Chap. VI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 41 



to be an abfurd hypothefis, as we know that Bodies ad upon one 

 another by fuch an interpofition. Nor is it a new hypothefis ; for 

 the phaenomena of the loadftone and the iron has been attempted to 

 be accounted for in that way ; but it is no more than an hypothefis ; 

 and, if aethers and fluids, and fubtile fpirits, the exiftence of which 

 never can be proved, are to be fuppofed, all the phaenomena of Na- 

 ture may be folved by fuch arbitrary fuppofitions. This would be 

 contrary to that fundamental maxim of the Newtonian philofophy, 

 by which we are enjoined not to feign hjpothe/es, and to build only 

 upon fad and obfervation. But, what is ftill worfe, if the exiftence 

 of thefe aethers were admitted, it could not be fhown, from any laws 

 of mechanics known, that they would produce the effedts afcribed to 

 them : So that they refemble, in every refped, the vortices of Des 

 Cartes, which are now fo generally exploded. 



Thus, I think, I have proved, that Body cannot move itfelf, and 

 that, if it could, we muft afcribe to it not only a moving, but an in- 

 telligent Mind ; which, if we could fuppofe, there is an end of the 

 fyftem of Theifm, unlefs we reckon Spinofa a Theift, who indeed 

 profeffed to be fuch ; but his God was matter intelligent, or, in o- 

 ther words, the Material World itfelf. His fyftem of Atheifm is 

 much the fame with the fyftem of Strato, the Peripatetic, which I 

 have explained in vol. i. p. 240. And indeed, it appears to me to 

 be the only fyftem of Atheifm that is not manifeftly abfurd or ri- 

 diculoufly defective. Of this kind is the fyftem of Epicurus who 

 accounts for every thing from motion, but gives no account of Mo- 

 tion itfelf, how it began, or how it is carried on : And, further he 

 fuppofes, that Motion alone, without Intelligence, can produce all 

 thofe wonderful works of Intelligence that we fee in the univerfe • 

 than which I can imagine no greater abfurdity. Dr Prieftley, in the 

 fyftem he has given us of our Microcofm, (for he has not yet given 

 us a fyftem of the Great World), has avoided the defed of Epicu- 

 VoL. II. F rus's 



