1no reaſon why the minute parts of Wa
ter, and other Bodies, may not be ſo agi
tated or connected as to deſerve the name
of Air. For if we allow the Carteſian
Hypotheſis, according to which, as we no
ted at the beginning of this Letter, the
Air may conſiſt of any terrene or aqueous
Corpuſcles, provided they be kept ſwim
ming in the interfluent Celeſtial Matter;
it is obvious that Air may be as often ge
nerated, as Terreſtrial Particles minute
enough to be carried up and down, by the
Celeſtial Matter aſcend into the Atmo
ſphere. And if we will have the Air to
be a congeries of little ſlender Springs, it
ſeems not impoſſible, though it be diffi
cult, that the ſmall parts of divers Bo
dies may by a lucky concourſe of cauſes
be ſo connected as to conſtitute ſuch
little Springs, ſince (as we note in another
Treatiſe) Water in the Plants it nouriſhes
is uſually contriv'd into Springy Bodies,
and even the bare alter'd poſition and con
nexion of the parts of a Body may ſuf
fice to give it a Spring that it had not be
fore, as may be ſeen in a thin and fiexible
Plate of Silver; unto which, by ſome
ſtroaks of a Hammer, you may give a
Spring, and by onely heating it red hot
ter, and other Bodies, may not be ſo agi
tated or connected as to deſerve the name
of Air. For if we allow the Carteſian
Hypotheſis, according to which, as we no
ted at the beginning of this Letter, the
Air may conſiſt of any terrene or aqueous
Corpuſcles, provided they be kept ſwim
ming in the interfluent Celeſtial Matter;
it is obvious that Air may be as often ge
nerated, as Terreſtrial Particles minute
enough to be carried up and down, by the
Celeſtial Matter aſcend into the Atmo
ſphere. And if we will have the Air to
be a congeries of little ſlender Springs, it
ſeems not impoſſible, though it be diffi
cult, that the ſmall parts of divers Bo
dies may by a lucky concourſe of cauſes
be ſo connected as to conſtitute ſuch
little Springs, ſince (as we note in another
Treatiſe) Water in the Plants it nouriſhes
is uſually contriv'd into Springy Bodies,
and even the bare alter'd poſition and con
nexion of the parts of a Body may ſuf
fice to give it a Spring that it had not be
fore, as may be ſeen in a thin and fiexible
Plate of Silver; unto which, by ſome
ſtroaks of a Hammer, you may give a
Spring, and by onely heating it red hot
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