The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
Ninthly, in art. 19 of the same chapter, I have shown, that _whatsoever
is at rest will always be at rest, unless there be some other body
besides it, which by getting into its place suffers it no longer to
remain at rest_. And that _whatsoever is moved, will always be moved,
unless there be some other body besides it, which hinders its motion_.
Tenthly, in chap. IX. art. 7, I have demonstrated, that _when any body
is moved which was formerly at rest, the immediate efficient cause of
that motion is in some other moved and contiguous body_.
Eleventhly, I have shown in the same place, that _whatsoever is moved,
will always be moved in the same way, and with the same swiftness, if it
be not hindered by some other moved and contiguous body_.
[Sidenote: Other principles
added to them.]
2. To which principles I shall here add those that follow. First, I
define ENDEAVOUR _to be motion made in less space and time than can be
given_; that is, _less than can be determined or assigned by exposition
or number_; that is, _motion made through the length of a point, and in
an instant or point of time_. For the explaining of which definition it
must be remembered, that by a point is not to be understood that which
has no quantity, or which cannot by any means be divided; for there is
no such thing in nature; but that, whose quantity is not at all
considered, that is, whereof neither quantity nor any part is computed
in demonstration; so that a point is not to be taken for an indivisible,
but for an undivided thing; as also an instant is to be taken for an
undivided, and not for an indivisible time.
In like manner, endeavour is to be conceived as motion; but so as that
neither the quantity of the time in which, nor of the line in which it
is made, may in demonstration be at all brought into comparison with the
quantity of that time, or of that line of which it is a part. And yet,
as a point may be compared with a point, so one endeavour may be
compared with another endeavour, and one may be found to be greater or
less than another. For if the vertical points of two angles be compared,
they will be equal or unequal in the same proportion which the angles
themselves have to one another. Or if a strait line cut many
circumferences of concentric circles, the inequality of the points of
intersection will be in the same proportion which the perimeters have to
one another. And in the same manner, if two motions begin and end both
together, their endeavours will be equal or unequal, according to the
proportion of their velocities; as we see a bullet of lead descend with
greater endeavour than a ball of wool.