the production of mechanism? Such are the indiffer- 

 ence of matter to continue itself either in re.vt or mot ion : 

 re-actiov equal to action: the resistance of matter to a 

 change of state : gravitation, attraction, repulsion, elas- 

 ticity : pressure of fluids in ail directions : a fluid with 

 Co cohesion of parts, moving in diverging lines; whose 

 parts are possessed of different degrees of attractability 

 by oilier bodies, contrary to that law which makes gra- 

 vitation simply as the quantities of matter: a fluid pos- 

 sessed of alternate fits of attraction and repulsion ! 

 How weak is it, to make these the basis of mechanism, 

 rather than the result of it ? 



9- Let us now examine these matters more closely. 

 In the present philosophy, spate is always considered in 

 the first place ; because without admitting space void of 

 matter, the whole system falls to the ground. 



This same infinite space is the most wonderful thing 

 within the whole range of being. It is neither God, nor 

 In-i creature, and yet is inseparable from the being either 

 of God, or of "Anything he can create. It is ihtite both 

 in its extension and its duration. It is knmoveable and 

 indivisible. If a compleat definition of it were put into 

 a lady's pocket book, she would guess it to be an enigma 

 for nothing \ and \\ouid be astonished to hear, that it is 

 the quintessence of a most metaphysical and most sub- 

 tle argument maintained by a most celebrated divine 

 and philosopher. 



The only positive idea applied to space is extension* 

 But we can apply no idea to any subject, which the sub- 

 ject itself does not impress. Matter forces upon our 

 senses the idea of its extension. But how can we invest 

 with this, substance which never excited any idea in us 

 and consequently has no existence to us 1 Space is only 

 one; of the ideas excited by matter, and by the mind 

 abstracted from its subject, just as we can image a co- 

 lour to ourselves, without connecting any particular sub- 

 ject w kh it. A little more of the same metaphysics, 

 which can prove that nothing is extended, witt prove 

 that space is purple. But why should I say purple J 



