137
he further added that he had a catalogue of such experiments
which he though he should haue occa
sion shortly to make in
order to the Elucidating of a theory w
ch. he Di
signed
shortlyto make publique hereafter. -
The vice President further inquired whether the Dryne
sse
or moy
sture of the air did not cau
se an alteration
of the Grauitating Power vpon the earth.
To w
ch. m
r. Hooke affirmed that the Dryne
sse or moy
sture
of the air contributed not at all to the Grauity
or Leuity thereof but only the Greater or Le
sser quan
tity of the Vapours held suspended by the aether in that
forme, and that whether it were in perfect air or
conden
sd into small globules of water w
ch. yet remained su
spended it was the same thing prouided they remained -
su
spended.
And theHe further added an explication of what he
vnderstood /meant/
by air said to be lighter & heauier in specie. to wit
that that air w
ch. had a greater quantity of Exhalation
in the same extention was the air that was heauier
inspecie, and that w
ch. had a le
sse quantity a lighter
inspecie. And that the conden
sation or rarefaction of
the air added not at all nor took from its grauity
prouided the same quantity of Exhalations in the
whole cylinder.
The vice presid: Inquired further whether the air could
be made heauier
in specie by any other cau
se than cold
to w
ch. m
r Hooke answered that not only forcible con=
den
sation but severall fumes ^ /smokes/ and vapours w
ch. may be
raysd up into the air may produce that effect but that
It was very difficult to make it sensible by the Barometer
Ref: CELL/RS/HF_139 © Centre for Editing Lives and Letters