66 EXAMINATIONOF 



of this Pythagorean philofophy, which is purely 

 intelJedlual, depends upon two principles, the 

 one falfe, and the other uncertain ; namely, the 

 real power of abftradion, and the natural exift- 

 ence of final caufes. To apprehend numbers to 

 be real beings; to fay that unity is a general 

 individual, which not only reprefents all indivi- 

 duals, but even communicates exiftence to them; 

 to pretend that unity exercifes the adlual powder 

 of engendering another unity nearly refembling 

 itfelf, and of creating two individuals, two fides 

 of a triangle, that can have no connedion or 

 perfedion without a third fide, which is necef- 

 farily produced by the other two; in fine, to re- 

 gard numbers, geometrical lines, and metaphy- 

 fical abflradions, as real and efficient phyfical 

 caufes, by which the elements are formed, plants 

 and animals regenerated, and all the phaeno- 

 mena of Nature produced, appears to be a moft 

 abfurd abufe of human reafon, and an invinci- 

 ble obftacle to the advancement of knowledge. 

 Befides, nothing can be more fallacious than 

 fUch chimeras, Suppofing we {hould agree with 

 Plato and Malbranche, that matter has no ex- 

 iftence, that external objeds are only ideal 

 images of the creative power, and that we fee 

 every thing in the Deity himfelf ; does it fol- 

 low, that our ideas are of the fame order with 

 thofe of the Creator, and that they can produce 

 real exiftences ? Are v/e not dependent on our 

 fenfations ? Whether the objeds which excite 



fenfations 



II 



