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THE LIFE OF
be varnislfd with China-varnish to preserve it from the Quicksilver; and theGlasses fixed to it with Varnish, which I suppose will be the best Cement inthe World; for thus the Chinese fix Glass and Mother of Pearl in their Works.It would be no unpleasing Spectacle to fee a Man live without new Air, aslong as you please. A Description of the Vessel for cooling and percolating theAir at once, I formerly show’d the Society , and left in Mr. Boyle’s Hands; Isuppose it worth putting in Practice; you will at least learn thus much from it,that something else in Air is requisite for Life, than that it should be cool only,and free from the fuliginous Vapours and Moisture it was infected with in Ex-piration ; for all those will in Probability be deposited in its Circulation thro'the Instrument. If nitrous Fumes be found requisite, (as I suspect) Waysmay possibly be found to supply that too, by placing some benign ChymicaiSpirits, that by fumeing may infect the Air within the Vessel.
If an artificial Eye were truly and dioptrically made (which I would have atleast as big as a Tennis-Ball) it would represent the Picture as Nature makes it-The Cornea and Chrystaline must be Glass, the other Humours, Water. Ionce furvey’d a Horse’s Eye as exactly as I could, measuring what the Spheresof the Chrystaline and Cornea were; and what the Proportions of the Distancesof the Centers of every Sphere were upon the Axis: The Ways by which 1did it are too long to rehearse, but the Projection in triple the Magnitude, SisBind Neile may possibly find ; or if your Lordship think it worth while, I shallreiterate the Experiment.
A Needle that would play in a Coach, will be as well useful to know theCoast and Way join’d with the Way-wiser, as a pleasant Diversion to the Tra-veller ; and would be an acceptable Present to his Majesty, who might thus asit were fail by Land. The Fabrick may be thus: In a Sphere of Glass ortwo Inches Diameter, half full of Water, cause a short heavy broad Needlofixed to a Chart to swim, being buoy’d up by the Chart, and both varnish’d ,instead of a Cap and Pin, let the perforated Needle play about a small Wire,or Horfe-Hair, extended like a perpendicular Axis in the Glafs-Sphere, whosoNadir being made weighty with Lead, and an Horizon as it were cementedto it, let it play in Circles like the Compass: Then let a hemispherical Con-cave containing the Sphere in its Circles, be hung upon Springs after thisManner.
Suppose a Basis upon which are erected perpendicularly three stiff Brafs-Springs, from the Ends of which Springs, are Strings strain’d, forming anequilateral Triangle, the Middle of whose Sides pals through three smallLoops on the Brim of the Concave, which therefore hanging on the Stringrepresents a Circle inferib’d in a Triangle. From the Middle of the Basis assfes a Worm-fpring, fasten’d by a String to the Nadir of the Concave, drawingit down a little, and acting against the other three Springs. These Springs, *suppose, will take ost at once much of both the downright and collateral Con-cussions ; the Circles will take ost Oscillations, the Agitations remaining tvinbe spent in the Water, and still’d by the Chart; for thus we fee a Trendsswimming in a Bucket keeps the Water from spilling in the Carriage: a» dthe Chinese have their Compass swimming in Water instead of Circles.
Lastly, I would have all the Bottom of the Basis bristled round like a Brush'somewhat inclin’d, which is a cheap Addition, and will ease it like a hun-dred Springs : It should be placed on the Middle of the Floor of the Coach'where by opening a Window you might fee likewise the Way-wifer on th ePearch.
My Lord, if my first Designs had been perfect, I had not troubledLordship with so much Tattle, but with something perform’d and don e '