Next, it seem'd nothing more difficult to give an intelligible reason, why
Cork is a body so very unapt to suck and drink in Water, and consequently
preserves it self, floating on the top of Water, though left on it never so
long: and why it is able to stop and hold air in a Bottle, though it be
there very much condens'd and consequently presses very strongly to get a
passage out, without suffering the least bubble to pass through its
substance. For, as to the first, since our _Microscope_ informs us that the
substance of Cork is altogether fill'd with Air, and that that Air is
perfectly enclosed in little Boxes or Cells distinct from one another. It
seems very plain, why neither the Water, nor any other Air can easily
insinuate it self into them, since there is already within them an _intus
existens_, and consequently, why the pieces of Cork become so good floats
for Nets, and stopples for Viols, or other close Vessels.
And thirdly, if we enquire why Cork has such a springiness and swelling
nature when compress'd? and how it comes to suffer so great a compression,
or seeming penetration of dimensions, so as to be made a substance as
heavie again and more, bulk for bulk, as it was before compression, and yet
suffer'd to return, is found to extend it self again into the same space?
Our _Microscope_ will easily inform us, that the whole mass consists of an
infinite company of small Boxes or Bladders of Air, which is a substance of
a springy nature, and that will suffer a considerable condensation (as I
have several times found by divers trials, by which I have most evidently
condens'd it into less then a twentieth part of its usual dimensions neer
the Earth, and that with no other strength then that of my hands without
any kind of forcing Engine, such as Racks, Leavers, Wheels, Pullies, or the
like, but this onely by and by) and besides, it seems very probable that
those very films or sides of the pores, have in them a springing quality,
as almost all other kind of Vegetable substances have, so as to help to
restore themselves to their former position.
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