52 ESSAYSanp OBSERVATIONS 
particle of matter, may be greater than any 
aflignable quantity. But nature is wonder- 
ful, as well as various, in her operations ; and 
we ought to fubdue our incredulity, when, 
upon fearching into her works, we find fo 
many appearances different from what we 
are accu{tomed to in common life. 
Havine thus eftablithed, that there is a 
power inherent in matter, by which every 
particle tends to be united to every other par- 
ticle, and which power is in continual action 
without ever being fufpended but for a mo- 
ment; thecurvilinear motion of the heaven- 
ly bodies, as well as the defcent of bodies 
towards the center of the earth, are obvi- 
oufly the effects of this power. With regard 
to any particular planet, the earth for ex- 
ample, we have only to fuppofe, that it is 
once fet in motion by the hand of the Al- 
mighty ; it will endeavour to preferve itfelf in 
the fame degree of motion by the vis infra. 
Having likewife a tendency to the fun, thefe 
two powers conftantly acting in different di- 
rections, carry it round the fun. At the fame 
time, the proportion of thefe two forces is 
fo adjufted, that the earth, as well as all the 
other 
