230 



NOVUM ORGANUM. 



x*H 



ad actionem. Atque hoc ipsum idem est cum inventione 

 Formae verae. Etenim Forma naturae alicujus talis est ut, ea 

 posita, natura data infallibiliter sequatur. itaque adest per- 

 petuo quando natura ilia adest, atque earn universaliter^affiraaat, 

 atque ines^jomni. Eadem Forma talis est ut, ea amota, natura 

 data infallibiliter fugiat. Itaque abest perpetuo quando natura 

 ilia abest, eamque perpetuo abnegat, atque inest soli. Postremo, 

 Forma vera talis est, ut najuranijdatam exjfojrtejiliquo essentias 

 dejJucatjjuse inest pluribus, et notiorjisiLnajurae l (ut loquuntur) 

 quam_ipsa Forma. Itaque de axiomate vero et perfecto 

 sciendi, pronuntiatum et prasceptum tale est; ut inveniatur 

 natura alia, qucs, sip cum natura data convertibilis, et tamen sit 

 limitatio natures l notions } instar generis ven? Ista autem duo 

 pronuntiata, activum et contemplativum, res eadem sunt ; et 

 quod in Operando utilissimum, id in Sciendo verissimum. 



V. 



At praeceptum sive axioma de transformatione corporum, 

 duplicis est generis. Primum intuetur corpus, ut turmam sive 

 conjugationem naturarum simplicium : ut in auro haec conve- 

 niunt ; quod sit flavum ; quod sit ponderosum, ad pondus tale ; 

 quod sit malleabile aut ductile, ad extensionem talem ; quod 

 non fiat volatile, nee deperdat de quanto suo per ignem ; quod 



\f ft-MC l^fc A tfajdliJt. .**+ >*y*-l, f/^'YV . T . VI 



fluat fluore ,tali ; quod separetur et solvatur modis talibus ; et 

 similiter de caeteris naturis, quae in auro concurrunt. Itaque 

 hujusmodi axioma rem deducit ex Formis naturarum simpli- 



1 See note on Distrib. Operis, p. 137. 



8 Let us adopt, for distinctness of expression, the theory commonly known as Bos- 

 covich's, a theory which forms the basis of the ordinary mathematical theories of 

 light, of heat, and of electricity. This theory supposes all bodies to be constituted of 

 inextended atoms or centres of force, each of which attracts or repels and is attracted 

 or repelled by all the rest. All the phenomena of nature are thus ascribed to me- 

 chanical forces, and all the differences which can be conceived to exist between two 

 bodies, gold, say, and silver, can only arise either from the different configura- 

 tion of the centres of force, or from the different law by which they act on one 

 another. 



Assuming the truth of this theory, the question, why are some bodies transparent 

 and others not so in other words, what is the essential cause of transparency which 

 is precisely what Bacon would call the form of transparency, is to be answered by 

 saying that a certain configuration of the centres of force, combined with the existence 

 of a certain law of force, constitutes such a system that the vibrations of the lumini- 

 ferous ether pass through it. What this configuration or this law may be, is a ques- 

 tion which the present state of mathematical physics does not enable us to answer ; 

 but there is" no reason a priori why in time to come it may not receive a complete 

 solution. If it does, we shall then have arrived at a knowledge, on Boscovich's theory, 

 of the form of transparency. Those who are acquainted with the recent progress of 

 physical science know that questions of this kind, so far from being rejected as the 

 questions of a mere dreamer, are thought to be of the highest interest and import- 

 ance, and that no inconsiderable advance has already been made towards the solution 

 uf some at least among them. 



