inaBivity of Matt^ &c. 93

atmosphere, supported weighs about onethousand nine hundred and eighty four pound,

(a cubic foot of water weighing about 64pound.) But if we consider that the elasticforce of the air is reciprocally as the volumeinto which it may be compressed, and thatfive, six, or seven atmospheres may be throw Ainto the condensing engine (z), this singlegrain of air makes a resistance that wouldsupport several tun weight. And all this ata distance, and without material pressure oraction, or coming into actual contact withthe weight so sustained: so certain is it thatan invisible hand intervenes here ! Nothingcan act where it is not; nor therefore matterbeyond its own terminating surface. No hu-man power, or invention, could bring theparticles of air into actual contact, like thoseof water. They would then resist like those,and gravitate equally perhaps. It is no lessthan a downright contradiction that the lessthe particles of matter are, their force andaction should be the greater. The very con-trary of this is evident. Matter can only re-

(i) See ibidem theor. 9. elaterh aeris comprejsi est ai ,^c> and Mr. Hawkstf s experiments,

fist