For as they confess, that this energy lies not in any of the known qualities of matter, the difficulty still remains concerning the origin of its idea.

If we have really an idea of power, we may attribute power to an unknown quality: But as it is impossible, that that idea can be derived from such a quality, and as there is nothing in known qualities, which can produce it; it follows that we deceive ourselves, when we imagine we are possest of any idea of this kind, after the manner we commonly understand it.

All ideas are derived from, and represent impressions.

We never have any impression, that contains any power or efficacy.

We never therefore have any idea of power.
Some have asserted, that we feel an energy, or power, in our own mind; and that having in this manner acquired the idea of power, we transfer that quality to matter, where we are not able immediately to discover it.