Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664) — John Shaqi
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
8. The Situation also of the Superficial particles is considerable, which I
distinguish into the Posture of the single Corpuscles, in respect of the
Light, and of the Eye, and the Order of them in reference also to one
another; for a Body may otherwise reflect the Light, when its Superficial
particles are more erected upon the Plain that may be conceiv'd to pass
along their Basis, and when the Points or Extremes of such Particles are
Obverted to the Eye, than when those Particles are so Inclin'd, that their
Sides are in great part Discernable, as the Colour of Plush or Velvet will
appear Vary'd to you, if you carefully stroak part of it one way, and part
of it another, the posture of the particular Thrids, in reference to the
Light, or the Eye, becoming thereby different. And you may observe in a
Field of ripe Corn blown upon by the Wind, that there will appear as it
were Waves of a Colour (at least Gradually) differing from that of the rest
of the Field, the Wind by Depressing some of the Ears, and not at the same
time others, making the one Reflect more from the Lateral and Strawy parts,
than do the rest. And so, when Doggs are so angry, as to Erect the Hairs
upon their Necks, and upon some other parts of their Bodies, those Parts
seem to acquire a Colour vary'd from that which the same Hairs made, when
in their usual Posture they did farr more stoop. And that the Order wherein
the Superficial Corpuscles are Rang'd is not to be neglected, we may guess
by turning of Water into Froth, the beating of Glass, and the scraping of
Horns, in which cases the Corpuscles that were before so marshall'd as to
be Perspicuous, do by the troubling of that Order become Dispos'd to
terminate and reflect more Light, and thereby to appear Whitish. And there
are other ways in which the Order of the Protuberant parts, in reference to
the Eye, may much contribute to the appearing of a particular Colour, for I
have often observ'd, that when Pease are Planted, or Set in Parallel Lines,
and are Shot up about half a Foot above the Surface of the Ground, by
looking on the Field or Plot of Ground from that part towards which the
Parallel Lines tended, the greater part of the Ground by farr would appear
of its own dirty Colour, but if I look'd upon it Transversly, the Plot
would appear very Green, the upper parts of the Pease hindering the
intercepted parts of the Ground, which as I said retain'd their wonted
Colour, from being discover'd by the Eye. And I know not, _Pyrophilus_,
whether I might not add, that even the Motion of the Small Parts of a
Visible Object may in some cases contribute, though it be not so easie to
say how, to the Producing or the Varying of a Colour; for I have several
times made a Liquor, which when it has well settled in a close Vial, is
Transparent and Colourless, but as soon as the Glass is unstopp'd, begins
to fly away very plentifully in a White and Opacous fume; and there are
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