And whereas the Animal Spirits aft fometimes more, and fometimes lefs ftrongly upon the Sub- ftance of the Brain:, and External Objeds make far greater Impreffions, than the Imagination fingly \ it is from hence eafie to difcover, why a Man does not equally remember all the things he has formerly perceiv'd \ how, for inftance, it comes to pafs, that what a Man has often percei- ved, is generally reprefented livelier to the Soul, than what a Man has had but now and then a Preception of: why he more diftindly remembers the things he has feen, than thofe he has only imagin'd j and fo why, for example, a Man fhall know better the diflribution of the Veins in the Liver by once feeing the Difledion of that part, than by often reading it in a Book of Anatomy -7 and fo of other things of like nature.
But if a Man would make reflexion upon what has been formerly faid, concerning the Imagi- nation; and upon the little which has juft now been fpoken concerning the Memory; and if he be rid of that prejudice, that our Brain is too little for the hoarding up and preferring fuch abun- dance of Traces and Impreffions, he will take pleafure in difcovering the caufe of all thofe won- derful EfFeds of the Memory, St. Aufiin with fo much admiration fpeaks of, in the Tenth Book of his Confeffwns. But I fhall not explain thefe things more at large; as believing it more expedi- ent for every Man to explain them to himfelf by fome Eflay of Thought; for as much as the things that way difcover'd, are always more grateful and agreeable, and make greater Imprefllon on us, than thofe we learn from other Men.
It is neceflary to the Explication of the Habits, to know the manner whereby ( we have reafbn to think) the Soul moves the parts of the Body, to which fhe is united \ and that is this: Accor- ding to all appearances in the World, there are always in fome places of the Brain, whatever they be, a very great Quantity of Animal Spirits, very rapidly mov'd by the Heat of the Heart, from whence they proceeded; and moft readily difpos'd to glide into thofe places, where they find an eafie and an open pafiage. All the Nerves terminate in the Receptacle of thofe Spirits,' and the Soul has the * Power of determining their Motion, and conducing them through the Nerves, into all the Mufcles of the Body. Thefe Spirits entering therein fwell them up, and confequently contract them: And thus they move the parts to which the Mufcles are affix'd.
We fhall readily be perfwaded, that the Soul moves the Body in the manner thus explain'd, if it be obferv'd, that when a Man has been a long time fafting, let him try, how he will, to give certain motions to his Body, he will be unable to effed them, and even will be at fome pains to ftand upon his Legs. But if fo be he find a way of conveying into his Heart fomething very Spi- rituous, as Wine or any like nutriment, he forthwith perceives that his Body obeys his Defires with far greater facility, and that he is able to move it how he pleafes. For this fingle Experi- ment makes it, one would think, fufficiently manifeft, that the Soul is incapable of giving Moti- on to her Body for want of Animal Spirits •, and that by their means fhe re-affumes her Sove- reignity and Dominion over it.
Now thefe Inflations of the Mufcles are fo plain and palpable in the Motions of our Arms, and other parts of our Body; and 'tis fo reafonable to believe thefe Mufcles cannot receive any Infla- tion, without the admiffion of fome body into them; as a Bladder cannot be blown and extended, without the entrance of the Air, or fomething elfe; that it feems not to be doubted but the Ani- mal Spirits are driven from the Brain, through the Nerves into the Mufcles, to dilate them, and to produce in them all the Motions we defire. For a Mufcle being full is neceflarily fhorter than when it is empty; andfoattrads and moves the part to which it is conjoin'd; as may be feen explain'd more at large in Mr. Des Cartes Treatife of the Paffions, and in that Concerning Man. I do not however deliver that Explication as perfedly demonftrated in all its parts: To render it en- tirely evident, there are many things farther requifite to be demanded: without which, it is next to impoflible to explaio»ones felf. But the Knowledge of them is not fo ufeful for our Subjed -, for let the Explication Be true or falfe, it will not fail to be of equal ufe to acquaint us with the Na- ture of the Habits. Since if the Soul moves not the Body in that manner, it neceflarily moves it in fome other, that comes up near enough to it, to deduce thofe confequences from it, which we fhall infer.
But to the intent we may purfue our Explication, it is necefTary to obferve, that the Spirits find not the paths, through which they ought to pafs, always fo free and open, as they fhould be \ which is the occafion, for example, of the Difficulty we meet with in moving the Fingers wit,h that Nimblenefs as is neceflary to play on Mufical Inftrumentsj or the Mufcles imploy'd in Pronun- Chap. VI. The Search after Truth. 55 Pronunciation, to pronounce the Words of a ftrange Language: but that the Animal Spirits by little and little, fo open and plain the Ways by their continued fucceffion, as to take away in time all manner of Refiftance. Now /the Habits confift in that Facility the Animal Spirits have of paffing into the Members of our Body.
'Tis the eafieft thing imaginable, according to this Explication, to refolve a multitude of Que- ftions relating to the Habits.• As why, for inftance, Children are more capable of acquiring new Habits, than Perfons of a more confnmmate Age. Why it is a thing of fuch Difficulty, to lay afide an inveterate Cuftom. Why Men by ufe of Speaking, obtain fo great a Dexterity at it, as to pronounce their Words with an incredible fwiftnefs, and even without confidering them; as is but too often cuftomary with thofe, who fay the Prayers which they have been us'd to, fe- veral Years together. And yet many things go to the Pronunciation of one Word; many Mufcks rauft be mov'd at once, in a certain time, and a definite Order, as thofe of the Tongue^ the Livs, the Throat, and Diaphragm. But a Man may with a little Meditation give himfelf fatis- faction upon thefe Queftions, ^ upon many others very curious, and no lefs ufeful, and it is not neceflary to dwell any'longer upon them.
It is manifeft from what has beenfaid, that there is a great affinity between the Memory and Ha- bits; and that in one fenfe, the Memory may pafs for a Species of Habit. For as the Corporeal ' Habits confift in the Facility the Spirits have acquir'd, of paffing into certain places of our Body: So the Memory confifts in the Traces the fame Spirits have imprinted in the Brain, which are the caufe of that Facility we have of Recollecting and Remembring things. In fo much that were there no Perceptions affix'd to the courfes of the Animal Spirits, and the Traces they leave be- hind them; there would be no difference between the Memory and the other Habits. Nor is there greater difficulty to conceive how Beafts, though void of Soul, and incapable of any Perception, see the may remember after their way, the things that have made an Impreffion in their Brainy than to iUuflrati- conceive how they are capable of acquiring different Habits •, and after what I have explain'd con- ons upn cerning the Habits, I fee no greater difficulty to reprefent to a Man's felf, how the Members feg.^iel' of their Body procure different Habits by degrees; than how an Engine newly made, cannot fo Memory eafily be play'd, as after it has been fome time made ufe of. and Habits A I. That the Fibres of the Brain are not fuh'jetl to fo fudden Changes^ as the Spirits. II. Three different Changes incident to the three different Ages.
LL the Parts of Animate Bodies are in a continual Motion, whether they be Solid, or *• Fluid, the Flefh no lefs than the Blood: There is only this difference between the Motion ™at ™i of one and the other, that the Motion of the parts of the Blood is fenfible and vifible, J}e grain and that the Particles of the Fibres of our Flefh are altogether Imperceptible. There is then this are not difference between the Animal Spirits, and the Subftance of the Brain, That the Animal Spirits fub]e& to are very rapidly mov'd, and very fluid, but theSubftance of the Brain has fome Solidity and fofu/fen Confidence. So that the Spirits divide themfelves, into little Parts, and are difpers'd in a few asmt^fsL Hours, by tranfpiring through the Pores of the Veffels that contain them; and others often fuc- r/w. ceed in their Place, not altogether like the former: But the Fibres of the Brain are^not fo ealie to be diffipated, there feldom happen any confiderable Alterations in them ■■, and their whole Sub- ftance can't be chang'd, but by the fucceffive trad of many Years.
The moft confiderable Differences, that are found in the Brain of one and the fame Perfon, du- ring his whole Life, are in his Infancy, in his Maturity, and in his Old Age.
The Fibres in the Brain in a Man's Child-hood, are foft, flexible and delicate: A Riper and n. more confnmmate Age dries, hardens, and corroborates them; but in Old Age, they grow altoge- Three con- ther inflexible, grofs, and intermix'd with fuperfluous Humours, wich the faint and languifliing^e^Wff Heat of that Age is no longer able todifperfe. For as we fee that the Fibres which compofe the ^J^f/l. Flefh, harden by Time, and that the Flefh of a young Partridge is without difpute more tender, ^n\n %e than that of an old one; fo the Fibres of the Brain of a Child, or a young Perfon muft be much Three dffe- more foft and delicate, than thofe of Perfons more advane'd in Years. re?n ^ges We fhall underftand the Ground and the Reafon of thefe Changes, if we confider that the Fibres °f Mun- are continually agitated by the Animal Spirits; which whirl about them in many different man- ners. For as the Winds parch and dry the Earth by their blowing upon it, fo the Animal Spi- rits by their perpetual Agitation, render by degrees, the greateft part of the Fibres of Man's Brain, more dry, more clofeand folid; fo that Perfons more ftricken in' Age, muft neceflarily have them almoft always more inflexible, than thofe of a leffer Handing. And as for thofe who are of the fame Age, your Drunkards, which for many Years together have drank to excefs, either Wine or fuch Intoxicating Liquors, muft needs have them more folid and more inflexible, than thofe who have abftain'd from the ufe of fuch kind of Liquors all their Lives.
Now the different Conftitutions of the Brain in Children, in Adult Perfons, and in Old Peo- ple, are very confiderable Caufes of the Difference obfervable in. the Imaginative Faculty of thefe Three Ages, which we are going to fpeak of in the following Chapters.
54 ft Malebranche Concerning. Book II.- I. Of the Communication there u between the Brain of a Mother, and that of her Infant. II. Of the Communication that is between our Brain, and the other Farts of our Body, which inclines us to Imitation, and to Com' pajfion. III. An Explication of the Generation of Monfirous Children- and the Propagation of the Species. IV. An Explication of fome Ir- regularities of the Vnderfianding, and of feme Inclinations of the Will, V. Concerning Concuptfcence, and Original Sin. VI. Objections and Anfwers.
I I T is, I think, fufficiently manifefl that there is fome kind of Tye and Connexion between. us, and all the reft of the World; and that we have fome Natural Relations to, or Corre- . fpondencies with all things that encompafs us: which Relations are very advantagious, both as to the Prefervation, and welfare of our Lives. But all thefe Relations are not equally binding^ There is a clofer Connection betwixt us and our Native Country, than China, we have a nearer Relation to the Sun, than to any of the Stars j to our own Houfes, than that of our Neighbours: There are invifible Ties, that fallen us with a flridter Union unto Men, than Beafts; to our Re- lations and Friends, than Strangers -7 to thofe on whom we have our Dependence for the Prefer- vation of our Being, than to fuch as can neither be the Objects of our Hopes or Fears.
That which is more efpecially remarkable in this Natural Union, betwixt us and other Men, is, That it is fo much greater, by how much we ftand more in need of their Kindnefs, or Affi- itance. Relations and Friends are intimately united to one another: We may fay that their Pains and Miferies are common, as well as their Pleafures and Happinefs \ For all the Paffions and Sen- timents of our Friends, are communicated to us by the Impreffion their Mein,and Manner,and the Air of their Countenance make upon us: But becaufe we may abfolntely live without them, the Natural Union betwixt them and us is not the greateft that is poffible. I. Children in their Mother's Womb, whofe Bodies are not yet compleatly form'd, and who are cf the Com- of themfelves in a ftate of the greateft Weaknefs, Impotency, and Want, that can pofiibly be munimion COnceiv'd, ought to be united likewife to their Mothers in the ftricteft manner imaginable. And tmm the' tnough tneir Soul be Separate from that of their Mothers, yet fince their Body is not loos'd, and Brain oftbe difengaged from her's, it ought to be concluded, they have the fame Sentiments and the fame Paf- Mother,and fions \ in a word, all the fame Thoughts as are excited in the Soul, on occaflon of the Motions that of her which are produc'd in the Body.
infant. -p^us infants fee wnat their Mothers fee, they hear the fame Cries, they receive the fame Impreffions of Objects, and are agitated with the fame Paffions. For iince the Air of the Face of A Man in a Paflion, pierces thofe which look upon him, and Naturally impreffes in them a Paffion refembling that with which he is pofiefs'd, though the Union of that Man with thofe that confi- der him, be not very great and binding; one Would think there were good Reafon, to believe the Mothers capable of imprinting on their Infants all the fame Sentiments they are touch'd with, and all theaTame Paffions themfelves are adted withal. For, in fhort, the Body of an Infant in the Womb, is all of a piece with the Body of the Mother -7 the Blood and the Spirits are com- mon to them both, the Senfations and Paffions are the Natural Refult and Consequents of the Motions of the'Blood and Spirits, and thefe Motions are neceilarily communicated from the Mo- ther to the Child: Therefore the Paffions and Senfations, and generally all the Thoughts occa- fion'd by the Body, are common to the Mother and the Child.
Thefe things feem to me beyond exception true, for feveral Reafons, which yet I advance not here but as a Suppofition, which I think will be fufficiently demonftrated by what follows: For every Suppofition that can ftand the fhock of all the Difficulties poffible to be rais'd againft it, and repel them, ought to pafs for an indifputable Principle.
The invifible Bonds and Cements wherewith the Author of Nature has united all his Works, are worthy of the Wifdom of GO D, and the Admiration of Men \ there is nothing in the World at once more furprizing and inftru&ing than this; but we are too inconfiderate to regard it. We leave our felves to be conducted, without confidcring who conducts us, or how he does it: NaoftheCom- ture *s concea^ from our Eyes, as well as its Author; and we feel rhe Motions that are promunkation duc'd in us, without confidering from what Springs they are: And yet there are few things betweenour more neceffary to be known by us •, fince upon the Knowledge of them it is, that the Explication Brain, and 0f a\\ things relating to Man, depends.
the other There are certainly in our Brain fome fecret Springs and Movements, which naturally incline cur Body, us t0 Imitation, for this is neceffary to Civil Society. It is not only neceflary for Children to which in- believe their Fathers -7 for Difciples to believe their Maflers; and Inferionrs, their Superiours: tiine us to it is moreover neceffary, that all Men fhould be inclinable to take up the like Exteriour Manners,. Imitation an(j t0 ^Q tjlc fame Actions, asthofe with whom they mean to live. For to the intent that Men pMonT' fhould have a Connexion and Dependance on each other, 'tis neceffary they come near to one another Chap. VII. The Search after Truth.. j.
another in the Characters both of Body and Mind. This is the Fundamental Principle of AbuH« dance of things we (hall treat of in the following Difcourfe: But as to what we have to fay hi this Chapter, it is farther neceflary to know, that there are in the Brain fome Natural Difpofi- tions, which incline us to Compaffion, as well as to Imitation.
It ought to be known then, That the Animal Spirits do not only Naturally convey themfelves into the Parts of our Body, for the performing the fame Actions, and the fame Motions whicli we fee others do; but farther, for the Receiving, after a manner, their Hurts and Injuries, and participating of their Miferies, For Experience teaches us, that when we very attentively con- sider a Man violently ftruck, or dangeroufly wounded, the Spirits impetuoufly haften to the Parts of our Body correfpondent to thofe we fee wounded in another, provided we turn not the current of them another way, by a voluntary and forcible Titillation of a different Part from that which we fee hurt or wounded: Or that the Natural Courfe of the Spirits towards the Heart and Vifcerous parts, which is ufual in fudden Commotions, changes not the Determina- tion of the Flux of the Spirits we are fpeaking of, and hurries them along with them: Or laftly, unlefs fome extraordinary Connection of the Traces of the Brain, with the motions of the Spi- rits, effects the fame thing.
This Tranflation of the Spirits into the Parts of our Body, which are Analogous to thofe we fee injurioufly treated in others, makes a very fenfible Impreffion on Perfons of a fine and delicate Conftitution, who have a lively Imagination, and very foft and tender Flefh. For they feel, for inftance, a kind of fhivering or trembling in their Legs, by an attentive beholding any one that has a Sore there, or actually receives a blow in them.
( For a confirmation of this, take what a Friend of mine wrote to me to the fame purpofe. An Old Gentleman that liv'd with one of my Sifters, being fick, a Toung Maid held the Candle whiVs~l he was Blooded in the Foot: But as Jhe faw the Surgeon (trike in the Lancet, jhe was feiz?d with fuch an- Apprehenfion,. as to feel three or four days afterwards fuch a piercing Pain in the fame part of her Foot, tts forced her to keep her Bed all that time?)
The Reafon whereof is this, That the Spirits impetuoufly diffufe themfelves into thefe parts of our Body } that by keeping them more intenfe, they may render them more Senfible to the Soul -, and may put her upon her guard, and make her felicitous to avoid thofe Evils which we behold in others. ' This Compaffion in Bodies produces another Companion in Minds: It induces us to Condole and Comfort others in their Troubles, becaufe in fo doing, we Comfort and Solace our felves: In fine, it gives a check to our Malice and Cruelty. For the horrour of Blood, and the fear of Death, in a word, the fenfible impreffion of Compaffion often prevents thofe Perfons from Butchering beafts, who are the moft convincingly perfwaded they are meer Machines: Becaufe a great many Men are unable to Kill them, without Wounding themfelves by a Repercuffive ftroke of Compaffion.
But that which here is moft efpecially remarkable, is, That the Senfible View of a Wound receiv'd by another, produces in thofe which behold it, a fo much greater Wound, as their Con- ftitution is more weak and delicate: Becaufe that fenfible View impetuoufly throwing the Animal Spirits into the Parts of the Body, which are correfpondent to thofe they fee hurt or wounded, they muft needs make a greater Impreffion in the Fibres of a tender and delicate Body, than in thofe of a more ftrong and robuft Complection.
Thus Men who abound with Strength and Vigour, are not at all hurt with the fight of a Mafla- cre; nor fo much inclm'd to Compaffion, becaufe the fight of it is an offence to their Body, as becaufe it fhocks their Reafon: Thefe Perfons have no Pity for a Condemned' Criminal, as being both Inflexible and Inexorable } Whereas Women and Children fuffer much Pain by the Hurt and Wounds they fee receiv'd by others. They are machinally difpos'd, to be very Pitiful and Compaffionate to the Miferable. And they are unable to fee a Beaft beaten, or hear it cry, without fome difturbance of mind.
As for Infants which are ftill in their Mother's Womb, the delicacy of the Fibres of their Flefh infinitely exceeding that of Women and Children, the Courfe of their Spirits muft neceffarily produce more confiderable Changes in them, as will be feen in the Sequel of the Difcourfe.
We will ftill fuffer what we have faid to go for a fimple Suppofition, if Men will have it fb. But they ought to endeavour well to comprehend it, if they would diftimftly conceive the things I prefiime to explain in this Chapter. For thefe two Suppofitions I have juft made, are the Prin- ciples of an infinite number of things, which are generally believ'd very difficult and abftrufe. And which indeed feem impoffible to be explain'd and clear'd up without them. I will here give ibme inftances of what I have faid.
It was about feven or eight Years ago, that there was feen in the Incurable, a young. J11'-/ Man who was born an Idiot, and whofe Body was broken in the fame places that Male-, *? -tExpiicmm of factors are broken on the Wheel. He lived near twenty Years in the fame condition: firmctiMnn and lie many Perfons went to fee him •, and the late Queen-mother going to vifit the Hofpi- propagation oftbesps* tal, had the Curiofity to fee him, and alfo to touch his Legs and Arms, in the places ties. were they were broken.
According to the Principles I have been eftablifhing, the caufe of this Calamitous Acci- dent was, That his Mother hearing a Criminal was to be broken, went to fee the Execution.
dtAec°h'* ^ t^ie ^ows which were given to the Condemned, ftruck violently the Imagination of the frfisv-tl* Mother j and by a kind of Repercuifive blow, the tender and delicate Brain of her Infant. The fnion. Fibres of this Mother's Brain receiv'd a prodigious Concuffion, and were poflibly broke in fome places, by the violent courfe of the Spirits, produced at the Sight of fo frightful a Spectacle. But they had Confiflency enough to prevent their total Diholution. The Fibres, on the contrary, of the Infant's Brain not being able to refift the furious torrent of thefe Spirits, were broke and fhattered all to pieces. And the havock was violent enough to make him lofe his Intellect for ever. This is the Reafon why he come into the World deprived of Senfe. Now for the other, why he was broken in the fame parts of his Body as the Criminal, whom his Mother had feen put to Death.
.At the Sight of this Execution, fo capable of difmaying a timorous Woman, the violent courfe of the Animal Spirits of the Mother, made a forcible defcent from her Brain, towards all the * Accor- Members of her Body, which were Analogous to thofe of the Criminal, and * the fame thing ding to the happened to the Infant. But becanfethe Bones of the Mother were capable of withstanding the ZZiJy' violent Impreflion of thefe Spirits, they receiv'd no dammage by them; it may be too fhe felt not the leaft Pain, nor the leaft Trembling in her Arms or Legs, upon the Breaking of the Criminal: But the rapid courfe of the Spirits was capable of burfling the foft and tender parts of the Infant's Bones. For the Bones are the laft parts of the Body that are form'd; and they . have very lit tleConfiflence, whilft Children are yet in their Mother's Womb. And it ought to be obferv'd, that if this Mother had determin'd the Motion of thefe Spirits, towards fome other part of her Body, by fome powerful Titillation, her Infant would have efcaped the Fracture of his Bones. But the part which was correfpondent to that, towards which the Mother had de- termined thefe Spirits, would have been feverely injured j according to what I have alrea- dy faid.
The Reafons of this Accident are general enough, to explain how it comes to pafs that Wo- men, who whilft big with Child, fee Perfons particularly mark'd in certain places of their Face, imprint on their Infants the very fame Marks, and in the felf-fame places of the Body. And 'tis not without good Reafon, that they are caution'd to rub fome latent part of the Body, when they perceive any thing which furprifes them} or are agitated with fome violent Paffion. For by this means, the Marks will be delineated rather upon the hidden parts, than the Faces of their Infants.
We mould have frequent Inftances of like Nature with this I have here related, if Infants could live after they had receiv'd fb great Wounds or Difruptions j but generally they prove Abor- tions: For it may be faid that rarely any Child dies in the Womb, if the Mother be not diftem- per'd, that has any other caufe of its ill fortune, than fome fright or impotent Defire, or other violent Paffion of the Mother. This following is another Inftance, very unufual and particular. It is no longer than a Year ago, that a Woman, having with too great an Application of Thought, contemplated the Picture of St. Pins, at the Celebration of his Feafl of Canonization, was deliver'd of a Child perfectly featur'd like the Reprefentation of the Saint. He had the Countenance of an Old Man, as near as was poffible for an Infant that was beardlefs.. His Arms were folded acrofs upon his Breaft j His Eyes bent up towards Heaven, and had very little Fore- head, becaufe the Picture of the Saint, being poftur'd as looking up to Heaven, and elevated towards the Roof of the Church, had fcarce any Fore-head to be feen: He had a kind of Mi- tre reclining backwards on his Shoulders, with many round prints in the places, where the Mitres are imbofs'd with Precious Stones. In fhort, this Infant was the very Picture of the Pi- cture, upon which the Mother hadform'd it, by the force of her Imagination. This is a thing that all Paris might have feen as well as I, fince it was a confiderable time preferv'd in Spirit of Wine.
This inftance has This remarkable in it, That it was not the Sight of a Man alive, and acted with fome violent Paffion, thatmov'd the Spirits and Blood of the Mother to the Production of fo Arrange an Effect; but only the fight of a Picture j which yet made a very fenfible Impreffion, and was accompanied with a mighty Commotion of Spirits, whether by, the Fervency and Ap- plication of the Mother •, or whether by the Agitation, the noife of the Feafl caus'd in her.