when separated from the body. 251

a change of state, and an inert active particleof matter is a glaring contradiction. Besidesthat in all such cafes, a prodigious force isexerted by the least particles, which is di-rectly against the possibility of their being theMechanical cause of such force themselves,as hath at large been shewn (a). Besides,

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(a) Let the following instances be considered in thislight (Sir Is Newton’s Opticks , p. 352.) " And when" Water and oil of vitriol poured successively into the" same vessel grow very hot in the mixing, does not" this heat argue a great motion in the parts of the li-" quors ? And does not this motion argue that the partsof the two liquors in mixing coalesce with violence,,

“ and by consequence rush towards one another with“ an accelerated motion ? And when Aqua fortis or■ ‘ spirit of vitriol poured upon filings of iron, dissolves" the filings with a great heat and ebullition, is notCc this heat and ebullition effected by a violent motionof the parts, and does not that motion argue that theacid parts of the liquor rush towards the parts ofthe'metal with violence, and run forcibly into its‘ pores, till they get between its outmost ,particles, and“ the main mass of the metal, and surrounding those“ particles loosen them from the main mass, and set“ them at liberty to float off into the water?” Tor ead this lively description, it would appear that thesesmall particles set about their work, like so many lit-engineers , and demolish one of the hardest metalsknow, which the grinding between solid rocks could

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