bottom I by the refraction of this section; and it appears that this
elevation is greater than that by the refraction of the preceding
section, since the ratio of PD to DS was there as 99,324 to 70,283.
[Illustration]
But by the regular refraction of the crystal, of which we have above
said that the proportion is 5 to 3, the elevation of the point I, or
P, from the bottom, will be 2/5 of the height DP; as appears by this
figure, where the point P being viewed by the rays PCR, P_cr_,
refracted equally at the surface C_c_, this point must needs appear
to be at S, in the perpendicular PD where the lines RC, _rc_, meet
when prolonged: and one knows that the line PC is to CS as 5 to 3,
since they are to one another as the sine of the angle CSP or DSC is
to the sine of the angle SPC. And because the ratio of PD to DS is
deemed the same as that of PC to CS, the two eyes Rr being supposed
very far above the crystal, the elevation PS will thus be 2/5 of PD.
[Illustration]
42. If one takes a straight line AB for the thickness of the crystal,
its point B being at the bottom, and if one divides it at the points
C, D, E, according to the proportions of the elevations found, making
AE 3/5 of AB, AB to AC as 99,324 to 70,283, and AB to AD as 99,324 to
62,163, these points will divide AB as in this figure. And it will be
found that this agrees perfectly with experiment; that is to say by
placing the eyes above in the plane which cuts the crystal according
to the shorter diameter of the rhombus, the regular refraction will
lift up the letters to E; and one will see the bottom, and the letters
over which it is placed, lifted up to D by the irregular refraction.
But by placing the eyes above in the plane which cuts the crystal
according to the longer diameter of the rhombus, the regular
refraction will lift the letters to E as before; but the irregular
refraction will make them, at the same time, appear lifted up only to
C; and in such a way that the interval CE will be quadruple the
interval ED, which one previously saw.
43. I have only to make the remark here that in both the positions of
the eyes the images caused by the irregular refraction do not appear
65