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A VIS INERTI AE

nor stop itself when in motion; and besides,not to be moved, or stopped by any thingelse, but with resistance, is more than sim-ply not to act. We cannot conceive anything more negative of action than this. Itis true this stubborn inactivity cannot be sogreat but that some power must overcome it,since we still fee matter moved by some pow-er ; but as much as it may seem a para-dox at present, it will appear in a little, Ipresume, that, strictly speaking, the strongestman could overcome but a mighty inconsi-derable part of this inactivity of matter (per-haps not so much as the weight of one sin-gle grain) without the concurrence of a great-er power than his own (c). This will sur-prize those who consider the inactivity ofmatter, but for the first time, to hear thatit is so powerfully inactive a thing.

X. Nor is matter the less inactive, becauseit acts upon other matter, if that be in itsway while it moves. It is as stubbornly in-active while in motion, and resists as mucha change of its state then, as while at rest.This very thing comes to pass, because it is

(c) See N° 24, sect. 2.

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