part XIII.

ET I C U RU S.
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well from the effed, as for that amongfl: the little Bodies of a Cloud rifm g up from beneath, are intermingled, not only watery, but fiery al fO, and of other forts. Withal, it cannot be, but that the Cloud muft receive many things from the beams of the Sun. •
W hen therefore the blaft or wind, which d rove the Clouds together, hath intermingled itfelf with the feeds of fire, that are in the bofom, as it were, and cavity ot the Clouds, there is caufed a whirling or vortex within it,which be^ ing carried about very rapidly, groweth hot by motion •, and either by intcnfion of this heat, or the contagion offome ocher fire, breaketh out into perfect Tnunder, and tearing the Cloud is darted forth. Now theCloud is cleft and broken, by reafon that the places round about the whirl¬ ing or vortex are taken up, and Huffed ci)icker with the part of the Cloud ^ neither, by reafon of their being fqueezed up fo clofe together, is there any chinck open, whereby whilft it is fpread with the wind may infinuate itfelf, and retire, by penetrating into it by degrees. Where¬ upon it is neceflary, chat the fire lately made, being dilated by the wind, breaks thorough the Cloud with violence, which makes the noifeof Thunder ^ and coming forth, (hincth and filleth all parts with a glitiing light.
It may alfo be, that the force of the wind may light from without upon the Cloud,at fuch time as the Thunder is mature and perfeft, and rending the Cloud, make way for the fiery vor¬ tex to break thoroogli.
It may alfo be, that the fiery vortex, though not fet on fire when it breaks forth, may be kind¬ led afterwards in its palTage thorough the Air^ after the fame manner as a leaden flugg palTing thorough the Air grows hot, and takes fire. It may alfo be, that the fire is made in the very dafhing againft the thing which it hits, the feeds of fire being ftruck out of both,in the fame man- fler as they are ftruck by a Flint out of Steel.
‘ There are many other ways by which this ‘ fire may be kiifdled, or Thunder made, only ‘ let us caft aw(ay all fidion •, and caft away it ‘ will be, if we take our con jedure of things un-
* feen,from that which is conformable to things
* apparent.
Hence may by given the reafon, Why it comes to pafs, that it Thunders oftner in the Spring and Autumn, than in other feafons. In Winter, there wants the feeds of fire * in Summer, the blafts and heaps of Qouds ^ in the Spring and in Autumu, all things convenient are ready.
But how comes it to pafs, that the motion of Thunder is fo fwife, and its ftroke fo violent ? This proceeds from the great violence of the eruption, and the tenuity by reafon of which, nothing in the way refifts them, and force, which is, as it were, doubled by gravity, and encreaf- eth by motion.
How comes it to penerate thorough the walls of Houres,to melt metals in a moment, to draw out all the Wine out of full velTels ? This pro¬ ceeds from the tenuity, and quick motion, and violent force of the little Bodies,w hereby it caq in a moment diffipate and difperfe thofe things, which the ordin ry fire of the Sun cannot un*
def a lortg time;
CHAP. Xlf,
Of Lightning and Thunder’ claps.
ALthough I hinted by the way how Light¬ ning and how Thunder are generated yet uothing hinders, but that they may be ge¬ nerated many ways befides.
For Lightning may be made either by the ‘rubbing or ftriking of the Clouds againft one ‘ another, fuch a kind of figure ilTuing from them ; or by fuch a difpofure and conformation of Atoms heaped up together, as caufech fire, and generates lightning • after the fame manner as we obferve it to be donis,when Iron and a Stone are hit againft one another.
Or by ihe winds fiirrtng up out of the Clouds thofe Bodies^ or little Bodies, that is. Atoms, which caufe this glittering brightnefs • for that the wind ( and efpecially if it grow hoc like a leaden flugge,) ftrikes off the fame little Bodies,which are ftruck by the mutual attrition of the Clouds.
‘ Or by fqueezing forth 5 there being made a ‘ compreflion either by the Clouds one with a- ‘ nother,or by the winds driving them, which is caufed over and above the force ofcoUifion.
‘ Or by interception of the light which is ‘ diffufed by the Stars, which thereupon is dri- ‘ ven by the motion of the Clouds and winds,
‘ and falleth out of the Clouds.
. ‘ Or by the falling down of fomc moft tenui- ‘ ous light out of the Clouds, whilft the Clouds ‘ are intrinfecally gather’d together by the fire ;
‘ and withal. Thunder is caufed like a kind of ‘ bounce by their motion.
‘ Or by the enkindling of a wind, which is ‘ caufed, as well by a vehement incenfhefs, as ‘ convolution of motion.
‘ Or by a breaking of the Clouds by the winds,
‘ and falling down of fiery Atoms, which caufe ‘ lightning to ftiine.
That lightning may be generated many o'- ther ways, he will eafily perceive, who adheres to things *■ apparent, and is able to underftand(
‘ what fuieswith them.
Thunder-claps may be made thus, ‘ Either by ‘ the rolling of a wind within the cavities ©fthe ‘ Clouds, as in ordinary veft'els, whenfumching ‘ is rolled in them.
‘Or making a crack by the very difflation and ‘ ebullition, as it were, of the fire, within the ‘ fame Clouds. '
Or by the breaking and tearing of the fam6 Clouds, as when a (wollen bladder cracks, paper is torn, or a Ihrowd rent. •
‘ Or by the fame Clouds,robbidg and driving ‘againft one another,having acquired an icy kind ^ of concretion, *and this by reafon of the winds * ‘ driving them ; as tall Woods crackle at the blowing of the Eaft-wind, waves unbroken murmur, garments hung lip, and papers carried away and beaten, as it were,by the winds, make a clattering noife.
Or by extin^on of the fire of Thunder, break¬ ing out of one Cloud, and lighting upon ano¬ ther which is waterifh, whereupon it hifles like red-hot Iron, taken out of the fire, and caft in¬ to the .water.
Or
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