ESSAY XI. 461 the essences of different kinds of natural beings which God has made, viz. lions, snakes, apples, roses or sun-beams, than there are between the essences of moral beings, or ideas, which the minds of men form, such as murder, theft, idolatry, govern- ment, or the artificial beings which their hands produce, such as houses, pins, and paper. Whether some of his expressions on this subject be not a little too strong, let the learned enquire and determine, since it is granted, that the essences and species of natural beings are generally kept sufficiently distinct by the God of nature. SECT. II.-OfMatter and Form. TIE nature of everyparticular body consists of matter and form. We need not change the terms of theold philosophy, but there is great need of mending the sense of them. The matter ofbody is the solid extended substance of which it is made, which seems to be uniform, and the same in all bodies. If the Aristo- telians meant nothing else by their materia prima, they have drest up their sentiments very oddly. Theform of each particu- lar body is the combination either of those primary and real qua- lities, or of those secondary and sensible qualities, or of both together which belong to that body, and make it be what it is.; and thus far we may agree with the definition of the schools, forma est id per quod res est id quod est. The primary or real qualities are that particular shape or figure, and that size or quantity, with those degrees of motion or rest, and that situation, both of the sensible and imperceptible parts of it, as is proper only to that kind of body, and belongs to no other. The secondary or sensible qualities of a body are its particular colour, taste, smell, coldness, heat, hardness, &e. It is from the different modifications and dispositions of these primary qualities, viz. shape,' motion, quantity, situation, 8fc. that all the secondary or sensible qualities arise, such as colour, taste, weight, hardness, 4c. .whereby we commonly distinguish most bodies of different kinds from one another. In some bodies indeed, any sort of matter with such a par- ticular and determined outward and visible shape and size, is sufficient to make up the nature and essence of them, or to make those bodies be what they are; as for instance, any sort of solid extended substance with a figure everyway round, is the matter andform of a ball orglobe, without regard to its sensible qua- lities of colour, hardness, &c. Any building of whatsoever materials, if it be framed and fitted for men to dwell in, is called a house ; any long piece of matter bent round like a hoop, may be called a ring, and any small open hollow vessel to wash our hands in, may be called a boson. In other bodies there must be such a particular inward con- texture of the parts, that is, such a peculiar shape and situation,
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