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Show Tbe received Dotfrine Book IV’ GH ASRaah Of Mixture. The Principles, &c, §.6. I fhall therefore endeavour to open the true Nature of Mixture. Of the received Dottrine of Mixture. SOIR ST, As to the received Doérine of Mixture; not to S trouble you with tedious quotations of what Ariftotle, Ga9 len, Fernelins, Lea. And I fhall build my. Dotrize upon the Common Notions of Senfe: which none can deny; and every one may conceive of. In order to which, I fhall take leaveto lay down fome Propofitions, of the Princi= ples of all mixed Bodies. Scaliger, Sennertus, Riverivs, and other 5 Learned menfay hereof; we may fuppofe the whole fammed upinthat Defmitiex which Ariffotle himfelf hath given of it,and whichthe greater numberof his Followers, have almoft religiouf ly adhered to viz. that ‘tis, rSy pwuerav drAcaNTe évanc. that “tis, Lib. 1. de Mifcibiliumalteratorumunio, Which Definition, as it is ufually expliGenerat. cated, is both Uxintelligible, and Unujeful. & Corrupt. Cap. ult. 2. §. Two things are uwxinteliigible 5 what they mean by Alteraii- on and what by Union. In this Alteration, they fay, That the very Forms of the Elements are altered. And therefore lay it down an Axiom, Quod in Mixto, Forme Elementares tantumfut in potentia,forBut let us fee the confequence. For ifina mixed body, the Forms of the Elements are but in potentias then the Elements themfelves are but ix potentia: for weall fay, Forma dat eff. And if the Compound ing Elements, are onlyix poteatia; then the Compounded Body it {elf can be onlyix potentia: yet to fay it isno more, is moft abfurd. 3. §. As for the Onion of Elements in a mixed Body , they make it fuch, as brings them at laft to affert, the Pevetration of Bodies, and that the Onion of mixed Bodiesis nothing elfe. For they fay in fuch fort, that everyparticle of the mixed Body, partaketit is made h ofthe Nature of the whole. Which Nature, arifeth from the contemperated Qualities of the four Elements. Whence they conclude everyparticle of the mixed Body, containeth in it {elf all the , That ments. Whichis plainly to affert a pexetration of Bodies. four EleFor every Element is, at leaft, one particles if therefore every particle of the mixed Body,containeth four Elements 3 then four particles are but one. Iconclude then,That the received Doérine of Mixture is Onintelligible. 4. §. Whence it follows, That it is alfo Barren and Onnfeful. For whocan make any ufe of that which he underfta ndeth not >? And the experience of fo many years, wherein it hath been ventilate d by the difputes of men, proveth as much: Scarce any of them, except the Learned Sennertus, daring to venture upon Experiment, for fear they fhould come to underftand themfelves, 5. §. Ie isconfefied, that many gallant things have been found out byartificial Mixture. But no thanksto this Definitio an Ignorant Man may make bad Work, and a good n of it. For as Rule be neverthe better. The queftion isnot, what have men done? but what be never the worfe 5 fo one that is Ingenious may make good Work , and a bad Rule have they done uponthis foundation, Quod Mixitio ft mifcibiliumalteratorum unio. Had this ever taught them to do anything, even fo much as to make the Ivke wherewi th they have wrote, all their Difputes s I confefs, they would have had fomething to fhew for it. But the truthis, their xotions of Mixture, have becnfo far from doing us any good, that they have done us much harm: being, through their feeming fubtlety, but real abfurd ity, as fo many phantaftick Spedirums, ferving onlyto affright men from coming near them, or the Subje & whereof theytreat. i "6. § Gr Aare Of the Principles of Bodies: e ND firlt, by Privciples, I mean Atomes, or certaiti Sorts of Atomes, or of the fimpleft of Bodies. For otherwife they would not be Principles; for a compounded Principle, in ftri& {peaking, is a Con= tradittion, se SE Even as Fives, Threes, or Two's aré notthe Principles of Number, but Unites. 2. g. Whence, fecondly, it follows, that they are alfo Indivifible. Not Mathematically 5 for the Atomes ofevery Principle have their Dimenfions. But Phyfically 5 and fo, what is but ove, cannot be made two. If it beasked, Whether aStick cut with a Knife, be not of one, made two? I fay, that a Stick, is not one Body, but many millions of Bodies 5 that is, of Atomes; not any one whereofis divided withinit felf, but only they are féparated one from another, where the Knife forceth its way. As in the drawing of a mans Finger through a Heap of Corn; there is no Divifion made in any one Grajn, but only aseparation of them one from another, all remainin ftill in themfelves entire. I fay, therefore, that what is Phyfically one, is alfo moft firm, and Indivifible, that is,Impenetrable : for Penetration is but the Separation, not the Divifion of Atomes, 3. §. Hence, thirdly, they are alfo Immutable. For that which cannot be divided, cannot be chang’d. So that of the whole World of Atomes, not any one hath ever fuffer'd, or can fuffer the leat mutation. Hereuponis grounded the Conftancy of Caufes and Effects, So that, in all Geverations, itis not lefs certain, that the felf fame Priz- ciple is {till propagated from the fame; than, that Maz is from Man; Wherefore, compounded Bodies are generated ; but Principles are not, but only propagated ; that is, in every Generation, they pafs, in them: felves unaltered, from one Body,into another. 4. §. If Principles, or Atomes are all Immutable , it again follows That they are of Divers Kinds. For one and thefamePrinciple, or Kind ofAtomes, will {till make the Same Thing, and have thefeme Ejfed : fo that_all Generations would then be the Same. Wherefore, fince they are Immutable, they mult be Divers. 5. §. This Diverfity, for the fame reafon, is not fmall, but very Numerous. For as the World, taken together, is Natures Shop; fo the Principles of Things ar¢her Tools, and her Materials. Wherefore; as it {peaks the goodne/s of a Shop 5 {o the Perfecionofthe Uxiver/e, That it is furnifhed with many Tools wherewith,and many Materials whereupon to work, And confequently, that Philofophy beareth bet its own name; which doth notftrain all totwo or three Principles, liketwo or Lite Bells |
