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Vol. III.
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welght of Water to that of 0)7 being, according to KtrcbePj Table , zohto 19 . which in 2 or 3 Z«cfcei will make no Conhderable Difference. 11 thcWater runs Faster than tbe Q)le Wastes, it will only Run-over at the Topof the Vife ; what does not Run-over, will come under the 0)/, and keepjt to the lame Htight.

perpetua!Lamps n. I have osten heard it asterted that a Metaüm Wm , especially of thetnirmivioncf Best Refined Gold (whose Prerogative is, not to be Diminiflid by Fire) willSÄ 1 lick up 0)1, and so malte a Verfetual Flame, . providcd it be Supplied withAncients > by Dr. a Verfetual 0)1. Bu' 1 sound (upon Tryal) in a Faggot of Wire made of» «of. Anneal’d Iron, of a Suitablc bigness for a Wick, it wo'uld not Succeed by anymanner of means I could readily think of; nor have I much Reason to thinkit will either in Wirt of Siher or Gold, the Nature of rhem AII seemingnot much Different, as to this Particular. If therefore it be necefl'ary,that we must have a Verfetual Wick for the making such Verfetual Seful -ebral Lamps, as vere used by tbe Ancients, I think we must make useVU. roi. II. of Linum Asbefiimm , Eartb Flax , or Salamanders Wool, which will doxcn^xcin khe Office of a Wick tolerably well: and if itcanany way be Suppliedwith a Verfetual 0)1 (as 1 (hall ptesently (hew you) 1 hope you will notiudge me far from Effecting the matter. Now that there may be such aBitumen or Inexhaußible 0)1, I will carry you no further than Vitchford inSbrofjbire, to (hew you: For there is a Nafbta, or Liquid Bitumen ,that constantly issues forth with a Spring there, and Floats upon the Wa-ter; This I would have Separated before it Joyns with the Water, into aDuBus of its own, and so Gonveyed to the Place, thought most conve-nient for such a Lamf, into which it (hould as Perpetuali) Distil, as it docsnow into the Fountam ; which, 1 doubt nor, may be done without anygreat matter of Difficulty: And if so, we have an 0)1 as Evtrlasting asour Wick. Nor need we to fear any ExtinBm if mcloftd in a Tomb orVault under- Ground, in never so Damp or Moist a place: It being theCbaracleristtck of a Bitumen , to Burn best where there is Moisture; as isEvident upon Affusion of Water upon Sea-Coal. And this is One way Ihave thought of, that such a Verfetual Sefulchral Lamf mighr Poslibly beContrived.

But if you will be so strict with me, as not to allow this to be a Verpe-tual Wick, or that 'tis Probable one ffio»ld bt made any Other way; asUnlikely may it leern, that there was ever any such thing as a VerfetualLamf, notwithstanding the Testimonies of St. Austin, Vlutarch, Vliny, Lu-dovicus Vives , Bapußa Vorta, Licitus, Vancirollus, and divers others: where-of forne are said to have Burnt i ooo. fome X 500 . Tears. But I darenot think so many, and sovery good Authors, have ali imposed upon us-,or that 'tis almost Poffible that so many Notable Instances as are broughtfor rhem, (hould all be Falle. Much rather therefore (hall I Determine(than wholly explode the thing) that tbe Liquer of these Lamps did Burnwithout any Snuff or Wick at all; as we see Camfbore and most Bitumenswill: It not being Expreß (that 1 remember) in any of the Relation? of

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