STUDY IX. 217 



at firft, from weaknefs, and afcerwards, to deduce 

 from it an univerfal principle,, out of vanity. If 

 after tiiis we can find means, and it is no difficult 

 matter to apply to it a geometrical theorem, a 

 triangle, an equation, were it but a.n a -\- 1>, this is 

 fufficient to render it for ever venerable. It was 

 thus that, in the laft age, every thing was ex- 

 plained on the principles of the corpufcular philo- 

 fophy, becaufe it was perceived that fome bodies 

 were formed by intus-fufception, or an aggrega- 

 tion of parts. A feafoning of Algebra, which they 

 found means to add to it, had invefted it with fo 

 much the more dignity, that moft of the reafoners 

 of thofe times underftood nothing of the matter. 

 But being indifferently endowed, it's reign was of 

 fliort duration. At this day, we do not fo much 

 as mention the names of a long lifl of learned and 

 illuflrious gentlemen, whom all Europe then con- 

 curred in covering with laurels. 



Others having found out that air prefïed, fet to 

 work with every fpecics of machinery to demon- 

 flrate that air pofTefibd gravity. Our books refer- 

 red every thing to the gravity of the air ; vegeta- 

 tion, the human temperament, digeftion, the cir- 

 culation of the blood, the phenomena, the afcen- 

 fion, of fluids. They found thetnfelves fomewhat 

 embarraffed, it is true, by capillary tubes, in 

 which the fluid afcends^ independently of thp ac- 

 tion 



