Micrographia - Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquiries Thereupon by Robert Hooke
page 141 of 465 (30%)
page 141 of 465 (30%)
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which are the particles which he supposes to constitute the _Pellucid
medium_, But somewhat else, perhaps what we have lately supposed, and shall by and by further prosecute and explain. But, First I shall crave leave to propound some other difficulties of his, notwithstanding exceedingly ingenious _Hypothesis_, which I plainly confess to me seem such; and those are, First, if that light be (as is affirmed, _Diopt._ cap. 1. §. 8.) not so properly a motion, as an action or propension to motion, I cannot conceive how the eye can come to be sensible of the _verticity_ of a _Globule_, which is generated in a drop of Rain, perhaps a mile off from it. For that _Globule_ is not carry'd to the eye according to his formerly recited Principle; and if not so, I cannot conceive how it can communicate its _rotation_, or circular motion to the line of the _Globules_ between the drop and the eye. It cannot be by means of every ones turning the next before him; for if so, then onely all the _Globules_ that are in the odd places must be turned the same way with the first, namely, the 3. 5. 7. 9. 11, &c. but all the _Globules_ interposited between them in the even places; namely, the 2. 4. 6. 8. 10. &c. must be the quite contrary, whence, according to the _Cartesian Hypothesis_, there must be no distinct colour generated, but a confusion. Next, since the _Cartesian Globuli_ are suppos'd (_Principiorum Philosoph._ Part. 3. §. 86.) to be each of them continually in motion about their centers, I cannot conceive how the eye is able to distinguish this new generated motion from their former inherent one, if I may so call that other wherewith they are mov'd or _turbinated_, from some other cause than refraction. And thirdly, I cannot conceive how these motions should not happen sometimes to oppose each other, and then, in stead of a _rotation_, there would be nothing but a direct motion generated, and consequently no colour. And fourthly, I cannot conceive, how |
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