PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 9 



giniiing vifible motion is no more con- 

 neded with a power of thinking, than it 

 is with any other property of matter or 

 fpirit. Nay, Mr Locke holds, that mat- 

 ter may be endued with a power of think- 

 ing ; and, fuppoling this power fuperad- 

 dcd to the other properties of matter, it 

 cannot be maintained, that matter would 

 be rendered thereby more or lefs capa- 

 ble of beginning or continuing vifible 

 motion. 



But this is ilot the only inftance in 

 •^hich we difcover an agency or active 

 power in matter. A billiard ball driven 

 againft an obftacle, rebounds with force. 

 A bow bent by the hand, reftores itfelf 

 with violence when the ftring is let go. 

 In both, there is an inftant of reft be- 

 twixt the oppofite diredions of the mo- 

 tion. The ball rebounds, and the bow 

 reftores itfelf to its former ftiape, with- 

 out any external force, by an inherent 

 power which is known by the name of 

 elafticity. But we need not dwell upon 

 particular inftances. Chemiftry difco- 

 vers in matter variaus powers of the moft 

 Vol. I. B active 



