The works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq., epitomiz'd by Richard Boulton ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

CHAP. I. Considerations and Experiments concerning the Origin of Forms and Qualities.

* 1.1THAT before I descend to a more particular Consideration of the Do∣ctrin of Forms and Qualities, I may premise some General Apprehen∣sions of the Doctrin, to be collated with, and to be either confirm'd, or disprov'd by what follows of Particular Forms and Qualities; I will, at the Entrance, give you a short Ac∣count of our Hypothesis, compriz'd in the Eight following Particulars. We teach then (but without peremptorily asserting it)

* 1.2I. That the Matter of all Natural Bodies is the same, Namely, a Substance Extended, Divi∣sible and Impenetrable.

* 1.3II. That since there could be no change in Matter, if all its Parts were perpetually at rest amongst themselves, to discriminate the Catho∣lick Matter of the Universe, into a Variety of Natural Bodies, it must have Motion in some or all its Parts, which Motion must be variously determined.

And though it is manifest to Sense, That there is Local Motion in Matter, yet Motion is not congenite to Matter, nor coeval with it, Local Motion being not included in the Nature of Matter, which is as much Matter when at rest as in Motion: And though it be hotly dis∣puted, How Matter came by that Motion, by those who acknowledge not an Author of the Universe; yet, since a Man is not the worse Naturalist, for not being an Atheist, we allow that the Origin of Motion in Matter is from GOD; and that, since it is unfit to be believ'd, that Matter in Motion left to it self, should ca∣sually constitute this Beautiful and Orderly World,* 1.4 it is not amiss to think, That the Wise Author of Things, guided the first Motions of the small Parts of Matters so, that they might convene after a Manner requisite to compose the World, and especially did contrive those Curious and Elaborate Engins, the Bodies of Living Animals, enduing most of them with a Power of propagating their Species. But to pass by such Notions, I shall proceed to what re∣mains requisite to explicate the Origin of Forms

and Qualities, as soon as I have taken Notice, That Local Motion seems to be indeed the Princi∣pal amongst Second Causes, and the Grand Agent of all that happens in Nature; Bulk, Figure, Rest, Situation and Texture, being the Effects of Mo∣tion, or the Conditions and Requisites, which Modifie the Operation, as in a Watch, or Key, it is Motion that makes all the other Requisites useful.

* 1.5III. That Matter being Naturally by a va∣riously determined Motion, divided into Parts, each of those Parts must needs have a peculiar Size and Shape: So that there are three Essen∣tial Properties, or Primary Affections of the Parts of Matter, Magnitude, Shape, and either Rest or Motion; the two first of which may be call'd Inseparable Accidents: Inseparable, because Bodies extended and finite, cannot be devoid of a Determinate Shape; Accidents: because that whether Physical Agents may have a Power to alter the Shapes, or subdivide Bodies or not, yet mentally they may do both without destroying the Essence of that Matter.

* 1.6Whether these Accidents may be call'd the Modes, or Primary Affections of Bodies, to di∣stinguish them from those more compound Qua∣lities (as Colours, Tastes, and Odours) or the Conjuncts of the smallest Parts of Matter, I shall not now determine; only one thing which is taught by the Modern Schools concerning Acci∣dents; Namely, That there are in Natural Bo∣dies Real Qualities, and other Real Accidents, which are no Modes of Matter, but Entities di∣stinct from it, and which may exist separate from all Matter. To clear this Point, we must take

Notice, That Accident is used in two several Senses; for sometimes it is opposed to the fourth Predicable (Property) and is defined, That which may be Present or Absent, without the Destruction of the Subject; as a Man may be sick or well, yet a Man: And this is call'd Accidens Praedicabile, to distinguish it from what they call Accidens Praedicamentale, which is opposed to Substance; and as Substance is commonly defined to be a thing that subsists of it self, and is the Subject of Accidents; so Accident is said to be Id cujus esse est inesse: And therefore Aristotle, who usually calls Substances 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Entities, calls Accidents 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Entities of Entities, these needing a Subject of Inhaesion. And we are likewise to take Notice, That, according to them, That is said to be in a Subject, which hath these three Condi∣tions; That however it (1) be in another thing, (2) is not in it as a part, and (3) cannot exist sepa∣rately. This premised, it will appear easily, that if they will not allow these Accidents to be Modes of Matter, but Entities really distinct from it; they make them indeed Accidents in Name, but represent them under such a Notion, as belongs only to Substances, the Nature of a Substance con∣sisting in this, that it can subsist of it self. So that we may consider, when a Bowl runs along or lies still, that Motion or Rest, or Globous Fi∣gure, are not any parts of the Bowl, nor real and Physical Entities distinct from it, but certain Modifications, and several Capacities in relation to the Matter of that Bowl.

An Excursion about the Relative Nature of Physical Qualities.

* 1.7BUT because this Notion about the Nature of Qualities may be of some importance, I shall illustrate it a little further. We may con∣sider then, That whoever was the first Inventor of Locks and Keys, they both consisted of a piece of Iron, of a determinate Figure; but in respect of the Congruity betwixt the Wards of the Locks, and those of the Keys, they each of them obtained new Capacities; it being a peculiar Faculty of the Key to unlock, as of the Lock to be unlocked by it; yet by these new Attri∣butes, no real or Physical Entities were added, either to the Lock or Key: so those Qualities, which we call Sensible, tho' by virtue of a Con∣gruity or Incongruity in point of Figure or Tex∣ture to our Sensories, the portions of Matter they modifie, are enabled to produce various Effects, upon whose account we make Bodies to be en∣dued with Qualities, yet they are not in those Bodies any real distinct Entities, or different from the Matter it self, furnished with such a de∣terminate Bigness, Shape, or other Mechanical Modifications. It is reckoned amongst the prin∣cipal Properties of Gold, that it is dissoluble in Aqua Regis; and if one should invent another Menstruum, that will in part dissolve pure Gold, yet the Nature of Gold is not at all different now, from what it was before either of those Men∣struums were invented, there no new real En∣tities accruing to it, without the Intervention

of a Physical Change in the Body it self, by the Addition of these Attributes.

* 1.8There are some Bodies neither Cathartick, nor Sudorifick, with some of which Gold, being em∣bodied, acquires a Purging Virtue, and with others Diaphoretick Qualities; and Nature her self doth, either Artificially, or by Chance, produce so many things, that have new Relations unto others: And, Art especially assisted by Chymistry, may, by variously dissipating Natural Bodies, or compounding either them or their constituent Parts with one another, form a multitude of new Productions, which will be able each of them to cause new Effects, either immediately upon our Sensories, or upon other Bodies, whose changes we are not able to perceive; so that no Man can know, but that the most Familiar Bodies, may have a multitude of Qualities, that he dreams not of; and a considering Man will hardly ima∣gin, That so numerous a crowd of real Physical Entities can accrew to a Body, whilst in the Judg∣ment of all our Senses it remains unchanged.

Again, Glass beaten is commonly reckoned amongst Poysons, which deleterious Faculty is no superadded Entity distinct from the Glass, but depends on the sharp Points and cutting Edges of the Fragments, which by Mechanical Affections, cut and wound the Membranes of the Stomach and Guts; from whence follow great Gripings and Contorsions, and often a Bloody Flux by the Perforations of the Capillary Vessels, and horrid Convulsions by the consent of the Brain and Cerebellum, as also great Drop∣sies, occasioned by the loss of Blood: And that those Effects depend on the Edges and Points of

the Fragments, appears, because when the Guts are sufficiently lined with Slime, or the Cor∣puscles of the Glass are ground fine, they pass without damage along with the Execrements.

And this may put us in mind, That the Mul∣tiplicity of Qualities, in the same Natural Bo∣dies, may proceed from the bare Texture, and other Mechanical Affections of its Matter: For every Body is to be considered not barely as an entire distinct Portion of Matter; but as it is a Part of the Universe, placed amongst a great number and variety of other Bodies, upon which it may Act, and by which it may be Acted on, in ma∣ny ways, which are falsly thought to be distinct Powers or Qualities in the Bodies, by which those Actions and Passions are produced. And every Portion of Matter thus considered a few Mecha∣nical Affections are sufficient to diversify it from other Bodies: As in a Watch, there are a great many Qualities; as to shew the Hours, to strike, to give an Alarm, or to shew the Age of the Moon and Tides; yet these are all to be attri∣buted to the determinate Shape and Texture of the Parts of it, and the Motion of the Spring. So the Sun hath a Power to harden Clay, and soften Wax, to melt Butter, and thaw Ice, and a great many more, which seem contrary Effects; yet these are not distinct Faculties in the Sun, but the Productions of Heat diversify'd, by the dif∣ferent Textures of Bodies it chances to work upon.

And thus much (Pyrophilus) may serve to re∣move the Mistake, That every thing Men are wont to call a Quality, must needs be a Real and Physical Entity. To conclude this Excursion, I

shall add this short Advertisement, That to make what I have declared more intelligible, I have ra∣ther done it by Examples, than Definitions; the latter being more difficult, because of the diffi∣culty of assigning the true Genus's of Quali∣ties. And,

Here it may not be amiss to take Notice, That Aristotle himself does not only define Accidents, without setting down their Genus; but when he comes to define Qualities, tells us, That Quality is that by which a Thing is said to be Qualis; which is to define the Thing by the Same, without denoting its Genus; for 'tis supposed to be as lit∣tle known what Qualis is, as what Qualitas. Be∣sides, 'tis a Doubt whether it be not as false as obscure; for to the Question Qualis res est, An∣swer may be made out of some, if not all of the other Praedicaments of Accidents.

* 1.9IV. Besides the foremention'd Primary Affe∣ctions of Matter, viz. Motion, (or Rest) Bulk and Shape; which a portion of Matter singly by it self must have; if all the rest of the Universe were annihilated, there being now in the Uni∣verse multitudes of Corpuscles mixed together, there arise two new Accidents, or Events: The one relates to its Posture, in reference to the Bo∣dies about it (whether erected, inclined or hori∣zontal) and the manner of those Bodies in refe∣rence to each other, which may be called Order; as Aristotle in his Metaphysics recites this Ex∣ample, from the Ancient Corpuscularians. A and N differ in Figure, and A N, and N A in Order; Z and N in Situation; and Posture and Order in∣deed seem both reducible to Situation. And, lastly, when these Corpuscles do so convene, as to

make up a Body; the Disposition and Contri∣vance of Parts in the whole, may be called the Texture of it.

* 1.10V. We are to consider, That the Bodies of Sensible and Rational Beings, being endued with several Senses, adapted so, as to receive from without various Impressions, according to the Diversity and peculiar Texture of each Part; these Impressions being falsly imagined to proceed from real Qualities, inherent in those several Ob∣jects, have been signify'd by several Names, as Heat, Colour, Sound, Odour, together with a vast variety of each, as so many Species, to be rank'd un∣der these Genus's; which really depend on the Fi∣gure, Shape, Motion, Texture, and the Man∣ner in which these Bodies, differently modify'd, variously affect the Senses.

VI. But here is one Difficulty to be remov'd, which is, That besides the Sensible Qualities, evi∣dent in Relation to our Senses, they have an ab∣solute Being irrelative to us; since they do not only Operate upon our Senses, but other inani∣mate Bodies. To clear which, I have several things to represent.

• * 1.111. That there are Simple, and more Primitive Affections of Matter, from whence these Secon∣dary Qualities do proceed, and on which they depend.
• 2. The Knowledge we have of the Operations of Bodies, proceeds from some Sensible Quality, or some more Catholick Affection of Matter; as Motion, Rest, or Texture; generated, or de∣stroy'd in one of them.
• 3. We are to consider every distinct Body that affects our Senses, not as a bare Lump of Matter,

• of that Bigness and outward Shape that it ap∣pears of, most of them having their Parts cu∣riously contriv'd, and in Motion too. And like∣wise we are to consider the Universe that sur∣rounds us, as a great Engine, with no Vacuity, or no considerable one betwixt its Parts; and the Actions of Particular Bodies, are not to be esti∣mated, as if two Portions of Matter of their Bulk and Figure, were plac'd in some Imaginary Space beyond the World, but as situated in the World, as now constituted, and their Actions liable to be promoted, or hinder'd, or modify'd by the Actions of other Bodies about them; for it is not giving of a Concave Speculum, that Figure, that enables it to burn Wood, or melt Metals; but the Sun-Beams thrown together into a Point, by the help of that Concavity. And to shew how various and different Effects the same Action of a Natural Agent may produce, according to the several Dispositions of the Bodies it works upon, we may consider, That tho' in two Eggs, the one Prolifick, the other Barren, before Incu∣bation, the Sense can distinguish no Difference; yet their internal Disposition is so different, that if they be both expos'd to an equal Degree of Heat, the one will be chang'd into a putrid Fetid Substance, and the other into a Chick, furnish'd with a variety of Organical Parts of very cu∣rious Textures.
• 4. I grant that Bodies may have those Qua∣lities we call Sensible, tho' there were no Animals in the World, every Body having such a Dispo∣sition of its Constituent Corpuscles, which duly apply'd to the Sensory of an Animal, would pro∣duce a Sensible Quality, which another would

• not. So that if there were no Sensitive Beings, those Bodies that are now the Objects of our Senses, would be but Dispositively endued with Colours, and the like, and Actually only with those more Catholick Affections of Bodies, Figure, Motion, Texture, &c. To illustrate which, we may consider, That, tho' an Eccho is suppos'd to be a Peculiar Faculty, in the Rock, yet it is no∣thing but a Repercussion, and the undulated Mo∣tion of the Air, reverberated by that Rock, which striking upon the Ear, causes such a Sensible Qua∣lity.
• * 1.125. The Sensible Qualities, which are acquir'd by the Action of one Body on another, are no otherwise produc'd, but by some Local Motion of Parts, or some change of Texture produc'd by that Motion: For, when a Pin, by a Dissolution of the Continuity, causes Pain, that Pain is only a Consequent of its Motion, which superadds no real Quality to the Pin, which it had not before: And therefore I shall intimate, That when for shortness of Speech, I make use of the Word Qualities, I would be understood to mean them in a Sense sui∣table to the Doctrin above-mention'd. As when I would say, Roughness is apt to offend and grate the Skin, I would mean, That a File or other Body, by having upon its Surface a multitude of hard, and extant Parts of an Angular or Sharp Figure, is qualify'd to cause the mention'd Effect.

Of the Nature of a Form.

* 1.13VII. We may now consider further, that cer∣tain conspicuous Accidents being associated into Bodies; those Bodies are distinguish'd by Genus's

and Species, as they are referr'd to a more Com∣prehensive sort of Bodies, or to a narrower ••pe∣cies, or Individuals: As amongst Fossils, the Supe∣rior Genus comprehends both Metals, Stones, &c. each of which Concretes, in respect of that Genus, are Species, comprehended, as they are Fossils, un∣der that Superior Genus.

Now when those Accidents, which are Essen∣tially requisite to compose a Body, of this or that Kind, are united; the Texture of that Body is call'd the Form: which, tho' some think to be a kind of Soul, which, when united to a Natural Body, acts in it, by virtue of several Qualities in∣herent in that Soul, yet, really, it is nothing di∣stinct from that Matter, but only such an Agreeable Convention of Accidents, as by common Con∣sent, are reputed sufficient to make a Portion of Universal Matter belong to this or that Deter∣minate Genus, or Species of Natural Bodies. And those Qualities in Bodies, which are usually ascri∣bed to the Substantial Form, do not proceed from any Real Substance distinct from Matter, but a Convention of those Primary Mechanical Affe∣ctions of Matter before-mention'd; viz. Bulk, Shape, Motion or Rest; and the Texture thence Resulting, which is the Form, or Essential Modi∣fication; which Convention of Accidents are ca∣pable of performing what we usually ascribe to a Form, since they are sufficient to discriminate it from all other Species of Bodies.

* 1.14And since the Form of a Body by some is as∣serted to be the Principle of its Operations, it may not be amiss here to take Notice, That be∣sides those Operations, that proceed from the Essential Modification of the Matter, the Body

being considered per modum unius, as one entire Agent, it may have several other Operations in Respect of the Particular Corpuscles of which it is compos'd; as in a Watch, besides those things it does as a Watch; the several Constituent Parts of it, as the Springs, Wheels, &c. may, each have their peculiar Attributes, as Bulk, Shape, &c. upon the Account of which it may do several things besides what it performs as a Watch: And if the Effects of those Corpuscles of which Bodies are compos'd are sometimes so Prodigious; as for Instance, the Effects which Fire produces by its Heat, we need not wonder that such great things may be done, as we sometimes see by several Active Qualities convening into one Body; since we see Engines perform very strange things, by virtue of those Accidents, viz. the Shape, Size, Motion, and Contrivance of their Parts.

Of Generation, Corruption, and Alteration.

VIII. Having thus according to our Hypothesis shewed what is meant by a Form, it remains that we explain, what is to be understood by Generation, Corruption, and Alteration. In order to which we are to consider,

• * 1.151. That there are some Particles of Matter so small, that tho' they be Mentally, or by Divine Omnipotence, divisible, yet are scarce Actually divided by Nature; which in that respect may be call'd Minima Naturalia.
• 2. That there are Multitudes of Corpuscles, con∣sisting of a Coalition of several of these Minima Naturalia, whose Bulk is so small, and Adhe∣sion so close, that tho' not absolutely indivisible

• into the Minima Naturalia, yet very seldom are actually divided; and these are the Seeds or imme∣diate Principles of many sorts of Natural Bodies, as Earth, Water, &c.
• 3. That both the Minima Naturalia, and those Primary Clusters resulting from the Coalition of them, having their determinate Bulk and Shape; when these are united, the Size and Shape by their Juxta-position must be often altered, and often∣times their Tendency in and to Motion vary'd; which Accidents will also happen when they are dis-joyn'd, by which Unions and Separation of Parts, the Size and Shape being variously altered, they are accordingly adapted to several Pores, upon which Account they have different Effects upon several Bodies.
• 4. That when several of these Corpuscles are associated, and put into Motion, that Motion will produce great Alterations, and many new Qua∣lities in the Bodies they compose; as Air swiftly moved, is call'd Wind, and feels colder to the Touch; and Iron rubb'd against Wood, feels warm. But besides these Invisible Alterations, there are several which are visible; as when the Particles, by knocking together, are broke and dis-joyn'd, and by that means acquire new Forms, their Bulk and Figure being altered, and the Tex∣ture and Interstices of the Parts being also vary'd: Thus Water froze, acquires Firmness, and loses its Transparency; and Milk, by a languid inte∣stin Motion of its Parts, in hot Weather, turns into a thinner Liquor, and into Cream, which agitated in a Churn, turns to an Oyly Substance, and a thin fluid. So Fruit, by being bruised, loses its Colour, Taste, Smell, and Consistence: From

• whence it appears, that Motion is not only the Grand Agent in Altering, but Composing and Constituting the Forms of Bodies.
• 5. And that since the Qualities of Bodies are derived from the Size, Shape and Motion, and the Texture, or Essential Modification of the Parts of Matter, we need not deride the Ancient Atomists, for attempting to deduce Generation and Corruption from the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Con∣vention and Dissolution, and their Alterations from the Transpositions of their Atoms; tho' I believe they all three are concern'd in Generation, as well as Corruption and Alteration.

* 1.16These things premis'd, our Doctrin of Gene∣ration, Corruption and Alteration may be compri∣z'd in a few Words; for when there is such a Concurrence of Accidents as are requisite to con∣stitute any determinate Species; such a Species is said to be generated; in which Action no new Substance is produced, but that which was Praeexi∣stent obtains a new Manner of Existence, or new Modification; which is evident in the making of a Watch, where the Parts are the same, when se∣parate, as when joyn'd, only the Union in respect of the whole, makes a new Body of a peculiar Modification: And when that Union of Acci∣dents, which denominates a Body generated, is destroy'd and dissolv'd, that Body, losing its Essential Modification, is said to be corrupted; for as a Watch is said to be made, when its Parts are put together; so when they are again dis∣plac'd, it is no longer call'd a Watch.

Hence we may learn to understand that Axiom, Corruptio unius est Generatio alterius; & è contrà for when those Accidents which make one Body,

are by any means altered, it loses that Denomi∣nation, and being modify'd anew puts on ano∣ther Form, and becomes a Body of another Kind.

* 1.17And here before we wholly leave off the Con∣sideration of Corruption, it may not be amiss to take Notice, That Putrefaction is but a peculiar kind of Corruption, where the Texture of Matter is more slowly altered, than in Corruption in a strict Sense; and also, that all the Essential Qua∣lities are not destroy'd.

* 1.18And here it may be seasonable to take Notice also, That tho' the Form of a Body depends on its Essential Modification, yet it seldom happens, that a Body acquires no other Qualities, than what are essentially and absolutely necessary to deno∣minate its Species; since in most Bodies it falls out, that there are some Qualities, which whe∣ther absent or not, don't essentially change the Subject; the Acquisition or loss of which is call'd Alteration (or by some Mutation). Generation and Corruption, depending on an Acquisition or Loss of the Essential Qualities of a Body.

But to conclude this Theoretical Part, let us re∣flect briefly on the Fruitfulness of this Mechani∣cal Hypothesis: For, according to this Doctrin, the World we live in is not a moveless indigested Mass of Matter, but an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Self-moving Engine, whose Parts are most of them in a va∣riety of Motions; and so close set together, as to leave no Vacuities, or very little ones betwixt them. And since the various Coalitions of these Parts, are enough to make several Bodies of as various Textures; and we see such a vast variety of Words made only of 24. Letters differently situated, we need not wonder that so many, and

such multitudes of Bodies should result from Matter differently Modify'd, by a Coalition of Matter subject to so many Accidents, as Matter in Motion must be, its Parts being subject to be alter'd variously by the Addition, Comminu∣tion, or Substraction of a few Parts of Matter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Divi∣sion of this Chapter.
• * 1.2

  Matter De∣fined.
• * 1.3

  Motion the Catholick Agent of the Uni∣verse.
• * 1.4

  Guided by GOD in the Crea∣tion of Things.
• * 1.5

  Motion, Size and Shape, three Pri∣mary Affe∣ctions of Matter.
• * 1.6

  Whether there be in Bodies Qua∣lities and Accidents, distinct En∣tities from them.
• * 1.7

  Qualities the result of a pecu∣liar Modifi∣cation.
• * 1.8

  Proved by Physical Observa∣tions.
• * 1.9

  Posture, Order and Texture Se∣condary Af∣fections of Matter.
• * 1.10

  Colours, &c. no inherent Qualities,
• * 1.11

  But Se∣condary Ef∣fects of Matter.
• * 1.12

  Qualities act by vir∣tue of Lo∣cal Mo∣tion.
• * 1.13

  Form the Result of a Congeries of united Accidents.
• * 1.14

  The Effects of Forms whence.
• * 1.15

  Considera∣tions re∣quisite to the Doctrin of Genera∣tion, &c.
• * 1.16

  Generati∣tion, Corru∣ption, &c. what.
• * 1.17

  Putrefa∣ction what.
• * 1.18

  Alteration what.