Chapter XIX: Conclusion

SIR ~ISAAC NEWTON~ having concluded each of his philosophical treatises with some general reflections, I shall now take leave of my readers with a short account of what he has there delivered. At the end of his mathematical principles of natural philosophy he has given us his thoughts concerning the Deity. Wherein he first observes, that the similitude found in all parts of the universe makes it undoubted, that the whole is governed by one supreme being, to whom the original is owing of the frame of nature, which evidently is the effect of choice and design. He then proceeds briefly to state the best metaphysical notions concerning God. In short, we cannot conceive either of space or time otherwise than as necessarily existing; this Being therefore, on whom all others depend, must certainly exist by the same necessity of nature. Consequently wherever space and time is found, there God must also be. And as it appears impossible to us, that space should be limited, or that time should have had a beginning, the Deity must be both immense and eternal.

2. AT the end of his treatise of optics he has proposed some thoughts concerning other parts of nature, which he had not distinctly searched into. He begins with some farther reflections concerning light, which he had not fully examined. In particular he declares his sentiments at large concerning the power, whereby bodies and light act on each other. In some parts of his book he had given short hints at his opinion concerning this[338], but here he expressly declares his conjecture, which we have already mentioned[339], that this power is lodged in a very subtle spirit of a great elastic force diffused thro’ the universe, producing not only this, but many other natural operations. He thinks it not impossible, that the power of gravity itself should be owing to it. On this occasion he enumerates many natural appearances, the chief of which are produced by chymical experiments. From numerous observations of this kind he makes no doubt, that the smallest parts of matter, when near contact, act strongly on each other, sometimes being mutually attracted, at other times repelled.

3. THE attractive power is more manifest than the other, for the parts of all bodies adhere by this principle. And the name of attraction, which our author has given to it, has been very freely made use of by many writers, and as much objected to by others. He has often complained to me of having been misunderstood in this matter. What he lays upon this head was not intended by him as a philosophical explanation of any appearances, but only to point out a power in nature not hitherto distinctly observed, the cause of which, and the manner of its acting, he thought was worthy of a diligent enquiry. To acquiesce in the explanation of any appearance by asserting it to be a general power of attraction, is not to improve our knowledge in philosophy, but rather to put a stop to our farther search.

FINIS.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Philosoph. Nat. princ. math. L. iii. introduct.

[2] Nov. Org. Scient. L. i. Aphorism. 9.

[3] Nov. Org. L. i. Aph. 19.

[4] Ibid. Aph. 25.

[5] Aph. 30. Errores radicales & in prima digestione mentis ab excellentia functionum & remediorum sequentium non curantur.

[6] Aph. 38.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Aph. 39.

[9] Aph. 41.

[10] Aph. 10, 24.

[11] Aph. 45.

[12] De Cartes Princ. Phil. Part. 3. §. 52.

[13] Fermat, in Oper. pag. 156, &c.

[14] Nov. Org. Aph. 46.

[15] Aph. 50.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Aph 53.

[18] Aph. 54.

[19] Aph. 56.

[20] Aph. 55.

[21] Locke, On human understanding, B. iii.

[22] Nov. Org. Aph. 59.

[23] In the conclusion.

[24] Nov. Org. L. i. Aph. 59.

[25] Ibid. Aph. 60.

[26] Ibid. Aph. 62.

[27] Aph. 63.

[28] Aph. 64.

[29] Aph. 65.

[30] See above, § 4, 5.

[31] Nov. Org. L. i. Aph. 69.

[32] Ibid.

[33] Ibid. Aph. 109.

[34] Book III. Chap. iv.

[35] Book I. Chap. 2. § 14.

[36] Ibid. § 85, &c.

[37] See Book II. Ch. 3. § 3, 4. of this treatise.

[38] See Book II. Ch. 3. of this treatise.

[39] See Chap. 4.

[40] At the end of his Optics. in Qu. 21.

[41] See the same treatise, in Advertisement 2.

[42] Nov. Org. Lib. i. Ax. 105.

[43] Princip. philos. pag. 13, 14.

[44] Princ. Philos. L. II. prop. 24. corol. 7. See also B. II. Ch. 5. § 3. of this treatise.

[45] How this degree of elasticity is to be found by experiment, will be shewn below in § 74.

[46] In oper. posthum de Motu corpor. ex percussion. prop. 9.

[47] In the above-cited place.

[48] In the place above-cited.

[49] These experiments are described in § 73.

[50] Book II. Chap. 5.

[51] Chap. 1. § 25, 26, 27, compared with § 15, &c.

[52] Book II. Chap. 5. § 3.

[53] See Euclid’s Elements, Book XII. prop. 13.

[54] Archimed. de æquipond. prop. 11.

[55] Ibid. prop. 12.

[56] Lucas Valerius De centr. gravit. solid. L. I. prop. 2.

[57] Idem L. II. prop. 2.

[58] § 25.

[59] § 27.

[60] Pag. 65, 68.

[61] § 23.

[62] § 20

[63] § 17.

[64] § 27.

[65] Hugen. Horolog. oscillat. pag. 141, 142.

[66] See Hugen. Horolog. Oscillat. p. 142.

[67] Princip. Philos. pag. 22.

[68] Chap. 1. § 29.

[69] Princip. Philos. pag. 25.

[70] § 71.

[71] See Method. Increment. prop. 25.

[72] Lib. XI. Def.

[73] Chap. 2. § 17.

[74] See above Ch. 2. § 17.

[75] From B II. Ch. 3.

[76] Prin. Philos. pag. 7, &c.

[77] See Newton, princip. philos. pag. 9. lin. 30.

[78] Princip. Philos. pag. 10.

[79] Renat. Des Cart. Princ. Philos. Part. II. § 25.

[80] Ibid. § 30.

[81] § 85, &c.

[82] Princip. Philos. Lib. I. prop. 9.

[83] § 92.

[84] Ch. II. § 22.

[85] Viz. L. I. prop. 30, 29, & 26.

[86] Ch. II. § 21, 22.

[87] viz. His doctrine of prime and ultimate ratios.

[88] § 57

[89] § 3.

[90] Ch. 2. § 22.

[91] § 12.

[92] Ch. 1. sect. 21, 22.

[93] Elem. Book I. p. 37.

[94] § 12.

[95] Ch 1 § 24.

[96] Ch 2 select. 17.

[97] Newt. Princ. L. II. prop. 2; 5, 6, 7; 11, 12.

[98] Prop. 3; 8, 9; 13, 14.

[99] Prop. 4.

[100] Prælect. Geometr. pag. 123.

[101] Newton. Princ. Lib. II. prop. 10.

[102] Newton. Princ. Lib II. prop 10. in schol.

[103] Torricelli de motu gravium.

[104] Ch. 2 § 85, &c.

[105] Newt. Princ L. II. sect 6.

[106] L. II. sect. 4.

[107] See B. II. Ch 6. § 7. of this treatise.

[108] Lib. I. sect. 10.

[109] De la Pesanteur, pag. 169, and the following.

[110] Newton. Princ. L. II. prop 4. schol.

[111] See his Tract on the admirable rarifaction of the air.

[112] Book II. Ch. 6.

[113] Princ. philos. Lib. II. prop. 23.

[114] Book I. Ch. 2. § 30.

[115] Princ. philos. Lib. II. prop. 23, in schol.

[116] Princ. philos. Lib. II. prop. 33. coroll.

[117] Lib. II. Ch. 5.

[118] Ibid. Prop. 35. coroll. 2.

[119] Ibid. coroll. 3.

[120] Vid. ibid. coroll. 6.

[121] In § 2.

[122] Princ. philos. Lib. II. Prop. 35.

[123] Ibid.

[124] Id.

[125] h. 1. § 29.

[126] Princ. philos. Lib. II. Prop. 38, compared with coroll. 1 of prop. 35.

[127] L. II. Lem. 7. schol. pag. 341.

[128] Lib. II. Prop. 34.

[129] Lib. II. Lem. 7. p. 341.

[130] Schol. to Lem. 7.

[131] Prop. 34. schol.

[132] Ibid.

[133] Ibid.

[134] Book II. Ch. I. § 6.

[135] Vid. Newt. princ. in schol. to Lem. 7, of Lib. II. pag. 341.

[136] Sect. 17. of this chapter.

[137] See Princ. philos. Lib. II. prop. 34.

[138] Vid. Princ. philos. Lib. II. Lem. 5. p. 314.

[139] Lemm. 6.

[140] Ibid. 7.

[141] Newt. Princ. Lib. II. prop. 40, in schol.

[142] Lib. II. in schol. post prop. 31.

[143] Book I. ch. 2 § 82.

[144] Book I. Ch. 3 § 29.

[145] Ch. 3. of this present book.

[146] Ch. 4.

[147] In Princ. philos. part. 3.

[148] Philos. princ. mathem. Lib. II. prop. 2. & schol.

[149] Ibid. prop 53.

[150] Philos. princ. prop. 52. coroll. 4.

[151] Ibid.

[152] Coroll. 11.

[153] See ibid. schol. post prop. 53.

[154] Princ. philos. pag. 316, 317.

[155] Ch. I. § 7.

[156] Book I. Ch. 3.

[157] Book I. Ch. 3. § 29.

[158] Ibid. Ch. 2. § 30, 17.

[159] Book I. Ch. 3.

[160] Ch. 1. § 7.

[161] Chap. 5. § 8.

[162] Princ. pag. 60.

[163] Street, in Astron. Carolin.

[164] See Chap. 5. §9, &c.

[165] In the foregoing page.

[166] See Newton. Princ. Lib. III. prop. 13.

[167] Chap. 5. § 10.

[168] Princ. Lib. I. prop. 60.

[169] Book I, Chap. 2. § 80.

[170] Princ. philos. Lib. I. prop. 58. coroll. 3.

[171] Newt. Optics. pag. 378.

[172] Newton. Princ. Lib. III. prop. 1.

[173] Newton, Princ. Lib. III. pag. 390,391. compared with pag. 393.

[174] Book I. Ch. 3. § 29.

[175] Princ. philos. Lib. I. prop. 4.

[176] Ibid. coroll.

[177] Newt. Princ. philos. Lib. III. pag. 390.

[178] Newt. Princ. philos. Lib. III. pag. 391, 392.

[179] Book III. Ch. 4.

[180] Newt. Princ. philos. Lib. III. pag. 391.

[181] Ibid. pag. 392.

[182] See Book I. Ch. 2. § 60, 64.

[183] Book I. Ch. 2. § 17.

[184] See Ch. II. § 6.

[185] The second of the laws of motion laid down in Book I. Ch. 1.

[186] Newton. Princ. philos. Lib. III. prop. 6. pag. 401.

[187] Newton’s Princ. philos. Lib. III. prop. 22, 23.

[188] Newton. Princ. Lib. I. prop. 66. coroll. 7.

[189] Menelai Sphaeric. Lib. I. prop. 10.

[190] Vid. Newt. Princ. Lib. I. prop. 66. coroll. 10.

[191] Vid. Newt. Princ. Lib. III prop. 30. p. 440.

[192] Ibid. Lib. I. prop. 66. coroll. 10.

[193] What this proportion is, may be known from Coroll. 2 prop. 44. Lib. I. Princ. philos. Newton.

[194] Princ. Phil. Newt. Lib. I. prop. 45. Coroll. 1.

[195] Pr. Phil. Newt. Lib. I. prop. 66. Coroll. 7.

[196] See § 19 of this chapter.

[197] Phil. Nat. Pr. Math Lib. I. prop. 66. cor. 8.

[198] Ibid. Coroll. 8.

[199] Ibid.

[200] Ibid.

[201] Newt. Princ. Lib. III. prop. 29.

[202] Ibid. prop. 28.

[203] Ibid. prop. 31.

[204] Newt. Princ. pag. 459.

[205] In Princ. philos. part. 3. § 41.

[206] Chap. 1. § 11.

[207] Newton. Princ. philos. Lib. III. Lemm. 4. pag. 478.

[208] Princ. philos. Lib. III. prop. 40.

[209] Book I. chap. 2. § 82.

[210] Princ. philos. Lib. III. pag. 499, 500.

[211] Ibid. pag. 500, and 520, &c.

[212] Princ. Philos. Lib. III. prop. 40.

[213] Ibid. prop. 41.

[214] Ibid. pag. 522.

[215] Ibid. prop. 42.

[216] Newt. Princ. philos. edit. 2. p. 464, 465.

[217] Ibid. edit. 3. p 501, 502.

[218] Ibid. pag. 519.

[219] Ibid. pag. 524.

[220] Newt. Princ. philos. p. 525.

[221] Ibid.

[222] Ibid. pag. 508.

[223] Ibid.

[224] Ibid. pag. 484.

[225] Ibid. pag. 482, 483.

[226] Ibid. pag. 481.

[227] Ibid. pag. 509.

[228] See the fore-cited place.

[229] Ibid. and Cartes. Princ. Phil. part. 3. § 134, &c.

[230] Vid. Phil. Nat. princ. Math. p. 511.

[231] Book I. Ch. 4. § 11.

[232] Ch. 5.

[233] All these arguments are laid down in Philos. Nat. Princ. Lib. III. from p. 509, to 517.

[234] Philos. Nat. Princ. Lib. III. p. 515.

[235] Ch. 5.

[236] See Ch. 1. § 11.

[237] Newt. Princ. Philos. pag. 525, 526. An account of all the stars of both these kinds, which have appeared within the last 150 years may be seen in the Philosophical transactions, vol. 29. numb. 346.

[238] Newt. Princ. Philos. Nat. Lib. III. prop. 6.

[239] Ch. 3. § 6.

[240] Book I. Ch. 2. § 24.

[241] Newt. Princ. Lib. III. prop. 6.

[242] Ch. 3. § 6.

[243] Newt. Princ. philos. Lib. III. prop. 7. cor. 1.

[244] See Book I. Ch. 1. § 15.

[245] Ibid. § 5, 6.

[246] Chap. 2. § 8.

[247] Newt. Princ. Lib. I. prop. 63.

[248] § 8.

[249] See Introd. § 23.

[250] § 4, 5.

[251] Newt. Princ. philos. Lib. I. prop. 74.

[252] Ibid. coroll. 3.

[253] Lib. I. Prop. 75. and Lib. III. prop. 8.

[254] Lib. I. Prop. 76.

[255] Ibid. cor. 5.

[256] Vid. Lib. III. Prop. 7. coroll. 1

[257] Newt. Princ. Lib. III. prop. 8. coroll. 1.

[258] Ibid. coroll. 2.

[259] Book I. Ch. 4. § 2.

[260] Newt. Princ. Lib. III. prop. 8. coroll. 3.

[261] Ibid. coroll. 4.

[262] Book I. Ch. 4.

[263] Lib. II. prop. 20. cor. 2.

[264] Chap. 4. § 17.

[265] Ibid.

[266] Vid. Newt. Princ. Lib. II. prop. 46.

[267] Princ. philos. Lib. II. prop. 49.

[268] Chap. 3. § 18.

[269] Newt. Princ. philos. Lib. I. prop. 66. coroll. 18.

[270] § 8.

[271] Ch. 3. § 5.

[272] Ch. 3 § 17.

[273] Ibid.

[274] See below § 44.

[275] Newton Princ. Lib. III. prop. 19.

[276] Lib. III. prop. 19.

[277] Lib. I. prop. 73.

[278] Lib. III. prop. 20.

[279] Ibid.

[280] Opt. B. I. part. 2. prop. 1.

[281] Newt. Opt. B. 1. part 1. experim. 5.

[282] Ibid. prop. 4.

[283] Newt. Opt. B. 1. part 2. exper. 5.

[284] Ibid exper. 6.

[285] Newton Opt. B. I. prop. 10.

[286] Ibid exp. 9.

[287] Newt. Opt. B. I. part 1. exp 15.

[288] Philos. Transact. N. 88, p. 5099.

[289] Opt B. I. par. 2. exp. 14.

[290] Ibid. exp. 10.

[291] Opt. pag. 122.

[292] Opt. B. I. part 2. exp. 11.

[293] Ibid prop. 4, 6.

[294] Opt. pag. 51.

[295] Opt. Book II. prop. 8.

[296] Opt. Book II. par. 3. prop. 2.

[297] § 17.

[298] Opt. Book II. par. 3. prop. 4.

[299] Opt. Book II. pag. 241.

[300] Ibid. pag. 224.

[301] Ibid. Obs. 17. &c.

[302] Ibid. Obs. 10.

[303] Ibid. pag. 206.

[304] Obser. 21.

[305] Observ. 5. compared with Observ. 10

[306] Ibid. prop. 5.

[307] Observ. 7.

[308] Observ. 9.

[309] Ibid prop. 7.

[310] Opt. pag. 243.

[311] Newt. Opt. B. I. part. 1. prop. I.

[312] Opt. B. I. part. 1. prop. 2.

[313] Opt. B. I. part 1. Expec. 6.

[314] Opt. pag. 67, 68, &c.

[315] Ibid. B. 1. par. 2. prop. 3.

[316] Opt. B. II. par. 3. prop. 10.

[317] Opt. B. II. par. 3. prop. 15.

[318] Ibid. par. 1. observ. 7.

[319] Ibid. Observ. 19.

[320] Opt. B. II. par. 2. pag. 199. &c.

[321] Ibid. par. 4

[322] Ibid. part. 3. prop. 13.

[323] Ibid. prop. 17.

[324] Ibid. prop. 13.

[325] Opt. Qu. 18, &c.

[326] See Concl. S. 2.

[327] B. II. Ch. 1.

[328] Opt. B. III. Obs. 1.

[329] Ibid. Obs. 2.

[330] § 2.

[331] Philos. Trans. No. 378.

[332] § 11.

[333] Philos. Transact No. 375.

[334] Ibid.

[335] Opt. B. II. part 4.

[336] Ch. 3. § 14.

[337] Opt. B. II. part 4. obs. 13.

[338] Opt. pag. 255.

[339] Ch. 3. § 18.