of their Figures, and determinate Contexture into this or that spe∣cies, occurring to the Organs of Sight, Hearing, Smelling, Tasting, Touch∣ing, make divers impressions thereupon, or praesent themselves in divers Apparences, or what is tantamount) make divers Qualities. (2) As one and the same Letter diversly posited, is divers to the Sight, and Hearing, as may be instanced in Z, N, y, ••, b, d, p, q: so likewise doth one and the same Atom, according to its various positions, or faces, produce various affections in the Organs of Sense. For instance, if the Atome assumed be Pyramidal: when the Cone is obverted to the sensory Organ, it must make a different impression upon it, from that which the Base, when obverted and applyed, will cause. (3) As the same two three or more Letters, ac∣cording to their mutation of Site, or Antecession and Consequution, im∣part divers words to the eye, divers sounds to the ear, and divers things to the mind; as ET, TE, IS, SI, SUM, MUS, ROMA, AMOR, MARO, RAMO, ORAM, MORA, ARMO, &c. so also may two three, or more Atoms, according to their various positions and transpositions, affect the sense with various Apparences, or Qualities. (4) And as Letters, whose variety of Figures exceeds not those of the Alphabet, are sufficient only by the variety of order, to compose so great diversity of words, as are contained in this, or all the Books in the World: so likewise, if there were but 24 diverse Figures competent to Atoms, they alone by variety of Order, or transposition, would suffice to the constitution of as incomprehen∣sible a diversity of Qualities. But, when the diversity of their Figures is incomparably greater: how infinitely more incomprehensible must that va∣riety of Qualities be, which the possible changes of their Order may produce?
Thus in the Water of the Sea, when agitated into a white froth, no other mutation is made, save only the situation and differing contexture of the parts thereof disposed by the included aer into many small bubbles; from which the incident rayes of Light (which otherwise would not have been reflected in united) are reflected in united and direct streams to the eye, and so creat a whiteness continued, which is but paler, or weaker light, which must disappeari mmediately upon the dissolution of the bubbles, and re∣turn of the p••rts of the water to their natural constitution of flui∣dity.
And since we are fallen upon that eminent Quality, Colour▪ we shall il∣lustrate the obscure nativity thereof, in the general, by a most praegnant ex∣ample. Immerge into a Glass Vial of clean fountain Water, set upon warm embers, half••n ounce more or less, according the quantity of Water) of the leaves of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and after a small interval of time, instill into the infusion a few drops of the oil of Tartar made per Deliqu••um, which done, you shall perceive the whole mixture to become Red. Now, seeing that no one of the three ingredients, in their simple and divided state, do retain to that spe∣cies of Colour in the remotest degree of affinity; from what original can we derive this emergent Redness? Doubtless, only from hence; that the Water doth so penetrate, by a kind of Discussion separate, and educe the smaller particle•• of that substance, whereof the leaves of Senna are compo∣sed, as that the particles of the oyl of Tartar subtily perme••ting the infusion, totally after the Contexture thereof, and so commove and convert its mi∣nute dissolved particles, as that the rayes of Light from without falling upon