384 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book V. 



Motion might not only have been begun, but carried on ; whereas it 

 is impoffible that it could be carried on by Pulfion : And, therefore, 

 I wonder that the Newtonians have not adopted that hypothefis, ra- 

 ther than the other by which they fuppofe the Planetary Motion to 

 be carried on by Iinpulfe. But none of them hitherto, as far as I 

 know, have adopted that opinion : And, if they did, the objedions 

 againft it would be the fame as againft the hypothefis of Impulfe, 

 namely, that it would be fuppofmg Bodies in the Celeftial Spaces, of 

 the exiftence of which there is no proof or probability ; or, if they 

 did exift, they mull be moved by fome power of wonderful force : 

 And what elfe can that Power be but Mind ? 



For I would have all thofe, who feign fuch hypothefes and fup- 

 pofe Bodies folid or fluid impelling or protruding the Planets, con- 

 fider that by thefe devices they only put Mind at a greater diftance, 

 by interpofmg betwixt it and the Planets thofe imaginary Bodies : 

 But they never can get free of it altogether, unlefs they can prove 

 that Body has a Self Motive Power ; and, if it has that, all thofe in- 

 terpofed Bodies are quite unnecefTary. 



From what is faid, it necefl!arily follows, that the Planets are not 

 moved, as many things on Earth are, by the adtion of Body upon 

 Body, that is, by Pulfion or Trufion, but immediately and directly 

 by Mind : And the reafon of the difference betwixt them and the 

 Bodies upon their furface, at lead upon the furface of this Planet, 

 appears to me obvious ; for the Motion of the Planets ihemfelves 

 goes on moft freely in the Celeftial Spaces, as Sir Ifaac expreffes 

 it *, without interruption from other Bodies ; whereas, upon their 



furface, 



* Corpora omnia in iftis fpatils liberrime movcri debent ; et propterea, Planetac 

 et Cometae, in orbibus fpecie et pofitlone datis, fecundum leges fupra expofitas per- 

 petuo revolvi. Scholium Ceneralc. 



