(seq. 43)

[*chap. 7th in upper left hand corner*] Naturall Phylosophy [*35 in upper right hand corner*]

water most cold and fluid. air most fluid and hot, and Ea-
-rth most dry and cold.

[*following two lines of text are in a single bracket in the middle of the page*]
Elements number Aristotle Spies
in combinations of first qualities

about this Distribution are moved are moved many contraver-
-sies, for some say fire (in its flame) is more fluid {then} water.
and in is body more dry {then} Earth. Air (in winter) is more
cold {then} water: and Earth too (it seems) is more cold {then} wa-
-ter, because more hard (for it is a received opinion even am-
-ong Aristotelians, {that} coldness is a cause of harness as in Ice)
and if ye Air be made more old in water {then} water by nitro-
-us particles arising from ye Earth, {then} is ye Earth ye coldest
rather {then} ye water.

But indeed in all this matter men feel in ye Dark,
bec: they acknoledge no pure Element falls under our observa-
-tion; how {then} can we make a Judgment of their first quali-
-ties naturall to them, and Distinct from those accidentally in {them}
besides, they all confess ye forms of Elements are not known;
and therefore they say they must be Defined by their properties
or first Qualities: but how shall we know what are their 1st
Qualities, till we know ye forms from which they should imm-
-ediately flow. Therefore to avoid this confusion, Latter
Phylosophers refer ye whole buissnss to matter variously modifi-
-ed, and Disposed; and so they Dispose them.

Fire, (according to ye Antients) is an Element most hot and Dry.
here they mean (not our Culunary or ordinary kitchen-fire whi-
-ch is a concrete body, but) {that} which is fancied above in the
concave of ye moons orb; which (they say) dos not burn as ours,
because of its tenuity; whereas to burning is required some
[Crass?] matter, whereby it may better adhare to ye body to be burnt.
Hence a coal or hot Iron burn more {then} flame, especially ye
flame of a tenuious matter, as of ye Spirits of wine, {which} of rig-
-htyly rectified is alltogether Innocuous: thus ye fire of ye An-
-tients.

But (according to ye Moderns) fire is matter briskly moved
therefore to kindle fire is to beget such a motion, and to con-
-tinue it is to supply it with matter apt. so to be moved. matter
moved briskly causeth attrition or rubbing of ye particles of ot-
-her bodies.

this matter is helped by ye blowing of bellows, or other strong
wind, thrusting ye particles inflamed among ye Inflameables
of ye fuell; and moving ye ashes {which} would obstruct ye briskness
of the motion. thus they solve ye striking of fire by flint,