andJhewn inconclujive. 317

feas^ ^ arate ^P* r * tS - All this is more intelligible and°nable than to run into the contradiction of assert-£ f hat living Beings can know, or perceive nothing,n °t confined to dead matter. But to return.

^ s to what is said, that if D. B. had contented him -f lt h denying the actual existence of matter, he had

Hen

fi

self

*nany absurdities-, I must observe that this is a^ 1Tl011 mistake, and too readily allowed by us. It0 f° U ^ considered, that if he had granted the existencelatter a possibility, he could not have had one argu-^ nt lor denying it to exist actually. Why deny a thinga jj ^ 1S allowed possible enough to be, and which hath^ e Masons that the nature of things can admit of, to§ ^ it actually is? To have written Books then-A the actual existence cf the Universe, would have^ eare d, if possible, a more extraordinary attempt, thant ^P re fent. Let any one, to satisfy himself, try if he

n. ^ n d out a reason, on this supposition-" It

<( ^ Ver y possible the world may exist, yet it is certain

< ( at st doth not really exist, because-." Or thus:

n * ” ere ' s no impossibility in supposing myself to have'Hd S , feet, and a body; and yet nothing is more truen ^ an that I have neither hands, feet, eyes, nor cars, forIt is not conceivable what plausible reason aso ^ COl dd assign to fill up these arguments. But let ust ^ lat one ^ould recur to the great topic k and pre-ts ^ l°r doubting, viz. our dreams, and fay, “ I find« t ^ at 1 am often imposed upon and deceived in dreams ;c< er efore, idc.” I reply ; " Those things which yourea m of, and see in your sleep, really exist; and it isie T possible for the fame individual Being to become

“ a man,