Page:Works of Plato his first fifty-five dialogues (Taylor 1804) (Vol 2 of 5) (IA Vol2worksofplato00plat).pdf/441

 INTRODUCTION TO THE TIMdSUS.

431

of the celeſtial region is compofed from the four elements, yet in fome places fire in conjunction with earth (/. e. earth without gravity and denfity) predominates ; in others fire, with the fummit of water; and in others again lire with the fummit of air : and according to each of thefe an all-various mutation fubfifts.

Hence fome bodies in the heavens are vifible, and thefe

are fuch as have fire united with the folid ; but others are ftill more vifible 1, and thefe are fuch as have fire mingled with the fplendid and diaphanous nature of air.

And hence the fpheres of the planets, and the inerratic

fphere itfelf, poffefs a more attenuated and diaphanous effence ; but the liarsare of a more folid compofition.

But fire every where prevails, and all

heaven is characterized through the power of this exalted element.

And

neither is the fire there caultic (for this is not even the property of the firlt of the fublunary elements, which Ariflotle calls fiery, wpoulzg} nor corruptive of any thing, nor of a nature contrary to earth ; but it perpetually fhines with a pure and tranfparent light, with vivific heat, and illuminating power. And fuch are the outlines of the fvftem of the world, according to Pytha¬ goras and Plato ; which, fixange as the affertion may l'eem, appears to have been but little known from the asra of the emperor Juftinian to the prefent time.

That beautiful mode in which as we have Ihown the elements fubfifir

both in the heavens and the earth, has not been even fufpeCted by modern natural philofophers to have any exillence ; and aftronomers have been very far from the truth in their affertions concerning the celeftial fpheres.

In

confequence of indolence, or ignorance, or prejudice, or from all three in conjunction, the moderns have invented fyftems no lefs difcordant with the nature of things than different from each other.

They have juft been able

to gain a glimpfe of the beautiful union of things in the vegetable and ani¬ mal tribes belonging to the earth, and have difcovered that the lowell of the animal fpecies and the higheft of the vegetable approximate fo near to each other, that the difference between the two can fcarcely be perceived ; but this is the very fummit of their refearches; they are unable to trace the connection of things any further, and reft fatisfied in admitting that The chain continues, but with links unknown. r That is, in themfelves : but they are invifible to us, on account of their pofiefling but little of the refitting nature of earth ; and this is the reafon why we cannot fee the celeitial fpheres.

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