1wiſe intrinſecall, whereby ſome of thoſe Bodies have an Impetus of
flying the Centre, and moving upwards: by Vertue of which
trinſe call Principle, called by him Levity, the Moveables which have
that ſame Motion more eaſily penetrate the more ſubtle Medium,
than the more denſe: but ſuch a Propoſition appears likewiſe
certain, as I have above hinted in part, and as with Reaſons and
Experiments, I could demonſtrate, did not the preſent Argument
portune me, or could I diſpatch it in few words.
flying the Centre, and moving upwards: by Vertue of which
trinſe call Principle, called by him Levity, the Moveables which have
that ſame Motion more eaſily penetrate the more ſubtle Medium,
than the more denſe: but ſuch a Propoſition appears likewiſe
certain, as I have above hinted in part, and as with Reaſons and
Experiments, I could demonſtrate, did not the preſent Argument
portune me, or could I diſpatch it in few words.
Lib. 4. Cap. 5.
The Objection therefore of Ariſtotle againſt Democritus, whilſt
he ſaith, that if the Fiery aſcending Atomes ſhould ſuſtain Bodies
grave, but of a diſtended Figure, it would be more obſervable in
the Air than in the water, becauſe ſuch Corpuſcles move ſwifter in
that, than in this, is not good; yea the contrary would evene, for
that they aſcend more ſlowly through the Air: and, beſides their
moving ſlowly, they aſcend, not united together, as in the water,
but diſcontinue, and, as we ſay, ſcatter: And, therefore, as
Democritus well replyes, reſolving the inſtance they make not their
puſh or Impetus conjunctly.
he ſaith, that if the Fiery aſcending Atomes ſhould ſuſtain Bodies
grave, but of a diſtended Figure, it would be more obſervable in
the Air than in the water, becauſe ſuch Corpuſcles move ſwifter in
that, than in this, is not good; yea the contrary would evene, for
that they aſcend more ſlowly through the Air: and, beſides their
moving ſlowly, they aſcend, not united together, as in the water,
but diſcontinue, and, as we ſay, ſcatter: And, therefore, as
Democritus well replyes, reſolving the inſtance they make not their
puſh or Impetus conjunctly.
Ariſtotle, in the ſecond place, deceives himſelf, whilſt he will
have the ſaid grave Bodies to be more eaſily ſuſtained by the ſaid
Fiery aſcending Atomes in the Air than in the Water: not
ing, that the ſaid Bodies are much more grave in that, than in this,
and that ſuch a Body weighs ten pounds in the Air, which will not
in the water weigh 1/2 an ounce; how can it then be more eaſily
ſuſtained in the Air, than in the Water?
have the ſaid grave Bodies to be more eaſily ſuſtained by the ſaid
Fiery aſcending Atomes in the Air than in the Water: not
ing, that the ſaid Bodies are much more grave in that, than in this,
and that ſuch a Body weighs ten pounds in the Air, which will not
in the water weigh 1/2 an ounce; how can it then be more eaſily
ſuſtained in the Air, than in the Water?
Let us conclude, therefore, that Democritus hath in this particular
better Philoſophated than Ariſtotle. But yet will not I affirm, that De-
mocritus hath reaſon'd rightly, but I rather ſay, that there is a
nifeſt Experiment that overthrows his Reaſon, and this it is, That
if it were true, that calid aſcending Atomes ſhould uphold a Body,
that if they did not hinder, would go to the bottom, it would follow,
that we may find a Matter very little ſuperiour in Gravity to the
water, the which being reduced into a Ball, or other contracted
Figure, ſhould go to the bottom, as encountring but few Fiery
tomes; and which being diſtended afterwards into a dilated and
thin Plate, ſhould come to be thruſt upwards by the impulſion of a
great Multitude of thoſe Corpuſcles, and at laſt carried to the very
Surface of the water: which wee ſee not to happen; Experience
ſhewing us, that a Body v. gra. of a Sphericall Figure, which very
hardly, and with very great leaſure goeth to the bottom, will reſt
there, and will alſo deſcend thither, being reduced into whatſoever
other diſtended Figure. We muſt needs ſay then, either that in the
water, there are no ſuch aſcending Fiery Atoms, or if that ſuch there
be, that they are not able to raiſe and lift up any Plate of a Matter,
better Philoſophated than Ariſtotle. But yet will not I affirm, that De-
mocritus hath reaſon'd rightly, but I rather ſay, that there is a
nifeſt Experiment that overthrows his Reaſon, and this it is, That
if it were true, that calid aſcending Atomes ſhould uphold a Body,
that if they did not hinder, would go to the bottom, it would follow,
that we may find a Matter very little ſuperiour in Gravity to the
water, the which being reduced into a Ball, or other contracted
Figure, ſhould go to the bottom, as encountring but few Fiery
tomes; and which being diſtended afterwards into a dilated and
thin Plate, ſhould come to be thruſt upwards by the impulſion of a
great Multitude of thoſe Corpuſcles, and at laſt carried to the very
Surface of the water: which wee ſee not to happen; Experience
ſhewing us, that a Body v. gra. of a Sphericall Figure, which very
hardly, and with very great leaſure goeth to the bottom, will reſt
there, and will alſo deſcend thither, being reduced into whatſoever
other diſtended Figure. We muſt needs ſay then, either that in the
water, there are no ſuch aſcending Fiery Atoms, or if that ſuch there
be, that they are not able to raiſe and lift up any Plate of a Matter,