Chap.IX. ANTIENT M E Tx\PH YS I CS. 4^7 



Thus, I have fmiflied what I have to fay upon the fubjed of Sir 

 Ifaac Newton's Aftronomy, to which I have endeavoured to apply 

 my Philofophy of Mind. Of this Philoibphy, I think I may fay 

 with truth, that, If there be fuch a thing as Philofophy, and if it be 

 not a mere found without meaning, Mind mufl: be the fubjed: of it : 

 Nor do I know that there is any fcience, or knowledge of any kind, 

 belonging to Body, except Natural Hiftory, Geometry, and Mecha- 

 nics ; to which w^e may add Anatomy and Phyfic, if we think thev 

 are not comprehended under Natural Hiftoiy. That Mind is the 

 fubjed of Logic, Morals, Metaphyfics, and Theology, nobody will 

 deny. And, if it be true that Philofophy is the knowledge of Caufes 

 there can be no Philofophy of Nature w^ithout the knowledge of 

 Mind. This knowledge, when applied to Nature, leads us necef- 

 farily to the Study of Fitial Caufes, the Firft of all Caufes, and 

 therefore, the chief obje£t of Philofophy, which is the Science of 

 Caufes. Now, the difcovery of Final Caufes is, in my opinion, not 

 only the moft ufeful and delightful part of Natural Philofophy, but 

 the eafieft : For it is much eafier to difcover why a thing is done in 

 Nature, than how it is done ; and there are many men who have 

 employed their whole lives in ftudying the Mechanical Means that 

 Nature employs to accomplifh her purpofes, who, after all, mufl 

 confefs, that the Mechanifm of Nature is fo minute and intricate, 

 that it is not to be comprehended, at leaft by us, nor unravelled and 

 diffefted, like a machine of human invention. 



It muft, however, be confefled, that we are not always able to dif- 

 cover the Final Caufes of things, even of the moft common phae- 

 nomena, fuch as Magnetifm and Eledricity ; for I do not know that 

 it has yet been found out what purpofe either of thefe ferves in the 

 Syftem of Nature : And, ihould it never be difcovered, it is not to 

 be wondered at, that our narrow Minds cannot comprehend the 

 Final Caiife of every thing in fuch a Syftem. But though, in 



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