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177
The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
·
M. M. Pattison Muir
15
Another
objector
urges--"You
say
the
atoms
are
always
moving,
yet
the
things
we
look
at,
which
you
assert
to
be
vast
numbers
of
moving
atoms,
are
often
motionless."
Him
Lucretius
answers
by
an
analogy.
"And
herein
you
need
not
wonder
at
this,
that
though
the
first-beginnings
of
things
are
all
in
motion,
yet
the
sum
is
seen
to
rest
in
supreme
repose,
unless
when
a
thing
exhibits
motions
with
its
individual
body.
For
all
the
nature
of
first
things
lies
far
away
from
our
senses,
beneath
their
ken;
and,
therefore,
since
they
are
themselves
beyond
what
you
can
see,
they
must
withdraw
from
sight
their
motion
as
well;
and
the
more
so,
that
the
things
which
we
can
see
do
yet
often
conceal
their
motions
when
a
great
distance
off.
Thus,
often,
the
woolly
flocks
as
they
crop
the
glad
pastures
on
a
hill,
creep
on
whither
the
grass,
jewelled
with
fresh
dew,
summons
or
invites
each,
and
the
lambs,
fed
to
the
full,
gambol
and
playfully
butt;
all
which
objects
appear
to
us
from
a
distance
to
be
blended
together,
and
to
rest
like
a
white
spot
on
a
green
hill.
Again,
when
mighty
legions
fill
with
their
movements
all
parts
of
the
plains,
waging
the
mimicry
of
war,
the
glitter
lifts
itself
up
to
the
sky,
and
the
whole
earth
round
gleams
with
brass,
and
beneath
a
noise
is
raised
by
the
mighty
tramplings
of
men,
and
the
mountains,
stricken
by
the
shouting,
echo
the
voices
to
the
stars
of
heaven,
and
horsemen
fly
about,
and
suddenly
wheeling,
scour
across
the
middle
of
the
plains,
shaking
them
with
the
vehemence
of
their
charge.
And
yet
there
is
some
spot
on
the
high
hills,
seen
from
which
they
appear
to
stand
still
and
to
rest
on
the
plains
as
a
bright
spot."
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