The Philosophy of Roger Bacon

It can be saved, and saved in another way, regarding the preservation original: "saluationem" of things. Others perish because all bodies touching each other in the air or water maintain an adherence in the medium—namely, in the air—because they have moisture on their surfaces. And that water or air, during the elevation [of a body], follows the surface of the raised board. If the intervening matter cannot be thinned rarefied: made less dense to fill a larger space, or if the water or air adhering to the surfaces of the bodies cannot follow, then the board cannot be lifted as much as they wish. Let us suppose it were lifted to the clouds; it is asked why it cannot be,

because the air in the middle cannot be rarefied to such an extent. But if we speak of the air that was immediately touching and lifting, both air and water from the first? taught [surface] of the earth, then the middle body would be dilated. Because motion is the medium, as is that; neither would the air be so rarefied, nor would the water follow. The reason is: the air would not have ascended. Thus it is estimated that a body placed in air or water, such as stone or? wood, cannot be lifted away from each other unless? it is done gradually so that another body may enter—namely, the separation of them from each other. For they will be separated from one part before another, and thus a body can enter gradually. This, however, is easier? in water than in air. Since, however, it is not the same for the bodies of the world above which are touching, let us suppose they are divided, even though one cannot be lifted from the other. It is not because water lifted from the earth allows air to enter from the side, or air lifted allows the entrance of water. And when such an entrance occurs, it happens with a board so that the elevation is not equal in every part. When, however, there is no third body entering, they cannot be lifted because nature desires the continuity of natural bodies original: "natura vult continuationem corporum", otherwise there would be a gap between them?, which are "friends" A metaphorical way of saying elements naturally cling together to prevent a void, by which a vacuum is denied. If, however, by the mere smoothness of a straight and round body, I understand them to be joined in the middle, and we imagine a single line going through the middle of both: since two points could not be marked on that line in which the surfaces of the said bodies would intersect that line. Because then between those points there would be a distance, and thus it is not continuous. Therefore, the surfaces of those bodies must intersect that line at the same point because they will be continuous; for if they were one?: it would be destroyed.