^fl S 



48 DESCARTES. 



mines, and the plants grow in the fields; and in 

 general, how all the bodies which are commonly 

 denominated mixed or composite might be gener- 

 ated: and, among other things in the discoveries 

 alluded to, inasmuch as besides the stars, I knew 

 nothing except fire which produces light, I spared 

 no pains to set forth all that pertains to its nature, 

 the manner of its production and support, and to 

 explain how heat is sometimes found without light, 

 and light without heat ; to show how it can induce 

 various colours upon different bodies and other 

 diverse qualities ; how it reduces some to a liquid 

 state and hardens others; how it can consume 

 almost all bodies, or convert them into ashes and 

 smoke; and finally, how from these ashes, by the 

 mere intensity of its action, it forms glass : for as 

 this transmutation of ashes into glass appeared to 

 me as wonderful as any other in nature, I took a 

 special pleasure in describing it. 



SI was not, however, disposed, from these circum- 

 stances, to conclude that this world had been created 

 in the manner I described; for it is much more 

 lively thatjG-od made it at the first suclijas, it was to 

 be. But this is certain, and an opinion commonly 

 received among theologians, that the action by 

 which he now sustains it is the same with that by 

 which he originally created it ; so that even although 

 he had from the beginning given it no other form 

 I than that of chaos, provided only he had established 

 certain laws of nature, and had lent it his concur- 

 rence to enable it to act as it is wont to do, it may 

 be believed, without discredit to the miracle of crea- 



