1Needle go to the bottom. Now I here doubt, or rather am certain,
that a Needle put lightly upon the water, reſts afloat, no leſs than the
thin Plates of Iron or Lead. I cannot believe, albeit it hath been
told me, that ſome to defend Ariſtotle ſhould ſay, that he intends a
Needle demitted not longwayes but endwayes, and with the Point
downwards; nevertheleſs, not to leave them ſo much as this, though
very weak refuge, and which in my judgement Ariſtotle himſelf
would refuſe, I ſay it ought to be underſtood, that the Needle muſt
be demitted, according to the Dimenſion named by Ariſtotle, which
is the length: becauſe, if any other Dimenſion than that which is
named, might or ought to be taken, I would ſay, that even the Plates
of Iron and Lead, ſink to the bottom, if they be put into the water
edgewayes and not flatwayes. But becauſe Ariſtotle ſaith, broad
Figures go not to the bottom, it is to be underſtood, being demitted
broadwayes: and, therefore, when he ſaith, long Figures as a
Needle, albeit light, reſt not afloat, it ought to be underſtood of
them when demitted longwayes.
that a Needle put lightly upon the water, reſts afloat, no leſs than the
thin Plates of Iron or Lead. I cannot believe, albeit it hath been
told me, that ſome to defend Ariſtotle ſhould ſay, that he intends a
Needle demitted not longwayes but endwayes, and with the Point
downwards; nevertheleſs, not to leave them ſo much as this, though
very weak refuge, and which in my judgement Ariſtotle himſelf
would refuſe, I ſay it ought to be underſtood, that the Needle muſt
be demitted, according to the Dimenſion named by Ariſtotle, which
is the length: becauſe, if any other Dimenſion than that which is
named, might or ought to be taken, I would ſay, that even the Plates
of Iron and Lead, ſink to the bottom, if they be put into the water
edgewayes and not flatwayes. But becauſe Ariſtotle ſaith, broad
Figures go not to the bottom, it is to be underſtood, being demitted
broadwayes: and, therefore, when he ſaith, long Figures as a
Needle, albeit light, reſt not afloat, it ought to be underſtood of
them when demitted longwayes.
Morcover, to ſay that Ariſtotle is to be underſtood of the Needle
mitted with the Point downwards, is to father upon him a great
tinency; for in this place he ſaith, that little Particles of Lead or Iron,
if they be round or long as a Needle, do ſink to the bottome; ſo that by
his Opinion, a Particle or ſmall Grain of Iron cannot ſwim: and if he
thus believed, what a great folly would it be to ſubjoyn, that neither
would a Needle demitted endwayes ſwim? And what other is ſuch a
Needle, but many ſuch like Graines accumulated one upon another? It
was too unworthy of ſuch a man to ſay, that one ſingle Grain of Iron could
not ſwim, and that neither can it ſwim, though you put a hundred more
upon it.
mitted with the Point downwards, is to father upon him a great
tinency; for in this place he ſaith, that little Particles of Lead or Iron,
if they be round or long as a Needle, do ſink to the bottome; ſo that by
his Opinion, a Particle or ſmall Grain of Iron cannot ſwim: and if he
thus believed, what a great folly would it be to ſubjoyn, that neither
would a Needle demitted endwayes ſwim? And what other is ſuch a
Needle, but many ſuch like Graines accumulated one upon another? It
was too unworthy of ſuch a man to ſay, that one ſingle Grain of Iron could
not ſwim, and that neither can it ſwim, though you put a hundred more
upon it.
Laſtly, either Ariſtotle believed, that a Needle demitted
wayes upon the water, would ſwim, or he believed that it would
not ſwim: If he believed it would not ſwim, he might well ſpeak
as indeed he did; but if he believed and knew that it would ſloat,
why, together with the dubious Problem of the Natation of broad
Figure, though of ponderous Matter, hath he not alſo introduced
the Queſtion; whence it proceeds, that even long and ſlender
gures, howbeit of Iron or Lead do ſwim? And the rather, for that
the occaſion of doubting ſeems greater in long and narrow Figures,
than in broad and thin, as from Aristotles not having doubted of it,
is manifeſted.
wayes upon the water, would ſwim, or he believed that it would
not ſwim: If he believed it would not ſwim, he might well ſpeak
as indeed he did; but if he believed and knew that it would ſloat,
why, together with the dubious Problem of the Natation of broad
Figure, though of ponderous Matter, hath he not alſo introduced
the Queſtion; whence it proceeds, that even long and ſlender
gures, howbeit of Iron or Lead do ſwim? And the rather, for that
the occaſion of doubting ſeems greater in long and narrow Figures,
than in broad and thin, as from Aristotles not having doubted of it,
is manifeſted.