PROPERTIES OF MATTER. 147 



we rather search for the properties which ex- 

 ternal means have produced upon it; and, 

 instead of separating, confound figure and ex- 

 tension together. It will, however, appear, 

 that if matter, whether solid or fluid, while it 

 subsists in a common state, possessed, origi- 

 nally and essentially, any of those secondary 

 qualities that are ascribed to it of figure, or of 

 color; it would, in that case, be altogether unfit 

 to answer the ends for which it was especially 

 designed : it could no more subserve the pur- % 

 poses for which it is employed by animated 

 beings, (for whose use, it is reasonable to pre- 

 sume, it was intended,) than matter convey 

 nourishment to the living system, whilst it re- 

 sisted the digestive power of the stomach. 



This state of original deprivation of all se- 

 condary quality in solid matter, is equally 

 referrible to liquid ; to that element \vhich may 

 be considered as constituting the principal source 

 and support of fluidity in general. If water 

 possessed flavor together with fluidity, it would, 

 in such a case, be the flavor of the water that 

 was tasted, and not the flavor of the substance 

 which the water was intended to dissolve, or to 

 support : if water were salt or sour bitter or 

 sweet sapid, instead of being insipid altoge- 

 ther, those secondary qualities would con- 

 stantly manifest themselves, and the quality of 

 the receiver would always adulterate and obli- 



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