II 



THE ETHER : MOISTURE 207 



first-born and creatrix of Nature, simplest of beings, all- 

 containing, most powerful, most active, most living, 

 most perfect of existences, endowed with life and 

 intelligence, of its own nature moving circularly, etc., 

 etc. all this is at length proved to have been a most 

 portentous shadow without body." l Heaven is either 

 empty space, or it is an ethereal substance, " a very 

 subtle kind of air, which is the first and most universal 

 occupant of space." 2 Again, the ether is described as 

 a vapour or smoke, a nebulous matter, penetrating 

 throughout the depths of the void, interpenetrating all 

 things and embracing all ; as not entering into move- 

 ment of its own accord, for it is but an exhalation of 

 the wind a kind of continuous vapour such as is 

 contained in the bowels of the earth : in it is neither 

 heat nor cold nor any similar effect (passio), but it is 

 the medium through which these are borne. All these 

 require moisture : moisture alone can " fix " light or 

 darkness or combine atoms into a concrete body and 

 prevent their random flight through the air. 3 It has 

 been claimed that in this and other passages Bruno 

 anticipated the modern theory of the ether ; it must be 

 noted, however, that he expressly denies to its parts 

 any kind of motion it is only the composite body 

 which moves and that he speaks of this heaven or 

 ether as the soul which is at once immanent in and 

 comprehends the stars, i.e. as the soul of the universe. 



Of the strictly material elements of the universe, the Moisture. 

 most important is moisture or water. It is moisture 

 which gives concreteness and therefore weight to 

 things. Nothing has weight which has not been 

 formed into one by the union of innumerable parts 

 under the action of water. 4 Consistently with this, 



1 Bk. iv. ch. i. (Op. Lat. i. 2. p. 6). 2 P. 7. 3 P. 8. 4 P. 152. 



