1diſtinct that can be poſſible; and excuſe me Sagredus, if haply
with ſome tediouſneſs you hear me oft repeat the ſame things,
and fancie that you ſee me reaſſume my argument in the
lick circle of Diſputations. You ſay Generation and
on are onely made where there are contraries; contraries
are onely amongſt ſimple natural bodies, moveable with contrary
motions; contrary motions are onely thoſe which are made by
a right line between contrary terms; and theſe are onely two,
that is to ſay, from the medium, and towards the medium; and
ſuch motions belong to no other natural bodies, but to the Earth,
the Fire, and the other two Elements: therefore Generation
and Corruption is onely amongſt the Elements. And becauſe
the third ſimple motion, namely, the circular about the medium,
hath no contrary, (for that the other two are contraries, and one
onely, hath but onely one contrary) therefore that natural body
with which ſuch motion agreeth, wants a contrary; and having
no contrary is ingenerable and incorruptible, &c. Becauſe where
there is no contrariety, there is no generation or corruption, &c.
But ſuch motion agreeth onely with the Cœleſtial bodies;
fore onely theſe are ingenerable, incorruptible, &c. And to
begin, I think it a more eaſie thing, and ſooner done to reſolve,
whether the Earth (a moſt vaſt Body, and for its vicinity to us,
moſt tractable) moveth with a ſpeedy motion, ſuch as its
lution about its own axis in twenty four hours would be, than it
is to underſtand and reſolve, whether Generation and Corruption
ariſeth from contrariety, or elſe whether there be ſuch things as
generation, corruption and contrariety in nature. And if you,
Simplicius, can tell me what method Nature obſerves in working,
when ſhe in a very ſhort time begets an infinite number of flies
from a little vapour of the Muſt of wine, and can ſhew me which
are there the contraries you ſpeak of, what it is that corrupteth,
and how; I ſhould think you would do more than I can; for I
profeſs I cannot comprehend theſe things. Beſides, I would
ry gladly underſtand how, and why theſe corruptive contraries are
ſo favourable to Daws, and ſo cruel to Doves; ſo indulgent to
Stags, and ſo haſty to Horſes, that they do grant to them many
more years of life, that is, of incorruptibility, than weeks to theſe.
Peaches and Olives are planted in the ſame ſoil, expoſed to the
ſame heat and cold, to the ſame wind and rains, and, in a word,
to the ſame contrarieties; and yet thoſe decay in a ſhort time,
and theſe live many hundred years. Furthermore, I never was
thorowly ſatisfied about this ſubſtantial tranſmutation (ſtill
ing within pure natural bounds) whereby a matter becometh ſo
transform'd, that it ſhould be neceſſarily ſaid to be deſtroy'd, ſo
that nothing remaineth of its firſt being, and that another body
with ſome tediouſneſs you hear me oft repeat the ſame things,
and fancie that you ſee me reaſſume my argument in the
lick circle of Diſputations. You ſay Generation and
on are onely made where there are contraries; contraries
are onely amongſt ſimple natural bodies, moveable with contrary
motions; contrary motions are onely thoſe which are made by
a right line between contrary terms; and theſe are onely two,
that is to ſay, from the medium, and towards the medium; and
ſuch motions belong to no other natural bodies, but to the Earth,
the Fire, and the other two Elements: therefore Generation
and Corruption is onely amongſt the Elements. And becauſe
the third ſimple motion, namely, the circular about the medium,
hath no contrary, (for that the other two are contraries, and one
onely, hath but onely one contrary) therefore that natural body
with which ſuch motion agreeth, wants a contrary; and having
no contrary is ingenerable and incorruptible, &c. Becauſe where
there is no contrariety, there is no generation or corruption, &c.
But ſuch motion agreeth onely with the Cœleſtial bodies;
fore onely theſe are ingenerable, incorruptible, &c. And to
begin, I think it a more eaſie thing, and ſooner done to reſolve,
whether the Earth (a moſt vaſt Body, and for its vicinity to us,
moſt tractable) moveth with a ſpeedy motion, ſuch as its
lution about its own axis in twenty four hours would be, than it
is to underſtand and reſolve, whether Generation and Corruption
ariſeth from contrariety, or elſe whether there be ſuch things as
generation, corruption and contrariety in nature. And if you,
Simplicius, can tell me what method Nature obſerves in working,
when ſhe in a very ſhort time begets an infinite number of flies
from a little vapour of the Muſt of wine, and can ſhew me which
are there the contraries you ſpeak of, what it is that corrupteth,
and how; I ſhould think you would do more than I can; for I
profeſs I cannot comprehend theſe things. Beſides, I would
ry gladly underſtand how, and why theſe corruptive contraries are
ſo favourable to Daws, and ſo cruel to Doves; ſo indulgent to
Stags, and ſo haſty to Horſes, that they do grant to them many
more years of life, that is, of incorruptibility, than weeks to theſe.
Peaches and Olives are planted in the ſame ſoil, expoſed to the
ſame heat and cold, to the ſame wind and rains, and, in a word,
to the ſame contrarieties; and yet thoſe decay in a ſhort time,
and theſe live many hundred years. Furthermore, I never was
thorowly ſatisfied about this ſubſtantial tranſmutation (ſtill
ing within pure natural bounds) whereby a matter becometh ſo
transform'd, that it ſhould be neceſſarily ſaid to be deſtroy'd, ſo
that nothing remaineth of its firſt being, and that another body