parts of Plants and Animals.  And that, in, all likelihood, those Operations were not Essential, but deriv’d from something else.  So that if those Operations were to be communicated to those other Bodies, they would be like this.  Considering it therefore abstractedly, with regard to its Essence only, as stript of those Operations, which at first sight seem’d to flow from it, he perceiv’d that it was a Body, of the same kind, with those other Bodies; upon which Contemplation, it appear’d to him that all Bodies, as well those that had Life, as those that had not, as well those that mov’d, as those that rested in their Natural places were One; Only there were some Actions in some of them, which proceeded from their Organical Parts; concerning which Actions he could not yet determine whether they were Essential, or deriv’d from something without.  Thus he continu’d, considering nothing but the Nature of Bodies, and by this means he perceiv’d, that whereas at first sight, Things had appear’d to him innumerable and not to be comprehended; Now, he discovered the whole Mass and Bulk of Creatures were in Reality only One.

Sec. 40.  He continu’d in this Opinion a considerable time.  Then he consider’d all sorts of Bodies, both Animate and Inanimate, which one while seem’d to him to be One; and another, a great many.  And he found that all of them had a Tendency either upward, as Smoak, Flame, and Air, when detain’d under Water; or else downward, as Water, pieces of Earth, or Parts of Animals and Plants; and that none of these.  Bodies were free from one or other of these Tendencies, or would ever lye still, unless hinder’d by some other Body, and interrupted in their course; as when, for instance, a Stone in its fall is stopp’d by the solidity and hardness of the Earth, when ’tis plain it would otherwise continue still descending; so Smoak still continues going upwards, and if it should be intercepted by a solid Arch, it would divide both to the right and left, and so soon as it was freed from the Arch, would still continue ascending; and pass through the Air, which is not solid enough to restrain it.  So when a Leathern Bottle is fill’d with Air and stopp’d up close, if you hold it under Water; it will still strive to get up, till it returns to its place of Air; and then it rests, and its reluctancy and propensity to ascend, ceases.

Sec. 41.  He then enquir’d whether or no he could find any Body that was at any time destitute of both these Motions, or a Tendency toward them, but he could find none such, among all Bodies which he had about him.  The reason of this Enquiry was, because he was very desirous to know the Nature of Body; as such, abstracted from all manner of Qualities, from whence arises Multiplicity or Diversity of Kinds.  But when he found this too difficult a Task for him, and he had examin’d those Bodies which had the fewest Qualities, and could find, none of them void