of _Pigments_, and of _Colours_, but divers other Parts of the _Corpuscular
Philosophy_; as that explicates Odours, and many other things, not as the
Schools by Aery Qualities, but by Real, though extremely Minute Bodies; to
examine, how much of a Colourless Liquor, a very small Parcel of a Pigment
may Imbue with a _discernable_ Colour. And though there be scarce any thing
of Preciseness to be expected from such Trials, yet I presum'd, that (at
least) I should be able to show a much further Subdivision of the Parts of
Matter into _Visible_ Particles, than I have hitherto found taken notice
of, and than most men would imagine; no Body, that I know of, having yet
attempted to reduce this Matter to any Measure.

The Bodies, the most promising for such a purpose, might seem to be the
Metalls, especially Gold, because of the Multitude, and Minuteness of its
Parts, which might be argu'd from the incomparable Closeness of its
Texture: But though we tried a Solution of Gold made in _Aqua Regia_ first,
and then in fair Water; yet in regard we were to determine the Pigment we
imploy'd, not by _Bulk_ but _Weight_, and because also, that the Yellow
Colour of Gold is but a faint one in Comparison of the deep Colour of
_Cochineel_, we rather chose this to make our Trials with. But among divers
of these it will suffice to set down one, which was carefully made in
Vessels conveniently Shap'd; (and that in the presence of a Witness, and an
Assistant) the Sum whereof I find among my _Adversaria_, Registred in the
following Words. To which I shall only premise, (to lessen the wonder of so
strange a diffusion of the Pigment) That _Cochineel_ will be better
Dissolv'd, and have its Colour far more heightn'd by Spirit of Urine, than
(I say not by common Water, but) by Rectify'd Spirit of Wine it self.

The Note I spoke off is this. [One Grain of _Cochineel_ dissolv'd in a
pretty Quantity of Spirit of Urine, and then dissolv'd further by degrees
in fair Water, imparted a discernable, though but a very faint Colour, to