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SO many particulars taken no∣tice of in one Night, may make this Stone appear a kind of Prodigie, and the rather, because having try'd as I formerly noted, not only a fine Artificial Crystal, and some also that is Natural, but a Ruby and two Diamonds, I did not find that any of these disclos'd the like Glimmering of
Light; yet after all, perceiving by the Hard∣ness, and the Testimony of a Skilfull Gold-smith, that this was rather a Natural than Artificial Stone; for fear lest there might be some difference in the way of Setting, or in the shape of the Diamonds I made use of, neither of which was like this, a flat Table-stone, I thought fit to make a farther Trial of my own Diamonds, by such a brisk and assiduous Af∣friction as might make amends for the Disad∣vantages above-mention'd, in case they were the cause of the unsuccessfulness of the former Attempts: And accordingly I found, that by this way I could easily bring a Diamond I wore on my Finger to disclose a Light, that was sen∣sible enough, and continued so though I cover'd it with Spittle, and us'd some other Trials about it. And this will much lessen the wonder of all the formerly mention'd Observations, by shewing that the properties that are so strange are not peculiar to one Diamond, but may be found in others also, and perhaps in divers other hard and Diaphanous Stones. Yet I hope that what this Discovery takes away from the Wonder of these Observations, it will add to the Instructiveness of them, by affording preg∣nants Hints, towards the Investigation of the Nature of Light.
We after∣wards, try'd precious Stones, as Diamonds, Rubies, Sa∣phires, and Emeralls, &c. but found not any of them to Shine except some Dia∣monds, and of these we were not upon so little practice, able to fore-tell be∣fore hand, which would be brought to Shine, and which would not; For several very good Diamonds, either would not Shine at all, or much less than others that were farr inferiour to them. And yet those Inge∣nious Men are mistaken, that think a Diamond must be foul and cloudy, as Mr. Claytons was, to be fit for Shi∣ning; for as we could bring some such to afford a Glim∣mering Light, so with some clear and excellent Dia∣monds, we could do the like. But none of those many that we try'd of all Kinds, were equal to the Diamond on which the Observations were made, not only consi∣dering the degree of Light it affotded, but the easiness wherewith it was excited, and the Comparatively great duration of its Shining.