of the Earth, Terrestrial Bodies are below the Air, and the Air below the Celestial Mat∣ter.
To these we only add one more that M. Des∣cartes frequently repeats, especially in the third and fourth Part of Principles, and in the eighth Chapter of his Tract of Light, viz. That the first and second Element have much more agita∣tion, and are far more fit for Motion than the third, whose parts are ragged and branchy, and of a very irregular Figure.
All this suppos'd, let us agree with M. Des∣cartes, that Matter having been created such as he advances, God was able to divide, and actuate it with Motion, and that he effectively has di∣vided it and mov'd it. Let us stop now, and fix our Imagination and our Thoughts upon that great Partition of Matter, or upon that Vortex, that hath the polar Star for its Centre. Let us con∣ceive that portion of Matter, made up of an in∣finite number of little insensible Parts it self turn'd round, whilst all the little Parts are also turn'd about their proper Centre.
From this Motion must arise the three Elements, that is, the most exquisitely subtle dust of the first Element, the little Balls of the second, and the ramous Parts of the third, all which are Parts of the same Matter differing from one another meerly by their Figure and their Bigness.
Whether the third Element be cotemporary with the other two, as M. Descartes seems in some measure to suppose in his Treatise of Light: Or, whether it be form'd by the Conjunction of seve∣ral Parts of the first Element hook'd to one ano∣ther, as he seems to teach in the Book of Princi∣ples: That Philosopher pretends, that in that