Chap. V. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 



397 



quence, of fuppofing fuch a tendency in the Planets, would be to 

 make their Motions in their Orbits as violent, and as contrary to 

 their natural tendency, as the Motion of a cannon bullet. This is 

 fo ftrange an hypothefis, that it certainly ought not to be adopted 

 merely for the fake of fupporting a fyftem, efpecially if it can be 

 £hown that the fyftem may otherwife be fupported. 



But, lajlly^ there is nothing in the nature of things to hinder 

 the Motion, even of the Projedile, to be without any fuch tenden- 

 cy : For we can very well conceive fuch a figure, as that of the Para- 

 bola, to be defcribed by the Mind which animates an unorganized 

 Body, as well as by the Mind which animates the Animal, without 

 any tendency to a centre ; for the fame reafon that we can con- 

 ceive the circular or elliptical Motion to be fo defcribed. And, if 

 the Motion can be fo fimple, there is good reafon to fuppofe that 

 it is fo ; becaufe I hold that, as nothing neccflary is wanting in Na- 

 ture, fo there is nothing redundant or fuperfluous. 



And here I muft beg the attention of the reader : For, if I 

 am right in this argument, it puts an end at once to the no- 

 tion of Projedlion and Gravitation ; becaufe there is no Newto- 

 nian that win maintain that the Motion of the Planets is compofed 

 of thcfe two, if the Motion of the Projedile be altogether fimple ; 

 for it is, as I have faid, from the analogy betwixt the Motion of Pro- 

 jediles and the Motion of the Planets, that the Newtonians have 

 eoncluded the one to be compounded as well as the other. 



The proof of the fimplicity of the Motion of Projectiles arifes fronx 

 the nature of the Motion, and therefore is a iproof a priori. This 

 Motion, as I have fliown, is carried on by Mind, upon occafion 

 of an impulfe being given to the Body projeded. Now, I argue 

 in the fame way againft this Motion being compounded, as I 

 have argued againft the compounded Motion of the Planet ; for I 



lav 



