P 11 E 1- A C E. V 



wrong ; for it is impoflible that a man of genius, andwhofe 

 mind is but a little elevaitd above the vulgar, fliould fee all 

 the various motions in the Heavens, or on this our Earth, 

 and not inquire into the caufes of them. A man, for ex- 

 ample, who can fee a (tone fall to the ground, and only 

 meafures and computes its motion in falling, as Galileo 

 did, without thinking of the caufe of its motion, fuch a man 

 may be a very good Geometer or Mechanic, but whatever 

 he may think of himfelf, he has not the philofophical Ge- 

 nius in him. In fuch a country, therefore, there muft ne- 

 celTarily be an enquiry into the caufes and principles of 

 things, unlcfs we could fuppofe no genius at all in the people ; 

 that is to fay, there muft be Metaphyfics of one kind or an- 

 other. Now it is of the greateft importance, that thefe Meta- 

 phyfics (hould not be adverfe to the Religion of the country. 

 For the opinions of Philofophers will fooner or later become 

 the opinions of the people, efpecially in matters of popular 

 concern ; fuch as Religion : and accordingly Polybius tells 

 us, that the Epicurean Philofophy became the prevalent Phi- 

 lofophy in Greece, the confequence of which was, a general 

 corruption of manners *. 



Whether the Metaphyfics that have prevailed in Britain, 

 from Mr. Locke down to Mr. David Hume and Dr. Prieflly, 

 are a-kin to this Philofophy of Epicurus, which deftroyed 

 the religion, and corrupted the morals of Greece, the 

 Reader will judge from what is faid in this and the preced- 

 ing Volume ; but this I will venture to affirm, that a Philo- 

 fophy which maintains, that Mind is not only the author of 

 all the motion in the Univerfe, but that which carries it on, 



* See what I ha\c laid further upon this SubjeiSl, page 301. 



a 2 and 



