Miscellanea Curiosa.

of the extreme Ductility of that Metal, which is seen in the beating of it into Leaf, and above all in the drawing fine Gilt-wire, by means whereof, I believed I might most exactly obtain the true thickness of the Coat of Gold, that appears, even with the Microscope, so well to represent Gold it self, that not the least point of Silver appears through it. In order to this, I inform'd my self among the Wire-drawers, what Gold they us'd to their Silver; and they told me, That the very best double Gilt Wire was made out of Cylindrick Ingots, 4 Inches in Circumference, and 28 Inches long, which weigh 16 Pounds Troy; on these they bestow 4 Ounces of Gold, that is, to every 48 Ounces of Silver one of Gold; and that two Yards of the super-fine Wire weighs a Grain. Hence at first sight it appear'd, that the length of 98 Yards is in weight 49 Grains, and that a single Grain of Gold covers the said 98 Yards, and that the 10000th part of a Grain is above ⅓ of an Inch long; which yet may be actually divided into 10, and so the 100000th part of a Grain of Gold be visible without a Microscope. But being desirous to compute the thickness of the Skin of Gold, by means of the specifick Gravities of the Metals, viz. Silver 10⅓, and Gold 18⅔, I found the Diameter of such Wire the ¹⁄₃₈₆ part of an Inch, and its Circumference the ¹⁄₁₂₃ part; but the Gold in thickness not to exceed the ¹⁄₁₃₄₅₀₀ part of an Inch; whence it may be concluded, that the Cube of the hundredth part of an Inch would contain above 2433000000, (or the Cube of 1345) of such Atoms. And it may likewise be marvelled at, that Gold being stretcht to so great a degree, as is here demonstrated, should yet shew it self of so even and united a Texture, as not to let the white Colour of the Silver under