  In this regard, Gassendi was able to take a step beyond Galileo's conclusions, drawing from this test a generalized principle of inertia (the Galilean version of inertia was fundamentally circular, given that bodies in motion would trace the earth's curve). Gassendi saw that the motion of the dropped stone at a sustained speed—in the absence of any contrary force or obstacle—is an instance of inertial motion, albeit one where the motion is compositional (describing the parabola). Indeed, neither compositionality nor directionality had any impact on inertial motion, Gassendi concluded: any body set in motion in any direction continues, unless impeded, in rectilinear path.