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moist, and heat is common to both ; but the pecu- 

 liarity of fire is dryness, and of air moisture. 

 Hence, when the moisture in air vanquishes the 

 dryness in fire, then fire is changed into air. 



Again, since water is moist and cold, but air is 

 moist and hot, moisture is common to both. The 

 peculiarity however of water is coldness, but of 

 air heat. When, therefore, the coldness in water 

 vanquishes the heat in air, the mutation from air 

 into water is effected. 



Further still, earth is cold and dry, but water 

 is cold and moist, and coldness is common to 

 both ; but the peculiarity of earth is dryness, and 

 of water moisture. When, therefore, the dryness 

 ill earth vanquishes the moisture in water, a muta- 

 tion takes place from water into earth. 



The mutation, however, from earth, in an ascend- 

 ing progression, is performed in a contrary way ; but 

 an alternate mutation is effected when one whole 

 vanquishes another, and two contrary powers are 

 corrupted, nothing at the same time being com- 

 mon to them. For since fire is hot and dry, but 

 water is cold and moist; when the moisture in water 

 vanquishes the dryness in fire, and the coldness in 

 water the heat in fire, then a mutation is effected 

 from fire into water. 



Again, earth is cold and dry, but air is hot and 

 moist. When, therefore, the coldness in earth 



