PHYSICAL AND LITERARY, ri 



ther incapable of a(5live powers ; that 

 adlivity is confined to immaterial fub- 

 ftances, and that inertnefs is implied in 

 the very conception of matter. This 

 makes them afcribe to fome invifible a- 

 gency, all that ad:ivity which we dilcover 

 in matter. In every one of the above in- 

 flances, matter, they fay, does not a€l, 

 but is aded upon by the Deity, who in- 

 terpofes by general laws to preferve the 

 uniformity of nature. Thus, when a 

 ftone falls, it is not the ftone which ads, 

 but the Deity. It is the continual adlion 

 of the Deity which keeps the planets in 

 elliptical orbits : And; when a plague in- 

 fefts the world, it is the Deity who 

 fpreads the infedtion, and direds inert 

 matter to ravage and deflroy. Arfenic 

 is not of itfelf a poifon j it is the imme- 

 diate finger of God which makes it fo. 



With regard to this whimfical doc- 

 trine, which declares war againft our fen- 

 fes, it may be obferved, that natural phi- 

 lofopy is not much affedled by it, of 

 whatever errors it may be produdive in 

 the more abftr^d fciences. For it is ad- 



mittedi 



