514 D I S S E R T A T I O N O N 



in a ftraiglit line, whether it more it by propelling or attracting if; 

 So that, if Sir llaac were a materialirt, and believed that body was on- 

 ly moved by body, and, if I were of the fame opinion, we fliould bs 

 perfectly agreed, and I fliould admit that the planetary motion was 

 altogether mechanical. But Sir Ifaac was not a materialift ; for, lmo^ 

 He believed that all motion was originally from Mind, and that the 

 projedile impulfe, if not immediately ^ was mediately^ and by the inter- 

 vention of other bodies, from the Deity j though, even fuppofing it to 

 be, as his followers fay, immediately from Deity, flill the motion, as 

 1 have obferved, is mechanical, in fo far as it goes on without the con- 

 ftant agency of Mind. But, 2^0, it now feems admitted by the New- 

 tonians, that gravitation is produced by the conftant agency of Mind : 

 And fo far, therefore, the planetary motion is certainly not mechanical 



Thus, it appears, that, as the Newtonian philofophy is now modelled, 

 all the motions of a planet are admitted to be, mediately, or immedi- 

 ately, produced by Mind. One of thefe motions, they fay, is the im- 

 mediate operation of Mind, viz. the motion of gravitation. The only 

 quellion, therefor^, is concerning that motion by which it g.oes on in 

 its orbit, whether it be in confequence of a projedile impulfe given it 

 in a ftraight line, or whether it be produced by the immediate agency 

 of Mind, like the other motion. The latter opinion is what I main- 

 tain ; and I fay, that the celeftial bodies are uniformly moved in all 

 their motions, and in every part of their motions, by the conftant a- 

 gency of Mind. 



On the other hand, the Newtonians, admitting that one part, which 

 compofes the planet's motion in its orbit, viz. its gravitation, is produced 

 by the immediate and conftant agency of Mind, maintain, that the other 

 part of that motion is produced only mediately by Mind, that is, by 

 means of a projedile impulfe. And there is a third motion of the planet,. 

 TisL, its motion on its axis, which, they fay, alfo is produced by a pro- 

 jedile 



