m8 appendix. Chap. r. 



After all I have faid, I am perfuaded that the prejudices in f^ivour 

 of the Newtonian aftronomy, as it is taught at prefent, are fo ftrong, 

 that I fliall convince only a few, who arc not only geometers and aftro- 

 nomers, but alfo fcholars and philofophers ; and there is one preju- 

 dice, which, I am afraid, I have in vain endeavoured to remove, 

 and that is the fuppofition of this being a difcovery of mine, and that 

 I am vain enough to pretend to be wdfer than all thofe, who, for fo 

 many years, have ftudied and admired the Nev;tonian philofophy. 

 This prejudice I have endeavoured to i^cmove, by what I have faid 

 in Volume Second*, where I have given moft refpedable authorities 

 in fupport of my opinion, and particularly that of Dr Clarke, 

 who has faid in exprefs words, which I hav^e quoted f, That all 

 the great Motions of the univerfe, (by wdiich he undoubtedly means 

 the Celeftial Motions), are carried on, not by virtue of any force 

 originally impreifed upon them, but by fome immaterial po^ver, per- 

 petually and adually exerting itfelf every moment, that is, as I 

 exprefs it, by the conftant energy of Mind : Which, if true, decides 

 at once the controverfy betwixt me and the Newtonians ; for, if this 

 be admitted, there is an end of 'uis injita^ projefiion^ gravitation^ and 

 centrifugal force ^ and all the machinery of the heavens. Now, Dr 

 Clarke was certainly one of the greateft metaphyficians that ever 

 was in England. And, let me tell thofe gentlemen, that they may 

 work as long as they pleafe with lines and figures, and compute and 

 meafure all their lives ; but, if they are not learned in the firfl; phi- 

 lofophy, they never can be proper judges of a queftion concern- 

 ing the origin and continuation of Motion, and the difference be- 

 tw^ixt Motion produced by bodily impulfe, and Motion produced by 

 •Mind. 



To 



* Vol. ii. p. 355. and following, 

 t Ibid. Page 356. 



