ptability of climate, and that with
the fall of judicial astrology, idolatry received its greatest blow,
for while men thought that priests could control destiny, they feared
them--but this idea destroyed, it removed the terror which so long
had existed as an immediate object betwixt the man and this sacerdotal
tyrant.

In letter fourth, addressed "To a Gentleman in Holland, showing
Spinoza's System of Philosophy to be without any principle or
foundation," and in the concluding article, Toland argues that "motion
is essential to matter, in answer to some remarks by a noble friend
on the above." In the fifteenth section of this argument, Toland thus
rebuts the allegation that were motion indissolubly connected with
matter, there must be extension without surface for motion or matter
to exert their respective powers upon. It is often used as an argument,
that if a vase was filled with any commodity to the utmost extent, where
would be the space for motion? We know that in a kettle of water, if
there is no outlet for the steam (which is the motion of the water,)
the kettle will burst. Toland says, "'You own most bodies are in actual
motion, which can be no argument that they have been always so, or that
there are not others in actual repose.' I grant that such a consequence
does not necessarily follow, though the thing may itself be true. But,
however, it may not be amiss to consider how far this actual motion
reaches, and is allowed, before we come to treat of rest. Though the
matter of the universe be everywhere the same, yet according to its
various modifications it is conceived to be divided into numberless
particular systems, vortices or whirlpools of matter; and these again
are subdivided into other systems greater or less, which depend oh one
another, as every one on the whole, in their centres, textures, frame,
and coherence. Our sun is the centre of one of the larger systems, which
contains a great many small ones within the sphere of its activity,
as all the planets which move about it; and these are subdivided into
lesser systems that depend on them, as his satelites wait upon
Jupiter, and the moon on the earth; the earth again is divided into the
atmosphere, ground, water, and other principal parts; these again into
the vegetable, animal, and mineral kingdoms. Now, as all these depend
in a link on one another, so their matter is mutually resolved into each
other, for earth, air, fire, and water are not only clo