Page:The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy - 1729 - Volume 1.djvu/22

Rh poible; but then they aume nothing as a principle, that is not proved by phænomena. They frame no hypothees, nor receive them into philoophy otherwie than as quetions whoe truth may be diputed. They proceed therefore in a two-fold method, ynthetical and analytical. From ome elect phænomena they deduce by analyis the forces of nature, and the more imple laws of forces; and from thence by yntheis hew the contitution of the ret. This is that incomparably bet way of philoophizing, which our renowned author mot jutly embraced before the ret; and thought alone worthy to be cultivated and adorned by his excellent labours. Of this he has given us a mot illutrious example by the explication of the Sytem of the World, mot happily deduced from the Theory of Gravity. That the virtue of gravity was found in all bodies, others upected, or imagined before him; but he was the only and the firt philoopher that could demontrate it from appearances, and make it a olid foundation to the mot noble peculations.

I know indeed that ome perons and thoe of great name, too much prepoeed with certain prejudices, are unwilling to aent to this new principle, and are ready to prefer uncertain notions to certain. It is not my intention to detract from the reputation of thee eminent men; I hall only lay before the reader uch coniderations as will enable him to pas an equitable entence in this dipute.

Therefore that we may begin our reaoning from what is mot imple and nearet to us; let us conider a little what is the nature of gravity with us on Earth, that we may proceed the more Rh