g Salts: 4. By making trials on metalls, Minerals and
Stones, by dissolving them in severall _Menstruums_, and Crystallizing
them, to see what Figures will arise from those several compositums: 5. By
compounding & coagulating several Salts together into the same mass, to
observe the Figure of that product: 6. By inquiring the closenes or rarity
of the texture of those bodys by examining their gravity, and their
refraction, &c. 7. By examining what operations the fire hath upon several
kinds of Salts, what changes it causes in their figures, Textures, or {30}
Vertues. 8. By examining their manner of dissolution, or acting upon those
bodies dissoluble in them and the Texture of those bodies before and after
the process. 9. By considering, by what and how many means, such and such
figures, actions and effects could be produced, and which of them might be
the most likely, &c.
He goes on to offer his thoughts about the Pores of bodies, and a _kind_ of
_Valves_ in wood; about spontaneous generation arising from the
Putrefaction of bodies; about the nature of the Vegetation of mold,
mushromes, moss, spunges; to the last of which he scarce finds any Body
like it in texture. He adds, from the naturall contrivance, that is found
in the leaf of a Nettle, how the stinging pain is created, and thence takes
occasion to discourse of the poysoning of Darts. He subjoyns a curious
description of the shape, _Mechanism_ and use of the _sting_ of a _Bee_;
and shews the admirable Providence of Nature in the contrivance and fabrick
of _Feathers_ for Flying. He delivers those particulars about the Figure,
parts and use of the head, feet, and wings of a Fly, that are not common.
He observes the various wayes of the generations of Insects, and discourses
handsomely of the means, by which they seem to act so prudently. He taketh
notice of the _Mechanical_ reason of the _Spider's_ Fabrick, and maketh
pretty Observations on the hunting Spider, and other Spiders and their
Webs. And what he notes of a Flea, Louse, Mites, and Vinegar-worms, cannot
but exceedingly please the curious Reader.
Having dispatched these Matters, the Author offers his Thoughts for the
explicating of many _Phaenomena_ of the Air, from the _Inflexion_, or from a
_Multiplicate Refraction_ of the rays of Light within the Body of the
_Atmosphere_, and not from a _Refraction_ caused by any terminating
_superficies_ of the Air above, nor from any such exactly defin'd
_superficies_
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