A voyage to the world of Cartesius written originally in French, and now translated into English.

The Demonstration.

When several Bodies or Parts of Matter are circularly mov'd together, those which have the least Agitation, and are least dispos'd for Moti∣on, are the least able to make their escape from the Centre. And on the contrary, those that have most agitation, and are best dispos'd for Motion, are most able to make their escape, and compel the other downwards to the Centre. This is the third Principle I have suppos'd, after having deduced it from M. Descartes.

But the Matter of the first and second Ele∣ment have much more agitation, and are ex∣ceedingly better dispos'd for Motion than the Matter of the third. This is the fourth Princi∣ple which M. Descartes constantly supposes.

Therefore the Matter of the third Element, not that of the first, ought to take up the Cen∣tre of the Vortex. Which is the Proposition to be demonstrated; and is contradictory to that of M. Descartes, on which he founds his whole System concerning Light. Therefore the Sun and Stars must be dark, not resplendent Bodies. We charge nothing upon him here, but what is expresly his own; and we demand at the same time by which of his Principles, not knowing what to do with the Fragments of the blotches of the Sun, nor what use to put them to at the Centre, or near the Centre of the Vortex where they are gathered and dispersed, he makes them wrest and force themselves in to the midst of the Circumference, as branch'd and incapable of

Motion as they are; and constitute a sort of Air, which, according to him, is extended as far as the Sphere of Mercury or farther? How comes it to pass that the first or second Element,* 1.1 that are either at the Centre or near the Centre, or immediately below these broken parts, resign so patiently the right they have by Vertue of their vehement agitation and proneness unto Motion, to the place the others get possession of towards the Circumference? And if once that irregularity and disorder, so opposite to the Laws M. Descartes hath establisht in his World be tolerated towards the Sun; why must a Stone that near our Earth shall be cast into the Air be violently retorted towards the Centre, by the Matter of the second Element below it, under pretence that the Stone hath usurp'd a place unbefitting its Quality, and only due to the Matter it hath displac'd, on account of its vehement Motion?

And thus it is that M. Descartes's Principles agree. Thus he is so very frugal as to make them serve for several purposes, even for con∣tradictory Conclusions, with the assistance of some little Comparisons he can well enough ma∣nage, to the blinding those that read his Works but carelesly, and are commonly design'd for nothing but to disguise his Paralogisms, and put off his Propositions that Reason cannot justify.

Notes

• * 1.1

  P. 3. Prin. cip. numb. 100.