2 4.6 Mifcellanea Curhfa. 



An Account of the feveral Species 

 0/lnfinite Quantity, and of the 

 Proportions they bear one to the 

 other ; as it was read before the 

 Royal Society, by E. Halley. 



THAT all Magnitudes infinitely great, or 

 fuch as exceed any aflignable Quantity, 

 are equal among themfelves, though it be vul- 

 garly received for a Maxim, is not yet fo com- 

 mon as it is erroneous ; and the Reafbn of the 

 miftake feems to be, That the Mind of Man, 

 coming to contemplate the Extenfions of what 

 exceeds the bounds of its Capacity, and of which 

 the very Idea does include a Negation of Li- 

 mits j it comes to pafs that we we acquiefce ge- 

 nerally, and it fuffices to fay fuch a Quantity is 

 infinite. 



But if we come more nearly to- examine this 

 Notion, we mail find, that there are really be- 

 fides infinite Length and infinite Area, no lefs 

 than three feveral fbrts of infinite Solidity ; all 

 of which are Quantitates fui generis, having no 

 more relation or proportion the one to the other, 

 than a Line to a Plane, or a Plane to a Solid, 

 or a Finite to an Infinite ; But that among them- 

 felves, each of thofe Species of Infinites are in 

 given Proportions, is what I now intend to make 

 plain, if poffible. 



But 



