: 
peel aaa 
Oe 
. 
~PHYSICAL ann LITERARY. 63 
tous to enforce their own arguments, than to 
give fair play to thofe advanced by their an- 
tagonifts. And, by profufion of writing, the 
_ point is rendered fo perplexed and intricate, 
that there appears not a better way to come at 
the truth, than neglecting the arguments on 
both fides, to apply direétly to facts for a fo- 
lution, as one would do upon a point newly 
ftarted. 
Cons1DERING the matter ab{tra@ly, I can- 
not find that there is any inconfiftency in the 
German hypothefis. As we may conceivethe 
vis infitato be exerted according toany affign- 
able law, fo we may conceive it to be exert- 
ed in any affignable degree. When we con- 
fider the vis infita as employed in preferving 
the fame degree of velocity, it follows necef- 
farily, that its force, which is the caufe, muft 
be meafured by the velocity, which is the 
effect. But when we confider another branch 
of its operations, viz. its zfs to overcome e- 
very obftruction to the equable motion, we 
have no other means to eftimate this zi/us, 
but its effects; for, however probable it may 
be, it does not neceffarily follow, that this 
nifus mutt alfo be meafured by the velocity. 
Facts and experiments, then, are the only 
means 
