Archimedes Texts

244
Suction there must be some Endeavour
or motion in the sucking to attract the
sucked Body. But in our last Experi
ment it appeares not at all how the up
per part of the empty'd Cylinder that re
maines moveless all the while, or any
part of it, does at all endeavour to draw
to it the depressed Sucker and the an
nex'd weights. And yet those that be
hold the ascention of the Sucker, without
seriously considering the cause of it, doe
readily conclude it to be rays'd by some
thing that powerfully Sucks or attracts
it, though they see not what that may
be or where it lurks. So that it seemes
not absolutely necessary to Suction, that
there be in the Body, which is said to suck,
an endeavor or motion in order thereun
to, but rather that Suction may be at least
for the most part reduc'd to Pulsion, and
its effects ascrib'd to such a pressure of
the neighboring air upon those Bodies
(whther aërial, or of other Natures) that
are contiguous to the Body that is sayd to
attract them, as is stronger than that Sub
stance which possesses the cavity of that
sucking Body is able to resist. To ob
ject here, that it was some particles of
Air remaining in the empty'd Cylin-