PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 77 



all the world knows, that every effed muft 

 have a caufe. This was not advancing 

 a fingle ftep in knowledge, but amufmg 

 one's felf with words in place of things. 

 The powers I have attributed to matter , 

 refolve into general laws, each of them 

 produdive of a thoufand different effeds. 

 And we have no reafon to doubt that mere 

 matter may be endued with various pow- 

 ers, as well as animals are. When we 

 fay, that feeing, hearing, tailing, touch- 

 ing, fmelling, proceed from fo many dif- 

 ferent powers or fenfes, no perfon confi- 

 ders this as afcribing effe6ls to occult cau- 

 fes. Have we not the fame reafon to con- 

 clude, That there is a power in matter to 

 continue itfelf in motion ; another power, 

 to refift a change from reft to motion; and 

 a third power, to unite itfelf with every 

 other piece of matter ; when we perceive 

 effedls which as diredly refult from thefe 

 powers as feeing does from the fenfe of 

 feeing ? It may be true, for ought we 

 know, that there is fome more general 

 principle in matter that is the foundation 

 of all thefe powers. Eut Rill, it is gaining 



ground 



