86 MEMOIR OF DR. DALTON, AND 



matter, fire, and earth, gradually mixing therewith a ferment 

 of acid and salt (e? ojcoc kqX aXfxvpov), and thus he composed 

 a soft pulpy flesh." 



As to the composition of the elements, as all was created 

 from mind, the separation of mind and matter does not seem 

 clear. Although he says, also, " It is evident to every one 

 that fire, air, water, and earth are elements, but every species 

 of body possesses solidity, and every solid must necessarily be 

 contained by planes. Again, a base formed of a perfectly 

 plane surface is composed from triangles. But all triangles 

 are originally of two kinds, each of them having one angle, 

 a right angle, and the two others acute, and one of these has 

 an equal part of a right angle, divided by the equal sides, 

 while in the other, two unequal parts of the right angle, are 

 divided by the unequal sides. This, then, we lay down accord- 

 ing both to probability and necessity, as the origin and principle 

 of fire and all other bodies; but as for the heavenly principles 

 thereof, those indeed are known only to the Deity, and to those 

 among men who enjoy God's favour."* One might suppose 

 he was speaking of the shape of the elements, and we see the 

 want of definiteness in the forms of conception of the physical 

 elements. Again, matter so far as it is only matter must be 

 viewed abstractedly from all qualities; qualities are deter- 

 minate conditions of matter. The motions of matter are 

 without rule, purpose, or harmony; purpose, order, and 

 harmony are only to be obtained from the reason.f Physics 

 was in reality the region of uncertainty, whilst true science 

 was in the reason : we have in modern times adopted a 

 different opinion. This will probably be enough to enable 

 us to find the class to which Plato belongs, as regards our 

 subject. By going much further we get into metaphysics, 

 or perhaps worse, into contradictions. 



• Timaeus, par. 28. 

 t Tennemann. System der Platonischen Philosophie. Vol. III., pp. 30-152. 



