The second mode then of explaining transparency, and one which appears
more probably true, is by saying that the waves of light are carried
on in the ethereal matter, which continuously occupies the interstices
or pores of transparent bodies. For since it passes through them
continuously and freely, it follows that they are always full of it.
And one may even show that these interstices occupy much more space
than the coherent particles which constitute the bodies. For if what
we have just said is true: that force is required to impress a certain
horizontal velocity on bodies in proportion as they contain coherent
matter; and if the proportion of this force follows the law of
weights, as is confirmed by experiment, then the quantity of the
constituent matter of bodies also follows the proportion of their
weights. Now we see that water weighs only one fourteenth part as much
as an equal portion of quicksilver: therefore the matter of the water
does not occupy the fourteenth part of the space which its mass
obtains. It must even occupy much less of it, since quicksilver is
less heavy than gold, and the matter of gold is by no means dense, as
follows from the fact that the matter of the vortices of the magnet
and of that which is the cause of gravity pass very freely through it.

But it may be objected here that if water is a body of so great
rarity, and if its particles occupy so small a portion of the space of
its apparent bulk, it is very strange how it yet resists Compression
so strongly without permitting itself to be condensed by any force
which one has hitherto essayed to employ, preserving even its entire
liquidity while subjected to this pressure.

This is no small difficulty. It may, however, be resolved by saying
that the very violent and rapid motion of the subtle matter which
renders water liquid, by agitating the particles of which it is