Scholium.
Theſe attractions bear a great reſſemblance to the
reflexions and refractions of light, made in a given
ratio of the ſecants, as was diſcovered by Smelluis;
and conſequently in a given ratio of the ſines, as
was exhibited by Des Cartes. For it is now certain
from the phænomena of Jupiter' Satellits confirmed
by the obſervations of different Aſtronomers,
that light is propagated in ſucceſſion, and requires
about ſeven or eight minutes to travel from the
Sun to the Earth. Moreover the rays of light
that are in our air (as lately was diſcovered by
Grimaldus, by the admiſſion of light into a dark
room through a ſmall hole, which I have alſo
tried) in their paſſage near the angles of bodies
whether tranſparent or opake (ſuch as the circular
and rectangular edges of gold, ſilver and braſs coins,
or of knives or broken pieces of ſtone or glaſs)
are bent or inflected round thoſe bodies as if they
were attracted to them; and thoſe rays which in
their paſſage come neareſt to the bodies are the
moſt inflected, as if they were moſt attracted;
which thing I my ſelf have alſo carefully obſerved.
And thole which paſs at greater diſtances are leſs
inflected; and thoſe at ſtill greater diſtances are a
little inflected the contrary way and form three
fringes of colours. In Pl. 25. Fig. 6. repreſents the edge of a knife or any kind of wedge Asb, gowog, fnunf, emtme, dlsld, are rays rays inflected towards the knife in the arcs owo, nun, mtm, lal; which inflection is greater or leſs according to their diſtance from the knife. Now ſince this inflection of the rays is performed in the air without the knife, it follows that the
