DIVINITY, properly signifies the na ture, quality, and essence of the true' God.
Dl VISIBILITY, that property by which the particles of matter in all bodies are capable of a separation, or disunion from each other. • As it is evident that body is extended, so it is no less evident that it is divisi ble ; for since no two particles of matter can exist in the same place, it follows, that they are really distinct from each other, which is all that is meant by being, divisible. In this sense the least con ceivable particle must still be divisible, since it will consist of parts which will be really distinct. To illustrate this by a familiar instance, let the least imagina ble piece of matter be conceived lying on a smooth plain surface, it is evident the surface will not touch it every where : those parts, therefore, which it does not touch, may be supposed se parable from the others, and so on, as far as we please ; and this is all that is meant, when we say matter is infinitely divisible.
The infinite divisibility of mathema tical quantity is demonstrated thus geo metrically: SuppoSe the line A D (Plate Miicel. fig. 7.) perpendicular to B F, and another, as G 11, at a small distance from it, also perpendicular to the same line : with the .centres C, C, C, &c. de scribe circles cutting the line G H in the points e, e, e, &c. Now, the greater the radius A C is, the less is the part e H. But the radius may be augmented in infinitum ; so long, therefore, the part e H may be divided into still less por tions, consequently it may be divided in infinitum.
All that is supposed in strict geome try (says Mr. Maclaurin) concerning the divisibility of magnitude, amounts tono more, than that a given magnitude may be conceived to be divided into a number of parts, equal to any given or proposed number. It is true, that the number of, parts into which.) given magnitude may he conceived to be divided is not to be I fixed or limited, because no given num ber is so rest but a greater may be con ceived assigled : but there is not, therefore, any necessity of supposing the number of parts actually infinite ; and if some have drawn very absurd conse quences from such a supposition, yet geometry ought not to be loaded with them.
Thus far we have shown that exten sioa may be divided into an unlimited 'number of parts ; but with respect to the ..limits of the divisibility of matter itself, we are perfectly in the dark. We can indeed divide certain bodies into sur prizing fine and numerous particles, and the works of nature offer many fluids and solids of wonderful tenuity ; but both our efforts, and those naturally small objects, advance a very short way towards infinity. Ignorant of the intimate nature of mat ter, we cannot assert whether it may be capable of infinite division, or whether it ultimately consists of particles of a certain size, and of perfect hardness. We shall add some instances of the wonderful tenuity of certain bodies, which have been produced either by art, or discovered by means of microscopical ob servations, amongst the stupendous works of nature.
The spinning of wool, silk, cotton, and such-like substances, affords no bad spe cimens of this sort ; since the thread which has been produced by this means has often been so very fine, as almost to exceed the bounds of credibility, had it not been sufficiently well authenticated. Mr, Boyle mentions that two grains and a half of silk were spun into a thread 300 yards long. A few years ago, a lady of
Lincolnshire spun a single pound of wool len yarn into a thread of 168,000 yards long, which is equal to 95 English miles. Also a single pound weight of fine cotton. yarn was lately spun, in the neighbour hood of Manchester, into a thread 134,400 yards long.
The ductility of gold likewise furnishes a striking example of the great tenuity of matter amongst the productions of human ingenuity. A single grain weight of gold has been often extended into a surface equal to 50 square inches. If every square inch of it is divided into square particles of the hundredth part of an inch, which will be plainly visible to the naked eye, the number of those particles in one inch square, will be 10,000; and multiplying this number by the 50 inches, the product is 500,000 ; that is, the grain of gold may be actually divided into at least half a million of particles, each of which is perfectly apparent to the naked eye. Yet, if ,those particles are viewed in a good ticroscope, they will appear like a large stirfaCe, the ten thousandth part of which might by this means be easily discerned. An ingenious artist in London has been able to draw parallel lines upon a glass plate, as also upon silver, so near one another, that 10,000 of them occupy the space of one inch. Those lines can be seen only by the as istance of a very good microscope, Another workman has drawn a silver wire, the diameter of which does not exceed the 750th part of an inch. But those prodigies of human ingenuity will appear extremely gross and rude, if they are compared with the immense subtilty of matter which may every where be ob served amongst the works of nature. The animal, the vegetable, and even the mineral kingdom, furnish numerous ex amples of this sort. What must be the• tenuity of the odoriferous parts of musk, when we find that a piece of it Will scent a whole room in a short time, and yet it will hardly lose any sensible part of its weight ! But supposing it to have lost one-hundredth part of a grain weight, when this small quantity is divided and dispersed through the whole room, it mast so expand itself, as not to leave an, inch square of space where the sense of smell may not be affected by some of its particles. How, small must then be the weight and size of one of those particles ! The human eye, unassisted by glasses, can frequently perceive insects so small as to be barely discernible. The least re flection must show, that the limbs, the vessels, and other parts of such animals, must infinitely exceed in fineness every endeavour of human art. But the mi croscope has discovered wonders that are vastly superior, and such indeed as were utterly unknown to our forefathers, before the invention of that noble instru ment.
Insects have been discovered so small, as not to exceed the 10,000th part of an inch : so that 1,000,000,000,000 of them might be contained within the space of one cubic inch; yet each animalcule must consist of parts connected with each other ; with vessels, with fluids, and with organs necessary for ita motions, for its increase, for its propagation, &c. How inconceivably small must those organs be ! and yet they are unquestionably composed of other parts still smaller, and still farther removed from the perception of our senses.