Full Idea
What is that texture of parts, that real essence, that makes lead, and antinomy fusible; wood and stone not?
Gist of Idea
What is the texture - the real essence - which makes substances behave in distinct ways?
Source
John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 3.06.09)
Book Reference
Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.444
A Reaction
This quotation gives better support to Alexander's claim in Idea 15973. Locke actually says plainly that the texture (i.e. powerful combination of fine-grained corpuscles) is the essence of these substances (with, presumably, intrinsic powers).
Related Ideas
Idea 15971 Secondary qualities are powers of complex primary qualities to produce sensations in us [Locke]
Idea 15973 In my view Locke's 'textures' are groups of corpuscles which are powers (rather than 'having' powers) [Locke, by Alexander,P]
Idea 15974 The essence of whiteness in a man is nothing but the power to produce the idea of whiteness [Locke]