PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 141 



fon in comparing one thing with another, 

 in order to eorredl our firft impreflions. 

 Epicurus is to be applauded for believing 

 pn the credit of his eye-fight, that the lun 

 and moon were no bigger than a cart- 

 wheel or a cheefe. The peafant, who 

 thinks that the fun moves from eall to weft 

 every day, is wifer in that refpedt, than 

 the grcateft philofopher ; and Copernicus 

 is to be regarded as a common enemy to 

 mankind, " for declaring war againft our 

 " fenfes." 



The grand queftion to be refolved in 

 this controverfy, is not, whether we have 

 clearer conceptions of material or imma- 

 terial fubftances, as we are equally igno- 

 rant of both ; but whether the power of 

 thinking, which is a known faculty of 

 fome fubftance, be not abfolutely indivi- 

 fible, and, as fueh, incompatible with the 

 known properties of matter? The moft 

 plaufible objedion that can well be made 

 againft this argument, arifes from the 

 late obfervations made concerning the po- 

 lypus, and other living creatures of that 

 kind. Yet thefe, when duly confidered, 



wiU 



