Silk. And I have often thought, that probably there might be a way found out, to make an artificial glutinous composition, much resembling, if not full as good, nay better, then that Excrement, or whatever other substance it be out of which, the Silk-worm wire-draws his clew. If such a composition were found, it were certainly an easie matter to find very quick ways of drawing it out into small wires for use. I need not mention the use of such an Invention, nor the benefit that is likely to accrue to the finder, they being sufficiently obvious. This hint therefore, may, I hope, give some Ingenious inquisitive Person an occasion of making some trials, which if successfull, I have my aim, and I suppose he will have no occasion to be displeas’d. * * * * * Observ. V. _Of watered Silks, or Stuffs._ There are but few _Artificial_ things that are worth observing with a _Microscope_, and therefore I shall speak but briefly concerning them. For the Productions of art are such rude mis-shapen things, that when view’d with a _Microscope_, is little else observable, but their deformity. The most curious Carvings appearing no better then those rude _Russian_ Images we find mention’d in _Purchas_, where three notches at the end of a Stick, stood for a face. And the most smooth and burnish’d surfaces appear most rough and unpolisht: So that my first Reason why I shall add but a few observations of them, is, their mis-shapen form; and the next, is their uselessness. For why should we trouble our selves in the examination of that form or shape (which is all we are able to reach with a _Microscope_) which we know was design’d for no higher a use, then what we were able to view with our naked eye? Why should we endeavour to discover mysteries in that which has no such thing in it? And like _Rabbins_ find out _Caballisms_, and _ænigmâs_ in the Figure, and placing of Letters, where no such thing lies hid: whereas in _natural_ forms there are some so small, and so curious, and their design’d business so far remov’d beyond the reach of our sight, that the more we magnify the object, the more excellencies and mysteries do appear; And the more we discover the imperfections of our senses; and the Omnipotency and Infinite perfections of the great Creatour. I shall therefore onely add one or two Observations more _artificial_ things, and then come to the Treaty concerning such matters as are the Productions of a more curious Workman. One of these, shall be that of a piece of water’d Silk, represented in the second Figure of the third _Scheme_,[6] as it appear’d through the least magnifying Glass. _AB_ signifying the long way of the Stuff, and _CD_ the broad way. This Stuff, if the right side of it be looked upon, appears to the naked eye, all over so waved, undulated, or grain’d, with a curious, though irregular variety of brighter and darker parts, that it adds no small gracefulness to the Gloss of it.