An essay on the powers and mechanism of nature; : intended, by a deeper analysis of physical principles, to extend, improve, and more firmly establish, the grand superstructure of the Newtonian system. / By Robert Young.

  • Young, Robert
Date:
M DCC LXXXVIII. [1788]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the powers and mechanism of nature; : intended, by a deeper analysis of physical principles, to extend, improve, and more firmly establish, the grand superstructure of the Newtonian system. / By Robert Young. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    which conftimtes it; gravity, or any other aQ:i- ] vity is not effential to its exiftence as a ftone, | but is fuperadded. The earth, regarded as ] a whole, has its a6livity of gravity^ within and ] effential to it; for it is formed a whole only j by its gravity; but the a8:ivity whereby it moves j in its orbit is without, and not effential to it j as a globe of earth. The adivity of cohefion is effential to matter, as matter ; but the activity’ of gravity is not effential to matter as fuch, but j to the earth as an earth. The activity of the j earth in its orbit is not effential to the earth as fuch, but it is effential to it as a part of the j folar fyftem. j Y In refpeft to its own internal aftivities, every | WHOLE maybe faid to be ina5iive^ becaufe the 1 refult of the internal activities of the parts is 1 an equilibrium : the whole is aClive inafmuch j as all the parts are aCtive, but not aCtive as a J whoUy becaufe from all the activities of parts 1 no one aCtivity of the whole refults. j 2 In this fenfe we may fay that every primary | ATOM, every mass of matter, the earth,! and THE solar system, is inactive, becaufe! each of thefe refpeCtively is in equilihrio relative! to the activities of its own part^. 1 But I N