Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664)Boyle, Robert
History
Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664)
Boyle, Robert
Color -- Early works to 1800; Colors -- Early works to 1800
And as for the Experiment with Red-rose Leaves, the same thing may be
alleged, for we found that such Leaves by bare Infusion for a Night and Day
in fair Water, did afford us a Tincture bordering at least upon Redness,
and that Colour being conspicuous in the Leaves themselves, would not by
some seem so much to be produc'd as to be extracted by the affusion of Oyl
of Vitriol. And the Experiment try'd with the dry'd Leaves of Damask-roses
succeeded but imperfectly, but that is indeed observable to our Authors
purpose, that Oyl of Tartar will not perform in this Experiment what Oyl of
Vitriol doth; but because this last named Liquor is not so easily to be
had, give me leave to Advertise you, that the Experiment will succeed, if
instead of it you imploy _Aqua-fortis_. And though some Trials of our own
formerly made, and others easily deducible from what we have already
deliver'd, about the different Families and Operations of Salt, might
enable us to present you an Experiment upon Red-rose Leaves, more
accommodated to our Authors purpose, than that which he hath given us; yet
our Reverence to so Candid a Philosopher, invites us rather to improve his
Experiment, than substitute another in its place. Take therefore of the
Tincture of Red-rose Leaves, (for with Damask-rose Leaves the Experiment
succeedeth not well) made as before hath been taught with a little Oyl of
Vitriol, and a good quantity of fair Water, pour off this Liquor into a
clear Vial, half fill'd with Limpid water; till the Water held against the
Light have acquir'd a competent Redness, without losing its Transparency,
into this Tincture drop leisurely a little good Spirit of Urine, and
shaking the Vial, which you must still hold against the Light, you shall
see the Red Liquor immediately turn'd into a fine Greenish Blew, which
Colour was not to be found in any of the Bodies, upon whose Mixture it
emerg'd, and this Change is the more observable, because in many Bodies the
Degenerating of Blew into Red is usual enough, but the turning of Red into
Blew is very unfrequent. If at every drop of Spirit of Urine you shake the
Vial containing the Red Tincture, you may delightfully observe a pretty
variety of Colours in the passage of that Tincture from a Red to a Blew,
and sometimes we have this way hit upon such a Liquor, as being look't upon
against and from the Light, did seem faintly to emulate the above-mention'd
Tincture of _Lignum Nephriticum_. And if you make the Tincture of Red-roses
very high, and without Diluting it with fair Water, pour on the Spirit of
Urine, you may have a Blew so deep, as to make the Liquor Opacous, but
being dropt upon White Paper the Colour will soon disclose it self. Also
having made the Red, and consequently the Blew Tincture very Transparent,
and suffer'd it to rest in a small open Vial for a Day or two, we found
according to our Conjecture, that not only the Blew but the Red Colour also
was Vanish'd; the clear Liquor being of a bright Amber Colour, at the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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