C 167 ] 



We come next to enquire concerning nutritive 

 principles. And here we have a field to range in 

 as capacious at leafl as the earth we inhabit, to- 

 gether with its atmofphere; perhaps much more, 

 even not lefs than the folar fyftem, as that immenfe 

 body of fire, which is the centre thereof, gives life 

 and energy to the whole creation; and annually re- 

 vives, reanimates, and bellows as it were rejuvinef- 

 cency on the whole animal and vegetable world. 



But before we proceed on this enquiry, it 

 may be proper to make a few obfervations, the 

 truth of which is felf-evident, and confonant to the 

 common fenfe of mankind. By common fei^fe, 

 the writer does not mean common opinion-y for "no- 

 thing is more vague and liable to error than that ; 

 but thofe ideas which are the fame in all men, as 

 proceeding from identical or fimilar fenfations -and 

 perceptions involuntarily imprefled upom them. 

 This is the true and only defenfible meaning of the 

 term common fenfe, though it is frequently made 

 to ftand for, and exprefs, principles which are 

 fuppofe^ to be innate in the mind, but in fadt 

 have nothing common or identical in them, but are 

 as infinitely diverfified in different men as are 

 their features. 



There feems to be a natural relation, connexion, 

 and dependence, between the animal and vegeta- 

 ble 



