Page:Micrographia - or some physiological descriptions of minute bodies made by magnifying glasses with observations and inquiries thereupon.djvu/56

Rh

Here are but few Artificial things that are worth observing with a Microscope, and therefore I shall speak but briefly concerning them. For the Productions of art are such rude mis-shapen things, that when view'd with a Microscope, is little else observable, but their deformity. The most curious Carvings appearing no better then those rude Russian Images we find mention'd in Purchas, where three notches at the end of a Stick, stood for a face. And the most smooth and burnish'd surfaces appear most rough and unpolisht: So that my first Reason why I shall add but a few observations of them, is, their mis-shapen form; and the next, is their uselessness. For why should we trouble our selves in the examination of that form or shape (which is all we are able to reach with a Microscope) which we know was design'd for no higher a use, then what we were able to view with our naked eye? Why should we endeavour to discover mysteries in that which has no such thing in it? And like Rabbins find out Caballisms, and ænigmâs in the Figure, and placing of Letters, where no such thing lies hid: whereas in natural forms there are some so small, and so curious, and their design'd business so far remov'd beyond the reach of our sight, that the more we magnify the object, the more excellencies and mysteries do appear; And the more we discover the imperfections of our senses; and the Omnipotency and Infinite perfections of the great Creatour. I shall therefore onely add one or two Observations more of artificial things, and then come to the Treaty concerning such matters as are the Productions of a more curious Workman. One of these, shall be that of a piece of water'd Silk, represented in the second Figure of the third Scheme, as it appear'd through the least magnifying Glass. A B signifying the long way of the Stuff, and C D the broad way. This Stuff, if the right side of it be looked upon, appears to the naked eye, all over so waved, undulated, or grain'd, with a curious, though irregular variety of brighter and darker parts, that it adds no small gracefulness to the Gloss of it. It is so known a propriety, that it needs but little explication, but it is observable, which perhaps everyone has not considered, that those parts which appear the darker part of the wave, in one position to the light, in another appears the lighter, and the contrary; and by this means the undulations become transient, and in a continual change, according as the position of the parts in respect of the incident beams of light is varied. The reason of which odd phænomena, to one that has but diligently examin'd it even with his naked eye, will be obvious enough. But he that observes it with a Microscope, may more easily perceive what this Proteus is, and how it comes to change its shape. He may very easily perceive, that it proceeds onely from the variety of the Reflections of light, which is caus'd by the various shape of the Particles, or little protuberant parts of the thread that compose the surface; and that those parts of the waves that Rh