The 3 Kinds of Terrestrial Particles

How the upper region of the Earth was first divided into 2 different bodies.

[4.032] The Earth is now approaching the vicinity of the Sun.

Its upper region consists of particles of the earth-aether not firmly connected but mingled with air-aether globules smaller than those found in the gravitational territory that it passes through or even in the one it will head into.

These smaller globules rush with force toward the earth-aether particles and impact them.

With the help of the force of gravity, they displace the denser ones below. This creates irregular and varied structures that bind more tightly among themselves than the upper ones. This interrupts the motion of air-aether globules.

This results in the upper region of the Earth, as shown here towards A, being divided into 2 vastly different bodies, as shown towards B and C: where B above is rare, fluid, and transparent, and C below is somewhat dense, hard, and opaque.

The 3 Kinds of Terrestrial Particles

[4.033] Body C was distinct from body B solely because its parts, pressed downward by celestial globules, adhered to each other, we understand that another body, such as D, must subsequently be generated between these two.

The shapes of the particles of the third element constituting bodies B and C are quite varied, as noted earlier, and these can be classified into three main types. Some are divided into various branches, extending here and there like the branches of trees, and these are primarily the ones expelled downward by celestial matter and adhere to each other, composing body C.

Others are more solid, having shapes not only of spheres or cubes but also angular fragments of any kind, and these, if they are larger, descend below others under the force of gravity; if they are smaller, they remain mixed with the larger ones and fill the gaps left by them. Finally, there are elongated ones, devoid of branches, like rods, and these also intersperse among the others, finding ample gaps between them, but do not easily connect with them.

[4.034] How the third body was formed between the two previous ones.

Given these considerations, it is reasonable to believe that when the ramified particles of body C began to interweave with each other, many elongated ones were also interspersed among them. Later, as these ramified particles became more and more tightly intertwined, they gradually ascended above them towards D, where they were collected, forming a body significantly different from both B and C. Similar to how we observe in marshy places, when treading on the ground, water is pressed out, which then covers the surface.

Moreover, it is also doubtful whether, in the meantime, several particles from body B have fallen, augmenting the mass of the two lower bodies C and D.

[4.035] Only particles of one type are contained in this body.

Although initially not only these elongated particles were interspersed but also others, such as solid fragments or pieces of solid stones, it should be noted that the more solid ones did not ascend as easily above the ramified ones as the elongated ones did. Or, if they ascended, they more easily descended below them afterward.

Elongated ones, given equal circumstances, have more surface area in relation to their mass, and therefore, as celestial matter flows through the body C, they are more easily expelled. After reaching D, they lie transversely on the surface of this body and do not easily encounter pathways through which they can return.

There are only 2 Kinds of these particles in this body.

[4.036] Thus, many elongated particles of the earth-aether were congregated toward D.

Although they were not perfectly equal or similar initially, they had this in common: they could not easily adhere to each other or to other particles of the third element. As a result, they were moved by the surrounding celestial matter.

Due to this property, they departed from body C and were collected in D. Since celestial matter flows continuously around them, causing them to move in various ways, migrating from one location to another, over time, they should have become smooth and cylindrical, nearly equal in size, reducing them to only two species.

Namely, those that were sufficiently slender to bend under the sole force acting on them, by the celestial matter, and revolved around others slightly thicker, which could not bend. These two species, namely the flexible and the inflexible, joined together more easily and persisted in their motion more readily than either the flexible alone or the inflexible alone could. Therefore, both remained in body D, and the ones that could initially bend around others gradually became more flexible over time, resembling eels or short ropes. On the other hand, those that never bent, if they had any flexibility before, gradually lost it and remained rigid like spears or arrows.

How the lower body C was divided into several others.

[4.037] Body D began to be distinguished from the 2 others, B and C, before these two were perfectly formed—before C became so hard that its particles could no longer connect tightly and be expelled from the motion of celestial matter and before the particles of body B were so ordered that easy and equal pathways were provided for the surrounding celestial matter on all sides.

Therefore, several particles of the third element must have been expelled from body B toward C later. These particles, if they were more solid than those composing body D, descending below them, joined body C, remaining either on its surface or penetrating below it.

Thus, this single body C was divided into several others, and perhaps some fluid escaped from it entirely, congregating particles in that region where their shapes hindered easy adherence to one another. However, not all details can be explained here.

Regarding the formation of another fourth body above the third.

[4.038] Where, moreover, particles less solid than those composing body D have fallen from B, they adhered to the surface of this body D.

Because most of them were ramified, gradually connecting with each other, they formed a hard body E, distinct from the two fluid bodies B and D.

Initially, body E was very thin, resembling a crust or shell covering the surface of body D. However, with time, it thickened, new particles from body B joining it, and also from D, as those similar to the others in body D were expelled, as I will explain shortly.

And because these particles were arranged differently, in those parts of the Earth where it was day or summer, due to various actions of light and heat, what was added to this body in one day or one summer was somehow distinguished from what was added to it on the next day or next summer. Thus, it was molded from various layers or shells superimposed on each other.

Regarding the growth of this fourth body and the purification of the third.

[4.039] It did not take long for the upper region A of the Earth to be distinguished into two bodies B and C, or for many elongated particles to gather towards D, or even for the first inner crust of body E to be formed.

But only after a period of several years could the particles of body D be reduced to the two species described earlier and all the crusts of body E be formed.

At first, there was no reason why the particles converging toward D should not have been somewhat thicker and longer than others, nor why they should have been perfectly smooth and cylindrical, but they could have had some roughness, although not enough to hinder their easy connection with the ramified ones.

They could also be flat or angular along their length, thicker at one end than the other. However, since they did not adhere to each other and thus were continually moved by the celestial matter, many gradually became smooth and cylindrical through mutual friction.

As they moved into different locations, others took their places, and these places could not accommodate larger ones, nor could they be completely filled by smaller ones. However, many, unable to be reduced to the common norm of others, were gradually ejected from body D through the motion of celestial globules. Some of these joined body C, but the majority ascended towards E and B, contributing to the material and reinforcing body E.