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ally termed elastic, yet its action must
not be conceived as at all similar to that
of elastic bodies, but as singular and peculiar
to itSelf. To imagine that aether
consists of innumerable minute globules,
which pressed together, rebound with
the fame Sorce that compressed them,
would give no idea of the true elastic
action. Nothing of parts, shape, number,
or any thing like composition, can
enter into the conception of simple powers,
for fo they cannot be simple.
.either having no other action but
what it receives from either the resisting
or moving power, and we forming
no idea of any thing but from its action,
must conceive ether as quantity,
since it can receive a greater or less
elegree of action from she resisting or
moving agent, so that its reaction may
be greater or leSs. If then quantity be
the^distinguishing character of matter;
ether must be a Species of it.
From what has been before Said, all
the parts of ether must be contiguous,
or no void Space between them, except
where their place is taken up by resisting
matter : and if So, there can be no vacuum.
The reason of the Newtonians
for a vacuum is, that all matter has the
vis intenie. If it were So, a va.uummust
be necessarily Suppofed ; but if it be true
that there are different species os matter,
one oS which only, and that by far the
least part of the universe, has the power
of resisting, all the difficulties as to
motion on the supposition os Space being
every where foil, vanish.
^From what has been said, it appears
that the three Species of matter described,
are agents or acting principles, each
having a peculiar power or Sorce, and
differing from the rest in essence and
manner of acting. Whether there he
more fpecies is not eaSy to determine ;
if there he, they must likewise be active
principles- The word matter when it
represents a merr passive being, without
power, Sorce, action, or property, is
lynonymous to nothing.
The author supposes upon the whole,
that this our earth, and all upon it, which
affects our Sense os touch, the planets,
and every thing commonly called holy,
consists chiefly oS resisting matter ; that
the Space between theSe great bodies
and the interstices between the particles
which compose them are filled with
aether , that the moving matter or light
is every where passing through the parts
filled with aether, consequently that the
Space filled with ether and light is vastly
greater than that filled with resisting
matter or hocly, and he ptopoSes to
shew that the most general phenomena in
nature and Suc.h as have puzzled the
philosophers oS all ages can be explained
and made easy to our conceptions,
Srom the actions oS the different Species
oS matter. f'Io be continued s
'r^ ^ ^ ^ a^^? ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
An Essay on the Improvement of Medicine,
by Dr. John Drummond, sinbate
Press/cut of the Royal Collage os'
Physicians, in Edinburgh.
'^T is by accurate observations aad
| just reasoning capon tirem, that physick
can be brought to any degree of
pertection, one oftheSe is by no means
Sufficient Sor the purpoSe. The greatest
masters of reasoning have often proved
the molt unsuccessful interpreters of nature,
by neglecting to confult nature
itSelf, and overlooking the most obvious
phenomena. Of which Aristotle
and the physicians that adopted nischi^
nr encas notions oSan analogy between
the political and animal economy, and
reafon'd Srom his whimsical hypothesis,
are Sufficient proofs. Not cne of
those students os Aristotle and Galen ever
dreamed of Searching out the truth,
of confirming or disproving any doubtful
opinion by experiments, and careful
observations of facta, but relied intirely
on the authority of their masters-
The chemists indeed threw off the yoke
of the schools, which could give them
no certainty to establish a reasonable
practice upon; and pretended to esta^
blish a new theory of experiments ;
but their fondness for fome discover^,
ttsadc by the hcin of lire, led them t^
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