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
Or further in the _third figure_, let AILD represent an including _solid_
medium of a cylindrical shape (as suppose a small _Glass Jar_) Let FGEMM
represent a contain’d _fluid_, as water; this towards the bottom and sides,
is figured according to the concavity of the _Glass_: But its upper
_Surface_, (which by reason of its gravity, (not considering at all the Air
above it, and so neither the congruity or incongruity of either of them to
the Glass) should be terminated by part of a _Sphere_ whose diameter should
be the same with that of the earth, which to our sense would appear a
straight _Line_, as FGE, Or which by reason of its having a greater
congruity to Glass than Air has, (not considering its Gravity) would be
thrust into a _concave Sphere_, as CHB, whose diameter would be the same
with that of the concavity of the Vessel:) Its upper Surface, I say, by
reason of its having a greater gravity then the Air, and having likewise a
greater congruity to Glass then the Air has, is terminated, by a _concave
Elliptico-spherical Figure_, as CKB. For by its congruity it easily
conforms it self, and adheres to the Glass, and constitutes as it were one
containing body with it, and therefore should thrust the contained Air on
that side it touches it, into a _spherical_ Figure, as BHC, but the motion
of Gravity depressing a little the Corners B and C, reduces it into the
aforesaid Figure CKB. Now that it is the greater congruity of one of the
two _contiguous fluids_, then of the other, to the containing _solid_, that
causes the separating surfaces to be thus or thus figured: And that it is
not because this or that figurated surface is more proper, natural, or
peculiar to one of these fluid bodies, then to the other, will appear from
this; that the same _fluids_ will by being put into differing _solids_,
change their _surfaces_. For the same water, which in a Glass or wooden
Vessel will have a concave surface upwards, and will rise higher in a
smaller then a greater Pipe, the same water, I say, in the same Pipes
greased over or oyled, will produce quite contrary effects; for it will
have a _protuberant_ and _convex_ surface upwards, and will not rise so
high in small, as in bigger Pipes: Nay, in the very same solid Vessel, you
may make the very same two contiguous _Liquids_ to alter their Surfaces;
for taking a small Wine-glass, or such like Vessel, and pouring water
gently into it, you shall perceive the _surface_ of the water all the way
_concave_, till it rise even with the top, when you shall find it (if you
gently and carefully pour in more) to grow very _protuberant_ and _convex_;
the reason of which is plain, for that the _solid_ sides of the containing
body are no longer extended, to which the water does more readily adhere
then the air; but it is henceforth to be included with air, which would
reduce it into a _hemisphere_, but by reason of its _gravity_, it is
flatted into an _Oval_. _Quicksilver_ also which to _Glass_ is more
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