Several persons of the first rank having signified their wishes that I would publish some few easy means of amusing a company, whether in town or in the country; I could not refuse to comply with their desire: this is the motive of this little publication. Being near my departure for France, I shall trace hastily a few experiments, which will be as simple as they are entertaining, and easy to be performed. If amongst them there should be found, by chance, some that are known, or even printed, I hope it will not be taken amiss, nor I shall be looked upon as a plagiary. Unacquainted with this town, I cannot be informed of all that exists in print: besides, as in this age the study of natural philosophy is so universal, it cannot be in the least astonishing if some of the experiments resulting from that science were already known. Therefore I claim by anticipation the indulgence of those who read this work. My only wish is to be so happy as to unite in this book the clearness and precision necessary to enable my readers to perform what is contained in each chapter. My project on my return to this metropolis, is to endeavour to obtain again the suffrages of the nation, by performing some new experiments. To reveal on this occasion those which I have performed till now, would be hurtful to my fortune: besides, most of them require a great deal of mechanism and great preparations. Others depend on much dexterity and subtilty; which are out of my power to give, and out of a possibility to be communicated in writing. If this feeble Essay, which I have the honour of presenting to the public, is favourably received, I promise on my return, and after I have merited their favour, to publish the means I have used to execute all I have performed. * * * * * [Illustration] PHYSICAL AMUSEMENTS AND DIVERTING EXPERIMENTS. CHAP. I. _Curious Method of restoring to Life, in two Minutes, a Fly that has been drowned even twenty-four Hours._ This wonderful experiment, like many others, is produced by a very simple cause. Take a fly, put it in a glass or cup full of water; cover it so as to deprive the fly of air; when you perceive it to be quite motionless, you may take it out and put it on a place exposed to the sun, and cover it with salt: in two minutes it will revive and fly away. CHAP. II. _To make a Colour that will appear or disappear by Means of the Air._ Take a smelling-bottle; put in it some alkali volatile, in which you have dissolved some copper filings: this will produce a blue colour. Present then the smelling-bottle to one of the company, desiring him to stop it; and, to their great astonishment, the colour will disappear as soon as the smelling-bottle is stopped: you will make it easily re-appear by taking off the cork, which will be not less surprising. CHAP. III. _A Method of drawing a deformed Figure, which will appear well proportioned from a certain Point of View._