PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 13 



ter, we cannot be at a lofs about what is 

 fiot matter. I take it for granted, that 

 we have no conception of matter but as 

 fubllance or body, endued with colour, 

 figure, extenfion, impenetrability, or o^ 

 ther properties of fuch a nature as to be 

 objeiSts of our external fenles. The di» 

 redl oppofite muft of courfe be an accu- 

 rate defcription of an immaterial fub- 

 llance, vizc that which has properties of 

 fuch a nature, as not to lie open to any 

 pf our external fenfes, more than colour 

 to one born without light. Thus it 

 comes out, that immateriality is merely 

 a negative term, comprehending every 

 thing that is not matter. And it is of 

 confequence to be obferved, that the di- 

 {lindlion betwixt material and immateri- 

 al, not being founded on the nature of 

 the things which are fo diftinguijhed, 

 but on the limited nature of our external 

 fenfes, has not the leaft tendency to ex- 

 plain the nature or properties of immate- 

 rial fubftances, further than barely, that 

 the properties of fuch fubftances are not 

 pbjeds of any external fenfe. 



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