Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664) by Robert Boyle
page 53 of 285 (18%)
page 53 of 285 (18%)
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some of them of a Blew, and some of them of a Yellow colour, which
Corpuscles we had beforehand caus'd to be exquisitly mix'd to compound the Green. 11. And, _Pyrophilus_, that you may not think me altogether extravagant in what I have said of the Possibility, (for I speak of no more) of discerning the differing forms of Asperity in the Surfaces of Bodies of several Colours, I'l here set down a Memorable particular that chanc'd to come to my Knowledge, since I writ a good part of this _Essay_; and it is this. Meeting casually the other Day with the deservedly Famous[4] Dr. _J. Finch_, Extraordinary _Anatomist_ to that Great Patron of the _Virtuosi_, the now Great Duke of _Toscany_, and enquiring of this Ingenious Person, what might be the chief Rarity he had seen in his late return out of _Italy_ into _England_, he told me, it was a Man at _Maestricht_ in the Low-Countrys, who at certain times can discern and _distinguish Colours by the Touch_ with his Fingers. You'l easily Conclude, that this is farr more strange, than what I propos'd but as _not Impossible_; since the Sense of the _Retina_ seeming to be much more Tender and quick than that of those Grosser Filaments, Nerves or Membranes of our Fingers, wherewith we use to handle Gross and Hard Bodies, it seems scarce credible, that any Accustomance, or Diet, or peculiarity of Constitution, should enable a Man to distinguish with such Gross and Unsuitable Organs, such Nice and Subtile Differences as those of the forms of Asperity, that belong to differing Colours, to receive whose Languid and Delicate Impressions by the Intervention of Light, Nature seems to have appointed and contexed into the _Retina_ the tender and delicate Pith of the Optick Nerve. Wherefore I confess, I propos'd divers Scruples, and particularly whether the Doctor had taken care to bind a Napkin or Hankerchief over his Eyes so carefully, as to be sure he could make no use of his Sight, though he had but Counterfeited the want of it, to which I added divers other Questions, to |
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