9. Supposes understanding and will.
A tennis-ball, whether in motion by the stroke of a racket, or lying still at
rest, is not by any one taken to be a free agent. If we inquire into the reason, we shall find it is because we
conceive not a tennis-ball to think, and consequently not to have any volition, or preference of motion to rest, or
vice versâ; and therefore has not liberty, is not a free agent; but all its both motion and rest come under our idea of
necessary, and are so called. Likewise a man falling into the water, (a bridge breaking under him), has not herein
liberty, is not a free agent. For though he has volition, though he prefers his not falling to falling; yet the
forbearance of that motion not being in his power, the stop or cessation of that motion follows not upon his
volition; and therefore therein he is not free. So a man striking himself, or his friend, by a convulsive motion of
his arm, which it is not in his power, by volition or the direction of his mind, to stop or forbear, nobody thinks he
has in this liberty; every one pities him, as acting by necessity and constraint.
