8 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book I. 



For explaining this definition, it is proper toobferve, that, under the 

 term, is moved^ I include what is moveable, or capable of being mo^ 

 ved*. For, though all bodies which fall under our obfervation are 

 in fome kind oi motion or another, at lead:, have a tendency to move, 

 there is nothing to hinder us to conceive body perfedly at reft. And 

 we cannot tell but that fomewhere in the univerfe body may be in that 

 ftate. It is further to be obferved, that, by motion, I here mean only 

 that kind o*^ motion which confiflis of change of place or fituation, and 

 which, as I fhall afterwards (how, is peculiar to body. Again, under 

 mind, in this definition, I include, frj}, The rational and intelleftual ; 

 2^/y, The animal life ; 3^/y, That principle in the vegetable, by which 

 it is nouriflied, grows, and produces its like, and which, therefore, is 

 commonly called the vegetable life ; and, 4tbly, That motive principle 

 which I underftand to be in all bodies, even fuch as are thought to be 

 inanimate t* 



This 



* This is the fenfc of the Greek word *<».it»v, and of all the verbals of that ter- 

 mination, fuch as, 7rt>i;:rey, etKooof^r,rov, 7rpxy,T6v, &c. ; all which denote paJ/iTe capa^ 

 city : whereas the verbals in <««;, fuch as, «(vjiT<x«j, 7ra<;jT<««j &c. denote adiive capa- 

 city. See Ariftotle, Metaph. lib. 13. cap. 9. where, unlefs we are able to make 

 the diftinclion betwixt xtv^-rov^ y-ivivfunov, KiKivyjuivov, x<>>;5-<$, and y-iv/iTiKov, it is impof- 

 fible to underftand a very fine and mofl fubtle theory concerning motion. All thefe 

 differences cannot be expreffed without much circumlocution in Englifh, which is not 

 a language like the Greek, the work of philofophers, who made all thofe nice diftinc- 

 tions, but, like the other languages of Europe, a barbarous dialc£l, and a corruption of a 

 better language See what I have further faid upon this fubjecl in the 2d vol. of the Or. 

 of Lang, p- i8f). The diftin<flions which I have here made, and which are there like wife 

 jnade, mny appear no better than difficiles tiugae to moft reader?; but t!iey are neccffa- 

 ry, net only for underllanding the Greek language, if that be of any value, but for 

 underftand ing the nature of things- 



f The Greek word •^vx.n denotes the three firft kinds I have mentioned, 

 ^vhich are not expreflcd by any one word that I know in Englifh ; for the word 

 mind^ that I have uled to exprefs them, denotes, in common ufc, only the lationul 

 mind, or f<iul, as it is otherwife called. The fourth kind that I have mentioned, v:e. 



the 



