124 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



though not eflendally belonging to it, 

 (fuch as gravity, attradions and repul- 

 fions of various kinds, &c.), and refer 

 them all to an intelligent caufe, if there 

 be herein difcovered the fame fignatures 

 of thought and defign ? 



This leads us to another fource of ob- 

 jections againft the inactivity of matter. 

 As the very refiftance which matter makes 

 to an external force, and its prefervalion 

 of the motion received, have*been taken 

 for fymptoms of adlivity, we need won- 

 der the lefs to find an adlivity fufpedled in 

 niatter from its gravitation, and thofe o- 

 ther inftances where motion begins in bo- 

 dies, without any vilible caufe. 



Ixniay be objeded, *' That a flone falls 

 " to the ground without any external im- 



V pulfe, fo far as we can difcover ; and 



V therefore dead matter begins motion of 

 " itfelf." Such manner of reafoning 

 would make ihort work of natural philo- 

 sophy. Becaufe there are a variety of md» 

 tions, changes, and transformations, pro- 

 duced every day amongft inanimate bo' 

 dies J Is it ftraight way to be concluded, 



that 



