was yet a fifth combination which God used in the delineation of
the universe.
Now, he who, duly reflecting on all this, enquires whether the
worlds are to be regarded as indefinite or definite in number,
will be of opinion that the notion of their indefiniteness is
characteristic of a sadly indefinite and ignorant mind. He,
however, who raises the question whether they are to be truly
regarded as one or five, takes up a more reasonable position.
Arguing from probabilities, I am of opinion that they are one;
another, regarding the question from another point of view, will
be of another mind. But, leaving this enquiry, let us proceed to
distribute the elementary forms, which have now been created in
idea, among the four elements.
To earth, then, let us assign the cubical form; for earth is the
most immoveable of the four and the most plastic of all bodies,
and that which has the most stable bases must of necessity be of
such a nature. Now, of the triangles which we assumed at first,
that which has two equal sides is by nature more firmly based
than that which has unequal sides; and of the compound figures
which are formed out of either, the plane equilateral quadrangle
has necessarily a more stable basis than the equilateral
triangle, both in the whole and in the parts. Wherefore, in
assigning this figure to earth, we adhere to probability; and to
water we assign that one of the remaining forms which is the
least moveable; and the most moveable of them to fire; and to air
that which is intermediate. Also we assign the smallest body to
fire, and the greatest to water, and the intermediate in size to
air; and, again, the acutest body to fire, and the next in
acuteness to air, and the third to water. Of all these elements,
that which has the fewest bases must necessarily be the most
moveable, for it must be the acutest and most penetrating in
every way, and also the lightest as being composed of the
smallest number of similar particles: and the second body has
similar properties in a second degree, and the third body in the
third degree. Let it be agreed, then, both according to strict
reason and according to probability, that the pyramid is the
solid which is the original element and seed of fire; and let us
assign the element which was next in the order of generation to
air, and the third to water. We must imagine all these to be so
small that no single particle of any of the four kinds is seen by
us on account of their smallness: but when many of them are
collected together their aggregates are seen. And the ratios of
their numbers, motions, and other properties, everywhere God, as
far as necessity allowed or gave consent, has exactly perfected,
and harmonized in due proportion.