ii4 PRODUCTION OF IDEAS. SECT. XIV. i. 



tinctnefs or energy of our ideas from perception ; 

 and Mr. Reid has lately contended, that our belief 

 of external objects is an innate principle neceflarily 

 joined with our perceptions. 



So true is the obfervation of the famous Mai- 

 branch, " that our fenfes are not given us to dif- 

 cover the eflences of things, but to acquaint us with 

 the means of preferving our exiftence," (L. I. ch. v.) 

 a melancholy reflection to philofophers ! 



Some philofophers have divided all created 

 beings into material and immaterial : the former 

 including all that part of being, which obeys the 

 mechanic laws of action and reaction, but which 

 can begin no motion of itfelf ; the other is the 

 caufe of all motion, and is either termed the power 

 of gravity, or of fpecific attraction, or the fpirit 

 of animation. This immaterial agent is fuppofed 

 to exift in or with matter, but to be quite diftincl 

 from it, and to be equally capable of exiftence, 

 after the matter, which now pofleffes it, is decom- 

 pofed* 



Nor is this theory ill fupported by analogy, fince 

 heat, electricity, and magnetifm, can be given to 

 or taken from a piece of iron ; and muft therefore 

 exift, whether feparated from the metal, or com- 

 bined with it. From a parity of reafoning, the 

 fpirit of animation would appear to be capable of 

 cxifting as well feparately from the body as with 

 it. 



I beg to be underftood, that I do not wifli to 

 difpute about words, and am ready to allow, that 

 the powers of gravity, fpecific attraction, electri- 

 city, magnetifm, and even the fpirit of animation, 

 may confift of matter of a finer kind ; and to be- 

 lieve, with St. Paul and Malbranch, that the ulti- 

 mate caufe only of all motion is immaterial, that 

 is God. St. Paul fays, " in him we live and move, 

 and have our being j" and in the i5th chapter to 



the 



