208 ALPHABET OF NATURE. 



First; therefore seeing (as Democritus excellently ob 

 served) the nature of things is in the plenty of matter, and 

 variety of individuals large, and (as he affirmeth) infinite; 

 but in its coitions and species so finite, that it may seem 

 narrow and poor; seeing so few species are found, either in 

 actual being or impossibility, that they scarce make up a 

 muster of a thousand; and seeing negatives subjoined to 

 affirmatives, conduce much to the information of the un 

 derstanding : it is fit that an inquisition be made concern 

 ing being, and not being. That is the seventy-third in 

 order, and reckoned the fourfold Alpha. 



Conditions of beings. The fourfold Alpha ; or, concern 

 ing being, and not being. 



Now possible and impossible, are nothing else but condi 

 tions potential to being, or not potential to being. Of 

 this the seventy-fourth inquisition consists, and is accounted 

 the fourfold Beta. 



Conditions of beings. The fourfold Beta ; or concerning 

 possible and impossible. 



Also, much, little ; rare, ordinary ; are conditions poten 

 tial to being in quantity. Of them let the seventy -fifth 

 inquisition consist, and be accounted the fourfold Gamma. 



Conditions of beings. The fourfold Gamma; or, con 

 cerning much and little. 



Durable and transitory, eternal and momentary, are po 

 tential to being in duration. Of these let the seventy-sixth 

 inquisition consist, and be called the fourfold Delta. 



Conditions of beings. The fourfold Delta ; or, concern 

 ing durable and transitory. 



Natural and monstrous, are potential to being, either by 

 the course of nature, or by its deviations from it. Of these 

 let the seventy-seventh inquisition consist, which is ac 

 counted the fourfold Epsilon. 



Conditions of beings. The fourfold Epsilon ; or, concern 

 ing what is natural or monstrous. 



Natural and artificial, are potential to being, either with 

 or without the operation of man. Of these let the seventy- 

 eighth inquisition consist, and be accounted the fourfold 

 Zeta. 



Conditions of beings. The fourfold Zeta; or, of that 

 which is natural and artificial. 



We have not subjoined examples in the explication of 

 the order of this our alphabet : for the inquisitions them 

 selves contain the whole array of examples. 



It is by no means intended, that the titles, according to 



