Chap. I.] Mechanical Philosophy. \d 



errours, which probably, all things considered, 

 were as few as ever mingled themselves with 

 so extensive and important a system, were, some 

 of them, corrected by his successors; who, wiiile 

 they could distinguish spots in this luminary 

 of science, yet were not backward to pay due 

 homage to his general and splendid excellence. — 

 But, though he had many philosophical adversaries, 

 who called in question his right to the honour of 

 certain discoveries, and vv'ho opposed particular 

 doctrines, there were ^ew who ventured to declare 

 war against the leading principles of his system. 

 This however was done by some, respectable both 

 for their learning and talents. 



Among these, perhaps none are more worthy 

 of notice than the celebrated John Hutchinson *„ 

 of Great Britain, and his followers, who occupy a 

 considerable space in the scientific history of the 

 eighteenth century. Mr. Hutchinson, dissatisfied 

 with the prevalence of Newton's opinions, and^ 

 perhaps, feeling some envy at his extended fame^ 

 undertook to disprove the doctrines displayed in 

 his Principia, as hostile to revelation, and, of con- 

 sequence, false. To effect this, he published, m 

 1724, the first part of a large and learned work, 

 which he called Moses's Principia, in which he 

 ridiculed the doctrine of gravitation as impious and 

 absurd; and in 1727, the second part, in which he 

 delivered what he supposed to be the true prin- 

 ciples of scripture philosophy. This singular phi- 

 losopher taught; that the sacred writings are in- 



* Born in Yorksliire, in 1674, and died in 1/37. He was,, 

 V;ljidoubtedly, a man of respectable talents, and great learning. 



