Thus, for inftance, they boldly, and without boggling, make anfwer to thefe datk and unde- termin'd Queftions, viz. Why the Sun attracts Vapours? Why the Peruvian Bark flops the Quar- tan Ague? Why Rhubarb purges Choler, and the Polychreft-Salt Phlegm > and the like. Moft Men feem pretty well fatisfied with their Anfwers, becaufe obfcure and incomprehenfible Things ihake Hands together: But unintelligible Principles fuit not Queftions that may be clearly and eafily refblv'd, becaufe by that Solution it plainly appears, that they are altogether infignificanr. The Philofophers cannot explain, by their Principles, How Horfes draw a Coach? Why Duft flops a Watch? How the Trepoly-Stone cleanfes Metals, and a Brufh our Clothes > For, they would appear ridiculous to all the World, fhould they fuppofe a Motion of Attraction, and At- tractive Faculties, to explain why the Coach follows the Horfes ^ and a Deterfive Faculty in the Brufh, for clcanfing of Clothes, &c. So that their great Principles are only ferviceable in dark and intricate Queftions, by reafon of their Incomprehenfibility.
We ought not therefore to infilt upon any Principle that appears not plain and evident, and of which it may be fuppofed, that fome Nations reject it: But we muft attentively confider the Ideas we have of Extenfion, Figure, and Local Motion, and the Relations they have between them; If we conceive them diftinctly, and find them fo plain and clear, as to be perfuaded they were ever generally received by all Nations, we muft dwell upon them, and examine all their Relati- ons: But if they feem obfcure and dark to us, wc muft endeavour to find others. For, if to avoid the Fear of Miftakes and Errours, it is always requifite to preferve Evidence in our Percep- tions, it follows, that Ave mult argue only from clear Ideas, and from Relations diftindly known.
To Chap. IV. The Search after Truth. jp Toconfider in order the Properties of Extenlion, we muft, as Des Cartes did, Begin with tHe molt fimple Relations, and thence proceed to the more compofed; not only becaufe this Method is the molt natural, and bears up the Mind in its Operations; but alio becaufe God ever acting with Order, and by the molt fimple Ways, that fort of Examination of our Ideas, and their Re- lations, will better manifelt to us his Works. And if we confider, that the molt fimple Relati- ons always offer themfelves firlt to the Imagination, when' 'tis not determin'd to think rather on one Thing than another, it will appear, that to find out that Order we prefcribe, and to difcover very compofed Truths, it is fufficient to look attentively, and without prejudice, upon Objects % provided always we skip not too haitily from one Subjecl to another.
When we look attentively upon Matter, we eafily conceive that one Part may be feparated from another:, that is to fay, we eafily conceive a Local Motion, which Motion produces a Figure in each of the Bodies moved. The molt fimple of all Motions, which firlt occurs to the Imagina- tion, is a Motion in a Right Line. Suppofing then, that fome Part of Matter is moved in a Right Line, it will neceffarily difplace fome other Portion of Matter it mall find in its way, which latter (hall circularly move to take the Room which the former has left: Hence comes a Circular Motion. And if we conceive infinite Motions in a Right Line, in an infinite number of fimJiar Parts of that immenfe Extenfion we confider, it will again neceffarily follow, that all thefe Bodies mutually liindring each other, fliall all confpire by their reciprocal Aclion and Re-action, that is, by the mutual Communication of all their particular Motions, to produce one that is Circular.
That firlt Confederation of the molt fimple Relations of our Ideas, already difcovers to us the neceffity of the Vortexes of Des Cartes, that their Number will be lo much greater, as the Mo- • tions in a Right Line of all the Parts of the Extenfion, having been more contrary to each other, fhall with more difficulty have been redue'd to the fame Motion; and that amonglt thofe Vor- texes, the greatelt will be thole in which molt Parts fhall have concurred together to the lame Motion, or whofe Parts fhall have had more Strength to continue their Motion in a Right Line.
In the mean while, care mult be taken not to diffipate nor weary our Mind, by vainly apply- ing it to the vaft Number and unrheafurable Greatnefs of thofe Vortexes; We mult rather infift upon fome one of them for fome time, and orderly and attentively enquire after all the Moti- ons of the Matter it contains, and all the Figures wherewith the Parts of that Matter may be endued.
As there is no fimple Motion but that in a Right Line, we muft firft confider it, as that in \vhich all Bodies cotinually tend to move themfelves; fince God always a£ts by the molt fimple Ways: And if Bodies move Circularly, 'tis only becaufe meeting with conftant Oppofitions, they*are perpetually turn'd from their direct Motion. So that all Bodies being not of an equal Bulk, and the biggeft having more Strength than others to continue their Motion in a Right Line, we eafily conceive, that the fmalleft Bodies muft fink to the Centre of the Vortex, and the big- geft rife towards the Circumference; fince the Lines which moving Bodies are fuppos'd to de- fcribe at the Circumference of a Circle, are nearer to a Right Line, than thofe which they de^ fcribe towards the Centre.
If we conceive again, that every Part of that Matter could not at firft move, and meet with a perpetual Oppofition to its Motion, without being fmooth'd and rounded, and having its Angles broken off; we fhall difcover, that all that Extenfion Will be compos'd of two forts of Bodies, viz. of round Globules, which perpetually turn upon their own Centre, and that in feveral diffe- rent Ways, and, befides that particular Motion, are carried about by the Motion common to all the Vortex-, and of a very, fluid and agitated Matter, produced from the Motion of the fore- faid Globules. Befides the Circular Motion common to all the Parts of the Vortex, that fubtle Matter muft yet have another particular, and almoft dire£t, from the Circle of the Vortex to the Circumference, through the Intervals of the Globules, that leave a PaiTage open: So that the Motion compofed of thofe Motions will reprefent a Spiral Line. That fluid Matter, call'd by Des Cartes, the jirji Element, being divided- into Parts that are much fmaller, and have not fb much ftrength to continue their direct Motion, as the Globules, or fecond Element -, 'tis evident, that the firlt Element muft take up the Centre of the Vortex,, and fill the empty Spaces which the Parts of the Second leave between them; and that the reft of the Vortex muft be filled with tliofe Parts of the Second, and come nearer to the Circumference, proportionally to their Bulk, or to the Force they have of continuing their Motion in a Direct Line. As to the Figure of the whole Vortex, after what has been faid, it cannot be doubted^ but that the Diftance from one Pole to the other, will be fhorter than that of the Line which" cuts the Equator. And if we confider that the Vortexes furround and comprefs each other unequally, we fhall plainly fee that their Equator * is a crooked irregular Line, that comes near to an Ellipfis. * By Equator I under- ftand the greateft Crooked Line which the Matter of the Vortex defcribes, Thefe are the Things that offer themfelves naturally to the Mind, -when we attentively con- fider what fhould happen to the Parts of Extenfion, perpetually tending to move in a Right Line, that is, in the moft fimple Motion. If we now fuppofe a Thing which feems molt worthy the Divine Power and Wifdom, namely, That God has formed the whofe Univerfe at once, in the fame State thofe Parts would have naturally fallen into and difpofed themfelves in time, by the molt fimple Ways; and that he preferves them by the fame natural Laws: In a word, if we compare our Ideas with the vifible Objects, we (hall conclude, that the Sun is the Centre of the xlicVorirx; that the Corporeal Light, which it diffufes every where, is nothing but the continual Effort of the little Globules, tending to remove from the Centre of the Vortex; which Light rriuft he communicated in an Inftant through thofe vaft Spaces, becaufe they being full of thole Globules, one cannot be prefs'd upon, without the Motion of all the others that are oppoiite to ir.
Several other Confequences may be drawn, from what has been laid, becaufe the moil fimpie Principles are the moft fruitful to explain the Works of a Being which always acts by the moil fimpie Ways. But we Hill want to confider fome Things that will be incident to Matter. Let us then imagine, that there are feveral Vortexes, like to that we have defcribed in few Words; that the Stars, which are fo many Suns, are the Centres of thofe Vortexes, which furround each other, and are difpofed in fuch a manner, as that they hinder one anothers Motion the leaft they can; but that before Things came to that Perfection, the weakeft Vortexes were carried away, and as it were fwallowed up by the ftrongeft.
To nnderftand this, we need but fuppofe that the firft Element, which is at the Centre, may ilyi and perpetually flies out through the Intervals of the Globules, towards the Circumference of the Vortex -, and that at the fame time that this Centre or Star empties it felf through the Equator, other Matter of the firft Element comes into it through the Poles; for neither the Star nor its Poles can empty themfelves at one fide, without being filFd at another, fince there is no Vacuity in Extenfion. But as an infinite number of Cauies may hinder a great Quantity of the firft Ele- ment from coming into that Star, the Parts of the firft Element that fhall be forced to remain hi it, will be necefhtated to adapt themfelves fo, as to move one and the fame way -, which cauies them to fallen and link themfelves together, and conftitutes them into Spots; which condenfing and thickning into Quits, cover by degrees the Centre; and out of the moil fubtil and agitated of all Bodies, are form'd into grofs and folid Matter. This courfe fort of Matter is called by Des Cartes, the third Element, and is endued with an infinite number of Shapes and Figures, as is the firft Element, from which it is generated and produced.
, That Star being thus over-grown with Spots and Crufts, and become like the other Planets, has no longer a iufficient Strength to defend its Vortex againft the continual Struggle and Irrupti- ons of thole that furround it; therefore it infenfibly diminifhes: The Matter that compofes it, is difperfed on all fides,' and the ftrongeft of the neighbouring Vortexes carries the greateft part away, and at laft involves the Planet that is the Centre of it. This Planet being wholly fur- rounded with the Matter of the great Vortex, fwims along in it, only keeping, together with fome of the Matter of its own Vortex, its former Circular Motion, and takes at laft fuch a Si- tuation, as puts it in JEquilibrio with an equal Quantity of the Matter in which it iwims. If it has but little Solidity and Magnitude, it defcends very near the Centre of the furrounding Vor- tex -, becaufe having no great Force to continue its Motion in a Right Line, it mull take fuch a Place in that Vortex, as that an equal Quantity of the fecond Element, endeavouring to remove' from the Centre, may be in.JEquilibrio with it ■, that being the only Place where it can be ex- actly balanc'd. If that Planet be of greater Bulk and Solidity, it muft feek its JEquilibrium in a Place more diftant from the Centre of the Vortex. And laftly, If there is no Place in the Vor- tex, in which an equal Quantity of its Matter hath as much Solidity as this Planet, and confe- quently as much Strength to continue its Motion in a Direct Line, perhaps becaufe the Planet fhall be very bulky, and over-grown with very folid and condens'd Crafts; it fhall not flop in that Vortex, as finding no JEquilibrium in the Matter that compofes it; but pafs from Vortex to Vortex, until it meets with a Place in which it may be equally balanced by a competent Quan- tity of Matter; fo that it will fometimes be feen in its PaiTage, as the Comets are, when it fhall be in our Vortex, and at a convenient Diftance from us: But it will not be feen in a long time, when it fhall be in other Vortexes, or in the utmoft Boundary of ours.
If we hereupon conclude, that a fingle Vortex may, by reafon of its Bulk, Strength, and ad- vantageous Situation, infenfibly undermine, involve, and carry away feveral Vortexes, and even fuch as fhall have conquer'd others -, it will neceflarily follow, that the.Planets that have been form'd in the Centre of the conquer'd Vortexes, being entered into the great and conquering Vor- tex, place themfelves in JEquilibrio with an equal Volume of the Matter in which they fwim: So that if thofe Planets are unequal in Solidity, they will float at unequal Diftances from the Centre of the Vortex in which they fwim. But if two Planets have very near the fame Force to continue that Direft Motion; or if a Planet carries in its fmall Vortex one or feveral other imaller Planets, which it fhall have conquer'd, according to our Way of conceiving the Forma- tion of Things: Then the fmalleft Planets will turn about the greateft, whilft the greateft fhall turn upon its own Centre; and all thefe Planets fhall be carried by the Motion of the great Vor- tex, at a Diftance very near equal from its Centre.
We are obliged, by the Light of Reafon, to difpofe in that Order the Parts that compofe the whole Univerfe, which we imagine to have been formed by the moft fimpie Ways. For all that had been faid is only grounded on the Idea of Extenfion, the Parts of which are fuppofed to move in the moft fimpie Motion, which is that in a Right Line. And when we examine by the Effects, whether we are miftaken in the Explication of Things by their Cauies, we are furprized to fee the Phenomena of Celeftial Bodies fo perfectly agreeing with our Ratiocinations. For we perceive all the Planets that are in the middle of a fmall Vortex turning upon their own Centre, as the Sun does, and fvvimming in the Vortex of the Sun, and about the Sun 5 the fmalleft and Leaft folid neareft to ir, and the moft folid at a greater diftance. We likewiie obferve, that there are lc»ne: as die Com:• is. which cannot remain in the Vortex of the Sun: And laftly, that there are Chap. IV. fixe Search after Truth. 6t are feveral Planets, which have other fmaller turning about them, as the Moon does about the F.nrth: Jupiter has four of them, Mars has three, and perhaps Saturn has ib many, and ih lmall, that they refemblea continued Circle, of which the thicknefs cannot be perceived, bec-auie of their too vaft diftance. Thofe,;Planets being the biggeft^we can obferve;,, it may be iirugin'd. that they have been produced from Vortexes which Had a fufficient lhength to conquer others, before they were involved in the Yprtex we live in..,, All thefe Planets turn upon their own Centre, the Earth within 24. hours, Mars within 2^. or thereabouts, Jupiter within about 10, &c. They all turn about the Sun, Mercury the neareit in about 4. Months-, Saturn the remoteft in about 30. Years, and thofe that are betwixt them i. 1 more or left time, which however keep not an exaft proportion with their diftance. For the mat- ter in which they fwim makes a fwifter Circumvolution when 'tis nearer to the Sun, becaufe the Line of its Motion is then mortem When Mars is oppolite to. the Sun, he is then near enough to the Earth, but is at a vaft diitance from it when he is in Conjunction with him. The like may be faid of the other fuperiour Planets, as Saturn and Jupiter -, for the inferiour, as Venm and. Mercury are, to fpeak properly, never oppolite to the Sun. The Lines, which all the Planets feem to defcribe about the Earth, are no Circles^ but are very like Ellipfes, which Ellipfes feem very much to differ, becaufe of the different Situation of the Planets in reference to us. Jri mo'rt, whatever may be obferved with any certainty in the Heavens, touching the Motion of the Planets perfectly agrees with what has been faid of their Formation by the molt fimple ways.
As to the fixed Stars, Experience teaches us, that fome diminifh and entirely vanifli away, whilft others that are wholly new appear •, the luftre and bulk of which fenfibly increafe. They increafe or diminifh proportionably as the Vortexes, in whofe Centre they lye, admit more or left of the firft Element. We ceale to fee them when they are overfpread with Spots and Crufb, and begin to difcover them, when thofe Spots, which obftru£t their luftre, are entirely diffipated. All thefe Stars keep very near the fame diftance from each other, fince they are Centres of Vor- texes which are not conquer'd, and remain Stars as long as they can refill: the Invafion of others. They are all bright like as many little Suns, becaufe they are all, as he is, the Centers of uncon- quer'd Vortexes. They are all at an unequal diftance from the Earth, though they appear as if they were faftned to a Vault; for if the rarallaxe of the neareft with the remoteft has not yet been obfervable, by the different fituation of the Earth from 6 to 6 Months; it is becaufe that difference is too inconfiderable in reference to our diftance from the Stars, to make that Parallaxe fenfible. Perhaps by means of the Telefcopes, it will one day or other become fomewhat obfervable. " In fhort, whatever the Senfes and Experience may obferve in the Stars, differs not from what we have difccver'd by the Mind, whilft we examin'd the moft fimple and natural Relations that are betwixt the Parts and the Motions of Extenfion.
To fearch after the Nature of Terreftrial Bodies •, we muft conceive that the firft Element be- ing made up of an infinite number of different Figures, the Bodies that refult from their Mixture muft be very different. So that there will be fome whole Parts fhall be branched, others long, others very near round, but all irregular, feveral ways. When their Parts are branched and groft, they are hard, but flexible, andnotelaftick, as Gold: If their Parts benotfo groft, they are fbft, and fluid, as Gums, Fats, Oyles ^ but if their branched Parts be extremely fine, they are like the Air. If the long Parts of Bodies are groft and inflexible, they are pungent, incorruptible, and.dif- folvible, as Salts ^ if thofe long Parts be flexible, they are inlipid like Water $ if the groft Parts be of very irregular and different Figures, they are like Earth and Stones. In fhort, thence muft needs arife Bodies of feveral different Natures, and two will hardly be found exa&ly alike, by rea- fon of the infinite number of Figures incident to the firft Element, which can never be complicated after the fame manner in two different Bodies. What Figure foever thofe Bodies may have, if their Pores be large enough to give way to the fecond Element's paffmg all manner of ways, they will be tranfparent like Air, Water, Glais, isfc. If the firft Element entirely furrounds fome of their Parts and affords them a fufficient force and commotion to repel the fecond Element on all fideSj they will appear Luminous like flame -y if they drive back all the fecond Element that falls upon them, they will be very white; if they receive it without repelling it, they will be very black -, and laft- ly, if they repel it by feveral Concuflions and Vibrations, they will appear of different colours.
As to their Situation, the heavieft, or thofe that have leaft force to continue their dire£t Motion, will be the neareft to the Centre, as are Metals: Earth, Water and Air, will be more remote, and all Bodies will keep the fame Situation in which we obferve them-, becaufe they will recede from ike Centre of the Earth, as far as their Motion will allow.
It muft not feem ftrange that I now fay, that Metals have left force to continue their direct Motion, than Earth, Water, and other left folid Bodies, though I have formerly laid, that the moft folid Bodies have more ftrengh than others to continue their direct Motion. For the Rea- fon why Metals are not fo apt to continue to move, as Earth and Stones, is that Metals have left Motion in themfelves •, it being true however, that of two Bodies unequal in folidity, but mo- ved with an equal fwiftnefs, that the moft folid will have more force to purfue its Motion in a right Line •, becaufe the moft folid has then the greater Motion^ and that Motion is the Caufe of ftrength.
But if we would underftand the Reafon why Bodies, groft and folid, are heavy towards the- Center of Vortexes, but light at a confiderable diftance from it 5 we muft know, that thefe Bodies receive their Motion from the fubtle matter that invirons them, and in which they fwim. Now that fubtle matter actually moving in a Circular Line, and only tending to move in a right Line y a fc 6 2 F. Malebranche Concerning Book Yf.
it only Communicates that Circular Motion to the grofs Bodies it carries along with it: and as to its tendency to remove from the Centre in a Right Line, it only communicates that 10 them as far as it is a neceflary fequel of the Circular communicated Motion. For it mult be obferved, that the Parts of the fubtle matter tending to different fides, can only compreis the grofs Body - they convey > fince that Body cannot go feveral different ways at the lame time. But beeauie the fubde Matter, that lies about the Centre of the Vortex, has a far greater Motion than that which itipends in circulating, and becaufe it communicates only its Motion Circular, and common to all its Parts, to the grofs Bodies which it carries-, and that if thefe Bodies mould chance to have more Motion than what is common to the Vortex, they would foon lofe that overplus, by communica- ting it to the little Bodies they meet with; thence 'tis evident, that grofs Bodies, towards the Cer/re of the Vortex, have not fo much Motion as the Matter in which they iwim; each part of which has its own particular and various Motion, befides the Cicular and common. Now if grofs Bo- dies have lels Motion, they havelefs Tendency to move in a right Line, and if they have lefs Tendency, they aie fore'd to yield to thole that have rnCre, and confequently to approach the Centre of the Vortex, that is,, infhort they mu ft be heavyer, as they are more grofs and folid.
But when folid Bodies are very remote from the Centre of the Vortex, as the Circular Mo- tion of the fubtle Matter is then very great, becaufe it fpends very near its whole Motion in wheeling about-, Bodies have then ib much more Motion as 'they have more Solidity; becaufe they go as.iwift as the fubtle Matter in which they Iwim: and ib they have more force to con- tinue their direct Motion. Wherefore grofs Bodies at a certaine diitance from the Centre of the Vortex, are fo much lighter as they are more folid.
This makes it apparent, that the Earth is metallick towards the Centre, and not fo folid a- bout.the Circumference -, that Water and Air muft remain in the Situation wherein we fee them} ' * That is, but that all thofe Bodies are * ponderous -, the Air as well as Gold and Quick-filver; becaufe we dnven tjiey ale more fc^.dn& grofs tjian the £rfl- and fecond Element. This fliews likewife that the thcTcen- Moon is. at too great a dillance from the Centre of the Vortex of the Earth to be heavy, though it tre of the be folid; that Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, cannot fall into the Sun, and jLarth. that they arc not folid enough to travel out of this Vortex, as the Comets do; that they are in JEquilibrio with the Matter in which they iwim, and that if a Musket Ball, or a Cannon Bullet, could be (hot high enough, thofe two Bodies would become little Planets, or perhaps Comets, that would not ftay in any Vortex, as being endued with a competent Solidity. . I pretend not to have fufficiently explain'd all the things I have mention'd, or to have de- duced from the fimple Principles of Extenfion, Figure and Motion all the poflible Inferences, I only intended to mew the Method Des Cartes has ufed in the difcovery of Natural things, that this Method and his Ideas may be compared with thofe of other Philofophers ^ I defigifd here no more, and yet I may venture to afTert, that if one would fuperfede admiring the Virtue of the Loadftone, the regular Motion of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, the noife of Thunder, the Generation of Meteors; in more, if any defire to get a well-grounded Knowledge of Natu- ral Philofophy, as he can doe nothing better than to read and meditate his Books ■, fo he can doe nothing at all, unlefs he follows his Method, I mean unlefs he Reafon as he did, upon clear I- deas, (till beginning with the moil fimple and familiar.
Neither do I pretend that this Author is Infallible-, for I think I can demonftrate that, he has been miftaken in feveral places of his works. But 'tis more advantageous for his Readers to be- lieve that he hath been deceived, than if they were perfuaded that whatever he faid was true: A Man that mould take him to be infalible would read him without Examination, believe him without underftanding what he fays, learn his Opinions as we learn Hiftory, and would never form and perfect his Mind. Hehimielf advertifes his Readers to obferve whether he be deceived, and to believe nothing of what he fays^ but what the Evidence compells them to. For he is not like thofe falfe pretenders to Science, who endeavouring to Lord it over the Minds, will be believed upon their own word; and who initead of making Men the Difciples of the inward Truth, by propofing only clear and diftinft Ideas, labour what they can to iubmit them to the Authority of Heathens, and prefs upon Men incomprehenfible Opinions by unintelligible Reafons.
The chief thing that is found fault with in Des Carte fs Syftem, is the manner in which he feigns that the Sun, Stars, Earth, and all the Bodies that furround us, have been produced-, for- aimuch as it feems contrary to what Holy Writ teaches us of the Creation of the World} fince, according to him, one would fay, that the whole Univerfe has been formed of its own accord, ib as Ave fee it now a-days^ to which feveral Anfwers may be made.
- Firft, As to the pretended Contrarieties betwixt Mqfes and Des Cartes, thofe that aifert it, have not perhaps examin'd them both, with as much Attention as thofe who have fhewn, by pub- lick Writings, that the facred Hiftory of the Creation perfectly agrees with the opinion of that Philofopher.