Catalogue Entry: THEM00231

^[1] This was occasioned by a Passage in the private Letter, wherein Mr. Leibnitz's Third Paper came inclosed.

^[2] Of Nothing, there are no Dimensions, no Magnitude, no Quantity, no Properties.

^[3] See below, the Note on my Fourth Reply, § 10.

^[4] See above, § 4. of my Second Reply.

^[5] See Appendix, N^o 4.

^[6] See the Note on § 3. in my First Reply.

^[7] Deus Omnipræsens est, non per virtutem solam, sed etiam per Substantiam: Nim virtus sine Substantiâ subsistere non potest. i. e. God is Omnipresent, not only virtually, but substantially: For, Powers cannot subsist without a Substance. Newtoni Principia, Scholium generale sub finem.

^[8] Note: The word, Active Force, signifies here nothing but Motion, and the Impetus or relative impulsive Force of Bodies, arising from and being proportional to their Motion. For, the Occasion of what has passed upon This Head, was the following Passage. Apparet Motum & nasci posse & perire. Verùm, per tenacitatem corporum fluidorum, partiumque suarum Attritum, visque elasticæ in corporibus solidis imbecillitatem; multò magis in eam semper partem vergit natura rerum, ut pereat Motus, quàm ut nascatur. — Quoniam igitur varij illi Motus, qui in Mundo conspiciuntur, perpetuò decrescunt universi; necesse est <87> prorsus, quo ij conservari & recrescere possint, ut ad actuosa aliqua Principia recurramus. i.e. Tis evident, that Motion can in the Whole both increase and diminish. But because of the Tenacity of Fluid Bodies, and the Attrition of their Parts, and the Weakness of elastick Force in Solid Bodies; Motion is, in the Nature of things, always much more apt to diminish, than to increase.— Since therefore all the various Motions that are in the World, are perpetually decreasing; 'tis absolutely necessary, in order to preserve and renew those Motions, that we have recourse to some Active Principles. Newtoni Optice, Quæst. ult. pag. 341, 343.