1Pyramid of above ſix Furlongs high, raiſed a
Mound of Earth all the Way up along with
the Building, by which he carried up thoſe
huge Stones into their Places. Herodotus writes
that Cheops, the Son of Rhampſinites, in the
building of that Pyramid which employed an
hundred thouſand Men for many Years, left
Steps on the Outſide of it, by means of which
the largeſt Stones might by proper Engines, be
raiſed up into their Places without having Oc
caſion for very long Timbers. We read too
of Architraves of vaſt Stones being laid upon
huge Columns in the following Manner: Un
der the Middle of the Architrave they ſet two
Bearers acroſs, pretty near each other. Then
they loaded one End of the Architraves with a
great Number of Baskets full of Sand, the
Weight of which raiſed up the other End, on
which there were no Baskets, and one of the
Bearers was left without any Weight upon it:
Then removing the Baskets to the other End
ſo raiſed up, and putting under ſome higher
Bearers in the Room of that which was left
without Weight, the Stone by little and little
roſe up as it were of its own accord. Theſe
Things which we have here briefly collect
ed together, we leave to be more clearly
learnt from the Authors themſelves. But
the Method of this Treatiſe requires, that we
ſhould ſpeak ſuccinctly of ſome few Things
that make to our Purpoſe. I ſhall not waſte
Time in explaining any ſuch curious Principles,
as that it is the Nature of all heavy Bodies to
preſs continually downwards, and obſtinately
to ſeek the loweſt Place; that they make the
greateſt Reſiſtance they are able againſt being
raiſed aloft, and never change their Place, but
after the ſtouteſt Conflict, being either over
come by ſome greater Weight or ſome more
powerful contrary Force. Nor ſhall I ſtand to
obſerve that Motions are various, from high to
low or from low to high, directly, or about a
Curve; and that ſome Things are carried, ſome
drawn, ſome puſhed on, and the like; of
which Enquiries we ſhall treat more copiouſly
in another Place. This we may lay down for
certain, that a Weight is never moved with ſo
much Eaſe as it is downwards; becauſe it then
moves itſelf, nor ever with more Difficulty,
than upwards; becauſe it naturally reſiſts that
Direction; and that there is a Kind of middle
Motion between theſe two, which perhaps par
takes ſomewhat of the Nature of both the
others, inaſmuch as it neither moves of itſelf,
nor of itſelf reſiſts, as when a Weight is drawn
upon an even Plain, free from all Rubs. All
other Motions are eaſy or difficult in Proporti
on as they approach to either of the preceding.
And indeed Nature herſelf ſeems in a good
Meaſure to have ſhewn us in what Manner
great Weights are to be moved: for we may
obſerve, that if any conſiderable Weight is laid
upon a Column ſtanding upright, the leaſt
Shove will puſh it off, and when once it be
gins to fall, hardly any Force is ſufficient to
ſtop it. We may alſo obſerve, that any round
Column, or Wheel, or any other Body that
turns about, is very eaſily moved, and very
hard to ſtop when once it is ſet on going; and
if it is draged along without rowling, it does
not move with half the Eaſe. We further ſee,
that the vaſt Weight of a Ship may be moved
upon a ſtanding Water with a very ſmall Force,
if you keep pulling continually; but if you
ſtrike it with ever ſo great a Blow ſuddenly, it
will not ſtir an Inch: On the Contrary, ſome
Things will move with a ſudden Blow or a fu
rious Puſh, which could not otherwiſe be ſtirred
without a mighty Force or huge Engines.
Upon Ice too the greateſt Weights make but a
ſmall Reſiſtance, againſt one that tries to draw
them. We likewiſe ſee that any Weight which
hangs upon a long Rope, is very eaſily moved
as far as a certain Point; but not ſo eaſily, fur
ther. The Conſideration of the Reaſons of
theſe Things, and the Imitation of them, may
be very uſeful to our Purpoſe; and therefore
we ſhall briefly treat of them here. The Keel
or Bottom of any Weight, that is to be drawn
along, ſhould be even and ſolid; and the
Broader it is, the leſs it will plough up the
Ground all the Way under it, but then the
Thinner it is, it will ſlip along the Quicker,
only it will make the deeper Furrows, and be
apter to ſtick: If there are any Angles or Ine
qualities in the Bottom of the Weight, it will
uſe them as Claws to faſten itſelf in the Plain,
and to reſiſt its own Motion. If the Plain be
ſmooth, ſound, even, hard, not riſing or ſink
ing on any Side, the Weight will have nothing
to hinder its Motion, or to make it reſuſe to
obey, but its own natural Love of Reſt, which
makes it lazy and unwilling to be moved.
Perhaps it was from a Conſideration of theſe
Things, and from a deeper Examination of the
Particulars we have here mentioned, and Ar
chimedes was induced to ſay, that if he had on
ly a Baſis for ſo immenſe a Weight, he would
not doubt to turn the World itſelf about. The
Preparation of the Bottom of the Weight and
Mound of Earth all the Way up along with
the Building, by which he carried up thoſe
huge Stones into their Places. Herodotus writes
that Cheops, the Son of Rhampſinites, in the
building of that Pyramid which employed an
hundred thouſand Men for many Years, left
Steps on the Outſide of it, by means of which
the largeſt Stones might by proper Engines, be
raiſed up into their Places without having Oc
caſion for very long Timbers. We read too
of Architraves of vaſt Stones being laid upon
huge Columns in the following Manner: Un
der the Middle of the Architrave they ſet two
Bearers acroſs, pretty near each other. Then
they loaded one End of the Architraves with a
great Number of Baskets full of Sand, the
Weight of which raiſed up the other End, on
which there were no Baskets, and one of the
Bearers was left without any Weight upon it:
Then removing the Baskets to the other End
ſo raiſed up, and putting under ſome higher
Bearers in the Room of that which was left
without Weight, the Stone by little and little
roſe up as it were of its own accord. Theſe
Things which we have here briefly collect
ed together, we leave to be more clearly
learnt from the Authors themſelves. But
the Method of this Treatiſe requires, that we
ſhould ſpeak ſuccinctly of ſome few Things
that make to our Purpoſe. I ſhall not waſte
Time in explaining any ſuch curious Principles,
as that it is the Nature of all heavy Bodies to
preſs continually downwards, and obſtinately
to ſeek the loweſt Place; that they make the
greateſt Reſiſtance they are able againſt being
raiſed aloft, and never change their Place, but
after the ſtouteſt Conflict, being either over
come by ſome greater Weight or ſome more
powerful contrary Force. Nor ſhall I ſtand to
obſerve that Motions are various, from high to
low or from low to high, directly, or about a
Curve; and that ſome Things are carried, ſome
drawn, ſome puſhed on, and the like; of
which Enquiries we ſhall treat more copiouſly
in another Place. This we may lay down for
certain, that a Weight is never moved with ſo
much Eaſe as it is downwards; becauſe it then
moves itſelf, nor ever with more Difficulty,
than upwards; becauſe it naturally reſiſts that
Direction; and that there is a Kind of middle
Motion between theſe two, which perhaps par
takes ſomewhat of the Nature of both the
others, inaſmuch as it neither moves of itſelf,
nor of itſelf reſiſts, as when a Weight is drawn
upon an even Plain, free from all Rubs. All
other Motions are eaſy or difficult in Proporti
on as they approach to either of the preceding.
And indeed Nature herſelf ſeems in a good
Meaſure to have ſhewn us in what Manner
great Weights are to be moved: for we may
obſerve, that if any conſiderable Weight is laid
upon a Column ſtanding upright, the leaſt
Shove will puſh it off, and when once it be
gins to fall, hardly any Force is ſufficient to
ſtop it. We may alſo obſerve, that any round
Column, or Wheel, or any other Body that
turns about, is very eaſily moved, and very
hard to ſtop when once it is ſet on going; and
if it is draged along without rowling, it does
not move with half the Eaſe. We further ſee,
that the vaſt Weight of a Ship may be moved
upon a ſtanding Water with a very ſmall Force,
if you keep pulling continually; but if you
ſtrike it with ever ſo great a Blow ſuddenly, it
will not ſtir an Inch: On the Contrary, ſome
Things will move with a ſudden Blow or a fu
rious Puſh, which could not otherwiſe be ſtirred
without a mighty Force or huge Engines.
Upon Ice too the greateſt Weights make but a
ſmall Reſiſtance, againſt one that tries to draw
them. We likewiſe ſee that any Weight which
hangs upon a long Rope, is very eaſily moved
as far as a certain Point; but not ſo eaſily, fur
ther. The Conſideration of the Reaſons of
theſe Things, and the Imitation of them, may
be very uſeful to our Purpoſe; and therefore
we ſhall briefly treat of them here. The Keel
or Bottom of any Weight, that is to be drawn
along, ſhould be even and ſolid; and the
Broader it is, the leſs it will plough up the
Ground all the Way under it, but then the
Thinner it is, it will ſlip along the Quicker,
only it will make the deeper Furrows, and be
apter to ſtick: If there are any Angles or Ine
qualities in the Bottom of the Weight, it will
uſe them as Claws to faſten itſelf in the Plain,
and to reſiſt its own Motion. If the Plain be
ſmooth, ſound, even, hard, not riſing or ſink
ing on any Side, the Weight will have nothing
to hinder its Motion, or to make it reſuſe to
obey, but its own natural Love of Reſt, which
makes it lazy and unwilling to be moved.
Perhaps it was from a Conſideration of theſe
Things, and from a deeper Examination of the
Particulars we have here mentioned, and Ar
chimedes was induced to ſay, that if he had on
ly a Baſis for ſo immenſe a Weight, he would
not doubt to turn the World itſelf about. The
Preparation of the Bottom of the Weight and