Page:The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy - 1729 - Volume 1.djvu/42

Rh Nature might be aited every where by a ubtile æther pervading and filling all things; which cannot be aid however, ince we have hewn from the phænonena of the Comets, that this æther is of no efficacy at all; or they will ay, that it became o by the ame will of for ome unknown end; which ought not to be aid, becaue for the ame reaon a different contitution may be as well uppoed, or latly, they will not ay that it was caued by the will of, but by ome neceity of its nature. Therefore they will at lat ink into the mire of that infamous herd; who dream that all things are governed by Fate, and not by Providence; and that matter exits by the neceity of its nature always and every where, being infinite and eternal. But uppoing thee things; it mut be alo every where uniform; for variety of forms is entirely inconitent with neceity. It mut be alo unmoved; for if it be necearily moved in any determinate direction, with any determinate velocity, it will by a like neceity be moved in a different direction with a different velocity; but it can never move in different directions with different velocities; therefore it mut be unmoved. Without all doubt this World, o diverified with that variety of forms and motions we find in it, could arie from nothing but the perfectly free will of directing and preiding over all.

From this fountain it is that thoe laws, which we call the laws of Nature, have flowed; in which there appear many traces indeed of the mot wie contrivance, but not the leat hadow of neceity. Thee therefore we mut not eek from uncertain conjectures; but learn them from obervations and