1the whole extent of the Lake, it was neceſſary the Water ſhould
be raiſed in the ſpace of an hour the ſame meaſure. Yet here I
conſidered two difficulties that might diſtutb and altar ſuch an
effect, or at leaſt render it inobſerveable, which afterwards well
weighed, and reſolved, left me (as I will tell you anon) in the
concluſion the more confirmed; that the Lake ought to be in
creaſed in the ſpace of eight hours, that the rain laſted eight
times that meaſure. And whilſt I again expoſed the Glaſs to re
peat the experiment, there came unto me an Ingeneer to talk
with me touching certain affairs of our Monaſtary of Perugia, and
diſcourſing with him, I ſhewed him the Glaſs out at my Cham
ber-window, expoſed in a Court-yard; and communicated to
him my fancy, relacing unto him all that I had done. But I
ſoon perceived that this brave fellow conceited me to be but of
a dull brain, for he ſmilling ſaid unto me; Sir, you deceive
your ſelf: I am of opinion that the Lake will not be increaſ
ed by this rain, ſo much as the thickneſſe of a ^{*} Julio.
Hearing him pronounce this his opinion with freeneſs and
confidence, I urged him to give me ſome reaſon for what he
ſaid, aſſuring him, that I would change my judgement, when I
ſaw the ſtrength of his Arguments: To which he anſwered, that
he had been very converſant about the Lake, and was every day
upon it, and was well aſſured that it was not at all increaſed. And
importuning him further, that he would give me ſome reaſon
for his ſo thinking, he propoſed to my conſideration the great
drought paſſed, and that that ſame rain was nothing for the
great parching: To which I anſwered, I believe Sir that the ſur
face of the Lake, on which the rain had fallen was moiſtned; and
therefore ſaw not how its drought, which was nothing at all,
could have drunk up any part of the rain. For all this he per
ſiſting in his conceit, without yielding in the leaſt to my allega
tion; he granted in the end (I believe in civility to me) that
my reaſon was plauſible and good, but that in practiſe it could
not hold. At laſt to clear up all, I made one be called, and
ſent him to the mouth of the Emiſſary of the Lake, with order
to bring me an exact account, how he found the water of the
Lake, in reſpect of the Tranſome of the Sluice. Now here,
Signore Galilo, I would not have you think that I had brought
the matter in hand to concern me in my honour; but believe me
(and there are witneſſes of the ſame ſtill living) that my meſſen
ger returning in the evening to Perugia, he brought me word,
that the water of the Lake began to run through the Cave; and
that it was riſen almoſt a fingers breadth above the Tranſome:
Inſomuch, that adding this meaſure, to that of the lowneſs of
the ſurface of the Lake, beneath the Tranſome before the rain,
be raiſed in the ſpace of an hour the ſame meaſure. Yet here I
conſidered two difficulties that might diſtutb and altar ſuch an
effect, or at leaſt render it inobſerveable, which afterwards well
weighed, and reſolved, left me (as I will tell you anon) in the
concluſion the more confirmed; that the Lake ought to be in
creaſed in the ſpace of eight hours, that the rain laſted eight
times that meaſure. And whilſt I again expoſed the Glaſs to re
peat the experiment, there came unto me an Ingeneer to talk
with me touching certain affairs of our Monaſtary of Perugia, and
diſcourſing with him, I ſhewed him the Glaſs out at my Cham
ber-window, expoſed in a Court-yard; and communicated to
him my fancy, relacing unto him all that I had done. But I
ſoon perceived that this brave fellow conceited me to be but of
a dull brain, for he ſmilling ſaid unto me; Sir, you deceive
your ſelf: I am of opinion that the Lake will not be increaſ
ed by this rain, ſo much as the thickneſſe of a ^{*} Julio.
Hearing him pronounce this his opinion with freeneſs and
confidence, I urged him to give me ſome reaſon for what he
ſaid, aſſuring him, that I would change my judgement, when I
ſaw the ſtrength of his Arguments: To which he anſwered, that
he had been very converſant about the Lake, and was every day
upon it, and was well aſſured that it was not at all increaſed. And
importuning him further, that he would give me ſome reaſon
for his ſo thinking, he propoſed to my conſideration the great
drought paſſed, and that that ſame rain was nothing for the
great parching: To which I anſwered, I believe Sir that the ſur
face of the Lake, on which the rain had fallen was moiſtned; and
therefore ſaw not how its drought, which was nothing at all,
could have drunk up any part of the rain. For all this he per
ſiſting in his conceit, without yielding in the leaſt to my allega
tion; he granted in the end (I believe in civility to me) that
my reaſon was plauſible and good, but that in practiſe it could
not hold. At laſt to clear up all, I made one be called, and
ſent him to the mouth of the Emiſſary of the Lake, with order
to bring me an exact account, how he found the water of the
Lake, in reſpect of the Tranſome of the Sluice. Now here,
Signore Galilo, I would not have you think that I had brought
the matter in hand to concern me in my honour; but believe me
(and there are witneſſes of the ſame ſtill living) that my meſſen
ger returning in the evening to Perugia, he brought me word,
that the water of the Lake began to run through the Cave; and
that it was riſen almoſt a fingers breadth above the Tranſome:
Inſomuch, that adding this meaſure, to that of the lowneſs of
the ſurface of the Lake, beneath the Tranſome before the rain,