Artalyfis of the Air. 313 



watry and other particles, which float in 

 the air 5 yet the repel ling force of the lead 

 elaftick particle, near the furface of the earth, 

 while it continues in that elaftick ftate, muft 

 be fuperior to the incumbent preflure of a 

 column of air, whofe height is equal to that 

 of the atmofphere, and its bafe to the fur- 

 face of the fphere of its elaftick adivity. 



Thus upon the whole, we fee that air a- 

 bounds in animal, vegetable and mineral fub- 

 ftances; in all which it bears a confiderable 

 part : if all the parts of matter were only 

 endued with a ftrongly attracting power* 

 whole nature would then immediately be- 

 come one unadive cohering lump; where- 

 fore it was abfolutely neceffary, in order to 

 the aduating and enlivening this vaft mafs of 

 attracting matter, that there fhould be every 

 where intermixed with it a due proportion 

 of ftrongly repelling elaftick particles, which 

 might enliven the whole mafs, by the in- 

 ceffant adion between them and the at- 

 tracting particles : And fince thefe elaftick 

 particles are continually in great abundance 

 reduced by the power oftheftrongattraders, 

 from an elaftick, to a fixt ftate ; it was there- 

 fore neceffary that thefe particles fliould be 



endued 



