92 MEMOIR OF DR. DALTON, AND 



by the dense combination of which all compound bodies may be 

 closely compacted, and exhibit powerful strength.* Moreover, 

 if no limit has been appointed to the dissolution of bodies, there 

 must remain certain bodies in the world which have not yet been 

 assailed with any trial of their strength. But since (dissoluble 

 bodies) are endued with a fragile nature, it is inconsistent to suppose 

 that they could have lasted through an infinite course of time, harassed 

 age after age with innumerable assaults.| * * ♦ » 



" Primordial atoms are therefore of pure solidity, which, composed 

 of the smallest points, closely cohere, not combined of a union of any 

 other things, but rather endowed with an eternal, simple existence, 

 from which nature allows nothing to be broken off, or even diminished, 

 reserving them as seeds for her productions. 



"Moreover, unless there be some /ea*^, the smallest bodies will, 

 individually, consist of infinite parts.J * * * * What therefore 

 will be the difference between the greatest and smallest of bodies ? 

 It will not be possible that there should be any difference ; for though 

 the whole entire sum of things be infinite, yet the smallest things 

 which exist will equally consist of infinite parts. 1| 



ic * * * * * Those who think that fire is the original prin- 

 ciple of things, and that the universe is maintained from fire alone, 

 do greatly err from true reason ; of which Heraclitus, as leader, first 

 comes to the battle, celebrated for the obscurity of his language. 



* * * * YoT fools rather delight in all things which they see 

 hid under inversions of words. * * * 



"For how, I ask, could things be so various if they were produced 

 from fire alone and pure (from mixture)? Since it would be to no 

 purpose that hot fire should be condensed or rarefied, if the parts of 

 fire retained the same nature which the whole of the fire still has ? 



* # * * gy^ jf ^Y^^y think that fire may by any means be extin- 

 guished in condensation, and change its natural consistence, and if 

 they shall not hesitate to allow that this may take place absolutely, 

 then all heat, it is evident, will fall utterly to nothing, and whatever 

 things are reproduced, will be made out of nothing. For whatever 

 departs from its own limits, this straightway is the death of that 



* 1. 484-677. t Not in my copy of original. % 1. 603-610. 

 II 1. 613-616. 



