OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY; 69 



<recd the five regular folid bodies of Pythagoras; 

 and which, on account of fome phyfical virtue 

 expected from them, have been confidered by 

 Euclid geometrically. Ecphuntus afTerts, that 

 hi3 Monades were corporeal. Ariitotle gives 

 magnitude to them ; from whence ionic fay 

 they were the fame as atoms, and think that 

 Pythagoras -was taught by the difciples of Mof- 

 chus in Phoenicia. lie likcwife fludicd magi- 

 cal medicine ; but, whatever has been reported 

 of his phyfical tenets, is yet obfcured in all the 

 darknefs of my fiery. It is faid he lived 105 

 years. 



Leufippus and Dcmocritus were followers cf 

 the Elcatic fchool, about 450 years before Chriit: 

 But they denied the tenets of their teachers, 

 which dcilroyed the teftimony of the fcnfes ; 

 and, laying afidc harmonics, ideas, qualities, and 

 elementary forms, they contended that the bo- 

 dies themfelycs were prefcnt, and examined 

 their figure, motion, fituation of parts; tenuity, 

 and other properties. Dcmocritus aflertcd, that 

 all bodies were compofcd of indivifible and im- 

 mutable atoms, which, having only figure and 

 motion, were dcilitutc of taile, colour, and every 

 other quality; and, that, by the union of thcfc, 

 bodies were created. The vacuum profciibed 

 by Thalcs, he recalled again, and maintained 

 that the fca was conftantly diminilhing*. Thi" 

 E 3 manner 



* Diogenes Laertius. 



