Page 46
Chap. 80. Of the gloomy figures, and figures of parts, and of one piece.
AYre is not a shining body of it self, but as the lines of light shine upon it, it is smooth, and may be aglossie body, but not a shining; for though there are infinite several sorts of brightnesse and shining, yet two I will describe.
As there are two sorts of shining figures; some that cast forth beams of light, as bright shining fire, and likewise from some sorts of stones, bones, and wood, so there are some sorts of figures that onely retain a bright shining quality in themselves, but cast forth no beams there-from; or else so weak and small, as not useful to our sight, but what is represented to us thereon, by other lights; this sort is water, metal, and vulgar stones, which perchance ayre may have such a shining body.
These shining bodies, as water, or metal, or the like, are not perceived in the dark, but when light is cast thereon, we do not onely perceive the light, but their own natural shining quality by that light.
Again, some figures have onely a glosse, which is a faint shining, like as a fained light, or an eclipsed shadow, as all the pores Vegetables, and Animals skins have; and some fi∣gures are glossy through the thinnesse, or transparentnesse, not in the nature, for by reason the figure is thin, and transpa∣rent, the light shining, though transparent doth not onely shew the light, but the light gives those figures a glosse.
Some figures, as I have said, are as it were all of one piece, as some sorts of earth, water, vapor, and ayr, which may be me∣tamorphosed, by contracting and dilation.
Others of divers pieces, and several works, as Vegetables, and Animals, wherein are joynts and knots, some parts soft, and some liquid, some firme, some hard, every part having a several figure, which varieties and contrarieties serve to the consistence, and preservation, but of one perfect figure; but Animals of all other figures have the most variety of works, and several motions.