CHAPTER I.

Contains some opinions of the ancient Philosophers and Physicists regarding the vacuum which they established in the universe.

A decorative drop cap 'A' features floral and scrollwork patterns.
ANNA Römers Anna Roemers Visscher (1584, 1651) was a famous Dutch poet and artist known for her engravings on glass., a most ingenious woman, has this among her other Emblems: a hand pushing an empty glass into water, with the inscription: All things are full of God! original: "Jovis omnia plena!". This notes that all things are filled with air, an invisible substance similar to the divine that is present in every place.

Indeed, the glass appears empty to the eye; yet it is full of air, which shows itself when it is pushed out by the water. This is the foundation of many structures that craftsmen are accustomed to building underwater, often to great admiration.

Truly many men, and those of no small reputation, have tried to demonstrate a certain vacuum or emptiness against the teachings of Aristotle. They used the argument of mercury original: "hydrargyri," literally "water-silver" inserted into a glass tube. Yet these men must admit that their demonstrations are more artificial or mechanical than natural, and in the end they are of little or no use.

To better explain the wonderful effects of air and water, we will first briefly recount the opinions of certain ancients regarding the vacuum.

As stated before, some from the flock of scholars willingly concede the existence of a vacuum, while others absolutely reject it.

Therefore, although it appears arduous and difficult to reconcile such opposing sentiments, we will attempt to do so for the sake of truth.

In the first rank are DEMOCRITUS and LEUCIPPUS, both of whom were Pythagorean philosophers. While the author calls them Pythagoreans, modern history identifies them as the founders of Atomism. These men first supposed that a vacuum is nothing other than an empty space that separates and divides ordered things. They placed this vacuum first among numbers, and then in other things because they asserted all things were ordered according to numbers.

Next, they said the world is a great animal, and outside of it is Vapor, Spirit, or Air extended infinitely, which they called the vacuum or emptiness of the world. They believed this vacuum is drawn into the world by breathing and then expelled again by the respiration of that great animal.

Another, named ANAXAGORAS, established that this vacuum is in the air. He demonstrated that air, though invisible and hidden from sight, is a real thing and not simply nothing. He first showed this with inflated wine-skins original: "utribus," bags made of animal hide used for liquids or air which, when their openings are tied, cannot be easily compressed.

He later illustrated the same thing with the example of a watering Siphon term: "Sipho" (siphon); here referring to a "clepsydra" or a gardener's watering pot that works by atmospheric pressure. This instrument is pointed at the top and made from clay, mud, or other material. Gardeners use it to water flower beds. At the bottom, which is wide and flat, it is pierced with many holes like a sieve. At the top, there is only one opening or hole, as can be seen in the attached Figure 1.

The text refers to Figure 1, which typically depicts a vessel being submerged to show how air prevents water from entering unless an escape hole is opened.

When this vessel is pushed into water, it is easily filled by the liquid entering through the empty spaces, but only if the top hole is open. If the top is closed or plugged, the air that would otherwise exit is held back. Because of its physical substance, the air resists the water trying to enter.