Page:Discourse Concerning the Natation of Bodies.djvu/60

 the height of the emergent Point shall be double to the height of the Rampart. This that hath been demonstrated in Cones, exactly holds in Piramides, although the one or the other should be very sharp in their Point or Cuspis: From whence we conclude, that the same Accident shall so much the more easily happen in all other Figures, by how much the less sharp the Tops shall be, in which they determine, being assisted by more spacious Ramparts.

Nd this Accident being common to all sorts of Figures, without exception of so much as one. Figure hath, therefore, no part in the production of this Effect, of sometimes sinking, and sometimes again not sinking, but only the being sometimes conjoyned to, and sometimes seperated from, the supereminent Air: which cause, in fine, who so shall rightly, and, as we say, with both his Eyes, consider this business, will find that it is reduced to, yea, that it really is the same with, the true, Naturall and primary cause of Natation or Submersion; to wit, the excess or deficiency of the Gravity of the water, in relation to the Gravity of that Solid Magnitude, that is demitted into the water. For like as a Plate of Lead, as thick as the back of a Knife, which being put into the water by it self alone goes to the bottom, if upon it you fasten a piece of Cork four fingers thick, doth continue afloat, for that now the Solid that is demitted in the water, is not, as before, more grave than the water, but less, so the Board of Ebony, of its own nature more grave than water; and, therefore, descending to the bottom, when it is demitted by it self alone into the water, if it shall be put upon the water, conjoyned with an Expanded vail of Air, that together with the Ebony doth descend, and that it be such, as that it doth make with it a compound less grave than so much water in Mass, as equalleth the Mass already submerged and depressed beneath the Levell of the waters Surface, it shall not descend any farther, but shall rest, for no other than the universall and most common cause, which is that Solid Magnitudes, less grave in specie than the water, go not to the bottom.

So that if one should take a Plate of Lead, as for Example, a finger thick, and an handfull broad every way, and should attempt to make it swimme, with putting it lightly on the water, he would lose his Labour, because that if it should be depressed an Hairs breadth be-