Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664) by Robert Boyle

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Chap. 4. _The controversie stated about Real and Emphatical Colours_ (75,
76.) _That the great Disparity between them seems to be, partly their
Duration in the same state, and partly, that Genuine Colours are produc'd
in Opacous Bodies by Reflection, and Emphatical in Transparent by
Refraction_ (78.) _but that this is not to be taken in too large a Sense,
the Cautionary instance of Froth is alleged and insisted on_ (78, 79.)
_That the Duration is not a sufficient Characteristick, exemplify'd by the
duration of Froth, and other Emphatical Colours, and the suddain fading of
Flowers, and other Bodies of Real ones_ (80.) _That the position of the Eye
is not necessary to the discerning Emphatical Colours, shew'd by the seeing
white Froth, or an Iris cast on the Wall by a Prism, in what place of the
Room soever the Eye be_ (81.) _which proceeds from the specular Reflection
of the Wall_ (82.) _that Emphatical Colours may be Compounded, and that the
present Discourse is not much concern'd, whether there be, or be not made a
distinction between Real and Emphatical Colours_. (83.)

Chap. 5. _Six Hypotheses about Colour recited_ (84, 85) _Why the Author
cannot more fully Speak of any of these_ (86.) _nor Acquiesce in them_ (87,
88.) _What_ Pyrophilus _is to expect in this Treatise_ (88, 89.) _What
Hypothesis of Light and Colour the Author most inclines too_ (90.) _Why he
thinks neither that nor any other sufficient; and what his Difficulties
are, that make him decline all Hypotheses, and to think it very difficult
to stick to any._ (91, 92.)

* * * * *

Part the Second.

_Of the Nature of Whiteness and Blackness,_

CHAP. I.

_The reason why the Author chose the Explication of Whiteness and
Blackness_ (93.) _Wherein_ Democritus _thought amiss of these_ (94.)
Gassendus _his Opinion about them_ (95.) _What the Author approves, and a
more full Explication of White, makinig it a Multiplicity of Light or
Reflections_ (96, 97.) _Confirm'd first by the Whiteness of the_ Meridian
_Sun, observ'd in Water_ (98.) _and of a piece of Iron glowing Hot_ (99.)
_Secondly, by the Offensiveness of Snow to the Travellers eyes, confirm'd
by an example of a Person that has Travell'd much in Russia_ (100.) _and by
an Observation out of_ Olaus Magnus (100.) _and that the Snow does
inlighten and clear the Air in the Night, confirm'd by the Mosco Physician,
and Captain_ James (101.) _But that Snow has no inherent Light, prov'd by
Experience_ (102.) _Thirdly, by the great store of Reflections, from white
Bodies observ'd in a darkned Room, and by their unaptness to be Kindled by
a Burning-glass_ (103.) _Fourthly, the Specularness of White Bodies is
confirm'd by the Reflections in a dark Room from other Bodies_ (104.) _and
by the appearance of a River, which both to the Eye and in a darkned Room
appear'd White_ (105, 106.) _Fifthly, by the Whiteness of distill'd_
Mercury, _and that of the_ Galaxie (107, 108.) _and by the Whiteness of
Froth, rais'd from whites of Eggs beaten; that this Whiteness comes not
from the Air, shew'd by Experiments_ (109, 110.) _where occasionally the
Whiteness of Distill'd Oyls, Hot water, &c. are shew'd_ (111.) _That it
seems not necessary the Reflecting Surfaces should be Sphaerical, confirm'd
by Experiments_ (112, 113.) _Sixthly, by the Whiteness of the Powders of
transparent Bodies_ (114.) _Seventhly, by the Experiment of Whitening and
Burnishing Silver._ (115, 116.)

Chap. 2. _A Recital of some Opinions about Blackness, and which the Author
inclines to_ (117.) _which he further insists on and explicates_ (118,
119.) _and shews for what reasons he imbrac'd that Hypothesis_ (120.)
_First, from the contrary Nature of Whiteness and Blackness, White
reflecting most Beams outwards, Black should reflect most inward_ (120.)
_Next, from the Black appearance of all Bodies, when Shadow'd; And the
manner how this paucity of Reflection outwards is caus'd, is further
explicated, by shewing that the Superficial parts may be Conical and
Pyramical_ (121.) _This and other Considerations formerly deliver'd,
Illustrated by Experiments with black and white Marble_ (122, 123.)
_Thirdly, from the Black appearance of Holes in white Linnen, and from the
appearance of Velvet stroak'd several ways, and from an Observation of
Carrots_ (124, 125.) _Fourthly, from the small Reflection from Black in a
darkned Room_ (125, 126.) _Fifthly, from the Experiment of a Checker'd Tile
expos'd to the Sun-beams_ (127.) _which is to be preferr'd before a Similar
Experiment try'd in_ Italy, _with black and white Marble_ (128.) _Some
other congruous Observations_ (129.) _Sixthly, from the Roasting black'd
Eggs in the Sun_ (130.) _Seventhly, by the Observation of the Blind man
lately mention'd, and of another mention'd by_ Bartholine (130.) _That
notwithstanding all these Reasons, the Author is not absolutely Positive,
but remains yet a Seeker after the true Nature of Whiteness and Blackness._
(131, 132.)

Experiments _in Consort, touching_ Whiteness _and_ Blackness.

_The first_ Experiment, _with a Solution of Sublimate, made White with
Spirit of Urine_, &c. (133, 134.)

_The second_ Experiment, _with an Infusion of Galls, made Black with
Vitriol_, &c. (135, 136.) _further Discours'd of_ (137.)

_The third_ Experiment, _of the Blacking of Hartshorn, and Ivory, and
Tartar, and by a further Calcination making them White_ (138, 139.)

_The fourth_ Experiment, _limiting the_ Chymist's _principle_, Adusta nigra
sed perusta alba, _by several Instances of Calcin'd Alabaster, Lead,
Antimony, Vitriol, and by the Testimony of_ Bellonius, _about the white
Charcoles of_ Oxy-caedar, _and by that of_ Camphire. (140, 141, 142.) _That
which follows about Inks was misplac'd by an Errour of the Printer, for it
belongs to what has been formerly said of Galls_ (142, 143.)

_The fifth_ Experiment, _of the black Smoak of Camphire_ (144.)

_The sixth_ Experiment, _of a black_ Caput Mortuum, _of Oyl of Vitriol,
with Oyl of Worm-word, and also with Oyl of Winter-Savory_ (145.)

_The seventh_ Experiment, _of whitening Wax_ (146.)

_The eighth_ Experiment, _with Tin-glass, and Sublimate_ (147, 148.)

_The ninth_ Experiment, _of a Black powder of Gold in the bottom of_
Aqua-fortis, _and of the Blacking of Refin'd Gold and Silver_ (148, 149.)

_The tenth_ Experiment, _of the staining Hair, Skin, Ivory_, &c. _Black,
with Crystals of Silver_ (150, 151.)

_The eleventh_ Experiment, _about the Blackness of the Skin, and Hair of_
Negroes, _and Inhabitants of Hot Climates. Several Objections are made, and
the whole Matter more fully discours'd and stated from several notable
Histories and Observations_ (from the 151 to the 167.)

_The twelfth_ Experiment, _of the white Powders, afforded by Precipitating
several Bodies, as Crabs Eyes, Minium, Coral, Silver, Lead, Tin,
Quick-silver, Tin-glass, Antimony, Benzoin, and Resinous Gumms out of
Spirit of Wine_, &c. _but this is not Universal, since other Bodies, as
Gold, Antimony, Quick-silver_, &c. _may be Precipitated of other Colours_
(168, 169, 170.)

_The thirteenth_ Experiment, _of Changing the Blackness of some Bodies into
other Colours_ (171, 172.) _and of Whitening what would be Minium, and
Copper, with Tin, and of Copper with Arsnick, which with Coppilling again
Vanishes; of covering the Colour of that of_ 1/3 _of Gold with_ 2/3 _of
Silver melted in a Mass together_ (173, 174)

_The fourteenth_ Experiment, _of turning the black Body of Horn into a
White immediately with Scraping, without changing the Substantial form, or
without the Intervention of Salt, Sulphur, or Mercury_ (176.)

_The fifteenth_ Experiment, _contains several Instances against the Opinion
of the_ Chymists _that Sulphur_ Adust _is the cause of Blackness, and the
whole Matter is fully discuss'd and stated_ (from 176 to 184)

Part the Third.

_Concerning Promiscuous Experiments about Colours_.

Experiment the First.

_IN confirmation of a former Conjecture about the Generation of Colours
from diversity of Reflections are set down several Observations made in a
Darkned room_ (186, 187.)

Experiment _the second, That white Linnen seem'd Ting'd with the Red of
Silk plac'd near it in a light Room_ (188,189.)

Experiment _the third, Of the Trajection of Light through Colour'd Papers_
(189, 190.)

Experiment _the fourth, Observations of a Prism in a dark Room_ (191, 192.)

Experiment _the fifth, Of the Refracting and Reflecting Prismatical Colours
in a light Room_ (193.)

Experiment _the sixth, On the Vanishing of the_ Iris _of the Prism, upon
the access of a greater adventitious Light_ (194.)

Experiment _the seventh, Of the appearances of the same Colour'd Papers by
Candle-light_ (195, 196).

Experiment _the eighth, Of the Yellowness of the Flame of a Candle_ (197).

Experiment _the ninth, Of the Greenish Blew transparency of Leaf Gold_
(198).

Experiment _the tenth, Of the curious Tinctures afforded by_ Lignum
Nephriticum (from 199 to 203). _Several trials for the Investigation of the
Nature of it_ (from 204 to 206.) Kircher's _relation of this Wood set down,
and examin'd_ (from 206 to 212). _A Corollary on this tenth_ Experiment,
_shewing how it may be applicable for the Discovering, whether any Salt be
of an Acid, or a Sulphureous, and Alcalizate Nature_ (from 213 to 216).

_The eleventh_ Experiment, _Of certain pieces of Glass that afforded this
Variety of Colours; And of the way of so Tinging any Plate of Glass with
Silver_ (from 216 to 219).

_The twelfth_ Experiment, _Of the Mixing and Tempering of Painters
Pigments_ (219, 220, 221).

_The thirteenth_ Experiment, _Of compounding several Colours by Trajecting
the Sun-beams through Ting'd Glasses_ (from 221 to 224).

_The fourteenth_ Experiment, _Of the Compounding of Real and Phantastical
Colours, and the Results_ (224, 225, 226.) _as also the same of
Phantastical Colours_ (226, 227.)

_The fifteenth_ Experiment, _Of Varying the Trajected_ Iris _by a Colour'd
Prism_ (228, 229.)

_The sixteenth_ Experiment, _Of the Red fumes of Spirit of_ Nitre, _and,
the resembling Redness of the Horizontal Sun-beams_ (230, 231.)

_The seventeenth_ Experiment, _Of making a Green by nine Kinds of
Compositions_ (from 231 to 236.) _And some Deductions from them against the
necessity of recurring to Substantial forms and Hypostatical principles for
the production of Colours_ (from 237 to 240.)

_The eighteenth_ Experiment, _Of several Compositions of Blew and Yellow
which produce not a Green, and of the production of a Green by other
Colours_ (241, 242.)

_The nineteenth_ Experiment, _contains several instances of producing
Colours, without the alteration of any Hypostatical principle, by the
Prism, Bubbles, and Feathers_ ( from 242 to 245.)

_The twentieth_ Experiment _Of turning the Blew of Violets into a Red by
Acid Salts, and to a Green by Alcalizate (245, 246.) and the use of it for
Investigating the Nature of Salts_ (247, 248.)

_The one and twentieth_ Experiment, _of the same Changes effected by the
same means on the Blew Tinctures of Corn-flowers_ (249, 250.) _And some
Restrictions to shew it not to be so general a propriety as one might
imagine_ (251.)

_The twenty second_ Experiment, _of turning a Solution of Verdigrease into
a Blew, with Alcalizate and Urinous Salts_ (252, 253, 254.)

_The twenty third_ Experiment, _of taking away the Colour of Roses with the
Steams of Sulphur, and heightning them with the Steams Condens'd into Oyl
of Sulphur_ per Campanam (254, 255.)

_The twenty fourth_ Experiment, _of Tinging a great quantity of Liquor with
a very little Ting'd Substance, Instanced in_ Cochineel (from 255 to 257.)

_The twenty fifth_ Experiment, _of the more general use of Alcalizate and
Sulphureous Salts in the Tinctures of Vegetables, further Instanced in the
Tincture of Privet Berries, and of the Flowers of Mesereon and Pease_ (from
257 to 259.) _An_ Annotation, _shewing that of the three Hypostatical
principles, Salt according to_ Paracelsus _is the most active about
Colours_ (from 259 to 261.) _Some things Precursory premis'd to three
several Instances next following, against the fore-mention'd Operations of
Salts_ (261, 262.)

_The twenty sixth_ Experiment, _containing Trials with Acid and Sulphureous
Salts on the Red Tinctures of Clove-july-flowers, Buckthorn Berries,
Red-Roses, Brasil_, &c. (262, 263.)

_The twenty seventh_ Experiment, _of the changes of the Colour of Jasmin
flowers, and Snow drops, by Alcalizate and Sulphureous Salts_ (263, 264.)

_The twenty eighth_ Experiment, _of other differing Effects on Mary-golds,
Prim-roses, and fresh Madder_ (265.) _with an Admonition, that these Salts
may have differing Effects in the changing of the tinctures of divers other
Vegetables_ (266, 267.)

_The twenty ninth_ Experiment, _of the differing Effects of these Salts on
Ripe and Unripe Juices, instanced in Black-berries, and the Juices of
Roses_ (from 267 to 270.) _Two reasons, why the Author added this twenty
ninth_ Experiment, _the last of which is confirm'd by an Instance of Mr._
Parkinson, _consonant to the Confession of the Makers of such Colours_
(272.)

_The thirtieth_ Experiment, _of several changes in Colours by Digestion,
exemplify'd by an_ Amalgam _of_ Gold _and_ Mercury _and by Spirit of
Harts-horn. And (to such as believe it) by the changes of the_ Elixir.

_The thirty first_ Experiment, _shewing that most Tinctures drawn by
Digestion Incline to a Red, instanc'd in_ Jalap, Guaicum, _Amber, Benzoin,
Sulphur, Antimony_, &c. (276, 277.)

_The thirty second_ Experiment, _That some Reds with Diluting turn Yellow,
others not, exemplify'd by the Tincture of_ Cochineel, _and by Balsam of_
Sulphur, _Tinctures of_ Amber, &c. (277, 278, 279.)

_The thirty third_ Experiment, _of a Red Tincture of_ Saccarum Saturni _and
Oyl of_ Turpentine _made by Digestion_ (279.)

_The thirty fourth_ Experiment, _of drawing a Volatile red Tincture of
Mercury_, _whose Steams were white, but it would Tinge the Skin black_
(279, 280.)

_The thirty fifth_ Experiment, _of a suddain way of making a Blood red
Colour with Oyl of_ Vitriol, _and Oyl of_ Anniseeds, _two transparent
Liquors_ (280, 281.)

_The thirty sixth_ Experiment, _of the Degenerating of several Colours
exemplify'd in the last mention'd Blood red, and by Mr._ Parkinsons
_relation of_ Turnsol, _by some Trials with the Juice of Buck-thorn
Berries, and other Vegetables, to which several notable Considerations and
Advertisements back'd with_ Experiments _are adjoyn'd_ (from 281 to 288.)

_The thirty seventh_ Experiment, _Of Varying the Colour of the Tinctures
of_ Cochineel, _Red-cherries, and Brasil, with Acid and Sulphureous Salts,
and divers Considerations thereon_ (from 288 to 290.)

_The thirty eighth_ Experiment, _About the Red fumes of some, and White of
other distill'd Bodies, and of their Coalition for the most part into a
transparent Liquor_ (290, 291.) _And of the various Colours of dry
Sublimations, exemplify'd with several_ Experiments (292, 293, 294.)

_The thirty ninth_ Experiment, _Of Varying the Decoction of_ Balaustiums
_with Acid and Urinous Salts_ (294, 295.) _Some_ Annotations _wherein two_
Experiments _of_ Gassendus _are Related, Examined, and Improv'd_ (from 295
to 302.)

_The fortieth_ Experiment, _Of the no less Strange than Pleasant changes
made with a Solution of Sublimate_ (from 301 to 306.) _The difference
between a Chymical axd Philosophical Solution of a_ Phaenomenon (307, 308.)
_The Authors Chymical Explication of the_ Phaenomena, _confirm d by several_
Experiments _made on_ Mercury, _with several Saline Liquors_ (from 308 to
310.) _An Improvement of the fortieth_ Experiment, _by a fresh Decoction
of_ Antimony _in a_ Lixivium (311, 312, 313.) _Reflections on the tenth,
twentieth, and fortieth_ Experiments, _compar'd together, shewing a way
with this Tincture of Sublimate to distinguish whether any Saline Body to
be examin'd be of a Urinous or Alcalizate Nature_ (from 314 to 317.) _The
Examination of Spirit of_ Sal-armoniack, _and Spirit of_ Oak _by these
Principles_ (from 316 to 319.) _That the Author knows ways of making highly
Operative Saline bodies, that produce none of the before mention'd effects_
(319, 320.) _Some notable_ Experiments _about Solutions and Precipitations
of Gold and Silver_ (320, 321.)

_The one and fortieth_ Experiment, _Of Depriving a deep Blew Solution of
Copper of its Colour_ (322.) _to which is adjoyn'd the Discolouring or
making Transparent a Solution of Verdigrease, &c. and another of Restoring
or Increasing it_ (322, 323.)

_The forty second_ Experiment, _Of changing a Milk white Precipitate of_
Mercury _into a Yellow, by Affusion of fair Water, with several
Considerations thereon_ (from 323 to 326.)

_The forty third_ Experiment, _Of Extracting a Green Solution with fair
Water out of imperfectly Calcin'd Vitriol_ (327.)

_The forty fourth_ Experiment, _Of the Deepning and Diluting of several
Tinctures, by the Affusions of Liquors, and by Conical Glasses that
contain'd them, Exemplify'd in the Tinctures of_ Cochineel, Brasil,
Verdigrease, Glass, Litmus, _of which last on this occasion several
pleasant_ Phaenomena _are related_ (from 328 to 335.) _To which are adjoyn'd
certain Cautional Corollaries_ (335, 336.) _The Waterdrinker and some of
his Legerdemain tricks related._(337.)

_The forty fifth_ Experiment, _Of the turning Rhenish and White Wine into a
lovely Green, with a preparation of Steel _(338, 339.) _Some further Trial
made about these Tinctures, and a Similar_ Experiment _of_ Olaus Wormius
(340.)

_The forty sixth_ Experiment, _Of the Internal Colour of Metalls exhibited
by Calcination_ (341, 342, 343.) Annotation _the first, That several
degrees of Fire may disclose a differing Colour_ (343.) Annotation _the
second, That the Glasses of Metalls may exhibit also other Kinds of
Colours_ (344.) Annotation _the third, That Minerals by several degrees of
Fire may disclose several Colours_(345).

Experiment _the forty seventh, Of the Internal Colours of Metalls disclos'd
by their Dissolutions in several_ Menstruums (from 345 to 350.)
Annotation _the first, The Authors Apology for Recording some already
known_ Experiments, _without mentioning their Authors_ (from 350 to 352.)
Annotation _the second, That some Minerals also by Dissolutions in_
Menstruums _may exhibit divers Colours_. Annotation _the third, That
Metalls disclose other Colours by Precipitations, instanc'd in_ Mercury
(from 353 to 355.)

_The forty eighth_ Experiment, _Of Tinging Glass Blew with Leaf Silver, and
with Calcin'd Copper, and White with Putty_ (from 355 to 358.) Annotation
_the first, That this white Glass is the Basis of Ammels_ (358.) Annotion
_the second, That Colour'd Glasses may be Compounded like Colour'd Liquors
in Dying Fats_ (359.) Annotation _the third, Of Tinging Glass with Minerel
Substances, and of trying what Metalls they contain by this means_ (from
360 to 362.) Annotation _the fourth, That Metalls may be Ting'd by
Mineralls_ (362, 363.) Annotation _the fifth, Of making several Kinds of
Amauses or Counterfeit Stones_ (from 363 to 365.) Annotation _the sixth, Of
the Scarlet Dye, of the Stains of dissolv'd Gold and Silver_ (366, 367) _Of
the Greenness of Salt Beef, and Redness of Neats Tongues from Salts; of
Gilding Silver with Bathe Water_ (368, 369.) _And Tinging the Nails and
Skin with_ Alcanna (369)

_The forty ninth_ Experiment, _Of making Lakes_ (369.) _A particular
example in Turmerick_ (370, 371.) Annotation _the first, That in
Precipitations wherein Allum is a Coefficient, a great part of them may
consist of the Stony particles of that Compound Body_ (from 372 to 375.)
Annotation _the second, That Lakes may be made of other Substances, as
Madder, Rue,_ &c. _but that Alcalizate Salts do not Always Extract the same
Colour of which the Vegetable appears_ (from 376 to 378.) Annotation _the
third, That the_ Experiments _related may Hint divers others_ (378)
Annotation _the fourth, That Alum is usefull for the preparing other than
Vegetable Pigments_ (379.)

_The fiftieth_ Experiment, _Of the Similar effects of_ Saccarum Saturni
_and_ Alkalies, _of Precipitating with Oyl of_ Vitriol _out of_
Aqua-fortis, _and Spirit of_ Vinegar; _and of divers Varyings of the
Colours, with these Compounded_ (from 380 to 384.) _Another very pretty_
Experiment, _with a Solution of_ Minium (384, 385.) _That these_
Experiments _Skilfully digested may hint divers matters about Colours_
(386.) _The Authors Apologetick conclusion, in which is Cursorily hinted
the Bow or Scarlet Dye_ (387.) _The Authors Letter to Sir_ Robert Moray,
_concerning his Observations on the Shining Diamond_ (391. &c.) _And the
Observations themselves_.

* * * * *

Errata.

Pag. 142. l. 20. These words, _And to manifest_, with the rest of what is
by a mistake further printed in this fourth Experiment, belongeth, and is
to be referred to the end of the second Eperiment, p.137. pag. 145. l. 1.
leg. _matter_. 146. l. 4. leg. _Bolts-head_. pag 161. in the marginal note
l. 2. dele _de_ ib. l. 3. lege lib 1. p 163. l. ult. insert _where_ between
the words _places_ and _the_. p. 164 l. 1. dele _that_. ibid, l. 8. leg
_Epidermis_. ibid. l. 19 leg. 300. for 200. p. 169. l. 22. leg. _into it_.
p. 170. l. 23. & 24. leg. _Some Solutions hereafter to be mentioned_, for
_the Solutions of Potashes_, and other _Lixiviate Salts_. p. 171. l. 6.
insert _part of_ between the words _most_ and _dissolved_ p. 176. l. ult.
insert the participle _it_ between the words _Judged_ and _not_ p. 234. l.
4. leg. _Woud-wax_ or _Wood-wax_. p. 320 l. 29. leg. _urine_ for _urne_.

* * * * *

_THE_
_EXPERIMENTAL HISTORY_
_OF COLOURS BEGUN._

THE FIRST PART.

CHAP. I.

1 I have seen you so passionately addicted, _Pyrophilus_ to the delightful
Art of Limning and Painting, that I cannot but think my self obliged to
acquaint you with some of those things that have occurred to mee concerning
the changes of Colours. And I may expect that I shall as well serve the
_Virtuosi_ in general, as gratifie you in particular, by furnishing a
person, who, I hope, will both improve my Communications, and communicate
his Improvements, with such Experiments and Observations as may both invite
you to enquire seriously into the Nature of Colours, and assist you in the
Investigation of it. This being the principal scope of the following Tract,
I should do that which might prevent my own design, if I should here
attempt to deliver you an accurate and particular Theory of Colours; for
that were to present you with what I desire to receive from you; and, as
farr as in mee lay, to make that study needless, to which I would engage
you.

2 Wherefore my present work shall be but to divert and recreate, as well as
excite you by the delivery of matters of fact, such as you may for the most
part try with much _ease_, and possibly not without some _delight_: And
lest you should expect any thing of Elaborate or Methodical in what you
will meet with here, I must confess to you before-hand, that the seasons I
was wont to chuse to devise and try Experiments about Colours, were those
daies, wherein having taken Physick, and finding my self as unfit to
speculate, as unwilling to be altogether idle, I chose this diversion, as a
kind of Mean betwixt the one and the other. And I have the less scrupled to
set down the following Experiments, as some of them came to my mind, and as
the Notes wherein I had set down the rest, occurr'd to my hands, that by
declining a Methodical way of delivering them, I might leave you and my
self the greater liberty and convenience to add to them, and transpose them
as shall appear expedient.

3 Yea, that you may not think mee too reserv'd, or look upon an Enquiry
made up of meer Narratives, as somewhat jejune, am content to _premise_ a
few considerations, that now offer themselves to my thoughts, which relate
in a more general way, either to the Nature of Colours, or to the study of
it. And I shall _insert_ an _Essay_, as well Speculative as Historical, of
the Nature of Whiteness and Blackness, that you may have a _Specimen_ of
the History of Colours, I have sometimes had thoughts of; and if you
dislike not the Method I have made use of, I hope, you, and some of the
_Virtuosi_, your friends, may be thereby invited to go thorow with _Red,
Blew, Yellow_, and the rest of the particular Colours, as I have done with
_White_ and _Black_, but with farr more sagacity and success. And if I can
invite Ingenious men to undertake such Tasks, I doubt not but the Curious
will quickly obtain a better Account of Colours, than as yet we have, since
in our Method the Theorical part of the Enquiry being attended, and as it
were interwoven with the Historical, whatever becomes of the disputable
Conjectures, the Philosophy of Colours will be promoted by the indisputable
Experiments.

* * * * *

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