We may observe a like distinction to run through all the other perceptions of the mind. A man in a fit of anger, is actuated in a very different manner from one who only thinks of that emotion. If you tell me, that any person is in love, I easily understand your meaning, and from a just conception of his situation; but never can mistake that conception for the real disorders6 and agitations7 of the passion. When we reflect on our past sentiments and affections, our thought is a faithful mirror, and copies its objects truly; but the colours which it employs are faint and dull, in comparison of those in which our original perceptions were clothed. It requires no nice discernment or metaphysical head to mark the distinction between them.
Here therefore we may divide all the perceptions of the mind into two classes or species, which are distinguished8 by their different degrees of force and vivacity. The less forcible and lively are commonly denominated Thoughts or Ideas. The other species want a name in our language, and in most others; I suppose, because it was not requisite9 for any, but philosophical10 purposes, to rank them under a general term or appellation11. Let us, therefore, use a little freedom, and call them Impressions; employing that word in a sense somewhat different from the usual. By the term impression, then, I mean all our more lively perceptions, when we hear, or see, or feel, or love, or hate, or desire, or will. And impressions are distinguished from ideas, which are the less lively perceptions, of which we are conscious, when we reflect on any of those sensations or movements above mentioned.
Nothing, at first view, may seem more unbounded than the thought of man, which not only escapes all human power and authority, but is not even restrained within the limits of nature and reality. To form monsters, and join incongruous shapes and appearances, costs the imagination no more trouble than to conceive the most natural and familiar objects. And while the body is confined to one planet, along which it creeps with pain and difficulty; the thought can in an instant transport us into the most distant regions of the universe; or even beyond the universe, into the unbounded chaos12, where nature is supposed to lie in total confusion. What never was seen, or heard of, may yet be conceived; nor is any thing beyond the power of thought, except what implies an absolute contradiction.
But though our thought seems to possess this unbounded liberty, we shall find, upon a nearer examination, that it is really confined within very narrow limits, and that all this creative power of the mind amounts to no more than the faculty13 of compounding, transposing, augmenting14, or diminishing the materials afforded us by the senses and experience. When we think of a golden mountain, we only join two consistent ideas, gold, and mountain, with which we were formerly15 acquainted. A virtuous16 horse we can conceive; because, from our own feeling, we can conceive virtue17; and this we may unite to the figure and shape of a horse, which is an animal familiar to us. In short, all the materials of thinking are derived18 either from our outward or inward sentiment: the mixture and composition of these belongs alone to the mind and will. Or, to express myself in philosophical language, all our ideas or more feeble perceptions are copies of our impressions or more lively ones.
To prove this, the two following arguments will, I hope, be sufficient. First, when we analyze19 our thoughts or ideas, however compounded or sublime20, we always find that they resolve themselves into such simple ideas as were copied from a precedent21 feeling or sentiment. Even those ideas, which, at first view, seem the most wide of this origin, are found, upon a nearer scrutiny22, to be derived from it. The idea of God, as meaning an infinitely23 intelligent, wise, and good Being, arises from reflecting on the operations of our own mind, and augmenting, without limit, those qualities of goodness and wisdom. We may prosecute24 this enquiry to what length we please; where we shall always find, that every idea which we examine is copied from a similar impression. Those who would assert that this position is not universally true nor without exception, have only one, and that an easy method of refuting it; by producing that idea, which, in their opinion, is not derived from this source. It will then be incumbent25 on us, if we would maintain our doctrine26, to produce the impression, or lively perception, which corresponds to it.
Secondly27. If it happen, from a defect of the organ, that a man is not susceptible28 of any species of sensation, we always find that he is as little susceptible of the correspondent ideas. A blind man can form no notion of colours; a deaf man of sounds. Restore either of them that sense in which he is deficient29; by opening this new inlet for his sensations, you also open an inlet for the ideas; and he finds no difficulty in conceiving these objects. The case is the same, if the object, proper for exciting any sensation, has never been applied30 to the organ. A Laplander or Negro has no notion of the relish31 of wine. And though there are few or no instances of a like deficiency in the mind, where a person has never felt or is wholly incapable32 of a sentiment or passion that belongs to his species; yet we find the same observation to take place in a less degree. A man of mild manners can form no idea of inveterate33 revenge or cruelty; nor can a selfish heart easily conceive the heights of friendship and generosity34. It is readily allowed, that other beings may possess many senses of which we can have no conception; because the ideas of them have never been introduced to us in the only manner by which an idea can have access to the mind, to wit, by the actual feeling and sensation.
There is, however, one contradictory35 phenomenon, which may prove that it is not absolutely impossible for ideas to arise, independent of their correspondent impressions. I believe it will readily be allowed, that the several distinct ideas of colour, which enter by the eye, or those of sound, which are conveyed by the ear, are really different from each other; though, at the same time, resembling. Now if this be true of different colours, it must be no less so of the different shades of the same colour; and each shade produces a distinct idea, independent of the rest. For if this should be denied, it is possible, by the continual gradation of shades, to run a colour insensibly into what is most remote from it; and if you will not allow any of the means to be different, you cannot, without absurdity36, deny the extremes to be the same. Suppose, therefore, a person to have enjoyed his sight for thirty years, and to have become perfectly37 acquainted with colours of all kinds except one particular shade of blue, for instance, which it never has been his fortune to meet with. Let all the different shades of that colour, except that single one, be placed before him, descending38 gradually from the deepest to the lightest; it is plain that he will perceive a blank, where that shade is wanting, and will be sensible that there is a greater distance in that place between the contiguous colour than in any other. Now I ask, whether it be possible for him, from his own imagination, to supply this deficiency, and raise up to himself the idea of that particular shade, though it had never been conveyed to him by his senses? I believe there are few but will be of opinion that he can: and this may serve as a proof that the simple ideas are not always, in every instance, derived from the correspondent impressions; though this instance is so singular, that it is scarcely worth our observing, and does not merit that for it alone we should alter our general maxim39.
Here, therefore, is a proposition, which not only seems, in itself, simple and intelligible40; but, if a proper use were made of it, might render every dispute equally intelligible, and banish41 all that jargon42, which has so long taken possession of metaphysical reasonings, and drawn43 disgrace upon them. All ideas, especially abstract ones, are naturally faint and obscure: the mind has but a slender hold of them: they are apt to be confounded with other resembling ideas; and when we have often employed any term, though without a distinct meaning, we are apt to imagine it has a determinate idea annexed44 to it. On the contrary, all impressions, that is, all sensations, either outward or inward, are strong and vivid: the limits between them are more exactly determined45: nor is it easy to fall into any error or mistake with regard to them. When we entertain, therefore, any suspicion that a philosophical term is employed without any meaning or idea (as is but too frequent), we need but enquire46, from what impression is that supposed idea derived? And if it be impossible to assign any, this will serve to confirm our suspicion. By bringing ideas into so clear a light we may reasonably hope to remove all dispute, which may arise, concerning their nature and reality.
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1
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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2
mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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3
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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4
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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5
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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6
disorders
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| n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调 | |
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7
agitations
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| （液体等的）摇动( agitation的名词复数 )； 鼓动； 激烈争论； （情绪等的）纷乱 | |
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8
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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9
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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10
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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11
appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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12
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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13
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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14
augmenting
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| 使扩张 | |
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15
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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16
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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18
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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19
analyze
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| vt.分析，解析 (=analyse) | |
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20
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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21
precedent
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| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
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22
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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23
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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24
prosecute
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| vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官 | |
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25
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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28
susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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30
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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31
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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32
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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33
inveterate
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| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
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34
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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35
contradictory
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| adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立 | |
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36
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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37
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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38
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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40
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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41
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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42
jargon
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| n.术语，行话 | |
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43
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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44
annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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45
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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46
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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