[ 271 1 
of a void ; or, that it implied the infinitude of 
matter. But neither the one nor the other of thefe 
confequences is to be apprehended : for neither the 
phenomena of nature, nor the principles of the New- 
tonian philofophy, require, that there fhould be any 
where a great chafm in the univerfe; or that the 
whole material world fhould be actually circumfcribed 
within any finite fpace. A large proportion o f pore, or 
interfperfed vacuity, is fnfficient for allpurpofes. Nor 
doth an abfolute infinity of matter by any means follow 
from the hypothefis of an infinite number of finite 
mafifes j and an infinite number of finite maffes is all 
that is implied in the notion of a rare elaftic fluid, 
diflfufed throughout infinite fpace. 1 agree, indeed, 
with Mr. cotes, that there are no data from which 
any great altitudes of the atmofphere can indubitably 
be concluded, in the way of experiment : but 3 do con- 
tend, that there are no data , from which the fuppoli- 
tion of its infinite height can, in the fame way, be 
difproved. And this may jufily be held more pro- 
bable than the contrary, as being the confequence of 
a theory which hath never yet, in any infiance* 
proved fallacious; and this I venture to afifert, with 
the lefs heiitation, as, befides the evident reafon of 
the thing, the great authority of newton is on my 
fide. The infinite extent of the earth’s atmofphere 
is manifeftly fuppofed, in that fubtle difquifition con- 
cerning the tails of comets, which occurs Tn the 
polihumous work De Sy/lemate Mundi. Inftead of 
framing hypothefes, therefore, to remove imaginary 
difficulties, 1 fhall purfue the theory as far as it will 
lead ; and my next fiep fhall be, to exhibit the 
fucceffive rarefadions of the atmofphere, as we 
alcend from the earth, in a table. 
Heights 
