PRINCIPLES OF THINGS. 



45 



points of matter here adverted to, possess body, they must be as capable of 

 extension, and consequently of division, as material body under any other 

 dimension or modification : if they do not possess body, then are they as 

 much nonentities as the primal or amorphous matter of Plato or Pythagoras. 

 Again, we are told that these points or monads are endowed with certain 

 powers; as those, for example, of attraction and repulsion. But powers 

 must be the powers of something : what is this something to which these 

 powers are thus said to appertain? If the ultimate and inextended points be- 

 fore us have nothing but these powers, and be nothing but these powers, then 

 are such powers powers of nothing, powers without a substrate, and, conse- 

 quently, as much nonentities as on the preceding argument. Visible or sen- 

 sible matter, moreover, it is admitted by M. Boscovich and his disciples, is 

 possessed of extension ; but visible or sensible matter is also admitted to be 

 a mere result of a combination of inextended atoms : — how can extension pro- 

 ceed from what is inextended ? — of two diametrical opposites, how is it pos- 

 sible that either can become the product of the other 1 



It is unnecessary to pursue this refutation. The lesson which the whole 

 of such fine-spun and fanciful hypotheses teach us, and teach us equally, is, 

 that it is impossible to philosophize without a firm basis of first principles. 

 We must have them in physics as well as in metaphysics, — in matter as well 

 as in morals ; and hence the best physical schools in Greece, as well as in 

 more modern times, — those which have contended for the eternity of matter, 

 as well as those which have contended for its creation out of nothing, — have 

 equally found it necessary to take for granted, what, in fact, can never be 

 proved, that matter in its lowest and ultimate parts consists of solid, impene- 

 trable, and moveable particles of definite sizes, figures, and proportions to 

 space ; from different combinations of which, though invisible in themselves, 

 every visible substance is produced. 



This theory, which has been commonly distinguished by the name of the 

 Atomic philosophy, was first started in Greece by Leucippus or Democritus, 

 and afterward considerably improved by Epicurus ; and as it bears a striking 

 analogy to many of the features which mark the best opinions of the present 

 day, and has probably given them much of their colour and complexion, if it 

 have not originated them, I shall take leave to submit to you the following 

 outline of it : — * 



The Atomic philosophy of Epicurus, in its mere physical contemplation, 

 allows of nothing but matter and space, which are equally infinite and un- 

 bounded, which have equally existed from all eternity, and from different 

 combinations of which every visible form is created. These elementary 

 principles have no common property with each other : for whatever matter 

 is, that space is the reverse of; and whatever space is, matter is the contrary 

 to. The actually solid parts of all bodies, therefore, are matter ; their actual 

 pores space ; and the parts which are not altogether solid, but an intermixture 

 of solidity and pore, are space and matter combined. Anterior to the forma- 

 tion of the universe, space and matter existed uncombined, or in their pure 

 and elementary state. Space, in its elementary state, is absolute and per- 

 fect void ; matter, in its elementary state, consists of inconceivably minute 

 seeds or atoms, so small that the corpuscles of vapour, light, and heat are 

 compounds of them ; and so solid, that they cannot possibly be broken or 

 abraded by any concussion or violence whatever. The express figure of 

 these primary atoms is various : there are round, square, pointed, jagged, as 

 well as many other shapes. These shapes, however, are not diversified to 

 infinity ; but the atoms themselves of each existent shape are infinite or in- 

 numerable. Every atom is possessed of certain intrinsic powers of motion. 

 Under the old school of Democritus, the perpetual motions hence produced 

 were of two kinds : a descending motion, from the natural gravity of the 

 atoms ; and a rebounding motion, from collision and mutual clash. Besides 

 these two motions, and to explain certain phenomena to which they did not 



* This outline is given more at length in the author's Prolegomena to his translation of " The Nature of 

 Things," p, cix. and following 



