Chap. 8. *4 Trfa'/fe of BO VIES. 77 



of light: if we confidcr well what hath been faid on both Tides * h * "*??.* f* 

 (to tvhich much more might be added,but that we have already being aVdy, ' 

 trcfpaflcd in length, and I conceive enough it faid to decide the gJJJJJ ed w " 

 matter) an cquall judge will find the ballanceof thequcftion 

 to hang upon thcfe rf rmes: that, to prove the nature of light to 

 be materiall and corporcall,arc brought a company of accidents 

 \vell known to be the proprieties of quantitie or bodies; and as 

 well known to be in light. Even fofarrcas that it is manifeft 

 that light in its beginning before it be difperfcd is fire; and if 

 again it be gathered together, k fhcweth it fclf again to be fire. 

 And the receptacles of it arc the receptacles of a body: being a 

 multitude of pores, as the hardnefle and coldnefle of tranlpa- 

 rent things do give us to underftand; of which we (hall hereaf- 

 ter have occafion to difcourfe. 



On the contrary fide, whatfbevcr arguments arc brought a - 

 gainft lights being a bodyi are onely negatives. As that we fee 

 not any morion of light; that we do not dilcern where the con- 

 fires arc between light and aire; that we fee not room for both 

 of them, or for more lights to be together; and thelike: which 

 is to oppofc negative proofs againtt affirmative ones ; and to 

 build a do^rine upon the defedt of our fenfes; or upon the like- 

 neflc of bodies which are extremely unlike., expe^ing the fame 

 effects from the moft fubtilc as from the moft groiTe ones. All 

 which together with the authority of Arillotle and his follow- 

 ers, have turned light into darknefle, and have made us almoft 

 deny the light of oor own eyes. 



Now then, to take our leave of thii important queftion: let p. 

 us return to the principles from whence we began, and confider ; A fummarvre- 

 that feeing fire is the moft rare of all the Elements^n j very dry : ^font" which' 

 and that out of the former it hath, that it may be cu: into very f r 

 fmall pieces; and out of the latter, that itconfei vcih its own fi- 

 gure, and fo is apt to divide whatfoever fluide body rand joyning 

 to thefc two principles , that it multiplyeth extremely in ics 

 fource. It muft of neccfTity follow, that k fhootcth out in great 

 multitudes little fmall parts into the aire and into other bo- 

 dies circumfufed with great dilatation in a fphericalJ manner. 

 And likewife that thefe little' parts are eailly broken ; and new 

 ones (till following the former, arc ftill multiplyed in flra : ght 

 lines from the place where they break. Out of which it is evi- 

 dent 



