The sun., 1900-12-23

sketch ~ hs main oonclusions, making
uso NJ ths excellent ptusn translation NY
VIZ " A. J. Munro - Iunity College.
CamhrI GO
iucre'iu' had a very clear ldee - 'he In
dcstfuc'thility ~ matter llH argues That
thlng' cannot have come ont ~ nothing.
anl %" says, a thinR uo."r returns 70
n,rins. hnt all tllpls n'or disruption
90 h'rk into tho frst bollos ~ matter y
Ne then argues that. at The actual pr0o"'' ~"
~ Ernv'h, dcrny aui other natural change.
nf' lmporcopliblo TO US, therefore VA
/ iIte works 10y unseen bodirs lie jusIy
claims great importance for tho demon.
stration ~ tho fact that In all matter what.
cvor however solid and harl II may b".
there arc vacancies. or. n. no Expresses IL.
Mixed up In all things there Il void or
empty space He thus ANTICIPATED the
/ modern doctrine that the molecules ~
matter do not come into actual contact
| lie then defines atoms thus: First bodies
are solid AMI without void" and ~ nothing
can be produced from nothing he COM
| clude5 that these first bodies atoms or
| molcCu.csl must be everlasting AMI that
| they supply matter for tho reproduction
Of all things.
Tio then goes on to prove that these
first beginnings are ~ solii singlcnes-,
not formed ~ parts. but strong In ever
/ ting singIcness.' He further proves
] that these " first beginnings (atomSl
cannot be Infinitely small, and also that the
universe cannot be limited-that It il In
finite. He thus anticipated the main ideas
a. TO atoms anl the universe which have
been held by most m1terialistic thinkers
!own to our own tlmca.
lucrctus was an absolute uaterialist.
FOR though he iii not deny the existence
ug the gods he refused them any share IN
the construction oi the universe. which
hc again and again urges. arose by chance.
after infinite time, by tie random motions
AMI collisions and entangiement1 or tho
inhnty Of atoms. He assumes some forces
analogous 20 gravitation and the m0lcc-
ular motions of gases in the following
passage For the first beginnings Of
thing. move first Of themselves; next these
bodies which form small aggregate and
come nearest 20 10 say u the powers Of
the first beginnings are .inpelled and set in
movement by the unseen strokes OF these
firt bodies. and they next in turn stir up
other bodies which are n little larger"
He also anticipated Calico a. to the equal
speed Of all falling bodies when not checked
by the air in the following precise state
ment For whenever bodies fall through
water and thin air they must quicken their
dcscents in proportion 20 their weights.
because the body Of water and subtle nature
Of air cannot retard everything TO an equal
degree: on the other hand. empty void
cannot offer resistance TO anything in any
direction at any time. but must continually
give way: and for this reason all things
must be moved and borne along with equal
velocity, though OF unequal weights.
through the unresisting void
This Is a wonderfully accurate general
statement OF the equal rate Of motion OF
all kinds OF matter under the same forces;
and when We consider that there Is no indl-
cation OF any experimental basis for this
conclusion, and that nothing equivalent
to our sciences OF physics or chemistry
existed. we are amazed at the general
correctness Of many of his views derived
solely by process OF reasoning from the
argues that, given Infinite matter and
space and inherent motion. things must
60 on and be completed. and his general
conclusion is thus expressed: II you will
apprehend and keep in mind these things.
nature, free at once and rid Of her naughty
lords, Il seen to do all things spontaneously
of herself without the medJinS Of tho
gods"
1t Il when ne attempts to deal with the
origin of living orgaui-m ms that the absence
OF all knowledge OF chemistry. physiology
and histology renders his task impossible
and leads him into what seem to us the
widest absurdties. He has an elaborate
but very unconvlncins argument that
sensation can arise out Of atoms which have
no sensation; and. taking the appearance
of worms. 60. in the earth and In putri
matter as q proof that they are still actually
produced dc MORO in 1t. he argues that at
some remote epoch the now worn-out earth
was moro fertile. and produced in Ike
manner all kinds OF animals. The first
human infants he supposes TO have been
formed ut some very remote time In the
manner following: For much heat and
and therefore wherever a suitable spot
offered wombs would grow. attached to
the earth by roots: and when the warmth
Of the infants. flying the wet and craving
tho air. had opened these in the fulness Of
time, nature would turn to that spot the
pores OF the earth and oonstrain it to yield
from its opened veins q liquid most Ike
to milk. To the children the earth would
furnish food, the heat raiment. the grass
a bed rich in abundance OF soft down.
. Wherefore. again and again l say.
the earth with good title has gotten and
keeps the name Of mother. since sho Of her
self gave birth to mankind, and at time
nearly fixed shed forth every beast that
ranges wildly over the great mountains,
ami at the same time the fowls OF the air
with all their varied shapes"
The fact that this mode of origin COM
mended Itself to one OF the brightest In
tellects Of the first century b. C.. cnll-ht-
ened by the best thought Of the Crecian
philosophers. may enable US the better
10 appreciate the immense advance made