130 ESSAYS anv OBSERVATIONS 
fluid, muft itfelf either proceed from fome 
higher mechanical caufe, or flow immediate- 
ly from fome vital intelligent principle, which — 
muft be immechanical. The mutual repul- 
fions betwixt one particle and another of the 
fluid, and betwixt the fluid and the bodies 
fwimming init, difcover as much variety and 
regularity, as were before obferved in the 
phaenomena of gravity; and mutt confequently 
be regarded as the continual effects of thought 
and defign. 
Ir feems to have been far from Sir J/aac’s 
intention, to afcribe activity to matter in any 
fhape ; tho’ his meaning has been fometimes 
miftaken*. To do fo, would be a manifeft 
’ contradiction to the primary laws of motion, 
delivered by himfelf in the beginning of his, 
Principia. 
ACCORDING to Spinoza, one piece of mat- 
ter is moved by another, and that by a third; 
and thus there is a progreffion of caufes and 
effeAs, 2 infinitum, all aGting blindly, with- 
out intelligence and defign. Not to repeat 
here, the metaphyfical argument againft the 
poffibility of an endlefs feries of dependent 
caufes 
* Philofophical Effays. p. 119. 
