296 Inflexion of Light. [Book III. 



quently many feparate b^ams will be formed, diverging 

 from the luminous object. The power cf bodies to 

 inflect the rays of light pafiing near to them will pro- 

 duce different effects, according to the naCure of the 

 rays acted upon j ccnfequently a fcparation will take 

 place in the differently refrangible rays, and thofe 

 fringes, which were taken notice of by Sir Ifaac New- 

 ton, will appear in other objects which are feen by the 

 means of inflected rays. From confidering thus the 

 action of bodies upon light, we come to this general 

 conclufion, for which we are indebted to our great phi- 

 lofopher, that light, as well as all other matter., is acted 

 upon at a diftance; and that reflection, refraction, and 

 inflection, are owing to certain general laws in the par- 

 ticles of matter, which are equally neceflary for the 

 prefervadon of the beautiful harmony in the objects 

 neareft to us, as to produce by their joint action that 

 great law by which the greater bodies in their fyftem 

 are retained in their refpective orbits. 



