The origine of formes and qualities, (according to the corpuscular philosophy) illustrated by considerations and experiments (written formerly by way of notes upon an essay about nitre) by ... Robert Boyle ...

CONSIDERATIONS, AND EXPERIMENTS touching the Origine of Qualities, and Forms. The Theoricall Part.

THat before I descend to Particulars, I may (Pyro∣philus) furnish you with some General Apprehen∣sion of the Doctrine (or rather the Hypothesis,) which is to be Collated with, and to be either Con∣firmed, or Disproved by, the Histori∣call Truths, that will be deliver'd con∣cerning Particular Qualities, (& Forms;) I will assume the person of a Corpuscula∣rian,

and here, at the Entrance, give you (in a general way) a brief Account of the Hypothesis it selfe, as it concernes the Origine of Qualities (and Forms:) and for Distinctions sake, I shall comprize it in the Eight following Particulars, which, that the whole Scheme may be the better Comprehended, and as it were Survey'd under one Prospect, I shall do little more then Barely propose Them, that either seem evident enough by their owne Light, or may without Praejudice have diverse of their Proofes reserv'd for proper places in the following part of this Treatise: and though there be some Other Particulars, to which the Importance of the Subjects, and the Greatnesse of the (almost Universall) Prejudices, that lye against them, vvill oblige mee Immediately to annexe (for the seasonable Clearing, and Justifying of them) some Annotations: yet that they may, as Little as I can, Obscure the Cohaerence of the vvhole Discourse, as

much of them as conveniently may be, shall be included in [ ] Paratheses.

I. I agree with the generality of Phi∣losophers so far, as to allow, that there is one Catholick or Universal Matter common to all Bodies, by which I mean a Substance extended, divisible and impenetrable.

II. But because this Matter being in its own Nature but one, the diversity we see in Bodies must necessarily arise from somewhat else, then the Matter they consist of. And since we see not, how there could be any change in Mat∣ter, if all its (actual or designable) parts were perpetually at rest among them∣selves, it will follow, that to discrimi∣nate the Catholick Matter into variety of Natural Bodies, it must have Moti∣on in some or all its designable Parts: and that Motion must have various tendencies, that which is in this part of the Matter tending one way, and that which is in that part tending another;

as we plainly see in the Universe or ge∣neral Mass of Matter there is really a great quantity of Motion, and that va∣riously determin'd, and that yet diverse portions of Matter are at rest.

That there is Local Motion in many parts of Matter is manifest to sense, but how Matter came by this Motion was of Old, and is still hotly disputed of: for the antient Corpuscularian Philosophers, (whose doctrine in most other points, though not in all, we are the most incli∣nable to,) not acknowledging an Author of the Universe, were thereby reduc'd to make Motion congenite to Matter, and consequently coëval with it; but since Local Motion, or an Endeavour at it, is not included in the nature of Mat∣ter, which is as much Matter, when it rests, as when it moves; and since we see, that the same portion of Matter may from Motion be reduc'd to Rest, and after it hath continu'd at Rest, as long as other Bodies doe not put it out

of that state, may by external Agents be set a moving again; I, who am not wont to think a man the worse Natura∣list for not being an Atheist, shall not scruple to say with an Eminent Philoso∣pher of Old, whom I find to have pro∣pos'd among the Greeks that Opinion (for the main) that the Excellent Des Cartes hath revived amongst Us, That the Origine of Motion in Matter is from God; and not onely so, but that think∣ing it very unfit to be believ'd, that Matter barely put into Motion, and then left to it self, should Casually con∣stitute this beautiful and orderly World: I think also further, that the wise Author of Things did by establish∣ing the laws of Motion among Bodies, and by guiding the first Motions of the small parts of Matter, bring them to convene after the manner requisite to compose the World, and especially did contrive those curious and elaborate Engines, the bodies of living Crea∣tures,

endowing most of them with a power of propagating their Species. But though these things are my Perswa∣sions, yet because they are not necessa∣ry to be suppos'd here, where I doe not pretend to deliver any compleat Dis∣course of the Principles of Natural Phi∣lophy, but onely to touch upon such Notions, as are requisite to explicate the Origine of Qualities and Forms, I shall pass on to what remains, as soon as I have taken notice, that Local Mo∣tion seems to be indeed the Principl a∣mongst Second Causes, and the Grand A∣gent of all that happens in Nature: For though Bulk, Figure, Rest, Situation, and Texture do concurre to the Phaeno∣mena of Nature, yet in comparison of Motion they seem to be in many Cases, Effects, and in many others, little bet∣ter then Conditions, or Requisites, or Causes sine quibus non, which modifie the operation, that one part of Matter by vertue of its Motion hath upon a∣nother:

as in a Watch, the number, the figure, and coaptation of the Wheels and other parts is requisite to the shew∣ing the hour, and doing the other things that may be perform'd by the Watch; but till these parts be actually put into Motion, all their other affections re∣maine inefficacious: and so in a Key, though if it were too big, or too little, or if its Shape were incongruous to that of the cavity of the Lock, it would be un∣fit to be us'd as a Key, though it were put into Motion; yet let its bigness and figure be never so fit, unless actual Mo∣tion intervene, it will never lock or un∣lock any thing, as without the like a∣ctual Motion, neither a Knife nor Rasor will actually cut, how much soever their shape & other Qualities may ••it them to do so. And so Brimstone, what disposi∣tion of Parts soever it have to be turn'd into Flame, would never be kindled, unless some actual fire, or other parcel of vehemently and variously agitated

Matter should put the Sulphureous Corpuscles into a very brisk motion.

III. These two grand and most Ca∣tholick Principles of Bodies, Matter, and Motion, being thus establish'd, it will follow both, that Matter must be actually divided into Parts, that being the genuine Effect of variously deter∣min'd Motion, and that each of the pri∣mitive Fragments, or other distinct and entire Masses of Matter must have two Attributes, its own Magnitude, or ra∣ther Size, and its own Figure or Shape. And since Experience shews us (espe∣cially that which is afforded us by Chy∣mical Operations, in many of which Matter is divided into Parts, too small to be singly sensible,) that this divi∣sion of Matter is frequently made into insensible Corpuscles or Particles, we may conclude, that the minutest frag∣ments, as well as the biggest Masses of the Universal Matter are likewise en∣dowed each with its peculiar Bulk and

Shape. For being a finite Body, its Dimensions must be terminated and measurable: and though it may change its Figure, yet for the same reason it must necessarily have some Figure or other. So that now we have found out, and must admit three Essential Proper∣ties of each entire or undivided, though insensible part of Matter, namely, Mag∣nitude, (by which I mean not quantity in general, but a determin'd quantity, which we in English oftentimes call the Size of a bodie,) Shape, and either Mo∣tion or Rest, (for betwixt them two there is no mean:) the two first of which may be called inseparable Acci∣dents of each distinct part of Matter: in∣separable, because being extended, and yet finite, it is Physically impossible, that it should be devoid of some Bulk or other, and som determinate Shape or other; and yet Accidents, because that whether or no the Shape can by Physi∣cal Agents be alter'd or the Body subdi∣vided,

yet mentally both the one and the other may be done, the whole essence of Matter remaining undestroy'd.

Whether these Accidents may not conveniently enough be call'd the Moods or primary affections of Bodies, to distinguish them from those lesse simple Qualities, (as Colours, Tastes, and Odours,) that belong to Bodies u∣pon their account, or whether with the Epicureans they may not be called the Conjuncts of the smallest parts of Mat∣ter, I shall not now stay to consider, but one thing the Modern Schools are wont to teach concerning Accidents, which is too repugnant to our present Doctrine, to be in this place quite omit∣ted, namely that there are in Natural Bodies store of real Qualities, and o∣ther real Accidents, which not onely are no Moods of Matter, but are real Entities distinct from it, and according to the doctrine of many modern Schoolmen may exist separate from all

Matter whatsoever. To clear this point a little, we must take notice, that Accident is among Logicians and Phi∣losophers us'd in two several senses, for sometimes it is oppos'd to the 4th Prae∣dicable, (Property,) and is then defin'd, "that which may be present or absent, without the destruction of the subject; as a Man may be sick or well, and a Wall white or not white, and yet the one be still a Man, the other a Wall; and this is call'd in the Schools Accidens praedicabile, to distinguish it from what they call Accidens praedicamentale, which is oppos'd to Substance: for when things are divided by Logicians into 10 Praedicaments, or highest genus••es of things, Substance making one of them, all the nine other are of Accidents. And as Substance is commonly defin'd to be a thing that subsists of it self, and is the subject of Accidents, (or more plainly, a real Entity or thing, that needs not any (created) Being, that it may exist:)

so an Accident is said commonly to be id cujus esse est inesse, and therefore A∣ristotle, who usually calls Substances simply 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Entities, most commonly calls Accidents 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Entities of Entities. These needing the existence of some substance or other, in which they may be, as in their subject of Inhae∣sion. And because Logicians make it the discriminating note of Substance, and Accident, that the former is a thing that cannot be in another, as in its sub∣ject of Inhaesion, tis requisite to know, that according to them, That is said to Be in a Subject, which hath these three conditions, That however it (1) be in another thing, (2) is not in it as a part, and (3) cannot exist separately from the thing or subject, wherein it is: as a white Wall is the subject of Inhaesion of the Whiteness we see in it, which self-same whiteness though it be not in the wall as a part of it, yet cannot the self-same whiteness according to our Logi∣cians

exist any where out of the wall, though many other Bodies may have the like degree of whiteness. This pre∣mis'd, twill not be hard to discover the falsity of the lately mentioned Schola∣stick opinion touching real Qualities and Accidents, their doctrine about which does, I confess, appear to me to be either unintelligible, or manifestly contradictious: for speaking in a Physi∣cal sense, if they will not allow these Accidents to be Modes of Matter, but Entities really distinct from it, and in some cases separable from all Matter, they make them indeed Accidents in name, but represent them under such a notion as belongs onely to Substances; the nature of a Substance consisting in this, That it can subsist of it selfe, with∣out being in any thing else, as in a sub∣ject of Inhaesion: so that to tell us, that a Quality, or other Accident may sub∣sist without a subject, is indeed, whate∣ver they please to call it, to allow it the

true Nature of Substance, nor will their Groundlesse Distinctions do any more then keep them from seeming to con∣tradict themselves in words, whilst Un∣prepossess'd persons see that they do it in effect. Nor could I ever find it in∣telligibly made out, what these real Qualities may be, that they deny to be either Matter or modes of Matter, or immaterial Substances. When a Bowl runs along or lies still, that Motion or Rest, or Globous figure of the Bowl, is not Nothing, and yet it is not any part of the Bowl; whose whole Substance would remain, though it wanted which you please of these Accidents: and to make them real and physical Entities, (for we have not here to do either with Logical or Metaphysical ones) is, as if, because we may consider the same Man sitting, standing, running, thirsty, hun∣grie, wearie, &c. we should make each of these a distinct Entitie, as we do give some of them (as hunger, weariness, &c.)

distinct names. Whereas the subject of all these Qualities is but the same Man as he is considered with Circum∣stances, that make him appear different in one case from what he appears in a∣nother: And it may be very useful to our present Scope to observe, that not onely diversity of Names, but even di∣versity of Definitions, doth not alwaies infer a diversity of Physical Entities in the Subject, whereunto they are attri∣buted. For it happens in many of the Physical Attributes of a Body, as in those Other cases, wherein a Man that is a Father, a Husband, a Master, a Prince, &c. may have a Peculiar Defi∣nition (such as the Nature of the thing will bear) belong unto him in each of these Capacities, and yet the Man in himself considered is but the same Man, who in respect of differing Capacities or Relations to other things is call'd by differing Names, and describ'd by vari∣ous Definitions, which yet (as I was

saying) conclude not so many real and distinct Entities in the person so vari∣ously denominated.

An EXCƲRSION about the Relative Nature of Phy∣sical Qualities.

BUt because I take this Notion to be of no Small Importance towards the Avoiding of the Grand Mistake, that hath hitherto obtain'd about the Nature of Qualities, it will be worth while to Illustrate it a little farther. We may consider then, that when Tubal-Cain, or whoever else were the Smith, that Invented Locks and Keyes, had made his first Lock, (for we may Reasonably suppose him to have made that before the Key, though the Com∣parison

may be made use of without that Supposition,) That was onely a Piece of Iron, contriv'd into such a Shape; and when afterwards he made a Key to that Lock, That also in it self Consider'd, was nothing but a Piece of Iron of such a Determinate Figure: but in Regard that these two Pieces of Iron might now be Applied to one another after a Certain manner, and that there was a Congruitie betwixt the Wards of the Lock and those of the Key, the Lock and the Key did each of them now Obtain a new Capacity and it be∣came a Main part of the Notion and Description of a Lock, that it was ca∣pable of being made to Lock or Un∣lock by that other Piece of Iron we call a Key, and it was Lookd upon as a Pe∣culiar Faculty and Power in the Key, that it was Fitted to Open and Shut the Lock, and yet by these new Attributes there was not added any Real or Physi∣cal Entity, either to the Lock, or to the

Key, each of them remaining indeed nothing, but the same Piece of Iron, just so Shap'd as it was before. And when our Smith made other Keyes of differing Bignesses, or with Differing Wards, though the first Lock was not to be open'd by any of those Keyes, yet that Indisposition, however it might be Consider'd as a peculiar Power of Resi∣sisting this or that Key, and might serve to Discriminate it sufficiently from the Locks those Keyes belong'd to, was nothing new in the Lock, or distinct from the Figure it had before those Keyes were made. To carrie this Com∣parison a little Further, let me adde, that though one that would have De∣fin'd the First Lock, and the First Key, would have Given them distinct Defi∣nitions with Reference to each other; and yet (as I was saying) these Defini∣tions being given but upon the Score o•• Certain Respects, which the Defin'd Bodies had One to Another, would no••

infer, that these two Iron Instruments did Physically differ otherwise then in the Figure, Size, or Contrivement of the Iron, whereof each of them consi∣sted. And proportionably hereunto I do not see, why we may not conceive, That as to those Qualities (for Instan∣ce) which we call Sensible, though by virtue of a certain Congruity or Incon∣gruity in point of Figure or Texture, (or other Mechanical Attributes,) to our Sensories, the Portions of Matter they Modifie are enabled to produce various Effects, upon whose account we make Bodies to be Endow'd with Qua∣lities; yet They are not in the Bodies that are Endow'd with them any Real or Distinct Entities, or differing from the Matter its self, furnish'd with such a Determinate Bigness, Shape, or o∣ther Mechanical Modifications. Thus though the modern Gold-Smiths and Refiners reckon amongst the most di∣stinguishing Qualities of Gold, by which

men may be certain of its being True and not Sophisticated, that is easily dis∣soluble in Aqua Regis, and that Aqua Fortis will not work upon it; yet these Attributes are not in the Gold any thing distinct from its peculiar Texture, not is the Gold we have now of any other Nature, then it was in Pliny's time, when Aqua Fortis and Aqua Regis had not been Found out, (at least in these parts of the World,) and were utterly unknown to the Roman Gold-Smiths And this Example I have the rather pitch'd upon, because it affords me an Opportunity to represent, that, unless we admit the Doctrine I have been Pro∣posing, we must Admit, that a Body may have an almost Infinite Number o•• New Real Entities accruing to it, with∣out the Intervention of any Physic•• Change in the Body its self. As for Example, Gold was the same Natur•• Body immediately before Aqua Regi•• and Aqua Fortis were first made, as it

was immediately after, and yet now 'tis reckon'd amongst its Principal Proper∣ties, that it is dissoluble by the Former of those two Menstruums, and that it is not like other Mettals Dissoluble or Corrodible by the Latter. And if one should Invent another Menstruum, (as possibly I may Think my self Master of such a one) that will but in part dissolve pure Gold, and change some part of it into another Metalline Body, there will then arise another new Property; where∣by to distinguish That from other Met∣tals; and yet the Nature of Gold is not a whit other now, then it was before this last Menstruum was first made. There are some Bodies not Cathartick, nor Sudorifick, with some of which Gold being joyn'd acquires a Purgative Vertue, and with others a power to pro∣cure Sweat; and in a word, Nature her self doth, sometimes otherwise, and sometimes by Chance, produce so many things, that have new Relations unto o∣thers:

And Art, especially assisted by Chymistry, may, by variously dissipa∣ting Natural Bodies, or Compound∣ing either them, or their Constituent Parts with one another, make such an Innumerable Company of new Produ∣ctions, that will each of Them have new operations, either immediately upon our Sensories, or upon other Bodies, whose Changes we are able to perceive, that no man can know, but that the most Familiar Bodies may have Multitudes of Qualities, that he dreams not of, and a Considering man will hardly imagine, that so numerous a Croud of real Phy∣sical Entities can accrue to a Body, whilst in the Judgment of all our Sen∣ses it remains Unchang'd, and the Same that 'twas before.

To clear this a little farther, we may adde, that beaten Glass is commonly reckon'd among Poisons; and (to skip what is mention'd out of Sanctorius, of the Dysentery procur'd by the Frag∣ments

of it) I remember Cardan hath a story, That in a Cloister, where he had a Patient then like to die of tor∣ments in the Stomach, two other Nuns had been already kill'd by a distracted Woman, that having Casually got Free, had mixt beaten Glass with Pease, that were eaten by these three, and diverse others of the Sisters (who yet escap'd unharm'd.) Now though the powers of Poisons be not onely look'd upon as real Qualities, but are reckoned among the Abstrusest ones: yet this Deleterious Faculty, which is suppos'd to be a Pe∣culiar and Superadded Entitie in the beaten Glasse, is really nothing distinct from the Glass its self, (which though a Concrete made up of those Innocent Ingredients, Salt and Ashes, is yet a hard and stiffe Body,) as it is furnish'd with that determinate Bigness, and Fi∣gure of Parts, which have been acquir'd

by Comminution. For these Glassy Fragments being many, and Rigid, and somewhat Small, (without yet being so small as Dust,) and endow'd with sharp Points and cutting Edges, are ena∣bled by these Mechanical Affections to Pierce or Wound the tender Mem∣branes of the Stomach and Guts, and cut the slender Vessels that they meet with there, whereby naturally ensue great Gripings and Contorsions of the injur'd Parts, and oftentimes Bloudy Fluxes occasion'd by the perforation of the Capillary Arteries, and the great irritation of the Expulsive Faculty, and sometimes also not onely horrid Con∣vulsions by Consent of the Brain and Cerebellum, with some of the Nervous or Membranous parts that happen to be hurt, but also Dropsies occasioned by the great loss of Bloud we were just now speaking of. And it agrees very well with this Conjecture, that beaten Glass hath diverse times been observ'd

to have done no Mischief to Animals that have swallowed it: For there is no Reason it should, in case the Corpuscles of the Powder either chance to be so small, as not to be fit to wound the Guts, which are usually lin'd with a sli∣my substance, wherein very minute Powders may be as it vvere sheath'd, and by that means hinder'd from hurt∣ing the Guts, (insomuch that a frag∣ment of Glass vvith three very sharp corners, hath been observ'd to have for above eighteen Months lain inoffen∣sive even in a nervous and very sensible part of the body,) out of vvhich they may with the grosser Excrements of the Lower Belly be harmelesly Excluded,

especially in some Individuals, whose Guts and Stomach too may be of a much stronger Texture, and better Lin'd or Stuff'd with Gross and Slimy Matter, then those of others. And ac∣cordingly we see, that the Fragments of Saphires, Christals, and ev'n Rubies, which are much harder then Glass, are innocently, though perhaps not very effectually us'd by Physicians, (and I have several times taken That without Inconvenience) in Cordial Compositi∣ons, because of their being by Grinding reduc'd to a Powder too Subtle to Ex∣coriate, or Grate upon the Stomach, or Guts; and probably 'twas upon some such Account, that That happen'd which is related by Cardan in the same place, namely, That though the three Nuns we have been speaking of were Poison'd by the Glass, yet many others who eat of the other Portions of the same mingled Pease, receiv'd no mis∣chief thereby. (But of this subject

more † elsewhere.)

And this puts me in mind to adde, That the Multiplicity of Qualities, that are sometimes to be met with in the same Natural Bodies, needs not make men reject the Opinion we have been proposing, by perswading them, that so many Differing Attributes, as may be sometimes found in one and the same Natural Body, cannot proceed from the bare Texture, and other Mechani∣cal Affections of its Matter. For we must consider each Body, not barely as it is in it self an entire and distinct porti∣on of Matter, but as it is a Part of the Universe, and consequently plac'd a∣mong a great Number and Variety of other Bodies, upon which it may Act, and by which it may be acted on, in ma∣ny waies, (or upon many Accounts,) each of which Men are wont to Fancy,

as a distinct Power or Quality in the Body, by which those Actions, or in which those Passions are produc'd. For if we thus consider Things, we shall not much wonder, that a Portion of Matter, that is indeed endow'd but with a very few Mechanical Affections, as such a determinate Texture and Motion, but is plac'd among a multitude of other Bodies, that differ in those Attributes from it, and one another, should be ca∣pable of having a great Number and Variety of Relations to those other Bo∣dies, and consequently should be thought to have many Distinct In∣haerent Qualities, by such as look upon those several Relations or Respects it may have to Bodies without it, as Real and Distinct Entities implanted in the Body it self. When a Curious Watch is going, though the Spring be that which puts all the Parts into Motion, yet we do not Fancie (as an Indian o•• Chinois would perchance do) in this

Spring one Faculty to move the Index uniformely round the Dial-plate, ano∣ther to strike the Hour, and perhaps a Third to give an Alarme, or shew the Age of the Moon, or the Tides; all the action of the Spring, (which is but a fle∣xible piece of Steel, forcibly coil'd to∣gether,) being but an Endeavour to di∣late or unbind its self, and the rest be∣ing perform'd by the various Respects it hath to the several Bodies (that com∣pose the Watch) among which it is plac'd, and which they have One to a∣nother. We all know, that the Sun hath a power to Harden Clay, and Sof∣ten Wax, and Melt Butter, and Thaw Ice, and turn Water into Vapours, and make Air expand it self in Weather-Glasses, and contribute to Blanch Lin∣nen, and make the White skin of the Face Swarthy, and Mowed Grass Yel∣low, and ripen Fruit, hatch the Eggs of Silk-worms, Caterpillars, and the like Insects, and perform I know not how

many other things, divers of which seen contrary Effects, and yet these are not distinct Powers or Faculties in the Sun but onely the Productions of its Heat▪ (which it self is but the brisk, and con∣fus'd Local Motion of the Minute parts of a Body,) diversify'd by the differing Textures of the Body that it chances to work upon, and the Condition of the o∣ther Bodies that are concern'd in the Operation. And therefore whether the Sun in some cases have any Influ∣ence at all distinct from its Light and Heat, we see, that all those Phaenomen•• we have thought fit to name are produ∣cible by the heat of the common Culi∣nary Fire duly apply'd and regulated. And so, to give an Instance of another Kind, when some years since, to Try some Experiments about the Propaga∣tion of Motion, with Bodies less capa∣ble of being batter'd by one another, then those that have been formerly im∣ploy'd; I caus'd some solid Bals of Iron

skilfully harden'd, and exquisitely shap'd and glaz'd, to be purposely made; each of these polished Balls was a Sphaerical Looking-Glass, which plac'd in the mid'st of a Room, would exhibit the Images of the Objects round about it, in a very regular and pleasing Per∣spective. It would Contract the Image, and Reflect the Beams of the Sun, after a manner differing from Flat and from Convex Looking Glasses. It would in a neat Perspective lessen the Image of him that look'd upon it; and bend it, and it would shew that Image, as if it were behind the Surface, and within the solid substance of the Sphaere, and in some it had all those Distinct, and some of them wonderful Properties, which either Antient or Modern Writers of Catoptricks have demonstrated to be∣long to Sphaerical Specula, as such: and yet the Globe furnish'd with all these Properties and Affections, was but the Iron it self reduc'd by the Artificer to

a Sphaerical Figure, (for the Glass, that made it Specular, was not distinct from the Superficial parts of the Iron, re∣duc'd all of them to a Physically equal distance from the Center.) And of Specula, Sphaerical enough as to sense, you may make store in a trice, by break∣ing a large Drop of Quick-silver into several little ones, each of which will serve for Objects plac'd pretty near it, and the smaller of which (being the least depress'd in the middle by the•• own weight, and consequently more perfectly Globous,) may with a goo•• Microscope plac'd in a Window affor•• you no unpleasant prospect of the neigh¦bouring Objects, and yet to reduce parcel of Stagnant Quicksilver, which will much aemulate a Flat Looking Glass, into many of these little Sphaeri¦cal Specula, whose Properties are so dif¦fering from those of Plain ones, the•• intervenes nothing but a sleight Loc•• Motion, which in the twinckling of ••

Eye changeth the Figure of the self same Matter.

I have said thus much (Pyrophilus) to remove the Mistake, That every thing men are wont to call a Quality, must needs be a Real and Physical Entity, because of the Importance of the Sub∣ject; and yet I have omitted some things that might have been pertinently added, partly because I may hereafter have Opportunity to take them in, and part∣ly because I would not any farther lengthen this Excursion, which yet I must not Conclude, till I have added this short Advertisement.

That I have chosen to Declare what I mean by Qualities, rather by Exam∣ples, then Definitions, partly because being immediately or reductively the Objects of sense, Men generally under∣stand pretty well what one another mean, when they are spoken of: (As to say, that the Tast of such a thing is Sa∣line or Sowr, or that such a Sound is

Melodious, Shrill, or Jarring, (especially if when we speak of Sensible Qualities, we adde some Enumeration of particu∣lar Subjects, wherein they do the most Eminently reside,) will make a Man as soon understood, as if he should go a∣bout to give Logical Definitions of those Qualities:) and partly because the Notions of things are not yet so well stated, and agreed on, but that it is ma∣ny times difficult to Assign their true Genus's: and Aristotle himself doth not onely define Accidents without setting down their Genus, but when he comes to define Qualities, he tels us, that Qua∣lity is that by which a thing is said to be Qualis, where I would have you take notice both, that in his Definition he o∣mits the Genus, and that 'tis no such ea¦sy Thing to give a very good Definiti¦on of Qualities, since he that is repute•• the great Master of Logick, where he pretends to give us one, doth but upo•• the matter define the thing by the same

thing; for 'tis suppos'd to be as little known what Qualis is, as what Qualitas is, and me thinks he does just as if I should define Whiteness to be that, for which a thing is called White, or Ver∣tue, that for which a Man is said to be Vertuous †. Besides that, I much

doubt, whether his Definition be not Untrue as well as Obscure, for to the Question, Qualis res est? Answer may be return'd out of some, if not all of the other Praedicaments of Accidents: which some of the Modern Logicians being aware of, they have endeavoured to salve the matter with certain Cautions and Limitations, which however they may argue the Devisors to be ingeni∣ous, do, for ought I can discern, leave us still to seek for a right and intelligi∣ble Definition of Quality in general, though to give such a one be probably a much easier Task, then to define ma∣ny Qualities, that may be nam'd in par∣ticular, as Saltness, Sowrness, Green, Blew, and many others, which when we hear nam'd, every man knows what is meant by them, though no man (th•• I know of) hath been able to give ac∣curate Definitions of them.

IV. And if we should conceive, th••

all the rest of the Universe were annihi∣lated, except any of these entire and undivided Corpuscles, (treated of in the 3^d Particular foregoing,) it is hard to say what could be attributed to it, be∣sides Matter, Motion (or Rest,) Bulk, and Shape, (whence by the way you may take notice, that Bulk, though u∣sually taken in a Comparative sense, is in our sense an absolute Thing, since a Body would have it, though there were no other in the World.) But now there being actually in the Universe great Multitudes of Corpuscles ming∣led among themselves, there arise in any distinct portion of Matter, which a number of them make up, two new Accidents or Events: the one doth more relate to each particular Corpus∣cle in reference to the (really or suppo∣sedly) stable Bodies about it, namely its Posture; (whether Erected, Inclin'd, or Horizontal:) And, when two or more of such Bodies are plac'd one by

anorher, the manner of their being so plac'd, as one besides another, or one behind another, may be call'd their Order; as I remember, Aristotle in his Metaphysicks, lib. 1. cap. 4. recites this Example out of the antient Corpuscu∣larians, That A and N differ in Figure, and A N and N A in Order, Z and N in Scituation: and indeed Posture and Order seem both of them reducible to Scituation. And when many Corpus∣cles do so convene together as to com∣pose any distinct Body, as a Stone, or a Mettal, then from their other Accidents (or Modes,) and from these two last mention'd, there doth emerge a certain Disposition or Contrivance of Parts in the whole, which we may call the Tex∣ture of it.

V. And if we should conceive all the rest of the Universe to be annihila∣ted, save one such Body, suppose a Met∣tal or a Stone, it were hard to shew, tha•• there is Physically any thing more in it

then Matter, and the Accidents we have already named. But now we are to consider, that there are de facto in the world certain sensible and rational Be∣ings, that we call Men, and the body of Man having several of its external parts, as the Eye, the Ear, &c. each of a di∣stinct and peculiar Texture, whereby it is capable to receive Impressions from the Bodies about it, and upon that ac∣count it is call'd an Organ of Sense, we must consider, I say, that these Senso∣ries may be wrought upon by the Fi∣gure, Shape, Motion, and Texture of Bodies without them, after several waies, some of those External Bodies being fitted to affect the Eye, others the Ear, others the Nostrils, &c. And to these Operations of the Objects on the Sensories, the Mind of Man, which up∣on the account of its Union with the Body perceives them, giveth distinct Names, calling the one Light or Co∣lour, the other Sound, the other Odour,

&c. And because also each Organ of Sense, as the Eye, or the Palat, may be it self differingly affected by Exter∣nal Objects, the Mind likewise gives the Objects of the same Sense distinct Appellations, calling one colour Green, the other Blew, and one tast Sweet, and another Bitter, &c. Whence Men have been induc'd to frame a long Catalogue of such Things as, for their relating to our Senses, we call Sensible Qualities; and because we have been conversant with them, before we had the use of Reason, and the Mind of Man is prone to conceive almost every Thing (nay even Privations, as Blindness, Death, &c.) under the notion of a true Entitie or Substance as it self is, we have been from our Infancy apt to imagine, that these Sensible Qualities are Real Be∣ings, in the Objects they denominate, and have the faculty or power to work such and such things; as Gravity hath a power to stop the motion of a Bullet

shot upwards, and carry that solid Globe of Matter toward the Center of the Earth, whereas indeed (according to what we have largely shewn above) there is in the Body, to which these Sensible Qualities are attributed, no∣thing of Real and Physical, but the Size, Shape, and Motion, or Rest of its com∣ponent Particles, together with that Texture of the whole, which results from their being so contriv'd as they are; nor is it necessary they should have in them any thing more, like to the Ideas they occasion in us, those Ideas being either the Effects of our Praeju∣dices, or Inconsiderateness, or else to be fetcht from the Relation, that happens to be betwixt those Primary Accidents of the Sensible Object, and the peculiar Texture of the Organ it affects; as when a Pin, being run into my Finger, causeth pain, there is no distinct Quality in the Pin answerable to what I am apt to fan∣cie Pain to be, but the Pin in it self is

onely slender, stiff, and sharp, and by those qualities happens to make a So∣lution of Continuity in my Organ of Touching, upon which, by reason of the Fabrick of the Body, and the inti∣mate Union of the Soul with it, there a∣riseth that troublesome kind of Percep∣tion which we call Pain, and I shall anon more particularly shew, how much that depends upon the peculiar fabrick of the Body.

VI. But here I foresee a Difficulty, which being perhaps the chiefest, that we shall meet with against the Corpus∣cular Hypothesis, it will deserve to be, before we proceed any farther, taken notice of. And it is this, that, whereas we explicate Colours, Odours, and the like sensible Qualities by a relation to our Senses, it seems evident, that they have an absolute Being irrelative to Us; for, Snow (for instance) would be white, and a glowing Coal would be hot, though there were no Man or any other

Animal in the World: and 'tis plain, that Bodies do not onely by their Qua∣lities work upon Our senses, but upon other, and those, Inanimate Bodies; as the Coal will not onely heat or burn a Man's hand if he touch it, but would likewise heat Wax, (even so much as to melt it, and make it slow,) and thaw Ice into Water, though all the Men, and sensitive Beings in the World were an∣nihilated. To clear this Difficulty, I have several things to represent, and,

1. I say not, that there are no other Accidents in Bodies then Colours, O∣dours, and the like; for I have already taught, that there are simpler and more Primitive Affections of Matter, from which these Secondary Qualities, if I may so call them, do depend: and that the Operations of Bodies upon one ano∣ther spring from the same, we shall see by and by.

2. Nor do I say, that all Qualities of Bodies are directly Sensible; but I ob∣serve,

that when one Body works upon another, the knowledg we have of their Operation, proceeds, either from some sensible Quality, or some more Catho∣lick affection of Matter, as Motion, Rest, or Texture, generated or destroy'd in one of them; for else it is hard to con∣ceive, how we should come to discover what passes betwixt them.

3. We must not look upon every di∣stinct Body, that works upon our Sen∣ses, as a bare lump of Matter of that bigness and outward shape, that it ap∣pears of; many of them having their parts curiously contriv'd, and most of them perhaps in motion too. No•• must we look upon the Universe that surrounds us, as upon a moveless and un∣distinguish'd Heap of Matter, but as upon a great Engine, which, having either no Vacuity, or none that is consi∣derable, betwixt its parts (known to us,) the actions of particular Bodies up∣on one another must not be barely aesti∣mated,

as if two Portions of Matter of their Bulk and Figure were plac'd in some imaginary Space beyond the World, but as being scituated in the World, constituted as it now is, and consequently as having their action up∣on each other liable to be promoted, or hindred, or modify'd by the Acti∣ons of other Bodies besides them: as in a Clock, a small force apply'd to move the Index to the Figure of 12, will make the Haromer strike often and forcibly a∣gainst the Bell, and will make a far grea∣ter Commotion among the Wheels and Weights, then a far greater force would do, if the Texture and Contri∣vance of the Clock did not abundantly contribute to the Production of so great an Effect. And in agitating Water in∣to Froth, the Whiteness would never be produc'd by that Motion, were it not that the Sun, or other Lucid Body, shi∣ning upon that Aggregate of small Bubbles, enables them to reflect confu∣sedly

great store of little, and as it were contiguous lucid images to the Eye. And so the giving to a large Metalline Speculum a Concave figure, would ne∣ver enable it to set Wood on fire, and even to melt down Mettals readily, if the Sun beams, that in Cloudless dayes do, as to sense, fill the Air, were not by the help of that Concavity, thrown toge∣ther to a Point. And to shew You by an eminent Instance, how various and how differing Effects the Same action of a Natural Agent may produce, according to the several Dispositions of the Bo∣dies it works upon, do but consider, that in two Eggs, the one Prolifick, the othe•• Barren, the sense can perhaps distinguish before Incubation no difference at all▪ and yet these Bodies, outwardly so like, do so differ in the internal disposition of their parts, that if they be both ex∣pos'd to the same degree of Heat, (whe∣ther of a Hen, or an Artificial Oven,) that Heat will change the one into a pu∣trid

and stinking Substance, and the o∣ther into a Chick, furnish'd with great variety of Organical parts of very diffe∣ring consistences, and curious as well as differing Textures.

4. I do not deny, but that Bodies may be said, in a very favourable sense, to have those Qualities we call Sensible, though there were no Animals in the World: for a Body in that case may dif∣fer from those Bodies, which now are quite devoid of Quality, in its having such a disposition of its Constituent Corpuscles, that in case it were duely apply'd to the Sensory of an Animal, it would produce such a sensible Quali∣ty, which a Body of another Texture would not; as though if there were no Animals, there would be no such thing as Pain, yet a Pin may upon the account of its Figure be fitted to cause pain, in case it were mov'd against a Man's fin∣ger; whereas a Bullet, or other blunt Body mov'd against it with no greater

force, will not cause any such percepti∣on of pain. And thus Snow, though if there were no Lucid Body nor Organ of Sight in the World, it would exhibit no Colour at all, (for I could not find it had any in places exactly darkned,) yet it hath a greater disposition then a Coal or Soot to reflect store of Light outwards, when the Sun shines upon them all three. And so we say, that a Lute is in tune, whether it be actually plaid upon or no, if the Strings be all so duly stretcht, as that it would appear to be in Tune, if it were play'd upon. But as if You should thrust a Pin into a man's Finger, both a while before and after his Death, though the Pin be as sharp at one time as at another, and ma∣keth in both cases alike a Solution of Continuity; yet in the former case, the Action of the Pin will produce Pain, and not in the latter, because in this the prick'd Body wants the Soule, and con∣sequently the Perceptive Faculty: so

if there were no Sensitive Beings, those Bodies that are now the Objects of our Senses, would be but dispositively, if I may so speak, endow'd with Colours, Tasts, and the like; and actually but onely with those more Catholick Affe∣ctions of Bodies, Figure, Motion, Tex∣ture, &c.

To illustrate this yet a little farther, suppose a Man should beat a Drum at some distance from the mouth of a Cave, conveniently scituated to return the Noise he makes; although Men will presently conclude, that That Cave hath an Echo, and will be apt to fancy upon that account some Real Property in the place, to which the Echo is said to be∣long, and although indeed the same Noise made in many other of the neigh∣bouring places, would not be reflected to the Eare, and consequently would manifest those places to have no Echos; yet to speak Physically of things, this Peculiar Quality or Pro∣perty

we fancy in the Cave, is in It no∣thing else but the Hollowness of its Fi∣gure, whereby 'tis so dispos'd, as when the Air beats against it, to reflect the Motion towards the place whence that Motion began; and that which passeth on this occasion is indeed but this, That the Drum stick falling upon the Drum, makes a Percussion of the Air, and puts that Fluid Body into an Undulating Motion, and the Aery Waves thrust∣ing on one another, 'till they arrive at the hollow Superficies of the Cave, have by reason of its resistance and fi∣gure, their Motion determin'd the con∣trary way, namely backwards towards that part where the Drum was, vvhen it vvas struck; so that in That, vvhich here happens, there intervenes nothing but the Figure of one Body, and the Motion of another, though if a Man's Ear chance to be in the way of these Motions of the Air forwards and back∣vvards, it gives him a Perception of

them, which he calls Sounds; and be∣cause these Perceptions, which are sup∣pos'd to proceed from the same percus∣sion of the Drum, and thereby of the Air, are made at distinct times one after another, That hollow Body, from whence the Last Sound is conceiv'd to come to the Air, is imagin'd to have a peculiar Faculty, upon whose account Men are wont to say, that such a place hath an Echo.

5. And whereas one Body doth often seem to produce in another divers such Qualities, as we call Sensible, which Qualities therefore seem not to need any reference to our Senses, I consider, that when one Inanimate Body works upon another, there is nothing really produc'd by the Agent in the Patient, save some Local Motion of its Parts, or some Change of Texture consequent upon that Motion; and so, if the Pati∣ent come to have any sensible Quality, that it had not before, it acquires it up∣on

the same account, upon which other Bodies have it, and it is but a consequent to this Mechanical Change of Texture, that by means of its Effects upon our Organs of Sense, we are induc'd to attri∣bute this or that sensible Quality to it. As in case a Pin should chance by some inanimate Body to be driven against a Man's Finger, that which the Agent doth, is but to put a sharp and slende•• Body into such a kind of Motion, an•• that which the Pin doth, is to pierce in∣to a Body that it meets with, not ha•••• enough to resist its Motion, and so tha•• upon this there should ensue such a thing as Pain, is but a Consequent, tha•• superadds nothing of Real to the P•••• that occasions that Pain. So if a piece of Transparent Ice be, by the falling o•• some heavy and hard Body upon it, bro¦ken into a Gross Powder that look Whitish, the falling Body doth nothing to the Ice but break it into very sma•• Fragments, lying confusedly upon on••

another; though by reason of the Fa∣brick of the World, and of our Eyes, there doth in the day time upon this Comminution, ensue such a kind of copious Reflection of the incident Light to our Eyes, as we call Whitenesse: and when the Sun, by thawing this broken Ice, destroyes the Whiteness of that portion of Matter, and makes it become Diaphanous, which it was not before, it doth no more then alter the Texture of the Component parts, by putting them into Motion, and thereby into a new Order; in which, by reason of the disposition of the Pores intercepted be∣twixt them, they reflect but few of the incident beams of Light, and transmit most of them. Thus when with a Bur∣nisher You polish a rough piece of Sil∣ver, that which is really done, is but the Depression of the little Protuberant parts into one Level with the rest of the Superficies; though upon this Me∣chanical change of the Texture of the

Superficial parts, we Men say, that it hath lost the Quality of Roughness, and acquir'd that of Smoothness, be∣cause that whereas before, the little Ex∣stancies by their Figure resisted a little the Motion of our Finger, and grated upon them a little, our Fingers now meet with no such offensive Resistance. 'Tis true that the Fire doth thaw Ice, and also both make Wax slow, and ena∣ble it to burn a Man's hand, and yet this doth not necessarily argue in it any Inhaerent Quality of Heat, distinct from the Power it hath of putting the smal•• parts of the Wax into such a Motion as that their Agitation surmounts their Cohaesion; which Motion, together with their Gravity, is enough to make them pro tempore constitute a Fluid Bo∣dy: and Aqua Fortis, without any (sen∣sible) Heat, will make Camphire, cas•• on it, assume the form of a Liquor di∣stinct from it; as I have try'd, that •• strong Fire will also make Camphi••

fluid: not to adde, that I know a Liquor, into which certain Bodies being put, when both it Self, (as well as They,) is actually cold, (and consequently when You would not suspect it of an Actual Inhaerent Heat) will not onely speedi∣ly dissipate many of their parts into Smoak, but leave the rest Black, and burnt almost like a Coal. So that though we suppose the Fire to do no more then variously and briskly to agitate the In∣sensible parts of the Wax, That may suffice to make us think the Wax en∣dow'd with a Quality of Heat: because if such an Agitation be greater then that of the Spirit, and other parts of our Or∣gans of Touching, That is enough to produce in us that Sensation we call Heat; which is so much a Relative to the Sensory which apprehends it, that vve see, that the same Lukevvarm Wa∣ter, that is, vvhose Corpuscles are mo∣derately agitated by the Fire, will appear hot to one of a Man's hands, if That be

very cold; and cold to the other, in case it be very hot, though both of them be the same Man's hands. To be short, if we fancy any two of the Bodies about us, as a Stone, a Mettal, &c. to have nothing at all to do with any other Body in the Universe, 'tis not easy to conceive, either how one can act upon the other, but by Local Motion (of the whole Body, or its Corporeal Effluvia;) or how by Motion it can do any more, then put the Parts of the other Body into Motion too, and thereby produce in them a Change of Scituation and Texture, or of some other of its Me∣chanical Affections: though this (Pas∣sive) Body being plac'd among other Bodies in a World constituted as ours now is, and being brought to act upon the most curiously contriv'd Sensories of Animals, may upon both these ac∣counts exhibit many differing sensible Phaenomena; which however we look upon them as distinct Qualities, are con∣sequently

but the Effects of the often mention'd Catholick affections of Mat∣ter, and deducible from the Size, Shape, Motion (or Rest,) Posture, Order, and the resulting Texture of the Insensible parts of Bodies. And therefore though, for shortness of speech, I shall not scru∣ple to make use of the word Qualities, since it is already so generally receiv'd, yet I would be understood to mean them in a sense suitable to the Doctrine above deliver'd. As if I should say, that Roughnesse is apt to grate and offend the Skin, I should mean, that a File or other Body, by having upon its Surface a multitude of little hard and exstant Parts, and of an Angular or sharp Fi∣gure, is qualify'd to work the mention'd Effect: and so if I should say, that Heat melts Mettals, I should mean, that this Fusion is effected by Fire, or some other Body, which by the various and vehe∣ment Motion of its insensible parts, does to us appear Hot. And hence,

(by the way,) I presume You will easi∣ly guess at what I think of the Contro∣versy so hotly disputed of late betwixt two parties of Learned Men, whereof the One would have all Accidents to worke onely in virtue of the Matter they reside in, and the Other would have the Matter to act onely in virtue of its Accidents: for considering, that on the one side, the Qualities, we here speak of, do so depend upon Matter, that they cannot so much as have a Be∣ing but in, and by it; and on the other side, if all Matter were but quite devoid of Motion, (to name now no other Ac∣cidents,) I do not readily conceive, how it could operate at all, I think it is safest to conclude, That neither Matter, nor Qualities apart, but both or them con∣jointly do perform, what we see done by Bodies to one another, according to the Doctrine of Qualities just now de∣liver'd.

(Of the Nature of a Forme.)

VII. WE may now advance some∣what farther, and consi∣der, that Men having taken notice, that certain conspicuous Accidents were to be found associated in some Bodies, and other Conventions of Accidents in o∣ther Bodies, they did for conveniency, and for the more expeditious Expressi∣on of their Conceptions agree to distin∣guish them into several Sorts, which they call Genders or Species, according as they referr'd them either upwards to a more Comprehensive sort of Bodies, or downward to a narrower Species, or to Individuals: As, observing many Bo∣dies to agree in being Fusible, Mallea∣ble, Heavy, and the like, they gave to that sort of Body the name of Mettal, which is a Genus in reference to Gold, Silver, Lead, and but a Species in refe∣rence to that sort of mixt Bodies they

call Fossilia. This superior Genus com∣prehending both Mettals, Stones, and diverse other Concretions, though it self be but a Species in respect of Mixt Bodies. Now when any Body is referr'd to any particular Species, (as of a Met∣tal, a Stone, or the like,) because Men have for their Convenience agreed to signifie all the Essentials requisite to constitute such a Body by one Name, most of the Writers of Physicks have been apt to think, that besides the com∣mon Matter of all Bodies, there is but One thing that discriminates it from o∣ther Kinds, and makes it what it is, and this for brevities sake they call a Forme; which, because all the Qualities and o∣ther Accidents of the Body must de∣pend on it, they also imagine to be a ve∣ry Substance, and indeed a kind of Soule, which united to the gross Mat∣ter composes with it a Natural Body, and acts in it by the several Qualities to be found therein, which Men are wont

to ascribe to the Creature so compos'd. But as to this affair, I observe, that if (for Instance) You ask a Man, what Gold is, if he cannot shew you a piece of Gold, and tell You, This is Gold, he will describe it to You as a Body, that is extremely Ponderous, very Mal∣leable and Ductile, Fusible and yet Fixt in the Fire, and of a Yellowish colour: and if You offer to put off to him a piece of Brass for a piece of Gold, he will presently refuse it, and (if he under∣stand Mettals) tell You, that though Your Brass be coloured like it, 'tis not so heavy, nor so malleable, neither will it like Gold resist the utmost brunt of the Fire, or resist Aqua Fortis: and if You ask Men what they mean by a Ruby, or Niter, or a Pearl, they will still make You such Answers, that You may clearly perceive, that whatever Men talk in Theory of Substantial Forms, yet That, upon whose account they really distinguish any one Body

from others, and refer it to this or th•• Species of Bodies, is nothing but a Aggregate or Convention of such Ac∣cidents, as most men do by a kind of A∣greement (for the Thing is more A••∣bitrary then we are aware of) think ne∣cessary or sufficient to make a Portio•• of the Universal Matter belong to th•• or that Determinate Genus or Specie•• of Natural Bodies. And therefore no•• onely the Generality of Chymists, be diverse Philosophers, and, what is more some Schoolmen themselves, maintai•• it to be possible to Transmute the ign••∣bler Mettals into Gold; which argues that if a Man could bring any Parcel o•• Matter to be Yellow, and Malleable and Ponderous, and Fixt in the Fire, an•• upon the Test, and Indissoluble in Aqu•• Fortis, and in some to have a concur∣rence of all those Accidents, by which Men try True Gold from False, the•• would take it for True Gold without scruple. And in this case the general••∣ty

of Mankind would leave the School-Doctors to dispute, whether being a Factitious Body, (as made by the Chy∣mists art,) it have the Substantial Form of Gold, and would upon the account of the Convention of the freshly menti∣on'd Accidents let it pass Current a∣mongst them, notwithstanding most Mens greater care, not to be deceived in a matter of this nature then in any other. And indeed, since to every Determinate Species of Bodies, there doth belong more then One Quality, and for the most part a concurrence of Many is so Essen∣tial to That sort of Bodies, that the want of any of them is sufficient to ex∣clude it from belonging to that Species: there needs no more to discriminate sufficiently any One kind of Bodies from all the Bodies in the World, that are not of that kind; as the Chymists Luna ••ixa, which they tell us wants not the Weight, the Malleablenesse, nor the Fixtness, nor any other property of

Gold, except the Yellownesse, (which makes them call it White Gold,) would by reason of that want of Colour be ea∣sily known from true Gold. And you will not wonder at this, if you consider, that those Sphaeres and Parallelopipe∣dons differ but in Shape, yet this diffe∣rence alone is the ground of so many others, that Euclid and other Geome∣tricians have demonstrated, I know not how many Properties of the one, which do no way belong to the other, and† A∣ristotle himself somewhere tels us, That a Sphaere is compos'd of Brass and Roundness. And I suppose it would be thought a Man's own fault, if he could not distinguish a Needle from a File, or a Key from a pair of Scissors, though these being all made of Iron, and differing but in Bignesse and Shape, are less remarkably diverse then Natu∣ral Bodies, the most part of which differ from each other in far more Accidents

then Two. Nor need we think that Qualities being but Accidents, they cannot be essential to a Natural Body; for Accident, as I formerly noted, is sometimes oppos'd to Substance, and sometimes to Essence: and though an Accident can be but accidental to Mat∣ter, as it is a Substantial thing, yet it may be essential to this or that particu∣lar Body; as in Aristotle's newly menti∣on'd Example, though Roundness is but Accidental to Brass, yet 'tis Essen∣tial to a Brasen Sphaere; because, though the Brasse were devoid of Roundnesse, (as if it were Cubical, or of any other figure,) it would still be a Corporeal Substance, yet without that Roundness it could not be a Sphaere: wherefore since an Aggregate or Convention of Qualities is enough to make the porti∣on of Matter 'tis found in, what it is, and denominate it of this or that Determi∣nate sort of Bodies; and since those Qualities, as we have seen already, do

themselves proceed from those more Primary and Catholick affections of Matter, Bulk, Shape, Motion or Rest, and the Texture thence resulting, why may we not say, that the Form of a Bo∣dy being made up of those Qualities u∣nited in one Subject, doth likewise con∣sist in such a Convention of those new∣ly nam'd Mechanical Affections of Matter, as is necessary to constitute a Body of that Determinate kind. And so, though I shall for brevities sake retain the word Forme, yet I would be under∣stood to mean by it, not a Real Sub∣stance distinct from Matter, but onely the Matter it self of a Natural Body, consider'd with its peculiar manner of Existence, which I think may not in∣conveniently be call'd either its Specifi∣cal or its Denominating State, or its Es∣sential Modification, or, if you would have me express it in one word, its Stamp: for such a Convention of Acci∣dents is sufficient to perform the Offi∣ces

that are necessarily requir'd in what Men call a Forme, since it makes the Body such as it is, making it appertain to this or that Determinate Species of Bodies, and discriminating it from all other Species of Bodies whatsoever: as for Instance, Ponderousness, Ductility, Fixtnesse, Yellowness, and some other Qualities, concurring in a portion of Matter, do with it constitute Gold, and making it belong to that Species we call Mettals, and to that sort of Mettals we call Gold, do both denominate and discriminate it from Stones, Salts, Mar∣chasites, and all other sorts of Bodies that are not Mettals, and from Silver, Brass, Copper, and all Mettals except Gold. And whereas 'tis said by some, that the Forme also of a Body ought to be the Principle of its Operations, we shall hereafter consider in what sense That is to be admitted or rejected, in the mean time it may suffice us, that even in the Vulgar Philosophy 'tis acknow∣ledg'd,

that Natural Things for the most part operate by their Qualities, as Snow dazles the Eyes by its Whiteness, and Water scatter'd into drops of Rain falls from the Clouds upon the account of its Gravity. To which I shall adde, that how great the power may be, which a Body may exercise by virtue of a single Quality, may appear by the Various and oftentimes Prodigious Effects, which Fire produces by its Heat, when there∣by it melts Mettals, calcines Stones, destroyes whole Woods and Cities &c. And if several Active Qualities conven•• in one Body, (as that which in our Hy∣pothesis is meant by Forme, usually comprises several of them,) what great things may be thereby perform'd, may be somewhat guess'd at by the strange things we see done by some Engines which, being, as Engins, undoubtedly de∣void of Substantial Forms, must d•• those strange things they are admir'd for, by virtue of those Accidents, the

Shape, Size, Motion, and Contrivance, of their parts. Not to mention, that in our Hypothesis, besides those Operati∣ons that proceed from the Essential Modification of the Matter, as the Bo∣dy (compos'd of Matter and necessary Accidents) is consider'd per modum uni∣us, as one Entire Corporeal Agent, it may in diverse cases have other O∣perations, upon the account of those particular Corpuscles, which though they concurre to compose it, and are in reference to the whole consider'd but as its parts, may yet retain their own par∣ticular Nature, and diverse of the pecu∣liar Qualities: as in a Watch, besides those things which the Watch performs as such, the several parts whereof it consists, as the Spring, the Wheels, the String, the Pins, &c. may have each of them its peculiar Bulk, Shape, and other Attributes, upon the account of one or more of which, the Wheel or Spring &c. may do other things then

what it doth, as meerly a Constituent part of the Watch. And so in the Milk of a Nurse, that hath some hours before taken a Potion, though the Cor∣puscles of the purging Medicine appear not to sense distinct from the other parts of the Milk, which in far greater num∣bers concurre with them, to constitute that white Liquor, yet these Purgative Particles, that seem but to be part of the Matter whereof the Milk consists, do yet so retain their own Nature and Qua∣lities, that being suck'd in with the rest by the Infant, they quickly discriminate and discover themselves by purging him. But of this Subject more hereaf∣ter.

(Of Generation, Corruption, and Alteration.)

VIII. IT now remains that we declare, what, according to the Tenour of our Hypothesis, is to be meant by Generation, Corruption, and Alteration;

(Three Names, that have very much puzled and divided Philosophers.) In order hereunto we may consider,

1. That there are in the World great store of Particles of Matter, each of which is too small to be, whilst single, Sensible; and being Entire, or Undivi∣ded, must needs both have its Deter∣minate Shape, and be very Solid. Inso∣much, that though it be mentally, and by Divine Omnipotence divisible, yet by reason of its Smalness and Solidity, Na∣ture doth scarce ever actually divide it; and these may in this sense be call'd Mi∣nima or Prima Naturalia.

2. That there are also Multitudes of Corpuscles, which are made up of the Coalition of several of the former Mi∣nima Naturalia; and whose Bulk is so small, and their Adhaesion so close and strict, that each of these little Primitive Concretions or Clusters (if I may so call them) of Particles is singly below the discernment of Sense, and though not

absolutely indivisible by Nature into the Prima Naturalia that compos'd it, or perhaps into other little Fragments, yet, for the reasons freshly intimated, they very rarely happen to be actually dissolv'd or broken, but remain entire in great variety of sensible Bodies, and under various forms or disguises. As, not to repeat, what we lately mention'd of the undestroy'd purging Corpuscles of Milk; we see, that even Grosser and more compounded Corpuscles may have such a permanent Texture: For Quicksilver, for instance, may be turn'd into a red Powder for a Fusible and Malleable Body, or a Fugitive Smoak, and disguis'd I know not how many o∣ther wayes, and yet remain true and re∣coverable Mercury. And these are as it were the Seeds, or immediate Princi∣ples of many sorts of Natural Bodies, as Earth, Water, Salt, &c. and those singly insensible, become capable, when united, to affect the Sense: as I have

try'd, that if good Camphire be kept a while in pure Spirit of Wine, it will thereby be reduc'd into such Little parts, as totally to disappear in the Li∣quor, without making it look less clear then fair Water, and yet, if into this Mixture you pour a competent quanti∣ty of Water, in a moment the scatter'd Corpuscles of the Camphire will, by re∣uniting themselves, become White, and consequently Visible, as before their Dispersion.

3. That as well each of the Minima Naturalia, as each of the Primary Clu∣sters above mention'd, having its own Determinate Bulk & Shape, when these come to adhere to one another, it must alwaies happen, that the Size, and often, that the Figure of the Corpuscle com∣pos'd by their Juxta-position and Co∣haesion, will be chang'd: and not seldome too, the Motion either of the one, or the other, or both, will receive a new Ten∣dency, or be alter'd as to its Velocity,

or otherwise. And the like will hap∣pen, when the Corpuscles, that compose a Cluster of Particles, are disjoyn'd, or any thing of the little Mass is broken off. And whether any thing of Matter be added to a Corpuscle, or taken from it in either case, (as we just now intima∣ted,) the Size of it must necessarily be alter'd, and for the most part the Figure will be so too, whereby it will both ac∣quire a Congruity to the Pores of some Bodies, (and perhaps some of our Sen∣sories,) and become Incongruous to those of others, and consequently be qualify'd, as I shall more fully shew you hereafter, to operate on diverse occasi∣ons, much otherwise then it was fitted to do before.

4. That when many of these insen∣sible Corpuscles come to be associated into one visible Body, if many or most of them be put into Motion, from what cause soever the Motion proceeds, That it self may produce great Changes, and

new Qualities in the Body they com∣pose; for not onely Motion may perform much, even when it makes not any visible Alteration in it, as Air put into swift Motion, (as when it is blown out of Bellows) acquires a new Name, and is call'd Wind, and to the Touch appears far colder then the same Air not so form'd into a Stream; and Iron, by being briskly rubb'd against Wood or other Iron, hath its small parts so agitated, as to appear hot to our Sense: but this Motion oftentimes makes visible Alte∣rations in the Texture of the Body into which it is receiv'd, for alwaies the Moved parts strive to communicate their Motion, or somewhat of the de∣gree of it, to some parts that were be∣fore either at Rest, or otherwise mov'd, and oftentimes the same Mov'd parts do thereby either disjoyn, or break some of the Corpuscles they hit against, and thereby change their Bulk, or Shape, or both, and either drive some

of them quite out of the Body, and per∣haps lodge themselves in their places, or else associate them anew with others. Whence it usually follows, that the Texture, is for a while at least, and, un∣lesse it be very stable and permanent, for good and all, very much alter'd, and especially, in that the Pores or little In∣tervals intercepted betwixt the com∣ponent Particles, will be chang'd as to Bigness, or Figure, or both, and so will cease to be commensurate to the Cor∣puscles that were fit for them before, and become commensurate to such Cor∣puscles of other Sizes and Shapes, as till then were incongruous to them Thus we see that Water, by loosing the wonted agitation of its parts, may acquire the Firmnesse and Brittlenesse we find in Ice, and loose much of the Transparency it had whilst it was a Li∣quor. Thus also by very hard rubbing two pieces of Resinous Wood against one another, we may make them throw

out diverse of their looser parts into Steams and visible Smoak, and may, if the Attrition be duely continued, make that commotion of the parts so change the Texture of the whole, as afterwards to turn the superficial parts into a kind of Coal. And thus Milk, especially in hot weather, will by the intestine, though languid, Motions of its parts, be in a short time turn'd into a thinner sort of liquor then Milk, and into Cream, and this (last nam'd) will by being barely agitated in a Churn, be turn'd in a shor∣ter time into that Unctuous and consi∣stent Body we call Butter, and into thin, fluid, and sower Butter-milk. And thus (to dispatch) by the bruising of Fruit, the Texture is commonly so chang'd, that as we see particularly in Apples, that the Bruis'd part soon comes to be of another nature then the Sound part, the one differing from the other both in Colour, Tast, Smell, and Consistence. So that (as we have already inculcated)

Local Motion hath, of all other affecti∣ons of Matter, the greatest Interest i•• the Altering and Modifying of it, since it is not onely the Grand Agent or Effi∣cient among Second Causes, but is also oftentimes one of the principal things that constitutes the Forme of Bodies: as when two Sticks are set on fire by long and vehement Attrition, Local Motion is not onely that which kindles the Wood, and so as an Efficient produces the Fire, but is That which principally concurrs to give the produced Stream of shining Matter, the name and nature of Flame: and so it concurrs also to con∣stitute all Fluid Bodies.

5. And that since we have formerly seen, that 'tis from the Size, Shape, and Motion of the small parts of Matter, and the Texture that results from the manner of their being dispos'd in any one Body, that the Colour, Odour, Tast, and other qualities of that Body are to be deriv'd, it will be easie for us

to recollect, That such Changes cannot happen in a portion of Matter, without so much varying the Nature of it, that we need not deride the antient Ato∣mists, for attempting to deduce the Ge∣neration and Corruption of Bodies from the fam'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Conven∣tion and Dissolution, and the Alterations of them, from the transposition of their (suppos'd) Atoms: For though indeed Nature is wont in the Changes she makes among things Corporeal, to im∣ploy all the three wayes, as well in Alte∣rations, as Generations and Corruptions; yet if they onely meant, as probably e∣nough they did, That of the three waies propos'd, the First was wont to be the Principal in the Generation of Bodies, the second in the Corruption, & the third in their Alterations, I shall not much oppose this Doctrine: though I take the Local Motion or Transposition of Parts, in the same portion of Matter, to bear a great stroak as well in reference

to Generation and Corruption, as to Al∣teration: as we see when Milk, or Flesh or Fruit, without any remarkable addi∣tion or loss of parts turns into Mag∣gots, or other Insects; and as we may more conspicuously observe in the Prae∣cipitation of Mercury without addition, in the Vitrification of Mettals, and o∣ther Chymical Experiments to be here∣after mention'd.

These things premis'd, it will not now be difficult to comprise in few words such a Doctrine, touching the Ge∣neration, Corruption, and Alteration of Bodies, as is suitable to our Hypothesis, and the former Discourse. For if in a parcel of Matter there happen to be produc'd (it imports not much how) a Concurrence of all those Accidents, (whether those onely, or more) that Men by tacite agreement have thought necessary and sufficient to constitute any one Determinate Species of things cor∣poreal, then we say, That a Body be∣longing

to that Species, as suppose a Stone, or a Mettal, is Generated, or pro∣duc'd de novo. Not that there is really any thing of Substantial produc'd, but that those parts of Matter, that did in∣deed before praeexist, but were either scatter'd and shar'd among other Bodies, or at least otherwise dispos'd of, are now brought together, and dispos'd of after the manner requisite, to entitle the Body that results from them to a new Denomination, and make it apper∣tain to such a Determinate Species of Natural Bodies, so that no new Sub∣stance is in Generation produc'd, but onely That, which was praeexistent, ob∣teins a new Modification, or manner of Existence. Thus when the Spring, and Wheels, and String, and Balance, and Index &c. necessary to a Watch, which lay before scatter'd, some in one part, some in another of the Artificer's Shop, are first set together in the Order requisite to make such an Engine, to

shew how the time passes, a watch is said to be made: not that any of the mention'd Material parts is produc'd de novo, but that till then the divided Mat∣ter was not so contriv'd and put toge∣ther, as was requisite to constitute such a thing, as we call a Watch. And so when Sand and Ashes are well melted together, and suffer'd to cool, there is Generated by the Colliquation that sort of Concretion we call Glass, though it be evident, that its Ingredients were both praeexistent, and do but by their Association obtain a New manner of ex∣isting together. And so when by the Churning of Creame, Butter and But∣ter-milk are generated, we find not any thing Substantial Produc'd de novo in either of them, but onely that the Se∣rum, and the fat Corpuscles, being put into Local Motion, do by their frequent Occursions extricate themselves from each other, and associate themselves in the new manner, requisite to constitute

the Bodies, whose names are given them.

And as a Body is said to be generated, when it first appears clothed with all those Qualities, upon whose Account Men have been pleas'd to call some Bo∣dies Stones; others, Mettals; others, Salts, &c. so when a Body comes to loose all or any of those Accidents that are Essential, and necessary to the consti∣tuting of such a Body, it is then said to be corrupted or destroy'd, and is no more a Body of that Kind, but looses its Title to its former Denomination. Not that any thing Corporeal or Sub∣stantial perishes in this Change, but one∣ly that the Essential Modification of the Matter is destroy'd: and though the Bo∣dy be still a Body, (no Natural Agent being able to annihilate Matter,) yet 'tis no longer such a Body, as 'twas be∣fore, but perisheth in the capacity of a Body of that Kind. Thus if a Stone, falling upon a Watch, break it to pieces;

as, when the Watch was made there was no new Substance produc'd, all the Material parts (as the Steel, Brass, String, &c.) being praeexistent some where or other, (as in Iron, and Copper Mines, in the Bellies of those Animals of whose Guts Men use to make Strings;) so not the least part of the Substance of the Watch is lost, be onely displac'd and scatter'd; and yea that Portion of Matter ceases to be a VVatch as it was before. And so (•• resume our late Example) when Cream•• is by Churning turn'd into But••er, and a Serous Liquor, the parts of the Mil•• remain associated into those two Bodies but the White Liquor perisheth in the capacity of Milk. And so when Ice comes to be thaw'd in exactly close Vessels, though the Corruption be pro¦duc'd onely (for ought appears) by in∣troducing a new Motion and Dispositi∣on into the parts of the Frozen Water yet it thereupon ceases to be Ice, howe¦ver

it be as much VVater, and conse∣quently as much a Body, as before it was frozen or thaw'd. These and the like Examples may teach us rightly to un∣derstand that common Axiom of Na∣turalists, Corruptio unius est generatio alterius; & è contrà: for since it is ac∣knowledged on all hands, that Matter cannot be annihilated, and since it ap∣pears by what we have said above, that there are some Properties, namely Size, Shape, Motion, (or in its absence, Rest,) that are inseparable from the actual parts of Matter; and since also the Coalition of any competent number of these parts is sufficient to constitute a Natural Bo∣dy, endow'd with diverse sensible Qua∣lities; it can scarce be otherwise, but that the same Agents, that shatter the Frame, or destroy the Texture of one Body, will by shuffling them together, and disposing them after a New manner, bring them to constitute some new sort of Bodies: As the same thing, that by

burning destroyes Wood, turns it into Flame, Soot, and Ashes. Onely I doubt whether the Axiome do generally hol•• true, if it be meant, That every Corrup¦tion must end in the Generation of a Body belonging to some particular Species •• things, unlesse we take Powders an•• fluid Bodies indefinitely for Species •• Natural Bodies; since it is plain, the•• are multitudes of Vegetables, and other Concretions, which, when they rot, d•• not, as some others do, turn in•••• Worms, but either into some slimy o•• watery Substance, or else (which is th•• most usuall) they crumble into a kin•• of Dust or Powder, which, thoug•• look'd upon as being the Earth, in•• which rotten Bodies are at length re¦solv'd, is very far from being of an Ele¦mentary nature, but as yet a Compoun∣ded Body, retaining some, if not many Qualities, which often makes the D•• of one sort of Plant or Animal diff•• much from that of another. And Th••

will supply me with this Argument Ad hominem, viz. That since in those vio∣lent Corruptions of Bodies, that are made by Outward Agents, shattering them into pieces, if the Axiome hold true, the New Bodies emergent upon the Dissolution of the Former, must be really Natural Bodies, as (indeed divers of the Moderns hold them to be,) and Generated according to the course of Nature; as when Wood is destroy'd by Fire, and turn'd partly into Flame, part∣ly into Soot, partly into Coals, and partly into Ashes; I hope we may be allow'd to conclude, That those Chymi∣cal Productions, which so many would have to be but Factitious Bodies, are Natural ones, and regularly Generated. For it being the same Agent, the Fire, that operates upon Bodies, whether they be expos'd to it in close Glasses, or in Chimnies, I see no sufficient rea∣son, why the Chymical Oyls, and Vo∣latile Salts, and other things which

Spagirites obtain from mixt Bodies, should not be accounted Natural Bo∣dies, as well as the Soot, and Ashes, an•• Charcoal, that by the same fire are ob∣tain'd from Kindled Wood.

But before we passe away from the mention of the Corruption of Bodies, must take some notice of what is call'd their Putrefaction. This is but a Pecu∣liar kind of Corruption, wrought slow∣ly (whereby it may be distinguish'd from Destruction by Fire, and othe•• nimble Agents) in Bodies: it happens to them for the most part by means o•• the Air, or some other Ambient Fluid, which by penetrating into the Pores o•• the Body, and by its agitation in them, doth usually call out some of the more Agile and lesse entangled parts of the Body, and doth almost ever loosen and dislocate the parts in general, and there∣by so change the Texture, and perhaps too the Figure, of the Corpuscles, that compose it, that the Body, thus chang'd,

acquires Qualities unsuitable to its For∣mer Nature, and for the most part of∣fensive to Our Senses, especially of Smelling and Tasting: which last clause I therefore adde, not onely because the Vulgar look not upon the Change of an Egge into a Chick as a Corruption, but as a Perfection of the Egge; but be∣cause also I think it not improbable, that if by such slow Changes of Bodies, as make them loose their former Na∣ture, and might otherwise passe for Pu∣trefaction, many Bodies should acquire better Sents or Tasts then before; or if Nature, Custom, or any other cause should much alter the Texture of our Organs of Tasting and Smelling, it would not perhaps be so well agreed on what should be call'd Putrefaction, as that imports an impairing Alteration, but Men would find some favourabler Notion for such Changes. For I ob∣serve, that Medlars, though they acquire in length of time such a Colour and

Softness as rotten Apples, and other pu∣trify'd Fruits do, yet, because their Tast is not then harsh as before, we call that Ripeness in them, which otherwise we should call Rottenness. And though up∣on the Death of a fourfooted Beast, we generally call that Change, which hap∣pens to the Flesh or Bloud, Putrefacti∣on, yet we passe a more favourable judg∣ment upon That, which happens to the Flesh and other softer parts of that A∣nimal, (whether it be a kind of large Rabbets, or very small and hornlesse Deer,) of which in China, and in the Levant they make Musk; because by the Change, that ensues the Animals death, the Flesh acquires not an odious, but a grateful Smell. And we see, that some Men, whose Appetites are grati∣fied by Rotten Cheese, think it Then not to have degenerated, but to have at∣tain'd its best State, when having lost its former Colour, Smell, and Tast, and, which is more, being in great part

turn'd into those Insects call'd Mites, 'tis both in a Philosophical sense cor∣rupted, and in the aestimate of the ge∣nerality of Men grown Putrid. But because it very seldom happens, that a Body by Generation acquires no other Qualities, then just those that are abso∣lutely necessary, to make it belong to the Species that Denominates it; there∣fore in most Bodies there are diverse o∣ther Qualities that may be there, or may be missing, without Essentially chang∣ing the Subject: as Water may be clear or muddy, odorous or stinking, and still remain Water; and Butter may be white or yellow, sweet or rancid, consi∣stent or melted, and still be call'd But∣ter. Now therefore whensoever a Par∣c••l of Matter does acquire or loose a Quality, that is not Essential to it, That Acquisition or Losse is distinctly call'd Alteration, (or by some, Mutation:) the Acquist onely of the Qualities that are absolutely necessary to constitute its Es∣sential

and Specifical difference, or the Loss of any of those Qualities, being such a Change as must not be call'd meer Alteration, but have the particu∣lar name of Generation or Corruption; both which according to this Doctrine appear to be but several Kinds of Alte∣ration, taken in a large sense, though they are distinguish'd from it in a more strict and Limited acception of that Terme.

And here we have a fair Occasion to take notice of the Fruitfulnesse and Ex∣tent of our Mechanical Hypothesis: For since according to our Doctrine, the World we live in is not a Movelesse or Indigested Mass of Matter, but an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Self moving Engine, where∣in the greatest part of the common Mat∣ter of all Bodies is alwaies (though not still the same parts of it) in Motion; & wherein Bodies are so close set by one another, that (unlesse in some very few and extraordinary, and as it were Prae∣ternatural

cases) they have either no Vacuities betwixt them, or onely here and there interpos'd, and very small ones. And since, according to us, the various manner of the Coalition of seve∣ral Corpuscles into one visible Body is e∣nough to give them a peculiar Texture, and thereby fitt them to exhibit divers sensible Qualities, and to become a Bo∣dy, sometimes of one Denomination, and sometimes of another; it will very naturally follow, that from the various Occursions of those innumerable swarms of little Bodies, that are mov'd to and fro in the World, there will be many fitted to stick to one another, and so compose Concretions; and many (though not in the self same place) dis∣joyn'd from one another, and agitated apart; and multitudes also that will be driven to associate themselves, now with one Body, and presently with another. And if we also consider on the one side, that the Sizes of the small Particles of

Matter may be very various, their Fi∣gures almost innumerable, and that if a parcel of Matter do but happen to stick to one Body, it may chance to give it a new Quality, and if it adhere to another, or hit against some of its Parts, it may constitute a Body of another Kind; or if a parcel of Matter be knockt off from another, it may barely by That, leave It, and become it self of another Nature then before. If, I say, we consider these things on the one side; and on the other side, that (to use Lucretius his Comparison) all that innumerable mul∣titude of Words, that are contain'd in all the Languages of the World, are made of the various Combinations of some of the 24 Letters of the Alpha∣bet; 'twill not be hard to conceive, that there may be an incomprehensible va∣riety of Associations and Textures of the Minute parts of Bodies, and conse∣quently a vast Multitude of Portions of Matter endow'd with store enough of

differing Qualities, to deserve distinct Appellations; though for want of heed∣fulnesse and fit Words, Men have not yet taken so much notice of their lesse obvious Varieties, as to sort them as they deserve, and give them distinct and proper Names. So that though I would not say, that Any thing can im∣mediately be made of Every thing, as a Gold Ring of a VVedge of Gold, or Oyl, or Fire of Water; yet since Bodies, having but one common Matter, can be differenc'd but by Accidents, which seem all of them to be the Effects and Consequents of Local Motion, I see not, why it should be absurd to think, that (at least among Inanimate Bodies) by the Intervention of some very small Addition or Substraction of Matter, (which yet in most cases will scarce be needed,) and of an orderly Series of Al∣terations, disposing by degrees the Mat∣ter to be transmuted, almost of any thing, may at length be made Any

thing: as, though out of a wedge of Gold one cannot immediately make a Ring, yet by either Wyre-drawing that Wedge by degrees, or by melting it, and casting a little of it into a Mould, That thing may easily be effected. And so though Water cannot immediately be transmuted into Oyl, and much less into Fire, yet if you nourish certain Plants with Water alone, (as I have done,) 'till they have assimilated a great quantity of Water into their own Na∣ture, You may, by committing this Transmuted Water (which you may distinguish and separate from that part of the Vegetable you first put in) to Distillation in convenient Glasses, ob∣tain, besides other things, a true Oyl▪ and a black combustible Coal, (and con∣sequently Fire,) both of which may be so copious, as to leave no just cause to suspect, that they could be any thing neer afforded by any little Spirituous parts, which may be praesum'd to have

been communicated by that part of the Vegetable, that is first put into the wa∣ter, to that far greater part of it, which was committed to Distillation.

But, Pyrophilus, I perceive the Diffi∣culty and Fruitfulnesse of my Subject, have made me so much more prolix then I intended, that it will not now be amiss to Contract the Summary of our Hypothesis, and give you the Main Points of it with little or no Illustrati∣on, and without particular Proofs in a few words. We teach then (but with∣out peremptorily asserting it,)

First, That the Matter of all Natural Bodies is the Same, namely a Substance extended and impenetrable.

2. That all Bodies thus agreeing in the same common Matter, their Distin∣ction is to be taken from those Acci∣dents that do diversity it.

3. That Motion, not belonging to the Essence of Matter, (which retains its whole Nature, when 'tis at Rest,) and

not being Originally producible by o∣ther Accidents, as They are from It, may be look'd upon as the First and chief Mood or Affection of Matter.

4. That Motion, variously deter∣min'd, doth naturally divide the Matter it belongs to, into actual Fragments or Parts; and this Division obvious Ex∣perience, (and more eminently, Chy∣mical Operations) manifest to have been made into parts exceedingly minute, and very often, too minute to be singly perceiveable by our Senses.

5. Whence it must necessarily fol∣low, that each of these Minute Parts, or minima Naturalia (as well as every particular Body, made up by the Coali∣tion of any number of them,) must have its Determinate Bignesse or Size, and its own Shape. And these three, namely Bulk, Figure, and either Motion or Rest, (there being no Mean between these two) are the three Primary and most Catholick Moods or Affections of

the insensible parts of Matter, consider'd each of them apart.

6. That when diverse of them are consider'd together, there will necessa∣rily follow here Below both a certain Position or Posture in reference to the Horizon (as Erected, Inclining, or Le∣vel) of each of them, and a certain Or∣der, or placing before, or behind, or be∣sides one another; (as when in a com∣pany of Souldiers, one stands upright, the other stoops, the other lyes along up∣on the Ground, they have various Po∣stures; and their being plac'd besides one another in Ranks, and behind one ano∣ther in Files, are Varieties of their Or∣der:) and when many of these small parts are brought to Convene into one Body from their primary Affections, and their Disposition, or Contrivance as to Po∣sture and Order, there results That, which by one Comprehensive Name we call the Texture of that Body. And indeed these several Kinds of Location,

to borrow a Scholastical Terme,) attri∣buted (in this 6^th number) to the Mi∣nute Particles of Bodies, are so neer of Kinne, that they seem all of them refer∣rable to (that One Event of their Con∣vening,) Scituation, or Position. And these are the Affections that belong to a Body, as it is consider'd in it self, with∣out relation to sensitive Beings, or to other Natural Bodies.

7. That yet, there being Men in the World, whose Organs of Sense are contriv'd in such differing wayes, that one Sensory is fitted to receive Impres∣sions from some, and another from o∣ther sorts of External Objects, or Bo∣dies without them, (whether these act as Entire Bodies, or by Emission of their Corpuscles, or by propagating some Motion to the Sensory,) the Percepti∣ons of these Impressions are by me•• call'd by several Names, as Heat, Colour, Sound, Odour; and are commonly ima∣gin'd to proceed from certain distinct

and peculiar Qualities in the External Object, which have some resemblance to the Ideas, their action upon the Sen∣ses excites in the Mind; though indeed all these Sensible Qualities, and the rest that are to be met with in the Bodies without us, are but the Effects or Con∣sequents of the above mentioned pri∣mary Affections of Matter, whose Ope∣rations are diversify'd according to the nature of the Sensories, or other Bodies they work upon.

8. That when a Portion of Matter, either by the accession or Recesse of Cor∣puscles, or by the transposition of those it consisted of before, or by any two or all of these waies, happens to obtain a concurrence of all those Qualities, which Men commonly agree to be necessary and sufficient to Denominate the Body, which hath them, either a Mettal, or a Stone, or the like, and to rank it in any peculiar and determinate Species of Bo∣dies, Then a Body of that Denomina∣tion

is said to be Generated.

9. This Convention of Essential Ac∣cidents being taken (not any of the•• Apart, but all) together for the Specif••∣cal Difference that constitutes the Body and discriminates it from all other sort of Bodies, is by one Name, because conside••'d as one collective Thing call'd its Forme, (as Beauty, which i•• made up both of Symmetry of Parts and Agreeablenesse of Colours,) whic•• is consequently but a certain Character▪ (as I sometimes call it,) or a peculi•• state of Matter, or, if I may so name it an Essential Modification: a Modificati∣on, because 'tis indeed but a Determi∣nate manner of Existence of the Matter and yet an Essential Modification, be∣cause that though the concurrent Qua∣lities be but Accidental to Matter (which with others in stead of Them would be Matter still,) yet they are es∣sentially necessary to the Particular Body which without those Accidents woul••

not be a Body of that Denomination, as a Mettal or a Stone, but of some o∣ther.

10. Now a Body being capable of many other Qualities, besides those, whose Convention is necessary to make up its Form; the acquisition or lesse of any such Quality is, by Naturalists in the more strict sense of that Terme, nam'd Alteration: as when Oyl comes to be frozen, or to change colour, or to grow rancid; but if all, or any of the Qualities, that are reputed essential to such a Body, come to be lost or de∣stroy'd, that notable Change is call'd Corruption; as when Oyl being boyl'd takes fire, the Oyl is not said to be al∣ter'd in the former sense, but corrupted or destroy'd, and the emergent Fire ge∣nerated; and when it so happens, that the Body is slowly corrupted, and there∣by also acquires Qualities offensive to our Senses, especially of Smell and Tast, (as when Flesh▪ or Fruit grows rotten,)

that kind of Corruption is by a more par∣ticular Name call'd Putrefaction. But neither in this, nor in any other kind of Corruption is there any thing substan∣tial destroy'd, (no such thing having been produc'd in Generation, and Mat∣ter it self being on all hands acknow∣ledged incorruptible,) but onely that special connexion of the Parts, or man∣ner of their Coexistence, upon whose account the Matter, whilst it was in its former state, was, and was call'd a Stone, or a Mettal, or did belong to any other Determinate Species of Bodies.

Notes

• Cardan: Contradict. 9. lib. 2. Tract. 5. a pud Schenckium.
• This memorable Accident happen'd to a Senator of B••rne, who was cur'd by the Experienc'd Fabricius Hildanus, that gives a long Account of it to the Lear∣ned Horstius, among whose Observat••ons tis extant; (Lib. 2. observ. 35.) who ascribes the Indolence of the Part, whilst uncompress'd, to some slimy Juice, (fami∣liar enough to those Tendinous parts,) wherein the Glassy fragment was as it were Bedded.
• †

  In those Notes about Occult Qualitles, where the Deleterious Faculty attributed to Diamonds is conside∣red.
• †

  Since the writing of this, the Author found, that some of the Eminentest of the modern Schoolmen themselves, have been, as well as he, unsatisfied with the Aristotelian Definition of Quality: concerning which (not to mention Revius, a Learned Protestant. Anno∣tato•• upon Sua••ez.) Ariaga sayes (disp. 5. sect. 2. subs. 1.) Per haec n••hil explicatur; nam de hoc quaerimus, quid sit esse qual, dices habere qualitatem; bonus Circulus: qua∣litas est id quo quis sit qualis, & esse qualem est habere Qualitatem. And even the famous Jesuit Suarez, though he endeavours to excuse it, yet confesseth, that it leaves the proper Notion of Quality as obscure to us as before: (Quae d••finitio, saith he, licèt ••a ration•• essen∣t••alis videatur, quod detur per habitudinem ad effectum formalem, quem omnis Fo••ma ess••••tialiter respicit, tamen quod ad nos spectat, aquè obscura nobis manet propria ra∣tio Qualitatis.) Suarez Disputat. Metaphysic. 42. But Hurtadus (••n his Metaphysical Disputations) speaks mo••e boldly, telling us roundly, that it is Non tam Definitio, quàm inanis quaedam Nugatio, which makes me the mo••e wonder, that a famous Cartesian (whom I forbear to name) should content himself to give us such an Insig∣nificant, or ••t least Superficial Definition of Quality.
• †

  Anst. Metaph. lib. 7. cap. 8.