Morton, Charles, 1627-1698. Naturall phylosophy. A system of physicks : manuscript, 1706. MS Am 2523. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (Colonial North America: Houghton Library)

Pages

Page Status Needs Review

(seq. 41)

There are those second Qualities which are Said to affect and to move; of wch kind they only mention [ineligible] Gravity & Levity. gravity is a Quality (Say they) arising from cold [cheifly?], & cau: =sing bodies to Descend or tend towards [y superscript e] Center, this they call gra: =vitation, and endeavor or inclination to be as near [y superscript e]. center as it can; and this, without an Impediment, is always in the straight perpendicular line.

Levity on [y superscript e] contrary ascends, and in cheifly from heat; but this is no ways allowed by latter Phylosophers, who asert all bodies are heavy or tending to [y superscript e] center of [y superscript t] globe to which they Do belong: and [y superscript t] Law of nature is after noted in Locomotion. so [y superscript t] all motion upwards is (not by tenden: =cy but) by violence and pre[fsure?]; as may be Seen in [y superscript e] Disco: =urse of Sinking and Swimming; and there it appears [y superscript t] those Bodies which are called light, are only lef[t?] heavy [y superscript n] their nei: =ghbours by wch they are poised [up?].

This is manifest from a ball of wood dropt from on high into water; for it Descends in [y superscript e] air bec: heavier y[y superscript n], [y superscript t] is; and So pr= :oceeds to [y superscript e] bottom of [y superscript e], water, bec: of [y superscript e] violent velocity acq= :uired in [y superscript e] [afor]esd: Descent; but when it cometh to [y superscript e] bottom, it Stays not there. but ascends to [y superscript e] upper Surface of [y superscript e] water, bec: [y superscript e] water is heavier [y superscript n] [y superscript e] wood, and yet [y superscript e] wood is never [y superscript e] lighter for this ascent: [upper brace] Gravity is an attiubute [y superscript t] moves [lower brace] Down-wards and Levity [y superscript t] upwards [loves?].

note, to this kind of affections may be referred Elasticity (be =fore mentioned) magnetism, and electrical virtue all wch Do also cause motion, but of these after in a move proper p: =lace. and thus much of these called absolute Qualities. Respective qualities of Elements are accounted by ancients [2?], figure, and mutual transmutation. figure (as respecting [y superscript e] universe) round, this they Say is natur: =all. though Some Elements by accident are varied in other fi= :gures which may be thus Explained; if [y superscript e] body of [y superscript e] Earth we: =re reduced into Small Sands, they would not stand up in moun: =tains and hills, but endeavouring all of [y superscript m] to be as near the Center as possible would necesarily, fall into an exact Globe, because [y superscript n] all its parts would be in [y superscript e] nearest possible acce[ls?] to [y superscript e] Center. [y superscript n] would [y superscript e] water wch is [Lefs?] heavy [y superscript n] [y superscript e] Earth flow every where round about it: then [y superscript e] air about [y superscript e] water: and lastly [y superscript e] fire about [y superscript e] air. (according to [y superscript e] [ineligible] Hypothesis) and thus would all in round. figures (at least as to their exter: =iour Surface) compleatly fill [y superscript e] hollow surface of [y superscript e] imagin: =ary orb of [y superscript e] moon. but by accident it is otherwise in earth,