essential to Matter, &c. i i

- force exerted, yet it is no aSHon in matter,'nor is matter active in exerting it: it is ratheronly re-afiion, resistance in the properestfence; for it is never exerted till matter isfirst acted upon. Matter is so far from beingactive because of this resistance, or from hav-ing the power of beginning action, that theresistance is all exerted, and always exerted,that no action may be begun in it by anything else. This resistance makes it best ofall appear that matter never acts, or effects'a change of state in itself, but resists action,and all possible change of its present state,whether of motion or rest. It is a kind ofpositive, or stubborn inactivity. If it is tobe called a power, it is a power not to act:which shews us how improperly the. wordpower is applicable to it, at least in that fenceit is applied to any thing else. And if thisbe found to be the only possible power inmatter, it lets us fee how safely we may pro-nounce it void of all power, in the propri-ety of the word. It is called in the newPhilosophy, most significantly, a vis inertia^as it were a negative activity; something re-ceding farther from action than bare inacti-vity. For, not to move itself, when at rest,

nor