2 gDf tije ^ec^anital ^Dgigine 



Peripateticks, ,are attempted to be 

 explicated 5 1 fuppofe it will be very 

 proper to begin with Inftances of 

 them to (hew, that Qualities may be 

 Mechanically produced or deftroy- 

 ed. A not ufelefs Paraphrafe of 

 which expreffion may be this, That 

 a portion of matter may come to be 

 endowed with a Quality , which it 

 had not before, or to be deprived of 

 one that it had^ or (fometimes) to ac- 

 quire or lofe a degree of that Qua- 

 lity j though on the part of the Mat- 

 ter (or 5 as fome would fpeak^of the 

 Patient ) there do not appear to in- 

 tervene anymore than a change of 

 Texture, or fome other Mechanical 

 Alteration 5 and though the Agents 

 (on their part) do not appear to a& 

 upon it otherwife, than after a Me- 

 chanical manner, that is 3 by their big- 

 nefs, fhape, motion, and thofe other 

 Attributes by vertue whereof Me- 

 chanical Powers and Engines per* 

 form their operations > and this 

 withouthavingrecourfetothe Peri, 

 patetic Subftantial Forms and Ele- 

 ments, 



