flat, it follows, that
the pressure upon the middle must be greater then towards the sides. Hence
the Ball having a stronger pressure against that side of it which respects
the middle of the _superficies_, then against that which respects the
_approximate_ side, must necessarily move towards that part, from whence it
finds least resistance, and so be _accelerated_, as the resistance
decrease. Hence the more the water is raised under that part of its way it
is passing above the middle, the faster it is moved: And therefore you will
find it to move faster in E then in D, and in D then in C. Neither could I
find the floating substance to be moved at all, until it were placed upon
some part of the _Superficies_ that was sensibly elevated above the height
of the middle part. Now that this may be the true cause, you may try with a
blown Bladder, and an exactly round Ball upon a very smooth side of some
pliable body, as _Horn_ or _Quicksilver._ For if the Ball be placed under a
part of the Bladder which is upon one side of the middle of its pressure,
and you press strongly against the Bladder, you shall find the Ball moved
from the middle towards the sides.

Having therefore shewn the reason of the motion of any float towards the
sides, the reason of the incursion of any two floating bodies will easily
appear: For the rising of the water against the sides of either of them, is
an Argument sufficient, to shew the pressure of the Air to be there less,
then it is further from it, where it is not so much elevated; and therefore
the reason of the motion of the other toward it, will be the same as
towards the side of the Glass, only here from the same reason, they are
mutually moved toward each other, whereas the side of the Glass in the
former remains fixt. If also you gently fill the Jar so full with water,
that the water is _protuberant_ above the sides, the same piece of Cork
that before did hasten towards the sides, does now fly from it as fast
towards the middle of the Superficies; the reason of which will be found no
other then this, that the pressure of the Air is stronger against the sides
of the Superficies G and H, then against the middle I; for since, as I
shewed before, the Principle of congruity would make the terminating
Surface Spherical, and that the flatting of the Surface in the middle is
from the abatement of the waters pressure outwards, by the contrary
indeavour of its gravity; it follows that the pressure in the