Surface water flows freer than the water beneath
A pen study of two streams meeting between banks
A pen drawing at the top right shows water running between two angled walls or banks, its surface and depth marked with hatching and the letters a, o and n. The note reasons that the water below obeys its natural course less than the water above: the surface water, bordering the air and weighed down by nothing, follows its natural line c d freely, while the deeper water, pressed and burdened, bends to form an angle at a, so that above at c only a curved line can be traced. A further note observes that all waters somewhat below the surface intersect one another after their percussion.
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Why the surface stream runs freer than the deep
The water below obeys its natural course less than the water above, because the water bordering the air is weighed down by no burden and follows its natural course c d without hindrance, while the water beneath is weighed and pressed and behaves as shown at a b; it forms an angle at a, whereas above at c nothing but a curved line can be composed.
Waters cross beneath the surface after impact
All waters somewhat below the surface intersect one another after their percussion. The crossing currents meet and pass through each other in the depth rather than at the top.