1the ſaid calid Atomes aſcend with much greater Force and Velocity
through the Air, than through the water. And if this be ſo, as I
ly believe it is, the Objection of Ariſtotle in my judgement ſeems to
give occaſion of ſuſpecting, that he may poſſibly be deceived in more
than one particular: Firſt, becauſe thoſe calid Atomes, (whether
they be Fiery Corpuſcles, or whether they be Exhalations, or in
ſhort, whatever other matter they be, that aſcends upwards through
the Air) cannot be believed to mount faſter through Air, than
through water: but rather on the contrary, they peradventure move
more impetuouſly through the water, than through the Air, as hath
been in part demonſtrated above. And here I cannot finde the
ſon, why Ariſtotle ſeeing, that the deſeending Motion of the ſame
Moveable, is more ſwift in Air, than in water, hath not advertiſed
us, that from the contrary Motion, the contrary ſhould neceſſarily
follow; to wit, that it is more ſwift in the water, than in the Air: for
ſince that the Moveable which deſcendeth, moves ſwifter through
the Air, than through the water, if we ſhould ſuppoſe its Gravity
gradually to diminiſh, it would firſt become ſuch, that deſcending
ſwiftly through the Air, it would deſcend but ſlowly through the
water: and then again, it might be ſuch, that deſcending in the
Air, it ſhould aſcend in the water: and being made yet leſs grave,
it ſhall aſcend ſwiftly through the water, and yet deſcend likewiſe
through the Air: and in ſhort, before it can begin to aſcend, though
but ſlowly through the Air, it ſhall aſcend ſwiftly through the water:
how then is it true, that aſcending Moveables move ſwifter through
the Air, than through the water?
through the Air, than through the water. And if this be ſo, as I
ly believe it is, the Objection of Ariſtotle in my judgement ſeems to
give occaſion of ſuſpecting, that he may poſſibly be deceived in more
than one particular: Firſt, becauſe thoſe calid Atomes, (whether
they be Fiery Corpuſcles, or whether they be Exhalations, or in
ſhort, whatever other matter they be, that aſcends upwards through
the Air) cannot be believed to mount faſter through Air, than
through water: but rather on the contrary, they peradventure move
more impetuouſly through the water, than through the Air, as hath
been in part demonſtrated above. And here I cannot finde the
ſon, why Ariſtotle ſeeing, that the deſeending Motion of the ſame
Moveable, is more ſwift in Air, than in water, hath not advertiſed
us, that from the contrary Motion, the contrary ſhould neceſſarily
follow; to wit, that it is more ſwift in the water, than in the Air: for
ſince that the Moveable which deſcendeth, moves ſwifter through
the Air, than through the water, if we ſhould ſuppoſe its Gravity
gradually to diminiſh, it would firſt become ſuch, that deſcending
ſwiftly through the Air, it would deſcend but ſlowly through the
water: and then again, it might be ſuch, that deſcending in the
Air, it ſhould aſcend in the water: and being made yet leſs grave,
it ſhall aſcend ſwiftly through the water, and yet deſcend likewiſe
through the Air: and in ſhort, before it can begin to aſcend, though
but ſlowly through the Air, it ſhall aſcend ſwiftly through the water:
how then is it true, that aſcending Moveables move ſwifter through
the Air, than through the water?
Democritus
futed by
ſtotle, text 43.
futed by
ſtotle, text 43.
Ariſtotles
futation of
mocritus refuted
by the Author.
futation of
mocritus refuted
by the Author.
That which hath made Ariſtotle believe, the Motion of Aſcent to be
ſwifter in Air, than in water, was firſt, the having referred the
Cauſes of ſlow and quick, as well in the Motion of Aſcent, as of
Deſcent, only to the diverſity of the Figures of the Moveable, and to
the more or leſs Reſiſtance of the greater or leſſer Craſſitude, or
rity of the Medium; not regarding the compariſon of the Exceſſes
of the Gravities of the Moveables, and of the Mediums: the which
notwithſtanding, is the moſt principal point in this affair: for if the
augmentation and diminution of the Tardity or Velocity, ſhould
have only reſpect to the Denſity or Rarity of the Medium, every Body
that deſcends in Air, would deſcend in water: becauſe whatever
difference is found between the Craſſitude of the water, and that of
the Air, may well be found between the Velocity of the ſame
able in the Air, and ſome other Velocity: and this ſhould be its
proper Velocity in the water, which is abſolutely falſe. The other
occaſion is, that he did believe, that like as there is a poſitive and
trinſecall Quality, whereby Elementary Bodies have a propenſion
of moving towards the Centre of the Earth, ſo there is another
ſwifter in Air, than in water, was firſt, the having referred the
Cauſes of ſlow and quick, as well in the Motion of Aſcent, as of
Deſcent, only to the diverſity of the Figures of the Moveable, and to
the more or leſs Reſiſtance of the greater or leſſer Craſſitude, or
rity of the Medium; not regarding the compariſon of the Exceſſes
of the Gravities of the Moveables, and of the Mediums: the which
notwithſtanding, is the moſt principal point in this affair: for if the
augmentation and diminution of the Tardity or Velocity, ſhould
have only reſpect to the Denſity or Rarity of the Medium, every Body
that deſcends in Air, would deſcend in water: becauſe whatever
difference is found between the Craſſitude of the water, and that of
the Air, may well be found between the Velocity of the ſame
able in the Air, and ſome other Velocity: and this ſhould be its
proper Velocity in the water, which is abſolutely falſe. The other
occaſion is, that he did believe, that like as there is a poſitive and
trinſecall Quality, whereby Elementary Bodies have a propenſion
of moving towards the Centre of the Earth, ſo there is another