where I was stranded, and forced to stay there more than a full hour, in expecting the return of the tide: and there waiting in this manner, without being able to get out of the boat, which on a sudden ran a ground,The motion of the water in ebbing and flowing not interrupted by rest. I observed a certain accident, which to me seemed very strange; and it was this, that in the waters ebbing I saw it retreat very fast by several small rivolets, the ouze being in many places discovered, and whilst I stood looking upon this effect, I saw this motion in an instant to cease, and without a minutes interval the same water to begin to return back again, and the tide from ebbing to become young flood, without standing still a moment: an effect that as long as I have dwelt in Venice, I never took notice of before.
Sagr.It is very much, that you should be left thus on ground, amongst small Channels; in which rivolets, as having very little declivity, the rising or falling of the main sea, the thickness onely of a paper is sufficient to make the water to ebbe and flow for good long spaces of time: like as in some creeks of the Sea, its flowing four or six * yards onely, maketh the water to overflow the adjacent Marshes for some hundreds and thousands of ** Pertiche venetiani. acres.
Simpl.This I know very well, but I should have thought, that between the ultimate terme of ebbing, and the first beginnng to flow, there should have interposed some considerable interval of rest.
Sagr.This will appear unto you, if you cast your eye upon the bank or piles, where these mutations are made perpendicularly, but not that there is any real time of cessation.
Simpl.I did think, that because these two motions were contrary, there ought to be in the midst between them some kind of rest; conformable to the Doctrine of Aristotle, which demonstrates that in puncto regressus mediat quies.
Sagr.I very well remember this place: but I bear in minde also, that when I read Philosophy, I was not thorowly satisfied with Aristotles demonstration; but that I had many experiments on the contrary, which I could still rehearse unto you, but I am unwilling to sally out into any other digressions, we being met here to discourse of the proposed mattes, if it be possible, without these excursions wherewith we have interrupted our disputes in those dayes that are past.
Simpl.And yet we may with convenience, if not-interrupt them, at least prolong them very much, for returning yesterday home, I set my self to read the Tractate of Conclusions, where I find Demonstrations against this annual motion ascribed to the Earth, very solid; and because I would not trust my memory with the punctual relation of them, I have brought back the Book along with me.
Sagr.
