Micrographia: Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquiries ThereuponHooke, Robert
History
Micrographia: Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquiries Thereupon
Hooke, Robert
Magnifying glasses -- Early works to 1800; Microscopy -- Early works to 1800; Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
This propriety of bodies, as I think it the most worthy, and next in order
to be consider’d after the contemplation of the _Globular Figure_, so have
I long had a desire as wel as a determination to have prosecuted it if I
had had an opportunity, having long since propos’d to my self the method of
my enquiry therein, it containing all the allurements that I think any
enquiry is capable of: For, first I take it to proceed from the most simple
principle that any kind of form can come from, next the _Globular_, which
was therefore the first I set upon, and what I have therein perform’d, I
leave the Judicious Reader to determine. For as that form proceeded from a
propiety of fluid bodies, which I have call’d _Congruity_, or
_Incongruity_; so I think, had I time and opportunity, I could make
probable, that all these regular Figures that are so conspicuously
_various_ and _curious_, and do so adorn and beautifie such multitudes of
bodies, as I have above hinted, arise onely from three or four several
positions or postures of _Globular_ particles, and those the most plain,
obvious, and necessary conjunctions of such figur’d particles that are
possible, so that supposing such and such plain and obvious causes
concurring the _coagulating particles_ must necessarily compose a body of
such a determinate regular Figure, and no other, and this with as much
necessity and obviousness as a fluid body encompast with a _Heterogeneous_
fluid must be protruded into a _Spherule_ or _Globe_. And this I have _ad
oculum_ demonstrated with a company of bullets, and some few other very
simple bodies; so that there was not any regular Figure, which I have
hitherto met withall, of any of those bodies that I have above named, that
I could not with the composition of bullets or globules, and one or two
other bodies, imitate, even almost by shaking them together. And thus for
instance may we find that the _Globular_ bullets will of themselves, if put
on an inclining plain, so that they may run together, naturally run into a
_triangular_ order, composing all the variety of figures that can be
imagin’d to be made out of _æquilateral triangles_; and such will you find,
upon trial, all the Surfaces of _Alum_ to be compos’d of: For three bullets
lying on a plain, as close to one another as they can compose an
_æquilatero-triangular_ form, as in A in the 7. _Scheme_. If a fourth be
joyn’d to them on either side as closely as it can, they four compose the
most regular Rhombus consisting of two _æquilateral triangles_, as B. If a
fifth be joyn’d to them on either side in as close a position as it can,
which is the propriety of the _Texture_, it makes a _Trapezium_, or
four-sided Figure, two of whose angles are 120. and two 60. degrees, as C.
If a sixth be added, as before, either it makes an _æquilateral triangle_,
as D, or a Rhomboeid, as E, or an _Hexangular Figure_, as F, which is
compos’d of two _primary Rhombs_. If a seventh be added, it makes either
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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