Lesson xm.J GRAVITY, WEIGHT, &c. 57 



fects arise from one single cause. And what is 

 Gravity? We know there is such a power, and 

 we know how it acts; but that it is a primary qua- 

 lity essential to all bodies, is not universally ad- 

 mitted : those who inquire after the cause of Gra- 

 vity must be informed that the true cause is the 

 DEITY : for Gravity may not improperly be styled 

 the " Finger of GOD j the constant impression of 

 Divine power;" in every other sense, the cause is 

 likely to continue to be unexplored by mortals. 



But if the cause of Gravity have never yet been 

 discovered, shall Gravity itself for that reason be 

 called an occult quality, and rejected from philo- 

 sophy ? Those who draw such a conclusion should 

 take care lest they advance an absurdity, by which 

 the foundations of all philosophy may be over- 

 turned. For causes usually proceed in a continued 

 chain from compound to more simple ; and when 

 we have arrived at the most simple cause we can 

 proceed no farther. No mechanical explication 

 can be given of the most simple cause: for, if 

 there could, the cause would not yet be the most 

 simple. If these most simple causes, then, may 

 be called occult, and rejected ; for the same reason 

 we may reject those causes which immediately 

 depend upon them, and those also which depend 

 upon these last ; and so on until philosophy be 

 entirely divested of all causes whatever. 



By the method of Analysis it is that we must 



trace out the established laws of nature, or that 



order in which instrumental causes are used in 



producing natural effects. But, as we rise from 



D 5 effects 



