _India_ and _aethiopia, p._ 72. {115}

The _Communication_ of the _Seas_ with one another by Subterraneous Pa.s.sages, _viz._ of the _Caspian_, with the _Pont Euxin_ and the _Persian Gulf_; of the _Mare Mortuum_, with the _Mare Rubrum_, and of this latter with the _Mediterranean_; as also of _Scylla_ with _Charybdis_, p. 85. 101.

The Subterraneous _Store-houses_ (in all the four parts of the Earth) of _Water_, and _Fire_, and _Air_; together with their important Uses, p. 111.