It hath been an old saying amongst Philosophers, and experience doth prove it to be true, _Non datur vacuum_, that is to say, Nature will not admit of any vacuity, or emptinesse. For some one or other of the Elements, but especially Ayre, and Water doe insert themselves into all manner of concavities, or hollownesses, in, or upon the earth, whether they are such as are formed either by Art or Nature. For the one it is so obvious, and manifest, as that it needs not any proofe at all. As for the other, I shall make it manifest unto you by easie demonstration. Let there be gotten a large vessell of glasse, or other, having besides the mouth another hole (though but a little one) at the top: poure water into the vessell by a tunnell thrust into the mouth of it, and you shall finde that as the water runneth into the vessell, a winde will come forth of the little hole, sufficient to blow out a candle being held over it. This proveth, that before the water was poured into the vessell (though to our sight it appeared to bee empty) it was full of ayre, which forced out of the vessell as the water ran in; and the reason hereof is, because the water is by nature of a massie, subtill, substance; and the ayre of a windy, light, evaporative nature: The knowledge of this, with the rarifaction of inclosed ayre, is the ground and foundation of divers excellent experiments not unworthy the knowledge of any ingenious Artist whatsoever. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] The order of the things contayned in the first booke. _Experiments of drawing water by the Crane._ _Experiments of drawing water by Engins._ _Experiments of forcing water by ayre compressed._ _Experiments of forcing water by Engins._ _Experiments of producing sounds by ayre and water._ _Experiments of producing sounds by evaporation of water by fire._ _Experiments of producing sounds by Engins._ _Experiments of motions by evaporating water._ _Experiments of motions by rarifying ayre._ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] Of Water-workes. _To draw water by a Crane._ Take any vessell, of what bignes you please, fill it with water, then take a Crane (that is a crooked hollow Cane) one end wherof, let be somewhat longer then the other; put the shorter end of it into the vessell of water, and let the longer end hang out of the vessell, unto which longer end, put your mouth, and draw in your breath, and the water will follow; then withdraw your mouth, and you shall see the water runne so long, till it come equall to that end of the Cane which is within the vessell. [Illustration] _Another._