2 o A TrtAtifeofKOVlES. Chap. 3. 



would lay open. Our meafures tell us their quantities are cquall, 

 and re'afon affurcth us, there cannot be two bodies in one a.nd 

 the fame place; therefore when we fee that a pinte of one thing 

 outweighcth a pinte of another that is thinner , we muit con- 

 clude that there is more body compared together in the heavie 

 thing then in the light: for el/e how cor.ld lo little of a folide oil 



c? C? 



denfe thing be (hecched out to take up fo great room, as we fee 

 in a bafin of water that being rarified into fmoke or airejfilleth 

 a w hole chamber ? and again, fhrink back into fo little room, 

 as when it returaeth into water, or is contracted into ice ? But 

 bow this comprchenfion of more body in equall room is eftcsfl- 

 ed- doth not a little trouble Philcfephers. 



To find a way that may carry us through thefe difficulties that 

 oftViT C * stifc out of the Rarity and Denfitie of bodies, let usdoasA- 

 i> Tcraii pro- fhcnomcrs when they enquire the motions of the Spheres and 

 f^^T.M Planets: they take all the Phenomena or icvcrall appearances 



jnc ro i lie r*ic j 41 



ard denfc bo- of them to our eyes; and then attribute to them iuch orbs, cour- 

 fcs, and periods, as may fquare and fit with everyone of them; 

 and by fuppofing them, they can exactly calculate all that 

 will ever afcer happen to them in their motions. So let us 

 take into our consideration the chief properties of rare and 

 denfe bodies, and then caft with our felves to find out an hy- 

 pothefis or fuppofition (if it be poflible ) that may agree with 

 them all. 



Fitft, it fccmeth unto us that denfe bodies have their parts 

 more clofe and compacted then others have that are more rare 

 and fubtil. Secondly, they are more heavy then rare ones. A- 

 gain, the rare are more eafily divided then the denfe bodies: for 

 water, oyl, milk, honey.and fuch like fub.ftances will not oncly 

 yield eafily to any harder thing that ftiall make its way through 

 them; but they are fo apt to divifion and tolofe their continu- 

 ity, that their own weights will overcome and break it:whcrc- 

 as in iron , gold, marble , and fiich denfc bodies , a much 

 greater weight and forqc is ncceflary to work that eftetSr. 

 And indeed if we look well into it, we fhall find that the ra. 

 rer things are as divifible in a lefTer Quantity , as the more 

 denfc arc in a greater : and the fame force will break the rarer 

 thing into more and IcfTcr parts, then it will an equall one 

 that is more denfe. Take a ftick of light wood of fuch a big- 



nclTc 



