106 ESSAYS ann OBSERVATIONS 
be fully reprefented, the public judgment 
need not be declined. Whatever obfcurity 
the learned may find in this fubje&t of the 
communication of motion, a vulgar obferver 
will be very little perplexed about the matter. 
When a ftone is thrown out of the hand, and 
continues to move when left to itfelf; there 
is no fear, but ‘ every perfon, who has not 
“ ftudied philofophy,” will rather attribute 
this to a force fome how impreffed upon the 
(tone, than to any ation or operation of 
the lifelefs ftone. It will never enter into 
his head, that the ftone flies away with 
wings of its own. Such a perfon, judging 
from firft appearances that all motion lan- 
guifhes and decays, may, likely enough, be 
‘inclined to think that body rather affects a 
ftate of reft than a ftate of motion; and that 
the impreffed force would not remain for e- 
ver: but he will never entertain the fmalleft 
doubt, but, that as long as the motion con- 
tinues, it is only an effect of the firft impulfe. 
And, having once granted that motion can 
continue one moment as an effect after the 
action of the moving power is over, the fame . 
reafon muft remain for its continuance the 
next moment of time, and fo on for ever. 
When 
