I must not (replies Carneades) engage my self at present to examine thorowly the Controversies concerning Mistion: And if there were no third thing, but that I were reduc’d to embrace absolutely and unreservedly either the Opinion of Aristotle, or that of the Philosophers that went before him, I should look upon the latter, which the Chymists have adopted, as the more defensible Opinion: But because differing in the Opinions about the Elements from both Parties, I think I can take a middle Course, and Discourse to you of Mistion after a way that does neither perfectly agree, nor perfectly disagree with either, as I will not peremptorily define, whether there be not Cases wherein some Phænomena of Mistion seem to favour the Opinion that the Chymists Patrons borrow’d of the Antients, I shall only endeavour to shew You that there are some cases which may keep the Doubt, which makes up my second General Consideration from being unreasonable.
I shall then freely acknowledge to You (sayes Carneades) that I am not over well satisfi’d with the Doctrine that is ascribed to Aristotle, concerning Mistion, especially since it teaches that the four Elements may again be separated from the mixt Body; whereas if they continu’d not in it, it would not be so much a Separation as a Production. And I think the Ancient Philosophers that Preceded Aristotle, and Chymists who have since receiv’d the same Opinion, do speak of this matter more intelligibly, if not more probably, then the Peripateticks: but though they speak Congruously enough, to their believing, that there are a certain Number of Primogeneal Bodies, by whose Concourse all those we call Mixts are Generated, and which in the Destruction of mixt Bodies do barely part company, and recede from one another, just such as they were when they came together; yet I, who meet with very few Opinions that I can entirely Acquiesce in, must confess to You that I am inclin’d to differ not only from the Aristotelians, but from the old Philosophers and the Chymists, about the Nature