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
found that ev'n the warmth of an Affriction that lasted not above a quarter
of a minute, Nay, that of my Body, (whose Constitution you know is none of
the hottest) would make a manifest change in the solidest of Stones a
Diamond, it seem'd not impossible, that certain warm and Saline steams
issuing from the Body of a living man, may by their plenty or paucity, or
by their peculiar Nature, or by the total absence of them, diversifie the
Colour, and the splendor of so soft a Stone as the Turquois. And though I
admir'd to see, that I know not how many Men otherwise Learn'd, should
confidently ascribe to Jewels such Virtues as seem no way competible to
Inanimate Agents, if to any Corporeal ones at all, yet as to what is
affirm'd concerning the Turquois's changing Colour, I know not well how to
reject the Affirmation of so Learned (and which in this case is much more
considerable) so Judicious a Lapidary as _Boetius de Boot_[31], who upon
his own particular and repeated Experience delivers so memorable a
Narrative of the Turquois's changing Colour, that I cannot but think it
worth your Perusal, especially since a much later and very Experienc'd
Author, _Olaus Wormius_,[32] where he treats of that Stone, Confirms it
with this Testimony. _Imprimis memorandum exemplum quod Anshelmus Boetius
de seipso refert, tam mutati Coloris, quam à casu preservationis. Cui &
ipse haud dissimile adferre possum, nisi ex Anshelmo petitum quis putaret._
I remember that I saw two or three years since a _Turcois_ (worn in a Ring)
wherein there were some small spots, which the _Virtuoso_ whose it was
asur'd me he had observ'd to grow sometimes greater sometimes less, and to
be sometimes in one part of the Stone, sometimes in another. And I having
encourag'd to make Pictures from time to time of the Stone, and of the
Situation of the cloudy parts, thatso their Motion may be more
indisputable, and better observ'd, he came to me about the midle of this
very week, and assur'd me that he had, as I wish'd, made from time to time
Schemes or Pictures of the differing parts of the Stone, whereby the
several Removes and motions of the above mentioned Clouds are very
manifest, though the cause seem'd to him very occult: these Pictures he has
promis'd to show me, and is very ready to put the Stone it self into my
hands. But the ring having been the other day casually broken upon his
finger, unless it can be taken out, and set again without any considerable
heat, he is loath to have it medled with, for fear its peculiarity should
be thereby destroy'd. And possibly his apprehension would have been
strengthen'd, if I had had opportunity to tell him what is related by the
Learned _Wormius_[33] of an acquaintance of his, that had a _Nephritick_
stone, of whose eminent Virtues he had often Experience ev'n in himself,
and for that cause wore it still about his Wrist; and yet going upon a time
into a Bath of fair Water only, wherein certain Herbs had been boyl'd, the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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