140 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



ing ; there can be no relation between 

 them, 



This fort of reafoning defer ves at 

 leaft fome dire(5l anfwer, and is not to be 

 overthrown by any criticifm on the mean- 

 ing of the word immateriality. This, as 

 is learnedly obferyed, moft certainly 

 *' comes out to be merely a negative term, 

 ** comprehending every thing that is not 

 *' matter." And it is not to be doubted, 

 that if other terms, fuch as immortality 

 and infnity^ were but e^jamined with the 

 fame " fufficient accuracy," the one might 

 come out to be merely a negative term, 

 comprehending every thing that is not 

 mortal, and the other a negative term com- 

 prehending every thing that is not finite. 

 Such premiffes as thefe are undeniably 

 true; the only difficulty lies in difcern- 

 ing the ufe and importance of them. But, 

 if the reafoning fubjoined to thefe premifr 

 fes *' be found entirely conclufive," th? 

 confequence muft be, that, in judging of 

 the qualities of matter, we are in every 

 cafe to rely upon the report of our exter- 

 nal fenfes, and never to employ our rear 



foil 



