A voyage to the world of Cartesius written originally in French, translated into English by T. Taylor, of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.

The first Argument.

1. We forthwith take for granted, that Master-Principle of M. Descartes, That every Body circularly mov'd constantly endeavours to eccentrick it self, and escape from the Circle it describes.

2. From that universal Principle immedi∣ately follows this particular Consequence, that in a Vortex, where the Matter of the first, se∣cond and third Element are circularly mov'd, all three endeavour to acquire a Motion eccen∣ctrick to the Vortex.

3. We infer yet farther, from the same Prin∣ciple, another Conclusion, That in that general Attempt, made by different Bodies thus agita∣ted and confus'd, to deviate from the Centre of their Motion, those that are most agitated and are most fit for Motion, those, I say, must have the advantage and ascendent over the rest, to gain the Circumference of the Circle the Vortex describes, and consequently to compel the less agitated, and less fit for Motion towards the Centre of the Vortex.

Though this Conclusion should have no visi∣ble and necessary Connection with the Princi∣ple, as indeed it has: Yet we might warrant our use of it, by producing M. Descartes to vouch the same thing, in several places of his Books, and particularly in his fourth Part of the Book of Principles. Where he gives the reason for the Motion of heavy Bodies towards the Centre by this same Proposition. That it was by vertue of that Principle, that in the Vortex

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

justling and concussion of Matter, when it hath lasted long enough to break the Angles of most of the agitated Parts, the Matter of the first Element must be posted in two principal places. First, in the whole Space of the Vortex, where it ought to be dispers'd, to fill exactly all the Intervals found betwixt the Balls of the second Element, whereof the whole Substance of the Vortex or the Heaven is compos'd; Secondly, at the Centre, whither it must be forc'd by the Balls of the second Element to descend, to consti∣tute a Spherical and Fluid Body, which is no∣thing but the Star it self, that by the circular agitation of its Matter, and the struggle that Matter makes to procure its Inlargement from the Centre of its Vortex, thrusts the Globules of the second Element that is above it, to all Points imaginable, and communicating by their means that Impression to our Eyes, produces in them the sensation of Light.

This is the Sum of all M. Descartes's fine Do∣ctrin on this Subject. But we offer to demon∣strate to him, by the aforesaid Principles, which are all his own, that it is not the Matter of the first Element, but the third that ought to consti∣tute the Centre of the Vortex; and thus the Stars must not be luminous, nor the Sun any more than they, but all must be opaque Bodies, as are the Planets, the Earth, and solid Masses com∣pos'd of the unactive and almost motionless Parts of the third Element, entangled and link'd with one another.

The Demonstration.

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

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

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

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

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

Notes

• Numb. 23.
• P. 3. Prin. cip. numb. 100.