Place and adjacent matter

Meaning

I.4.7 makes place and surrounding matter relevant to the diversity of forms and colours. A universal power does not produce the same visible result everywhere: mineral formation within the earth and vegetable growth at its surface depend on different settings and recipients. Solar animation remains necessary, so location alone does not replace the active cause.

The phrase adjacent matter names what neighbours or surrounds the developing subject. It should not be treated as an independently prescribed ingredient. Its significance is causal and comparative: the same general agency is manifested differently according to its bodily situation. This helps explain how the author can argue for a universal spirit while retaining the particularity of species and sites of generation.