4 No tfranjmutation of Principles. [Book!, 



never been able to proceed farther in the analyfis of 

 bodies than to reduce them to a few principles, which 

 appear eflerdally different from each other, and which 

 have never yet been brought to a more fimple form. 

 Thus the matter of fire, or light, appears totally dif- 

 ferent from that of all other bodies; thus the acid and 

 alkaline principles can never be brought to exhibit: the 

 fame properties ; nor can even the different fpecies of 

 earths be converted into the fubftance of each other. 



If hypothetical reafoning was to be admitted on this 

 occafion, it would probably appear more agreeable to 

 the analogy of nature, to ftippole that different fub- 

 ftances are formed from the different combinations of 

 a few fimple principles in different proportions, than 

 that the very oppofite qualities of fome of the rareft 

 and moft fubtile fluids, mould depend wholly on the 

 different form or modification of the extremely minute 

 particles which enter into their competition. 



It is proper however to obfcrve, that on this fubject 

 there has hitherto appeared no dec: five experimental 

 proof on either fide. The imperfection of all human 

 efforts, and perhaps of the human faculties themlelves, 

 have hitherto confined our inveftigations to the pro- 

 perties of a few fubftances, the limpleft which chemi- 

 cal analyfis has been able to obtain, a/nd which for that 

 reafon are denominated ELEMENTS. 



There are fome properties which are accounted 

 common to all matter, and which from their import- 

 ance will require to be feparately treated of: thefe are 



SOLIDITY, EXTENSION, and DIVISIBILITY ; ATTRAC- 

 TION', MOTION-, and REST. 



The quantity of matter which is contained in the 

 whole univerie may probably be much lefs than com- 

 mon obfervation would lead us to fuppofe. The fub- 

 lime mathematics of Newton diftated the aftonifhing 



proportion : 



