18 Mechanical Philosophl/. [Chap. I, 



the celestial orbs, they become enlightened, waiin- 

 cd, or inflamed: spirit, or air^ pushed in with 

 irresistible compression ^ and motion, rotation, 

 and progression were accounted for, without 

 having recourse to such miserable terms as pro- 

 jection, gravitation, or attraction*.'* 



These vv^ild and fanciful opinions attracted much 

 attention in Great Britain, and were embraced by 

 some learned and respectable men ; especially by 

 those who entertained the groundless fear, that 

 Newton's system of philosophy was hostile to reve- 

 lation. Among these the celebrated Parkhurst, 

 bishop Home, and the rev. Mr. Jones of Nay- 

 land, were, perhaps, the most able and distinguish- 

 ed. — But, notwitlistanding the weight of a few 

 names, which appeared on the side of this hypo- 

 thesis, before the close of the eighteenth century 

 it had lost a large portion of its advocates; and 

 both the admiration and the knowledge of Hut- 



* After examining, with considerable care, Hutchinson^s 

 Works, in 12 vols Svo, printed in 1/48, I did not dare to under- 

 take the arduous task of exliibiting the opinions scattered through 

 his erudite but obscure pages, in a short compass, and in my own 

 language. I have therefore taken the above abstract from the 

 Medical Repository, vol. iv, pp. 281,282. Those who wish to- 

 obtain a farther knowledge of the peculiar notions of this singular 

 man, witbjut the trouble of wading through his dull and tedious 

 volumes, will find a tolerably distinct and comprehensive account 

 oi' ihem, in the State of the Republic of Letters, kc, vol. v, for die 

 year l/'iO. See also Addltiomd Notes — (A). It i^ curious to 

 observe, that while the ilutchinsoniuns so libendly censure the 

 followers of New ton for giving too much activity to matter, they 

 fall into the same error (as they call it) in an equal degree. But, 

 in truth, if Xewton'j idea of uttrnctiic poncr be examined, it will 

 be found only another mode of expression for a continual Divine 

 vgcncy, cxrrted accordini^ to a certain law. 



