g
almost like transparent Parchment, Horn, or Ising-glass, and perhaps some
such thing it may be made of, which being transparent, and of a glutinous
nature, and easily mollified by keeping in water, as I found upon trial,
had imbib'd, and did remain ting'd with a great variety of very vivid
colours, and to the naked eye, it look'd very like the substance of the
Silk. And I have often thought, that probably there might be a way found
out, to make an artificial glutinous composition, much resembling, if not
full as good, nay better, then that Excrement, or whatever other substance
it be out of which, the Silk-worm wire-draws his clew. If such a
composition were found, it were certainly an easie matter to find very
quick ways of drawing it out into small wires for use. I need not mention
the use of such an Invention, nor the benefit that is likely to accrue to
the finder, they being sufficiently obvious. This hint therefore, may, I
hope, give some Ingenious inquisitive Person an occasion of making some
trials, which if successfull, I have my aim, and I suppose he will have no
occasion to be displeas'd.

* * * * *

Observ. V. _Of watered Silks, or Stuffs._

There 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 _aenigmas_ 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,