In the 18th century, some investigators did attempt a quantitative treatment of capillary action. See, for example, Alexis Claude Clairaut (1713–1765) Theorie de la Figure de la Terre tirée des Principes de l'Hydrostatique [Theory of the figure of the Earth based on principles of hydrostatics] (Paris, France: David fils, 1743), Chapitre X. De l'élevation ou de l'abaissement des Liqueurs dans les Tuyaux capillaires (Chapter 10. On the elevation or depression of liquids in capillary tubes), pages 105–128.Archived 2016-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
In his book of 1759, Giovani Batista Clemente Nelli (1725–1793) stated (p. 87) that he had "un libro di problem vari geometrici ec. e di speculazioni, ed esperienze fisiche ec." (a book of various geometric problems and of speculation and physical experiments, etc.) by Aggiunti. On pages 91–92, he quotes from this book: Aggiunti attributed capillary action to "moto occulto" (hidden/secret motion). He proposed that mosquitoes, butterflies, and bees feed via capillary action, and that sap ascends in plants via capillary action. See: Giovambatista Clemente Nelli, Saggio di Storia Letteraria Fiorentina del Secolo XVII ... [Essay on Florence's literary history in the 17th century, ... ] (Lucca, (Italy): Vincenzo Giuntini, 1759), pp. 91–92.Archived 2014-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
Isaac Vossius, De Nili et Aliorum Fluminum Origine [On the sources of the Nile and other rivers] (Hague (Hagæ Comitis), Netherlands: Adrian Vlacq, 1666), pages 3–7Archived 2017-04-07 at the Wayback Machine (chapter 2).
Pierre Simon marquis de Laplace, Traité de Mécanique Céleste, volume 4, (Paris, France: Courcier, 1805), Supplément au dixième livre du Traité de Mécanique Céleste, pages 1–79Archived 2016-12-24 at the Wayback Machine.
Carl Friedrich Gauss, Principia generalia Theoriae Figurae Fluidorum in statu Aequilibrii [General principles of the theory of fluid shapes in a state of equilibrium] (Göttingen, (Germany): Dieterichs, 1830). Available on-line at: Hathi Trust.
In his book of 1759, Giovani Batista Clemente Nelli (1725–1793) stated (p. 87) that he had "un libro di problem vari geometrici ec. e di speculazioni, ed esperienze fisiche ec." (a book of various geometric problems and of speculation and physical experiments, etc.) by Aggiunti. On pages 91–92, he quotes from this book: Aggiunti attributed capillary action to "moto occulto" (hidden/secret motion). He proposed that mosquitoes, butterflies, and bees feed via capillary action, and that sap ascends in plants via capillary action. See: Giovambatista Clemente Nelli, Saggio di Storia Letteraria Fiorentina del Secolo XVII ... [Essay on Florence's literary history in the 17th century, ... ] (Lucca, (Italy): Vincenzo Giuntini, 1759), pp. 91–92.Archived 2014-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
Isaac Vossius, De Nili et Aliorum Fluminum Origine [On the sources of the Nile and other rivers] (Hague (Hagæ Comitis), Netherlands: Adrian Vlacq, 1666), pages 3–7Archived 2017-04-07 at the Wayback Machine (chapter 2).
In the 18th century, some investigators did attempt a quantitative treatment of capillary action. See, for example, Alexis Claude Clairaut (1713–1765) Theorie de la Figure de la Terre tirée des Principes de l'Hydrostatique [Theory of the figure of the Earth based on principles of hydrostatics] (Paris, France: David fils, 1743), Chapitre X. De l'élevation ou de l'abaissement des Liqueurs dans les Tuyaux capillaires (Chapter 10. On the elevation or depression of liquids in capillary tubes), pages 105–128.Archived 2016-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
Pierre Simon marquis de Laplace, Traité de Mécanique Céleste, volume 4, (Paris, France: Courcier, 1805), Supplément au dixième livre du Traité de Mécanique Céleste, pages 1–79Archived 2016-12-24 at the Wayback Machine.
