man- 



Chap. 1 6. ATrtAttfeof BODIES. 173 



{hewed that action among bodies is performed for the moft part 

 by the emiffion ofiittle pares out of one body into another : as 

 alfb, that fuch little parts cannot ftream from the body that is 

 their fountain, and fettle upon a remote body, without pafling 

 through the interjacent bodies ; which muft furnifh them, as it 

 were, with channels and pipes to convey them whither thcj^arc 

 to go ; It followeth manifeftly, that the a&iveemhTaries ofthc 

 Working body, can never reach their diftant mark, unleiTe they 

 be fuccefllvely ferried over the medium, that lieth between them; 

 in which, they muft needs leave impreflions of their having been 

 there, and fo work upon it in their pafTage, and leave in it their 

 qualities and complcxions;as a payment for their waftage over. 

 But peradventure fome may contend, that thefe invifible fer- 

 jeants and workmen are too feeble and impotent to perform j. 

 thofc vifible great effects we daily fee. As when fire at the length An objcaio 

 burneth a board that hath been a great while oppofed to it, gainTthe ma 

 though it touch not the body ofthc fire ; or when a loadftonc n . cr f "plica- 



o L r- L j-n t- ting me former 



draweth unto it a great weight ot iron that is diltant from it. 



Unto whom we (hall reply, that if he will not grant thefe 

 fubtilc emanations from the agent body, to be the immediate 

 workers of tliefc effects ; he muft allot that efficacy unto the 

 whole corpulency of all the Agent working in bulk (for befides 

 the whole, and the parts there is no third thing to beconfidered 

 in bodies; fince they are confticuted by quantity;^ but the whole 

 cannot work otherwife then by locall motionrwhich in this ca/e 

 it cannot do, becaufe by the fuppefition, it is determined to keep 

 its diftance from the paflive body, and not to move towards rr. 

 Therefore, this is impoflible ; whereas the other can appear but 

 difficult at the worft, and therefore muft be admitted, when no 

 better and more intelligible folution can be found. 



But withall we muftjiore that it is not our intention to fay, 

 but that it may in fome circumftaces happen that fome particular 

 action or effect may be wrought in a remote part or body, \v ch 

 flial not be the fame in the intermediate body that lieth between 

 the agent and the patient, & that conveyeth the agents working 

 atomes to the others body.As for example when tinder or naph- 

 tha is by fire made to burn at a yard diftancc from it . when the 

 interjacent aireis but warmed by that fire. Or when the fuit, by 

 means of a burning-glade or of fome other reflexion, fetccih 



