381
Chap. 2.]
would naturally occur to any engineer of the time, engaged on the im-provement of such machines, because distilling by tbe sun botb with len-ses and without them was a common practice with chemists in that ageand some centuries before. Baptist Porta described the process in xhetenth book of his Natural Magic, and observes that “ the waters extract-ed by the sun are the best.” See also Maison Rustique, Paris, 1574,page 211. Kircher ’s Mundus Subterraneus, Tom» ii, 392. Other au-thors also describe the application both of convex and concave lenses toconcentrate the solar rays on distilling vessels; a practice probably as oldas the time of Archimedes , or even older. We give an extract from anEnglish translation of one of Gesner’s works, who died in 1545.
“ Further, although that the Chimisticke authours doe teach and shewdiverse fashions of distilling by ascension, yet may all fhese waies be
brought into three Orders.. The first manner is, when we
distill anie liquide substanee or flowers in the sunne by force of his heate.
.The singulär
man Adam houcier, in histreatise on the arte of dis-tilling, setteth f'orth aneasie maner of distillingby the heate of the sunnebeames ----- and thesame is to be wrought onthis wise: take, saith Lou-cier, a hollowe burningglasse, which directlieplace towarde the hotebeames of the sunne, after(betweene the beams ofthe sunne and the burning-glasse,) set the glass bodie[Retort] - - - - in suchmanner, that the beamesof the hote sunne falling into the hollow glasse, maie so beate backeand extende to the glasse bodie with the proper matter (as to the objectStanding righte against) - - - - as more livelie appeareth by this figurehere described.”®
Air dilated and vapor evolved by the sun’s heat were also used to pro-duce music in the middle ages, a device which often caused that celestialmelody which, like the harp of Dunstan, acquired for its authors a repu-tation, sometimes of superior sanctity, and at others of dealing with thewicked one. The musical machine of the famous Drebblc, according toBishop Wilkins, was of this kind: i. e. a modification of the supposed onein the Statue of Memnon. Drebble’s machine, says the Bishop, “ wouldof itself render a soft and pleasant harmony when exposed to the sun’srays, but being removed into the shade would presently become silent.The reason of it was this; the warmth of the sun working upon some
a The practice of the new and old phisicke, wherein is contained the most exceUent secretsof phisicke and philosophie, devided into foure Books—in the which are the best approved reme-dies for the diseases, as well inward as outward, of al the parts of mans body: treating veryamplie of al distillations of icaters, of oyles, balmes, quintessences, icith the extraction of arti-ficial saltes, the vse and preparation of antimony, and potable gold, gathered out of the bestand most approved authours, by that exceUent Doctor Gesnerus. Also the pictures and manerto make the vessels, furnaces and other Instruments thereunto belonging. Newly correctedand published in Englishe, by George Baker, one of the Queenes Majesties chiefe Chirurgiansin ordinary. London , Black Letter , 1599.