21 i Newton's Letters, Hypothesis and Experiments 



which followed, which I take myself to have been, per accidens, 

 the occasion of, by refusing to answer him. And though I 

 think I may truly say I was very little concerned about it, yet 

 I must look upon it as the result of your kindness to me that 

 you was unwilling to print it without an answer. 



As to the paper of observations which you move in the 

 name of the Society to have printed, I cannot but return them 

 my hearty thanks for the kind acceptance they meet with there, 

 and know not how to deny anything which they desire should 

 be done. Only I think it will be best to suspend the printing 

 of them for a while, because I have some thoughts of writing 

 such another set of observations for determining the manner 

 of the productions of colours by the prism, which if done at 

 all ought to precede that now in your hands, and will do best 

 to be joined with it. But this I cannot do presently by reason 

 of some incumbrances lately put upon me by some friends, 

 and some other business of my own, which at present almost 

 take up my time and thoughts. 



The additions that I intended, I think I must, after putting 

 you to so long expectations, disappoint you in ; for it puzzles 

 me to connect them with what I sent you ; and if I had those 

 papers, yet I doubt the things I intended will not come in so 

 freely as I thought they might have done. I could send them 

 described without dependence on those papers ; but I fear I 

 have already troubled your Society and yourself too much 

 with my scribbling, and so suppose it may do better to defer 

 them till another season. I have therefore at present only 

 sent you two or three alterations, though not of so great mo- 

 ment that I need have stayed you for them ; and thej 7 are 

 these :-4*m 



Where I say that the frame of nature may be nothing but 

 aether condensed by a fermental principle, instead of these 

 words write, that it may be nothing but various contextures 

 of some certain aetherial spirits or vapours condensed, as it 

 were, by precipitation, much after the manner that vapours 

 are condensed into water, or exhalations into grosser sub- 

 stances, though not so easily condensable ; and after conden- 

 sation wrought into various forms, at first by the immediate 

 hand of the Creator, and ever since by the power of nature, 

 who, by virtue of the command increase and multiply, be- 

 came a compleat imitator of the copies set her by the Proto- 

 plast. Thus perhaps may all things be originated from aether, 

 &c. 



A little after, when I say the aetherial spirit may be con- 

 densed in fermenting or burning bodies, or otherwise inspis- 

 sated in the pores of the earth to a tender matter, which may 



