( 10 )
olish'd, and perhaps also immediately succeeded by a new Quality Mechanically producible; if, I say, this come to pass in a body Inanimate, especially if it be also, as to sense similar, such a Phænomenon will not a little favour that Hypothesis which teaches, that these Qualities depend upon certain contextures and other Mechanical Affections of the small parts of the bodies, that are indowed with them, and consequently may be abolish'd when that necessary Modification is destroyed. This is thus briefly premis'd to shew the pertinency of alledging differing kinds of Experiments and Phænomena in favour of the Corpuscular Hypothesis about Qualities.
What has been thus laid down, may, I hope, facilitate and shorten most of the remaining work of this Preamble, which is to shew, though but very briefly, that there may be several ways, not impertinently employable to recommend the Corpuscularian Doctrine of Qualities.
For first, it may sometimes be shewn, that a Substantial Form cannot be pretended to be the necessary Principle of this or that Quality; as will (for instance) hereafter be made manifest in the Asperity and Smoothness of bodies, and in the Magnetical Vertue residing in a piece of Iron that has been impregnated by a Load-stone.
