(; 



into tlie fleHiy parts uf their bodies, and even compofe tlie Tolid fub- 

 {tances of the bones and teetli : and all thcfe vegetable and animal 

 fal)!hinces do, by putrefaction, return to the general mafs of Matter 

 from which they were firft formed, and enter into the compofitionof 

 new Bodies. Again, water evaporates, or is carried up into the al- 

 jnofpijerc, in particles fo fmail a.s to be invifible to us ; and even mer- 

 cury or quicklilver, theheaviefi of all fluids, upon the application ofa 

 moderate degree of heat, flies olFin vapour, and. unlefs confiiicd by 

 fome i'jlid body, fuch as a c!ie nift's retort, wholly d fuppeans. Ar- 

 guing then, from thefe appearances, we mu i conclude, that the 

 elementary or original particles of Matter, are not, as fuch, difcovcra- 

 ble by us And, as far as ocular e aniination can reach, Mr. Leeuwen- 

 hoek has given it as his opinion, that, had he been able, by the help of 

 glades, to have difcerncd objcdls, millions cf times fmal'.er than thcfe 

 Jiis microfcopes difcovered, he could not have traced Bodies to their 

 original component particles. 



Some Philofuphers have fpent much time in arguing on th.e infinite 

 divifibility of Matter, and in propt>fing ftiange * thecries refpedting 

 its inherent properties. But liere'n, they I'eem to have exercifed their 

 wits, without much improving their undjrfland'Ugs; f( r furely, it is 

 of no utility to propound queftions, which cai.not poi^'bly be brought 

 to the tefl of e.Kperiment. In oppofition to thcfe vain fpecula'^ions, 

 how wife, and, at the fame time, how modeft, are the words of Sir 

 Ifaac Newton : -j^ " U feems probable to me, that God in tl e Ee- 

 " ginning, formed Matter, infolid, mally, hard, impenetrable, move- 

 " able particles, of fuch fizes and figures, and with fuch other proper- 

 " ties, and in fuch proportion to Space, asmoft conduced to the end for 



* Such as that of fuppofiiig the cohcfion of bodies to be caufeJ by their particles being 

 formed with little hooks; and, that rcpulfi. n proceeils from other particles being made like 

 hoops rolled up, and afterwar s expanding themfelvcs. 



f Newton's Opticks, Qii. 31, near the end. 



