142 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IIL 



ture or effeiice of nothing, except by its operations, or, indeed, that 

 it at all exifts, Ariftotle, I think, nioft philofophicaliy, concludes, 

 that the Intelledual, as it operates feparately, has a fcparate and 

 independent exiftence *. — And thus it appears, that, by the dillblu- 

 lion of our Bodies, or their annihilation, if we could fuppofe fuch a 

 thing, our Intelledual Part cannot be deftroyed, any more than by 

 the dilTolution or annihilation of any other parcel of Matter. 



As to the Animal Life, there may appear more doubts, beca.ufe 

 the Animal Mind operates by bodily organs. But, if we are con- 

 vinced, that it is a Subftance diftin£t from thefe organs, we cannot 

 fuppofe that, by the derangement, or total dinblution of thofe or- 

 gans, the Mind itfelf fhould be deftroyed. It ufes other organs or 

 inftruments, by which it operates upon Bodies, fuch as Levers and 

 wedges ; yet nobody fuppofes that, by the deftrudion of thefe, the 

 Mind who employs them is deftroyed. Now, the only difference 

 betwixt the two kinds of inftruments is, that the one is remoter, 

 and the other nearer and more clofely connecfled with the Mind. I 

 think, therefore, we may fafely conclude, that the Animal Subftance 

 in us, and in other Animals, is not deftroyed by the deftrudion of 

 the organs or inftruments which it employs. Whether it can be 

 fuppofed to exlft feparately, without being annexed to any organs, 

 as our Intelled may exift, is another queftion, which I fhall conf^- 

 der prefently. 



"What I have faid of tlte Animal Life will apply equally to the 

 Vegetable ; for, if the Vegetable Life be an Immaterial Subftance, 

 it is impoffible that it can perifli with the compofition of Matter to 

 which it is annexed : But it will not from thence follow that it 

 exifts in a feparate ftate. 



4/(7, 

 * See Vol. I. p. 196. 



