ophy, and
therefore of late Years have been rejected. To tell us that every
Species of Things is endow'd with an occult specifick Quality by which
it acts and produces manifest Effects, is to tell us nothing: But to
derive two or three general Principles of Motion from Phaenomena, and
afterwards to tell us how the Properties and Actions of all corporeal
Things follow from those manifest Principles, would be a very great step
in Philosophy, though the Causes of those Principles were not yet
discover'd: And therefore I scruple not to propose the Principles of
Motion above-mention'd, they being of very general Extent, and leave
their Causes to be found out.

Now by the help of these Principles, all material Things seem to have
been composed of the hard and solid Particles above-mention'd, variously
associated in the first Creation by the Counsel of an intelligent Agent.
For it became him who created them to set them in order. And if he did
so, it's unphilosophical to seek for any other Origin of the World, or
to pretend that it might arise out of a Chaos by the mere Laws of
Nature; though being once form'd, it may continue by those Laws for many
Ages. For while Comets move in very excentrick Orbs in all manner of
Positions, blind Fate could never make all the Planets move one and the
same way in Orbs concentrick, some inconsiderable Irregularities
excepted, which may have risen from the mutual Actions of Comets and
Planets upon one another, and which will be apt to increase, till this
System wants a Reformation. Such a wonderful Uniformity in the Planetary
System must be allowed the Effect of Choice. And so must the Uniformity
in the Bodies of Animals, they having generally a right and a left side
shaped alike, and on either side of their Bodies two Legs behind, and
either two Arms, or two Legs, or two Wings before upon their Shoulders,
and between their Shoulders a Neck running down into a Back-bone, and a
Head upon it; and in the Head two Ears, two Eyes, a Nose, a Mouth, and
a Tongue, alike situated. Also the first Contrivance of those very
artificial Parts of Animals, the Eyes, Ears, Brain, Muscles, Heart,
Lungs, Midriff, Glands, Larynx, Hands, Wings, swimming Bladders, natural
Spectacles, and other Organs of Sense and Motion; and the Instinct of
Brutes and Insects, can be the effect of nothing else than the Wisdom
and Skill of a powerful ever-living Agent, who being in all Places, is
more able by his Will to move the B