Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana, or, A fabrick of science natural, upon the hypothesis of atoms founded by Epicurus repaired [by] Petrus Gassendus ; augmented [by] Walter Charleton ...

SECT. II.

* 1.1FRom Generation (••s in the Method of Nature, so in our disquisitions concerning Her) we pass to CORRUPTION; which is no more but the Dissolution of the Forme, i. e. the determinate Modification of the matter of a thing, so that it is thereby totally devested of the right of its former Denomenation. For, since it is most certain, that in Generation, there doth arise no such New substantial Forme, as Aristotle dreamt of, and most men have ever since disquieted their heads withal: it can be no less certain, that neither in Corruption can any such Form, as ever was substanti∣al, perish or be annihilated. Which verily that we may most commodi∣ously enforce, resuming our late Instance of the Generation of Fire, Flame Smok, &c. from the combustion of wood, we shall to our praecedent re∣marks there thereupon, superad this observation; that when wood perish∣eth by Fire, and so is resolved into divers other Bodies, it is not resolved in∣to any other, but those very same things, which were really praeexistent and contained therein; and consequently, that nothing thereof perisheth, but only that determinate Connexion and situation of its parts, or that special manner of their existence, (you may call it Forme, Quality, Species, Acci∣dent, or Event) in respect whereof it was wood, and was so denominated. A strange Assertion you'l say, that there is really existent in wood, Fire, that there is Flame, that there is Salt, that there are all those divers things into which it is resoluble by corruption. And yet the Truth much transcends the strangeness of it▪ the difficulty, at which you are startled, consisting only in Name, not in the Thing it self. For, if by Fire you understand burning Coales or Flame actually ardent and lucent; and if by Salt you conceive a Body sapid, really and sensibly corrading the tongue: then, in∣deed, we shall confess that there is no such Fire, nor Flame, no such Salt ex∣isting actually in wood: But, if you b•• the names of Fire, and Salt, under∣stand (as the tenour of our Dissectation, both directeth and obligeth you to understand) the seeds, or small masses, or first Concretions of Fire and Salt, such which ar•• so exile, as that each of them singly accepted is very much beneath the perception and discernment of the most acute of senses; but ye•• when multitu••es of them are sequestred from the whole mass, and are again congregated and freshly complicated together, the seeds o•• Fire by themselves, those of Salt by themselves; then do these actually burn and shine, and those actually make a Sapour, sharply affecting and corrading the tongue: we see no reason, why you should wonder at our tenent, that both Fire and Salt, viz. that very Fire which burns and shines in the wood, that very Salt which may be extracted from the Ashes thereof, were praeexistent in the wood. Certainly, you cannot but admit as highly con∣sentaneous to reason; that in a vapour to what rate soever attenuated, there are contained the seeds of Water, or the first concretions of Aqueous A∣toms; which though singly existent they are wholly imperceptible, yet nevertheless are they really particles of water: for as much as they want only the convention and coalition of many of them together, to the disco∣very

of their nature in sensible masses; for of many of them condensed are made very small drops of water, of those drops assembled together arise greater drops, of those rain is generated from that rain arise whole streams▪ and many of those streams meeting together swell into great and impe••uous torrents. And if this be so easily, why should that be so hardly admit∣tible?

But to desert this Example,* 1.2 and address to another so competent and il∣lustrious, that it takes off all obscurity as well as difficulty from our concep∣tion; it is well known, that silver is capable of such exact perm••stion with Gold, as that though there be but one single ounce of Silver admixt by con∣fusion to 1000 ounces of Gold: yet in the whole mass there shall be no sensible part, wherein somewhat of that small proportion of silver is not contained. Now, you cannot expect that each single molecula, or seed of silver should appear to the sense, so as to distinguish it self, by its proper co∣lour from the small masses of Gold: because each molecula of silver is sur∣rounded with, and immersed among 1000 particles or small masses of Gold. Nor can you believe, that the silver is wholly unsilvered, or Changed into Gold; as Aristotle affirmed, that a drop of Wine, infused into a great quantity of Water, is changed into Water: because the skilful Metallist will soon contradict you in that, by an ocular demonstration. For, by Aqua Fortis poured upon the whole mass, He will so separate the silver from that so excessive proportion of Gold, as that there shall not be left inhaerent therein so much as one the smallest particle thereof; and in the superfice you may plainly discern multitudes of very small holes, (like punctures in wax, made by the point of the smallest needle) in which the moleculae or small masses of the silver were resident, before its sequestration from Gold. Why therefore, according to the same reason, should it not be equally pro∣bable, that the seeds, or particles of Fire are so scatteringly diffused through the substance of wood, as that being surrounded and overwhelmed with my∣riads of particles of other sorrts, they cannot therefore put on the appa∣rence proper to their nature, and discover themselves to be what really they are, until being by the force of the external fire invading and dissolving the compage of the wood, set at liberty, and disengaged from their former op∣pression, they issue forth in swarms, and by their coemergency and consimi∣larity in bulk figure and motion being again congregated, they display them∣selves to the sense in the illustrious Forme of Fire and Flame, and proporti∣onately diminish the quantity of the wood; which thereupon is first redu∣ced to Coals, and a••terward, the separation and avolation of more and more particles successively being continued, to Ashes, which containing no more igneous particles, can maintain the combustion no longer.

The like may be said also of the Salt, diffusedly concealed in Wood.* 1.3 For, insomuch as each single particle of Salt ambuscadoed therein, is blen∣ded among, and as it were immured by myriads of other particles: it is im∣possible they should exhibite themselves in their genuine Forme, while they remain in that state of separation or singular existence; which they must do, till the compage of the whole mass or Concretion be dissolved. And would you be, beyond all pretext of doubt, convinced, that they yet retain their proper nature, amidst such multitudes of other particles; be pleased only to make this easie Experiment. Take two pieces of the same Wood of equal weight, and steep one in water, for two or three days, and keep

the other from all moysture; then by fire reduce each of them apart to Ashes, and by Water a••••used thereunto, and boyled to a lee, extract the Salt from the Ashes of each: this done, you shall find the Ashes of the drie piece to have yeelded a quantity of Salt proportionate to its bulk, but those of the wet one very little, or none at all. And the Reason is only this, that the water in which the one piece was macerated, hath exhausted most part, if not all of the Salt, that was contained therein. Now this Ex∣ample we alledge to praevent your falling upon that vulgar conceit, that the Salt of Ashes is produced only by the Exustion of the Wood: since, ac∣cording to that supposition, the macerated piece of wood would yeeld as much of Salt, as the Drie. This considered, it remains a firm and illustri∣ous truth, that all the particles of the Fire, Salt, Smoke, &c. educible from wood, were really praeexistent therein, though so variously commixt one a∣mong another, as that notwithstanding each of them constantly retained its proper nature entire, y••t could they not discover themselves in their own colours, proprieties, and species, till many of each sort were dis-engaged from the Concretion at once, and assembled together again.

* 1.4Now such are the Advantages of this Theory above that of Aristotle, that besides the full suf••ragation of it to the Common Notions of Genera∣tion and Corruption, of substance, Forme, &c. it assists us in the expositi∣on of Three General Axiomes, which though drawn into rules by Ari∣stotle himself, are partly inconsistent with, partly unintelligible from his doctrine.

The First is, si aliquid corrumpitur ultimum abire in primam Materiam, That when any thing is corrupted, it is at last reduced to the First matter: which doth expresly contradict His grand thesis, that the Forme of a thing is a substance, which begins to be in Generation, and ceaseth to be, or is annihilated in Corrupt••••n; for, had He spoken conformably thereto, He must have said, that when the Compositum is dissolved by Corruption, it is partly reduced to matt••r, partly to Nothing. But, if the Form be not substantial, and that what is Corrupted, is composed of no other substanti∣al parts, but those wh••ch are material; as we have assumed: then, indeed, doth the Axiome hold good, and we may with good reason say, that when any thing is Corrupted, it is reduced to matter, or the material parts, of which it was composed, as wood dissolved by fire, is reduced to Fire, Smoke, Soot, Ashes, &c. of which it did consist. And forasmuch as by that Ad∣verb, Ultimum, Finally, He gives us the occasion of Enquiring, An in Cor∣ruptione detur resolutio adusque materiam Primam? Whether or no in Corruption there be a Resolution even to the First matter? we cannot but observe, that the manner of that ultimate resolution may be much more easily comprehended, according to our assumption, than according to His own. Because Our First matter is Atoms, and the second matter certain small masses of Atom••, or the first Concretions, which we therefore, ob∣serving the phrase of ••picurus and Lucretius, call Semina Rerum, the see••s of Things, such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those whereof Fire, silver, Gold, and the like Con∣cretions are composed▪ and so, if the Resolution proceed to extremity, i. e. to Atoms, or in••••soluble particles (as in some cases it doth) then may it well be said, that the resolution is made to the First Matter; but if it go no farther then those ••••all masses of Atoms (as most commonly it doth not) then can we just•••• say no more, than that the resolution is made only to the second matter.

The Second is, Corruptionem Unius esse Generationem al••erius, that the Corruption of one thing is the Generation of another, which cannot con∣sist with truth, if understood in any other sense but that of our supposition· For, since, Corruption is nothing else but a separation and exsolution of the pa••ts, of which a thing was composed: we may conceive, how those parts so separated and exsolved, may be variously convened and commixt again af∣terward, as to constitute New Concretions, & put on other new Forms. Not that they were not formerly existent, as to all their substantial parts: but only that they were not formerly existent in a state of separation from others, nor coadunated again in the same compage, and after the same man∣ner.

The Third, Id quod semel Corruptum est, non posse idem numero naturae vi∣ribus r••stitu••, that what is once Corrupted, cannot by Natures power be a∣gain restored numerically the same: which is to be understood in this sense. As a Watch, or other Artificial machine, composed of many several parts, may be taken in pieces, an•• easily r••••omposed again into the very same nu∣merical Engine, both as to matter and Forme; the Artificer recollecting the divided parts thereof, and so disposing them, as that each possesseth the s••••e pl••ce and position, as before its dissolution: so likewise might the same N••tural Comp••situm, V. G. a piece of Wood, be, after the separation and e••so••ution of all its component parts, again recomposed numerically the very same, both as to m••tter and Forme, in case all those dissolved parts cou•••• be recollected, reunited, and each of them restored to its former pl••ce and position. But, though all the various parts thereof remain, yet are they so scattered abroad into so many and so various places, and commixt (perchance) with so many several things, that there is no Natural Power th••t can recollect and restore them to the same places and positions, which they held before their disunion and dissolution. And, therefore, if any man shall say, that such or such a thing, dissolved by Corruption, is capable of being restored again the same in specie; we ought t•• understand him no o∣therwi••e than thus: that some of the parts of that thing may so return, as that being conjoyned to others, not numerically the same, but like unto those, to which they were formerly conjoyned, they may make up a body ex••ctly like the former, in specie or of the same Denomination; as when the C••rcase of an Horse is corrupted, some parts thereof are converted in∣to Ea••th, some of that Earth is converted into Grass, some of that Grass e••t••n by another Horse, is again converted into Seed, whereof a third Hor••e is generated. And thus are we to conceive the endless Circulation of Forms.

As for the Principal CAUSES of Corruption,* 1.5 (omitting the conside∣ration of such as are External, or invading from without, in respect they are innumerab••e; and of that Internal one also, the intestine war of Elements in every Concretion, of which Aristo••le hath such large discourses, and the Schools much larger) the theory of Epicuru•• instructs us, that they are on∣ly Two. The Fi••st and G••and one is the Intermistion of Vacuity among the solid particles of bodies▪ in respect whereof all Concretions are so much more easily Exsoluable, or subject to Corruption, by how much more of Vacuity they have intercepted among the solid particles, that compose them: according to that D••stich of Lucretius.

Et quam quaeque magis cohi••et res intus Inane, Tum magis his rebus penit••s tentata labascit.

The other is the Ingenite Gravity▪ or natural and inamissible propensity of Atoms to Motion which always inciteth them to intestine commotions and continual attempts of exsilition. So that where their Connexions and complications are but lax, and easily exsoluble, as in all Animals, all Plants, and some Metals, there do they sooner and more easily expede themselves, and so in short time totally dissolve the Concretions, which they composed. But, where they are bound to a more lasting peace, by more close compa∣ction, and reciprocal complications, as in Gold and Ad••m••nts; there their inhaerent propensity to motion is so supprest, as that they cannot diseng••ge themselves each fro•• other, without great difficulty, and after many hun∣dred yeers continual attempts of evolution, convolution and exsilition. Which is the true Reason both why Gold is the le••st Corruptible of all things yet known▪ and why it is not wholly Incorruptible, but obnoxious to spontaneous Dissolution, though a••ter perhaps a million of yeers, when after innumerable myriads of convolutions, the Atoms which compose it, have successively attained their liberty, an•• flye off one after another, t••••l the whole of that so closely compacted substance be ••i••solved.

* 1.6From the Causes, our thoughts are now at length arrived at the MAN∣NERS, or Ways of Generation an•• Corruption▪ and fin•• them to be of Two sorts, General and Special. Concerning the General we ob••e••ve, ••••at accord••ng to the do••trine of Epicu••us, (who••e great praehe••inen••e in point of Verisimility and Concordance throughout, hath ma••e us prae••er it to that of Aristotle, which we have am••ly convicted of manifest Incom∣prehensibility, and self-contradiction) things are generated either immedi∣ately of Atoms themse••ves convened together and concreted, and resolved again immediately into Atoms; or immediately of praeexistent Concreti∣ons, and resolved imm••••iately into them ag••in. Of the way how the For∣mer is effected, we have said enough, in the second chapter of our D••scourse against Atheism. A•• to the Latter, be pleased to unde••stand, in a wor••, that all Generation is caused by either (1) A simple Transposition of pa••ts of the same numerical matter, Or (2) an Abject••on of some pa••ts of the old▪ or pr••••xistent matter, or (3) An Accession of new parts. For, howbeit all these three General w••ys of Generation are mostly so concurrent an•• com∣mixt, as that one is hardly found w••thout the association of the other two: yet when we consider ••ach of them in special, and would determine which of them is praedomin••nt over the others, in the generation of this, or that particular species of ••hings: it will be necess••••y, that we allow this Discri∣min••tion. First, the••••••ore, those things ••re s••••d to be generate•• [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] by a meer T••ansposition of parts, which are observed to be spon∣taneous in their Pro••uction; as Frogs engendred only of mu•• or sl••••e, Worms from putrid Chees, &c. because from the very ••elf-s••me praeeist••nt matter, only by a various transposition of its parts, & succeeding re••uct••on of them to such, or such a determ••n••te order & situation, ••o••ething is gene∣rated, of a nature absolutely new or qu••te different from what th••t m••tt••r formerly had. An•• ••••ther also are we to refer tho••e Transmuta•••••••••• of ••∣lements, of which Ar••stotle and the Sc••ools have such frequent ••nd high dis∣courses: because, when Aer is conceived to be changed into Water, or Wa∣ter

transformed into Aer; all the mysterie of those reciprocal metamor∣phoses amounts to no more, than a meer putting of the parts of the same common and indifferent matter into different modes, and the interception of more or less of Inanity among them, as we have frequently demonstra∣ted. Secondly, such things are conceived to be generated [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] by Addition or Accession, which are not spontaneous in their original, but of seminal production, and specificated by the univocal virtue of their seeds: because in Propagation, rightly accepted, a very small quantity of seed, per∣vading a greater mass of matter, doth ferment, coagulate, and successively appose more and more parts thereof to itself, and conform the same into the species of that thing, from which it was derived, and impraegnated with the idea of the whole and every part thereof. And this Difference includes not only all Augmentation, which is a kind of Aggeneration, and consisteth only in the Apposition of new matter or substance, and that in a greater pro∣portion than what is decayed or exhauste••: but also every Composition whatever, such as is the Insition or Inoculation of Plants. Thirdly, such things are said to be generated [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] by Detraction which arise from the Dissolution of others, and subsist only by Excretion or Separati∣on; as Fire, Smoke, &c. are derived from the Dissolution of wood, and other combustible substances, to which they were formerly commixt; and Wax from the separation of Hony, together with which it was blended in the Combs. And, as for the Contrary, Corruption, ••tis easie to deduce it from the contrary ways of disposing matter.

And here again the incircumspection of Aristotle manifestly discovers it self; who multiplies the General ways of Generation,* 1.7 to a superfluous num∣ber: expresly teaching, that every simple Generation ariseth from (1) either Transfiguration, as when a statue is made of molten metal; or (2) Addi∣tion, as wh••n Vegetables or Animals are Augmented; or (3) Ablation, as when a statue is hewn out of Marble, all such parts being cut off and abje∣cted, as were superfluous to the perfection of the Figure designed; or (4) Composition, as in the structure of a house of various materials composed, according to the rules of Architecture; or (5) Alteration, when a thing is changed as to matter, as when Ashes are produced out of wood combust. When notwithstanding, had not his accustomed diligence been laid asleep, or judgement perverted, he must soon have perceived, that his Transfigu∣ration, Addition, and Ablation are really the very same with the Transposi∣tion, Adjection, and Detraction of our Epicurus; and that Composition is necessarily referrible to Addition, and Alteration to Transposition.

Concerning the Special modes, or ways of Generation,* 1.8 we need adver∣tise you of only two Considerables. (1) That each of the three General ways, newly mentioned, is so fruitful in possible variety, as that the special subordinate ones, whereof it is comprehensive, are (if not infinite, yet) ab∣solutely innumerable, ineffable, incomprehensible. For, if the Letters of our Alphabet, which are but 24 in number, may be so variously composed, as to make such a vast diversity of words, which cannot be enumerated by fewer then 39 c••phers, viz.

295232799039604140847618609643520000000.

(Tantum Elementa qu••unt, permutato ordine solo)

What Arithmetician can compute the several special ways of compositi∣on, whereof that incomprehensible variety of Figures which (as we have frequently assumed) Atoms may bear, is easily capable?

* 1.9(2) That, as the Image of Mercury cannot be carved out of every stone, or every piece of wood; nor words fit for reading, or pronunciation arise from every commistion of Letters: so, in Natural Concretions is it im∣possible, that all things should be made of all sorts of Atoms, or that all A∣toms should be equally accommodate to the constitution of every species of Concretions. For, though Atoms of the same figure and magnitude may, by their various transposition, adjection, ablation▪ compose things of various forms or natures: yet are they not all indifferently disposed to the compo∣sition of all things, nor can they be connected after one and the same man∣ner, in divers things. Because, to the composition of every thing in specie, is required such a special disposition in the Atoms, which compose it, as that they must appose to themselves such other Atoms, as are congruous and suitable to them, and as it were refuse the society and combination of others that are not. And hence is it, that in the Dissolution of every Concretion, the consimular or like Atoms always consociate together, and expede them∣selves from the Dissimilar and incongruous.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Art. 1. That in Cor∣ruption, no substance perish∣eth; but only that determi∣nate Modifica∣tion of sub∣stance, or Mat∣ter, which spe∣cified the thing.
• * 1.2

  Art. 2. En••••rce••ent o•• th•• ••ame Th••sis, by an illustrius Ex∣ample.
• * 1.3

  Art. 3. An Exper••ment demonstrating that the Sal•• of Ashes was prae∣existent in Wood; and no•• produ••ed, but only educed by Fire.
• * 1.4

  Art. 4. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sense of three G••ne¦ral Ax••••ms, de¦duced from the precedent do¦ct••ine of the Atomists.
• * 1.5

  Art. 5. The General I••testine Cau∣••es of Corrup∣t••••n, chiefly Tw••: (1) the interception of ••••anity among the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 parti∣c••es of B••dies. (2) ••••e ••enti∣al Gravity and in••eparable Mo∣bility of Atoms
• * 1.6

  Art. 6. The Generall Manners, o•• Ways of Gene∣ration and Cor∣ruption.
• * 1.7

  Art. 7. Inadver••••••cy of Aristotle in making Five General 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Generati••••
• * 1.8

  Art. 8. The special Manners of Generation, innumerable; and why.
• * 1.9

  Art. 9. All s••••ts o•• A∣toms, not indi••∣fe••ently co••∣peten•• to the Constitution of all sorts of thing.