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
5. And on this Occasion we may as well in Reference to something formerly
deliver'd concerning Whiteness, as in Reference to what has been newly
said, Subjoyn what we further observ'd touching the Differing Reflections
of Light from White and Black Marble, namely, that having taking a pretty
Large Mortar of White Marble, New and Polish'd in the Inside, and Expos'd
it to the Sun, we found that it Reflected a great deal of Glaring Light,
but so Dispers'd, that we could not make the Reflected Beams concurr in any
such Conspicuous _Focus_, as that newly taken notice of in the Black
Marble, though perhaps there may enough of them be made to meet near the
Bottom, to make some Kind of _Focus_, especially since by holding in the
Night-time a Candle at a convenient Distance, we were able to procure a
Concourse of some, though not many of the Reflected Beams, at about two
Inches distant from the Bottom of the Mortar: But we found the Heat even of
the Sunbeams so Dispersedly Reflected to be very Languid, even in
Comparison of the Black Marbles _Focus_. And the Little Picture of the Sun,
that appear'd upon the White Marble as a _Speculum_, was but very Faint and
exceeding ill Defin'd. Secondly, That taking two pieces of Plain and
Polish'd Surfaces, and casting on them Successively the Beams of the Same
Candle, In such manner, as that the Neighbouring Superficies being Shaded
by an Opacous and Perforated Body, the Incident Beams were permitted to
pass but through a Round Hole of about Half an Inch Diameter, the Circle of
Light that appear'd on the White Marble was in Comparison very Bright, but
very ill Defin'd; whereas that on the Black Marble was far less Luminous,
but much more precisely Defin'd.
6. Thirdly, When you Look upon a piece of Linnen that has Small Holes in
it, those Holes appear very Black, and Men are often deceiv'd in taking
Holes for Spots of Ink; And Painters to represent Holes, make use of Black,
the Reason of which seems to be, that the Beams that fall on those Holes,
fall into them So Deep, that none of them is Reflected back to the Eye. And
in narrow Wells part of the Mouth seems Black, because the Incident Beams
are Reflected Downwards from one side to another, till they can no more
Rebound to the Eye.
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