98 The consequences of the

video per inane geri res ,—where chance anddead atoms manage the business of the world!

The

of state. We can neither proceed in input turn, to otherand other effluvia; nor find the first moving principlein matter of any fort.

Upon the preceding reasoning, and the whole subjectthis paragraph, it hath been observed, " That by my zeal“ to find more than mechanism in nature, some will think" I take too much of mechanism away, while on every“ occasion I make immaterial principles interfere, which“ I should rather reserve, cum dignus vindice nodus : and“ that upon this account this argument, in the present" disposition of it, will be apt to shock many readers.’’But it is answered, that since the particulars mentionedin this paragraph are the consequences of that principelaid down in N° 14 and 15, and afterwards concludedN° 26 of the last section ; if there were any hazard 111owning them, then indeed my adversaries could press then 5upon me, and make me stand by them, or relinquish th 55principle that infers them. If that principle is allowedthen, I cannot abandon these consequences of it. Andif it is wrong, it would be foolish in me to think sod 5, a piece of sophistry should pass undetected. All theresot?turns on that. As to mechanism, I shall consider it ^exactly as I am capable of hereafter. Only let me oh'serve here, that I am not singular in advancing lsosothings: a much greater man carries the argument j u ^the same length. Let it be allowed me to transcribe so epassage. It is in Dr. Clarke s Demonstration, fs’ c. p aI2. p. 300. edit. 4. and p. 221. edit. 6. Æl things thatc» gdone in the world (fays he) arc done either immediately ^God himself., or by created intelligent Beings: matter bd !> °