The1 pointed atoms all to fire do2 turn,
And being sharp, do pierce, which we call burn.3
But by their dryness they become so light4
As they do get above the rest in flight,5
Where6 by consent a wheel of fire they make,7 5
Which being spherical, doth round motion take.8
This motion makes round9 atoms turn about,
Which atoms round are water, without doubt,
And10 makes the sea go round, like11 watermill,
For as the sun, so water turns round12 still. 10
1
Some atoms sharp thrust from the Earth some round,
And then a pearlèd dew lies on the ground.
But if on their sharp points they bear them2 high,
They,3 being raised, a mist make in the sky.4
On the circumference of the5 Earth there lies 5
The loosest atoms, which are6 apt to rise;
Though not so high as them the sun may burn,7
For being dull, they back to Earth return.
As water, which is shoved with force of strength
Is not so apt to move, as run at length. 10
The2 atoms round,3 ’tis not their numbers4 great
That put out fire,5 quenching both light and heat.
But being wet, they loosen and unbind
Those sharp dry atoms, which together joined.
For when they are dispersed, their power is6 small, 5
Nor give they light nor heat if single all.
Besides, those7 atoms sharp will smothered be,
Having no vent, nor yet vacuity.
For if that fire8 in a place lies9 close,
Having no vent, but stopped, straight out it10 goes. 10
There is no better argument to prove
A vacuum, than to see how fire doth move:11
For if fire should not have the12 liberty
To run about, how quickly would it die?
’Tis not that atoms sharp have alterèd2
Their form when fire’s put out, but motion’s fled.3
Which being4 gone,5 sharp atoms cannot prick,
Having no force in any thing to stick.
For as the sun, if6 motion moved it not, 5
Would7 neither shine, nor be to us so hot,
Just so, when creatures die, their form’s not gone,8
But motion, which gave life, away is flown.910
For animal spirits, which we life do call,
Are only of the sharpest atoms small. 10
Thus life is atoms sharp, which we call fire;
When those are stopped or quenched,11 life doth expire.
The cause a coal doth2 set a house on fire
Is atoms sharp are in that coal entire.
Being strong armed with points, do quite pierce through3
Those flat dull atoms, and4 their forms5 undo.
And atoms sharp, whose form is made for flight, 5
If loose, do run to help the rest in fight,
For like as6 soldiers which are of one side,
When they see7 friends engaged, to rescue ride.8
But atoms flat, where motion is but slow,
They cannot fight, but straight to ashes go. 10
Fire being kindled first appears1 but small,
But growing strong, it wastes and burns up2 all.
Just like a crow, that on a dead horse lights:
When other crows perceive it3 in their flights,
They straight invite themselves unto that feast, 5
And thus4 from one, to numbers are increased.
So atoms sharp which singly fly about
Join with the rest to eat the fuel out.
And as the fuel doth increase, so5 they,
And as it wastes, so they do6 fly away.7 10