Page:Discourse Concerning the Natation of Bodies.djvu/38

 but a composition of Ebony and Air, from which resulteth a Solid no longer superiour in Gravity to the water, as was the simple Ebony, or the simple Gold. And, if we exactly consider, what, and how great the Solid is, that in this Experiment enters into the water, and contrasts with the Gravity of the same, it will be found to be all that which we find to be beneath the Surface of the water, the which is an aggregate and Compound of a Board of Ebony, and of almost the like quantity of Air, or a Mass compounded of a Plate of Lead, and ten or twelve times as much Air. But, GenrlemenGentlemen [sic], you that are my Antagonists in our Question, we require the Identity of Matter, and the alteration only of the Figure; therefore, you must remove that Air, which being conjoyned with the Board, makes it become another Body less grave than the Water, and put only the Ebony into the Water, and you shall certainly see the Board descend to the Bottom; and, if that do not happen, you have got the day. And to seperate the Air from the Ebony, there needs no more but only to bath the Superficies of the said Board with the same Water: for the Water being thus interposed between the Board and the Air, the other circumfused Water shall run together without any impediment, and shall receive into it the sole and bare Ebony, as it was to do.

But, me thinks I hear some of the Adversaries cunningly opposing this, and telling me, that they will not yield, by any means, that their Board be wetted, because the weight added thereto by the Water, by making it heavier than it was before, draws it to the Bottom, and that the addition of new weight is contrary to our agreement, which was, that the Matter be the same.

To this, I answer, first; that treating of the operation of Figure in Bodies put into the Water, none can suppose them to be put into the Water without being wet; nor do I desire more to be done to the Board, then I will give you leave to do to the Ball. Moreover, it is untrue, that the Board sinks by vertue of the new Weight added to it by the Water, in the single and slight bathing of it: for I will put ten or twenty drops of Water upon the same Board, whilst it is sustained upon the water, which drops, because not conjoyned with the other Water circumfused, shall not so encrease the weight of it, as to make it sink: but if the Board being taken out, and all the water wiped off that was added thereto, I should bath all its Superficies with one only very small drop, and put it again upon the water, without doubt it shall sink, the other Water running to cover it, not being retained by the superiour Air; which Air by the interposition of the thin vail of water, that takes away its Contiguity unto the Ebony, shall without Renitence be seperated, nor doth it in the least oppose the succession of the other Water: but rather, to speak better, it shall descend freely; because it shall be all invironed and covered