Chap. XI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 185 



totle's principles, as much as a Hippocentaur, It Is true, indeed, that 

 nature does furnifh to us the materials out of which we form our 

 ideas. But nature alfo furnifhes the materials out of which v/e form 

 the idea of a Hippocentaur; For there is in nature both a man and 

 a horfe; and, by joining them together, we form the idea of the 

 Hippocentaur, in the fame manner as, by joining together qualities 

 which we fee in different individuals, we form the idea of a fpecies ; 

 and from what we obferve, that fpeciefes have in common, we form 

 another ens ratlonis^ which we call a genus ^ 



But, ido^ It is the opinion of Ariftotle, and of all the philofophers 

 of his fchool, that, from Generals, Particulars are derived, and are tru- 

 ly parts of them and comprehended under them: And, accordingly, 

 in all demonftration we argue from generals to particulars ; and the 

 truth of the fyllogifm, as I have already obferved, is reducible to this 

 funple proportion, that if A contain B, and B contain C, therefore 

 A contains C. But if it be true, that generals have no exiftence 

 in nature, it is impoflible that particulars can be derived from them ; 

 on the contrary, it is evident, that, according to Ariftotle's dodrine, 

 generals are derived from particulars, from which they are formed 

 by our minds. If, therefore, all demonftration be from generals, 

 which is certainly the cafe, and if generals be formed by our minds, 

 then the principles of demonftration have no foundation in nature, 

 but are mere creatures of our minds. 



Thefe are the confequences of Ariftotle's doctrine of ideas confi- 

 dered logically. Let us now fee what the confequence of it is, 

 confidered theologically. And one confequence of it is evident 

 that if there be no general ideas in nature, but all things exift- 

 ing are individual things, they muft be all derived immediately 

 from the firft caufe, and there cannot be that progreffion of 

 things and fubordination of caufes, fuch as the fyftem of the uni- 



VoL. V. A a verfe 



