BOOK I PART II
I may subjoin another argument proposed
by a noted author (Mons. Malezieu), which
seems to me very strong and beautiful. It is
evident, that existence in itself belongs only to
unity, and is never applicable to number, but
on account of the unites, of which the num-
ber is composed. Twenty men may be said to
exist; but it is only because one, two, three,
four, &c. are existent, and if you deny the ex-
istence of the latter, that of the former falls of
course. It is therefore utterly absurd to sup-
pose any number to exist, and yet deny the ex-
istence of unites; and as extension is always a
ofaliquotparts, and that an infinite number of propor-
tional parts does not form an infinite extension. But this
distinction is entirely frivolous. Whether these parts be
calledaliquotorproportional, they cannot be inferior to
those minute parts we conceive; and therefore cannot
form a less extension by their conjunction.