Sylva Sylvarum (1631 English edition)

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...passage of water through twenty small vessels, and through such a distance as that between the low-water and high-water marks. Second, there is a great difference between earth and sand. For all earth has in it a kind of nitrous salt original: "Nitrous Salt"; Bacon likely refers to nitrates or salty mineral deposits commonly found in soil., from which sand is more free; and besides, earth does not strain the water as finely as sand does. But there is a third point that I suspect as much as, or more than, the other two: and that is, that in the experiment of the transmission of seawater into pits, the water rises; but in the experiment of the transmission of water through vessels, it falls. Now, it is certain that the saltier part of water (once salted throughout) goes to the bottom. And therefore, it is no marvel if the draining of water by descent does not make it fresh. Besides, I somewhat doubt whether the very splashing of the water that comes from the sea is more effective at striking off the salt part than when the water slides of its own motion.

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It seems that percolation or transmission (which is commonly called straining) is an effective kind of separation—not only of thick from thin and coarse from fine, but of more subtle natures. This varies according to the body through which the transmission is made. For example, if passed through a woolen bag, the liquid leaves behind its fattiness; if through sand, its saltiness; and so on. They speak of separating wine from water by passing it through ivy wood, or through other similar porous bodies; but it is not proven original: "Non Constat"; Latin for "it is not established" or "it does not appear.".

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The gum of trees (which we see to be commonly shining and clear) is merely a fine passage or straining of the juice of the tree through the wood and bark. In the same way, Cornish diamonds Clear quartz crystals found in the rocks of Cornwall. and rock rubies Likely referring to red garnets or similar translucent stones found in rock fissures. (which are even more radiant than gums) are the fine secretions original: "Exudations" of stone.

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Aristotle provides a reason, though in vain original: "vainely"; meaning incorrectly or to no purpose., for why the feathers of birds are of more lively colors than the hair of beasts; for no beast has any fine azure, carnation, or green hair. He says it is because birds are in the beams of the sun more than beasts. But that is manifestly untrue; for cattle are in the sun more than birds, which commonly live in the woods or in some cover. The true cause is that the waste moisture original: "Excrementious Moisture"; in early medicine, this referred to surplus fluids the body excreted to form hair, nails, or feathers. of living creatures—which creates the feathers in birds as well as the hair in beasts—passes in birds through a finer and more delicate strainer than it does in beasts. For feathers pass through quills, and hair through skin.

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The clarifying of liquors by adhesion is an "internal percolation." It is achieved when some sticky original: "Cleauing" body is mixed and stirred with the liquors, whereby the coarser part of the liquor sticks to that sticky body, and so the finer parts are freed from the coarser. Thus, apothecaries Historical term for pharmacists. clarify their syrups using the whites of eggs beaten with the juices they wish to clarify. These whites of eggs gather all the dregs and coarser parts of the juice to themselves; and afterward, when the syrup is set on the fire, the whites of eggs themselves harden, and