other bodies, imitate, even almost by shaking them together. And thus for
instance may we find that the _Globular_ bullets will of themselves, if put
on an inclining plain, so that they may run together, naturally run into a
_triangular_ order, composing all the variety of figures that can be
imagin'd to be made out of _æquilateral triangles_; and such will you find,
upon trial, all the Surfaces of _Alum_ to be compos'd of: For three bullets
lying on a plain, as close to one another as they can compose an
_æquilatero-triangular_ form, as in A in the 7. _Scheme_. If a fourth be
joyn'd to them on either side as closely as it can, they four compose the
most regular Rhombus consisting of two _æquilateral triangles_, as B. If a
fifth be joyn'd to them on either side in as close a position as it can,
which is the propriety of the _Texture_, it makes a _Trapezium_, or
four-sided Figure, two of whole angles are 120. and two 60. degrees, as C.
If a sixth be added, as before, either it makes an _æquilateral triangle_,
as D, or a Rhomboeid, as E, or an _Hex-angular Figure_, as F, which is
compos'd of two _primary Rhombes_. If a seventh be added, it makes either
an _æquilatero-hexagonal_ Figure, as G, or some kind of six-sided _Figure_,
as H, or I. And though there be never so many placed together, they may be
rang'd into some of these lately mentioned Figures, all the angles of which
will be either _60_. degrees, or 120. as the figure K. which is an
_æquiangular hexagonal_ Figure is compounded of 12. _Globules_, or may be
of 25, or 27, or 36, or 42, &c. and by these kinds of texture, or position
of globular bodies, may you find out all the variety of regular shapes,
into which the smooth surfaces of _Alum_ are form'd, as upon examination
any one may easily find; nor does it hold only in superficies, but in
solidity also, for it's obvious that a fourth _Globule_ laid upon the third
in this texture, composes a regular _Tetrahedron_, which is a very usual
Figure of the _Crystals_ of _Alum_. And (to hasten) there is no one Figure
into which _Alum_ is observ'd to be crystallized, but may by this texture
of _Globules_ be imitated, and by no other.