PHYSICAL AND LITERARY, 119 



be moved by a power of its ovfa ; and 

 jQiall we deny, that morion is communi-* 

 cated by one body to another, merely be-* 

 caufc we do not underftand the precife 

 manner in which motion is cither convey-* 

 cd or preferved ^ Why do we not, for the 

 fame reafon, deny, that motion is begun 

 at the command of any animated being I 

 Or do we better conceive how any being 

 or body moves itfelf, than how it move* 

 another ? 



An appeal has been oiFered to the com- 

 mon fenfe of mankind, as ready to declare 

 in favour of the activity of matter. If 

 the fads be fully rcprefented, the public 

 judgment need not be declined. What?- 

 e^er obfcurity the learned may &x4 ia 

 this fubje(5l o£ the communication of mo>- 

 tion, a vulgar obferver will be very little 

 perplexed about the matter. When a ftonfe 

 is thrown out of the hand, and continues 

 to move when left to itfelf j there is no 

 fear, but " every perfon, who has not ftu- 

 " died philofophy," will rather attribute 

 this to a force fome how imprefled upon 

 the {tone, than to any adion or operation 



of 



