Chap. I. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 5 



Thofe, therefore, who ridictile the noblefl: of all fciences, under the 

 name of nictaphyfic^ not only do not know the nature of the fclence, 

 but appear to me, not to underftand even the title of Ariflotle's books 

 which treat of it, but to imagine that it has fome connedion with 

 what we call in Englifh phyfic. 



It is called by Ariftotle the jirfi philofophy \ becaufe, though it 

 be laft in the order of human knowledge, on account of the weaknefs 

 of our iuhid^ and its neceffary progrefs from objedts of fenfe to thofc 

 of intelledt, it is firfl: in the order of nature, as treating of what is 

 higheft in nature *, and comprehending, as we fhall afterwards fee^ 

 the principles of nature and of all arts and fciences. 



The proper fubjed, then, of metaphyfics is mind^ pure and fepa- 

 ratejrom all matter. But there are alfo other things comprehended 

 under this fcience, and which fhall be explained in the fequel. F4)r, 

 as I obferved in the beginning of this chapter, it is a fcience of which 

 even the fubjed is not eafily, or at once, to be explained. 



* Arlftot. metaphyf. lib. 6. chap, i. 



CHAP. 



