Bacon, Francis, Sylva sylvarum : or, a natural history in ten centuries

Table of Notes

< >
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
[Note]
< >
page |< < (7) of 389 > >|
417Century I. there Springs are chiefly generated. We ſee it alſo in the Effects of the Cold
of the Middle Region (as they call it) of the Air;
which produceth Dews
and Rains.
And the Experiment of turning Water into Ice, by Snow, Ni-
tre, and Salt (whereof we ſhall ſpeak hereafter) would be transferred to the
turning of Air into Water.
The ſecond way is by Compreßion; as in Stilla-
tories, where the Vapor is turned back, upon it ſelf, by the Encounter of
the Sides of the Stillatory;
and in the Dew upon the Covers of Boiling Pots;
and in the Dew to wards Rain, upon Marble, and VVainſcot. But this is like to
do no great effect;
except it be upon Vapors, and groſs Air, that are al-
ready very near in Degree to Water.
The third is that, which may be
ſearched into, but doth not yet appear;
which is, by Mingling of moiſt
Vapors with Air;
and trying if they will not bring a Return of more Wa-
ter, than the Water was at firſt:
For if ſo, That Increaſe is a Verſion of the
Air:
Therefore put VVater into the bottom of a Stillatory, with the Neb
ſtopped;
weigh the VVater firſt; hang in the Middle of the Stillatory a large
Spunge;
and ſee what quantity of VVater you can cruſh out of it; and what
it is, more, or leſs, compared with the VVater ſpent;
for you muſt under-
ſtand, that if any Verſion can be wrought, it will be eaſily done in ſmall
Pores:
And that is the reaſon why we preſcribe a Spunge. The fourth way
is probable alſo, though not appearing;
which is, by receiving the Air into
the ſmall Pores of Bodies;
For (as hath been ſaid) every thing in ſmall quan-
tity is more eaſie for Verſion;
and Tangible Bodies have no pleaſure in the
conſort of Air, but endeavor to ſubact it into a more Denſe Body:
But in
Entire Bodies it is checked;
becauſe, if the Air ſhould Condenſe, there is no-
thing to ſucceed:
Therefore it muſt be in looſe Bodies, as Sand, and Pow-
der, which we ſee, if they lie cloſe, of themſelves gather Moiſture.
IT is reported by ſome of the Ancients, That Whelps, or other Creatures,
1128.22Experiment
Solitary,
touching the
Helps to-
wards the
Beauty and
good Features
of Perſons.
if they be put young into ſuch a Cage, or Box, as they cannot riſe to their
Stature, but may increaſe in breadth or length, will grow accordingly, as
they can get room;
which, if it be true, and feaſible, and that the young
Creature ſo preſſed, and ſtreightned, doth not thereupon die;
it is a means
to produce Dwarf Creatures, and in a very ſtrange Figure.
This is certain,
and noted long ſince, That the Preſſure, or Forming of Parts of Creatures,
when they are very young, doth alter the ſhape not a little:
As the ſtroak-
ing of the Heads of Infants, between the Hands, was noted of old, to make
Macrocephali;
which ſhape of the Head, at that time, was eſteemed. And
the raiſing gently of the Bridge of the Noſe, doth prevent the Deformity
of a Saddle Noſe.
Which obſer vation well weighed, may teach a means,
to make the Perſons of Men and Women, in many kindes, more comely
and better featured, than otherwiſe they would be;
by the Forming and
Shaping of them in their Infancy:
As by Stroaking up the Calves of the
Legs, to keep them from falling down too low;
and by Stroaking up the
Forehead, to keep them from being low Foreheaded.
And it is a common
practice to ſwathe Infants, that they may grow more ſtraight, and better
3329.44Experiments
Solitary,
touching the
Condenſing of
Air in ſuck
ſort as it may
put on
Weight, and
yield Nouriſh-
ment.
ſhaped;
and we ſee young Women, by wearing ſtraight Bodies, keep them-
ſelv es from being Groſs and Corpulent.
ONions, as they hang, will many of them ſhoot forth; and ſo will Penny-
royal;
and ſo will an Herb called Orpin; with which they uſe, in the
Countrey, to trim their Houſes, binding it to a Lath, or Stick, and
ſetting it againſt a Wall.
VVe ſee it likewiſe, more eſpecially, in the

Text layer

  • Dictionary

Text normalization

  • Original

Search


  • Exact
  • All forms
  • Fulltext index
  • Morphological index