1diviſions, they cannot receive them, but only from acuter Diviſors than
Fire; but a Stick or Rod of Iron, moved in the melted Met all, is not
ſuch a one. Of a like Conſtitution and Conſiſtence, I account the parts
of Water, and other Liquids to be, namely, incapable of Diviſion by
reaſon of their Temtity; or if not abſolutely indiviſible, yet at leaſt
not to be divided by a Board, or other Solid Body, palpable unto the
band, the Sector being alwayes required to be more ſharp than the Solid
to be cut. Solid Bodies, therefore, do only move, and not divide the
Water, when put into it; whoſe parts being before divided to the
treameſt minuity, and therefore capable of being moved, either many of
them at once, or few, or very few, they ſoon give place to every ſmall
puſcle, that deſcends in the ſame: for that, it being little and light,
ſcending in the Air, and arriving to the Surface of the Water, it meets
with Particles of Water more ſmall, and of leſs Reſiſtance againſt
Motion and Extruſion, than is its own prement and extruſive force,
whereupon it ſubmergeth, and moveth ſuch a portion of them, as is
portionate to its Power. There is not, therefore, any Reſiſtance in
Water againſt Diviſion, nay, there is not in it any diviſible parts. I
adde, moreover, that in caſe yet there ſbould be any ſmall Reſiſtance
found (which is abſolutely falſe) haply in attempting with an Hair to
move a very great natant Machine, or in eſſaying by the addition of one
ſmall Grain of Lead to ſink, or by removall of it to raiſe a very broad
Plate of Matter, equall in Gravity with Water, (which likewiſe will
not happen, in caſe we proceed with dexterity) we may obſerve that that
Reſiſtance is a very different thing from that which the Adverſaries
duce for the Cauſe of the Natation of the Plate of Lead or Board of
ny, for that one may make a Board of Ebony, which being put upon the
Water ſwimmeth, and cannot be ſubmerged, no not by the addition of an
bundred Grains of Lead put upon the ſame, and afterwards being
thed, not only ſinks, though the ſaid Lead be taken away, but though
moreover a quantity of Cork, or of ſome other light Body faſtened to it,
ſufficeth not to hinder it from ſinking unto the bottome: ſo that you
ſee, that although it were granted that there is a certain ſmall
ance of Diviſion found in the ſubstance of the Water, yet this hath
thing to do with that Cauſe which ſupports the Board above the Water,
with a Reſiſtance an hundred times greater than that which men can
find in the parts of the Water: nor let them tell me, that only the Sur-
face of the Water hath ſuch Reſiſtance, and not the internall parts, or
that ſuch Reſiſtance is found greateſt in the beginning of the Submerſion,
as it alſo ſeems that in the beginning, Motion meets with greater
on, than in the continuance of it; becauſe, firſt, I will permit, that the
Water be ſtirred, and that the ſuperiour parts be mingled with the
dle, and inferiour parts, or that thoſe above be wholly removed, and
thoſe in the middle only made uſe off, and yet you ſhall ſee the effect for
Fire; but a Stick or Rod of Iron, moved in the melted Met all, is not
ſuch a one. Of a like Conſtitution and Conſiſtence, I account the parts
of Water, and other Liquids to be, namely, incapable of Diviſion by
reaſon of their Temtity; or if not abſolutely indiviſible, yet at leaſt
not to be divided by a Board, or other Solid Body, palpable unto the
band, the Sector being alwayes required to be more ſharp than the Solid
to be cut. Solid Bodies, therefore, do only move, and not divide the
Water, when put into it; whoſe parts being before divided to the
treameſt minuity, and therefore capable of being moved, either many of
them at once, or few, or very few, they ſoon give place to every ſmall
puſcle, that deſcends in the ſame: for that, it being little and light,
ſcending in the Air, and arriving to the Surface of the Water, it meets
with Particles of Water more ſmall, and of leſs Reſiſtance againſt
Motion and Extruſion, than is its own prement and extruſive force,
whereupon it ſubmergeth, and moveth ſuch a portion of them, as is
portionate to its Power. There is not, therefore, any Reſiſtance in
Water againſt Diviſion, nay, there is not in it any diviſible parts. I
adde, moreover, that in caſe yet there ſbould be any ſmall Reſiſtance
found (which is abſolutely falſe) haply in attempting with an Hair to
move a very great natant Machine, or in eſſaying by the addition of one
ſmall Grain of Lead to ſink, or by removall of it to raiſe a very broad
Plate of Matter, equall in Gravity with Water, (which likewiſe will
not happen, in caſe we proceed with dexterity) we may obſerve that that
Reſiſtance is a very different thing from that which the Adverſaries
duce for the Cauſe of the Natation of the Plate of Lead or Board of
ny, for that one may make a Board of Ebony, which being put upon the
Water ſwimmeth, and cannot be ſubmerged, no not by the addition of an
bundred Grains of Lead put upon the ſame, and afterwards being
thed, not only ſinks, though the ſaid Lead be taken away, but though
moreover a quantity of Cork, or of ſome other light Body faſtened to it,
ſufficeth not to hinder it from ſinking unto the bottome: ſo that you
ſee, that although it were granted that there is a certain ſmall
ance of Diviſion found in the ſubstance of the Water, yet this hath
thing to do with that Cauſe which ſupports the Board above the Water,
with a Reſiſtance an hundred times greater than that which men can
find in the parts of the Water: nor let them tell me, that only the Sur-
face of the Water hath ſuch Reſiſtance, and not the internall parts, or
that ſuch Reſiſtance is found greateſt in the beginning of the Submerſion,
as it alſo ſeems that in the beginning, Motion meets with greater
on, than in the continuance of it; becauſe, firſt, I will permit, that the
Water be ſtirred, and that the ſuperiour parts be mingled with the
dle, and inferiour parts, or that thoſe above be wholly removed, and
thoſe in the middle only made uſe off, and yet you ſhall ſee the effect for