Therefore, the Fallacy lyes more in the Diſcourſe of Ariſtotle, than
in that of Democritus, who with ſeverall other Reaſons might oppoſe
Ariſtotle, and alledge; If it be true, that the extreame Elements be
one ſimply grave, and the other ſimply light, and that the mean
Elements participate of the one, and of the other Nature; but the
Air more of Levity, and the water more of Gravity, then there ſhall
be a great Maſs of Air, whoſe Gravity ſhall exceed the Gravity of a
little quantity of water; and therefore ſuch a Maſs of Air ſhall
ſcend more ſwiftly than that little water: But that is never ſeen to
occurr: Therefore its not true, that the mean Elements do
pate of the one, and the other quality. This argument is fallacious,
no leſs than the other againſt Democritus.
in that of Democritus, who with ſeverall other Reaſons might oppoſe
Ariſtotle, and alledge; If it be true, that the extreame Elements be
one ſimply grave, and the other ſimply light, and that the mean
Elements participate of the one, and of the other Nature; but the
Air more of Levity, and the water more of Gravity, then there ſhall
be a great Maſs of Air, whoſe Gravity ſhall exceed the Gravity of a
little quantity of water; and therefore ſuch a Maſs of Air ſhall
ſcend more ſwiftly than that little water: But that is never ſeen to
occurr: Therefore its not true, that the mean Elements do
pate of the one, and the other quality. This argument is fallacious,
no leſs than the other againſt Democritus.
Laſtly, Aristotle having ſaid, that if the Poſition of Democritus
were true, it would follow, that a great Maſs of Air ſhould move
more ſwiftly than a ſmall Maſs of water, and afterwards ſubjoyned,
that that is never ſeen in any Caſe: methinks others may become
ſirous to know of him in what place this ſhould evene, which he
duceth againſt Democritus, and what Experiment teacheth us, that
it never falls out ſo. To ſuppoſe to ſee it in the Element of water,
or in that of the Air is vain, becauſe neither doth water through
water, nor Air through Air move, nor would they ever by any
whatever participation others aſſign them, of Earth or of Fire: the
Earth, in that it is not a Body fluid, and yielding to the mobility of
other Bodies, is a moſt improper place and Medium for ſuch an
periment: Vacuum, according to the ſame Ariſtotle himſelf, there
is none, and were there, nothing would move in it: there remaine
the Region of Fire, but being ſo far diſtant from us, what
ment can aſſure us, or hath aſſertained Ariſtotle in ſuch ſort, that he
ſhould as of a thing moſt obvious to ſence, affirm what he
ceth in confutation of Democritus, to wit, that a great Maſs of Air,
is moved no ſwifter than a little one of water? But I will dwell no
longer upon this matter, whereon I have ſpoke ſufficiently: but
leaving Democritus, I return to the Text of Ariſtotle, wherein he
goes about to render the true reaſon, how it comes to paſs, that the
thin Plates of Iron or Lead do ſwim on the water; and, moreover,
that Gold it ſelf being beaten into thin Leaves, not only ſwims in
water, but flyeth too and again in the Air. He ſuppoſeth that of
Continualls, ſome are eaſily diviſible, others not: and that of the
eaſily diviſible, ſome are more ſo, and ſome leſs: and theſe he
affirms we ſhould eſteem the Cauſes. He addes that that is eaſily
diviſible, which is well terminated, and the more the more diviſible,
and that the Air is more ſo, than the water, and the water than the
Earth. And, laſtly, he ſuppoſeth that in each kind, the leſſe
tity is eaſlyer divided and broken than the greater.
were true, it would follow, that a great Maſs of Air ſhould move
more ſwiftly than a ſmall Maſs of water, and afterwards ſubjoyned,
that that is never ſeen in any Caſe: methinks others may become
ſirous to know of him in what place this ſhould evene, which he
duceth againſt Democritus, and what Experiment teacheth us, that
it never falls out ſo. To ſuppoſe to ſee it in the Element of water,
or in that of the Air is vain, becauſe neither doth water through
water, nor Air through Air move, nor would they ever by any
whatever participation others aſſign them, of Earth or of Fire: the
Earth, in that it is not a Body fluid, and yielding to the mobility of
other Bodies, is a moſt improper place and Medium for ſuch an
periment: Vacuum, according to the ſame Ariſtotle himſelf, there
is none, and were there, nothing would move in it: there remaine
the Region of Fire, but being ſo far diſtant from us, what
ment can aſſure us, or hath aſſertained Ariſtotle in ſuch ſort, that he
ſhould as of a thing moſt obvious to ſence, affirm what he
ceth in confutation of Democritus, to wit, that a great Maſs of Air,
is moved no ſwifter than a little one of water? But I will dwell no
longer upon this matter, whereon I have ſpoke ſufficiently: but
leaving Democritus, I return to the Text of Ariſtotle, wherein he
goes about to render the true reaſon, how it comes to paſs, that the
thin Plates of Iron or Lead do ſwim on the water; and, moreover,
that Gold it ſelf being beaten into thin Leaves, not only ſwims in
water, but flyeth too and again in the Air. He ſuppoſeth that of
Continualls, ſome are eaſily diviſible, others not: and that of the
eaſily diviſible, ſome are more ſo, and ſome leſs: and theſe he
affirms we ſhould eſteem the Cauſes. He addes that that is eaſily
diviſible, which is well terminated, and the more the more diviſible,
and that the Air is more ſo, than the water, and the water than the
Earth. And, laſtly, he ſuppoſeth that in each kind, the leſſe
tity is eaſlyer divided and broken than the greater.