The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

CENT. II. NATURAL HISTORY. 31
bridge, there was an upper chamber, which being name aloud, that all the shore rang of it; and
thought weak in the roof, it was supported by a that Hylas from within the water answered his
pillar of iron of the bigness of one's arm in the master, but, that which is to the present purpose,
midst of the chamber; which if you had struck, with so small and exile a voice, as Hercules
it would make a little flat noise in the room. thought he had been three miles off, when the
where it was struck, but it would make a great fountain, indeed, was fast by.
bomb in the chamber beneath. 156. In lutes and instruments of strings, if you
152. The sound which is made by buckets in stop a string high, whereby it hath less scope to
a well, when they touch upon the water, or when tremble, the sound is more treble, but yet more
they strike upon the side of the well, or when dead.
two buckets dash the one against the other, these 157. Take two saucers, and strike the ed(re of
sounis are deeper and fuller than if the like per- the one against the bottom of the other, within a
cussion were made in the open air. The cause pail of water; and you shall find, that as you put
is the penning and enclosure of the air in the the saucers lower and lower, the sound groweth
concave of the well. more flat; even while part of the saucer is above
153. Barrels placed in a room under the floor the water; but that flatness of sound is joined
of a chamber make all noises in the same chamber with a harshness of sound; which no doubt is
more full and resounding. caused by the inequality of the sound which
So that there be five ways, in general, of ma- cometh from the part of the saucer under water,
joration of sounds: enclosure simple; enclosure and from the part above. But when the saucer
with dilatation; communication; reflection con- is wholly under water, the sound becometh more
current; and approach to the sensory. clear, but far more low, and as if the sound calme
154. For exility of the voice or other sounds; from afar off.
it is certain that the voice doth pass through solid 158. A soft body dampeth the sound much
anti hard bodies if they be not too thick: and more than a hard; as if a bell hath cloth or silk
through water, which is likewise a very close wrapped about it, it deadeth the sound more than
body, and such a one as letteth not in air. But if it were wood. And therefore in clericals the
then the voice, or other sound, is reduced by such keys are lined; and in colleges they use to line
passage to a great weakness or exility. If there- tablemen.
fore you stop the holes of a hawk's bell, it will 159. Trial was made in a recorder after these
make no ring, but a flat noise or rattle. And so several manners. The bottom of it was set
doth the, a6idtes" or eagle-stone, which hath a against the palm of the hand; stopped with wax
little stone within it. round about; set against a damask cushion;
155. And as for water, it is a certain trial: let thrust into sand; into ashes; into water, half an
a man go into a bath, and take a pail, and turn inch under the water; close to the bottom of a
the bottom upwards, and carry the mouth of it silver basin; and still the tone remained: but
even, down to the level of the water, and so press the bottom of it was set against a woollen carpet;
it down under the water some handful and a half, a lining of plush; a lock of wool, though loosely
still keeping it even that it may not tilt on either put in; against snow; and the sound of it was
side, and so the air get out: then let him that is quite deaded, and but breath.
in the bath dive with his head so far under water, 160. Iron hot produceth not so full a sound as
as he may put his head into the pail, and there when it is cold, for while it is hot, it appeareth
will come as much air bubbling forth as will to be more soft and less resounding. Solikewise
make room for his head. Then let him speak, warm water, when it falleth, maketh not so full a
and any that shall stand without shall hear his sound as cold, and I conceive it is softer, and
voice plainly; but yet made extreme sharp and nearer the nature of oil, for it is more slippery, as
exile, like the voice of puppets: but yet the maybe perceived in that it scoureth better.
articulate sounds of the words will not be con- 161. Let there be a recorder made with two
founded. Note, that it may be much more hand- fipples, at each end one: the trunk of it of the
somely done, if the pail be put over the man's length of two recorders, and the holes answerable
nead above the water, and then he cower down, towards each end, and let two play the same leseand the pailbepressed downwith him. Note,that son upon it as in unison; and let it be noted
a man must kneel or sit, that he may be lower whether the sound be confounded, or amplified,
than the water. A man would think that the or dulled. So likewise let a cross be made of
Sicilian poet had knowledge of this experiment; two trunks, throughout, hollow, and let two'or he said, that Hercules's page, Hylas, went speak, or sing, the one longways, the other travith a water-pot to fill it at a pleasant fountain verse; and let two hear at the opposite ends, and,nat was near the shore, and that the nymph of note whether the sound be confounded, amplified,.he fountain fell in love with the boy, and pulled or dulled. Which two instances will also give
him under water, keeping him alive; and that light to the mixture of sounds, whereof we shall
Hercules missing his page, called him by his speak hereafter.