POSTHUMOUS TRACTS. 



THOUGHTS ON THE NATURE OF THINGS. 



Of the Division of Bodies, of Continuity, and a Vacuum. 



THOUGHT I. 



THE theory of Democritus relating to atoms is, if not true, 

 at least applicable with excellent effect to the exposition of 

 nature. For it is not easy, except on the hypothesis of 

 atomic particles, either to grasp in thought, or express in 

 words, the real exility of parts in nature, such as it is dis 

 coverable in objects themselves. 



Now the term atom is taken in two senses, not materially 

 different from one another. It is taken either to signify 

 the ultimate term, the minutest subdivision, in the section 

 or breaking down of bodies ; or a corpuscle containing in it 

 no vacuum. As relates to the first, the two following prin 

 ciples may be safely and surely laid down. The first is, 

 that there exists in objects an attenuation and minuteness 

 of particles, far exceeding all that falls under ocular obser 

 vation. The second is, that it is not carried to infinity, or 

 endless divisibility. For if one needfully attend, he will 

 find that the corpuscles composing bodies which possess 

 continuity, far transcend in subtilty those which are found 

 in broken and discontinuous ones. Thus we see a little 

 saffron, intermixed and stirred in water (a cask of water 

 for instance), impart to it such a tincture, that even by the 

 the eye it is easily distinguishable from pure water. The 

 particles of the saffron thus disseminated through the 

 water, certainly exceed in fineness the most impalpable 

 powder. This will become still clearer, if you mingle with 

 the water a small portion of Brazilian-wood ground to a 

 powder, or of pomegranate flowers, or of any other very 

 high coloured substance, yet which wants the susceptibi 

 lity of saffron to diffuse itself in liquids, and incorporate 

 with them. 



It was therefore absurd to take atoms to be those minute 

 particles which are visible by the aid of the sun s light. 



