14 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



From thefe premifes, the following rea- 

 foning will, it is hoped, be found entirely 

 conclufive. Size, figure, motion, weight, 

 &c. are qualities of matter which are per- 

 ceived by our external fenfes : But there is 

 none fo foolilh to maintain, that matter 

 can have no qualities but what are obje(5ls 

 of an external fenfe. It would be the 

 fame as to deny the exiftence of immate- 

 rial fubftances, becaufe thefe do not exhi- 

 bit themfelves to our fenfes. Power is a 

 property or quality, of which none of our 

 external fenfes afford us the perception ; 

 and therefore our want of perception of 

 power, does not more conclude a negation 

 of power to matter, than to fpirit. In ge- 

 neral, we have no means to come at the 

 knowledge of a caufe, but by the effed pro-? 

 duced. We cannot, a priori^ conclude, 

 that animate beings are endued with any 

 fort of po^^^^s, more than inanimate. Ex- 

 perience is here our only guide. We find 

 by experience man to be a reafoning be- 

 ing, endued with many powers and facul* 

 ties: And, by the fame experience, we 



find 



