24 ESSAYS Ai^D OBSERVATIONS^ 



ly adlion, which every mail may readily 

 perceive in himfelf, when an impulfe is 

 fiiade upon him : And, were matter ab- 

 rolutely paffive and inert, it would make 

 liro refiftance, bitC be carried on by every 

 impulfe, without diminifhing the force 

 df the impelling body. 



With regard to the third propofition, 

 we cannot be at any lofs to affign a caufe 

 for the continuance of that quantity of 

 motion which is once given to a body*, 

 if the intervention of fpirit be reje(5led, as 

 above, there is but another hypothefis to 

 recur to, which is, That inanimate mat- 

 ter is endued with a power to preferve it- 

 felf in motion, as well as animated mat- 

 ter is, without any other difference, but 

 that the former, having no will or feeling, 

 adls blindly and invariably by an efla- 

 bliflied law. It has no fpontaneous mo- 

 tion, becawfe it has no will. Neither has 

 it in every circumftance a power of begin- 

 ning motion ; but, when once fet in mo- 

 tion, it has a power given it by the Au' 

 thor of nature to continue itfelf in motion. 

 And this is a law which regards all mat- 

 ter without exception. 



And 



