The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

122 NATURAL HISTORY. CENT. IX.
part under the wine, and you shall find, that which cause therein you may see the motion, and set a
may seem strange, that the sugar above the wine candle lighted in the bottom of a bason of water,
will soften and dissolve sooner than that within and turn the mouth of the pot or glass over the
the wine. The cause is, for that the wine enter- candle, and it will make the water rise. They
eth that part of the sugar which is under the ascribe it to the drawing of heat; which is not
wine, by simple infusion or spreading; but that true: for it appeareth plainly to be but a motion
part above the wine is likewise forced by suck- of nexe, which they call ne detur vacuum; and
ing; for all spongy bodies expel the air and draw it proceedeth thus. The flame of the candle, as
in liquor, if it be contiguous: as we see it also soon as it is covered, being suffocated by the
in sponges put part above the water. It is close air, lesseneth by little and little; during
worthy the inquiry, to see how you may make which time there is some little ascent of water,
more accurate infusions, by help of attraction. but not much: for the flame occupying less and
less room, as it lesseneth, the water succeedeth.
Experiment solitary touching heat under earth. But upon the instant of the candle's going out,
885. Water in wells is warmer in winter than there is a sudden rise of a great deal of water;
in summer; and so air in caves. The cause is, for that the body of the flame filleth no more
for that in the higher parts, under the earth, there place, and so the air and the water succeed. It
is a degree of some heat, as appeareth in sulphu- worketh the same effect, if instead of water you
Teons veins, &c., which shut close in, as in winter, put flour or sand into the bason: which showeth,
is the more; but if it perspire, as it doth in sum- that it is not the flame's drawing the liquor as
mer, it is the less. nourishment, as it is supposed; for all bodies are
Experiment solitary touching flying in the air. alike unto it, as it is ever in motion of nexe; insomuch as I have seen the glass, being held by
886. It is reported, that amongst the Leuca- somuch as I hae seen the glass, eing held by
diansn tie, n ty the hand, hath lifted up the bason and all: the
dians, in ancient time, upon a superstition they
inancient timeuponasuperstition the motion of nexe did so clasp the bottom of the
did use to precipitate a man from a high cliff into bason. That experiment, when the bason was
the sea, tying about him with strings, at some
distance, many great fowls, and fixing unto his lifted up, was made with oil, and not with water:
distance, many great fowls, and fixing unto his nevertheless this is true, that at the very first sethody divers feathers, spread, to break the fall.
Certainly many birds of good wing, as kites, and ting of the mouth of the glass upon the bottom of, the bason, it draweth up the water a little, and
the like, would bear up a good weight as they then stand, almost till he candle
fly, and spreading of feathers thin and close, andeth at a stay, almost till the candle's
in great breadth, will, likewise, bear up a greatgoing out, as was said. This may show some
i.ra ha u a gra.'..attraction at first: but of this we will speak more,
weight, being even laid, without tilting upon the attractions hy heat.
sides. The farther extension of this experiment
for flying may be thought upon.
for flying may he thought upon. Experiments in consort touching the influences of
Etxperiment solitary touching the dye of scarlet. the moon.
887. There is in some places, namely in Cepha- Of the power of the celestial bodies, and what
lonia, a little shrub which they call hollyoak, or more secret influences they have, besides the two
dwarf-oak: upon the leaves whereof there riseth manifest influences of heat and light, we shall
a tumour like a blister; which they gather, ande
rub out of it a certain red dust, that converteth, celestial bodies; mean while we will give some
after a while, into worms, which they kill with directions for more certain trials of the virtue and
wine, as is reported, when they begin to quicken: influences of the moon, which is our nearest
with this dust they dye scarlet. neighbour.
The influences of the moon, most observed, are
Experiment solitary touching maleficiating. four; the drawing forth of heat: the inducing of
888. In Zant it is very ordinary to make men putrefaction; the increase of moisture; the eximpotent to accompany with their wives. The citing of the motions of spirits.
like is practised in Gascony; where it is called 890. For the drawing forth of heat, we have
nouar l'eguillette. It is practised always upon formerly prescribed to take water warm, and to
the wedding-day. And in Zant the mothers set part of it against the moon-beams, and part of
themselves do it, by way of prevention; because it with a screen between; and to see whether
thereby they hinder other charms, and can undo that which standeth exposed to the beams will
their own. It is a thing the civil law taketh not cool sooner. But because this is but a small
knowledge of; and therefore is of no light regard. interposition, though in the sun we see a small
shade doth much, it were good to try it when the
hwExperiment solitary touching the rise of water by moon shineth, and when the moon shineth not at
means offlame. all; and with water warm in a glass bottle, as
889. It is a common experiment, but the cause well as in a dish; and with cinders; and with
is mistaken. Take a pot, or better a glass, be- iron red-hot, &c.