Chap. T. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 317 



chine of the Heavens, not a perfect Machine— //a^/d' to tivo Dc' 

 fecls^ ivhich even Human Machinery may be free of. 



I WILL conclude this Volume, as I did the laft, with fome obferva- 

 tions upon the principles of Sir Ifaac Newton's Aftronomy, which I 

 think are neceffarily connected with what I have faidin the preceding 

 partof this Volume,concerning the nature of Mind and ZJo^Z/jand of 

 the Motions produced by them. What is contained in the Appendix to 

 my Firll Volume, upon this fubjed, I know, is underftood by many 

 as an attempt to overturn Sir Ifaac's Syftem of Aftronomy ; but, on 

 the contrary, I think I have endeavoured to eftablifh it upon found 

 principles of philofophy, and fuch as are confiftent with genuine 

 Theifm, and the true Religion of Nature ; and if I have fuccecded, I 

 fhall deferve the thanks of all thofe who admire Sir Ifaac as much as 

 I do, and, I would fain hope, of the nation that has given him 

 birth, and to which he does fo much honour. 



Aftronomy, fo far as it is a fclence, and not confifting of fads 

 merely, is nothing but the application of Geometry and Numbers to 

 the Motion of the Celcftial Bodies, and, in that way, difcovering the 

 Law^s of their Motion. According to this definition, the jPn;2r//m 

 of Sir Ifaac Newton is the greateft work of Aftronomy that ever 

 was written, and he himfelf the greateft Aftronomer that ever lived : 

 For he has firft, by a moft wonderful indudion, difcovered the laws 

 of the Planetary Motion, and then has applied thefe Laws, thus dif- 

 covered, to the calculation of their Motions and the folution of the 

 Phaenomena concerning them; proceeding in the way that I am per- 

 fuaded all Sciences have been difcovered and brought to perfedion, 

 that is, firft by Anahfis, and then by Synthefts. But ftill this is no 

 more than Aflronomy^ not Philofophy : For Philofophy is the know- 

 ledge of Caufes ; and however fuccefsfuUy we rjay apply Geome- 

 try 



