Chap. J. ^ Treat ft of B O D I E S. 43 



to another, followeth the action whereby one of them beco- 

 meth white. 



And therefore in nature we are not to fcek for any entity or 

 fpcciall caufe of apply ing the moved body to a place as place, ThenatJreof 

 (which is but a refpeft confequent to the erre& of diviiionj but 5 l !?" t l cy rc F - it 



i rj I it j L r n n- \ fcinsfulhcient 



one'y to coniider what real! and pnylicall action unitetn it to to unite a body 

 that other body, which is called its place, and truly (erveth for iaits P lacc * 

 that effect. And confcquently, they who think they have di. 

 covered a notable fubtilty by bringing in an Entitle to unite a 

 body to its place, have ft rained beyond their ftrengt:h,and have 

 grafped but a fhadow. which will appear yet more evident, if 

 they but mark well how nothing is divifible but what of it (elf 

 ( abstracting from divilion) is one. For the nature of divifion 

 is the making of many- which implycth, that what is to be di- 

 vided muit of neceffity be not many before ic be divided. Now 

 quantity being the fubj'ect of divifion, it is evident that purely 

 of itfelfand without any force or adjoyned helps, ic muft 

 needs be one, wherefoever feme outward agent doth not intro- 

 duce multiplicity upon it. And whenfoever other things work 

 upon quantity as quantity, itis not the nature and power of 

 their operation to produce unity in it and make it one; for it is 

 already one: but contrariwife,the immediate neceflary effect that 

 flowcth from them m this cafe, is re make one quantity many, 

 according to the cireumfrances that accompany the divider, and 

 that which is to be divided. And therefore, although we may 

 feek caufes why fome one rhing fticketh farter together then 

 feme other, yet to ask abfolutcly why a body fticketh together, 

 were prejudicial! to the nature of quantity; whole eflence is to 

 have parts flicking together, or rather to have fuch unity, as 

 without it all divihbihty mutt be excluded. . 



Our of which, difcourfe it folioweth, that in locall motion 

 we are to look onely for a cauie or power to divide, but not for 

 any to unite. For the very nature of quantity unitcth any two 

 parts that are indittant from one another, without needing any 

 other cement to glevv them together as we fee the parrs of 

 water and all liquid fubftanccs, do presently unite themfelvcs 

 to other parts of like bodies when they meet with them, and 

 ro folid bodies if they chance to be next unto them. And there- 

 fore it is vain to trouble oar heads with Unions and imagina- 

 ry 



