CHAP. I.
Of the received Doctrine of Mixture.
IRST, As to the received Doctrine of Mixture; not to trouble you with tedious quotations of what Aristotle, Galen, Fernelius, Scaliger, Sennertus, Riverius, and other Learned men say hereof; we may suppose the whole summed up in that Definition which Aristotle himself hath given of it, Lib. 1. de Generat. & Corrupt. Cap. ult. and which the greater number of his Followers, have almost religiously adhered to; viz. that ’tis, τῶν μικτῶν ἀλλοιωθέντων ἕνωσις, that ’tis, Miscibilium alteratorum unio. Which Definition, as it is usually explicated, is both Unintelligible, and Unuseful.
2. §. Two things are unintelligible; what they mean by Alteration; and what by Union. In this Alteration, they say, That the very Forms of the Elements are altered. And therefore lay it down for an Axiom, Quod in Mixto, Formæ Elementares tantum sint in potentia, But let us see the consequence. For if in a mixed body, the Forms of the Elements are but in potentia; then the Elements themselves are but in potentia: for we all say, Forma dat esse. And if the Compounding Elements, are only in potentia; then the Compounded Body it self can be only in potentia; yet to say it is no more, is most absurd.
3. §. As for the Union of Elements in a mixed Body; they make it such, as brings them at last to assert, the Penetration of Bodies, and that the Union of mixed Bodies is nothing else. For they say it is made in such sort, that every particle of the mixed Body, partaketh of the Nature of the whole. Which Nature, ariseth from the contemperated Qualities of the four Elements. Whence they conclude, That every particle of the mixed Body, containeth in it self all the four Elements. Which is plainly to assert a penetration of Bodies. For every Element is, at least, one particle; if therefore every particle of the mixed Body, containeth four Elements; then four particles are but one. I conclude then, That the received Doctrine of Mixture is Unintelligible.
4. §. Whence it follows, That it is also Barren and Unuseful. For who can make any use of that which he understandeth not? And the experience of so many years, wherein it hath been ventilated by the disputes of men, proveth as much: Scarce any of them, except the Learned Sennertus, daring to venture upon Experiment, for fear they should come to understand themselves.
5. §. It is confessed, that many gallant things have been found out by artificial Mixture. But no thanks to this Definition of it. For as an Ignorant Man may make bad Work, and a good Rule be never the worse; so one that is Ingenious may make good Work, and a bad Rule be never the better. The question is not, what have men done? but what have they done upon this foundation, Quod Mixitio sit miscibilium alteratorum unio. Had this ever taught them to do any thing, even so much as to make the Inke wherewith they have wrote, all their Disputes; I confess, they would have had something to shew for it. But the truth is, their notions of Mixture, have been so far from doing us any good, that they have done us much harm: being, through their seeming subtlety, but real absurdity, as so many phantastick Spectrums, serving only to affright men from coming near them, or the Subject whereof they treat.
6. §. I shall therefore endeavour to open the true Nature of Mixture. And I shall build my Doctrine upon the Common Notions of Sense: which none can deny; and every one may conceive of. In order to which, I shall take leave to lay down some Propositions, of the Principles of all mixed Bodies.