pendent and detached. But if we attribute to them any Harmony, any Connection, we muft of Course allow them to be dependent, and under a general Law, which imposes a Duty on them that cannot be neglected without Guilt and inevitable Damage to themfelves. In fine, could that ingenious Author be ignorant, that if the whole univerfal Machine is nothing elfe but the bare Affemblage of all the particular ones, there can, be no anterior Design in it, nor any Law impofed on the Parts, to affemble and place them, and keep them in their refpective Pofitions, and make them act in Concert?

A System fo extraordinary, and fo hard to be maintained, as that of M. de la Mettrie, fufficiently destroys itself, without our taking the Trouble to combat and overthrow it. It would be an Affront to Mankind, to suppose them capable of adopting it in any Shape, But if by Chance any one should dare to take up with it, it would only furnish us with a new Argument to demolish it: For, would not fo manifeft an Oppofition to common Sense, and to the Testimony of the most illuftrious and renowned Philofophers and Literati in all Ages and Nations, plainly demonftrate,

that

that Man therefore is not a meer Machine in

regard to his Understanding, as he is with. respect to his Body?

**

E

CHA P. III.

VERY one allows the Uniformity of the Structure of the human Body, in all Individuals that are not monftrous: This is the Basis of Phyfic, agreeably to the fenfible Testimony of Surgery and Anatomy. And accordingly, every Perfon of common Sense perceives the Equality of the organical Motions, Senfations and Operations of the Body, as well in the whole Mass of Mankind as in the Individuals. Herein is Mechanism visibly displayed. But, at the same Time, how shall we reconcile this Uniformity of the Body's internal and external Structure, and this fenfible Mechanism, with the infinite Variety which we see in every Thing appertaining to human Reason, and which we cannot obferve among the Brutes that enjoy their natural Liberty in the Fields and Woods? All is fixed and invariable among fuch Beasts as are not crampt or confined by Men: Every thing is

equal

equal and uniform in each Species; no different Tastes, no Choice, no particular Regards in their Wants and in all that Nature requires from them: They all walk, run, leap, and express themselves in the fame Manner; they have always the fame Food and the fame Drink; they take no Thought about guarding against Dangers, or preventing the Damage that may happen to them; no Conveniencies, no Laws, no natural Dependence are seen among them. This is fuch a Mechanism as is not to be paralleled among Men, no, not even among the most barbarous of the human Race.

NOTHING is more frequent than to see the animal Man and the spiritual Man, the vicious and the virtuous Man, foftrongly characterized, that one cannot long mistake them: And, which is still more extraordinary, and abfolutely incompatible with Mechanism, we often fee the fame Individual running from one Extreme into another, and appearing a Contrast to himself. Why does not the Machine of the human Body change its Figure, as the human Mind changes its way of Reasoning, its Inclinations, and its Form? How is it that a living Man cannot long abstain from Food without

without dying? Why is it fometimes almost impoffible for him to forbear laughing, weeping, fweating, and many other natural Actions confequent of the Mechanifm of the human Body? On the contrary, nothing is more frequent than to hear a Man reafon amifs, to fee him perpetually changing his Tastes and Inclinations, and moft tenacious of thofe that appear the most unnatural. Is it so great a Rarity to fee the fame Man become reasonable and unreasonable, learned or ignorant, pufilanimous or magnanimous, wife or foolish, modeft or impudent, gentle or brutish? Could a Candle give Light in the Night, and spread Darkness in the Day-time? Or could one fail in a Windmill to the Indies?

To take Shelter under Delirium, and Madnefs, which some have endeavoured to account for on mechanical Principles, would be but a very filly way of cavilling about this Point. All Men agree that thefe are Diftempers, occafioned by a real Disorder in the Organs; which does not in the least make for the Purpofe of those pretended Free-thinkers, who labour under the fame mad Fits when they pretend to reafon as juftly as if in perfect Health. Let us then agree with them, that

their

their System of the human Machine is a real Disorder of the Mind and of the Brain, which must be treated and cured as a Delirium or Madness.

YET the principal Article still subsists; fince there is nothing more evident, than that any Disorder in the Machine very frequently interrupts or destroys the Object and the Actions that are proper for it, and confequently does not then answer the immaterial Design of him who invented and conftructed it. A Man that reasons wrong too plainly discovers that he is befide himself, and that if we would reafon well, we must do quite the contrary: It is almoft impoffible but that he himself will fometimes confess it, when he finds himself borne down by the Verdict of all his Acquaintance; and hence it is that we fee certain wretched Reasoners always endeavour to herd with none but their Equals, that they may never be forced to acknowledge the Disorder in their Brain.

To fuch Men the Bulk of human Society is an intolerable Burthen: An Affembly of Perfons who reafon on Principle, and form just Conclufions, is to them like a Field covered

with