ich are usually
treated in Philosophy. But that also _I_ have observed certain Laws
which God hath so established in Nature, and of which he hath imprinted
such notions in our Souls, that when we shall have made sufficient
reflections upon them we cannot doubt but that they are exactly observed
in whatsoever either is, or is done in the World. Then considering the
connexion of these Laws, me thinks, I have discovercd divers Truths,
more usefull and important then whatever _I_ learn'd before, or ever
hop'd to learn.

But because _I_ have endeavoured to lay open the principall of them in a
Treatise, which some considerations hinder me from publishing; _I_ can
no way better make them known, then by relating summarily what it
contains.

I had a designe to comprehend all what I thought _I_ knew, before _I_
would write it, touching the nature of material things. But even as
Painters, not being able equally well to represent upon a _flat_ all the
severall facies of a solid body, chuse the principall of them, which
they place towards the light; and shadowing the others, make them appear
no more then they do to our sight: So, fearing lest _I_ should not bring
into this Discourse all which was in my thoughts, _I_ onely undertook to
set forth at large my conceptions touching the light; and upon that
occasion to add somewhat of the Sun, and of the fix'd Stars, by reason
that it proceeds almost all from thence; of the Heavens, because they
transmit it; of the Planets, of the Comets, and of the Earth, because
they cause it to reflect; and in particular, of all Bodies which are on
the earth, whether for that they are either coloured, or transparent, or
luminous; and last of all, of Man, because he is the Spectator thereof.
As also, in some manner to shadow out all these things, and that _I_
might the more freely speak what _I_ judg'd, without being obliged to
follow, or to refute the opinions which are received amongst the
Learned, _I_ resolved to leave all this world here to their disputes,
and to speak onely of what would happen in a new one, if God now created
some where in those imaginary spaces matter enough to compose it, and
that he diversly and without order agitated the severall parts of this
matter, so as to compose a Chaos of it as confused as the Poets could
feign one: and that afterwards he did nothing but lend his ordinary
concurrence to Nature, and leave her to work according to the Laws he
hath established.

Thus f