A

PROPOSAL

may

For making WINE.
By Dr. GODDARD.

IT is
Tis recommended to the care of some skilful Planters
in the Barbadoes, to try whether good Wine may not
be made out of the juyce of Sugar-canes. That which
induce them, to believe this work to be possible, is
this Observation,that the Juyce of Wine,when it is dry'd,
does alwayes granulate into Sugar, as appears in Raisins,
or dry'd Grapes: and also that in those vessels wherein
cute,or unfermented Wine is put, the sides are wont to be
cover'd over with a crust of Sugar. Hence it may be ga-
ther'd, that there is so great a likeness of the liquor of
the Cane, to that of the Vine, that it may probably be
brought to serve for the same uses. If this attempt shall
succeed, the advantages of it will be very considerable.
For the English being the chief Masters of the Sugar
Trade, and that falling very much in its price of late
years, while all other outlandish productions are risen in
their value: it would be a great benefit to this King-
dom,as well as to our Western Plantations,if part of our
Sugar, which is now in a manner a meer Drug, might be
turn'dinto Wine, which is a Forein Commodity, and
grows every day dearer: especially seeing this might be
done,by only bruising, and pressing the Canes,which would
be a far less labour and charge, than the way, by which Su-.
gar is now made.

These are some of the most advantageous proposals, they have scatter'd, and incourag'd in all places, where their Interest prevails. In these they have recommended to many distinct, and separate Trials, those designs, which some private men had begun, but could not accomplish, by reason of their charge: or those which they themselves have devis'd, and conceiv'd capable of success: or even those of which men have hitherto seem'd to despair. Of these, someare already brought to a hopeful issue: some are put in use, and thrive by the practice of the publick: and some are discover'd to be feasible, which were only. before thought imaginary, and fantastical. This is one of the greatest powers of the true, and unwearied Experimenter,that he often rescues things, from the jaws of those dreadful Monsters, Improbability, and Impossibility. These indeed are two frightful words to weaker minds,but by Diligent and Wisemen, they are generally found to be only the excuses of Idleness,and Ignorance. For the most part,they lie not in: the things themselves, but in mens false opinions con-cerning them they are rais'd by opinions, but are soon abolish'd by works. Many things, that were at first improbable to the minds of men, are not so to their eyes: many that seem'd unpracticable to their thoughts, are quite otherwise to their hands: many that are too difficult for their naked hands, may be soon perform'd by the same hands, if they are trengthen'd by Instruments, and guided by Method :: many that are unmanageable by a few hands, and a few Instruments, are easie to the joynt force of a multitude: many that fail in one Age, may succeed: by the renew'd indeavors of another. It is not therefore the conceit or fancy of men alone,that is of suffi

cient authority to condemn the most unlikely things for Impossible: unless they have been often attempted in vain,by many Eyes,many Hands, many Instruments, and many Ages.

S

and Art,

they have re

ceiv'd.

This is the assistance, and information, they have § XXXI. given to others, to provoke them to inquire, and to The Relati order,and regulate their Inquisitions. To these I will ons of things add the Relations of the effects of Nature, and Art, of Nature which have been communicated to them. These are infinite in number. And though many of them have not a sufficient confirmation, to raise Theories, or Hiftories on their Infallibility: yet they bring with them a good assurance of likelihood, by the integrity of the Relators; and withall they furnish a judicious Reader, with admirable hints to direct his Observations. For I will once more affirm,that as the minds of men do often mistake falshoods for Truths, though they are never so circumspect: so they are often drawn by uncertain, and sometimes erroneous reports,to stumble on truths, and realities; of this vast heap of Relations, which is every where scatter'd in their Entry Books, I will only take notice of these occasional Accounts.

· Relations of two new kinds of Stars, observ'd in the year sixty six, the one in Andromeda, the other in Cygnus, in the same place, where they appear'd sixty years since,and have ever since disappear'd: of several Observations of Cœlestial Bodies made in Spain:of Obfervations of several of the Planets made at Rome,and in other parts,by extraordinary Glasses:of the comparative goodness of Glasses us'd in other Countries: of several Eclipses observ d in divers parts of the World. Relations of Parelii, and other such appearances

Bb 2

feen

feen in France: of the effects of Thunder and Lightning: of Hurricanes, and Spouts: of the bigness, figure, and effects of Hailstones: of Fif, and Frogs said to be rain'd:of the raining of Dust out of the Air,and of the distance it has been carri'd by great Fires, and Earthquakes of changes of Weather, and a way of predicting them: of the vermination of the Air: of the suppos'd raining of Wheat in Glocestershire, which being sown was found to be nothing but Ivy Berries.

Relations of a Spring in Lancashire, that will prefently catch fire on the approach of a Flame: of Burning-glasses performing extraordinary effects: of Bnrning glasses made with Ice: of Fire-balls for Fuel: of a more convenient way of using Wax-candles: of the kindling of certain Stones, by their being moiften'd with Water: of using ordinary Fuel to the best advantage.

Relations of the times of the rising, and disappearing of Springs: of Artificial Springs of the Natures of several of our English Springs, and of other Oleaginous, and Bituminous Springs: of the fitness, and unfitness of some waters for the making of Beer, or Ale of brewing Beer with Ginger instead of Hops: of Tides and Currents: of Petrifying Springs: of the Water blasts of Tivoly: of Floating Islands of Ice: of the shining of Dew in a Common of Lancashire, and elsewhere: of Divers, and Diving, their habit, their long holding their breath, and of other notable things observ'd by them.

Relations of the Effects of Earthquakes,and the moving, and sinking of Earths: of deep Mines,and deep Wells of the several layers of Earth in a Well at Amsterdam: of the shining Cliffs in Scotland: of the layers of Earth observ'd in divers Clifts: of Screw

Stones,

Stones, Lignum Fofile, Blocks buried in Exeter River, Trees found under ground in Cheshire, Lincolnfire, and elsewhere of a Coal-Mine wrought half a mile from the shore, under the Sea: of the fatal effects of damps on Miners, and the ways of recovering them.

Relations or the extraordinary strength of some small Loadstones, taking up above 150. times their own weight of several English Loadstones of the variation of the Loadstone observ'd in two East-India voyages, and other places of the growing of Pebbles inclos'd in a glass of water: of several excellent English clays: of Gold found in little lumps in a Mine in England: of the moving lands in Norfolk.

Relations about refining Lead, and Tin-Oar: of hardning Steel so as to cut Porphyry with it, and softning it so much, as to make it easie to be wrought on : of impregnating Lead-Oar with Metal, after it has been once freed: of Petrify'd Teeth, and a Petrifid humane fœtus: of several wayes of splitting Rocks: of living Muscles found in the midst of Rocks at Legorn of the way of making Quick-silver: of things observable at the bottom of the Sea: of a soft Metal, which hardens after it has taken off the Impression, and the way of reducing such impressions into as small a proportion as is desir'd.

Relations about Agriculture: of ordering of Vines of the setting and planting of Trees several wayes :: of Elms growing from chips, of new Trees sprung from rotten roots of several kinds of Trees, growing one out of another; and in the place: of others: of the best wayes of pruning: of making a kind of Silk with Virginia Grass: of a kind of Grass making stronger Ropes than the commons Hemp of a new way of ordering Mulberry Trees in Virginia