The Originall of them all, is that which we call Sense; (For there is no conception in a mans mind, which hath not at first, totally, or by parts, been begotten2 upon the organs of Sense.) The rest are derived3 from that originall.
To know the naturall cause of Sense, is not very necessary to the business now in hand; and I have els-where written of the same at large. Nevertheless, to fill each part of my present method, I will briefly4 deliver the same in this place.
The cause of Sense, is the Externall Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediatly, as in the Tast and Touch; or mediately5, as in Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling: which pressure, by the mediation6 of Nerves, and other strings7, and membranes8 of the body, continued inwards to the Brain, and Heart, causeth there a resistance, or counter-pressure, or endeavour of the heart, to deliver it self: which endeavour because Outward, seemeth to be some matter without. And this Seeming, or Fancy, is that which men call sense; and consisteth, as to the Eye, in a Light, or Colour Figured; To the Eare, in a Sound; To the Nostrill, in an Odour; To the Tongue and Palat, in a Savour; and to the rest of the body, in Heat, Cold, Hardnesse, Softnesse, and such other qualities, as we discern by Feeling. All which qualities called Sensible, are in the object that causeth them, but so many several motions of the matter, by which it presseth our organs diversly. Neither in us that are pressed, are they anything els, but divers1 motions; (for motion, produceth nothing but motion.) But their apparence to us is Fancy, the same waking, that dreaming. And as pressing, rubbing, or striking the Eye, makes us fancy a light; and pressing the Eare, produceth a dinne; so do the bodies also we see, or hear, produce the same by their strong, though unobserved action, For if those Colours, and Sounds, were in the Bodies, or Objects that cause them, they could not bee severed9 from them, as by glasses, and in Ecchoes by reflection, wee see they are; where we know the thing we see, is in one place; the apparence, in another. And though at some certain distance, the reall, and very object seem invested with the fancy it begets10 in us; Yet still the object is one thing, the image or fancy is another. So that Sense in all cases, is nothing els but originall fancy, caused (as I have said) by the pressure, that is, by the motion, of externall things upon our Eyes, Eares, and other organs thereunto ordained11.
But the Philosophy-schooles, through all the Universities of Christendome, grounded upon certain Texts of Aristotle, teach another doctrine12; and say, For the cause of Vision, that the thing seen, sendeth forth13 on every side a Visible Species(in English) a Visible Shew, Apparition14, or Aspect, or a Being Seen; the receiving whereof into the Eye, is Seeing. And for the cause of Hearing, that the thing heard, sendeth forth an Audible Species, that is, an Audible Aspect, or Audible Being Seen; which entring at the Eare, maketh Hearing. Nay15 for the cause of Understanding also, they say the thing Understood sendeth forth Intelligible16 Species, that is, an Intelligible Being Seen; which comming into the Understanding, makes us Understand. I say not this, as disapproving17 the use of Universities: but because I am to speak hereafter of their office in a Common-wealth, I must let you see on all occasions by the way, what things would be amended18 in them; amongst which the frequency of insignificant19 Speech is one.
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1 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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2 begotten | |
v.为…之生父( beget的过去分词 );产生,引起 | |
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3 derived | |
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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4 briefly | |
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
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5 mediately | |
在中间,间接 | |
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6 mediation | |
n.调解 | |
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7 strings | |
n.弦 | |
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8 membranes | |
n.(动物或植物体内的)薄膜( membrane的名词复数 );隔膜;(可起防水、防风等作用的)膜状物 | |
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9 severed | |
v.切断,断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 );断,裂 | |
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10 begets | |
v.为…之生父( beget的第三人称单数 );产生,引起 | |
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11 ordained | |
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定 | |
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12 doctrine | |
n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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13 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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14 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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15 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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16 intelligible | |
adj.可理解的,明白易懂的,清楚的 | |
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17 disapproving | |
adj.不满的,反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 ) | |
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18 Amended | |
adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词 | |
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19 insignificant | |
adj.无关紧要的,可忽略的,无意义的 | |
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