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deny'd it. Befides, this objection fuppofes the existence and fuperiority of PHYSICS. a Deity, which therefore needs to be prov'd by other ways; whereas, on my hypothefis, the fame phenomena that difcover admirable wifdom, and manifeft defigns in the corporeal world, of themselves afford a folid argument, both of the existence, and of fome of the grand attributes of God, with which the reft, that properly belong to him, have a neceflary

connexion.

The reasons which I conceive may have induced philofophers to take up, The reafons and rely on the receiv'd notion of nature, are fuch as thefe.

whereon the

1. One of the moft obvious may be taken from the general belief, or, vulgar notion of nature as men fuppofe, obfervation, that feveral bodies, as particularly the earth, depends exwater, and other elements, have each of them its natural place affign'd it amined. in the universe; from which place, if any portion of the element, or a mix'd body, wherein that element predominates, happens to be remov'd, it has a ftrong inceffant appetite to return to it; becaufe, when there, it ceases to gravitate, and is then in a place which nature has qualified to preferve it.

Now, I readily grant, that there being fuch a quantity of very bulky bodies in the world, 'twas neceffary they should have places adequate to their bignefs; and 'twas thought fit by the wife architect of the universe, that they should not be all blended together, but that a great portion of each fhould, at the beginning of things, be difpos'd of and lodg'd in a diftinct and convenient place. But I fee no neceffity of granting what is afferted in the argument: for inanimate bodies having no fenfe or perception, it must be all one to them in what place they are; because they cannot be concern'd to be in one place rather than in another, fince fuch a preference would require a knowledge that inanimate things have not. And, for the fame reason, a portion of an element, remov'd by force or chance, from what they call its proper place, can have no real appetite to return thither; for, who tells it that 'tis an undue place, and that it may better its condition by removing into another? And, who informs it, whether that place lies on this fide of it, or on that, above it, or beneath it? Some philofophers, indeed, have been aware of the weakness of the argument, drawn from the vulgar inftance of terreftrial bodies; which being let fall from an eminence, or thrown into the air, fall of themselves, in a direct line, towards the centre of the earth; and therefore they have ftrengthen'd it, by pretending, that these bodies have not (as the ancients pretended) an appetite to defcend to the centre of the earth, but to the great mafs of their connatural bodies. I will not, therefore, accufe thefe philofophers, of the inconfiderate opinion of their predeceffors, who would have nature make all heavy things affect to lodge themselves in the center of the earth, which being but a point, cannot contain any one of them; yet the hypothesis of thefe is liable to other weighty objections.

For, first, it is not conceivable, how an inanimate body fhould appetite to re-unite with homogeneous bodies, whofe fituation, and diftance

are unknown to it.

PHYSICS.

(2.) It does not appear that all bodies have fuch an appetite, as is prefum'd, of joining themselves to greater maffes of connatural bodies. If you file the end of an ingot of filver or of gold, the filings will not stick to their own mafs, placed ever fo near, or made to touch them, much lefs will they leap to it, when 'tis at a distance from them. The like may be faid of almoft all the confiftent bodies we are acquainted with, except the load-stone and iron, and bodies that participate of one or the other of them.

(3.) 'Tis obvious, that what makes terrestrial matter fall thro' the air to the earth, is fome general agent, which, according to the wife difpofition of the author of the univerfe, determines the motion of those bodies we call heavy, by the shortest ways permitted them, towards the central part of the terraqueous globe; whether the body, put in motion downwards, be of the fame, a like, or a quite different nature, from the greater mass of matter, to which, when 'tis affociated, it refts. If, from the fide of a fhip, you let fall a chip of wood, when your arm is fo ftretch'd out, that the perpendicular, or fhortest line, between that and the water, lies ever fo little without the fhip; that chip will fall into the fea, which is a fluid body, and quite of another nature than itself, rather than fwerve in the leaft from its line of direction, to rejoin itself to the great bulk of wood, whereof the fhip confifts. On the other fide, if a man, ftanding upon the fhore juft by the fea, fhall pour out a glafs of water, holding the glafs juft over his feet; that water will fall into the fand, where 'twill be immediately foaked up, and difperfed, rather than deviate a little, to join itself to fo great a mafs of connatural body, as is the ocean.

To the general belief, ufually made part of the preceding argument, that water does not gravitate in water, its own natural place; I reply, that water does gravitate in water, as well as out of it, and I elsewhere prove it.

2. Another argument, in favour of the receiv'd opinion of nature, may be drawn from the ftrong appetite that bodies have to recover their ufual ftate, when, by any means, they are put out of it, and thereby forc'd into a ftate that is called preternatural; as air, violently compreffed in a blown bladder, will, as foon as the force is remov'd, return to its first dimenfions as the blade of a fword bent, reftores itself by its innate power, as foon as the force ceafes; and as water, made hot by the fire, haftens, when 'tis removed thence, to recover its former coldness.

But this argument, is grounded on the affections of inanimate bodies; and fince an inanimate portion of matter is confeffedly deftitute of knowledge and fenfe; it is uncapable of concern to be in one ftate, or conftitution, rather than another; for, it has no knowledge of that wherein it is at prefent, nor remembrance of that from which it was forc'd; and, confequently, no appetite to forfake the former, and return to the latter. But every inanimate body, being, of itself, indifferent to all places and states, continues in that place, or ftate, to which the action and refiftance of other bodies, and efpecially contiguous ones, effectually determine it.

And, before it be afferted, that water heated, returns, of itself, to its natural coldnefs; it were fit, that the affertors fhould determine,

what degree, or measure of coldness is natural to that liquor; and this, if PHYSICS. I mistake not, will prove no eafy task. And I think it yet more difficult to determine, what degree of coldness is natural to water, fince this liquor perpetually varies its temperature, as to cold and heat, according to that of the contiguous, or neighbouring bodies, especially the air. And therefore the water of an unfhaded pond, for inftance, tho' it refts in its proper and natural place, as they speak; yet, in autumn, if the weather be fair, the temper of it will much vary in the compafs of the same day; and the liquor be much hotter at noon, than early in the morning, or at midnight; tho' this great diverfity be the effect only of a natural agent, the fun, acting according to its regular course. And, in the depth of winter, 'tis generally confeffed, that water is much colder than in the heat of fummer; which feems to be the reafon of what is obferv'd by watermen, that, on rivers, boats equally laden, will not fink fo deep in winter as in fummer; the cold condenfing the water, and, confequently, making it fpecifically heavier in the former feafon than in the latter.

As to the motion of reftitution, obfervable upon the removal, or ceafing, of the force in air violently compreffed, and in the blade of a fword, forcibly bent; I confefs, it feems to me very difficult to affign the true mechanical cause of it: yet, I think it far more likely, that the cause should be mechanical, than that the effect proceeds from fuch a watchfulness of nature, as is pretended. For I question whether we have any air here below, that is in other than a violent ftate; the lower parts of our atmosphere being conftantly compreffed by the weight of the upper.

A long narrow plate of filver, that has not been hammer'd, compreffed, or made red-hot in the fire, and fuffer'd to cool leifurely, may be bent any way, and will conftantly retain the laft curve figure, that you gave it. But if, having again ftraiten'd this plate, you give it a few fmart strokes with a hammer, it will, by that mere mechanical change, become a springy body. The like may be obferv'd in copper, but not fo remarkably, and fcarce at all, in lead. From these phenomena, I demand why, if nature be fo careful to restore bodies to their former ftate, fhe does not restore the filver-plate to its ftraitnefs, when it is bent this way, or that way, before it be hammer'd? and why a few strokes of a hammer fhould entitle the plate to nature's peculiar care, and make her follicitous to restore it, when bent? And why, if the fpringy plate be again heated and cooled of itfelf, nature abandons her former care, and fuffers it quietly to continue in what crooked pofture one pleafes to put it? And what is the reason of nature's greater partiality to filver, copper, and iron, than to lead and gold, with regard to the motion of reftitution? However, even in fwordblades, it has been often obferved, that tho' if, foon after they are bent, the force that bent them be withdrawn, they will fuddenly return to their former ftraitness; yet, if they be kept too long curved, they will lofe their elaftic power, and continue in that crooked pofture, tho' the force that put them into it, ceafes to act: so that, it seems, nature eafily forgets the care she was here prefumed at first to take.

PHYSICS.

(2.) It does not appear that all bodies have fuch an appetite, as is prefum'd, of joining themselves to greater maffes of connatural bodies. If you file the end of an ingot of filver or of gold, the filings will not ftick to their own mafs, placed ever so near, or made to touch them, much less will they leap to it, when 'tis at a distance from them. The like may be faid of almost all the confiftent bodies we are acquainted with, except the load-ftone and iron, and bodies that participate of one or the other of them.

(3.) 'Tis obvious, that what makes terrestrial matter fall thro' the air to the earth, is fome general agent, which, according to the wife difpofition of the author of the univerfe, determines the motion of those bodies we call heavy, by the shortest ways permitted them, towards the central part of the terraqueous globe; whether the body, put in motion downwards, be of the fame, a like, or a quite different nature, from the greater mafs of matter, to which, when 'tis affociated, it refts. If, from the fide of a fhip, you let fall a chip of wood, when your arm is fo ftretch'd out, that the perpendicular, or fhorteft line, between that and the water, lies ever fo little without the fhip; that chip will fall into the fea, which is a fluid body, and quite of another nature than itself, rather than fwerve in the leaft from its line of direction, to rejoin itself to the great bulk of wood, whereof the fhip confifts. On the other fide, if a man, ftanding upon the shore juft by the fea, fhall pour out a glafs of water, holding the glafs juft over his feet; that water will fall into the fand, where 'twill be immediately foaked up, and difperfed, rather than deviate a little, to join itself to fo great a mafs of connatural body, as is the ocean.

To the general belief, ufually made part of the preceding argument, that water does not gravitate in water, its own natural place; I reply, that water does gravitate in water, as well as out of it, and I elsewhere prove it.

2. Another argument, in favour of the receiv'd opinion of nature, may be drawn from the ftrong appetite that bodies have to recover their ufual ftate, when, by any means, they are put out of it, and thereby forc'd into a ftate that is called preternatural; as air, violently compreffed in a blown bladder, will, as foon as the force is remov'd, return to its first dimenfions as the blade of a fword bent, reftores itself by its innate power, as foon as the force ceafes; and as water, made hot by the fire, haftens, when 'tis removed thence, to recover its former coldness.

But this argument, is grounded on the affections of inanimate bodies; and fince an inanimate portion of matter is confeffedly deftitute of knowledge and fenfe; it is uncapable of concern to be in one ftate, or conftitution, rather than another; for, it has no knowledge of that wherein it is at prefent, nor remembrance of that from which it was forc'd; and, confequently, no appetite to forfake the former, and return to the latter. But every inanimate body, being, of itself, indifferent to all places and states, continues in that place, or ftate, to which the action and refiftance of other bodies, and efpecially contiguous ones, effectually determine it.

And, before it be afferted, that water heated, returns, of itself, to its natural coldness; it were fit, that the affertors should determine,

what degree, or measure of coldness is natural to that liquor; and this, if PHYSICS. I mistake not, will prove no easy task. And I think it yet more difficult to determine, what degree of coldness is natural to water, fince this liquor perpetually varies its temperature, as to cold and heat, according to that of the contiguous, or neighbouring bodies, efpecially the air. And therefore the water of an unfhaded pond, for instance, tho' it refts in its proper and natural place, as they speak; yet, in autumn, if the weather be fair, the temper of it will much vary in the compafs of the fame day; and the liquor be much hotter at noon, than early in the morning, or at midnight; tho' this great diverfity be the effect only of a natural agent, the fun, acting according to its regular courfe. And, in the depth of winter, 'tis generally confeffed, that water is much colder than in the heat of fummer; which feems to be the reason of what is obferv'd by watermen, that, on rivers, boats equally laden, will not fink fo deep in winter as in fummer; the cold condenfing the water, and, confequently, making it fpecifically heavier in the former season than in the latter.

As to the motion of reftitution, obfervable upon the removal, or ceasing, of the force in air violently compreffed, and in the blade of a sword, forcibly bent; I confefs, it seems to me very difficult to affign the true mechanical cause of it: yet, I think it far more likely, that the cause should be mechanical, than that the effect proceeds from fuch a watchfulness of nature, as is pretended. For I queftion whether we have any air here below, that is in other than a violent ftate; the lower parts of our atmosphere being conftantly compreffed by the weight of the upper.

A long narrow plate of filver, that has not been hammer'd, compreffed, or made red-hot in the fire, and fuffer'd to cool leifurely, may be bent any way, and will conftantly retain the laft curve figure, that you gave it. But if, having again ftraiten'd this plate, you give it a few smart ftrokes with a hammer, it will, by that mere mechanical change, become a springy body. The like may be obferv'd in copper, but not fo remarkably, and fcarce at all, in lead. From thefe phenomena, I demand why, if nature be fo careful to restore bodies to their former state, she does not restore the filver-plate to its ftraitnefs, when it is bent this way, or that way, before it be hammer'd? and why a few strokes of a hammer fhould entitle the plate to nature's peculiar care, and make her follicitous to restore it, when bent? And why, if the fpringy plate be again heated and cooled of itfelf, nature abandons her former care, and fuffers it quietly to continue in what crooked posture one pleases to put it? And what is the reason of nature's greater partiality to filver, copper, and iron, than to lead and gold, with regard to the motion of reftitution? However, even in fwordblades, it has been often obferved, that tho' if, foon after they are bent, the force that bent them be withdrawn, they will fuddenly return to their former ftraitnefs; yet, if they be kept too long curved, they will lofe their claftic power, and continue in that crooked pofture, tho' the force that put them into it, ceases to act: fo that, it seems, nature easily forgets the care she was here presumed at first to take.