ejjential to Matter, 8cc. 75

sure, as in N° 23 and 24, which surely isresistance. So matter by simple pressure (orrather upon the approach of pressure) wouldshrink, up and be contracted into less dimen-sions (r) ; and this still farther and farther.

Thus

(r) I {hall endeavour to give an example to illustratethis shrinking up by pressure, because it is said it seemsobscure. When a man leans on his stick, there is a mu-tual pressure upwards and downwards between all thecontiguous parts of it, through the whole length of it, ifit resists at all. Now if we suppose it not to resist, or ifthe resistance were not continued from the one end to theother by this mutual pressure, he would have no support:or if the two extremes made resistance, and the middlepart none, that mid-part would shrink up till the two re-sisting parts met. This seems plain enough. I for my. partcannot conceive, if itmade.no resistance at all, that itwould either suffer pressure, or be of more use to hintthan the shadow of a staff. And it is the same thing in a-ny cafe where motion is begun in a body, orstoptin one.

T he resistance in either cafe supposes a mutual pressureof all the parts contiguous to each other, through the wholesolidity of the body. If matter therefore is denied to resist,it is made incapable to bear pressure, even though it wereat rest, as in the cafe of the staff; or the 'solidity os it istaken away. For it is very observable, I think, that thisresistance and pressure obtains even where there is nomotion; as in a heavy body when it lies on the pavement;all the parts press mutually on each other, and thereforewake a mutual resistance. And further, from such an in-stance