fion) did extremely Judaize and comply with the Cuftoms of the Jews (as far as the Effentials of Chriftianity would permit) on purpose to gain them; nay, even St. Paul, an Apoftle of the Gentiles, became all things to all, that he might gain fome: where by many Jewish Traditions, as Baptifm, and the Impofition of Hands (tho Principles of the Chriftian Religion) are as to their external Mode (tho' not End nor Defign) borrow'd from the Jewish Practice and Cuftoms. And fuppofing the times of reckoning fo fettled at firft, it is very neceffary (not in their own nature, but by accident) to retain them, fince the Alteration would produce greater Diftractions and Inconveniencies than the making new Accounts would do good; for fo long as thefe are no Effentials in Religion, there can no damage accrue by the Practice of 'em tho' indeed after all, I know not why we should be abhorrent of the Jews and their Cuftoms, more than those of other Countries; fince they are our elder Brethren, Children of the fame Father Abraham, (at least thofe of them that walk in his fteps) and that Stock into which we are grafted: and God can when he pleases graft them in again, and may (we know not how foon) for our Impieties break us off. Queft. Gentlemen, my small Talent, and my Time being for the moft part employ'd about fubterraneous Concerns, and in a referv'd Corner of the world, where Philofophy is treated and practis'd like Devotion, and that's with an Un couthness and barbarous Indifferency; it was but very lately that the notice of your Undertaking occurr'd to me, and I have but yet had the fatisfaction of few of your Mercuries: The generous Enterprize I extremely applaud,andfrom the paffion I have, in true wishes, for a due Encouragement to you in the progress, I'm embolden'd to trouble you with a few Queries; making it the greatest, whether any of 'em may be pertinent enough for, and worthy of your return. I mean well in them however, and I hope your Refentments will be as favourable, and that you'll believe me to your Society without referve, Sirs, an unfeigned Well-wisher and humble Servant. 1. What's the reafon of a Hafel's tendency to a Vein of Lead-Oar, and whether there be any Charm in it, as thofe (1 fuppose) may mean, who limit making the Experiment to St. John Baptift's Eve, and that with an Hafel of that fame Year's growth; if the Caufe be natural, whether any Hafel, and any time of the Year,may be profperous? 2. The Miners in fome Leadworks, when any's almost fuffocated thro' want of Air,even in a manner ftruck dead, do get him drawn to the Surface, take up a fresh Turf, and lay his Face in the hole, which immediately recovers him: Idefire the reason? 3. In melting Lead-Oar with Wood, fometimes with Wood and Coal, commonly 32 pound of Oar produces about 21 pounds of Lead, 1 defire the reason of fuch Lofs; and if it be (as is most likely) by Evaporation,the Mills having low, ftrait, and wide Chimneys, whether a Contrivance to convey the Smoak more leifurely andintricately,might not not make the Product greater? 4. The Jewish Year is commonly reckon'd to 354 Days, I defire to know on what grounds the Calculation is fo made; for it feems to me, from Gen. 7. that the 17th Day of the fecond Month commences, and the 17th of the feventh Month concludes the 150 Days, which makes 30 Days to a Month: thofe Months then being confecutive and uninterrupted, and no Scripture limiting any other Months, why each of the twelve Months may not as rationally and probably be fuppos'd to contain 30, as well as any other number of Days? Answer'd before. Anfu. 1. The thing is certainly matter of fact for the moft part, tho' not always; and no doubt but there's a natural Reafon for it, poffibly this The Exhalation of the Vapours rais'd from thefe Mine rals (fuppofing they can effect any thing) muft act more powerfully upon the fides of HafelTrees which are next them, which alfo is probably nutritious; and being imbib'd by the Pores of the Hafel, causes a fafter Growth on that fide than the other; and by confequence like a natural Ballance, the heavier fides draws the lighter, and a natural Gravitation inclines it that way. If it be demanded, why Hafels have this Property more than other Trees? we anfwer, 'Tis probably the Conftriction of the Pores thereof, which either thro' their Shape, or Nature of the Plant, may facilitate the effect fooner than others. But for a Hafel's natural tendency to Gold, Silver, &c. when out of the vegetable Stock, as alfo the Gold or Silver out of the Vein wherein it liv'd and increas'd; is altogether improbable, and does certainly owe its rife to a company of idle fuperftitious Fools, who believe any thing, and perhaps have been perfuaded by fome extraordinary Operation of the Devil, who for his own Intereft may act upon Bodies to gain Profelytes, and fix the Doubting in fuch a Superstition. by 2. As the Sea-Water, draining thro' the fecret fubterraneous Paffages of the Earth, divefts it felf of all its falt Humours, fo alfo the Air is beft cleans'd that way: tho' poffibly the Earth, which after fo wonderful a manner conveys radical Moisture to Plants, c. may have fuch Spirits in it, as may fympathize with the vital Heat of a Man, and help on with fuch aforefaid Recoveries. 3. Yes, very probably there might be a greater product; but then the whole Mass would retain the Drofs, (for it must be fomewhere) and fo the Coarfeness of the Metal would endamage the Whole, as much as the full Evaporation takes from the Product. Queft. A Gentleman married a Young Woman, fuppofing her to be a Widow; but it prov'd she had another Husband alive, who came and took her by force from the laft, The Question is, whether or no this laft Husband may fafely marry again unto another, and whether another young Gentlewoman may with safety take him for a Husband. Anfw. The last was no Marriage, and then 'tis plain that the Answer will bear an Affirmative. We We have receiv'd a very ingenious Relation of the drummming Well in Oundle,from Gentleman; which we have here publish'd, not doubting the Curious will be pleas'd with it. He difcours'd feveral, and amongst the reft, with an old Man aged 87: This aged Man, when he was a Boy, his Father was Tenant to part of the House where this Drumming Well is; and he fays they us'd of the Water at all times: whether Drumming or not Drumming, the Water continues the fame to be good. There are now four Families this Well fupplies for Water; one of them keeps a publick House, and makes very good Ale of the fame Water. The Old Man alfo faith he knew at a drumming time, that the Well, tho' it be deep, has had all the Water drawn out of it, to try if they could find any cause for that Drumming Noife; to which end, a Man being let down to the bottom of the Well when empty, the fame noife ftill continu'd above; and the Man being below in the Well had the fame noife, but apprehended the noife to be above him. Alfo he fays, when he was a Boy, at times when the Well has drummed, there was a great refort of both Gentlemen and Ladies, who came in their Coaches to hear the Drumming; for it was generally thought to be the Forerunner of War, or the Death of fome Great Perfon. The noife of the Drumming is not at all times the fame; fome times it may be heard at forty yards diftance, fome will fay more, other times you must hold your head over the Well to hear it; but for the noise, it does not much vary, it does much resemble the beating of a March; for the continuance of its noife is uncertain, fometimes a very fhort time, and other times a week or longer: and for the time of the Year, or the Quickness or Deadness of the Springs, I cannot underftand that it adds any thing to its Drumming; for in many years together it has not drummed, or made any noife, as has been obferv'd. What more to fay, we know not; for the Caufe or Event of its Drumming, we must leave to him that knows all things. Queft. Wherefore does it fometimes feem, that a Fantasm or Spiit strangles and stifles us in fleeping? Anfw. 'Tis a Disease that the Grecians call Ephialte, and the Latins Incubus; which (as Fernelius faith) is no other than an Oppreffion of the Body, which fuppreffes the Breath, and ftops the Voice: and he holds, that it is a thick and grofs Humour, flegmatick and melancholy, which sticks to the Inteftines; and coming to be fwoln by the Crudities of the Stomach, doth prefs and opprefs the Diaphragma and Lungs: and then a grofs Vapour exhaling from thence to the the Throat and Brain, Voice is fupprefs'd, and Senfes troubled; and if this continues long, it turns into an Apoplexy. Queft. Queft. How comes it that the Heat of the Sun makes our Flesh tawny and black, and on the contrary whitens Linen? Anfw. Because its Heat boiling the Humours of our Bodies, they become blackish, and by that means ftain our Skin: But Linen drying it felf more eafy in the Sun, becomes whiter, the Humidity thereof being evaporated. For 'tis Humidity that takes away from it its Whiteness and Candour; even as it may be perceiv'd, that Water thrown on a whited Wall doth blacken it, but when dry'd up it returns to its Whitenefs. Queft. What is the reafon of human Spittle's ferving as an Antidote and Counter-poifon against Blifters and Inflammations, that proceed from the Stingings of Wasps and Hornets; the Touch of Toads, Scorpions, Spiders, and other venomous things; yea, even of killing Serpents,and of curing Ring-worms, Tetters, the Scurf and Itch? Anfw. Tis certain that human Spittle, especially if it be fafting, ferves as a Remedy for the things aforefaid, and other fuch; because it hath in it felf a greater Venom, that draws and takes away the other: as Fire cures Scaldings. But this venomous quality proceeds from the Crudities of the Stomach, and corrupted Humours, which afcending from the Stomach to the Brain, defcend afterwards into the Mouth: by reafon of which, the Breath of fuch as are fafting is more airy and ftrong than afterwards; and the Spittle of fick People is more flinking than the healthy. Queft. From whence proceeds thofe Spots that appear in the Moon, and do feem to represent a human Face? Anfw. 'Tis because the Moon hath fome parts more clear, rare and fimple, than others; which, for this cause, are fo much the more clear and tranfparent: and the other parts, that are more thick, and appear to our fight as dark, cloudy, and fpotted, do reprefent Umbrages or Shadows, which are the cause that the clearer parts do feem more imbofs'd, not much unlike a human Face. For 'tis certain, that dark things do not appear at diftance fo fwoln and imbofs'd, as thofe which are white and clear. Plutarch hath made a Treatise upon this Subject, with many words to little purpose: But the former Reafon is given by the great Philofopher Averroes the Arabian. Queft. Wherefore cannot Stammerers, and fuch that find a difficulty to express themselves with an articulate Voice, Speak low, as ther People? Anfw. Because in order to furmount this Difficulty, and natural or accidental Default (for this may alfo come by Sicknefs. or fome other hurt) which hinders their pronouncing diftinctly and neatly, they endeavour with more contention than others to do fo; and by forcing themselves, they cannot fpeak low, as thofe who have their Tongues better hung. Queft. Why do certain Stars feem to sparkle and twinkle, and others not? Answ. Anfw. Those that are in the Firmament, and above the feven Planets, as being more remote from us, do feem to fparkle and twinkle to our fight, as a Torch will do being far off; and even the little Stars rather than the greater, because the little Objects do more eafily fteal from our fight than greater. But the Planets fparkle not, or very little, because they are lower than the other Stars (every one in his Orb) and also because they are greater. Nevertheless Mars doth fparkle, altho' it be below the other Planets which do not fparkle; but 'tis because it is reddish and more dark, and by confequence lefs vifible. Queft. Why is Snow so much profitable to the Fruits of the Earth? Anfw. For many reafons: The first reafon is, that by covering the Earth it protects them from the Cold of the Winter. The fecond reafon is, that it hinders the growing of ill Herbs, that do but begin to break forth upon the face of the Earth. The third, that being frothy, it partakes fomewhat of Fatnefs, because of the Air inclos'd in it; which melting into Water, is fattening to the Earth. The fourth reafon is, that if Fruits bud too foon, it drives back their Vigour to the Root, by means whereof they are better nourifh'd. Queft. Why do we efteem fuch Edifices and Houfes to be more fecurely and firmly built, which do hake when we walk on the Planks, or by beating on any other part of them? Anfw. Because this fhews the Union and good Connexion of all the Parts of the Edifice, when by the motion of one part the other fhakes. Neverthelefs, this Motion and Shaking ought to be without fhaking and hattering any thing out of its place; otherwife it would be a certain Argument of the Ruin of the Building. The Challenge fent by Madam Godfrey to Sir Thomas having given great diversion to the Ladies; we think it may not be unacceptable to the Reader, if we infert here fome Challenges that have fallen into our hands, defign d for the fecond Volume of this Fighting Project. A Woman that is deluded, is not fo blame-worthy as the Man : Maintain'd by a young Lady, and is yet to be anfwer'd by any Gentleman that pleases. Perfidious Man! Are all thy Vows and Proteftations, thy Oaths and Imprecations, come then to this? And doft thou at last blame a Woman for confenting, when what would not one do to be rid of fo much Impertinence? I am fure you deferve kindneffes no more than a common Beggar in the street, to whom we give Alms barely to be rid of his Importunity. He cries, Pray, Mafters, pity a Man that is ready to die; the other dies too as often as he fees a Woman: so that they are both in a Tune, and |