I cannot, however, but acquaint the Reader, with some Remarks I made
in this new World, before I come to any thing Historical.

I have heard, that among the Generallity of our People, who being
not much addicted to Revelation, have much concern'd themselves
about Demonstrations, a Generation have risen up, who to solve
the Difficulties of Supernatural Systems, imagine a mighty vast
Something, who has no Form but what represents him to them as one
Great Eye: This infinite Optick they imagine to be Natura Naturans,
or Power-forming; and that as we pretend the Soul of Man has a
Similitude in quality to its Original, according to a Notion some
People have, who read that so much ridicul'd Old Legend, call'd
Bible, That Man was made in the Image of his Maker: The Soul of Man,
therefore, in the Opinion of these Naturallists, is one vast Optick
Power diffus'd through him into all his Parts, but seated principally
in his Head.

From hence they resolve all Beings to Eyes, some more capable of
Sight and receptive of Objects than others; and as to things
Invisible, they reckon nothing so, only so far as our Sight is
deficient, contracted or darkened by Accidents from without, as
Distance of Place, Interposition of Vapours, Clouds, liquid Air,
Exhalations, &c. or from within, as wandring Errors, wild Notions,
cloudy Understandings, and empty Fancies, with a Thousand other
interposing Obstacles to the Sight, which darken it, and prevent its
Operation; and particularly obstruct the perceptive Faculties, weaken
the Head, and bring Mankind in General to stand in need of the
Spectacles of Education as soon as ever they are born: Nay, and as
soon as they have made use of these Artificial Eyes, all they can do