Chap. III. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 363. 



Vegetables are, which, in this refpeiH:, 'refcmble ex.i£lly Bodies un- 

 organized ; nor do I know any other difference betwixt tlicin, ex- 

 cept that the Motion of the Vegetable is more various than that of 

 Body unorganized. 



Thofe who do not believe that the fame Nature^ or Principle of 

 Animation, in kind, though differing in fpecies, informs unorgani- 

 zed Bodies as well as the Animal and Vegetable, will not, it is 

 likely, be convinced by this argument of analogy from Animals and 

 Vegetables. But I fhould be glad to know what they can anfwer to 

 the Magnetic, Eledrical, and Chymical Attradlions and Repul- 

 fions. Thefe Motions are all occafional, as well as the Motion of 

 the Body impelled. The Iron, for example, does not move towards 

 the Magnet, nor the Magnet towards the Iron, till they arc brought 

 within a certain diftance of one another : And it is evident that the 

 Motion muft be by Mind, as Thales, the moft antient philofopher 

 of Greece, faid it was, unlefs we will maintain that Body can ei- 

 ther move it felf, or remain at. reft, as it thinks proper; which I 

 hold to be downright Atheifm. Here, therefore, we have Mind in 

 Bodies unorganized, upon certain occafions both beginning and con- 

 tinuing Motion ; which further Ihows, that, in Nature, there is 

 truly no difference betwixt^beginning and continuing Motion. And 

 the two cafes are exaftly parallel, except that we can affign a final 

 Caufe for the impulfe of one Body producing Motion in another : For, 

 as there are fo many Bodies on this Earth, juflJing and interfering with 

 one another, it is evident that neither the bufinefs of Nature nor of 

 Art could be carried on without one Body impelling and driving 

 out of its way another ; whereas we do not fo well know the pur- 

 pofe or end of the Magnetical Motion, though we are very fure that 

 it is for feme good end. 



Zz a And 



