origin. And thus he farther proceeds, For what other reason is
there of an Infinite but this, that there may be nothing deficient
as to the generation or subsistence of what is in Nature? There is
his error, that he doth not acquaint us what this Infinite is,
whether it be air, or water, or earth, or any other such like body.
Besides he is mistaken, in that, giving us the material cause, he
is silent as to the efficient cause of beings; for this thing
which he makes his Infinite can be nothing but matter;
but operation cannot come about in the sphere of matter, except an
efficient cause be annexed.

Anaximenes his fellow-citizen pronounceth, that air is the
principle of all beings; from it all receive their original, and
into it all return. He affirms that our soul is nothing but air;
it is that which constitutes and preserves; the whole world is
invested with spirit and air. For spirit and air are synonymous.
This person is in this deficient, in that he concludes that of pure
air, which is a simple body and is made of one only form, all
animals are composed. It is not possible to think that a single
principle should be the matter of all things, from whence they
receive their subsistence; besides this there must be an operating
cause. Silver (for example) is not of itself sufficient to frame a
drinking cup; an operator also is required, which is the
silversmith. The like may be applied to vessels made of wood,
brass, or any other material.

Anaxagoras the Clazomenian asserted Homoeomeries (or parts similar
or homogeneous) to be the original cause of all beings; it seemed
to him impossible that anything could arise of nothing or be
dissolved into nothing. Let us therefore instance in nourishment,