The mind feels no sentiment or inward impression from this
succession of objects: Consequently, there is not, in any single,
particular instance of cause and effect, anything which can suggest
the idea of power or necessary connexion.
From the first appearance of an object, we never can conjecture what
effect will result from it. But were the power or energy of any
cause discoverable by the mind, we could foresee the effect, even
without experience; and might, at first, pronounce with certainty
concerning it, by mere dint of thought and reasoning.
In reality, there is no part of matter, that does ever, by its
sensible qualities, discover any power or energy, or give us ground to
imagine, that it could produce any thing, or be followed by any
other object, which we could denominate its effect. Solidity,
extension, motion; these qualities are all complete in themselves, and
never point out any other event which may result from them. The scenes
of the universe are continually shifting, and one object follows
another in an uninterrupted succession; but the power of force,
which actuates the whole machine, is entirely concealed from us, and
never discovers itself in any of the sensible qualities of body. We
know, that, in fact, heat is a constant attendant of flame; but what
is the connexion between them, we have no room so much as to
conjecture or imagine.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93