12 ESSAYS anp OBSERVATIONS 
‘other properties of fuch a nature as to be ob- 
jects of our external fenfes. The direct op- 
pofite, muft of courfe be an accurate defcri- 
ption of an immaterial fubftance, vz. that 
which has properties of facha nature, as not 
to lie open to any of our external fenfes, 
more than colour to one born without fight. 
Thus it comes out, that imm teriality is 
merely a negative term, comprehending eve- 
ry thing thatisnot matter. And it is of con- 
fequence to be obferved, that the diftinétion 
betwixt material and immaterial, not being 
founded on the nature of the things which 
are fo diftinguifhed, but on the limited na- 
ture of our external fenfes, has not the leaft 
tendency to explain the nature or properties 
of immaterial fubftances, further than bare- 
ly, that thefe properties are of fuch a kind, 
as not to be the objects of any external fenfe. 
From thefe premifes, the following rea- 
foning will, it is hoped, be found entirely 
conclufive. Size, figure, motion, weight, 
€Fe, are qualities of matter which are percei- 
ved by our external fenfes: but there is none 
fo foolifh to maintain, that matter can have | 
no qualities but what are objects of an external 
fenfe. It would be the fame as to deny the 
exiftence 
