Book XIX, chapters 1–6: Wind-instruments

THE NINETEENTH BOOK OF Natural Magick: Concerning VVind-Instruments.

THE PROEME.

I Have spoken concerning light and heavy, now follow experiments by wind: for these seem to follow the reasons of Mathematicks, and of the Air, and water, and a Philosopher who seeks, to find things profitable, and admirable for mans use, must insist on these things, contemplate and search them out, in no thing doth the Majesty of Nature shine forth more. There are extant the famous Monuments of the most learned Heron of Alexandria, concerning wind Instruments, I will adde some that are new, to give an occasion to search out greater matters.

CHAP. I.

Whether material Statues may speak by any Artificial way.

I Have read that in some Cities there was a Colassus of Brass, placed on a mighty high Pillar, which in violent tempests of wind from the nether parts, received a great blast, that was carried from the mouth to a Trumpet, that it blew strongly, or else sounded some other Instrument, which I believe to have been easie, because I have seen the like. Also, I read in many men of great Authority, that Albertus Magnus made a head that speak: Yet to speak the truth, I give little credit to that man, because all I made trial of from him, I found to be false, but what he took from other men. I will see whether an Image can be made that will speak. Some say that Albertus by Astrological elections of times, did perform this wonderful thing: but I wonder how learned men could be so guld; for they know the Stars have no such forces: Some think he did it by Magick Arts. And this I credit least of all, since there is no man that professeth himself to know those Arts but Impostors and Mountebanks, whilst they cheit ignorant men and simple women; nor do I think that the Godly man would profess ungodly Arts. But I suppose it may be done by wind. We see that the voice or a sound, will be conveighed entire through the Air, and that not in an instant, but by degrees in time. We see that Brass-guns, which by the force of Gun-powder, make a mighty noise, if they be a mile off, yet we see the flame much before we hear the sound: So hand-Guns make a report, that comes at a great distance to us, but some minutes of time are required for it, for that is the nature of sounds; Wherefore sounds go with time, and are entire without interruption, unless they break upon some place. The Eccho proves this, for it strikes whole against a wall, and so rebounds back, and is reflected as a beam of the Sun. Moreover, as I said in this work, words and voices go united together, and are carried very far entire, as they are spoken at first. These therefore being laid down for true grounds; if any man shall make leaden Pipes exceeding long, two or three hundred paces long (as I have tried) and shall speak in them some or many words, they will be carried true through those Pipes, and be heard at the other end, as they came from the speakers mouth: wherefore if that voice goes with time, & hold entire, if any man as the words are spoken shall stop the end of the Pipe, and he that is at the other end shall do the like, the voice may be intercepted in the middle, and be shut up as in a prison; and when the mouth is opened, the voice will come forth, as out of his mouth that spake it: but because such long Pipes cannot be made without trouble, they may be bent up and down like a Trumpet, that a long Pipe may be kept in a small place; and when the mouth is open, the words may be understood. I am now upon trial of it: if before my Book be Printed the business take effect, I will set it down; if not, if God please, I shall write of it elsewhere.

CHAP. II.

Of Instruments Musical made with water.

OLd Water-Instruments were of great esteem, but in our days the use is worn out: Yet we read that Nero took such delight in them, that when his Life and Empire were in danger, amongst the seditions of Souldiers and Commanders, and all was in imminent danger, he would not forsake the care of them, and pleasure he took in them. Vitruvius teacheth us how they were made, but so obscurely and mystically, that what he says is very little understood. I have tryed this by many and sundry ways, by mingling air with water, which placing in the end of a Pipe, or in my mouth, where the breath of the mouth strikes against the air; and though this made a pleasant noise, yet it kept no tune: For whilst the water bubbles, and trembles or warbles like a Nitingale, the voice is changed in divers tunes, one note is sweet and pleasant, two, squele and jar. But this way it will make a warbling sound, and keep the tune. Let there be made a Brass bottom'd Chest for the Organ, wherein the wind must be carried; let it behalf full of water, let the wind be made by bellows, or some such way that must run through a neck under the waters; but the spirit that breaks forth of the middle of the water, is excluded into the empty place: when therefore by touching of the keys, the stops of the mouths of the Pipes are opened, the trembling wind coming into the Pipes, makes very pleasant trembling sounds, which I have tried and found to be true.

CHAP. III.

Of some Experiments by Wind-Instruments.

NOw will I proceed to the like Wind-Instruments, but of divers sorts that arise by reason of the air, and I shall shew how it is dilated, contracted, rarified by fire, condensed by cold. If you will

That a vessel turned downwards shall draw in the water,

do thus: Make a vessel with a very long neck; the longer it is, the greater wonder it will seem to be: Let it be of transparent Glass, that you may see the water running up; fill this with boiling water, and when it is very hot, or setting the bottom of it to the fire, that it may not presently wax cold, the mouth being turned downwards that it may touch the water, it will suck it all in. So such as search out the nature of things say, That by the Sun beams the water is drawn up, from the Concave places of the Earth to the tops of Mountains, whence fountains come forth. And no small Arts arise from hence, for Wind-Instruments, as Heron affirms. Vitruvius speaks the like concerning the original of Winds: but now it is come to be used for houses. For so may be made

A vessel to cast forth wind.

You may make Brass Bowles, or of some other matter: let them be hollow, and round, with a very small hole in the middle, that the water is put in at: if this be use the former experiment: when this is set at the fire it grows hot, and being it hath no other vent, it will blow strongly from thence, but the blast will be moist and thick, and of an ill savour. You may also make

A vessel that shall cast forth water,

There is carried about with us a Glass vessel, made Pyramidal, with a very narrow long mouth, with which it casts water ver[…] fa[…] off. That it may draw water suck out the air with your mouth, as much as you can, and presently thrust the mouth into the water, for it will draw the water into it, do so until a third part of it be filled with water. When you will spou[…] the water afar off, fill the vessel with air, blowing into it as hard as you can; presently take it from your mouth, and incline the mouth of the vessel, that the water may run to the mouth, and stop the air; and the air striving to break forth, will cast the water out a great way, But if you will without attraction of Air, make water fly far with it, heat the bottom of the vessel a little: for the air being rarefied seeks for more place, and striving to break forth, drives the water before it. Thus […]runkard making a little hole in a vessel of wine, because the wine will not run out, the mouth bein[…] stopt, whereby the air might enter, they will blow hard into that hole; then as they leave off, the wine will come forth in as great quantity, as the air blowed in was. Now I will shew

How to make water ascend conveniently.

We can make water rise to the top of a Tower: Let there be a leaden Pipe that may come from the bottom to the top of the Tower, and go down again from the top to the bottom, as a Conduit; let one end stand in the water that we desire should rise, the other end that must be longer and hang down lower, must be fastned into a vessel of wood or earth that it may take no air at all, let it have a hole above the vessel, whereby the vessel may be filled with water, and then be stopt perfectly. Set a vessel on the top of the Tower, as capacious as that beneath, and the leaden pipe now spoke of, must be fastned at one end of the vessel, and go forth at the other end, and must be in the upper part of the vessel, and let the pipe be divided in the middle, within the vessel, and where the pipe enters, and where the pipe goes out, they must be joynted, that they take no air: when therefore we would have the water to ascend, fill the vessel beneath with water, and […]op it close that it take no air, then opening the lower hole of the vessel, the water will run forth; for that part of water that runs out of the vessel, will cause as much to rise up at the other end by the other leaden pipe, and ascend above the Tow[…]r; the water drawn forth is filled up again, we may make out use of it, and the hole being stopt, the lower vessel may be filled again with water, and so doing we shall make the water to escend a ways. We may also

By heat alone make the water rise,

Let there be a vessel above the Tower, either of Brass, Clay, or Wood, Brass is best: let there be a pipe in the middle of it, that may descend down to the water beneath, and be set under it, but fastned that it take no air: let the vessel above be made hot by the Sun, or fire, for the air that is contained in the vessel rarefies and breathes forth; whereupon we shall see the water rise into bubbles: when the Sun is gone, and the vessel grows cold, the air is condensed, and because the air included cannot fill up the vacuity, the water is called in, and ascends thither.

CHAP. IV.

A discription of water Hour-glasses, wherein Wind or Water-Instruments for to shew the Hours are described.

THe Antients had Hour-Dials made by water, and Water-Dials were usual, and famous. Heron of Alexandria writ Books of Water-Dials, but they are lost. I have writ a Book of them, and that this part may not be deficient, I shall shew two that are made by contraries, one by blowing in the air, the other by sucking it out. This shall be the first.

A Water-Dial.

[Figure]

Take a vessel of Glass like a Urinal, it is described by the letters AB: On the top is A, where there is a very small hole, that the point of a needle can scarce enter it; at the bottom neer the mouth, let there be set a staff EF, that in the middle hath a firm Pillar going up to the very top of the vessel, let the Pillar be divided with the Hour-lines. Let there be also a wooden or earthen vessel GH, full of water: Upon the superficies of that water, place the Glass vessel AB, that by its weight will press toward the bottom, but the air included within the vessel, keeps it from going down: then open the little hole A, whereby the air going forth by degrees, the vessel will gradually descend also. Then make by another Dial, the marks on the staff CD, which descending will afterwards shew the Hourmarks. When therefore the vessel goes to the bottom of the wooden vessel, the Dial is done, and it is the last Hour: But when you would have your Dial go again, you must have a crooked empty pipe, OK, the upper mouth K must be stopt with the finger K; so K being stopt with the finger, that the air may not enter, sink it under the water, that it may come within the vessel AB: then put your mouth to K, and blow into it, for that will raise the vessel upward, and it will come to its former place and work again. I shall also describe for my minds sake

Another Water-Dial,

[Figure]

contrary to the former, namely, by sucking in the air. Let there be a Glass vessel, like to a Urinal as I said AB, and being empty set fast on it the vessel CD, that it cannot sink down: then fill it with water, as far as B: Let there be a hole neer the top, E, wherefore sucking the air by the hole E, the water comes into the vessel AB from the vessel CD, and will rise as high as FG: when therefore AB is full of water, stop the hole E, that no air enter, and the water will fall down again: In the top of the vessel AB, let there be another very small hole, that the air may come in by degrees, and so much as there comes in of air, so much water will go forth. On the superficies of the vessel, make Hour-lines that may snew the Hours marked, 1, 2, 3, &c. or if you will let the Still fastned to a Cork swim on the top of the water, and that will shew the Hours marked on the outside of the vessel.

CHAP. V.

A description of Vessels casting forth water by reason of Air.

NOw I will describe some Fountains, or Vessels, that by reason of air cast forth water: and though Heron ingeniously described some, yet will I set down some others that are artifically found out by me and other men. Here is described

A Fountain that casts forth water by compression of the Air,

Let there be a vessel of water-work close every where, AB, make a hole through the middle, and let a little pipe CD go up from the bottom of the water-work vessel D, so far from the bottom that the water may run forth. Upon the superficies of the Tympanum let there be C a very little hole with a cover to it, or let it have as the Greeks call it, Smerismation, to shut and open it handsomely, and in the upper surface of the Tympanum, bore the basis quite through with a little pipe, which enters into the hollow of the Tympanum, and having in the hole beneath a broad piece of leather or brass, that the air coming in may not go back: wherefore pour in water at E, that it may be three fingers above the bottom; then blow in air as vehemently as you can: when it is well pressed in, shut the mouth; then opening the mouth A, the water will fly up aloft, until the air be weak. I at Venice made a Tympanum with pipes of Glass, and when the water was cast forth very far, the Lord Estens much admired it, to see the water fly so high, and no visible thing to force it. I also made another place neer this Fountain, that let in light, and when the air was extenuated, so long as any light lasted the Fountain threw out water, which was a thing of much admiration, and yet but little labor. To confirm this, there is

An Artifice whereby a hand-Gun may shoot a bullet without fire,

For by the air onely pressed is the blast made. Let there be a hand Gun that is made hollow and very smooth, which may be done with a round instrument of lead, and with Emril-powder beaten, rubbing all the parts with it. Then you must have a round Instrument that is exactly plained on all parts, that may perfectly go in at the mouth of the wind Gun, and so fill it that no air may come forth: let it be all smeer'd with oyl, for the oyl by its grossness hinders any air to come forth. So this lead Bullet being put into the Guns mouth, and thrust down with great force and dexterity, then presently take away your hands (but you must first shut the little hole that is in the bottom of the hole) and the bullet and little stick will fall to the bottom, and by the violence of the air pressed together it will cast out the Bullet a great way, and the stick too, which is very strange. Also I will make

A Vessel, wherewith as you drink, the liquor shall be sprinkled about your face.

Make a vessel of Pewter, or Silver, like to a Urinal; then make another vessel in the fashion of a Tunnel, or a round Pyramis: let their mouths be equal, and joyn'd perfectly together, for they must be of the same bredth: let the spire of it be distant from the bottom of the Urinal a fingers breadth, and let it be open: then pour water into the vessel, and fill the Urinal unto the hole of the spire end, and fill the Tunnel to the top, and the rest of the Urinal will be empty, because the air hath no place to get forth: when therefore any man drinks, when the water is drank up as far as the hole of the spire end, by the air pressed within, is the water thrust violently forth, and flies in the face of him that drinks. Also there is a vessel that no man can drink out of it, but he who knows the art. Make an earthen or metal vessel, in form of a Bottle or Flagon, and make it full of holes from the neck to the middle of the belly: From the bottom let a pipe ascend by the handle of the vessel, and the handle being round about it, let it come above the brims of the vessel, empty: under the handle in a place not seen, make a little hole, that any man holding the vessel by the handle, may with his finger stop and unstop this hole when he please: under the brim of the vessel, where you set it to your mouth, let there be another secret hole. Then pour water into the vessel: if now any man put the bottle to his mouth, and raiseth it to drink, the water will run forth at the neck that is open, and at the belly; but he that knows the trick, taking the vessel by the handle, shuts the hole with his thumb, and not moving the vessel, he draws the air with his mouth, for the water follows the air, and so he drinks it all up; but if any man suck, and shut not the hole, the water will not follow.

CHAP. VI.

That we may use the Air in many Arts.

VVE may use Air in many Artifices, I shall set down some, that I may give a hint to others to invent more. And chiefly

How wind may be made in a chamber, that guests may almost freeze,

Make a deep pit, and put in a sufficient quantity of river or running water; let the pit be close stopt, onely let a pipe convey it through the walls, that it may be brought into the chamber. Let the water be let down into the pit by a kind of Tunnel, lest the air should come forth at the place where it goes in: by the water is the air of the pit expelled, and comes by the pipe into the chamber, that not onely those that sleep there, but such as converse there are extream cold, and benummed. I will shew

How Air may serve for Bellows,

I saw this at Rome. Make a little cellar that's close on all sides, pour in by a Tunnel from above, a quantity of water; on the top of the wall let there be a little hole, at which the air may break forth with violence; for it will come so forcibly, that it will kindle a fire, and serve for bellows for Brass and Iron-melting furnaces; the Tunnel being so made, that when need is, it may be turned, and water may be put in.