Elementary, since tis possible there may be Agents found in Nature,
some of whose parts may be of such a Size and Figure as to take better
Hold of some parts of these seemingly Elementary Corpuscles than these
parts do of the rest, and Consequently may carry away such parts with
them, and so dissolve the Texture of the Corpuscle by pulling its
parts asunder. And if it be said, that at least we may this way
discover the Elementary Ingredients of Things, by observing into what
Substances these Corpuscles that were reputed pure are divided; I
answer, that it is not necessary that such a Discovery should be
practicable. For if the Particles of the Dissolvent do take such firme
hold of those of the Dissolved Body, they must constitute together new
Bodies, as well as Destroy the Old; and the strickt Union, which
according to this _Hypothesis_ may well be suppos'd betwixt the Parts
of the Emergent Body, will make it as Little to be Expected that they
should be pull'd asunder, but by little Parts of matter, that to
Divide them Associate Themselves and stick extreamly close to those of
them which they sever from their Former Adherents. Besides that it is
not impossible, that a Corpuscle suppos'd to be Elementary may have
its Nature changed, without suffering a Divorce of its parts, barely
by a new Texture Effected by some powerfull Agent; as I formerly told
you, the same portion of matter may easily by the Operation of the
Fire be turn'd at pleasure into the form of a Brittle and Transparent,
or an Opacous and Malleable Body.
And indeed, if you consider how farr the bare Change of Texture,
whether made by Art or Nature (or rather by Nature with or without the
assistance of man) can go in producing such New Qualities in the same
parcel of matter, and how many inanimate Bodies (such as are all the
Chymical productions of the Fire) we know are Denominated and
Distinguish'd not so much by any Imaginary Substantial Form, as by the
aggregate of these Qualities. If you consider these Things, I say, and
that the varying of either the figure, or the Size, or the Motion, or
the Situation, or Connexion of the Corpuscles whereof any of these
Bodies is compos'd, may alter the Fabrick of it, you will possibly be
invited to suspect, with me, that there is no great need that Nature
should alwayes have Elements before hand, whereof to make such Bodies
as we call mixts. And that it is not so easie as Chymists and others
have hitherto Imagin'd, to discern, among the many differing
Substances that may without any extraordinary skill be obtain'd from
the same portion of matter, Which ought to be esteemed exclusively to
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