85. Whether the produced Metal be all of the same goodness? And if it be, how good it is in reference to the Metal of other Mines, or other parts of the same Mine or Vein? And if it be not, what differences are observ"d between the produced portions of Metal; and what disparity that amounts to in the price?
86. What are the Wayes of distinguishing them, and estimating their goodness?
87. Whether they do any thing to the Metal, after it is once brought to Fusion, and, if need be, melt it over again, to give it a melioration? (As when _Iron_ is refined, and turn"d into Steel;) And what distinct Furnaces, and peculiar Ways of ordering the Metals are employ"d to effect this improvement? With a full description of them and the Tools in all Circ.u.mstances, observ"d in the refining of Metals.
88. Whether in those places, where the Metal is melted, there be not elevated some Corpuscles, that stick to the upper parts of the Furnace, or Building? And, if there be, whether they be barely fuliginous and recrement.i.tious exhalations, or, at least in part, Metallin Flowers? (As in the _Cornish_ Tin-mines, after some years they usually destroy the thatch"d Houses, where the Ore hath been melted, to get the stuff, that adhears to the insides of the Roofs, out of which they melt store of excellent Tin.)
89. Whether the Metal, being brought to fusion, affords {342} any Recrements? (As _Iron-stone_ affords store of a dark Gla.s.s or Slagg) And, if it do, what those Recrements are? How they are separated from the Metal; and to what Uses they are employed?
90. Whether, after the Metal has been once melted, the remaining part of the Ore being exposed to the Air, will in tract of time be impregnated, or ripen"d, so as to afford more Metal? (For, this is affirm"d to me of the _Cornish_ Tin-Ore; and what remained after the fusion of _Iron-ore_ in the _Forest of Dean_, is so rich in Metal, that a Tenant of mine in _Ireland_, though he had on the Land, he held from me, an Iron-Mine, found it less profit to work it, than to send cross the Sea to the _Forest of Dean_ for this already us"d Ore, which having lain for some ages, since it was thrown aside in great heaps expos"d to the Air, he affirm"d to yield as well great great store of Iron, as very good: though I somewhat doubt, whether this be _totally_ to be ascribed to the Aire, and length of time; or to the leaving of Metal in the Slaggs in old times, before great Furnaces were in use.)
_Promiscuous Inquiries about Mines, from the same Author._
1. Whether the Territorie, that bears the Mine, abounds with no other Kind of Mineral in some distinct part of it? (As in _Kent_ near _Tunbridge_, one part of the Country which is Hilly, abounds all along with _Iron-Mines_; the other, which is also Hilly, and divided from it but by a small Valley, abounds exceedingly (as the Diggers and Inhabitants told me upon the place) in _Quarry"s_, which the Metallin-Country wants, but is quite dest.i.tute of Iron-stone. And so at _Mendip_, in one part of the Hill, I saw store of _Lead-Mines_, containing several Kinds of Ore of that Metal; another part of the Hill I found to be full of _Cole-pits_, which had some _Marchasites_, but no Metal; and in another place, _Iron-ore_, and mixt Ores, which yet they did not think fit to work.)
2. Whether the Air appear to be really cold in Summer, {343} and hot in Winter at the bottom of the Mines, by surer proofs than the Testimony of our Touch?
3. Whether they ever meet with places and Stones actually very hot, as _Matthesius_ relates? And whether that spring not from the quenching of _Marchasites_?
4. Whether they find in the Mines any Mineral Gelly, such as the _German_ Naturalists call _Ghur_? And whether in process of time it will harden into a metal, or Mineral Concretion?
5. What are the Laws, Const.i.tutions, and Customs, _Oeconomical_, _Political_, _Ethical_, that are receiv"d and practis"d among the Mine-men?
6. Whether the Diggers do ever really meet with any subterraneous _Demons_; and if they do, in what shape and manner they appear; what they portend; and what they do, &c?
7. Whether they observe in the Trees and other Plants, growing over or neer the Mine, not only, (as hath been already intimated) that the Leaves are any whit gilded or silver"d by the ascending Mineral Exhalations, but also, that the Trees or other Plants are more solid and ponderous? And if they have not also some discernable Metalline or Mineral Concretes, to be met within the small Cavities and Pores of their substance?
8. Whether there be not Springs, and also greater Streams of Water neer the Mine, that rise, and run their whole course under ground, without ever appearing above it?
9. Whether the Subterraneous Springs do rise with any wind or determinate change of weather?
10. How much heavier the _Atmosphere_ is at the bottom of the Mine, than at the top? And whether Damps considerably increase the weight of it?
11. Whether they find any strange substances in the Mines, as Vessels, Anchors, Fishes inclos"d in Sparr or Metal, &c.? {344}
__Promiscuous Inquiries_, chiefly about _Cold_, formerly sent and recommended to Monsieur _Heuelius_; together with his Answer return"d to some of them._
A considerable piece of the grand Design of the Modern _Experimental_ Philosophers being, to procure and acc.u.mulate Materials for a good Natural History, whence to raise in progress of time a solid Structure of Philosophy; all possible Endevours are used in _England_, to send abroad and recommend to as many of Forreign parts, as there is opportunity, _Directions_ for searching into the Operations of Nature, and for observing what occurs therein, aswell as in Mechanical operations and practices.
Several Heads of that kind have been already publish"d for this purpose in several of the former Tracts; to which, as we have added, in this, the _Quaeries_ about _Mines_, so we shall subjoyn those, that were not long since committed to the care of that Excellent Promoter of Astronomy and Philosophy, Monsieur _Heuelius_, Consul of _Dantzick_; who demonstrates so much zeal for the advancement of real knowledge, that he not only improves and promotes it by his own Studies, but labours also to incite others to do the like; having already warmed many of the Northern Climate, particularly _Poland_, _Prusse_, _Livonia_, _Sweden_ and _Denmark_, into a disposition to be studious and active in inquiring after such particulars concerning Philosophy, as are recommended from hence, and rendred them, very willing to employ themselves in things of that nature.
_The Inquiries sent to _Dantzick_, are these;_
1. What Signior _Burattini_ (an _Italian_ Gentleman, Master of the Mint to the King of _Poland_, and reputed a great Master in the _Mechanicks_) hath perform"d in _Diopticks_? Whether at present he employs himself, as is related, in grinding a _Telescope_ of 120 foot long? And, if so, what way he means to make use {345} of, commodiously to handle a Tube of that length?
2. Whether the same have the Art (as has been written from _Paris_) to make such Gla.s.s, as is not at all inferiour to _Venice_-gla.s.s, and exceeds any plate of Gla.s.s, hitherto made there, twice or thrice in bigness?
3. What is the way of making Pot-ashes in _Poland_?
4. What is to be observed about _Succinum_ or Amber? whether it be an Exsudation of the Sea? whether it be seen to float upon the surface of the Sea? whether it be soft, when "tis first cast on sh.o.r.e? At what season of the year, and in what manner "tis taken up, &c?
5. What is to be observ"d in the Digging of _Sal Gemmae_ in _Poland_? what is the Depth of the Mines, stored with this Salt? what their distance from the Sea, &c?
6. What truth there is in that Relation concerning Swallows being found in Winter under waters congealed, and reviving, if they be fish"d and held to the fire?
7. Whether there be in the _Bodnick Bay_ a Whirl-pool, as is related to be in the Sea of _Norway_, which is commonly call"d the _Maal-stroom_? And whether there be any Signs, that speak the communication of those Gulphs by subterraneous pa.s.sages; as the Jesuit _Kircher_ affirms in his _Mundus Subterraneus_ T. 1. p. 146?
8. To what depth the Cold in those parts peirces the Earth and Water?
9. Whether their Watches go slower by the intense cold?
10. Whether their Oyls in hard frosts are turn"d into true, that is, hard and britle, Ice?
11. Whether they can freeze there a strong Brine of Bay-Salt; and a strong Decoction of _Sal Gemmae_, or Soot; or a strong Solution of _Salt_ of _Tartar_, or of _Sugar_ of _Lead_?
12. Whether they can congeal meer _Blood_, all the serous part thereof being sever"d? Item, _Canary_ Wine; the _Lixiviums_ of Soap-boylers, and such as are prepared of other Salts; as also, the Spirits extracted out of Salts, as Spirit of _Vitriol_, _Nitre_, &c?
13. Whether an intense and lasting Frost makes any alteration in _Quick-silver_, exposed very shallow in a flat Vessel.
14. Whether the Purgative virtue of _Catharticks_ be increased or lessened, or even totally destroy"d by a strong and continued Cold? {346}
15. Whether Harts-horn thaw"d, and such like substances, using the same method of Distilling, yield the same quant.i.ty of Liquor, which they use to yield, when not frozen?
16. What Cold operates in the Fermentation of Liquors?
17. Whether Birds and Wilde Beasts grow white there in Winter, and recover their native colour in Summer?
18. Whether Colours may be concentred by a sharp cold? _E.g._ A strong Decoction of Cocheneel in a fit Gla.s.s?
19. Whether the _Electrical_ virtue of _Amber_, and the _Attractive_ and _Directive_ force of the _Magnet_, be changed by a vehement Cold?
20. Whether pieces of Iron and Steel, even thick ones, be made britle by intense frosts; and therefore Smiths are obliged for prevention, to give their Iron and Steel-tools a softer temper?
21. Whether accurate Observations evince, that all Fishes dye in frozen Waters, if the Ice be not broken? Where it is to be diligently inquired into, whether the Cold it self, or the want of changing or ventilating the water, or the privation of Air, be the cause of the death of Fishes?
22. Whether any Physicians or Anatomists have inquired, by freezing to death some Animals (as Rabits, Pullets, Dogs, Cats, &c.) after what manner it is, that Intense Cold kills men? whether they have found any Ice in the Inner parts; and if so, in which of them; Whether in the Ventricles of the Brain and Heart; and in the greater Vessels?
_These were the Queries_ recommended about a Twelve-month ago. Monsieur _Heuelius_ in a late Letter of his, accompanied with several papers from others, returns this Accompt.
The Inquiries you proposed to me, I did impart to several of my Learned friends: But hitherto I have attained an Answer but to few particulars.
Among the rest you"l find a Letter of the Learned _Johannes Schefferus_, Professor in the _Swedish_ University at _Vpsall_, wherein he discourses handsomly of several things, being ready to entertain a Literary Commerce with you about such matters. Touching _Amber_, I am almost of the same mind with him, that it is a kind of _Fossil Pitch_ or _Bitumen_, seeing it is not only found on the Sh.o.r.e of the _Borussian_ Sea, but also digg"d up in subterraneous places, some _German_ miles distant from the {347} and that not only in Sandy, but also in other Hills of firmer Earth; of which I have seen my self pretty big pieces. Concerning _Swallows_, I have frequently heard Fisher-men affirm, that they have here often fish"d them out of the Lakes, in the Winter; but I never have seen it my self. Whilst I am writing this, I receive Letters out of _Denmark_, advertising me, that those two Learned men, _Thomas_ and _Erasmus Bartholin_, do intend shortly to answer the same _Quaeries_. Next Winter, if G.o.d vouchsafe me life and health, I purpose to make a Journey to _Konigs-berg_, where I hope to learn many things, especially about _Amber_.
_Thus far in answer to those Inquiries for the present._
To this he subjoyns other things, no less fit to be communicated to the Curious, in these words;