C 66s ] 
itfelf to me with more Evidence or Convi&ion than 
the Spirituality of our immortal Soul. All have 
ever allow'd Man in his Origin to be a kind of Plant 
or Vegetable before he is animated; and all rational 
Men have deriv’d his Animation immediately from 
the Fountain of Life, the true Source of all fpiritual 
Subftances. I think I have faid no more ; and thus 
only would be taken and explain'd. 
The Principle of Life in other Animals I do not 
examine into, nor do I think it neceflary. If they 
are truly fpontaneous, as they feem to be, they have 
certainly fome Principle diftinft from Matter, which 
the Great Creator knows when and how to 
unite. 
This Expofition, Sir, of my Sentiments, I thought 
might be neceflary } not that I imagined that either 
you, or any of the Gentlemen of the learned Society 
in which you prefide, would think my Principles 
any way tending to Materialifm, from which no one 
can be more diftant or averfe than myfelf ; for I 
well knew that I had nothing to apprehend from 
Perfons of fo much Judgment and Difcernment, and 
who could nOt but clearly fee, that there is really no 
Connection between thofe Principles, rightly ex- 
plain'd, and the Do&rine of the Materialifts : But 
I was willing to guard againfl the Mifapprchenfton 
of others lefs acquainted with Matters of this fort, 
and into whofe Hands this Paper might come, and 
have therefore taken thefe Precautions. 
And now. Sir, I take this Occafion of return- 
ing my moft humble Thanks both to yourfelf, and 
to the reft of the Gentlemen of the Royal Society , 
for the Honour I have received, in being elected 
one of its Members, and for which I have not been 
7* 2 able 
