1impreſs the Figures for cutting or penetrating this or that Body,
as the ſolidity or obdurateneſs of the ſaid Bodies ſhall be greater
or leſs, is very neceſſary: but withall I ſubjoyn, that ſuch
ion, election and caution would be ſuperfluous and unprofitable, if
the Body to be cut or penetrated, ſhould have no Reſiſtance, or
ſhould not at all withſtand the Cutting or Penitration: and if the
Knife were to be uſed in cutting a Miſt or Smoak, one of Paper
would be equally ſerviceable with one of Damaſcus Steel: and ſo
by reaſon the water hath not any Reſiſtance againſt the Penitration
of any Solid Body, all choice of Matter is ſuperfluous and needleſs,
and the Election which I ſaid above to have been well made of a
Matter reciprocall in Gravity to water, was not becauſe it was
ceſſary, for the overcoming of the craſſiitude of the water, but its
Gravity, with which only it reſiſts the ſinking of Solid Bodies: and
for what concerneth the Reſiſtance of the craſſitude, if we narrowly
conſider it, we ſhall find that all Solid Bodies, as well thoſe that
ſink, as thoſe that ſwim, are indifferently accomodated and apt to
bring us to the knowledge of the truth in queſtion. Nor will I
be frighted out of the belief of theſe Concluſions, by the
ments which may be produced againſt me, of many ſeverall Woods,
Corks, Galls, and, moreover, of ſubtle ſlates and plates of all ſorts
of Stone and Mettall, apt by means of their Naturall Gravity, to
move towards the Centre of the Earth, the which, nevertheleſs,
ing impotent, either through the Figure (as the Adverſaries thinke)
or through Levity, to break and penetrate the Continuity of the
parts of the water, and to diſtract its union, do continue to ſwimm
without ſubmerging in the leaſt: nor on the other ſide, ſhall the
Authority of Ariſtotle move me, who in more than one place,
meth the contrary to this, which Experience ſhews me.
as the ſolidity or obdurateneſs of the ſaid Bodies ſhall be greater
or leſs, is very neceſſary: but withall I ſubjoyn, that ſuch
ion, election and caution would be ſuperfluous and unprofitable, if
the Body to be cut or penetrated, ſhould have no Reſiſtance, or
ſhould not at all withſtand the Cutting or Penitration: and if the
Knife were to be uſed in cutting a Miſt or Smoak, one of Paper
would be equally ſerviceable with one of Damaſcus Steel: and ſo
by reaſon the water hath not any Reſiſtance againſt the Penitration
of any Solid Body, all choice of Matter is ſuperfluous and needleſs,
and the Election which I ſaid above to have been well made of a
Matter reciprocall in Gravity to water, was not becauſe it was
ceſſary, for the overcoming of the craſſiitude of the water, but its
Gravity, with which only it reſiſts the ſinking of Solid Bodies: and
for what concerneth the Reſiſtance of the craſſitude, if we narrowly
conſider it, we ſhall find that all Solid Bodies, as well thoſe that
ſink, as thoſe that ſwim, are indifferently accomodated and apt to
bring us to the knowledge of the truth in queſtion. Nor will I
be frighted out of the belief of theſe Concluſions, by the
ments which may be produced againſt me, of many ſeverall Woods,
Corks, Galls, and, moreover, of ſubtle ſlates and plates of all ſorts
of Stone and Mettall, apt by means of their Naturall Gravity, to
move towards the Centre of the Earth, the which, nevertheleſs,
ing impotent, either through the Figure (as the Adverſaries thinke)
or through Levity, to break and penetrate the Continuity of the
parts of the water, and to diſtract its union, do continue to ſwimm
without ſubmerging in the leaſt: nor on the other ſide, ſhall the
Authority of Ariſtotle move me, who in more than one place,
meth the contrary to this, which Experience ſhews me.
No Solid of
ſuch Levity, nor
of ſuch Figure,
but that it doth
penetrate the
Craſſitude of
the Water.
ſuch Levity, nor
of ſuch Figure,
but that it doth
penetrate the
Craſſitude of
the Water.
I return, therefore, to aſſert, that there is not any Solid of ſuch
Levity, nor of ſuch Figure, that being put upon the water, doth not
divide and penetrate its Craſſitude: yea if any with a more
ſpicatious eye, ſhall return to obſerve more exactly the thin Boards
of Wood, he ſhall ſee them to be with part of their thickneſs under
Levity, nor of ſuch Figure, that being put upon the water, doth not
divide and penetrate its Craſſitude: yea if any with a more
ſpicatious eye, ſhall return to obſerve more exactly the thin Boards
of Wood, he ſhall ſee them to be with part of their thickneſs under
water, and not only with their inferiour Superficies, to kiſſe the
Superiour of the water, as they of neceſſity muſt have believed, who
have ſaid, that ſuch Boards ſubmerge not, as not being able to
vide the Tenacity of the parts of the water: and, moreover, he
ſhall ſee, that ſubtle ſhivers of Ebony, Stone or Metall, when they
float, have not only broak the Continuity of the water, but are with
all their thickneſs, under the Surface of it; and more and more,
according as the Matters are more grave: ſo that a thin Plate of
Lead, ſhall be lower than the Surface of the circumfuſed water, by
at leaſt twelve times the thickneſs of the Plate, and Gold ſhall dive