184、关于层级的知识就像一把揭开事物原因并进入其中的钥匙。没有这种知识，几乎无从知道原因。因为没有它，这两个世界的物体和主体似乎一模一样，好像除了眼见之物外，它们里面什么东西也没有。然而，藏在里面的事物相比眼见之物，如同一比数千，甚至一比上万。若不通过层级的知识，未显现的内层决无可能被发现。因为外层事物向内层事物发展，再通过内层事物向至内层事物发展，是通过层级；不是通过连续层级，而是通过离散层级。
“连续层级”这个术语适用于从粗到细、从密到稀，或从细到粗、从稀到密逐渐减少或增加的过程；就像从光到暗、从热到冷的逐渐变化。而“离散层级”则完全不同：它们就像在先元素、随后元素和最终元素，或像目的、原因和结果。我们之所以称之为离散层级，是因为在先元素独自存在，随后元素也独自存在，最终元素同样独自存在；然而，它们又合起来形成一个单一实体。
从最高到最低，即从太阳到大地，被称为以太和空气的大气就分成这种层级。它们好比简单物，简单物的聚集物，这些聚集物的再聚集物，这些事物合起来被称为一个复合物。这些层级是离散或分离的，因为它们各自独立存在；这些层级就是我们所说的“高度层级”。而其它那些层级是连续的，因为它们连续增长；这些层级就是我们所说的“广度层级”。
184. There are two kinds of levels, vertical levels and horizontal levels. Knowing about levels is a kind of key to unlocking the causes of things and probing into them. In the absence of this knowledge, hardly anything can be known about causes. In the absence of this knowledge, the objects and subjects of both worlds look so simple that there seems to be nothing within them beyond what meets the eye. Actually, though, in comparison to what lies hidden within, this surface is like one feature compared to a thousand or ten thousand.
There is no way to uncover these deeper, invisible features without a knowledge of levels. We move from outer to inner and then to inmost by levels, and not by gradual levels but by distinct ones. "Gradual levels" is the name we give to declines or decreases from coarser to finer or denser to rarer, or better, to gains or increases from finer to coarser or from rarer to denser. They are just like going from light to darkness or from warmth to cold.
In contrast, distinct levels are totally different. They are like antecedent, subsequent, and final events, or like the purpose, the means, and the result. We refer to them as "distinct" because the antecedent event exists in its own right, the subsequent event in its own right, and the final event in its own right; and yet taken together they constitute a single whole.
Our atmospheres from top to bottom, from sun to earth, the atmospheres called ethers and airs, are marked off in levels of this kind. They are like the elements, compounds, and compounds of compounds that, taken all together, constitute a complex entity. These levels are distinct because they arise separately. They are what we mean by "vertical levels." The other levels, though, are gradual because they increase evenly. These are what we mean by "horizontal levels."
184. Degrees are of two kinds - degrees of height and degrees of breadth. A knowledge of degrees is, so to speak, the key to laying open the causes of things and entering into them. Without that knowledge, scarcely anything of causation can be known; for without it the objects and subjects of both worlds appear so of a piece as to have nothing in them beyond whatever is visible to the eye. And yet relatively to the elements which lie within, what is visible to the eye is as one compared to several thousands, indeed to tens of thousands.
The interior elements which are not apparent can by no means be revealed unless one knows degrees. For outward elements give way to interior ones and through these to inmost ones through degrees - not through continuous degrees, but through discrete degrees.
[2] Continuous degrees is the term we use for diminutions or decreases in a progression from coarser to finer, or from denser to rarer; or rather they are as the increments or increases in a progression from finer to coarser, or from rarer to denser, precisely as is the case in the progression of light to dark or of heat to cold.
Discrete degrees, on the other hand, are completely different. They are like prior, subsequent and last elements, or like end, cause and effect. We call these discrete degrees, because the prior element exists in itself, the subsequent element in itself, and the last element in itself, but yet taken together they form a single entity.
[3] The atmospheres from the highest to the lowest or from the sun to the earth, called ethers and airs, are distinguished into degrees of this kind. They are also comparable to simple substances, aggregates of these, and still further aggregates of these again, which taken together are called a composite.
These latter degrees are discrete, because they are distinctly constituted, and they are what we mean by degrees of height. Those other degrees, however, are continuous, because they grow by continuous increments, and they are what we mean by degrees of breadth.
184. DEGREES ARE OF A TWOFOLD KIND, DEGREES OF HEIGHT AND DEGREES OF BREADTH
A knowledge of degrees is like a key for opening the causes of things, and for entering into them. Without that knowledge, scarcely anything of cause can be known. For without it, the objects and subjects of both worlds appear so simple as though there were nothing in them beyond that which meets the eye, when yet the things that appear are as one to thousands, indeed, to myriads, compared with the things which lie hidden within. The interiors which do not lie open can by no means be disclosed except by a knowledge of degrees. For exterior things go on to interior things, and through these to inmost things by means of degrees, not by continuous degrees but by discrete degrees. Continuous degrees are defined as lessenings or decreasings from grosser to finer, or from denser to rarer; or rather as growths and increasings from finer to grosser, or from rarer to denser, exactly like gradations of light to shade, or of heat to cold. Discrete degrees, however, are quite different. They are like things prior, posterior and final, and like end, cause and effect. These degrees are called discrete, because the prior is by itself, the posterior by itself and the final by itself, but yet taken together they make one. The atmospheres from highest to lowest, or from the sun to the earth and which are called ethers and airs, are separated into such degrees. They are like simple things, collections of those, and again collections of these which taken together are called a composite. These degrees are discrete because they exist distinctly and these are understood as degrees of height, whereas the former degrees are continuous because they increase continuously, and these are understood as degrees of breadth.
184. DEGREES ARE OF A TWOFOLD KIND, DEGREES OF HEIGHT AND DEGREES OF BREADTH.
A knowledge of degrees is like a key to lay open the causes of things, and to give entrance into them. Without this knowledge, scarcely anything of cause can be known; for without it, the objects and subjects of both worlds seem to have but a single meaning, as if there were nothing in them beyond that which meets the eye; when yet compared to the things which lie hidden within, what is thus seen is as one to thousands, yea, to tens of thousands. The interiors which are not open to view can in no way be discovered except through a knowledge of degrees. For things exterior advance to things interior and through these to things inmost, by means of degrees; not by continuous degrees but by discrete degrees. "Continuous degrees" is a term applied to the gradual lessenings or decreasings from grosser to finer, or from denser to rarer; or rather, to growths and increasings from finer to grosser, or from rarer to denser; precisely like the gradations of light to shade, or of heat to cold. But discrete degrees are entirely different: they are like things prior, subsequent and final; or like end, cause, and effect. These degrees are called discrete, because the prior is by itself; the subsequent by itself; and the final by itself; and yet taken together they make one. There are atmospheres, from highest to lowest, that is, from the sun to the earth, called ethers and airs that are separated into such degrees; they are like simples, collections of simples, and again collections of these, which taken together are called a composite. Such degrees are discrete [or separate], because each has a distinct existence, and these degrees are what are meant by "degrees of height;" but the former degrees are continuous, because they increase continuously and these degrees are what are meant by "degrees of breadth."
184. QUOD GRADUS DUPLICIS GENERIS SINT, GRADUS ALTITUDINIS ET GRADUS LATITUDINIS. Scientia graduum est sicut clavis ad aperiendum causas rerum, et ad intrandum in illas; absque illa scientia vix aliquid causae potest sciri, objecta enim et subjecta utriusque Mundi absque illa apparent ita univoca, sicut nihil illis inesset praeter tale quod oculo conspicitur; cum tamen id respective ad illa quae interius latent, est sicut unum ad millia, imo ad myriades. Interiora quae non patent, neutiquam retegi possunt, nisi sciantur gradus; vadunt enim exteriora ad interiora, et per haec ad intima, per gradus, non per gradus continuos, sed per gradus discretos.
[2] Gradus continui vocantur decrementa aut decrescentiae a crassiori ad tenuius, seu a densiori ad rarius, vel potius [sunt] sicut incrementa et increscentiae a tenuiori ad crassius, seu a rariori ad densius, prorsus sicut est lucis ad umbram, aut caloris ad frigus. 1 At Gradus discreti sunt prorsus alii; sunt sicut priora, posteriora et postrema, ac sicut finis, causa et effectus; hi gradus discreti dicuntur, quia prius per se est, posterius per se, et postremum per se, sed usque simul sumti unum faciunt.
[3] Sunt Athmosphaerae a summo ad imum, seu a Sole ad tellurem, quae vocantur aetheres et aeres, discreti in tales gradus; et sunt sicut simplicia, congregata ex illis, ac iterum ex his congregata, quae simul sumta vocantur compositum: hi Gradus sunt discreti, quia distincte existunt, ac intelliguntur per Gradus altitudinis; illi autem Gradus sunt continui, quia continue increscunt, ac intelliguntur per Gradus latitudinis.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: frigus (absque interpuncto)