discusscs tlic modification of the rncchanistic hypotlicsis due to Hartsockcr, who held that thcrc w r c two primc materials, onc a continuous subtlc fluid nl\vnys in motion, the otlicr I I dcnscr mntci in1 tlividcd into pnrticlcs of varying sllnpcs.
Gradually, lio\vc-cr, tlic idca that tlic s h a ~ of the ntonis accountcd for thc propcrtics fell into disfnrour, ns i t wns rcnliscd tlint a t best tlicy wcrc liirgcly ininginsry, iind chemists paid niorc nntl inore nttcntion to nctiinl espcriment, framing tcniporary tlicorics to csplain observcd fncts.
Thc foregoing sketch, which only gives tho 1)roader oiitlincs of thc argunicnt, shows, i t is liopctl, that tlic nutlioress tias tlonc that whicli shO set out to do nnd tins done i t wcll. Tho book is wittcn in that clcnr style wliich onc lias cornc to cspcct in a French scicntific work, and thcrc is n uscful indcs of tho rnrious authors refcrrctl to and, to sonic extent, of tho points witti which cricli lins dealt. Tlic present volunic forms Part I of tlic work and brings tho subject doiw to tlic date of publication of Lenicry's book ( 1676).