PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 7 



Whether matter in any cafe be endu- 

 ed with a power of motion, is a celebrated 

 queftion, which is generally refolved in the 

 negative : And, as this queftion cannot be 

 overlooked in the prefent fpeculation, I 

 Ihall endeavour to examine it with all the 

 accuracy poffible. 



Matter is generally reprefented as al- 

 together unadive and inert ; and indeed, 

 in a fuperficial view, the fad: appears to be 

 fo. The bulk of the things about us feeni 

 to be at reft, and we lay our account that: 

 they will continue in that ftate, unlefs 

 aded upon by fome external force. If we 

 lock up any moveable objed, we truft to 

 find it in the fame place ; and, if it be 

 miffing, we afcribe our lofs to thieves, not 

 to felf-motion in the body. Matter, fo far 

 as we can difcover, is certainly not endued 

 with thought or voluntary motion ; and 

 yet, that it is endued with a power of 

 motion in certain circumftances, appears 

 to me an extreme clear point. Dropping a 

 ftone from a high tower, it falls to the 

 ground without any external impulfe. Here 



is 



