ji ATOMS AND MATERIALISM 249 



minimum is absolutely so named, God as the monad of 

 monads. It is to be noted that the relativity of the 

 monad is dependent upon the origin of its conception, 

 in the conditions of knowledge ; it is because quantity 

 is universal that a minimum is necessary, and it is 

 because quantity differs in kind, in each subject of 

 knowledge, because it is, in scholastic phrase, equivo- 

 cally applied in the different cases, that the minima 

 differ from one another. The minimal number is no 

 measure of the minimal body nor of the geometrical 

 figure, and the numbers which are in use among men 

 are not those which may be employed by other and 

 higher rational beings. Thus, even number itself 

 is a relative determination ; ten horses, said Bruno, 

 are not really equal to ten men, but only conven- 

 tionally. 



The ancient atomism upon which Bruno founded 

 his theory was, at any rate in its traditional rendering, 

 frankly materialistic. It admitted nothing but atoms 

 and the void, all things else being dependent upon the 

 composition of atoms, which itself, and all that results 

 from it, is merely an appearance to sense, without 

 corresponding reality in nature. All physical opera- 

 tions were explained by mechanical arrangement and 

 movement of the atoms. The method which was 

 pursued thus unscientifically, without consciousness of 

 the extent of its validity, modern atomic theory has 

 followed scientifically, with full comprehension of its 

 bearings, and perhaps without due consideration of its 

 limits. Bruno tells us that he had at one time been an 

 adherent of Democritus' atomic theory, but on reflec- 

 tion had been unable to rest satisfied with his material- 

 istic account of the nature of things. In this case also 

 he showed himself unable to get rid of the ties which 



