The chief Reafon why we are fo earneftly defirous, that thofe who read this Work bring all poffible Application along with them, is, that we are willing to be reprehended for the Faults we have been guilty of; For we pretend not to be Infallible. We have fo itri£t an Union with, and fo ftrong a Dependence on our Body, that we are juftly apprehenlive, left we have fometimes miftaken the PREFACE.
tniftaken thh confused Noife wherewith it fills the Imagination, for the Pure Voice of Truth, which fpeaks to the Underjianding.
Were it GOD only who fpoke, and did we judge only according to what we heard, we might Sicut audio perhaps fay in the words of our LORD, As 1 bear I judge, and my Judgment is juft. But we fie judico, have a Body that fpeaks lowder than GOD Himfelf, hut never fpeaks the Truth. We have Self meumju-"1 ^ove-> Wflicn corrupts the Words of G 0 D, which are all Truth: and we have Pride, which emftum eft.- boldens us to judge without Haying for the Words of Truth, which ought to be the Rule of all quia non our Judgments. For the principal Caufe of our Errours, is, that our Judgments reach farther qua-rovo- than our Pure Intellectual Perceptions. Wherefore I intf eat thofe to whom GOD fhall difcover meam?m7o- ^Wandrings, to put me in the Right Way 5, that fo this Treatife, which I offer as an Ejfay, ban. c'ap.$. whofe Subject is well worthy the Application of Men, may by degrees arrive to its Perfection.
30. This Undertaking was at firft ettempted only with defign of inffrucfing my felf: But fome Perfons being of Opinion it might be of ufe, if publifh'd, I the willinger fubmitted to their Reafons; becaufe one of the principal fo well fuited with the defire I had of advantaging my felf.
The beft means, faidthey, of being informed in any Matter, is' to communicate our Opinions about it to the Learned. This quickens our own Attention, as well as provokes theirs. Sometimes they have different Profpecf s, and make other Difcoveries of Truths; fometimes they pufh on certain Enquiries, which we out of Lazinefs have neglected, or for want of Strength and Courage have deferted.
And upon this Profpect of Benefiting my felf, and fome others, I run the hazard of being an Author. But that my Hopes may not prove abortive, I throw in this Precaution, That a Man (hould not be prefently difcourag'd, though he meet with tilings that run counter to Common Opinions; which he has all his Life long believ'd, and found generally approved by all Men in all Ages of the World. For they axeThefe Universal Errours I more especially ftrive to extirpate. Were Men throughly enlightned, Univerfal Approbation would be an Argument: but the cafe is quite contrary. Let him therefore be once for all re-minded, that nothing but Reafon ought to prefide over the Judgments we pafs on all Humane Opinions; which have no relation to Faith: of which GOD alone informs us in a quite different way, from that of our diicovering Natural things. Let him Retire into himfelf, and preis near to that Light, which perpetually Jhines With- in, to the end his Reafon may be more and more enlightned. Let him induftrioufly avoid all thofe too lively Senfations, and all the Commotions of the Soul, which fill the Capacity of the Mind. For the leaf Noife, or Glimmering of Light fometimes difturbs the View of the Mind: And therefore 'tis good to avoid all thefe things, though not abfolutely neceffary. And if after all the .ffruggles he can make, he finds himfelf unable to withftand the continual Impreffions that his Body, and the Prejudices of Childhood, make upon his Imagination: recourfe to Prayer is need- ful, that GOD may afford thofe Supplies, wherewith his own Strength cannot furnifh him; Qui hoc ~®ever failing fill to refift his Senfes. For that ought to be the perpetual Employment of thofe, videre non who in imitation of St. Auftin, have a great love for Truth, poteft,oret & agat ut poffemereatur, nee ad hominem difputatorem pulfet, ut quod not legit Iegat, fed ad Deum Salvatorem, ut quod non valet valeat. Epift. 112. cap. 12. Supplexqj ilii qui lumen mentis accendit, attendatut intelligat. Cotf. Ep. Fund. cap. 33. Nullo modo refiftitur Corporis fenfibus; qus nobis facratiflima difciplina eft; fi per eos infliftis plagis Vulneribufque blandimur. Ep. 72.
THE CHAP. I.
i./"\F the Nature and Properties of tte Under- KJ flanuuig. ' 2. Of the Nature and Properties of the Will, and wherein its Liberty confifts. Page I CHAP. II.
i. Of our Judgments and Reafonings. i. That they depend upon the Will. 3. The Vfe which fhou Id be 7n ade of its Liberty on their account. 4. Two Ge- neral Rules for the avoiding Error and Sin. 5. Some Neceffary Reflexions on thofe Rules 4 CHAP. III.
1. The Anfwers to fome Objections. 2. Obfervations vpon wlwt has been /aid concerning the Neceffity of Evidence 7 CHAP. IV.
I. Of the Occafwnal Caufes of Error, whereof there are five Principal. 2. The General Defign of the whole Work. 3. The Particular Defgn of the Firfl Book 9 CHAP. V.
Of the Senfes. 1. Two ways of Explaining,how they were corrupted by Sin. 2. That 'tis our Liberty, end not our Senfes, which is the trice Caufe of our Errors. 3. A Rule for avoiding Error in the ufe of our Senfes 10 CHAP. VI.
i. Of the Errors of Sight in re/pelt of Extenfion abfolutely conflder'd. 2. A Continuation of thefe Er- rors about lnvifible Object's. 3. Of the Errors of Sight touching Extenfion relatively confidered 1 3 CHAP. VII.
1. Of the Errors of Sight about figures. 2. We have no Knowledge of the leaf of them. 3.. The Knowledge we have of the Greater is not exact. 4. An Explication offome Natural Judgments which prevent our Deception. 5. That thefe very Judgments de- ceive us in fome particular Junctures 1.8 CHAP. Vlil.
I. That our Eyes are incapable of informing 1$ of the Quantity or Swift nefs of Motion confidered in it felf. 2. That Duration which is neceffary to our Knowledge of the Qiiantity of Motion is unknown to us. 3. An Infance of the Errors of Sight about Motion and Reft 1 9 A Continuation of the fame Subject. 1. A Gene- ral Demonjlration of the Errors of our Sight concern- ing Motion. 2. That the Diflance of Objects is ne- ceffary to be known, in order to judge of the Quantity af their Motion. 3. The Mediums whereby we know file Di fiances. of Ob jells are examined 21 CHAP. X.
Of our Errors about Senfible Qualities. 1. The Di- fl in it ion of the Soul and Body. 2. An Explication of the Organs of the Senfes. 3. To what part of the Bo- dy the Soul is immediately united. 4. An Infance to explain the Effetl which Objects have upon our Bodies. 5. What it is they produce in the Soul, and theReafons why the Soul perceives not the Motions of the fibres of the Body. 6. Four things which are generally con- founded in every Senfation 25 j/'i. TJ?e Error we fall into concerning the Action of Objects again fl the external Fibres of our Senfes.
2. The Caufe of this Error. 3. An Objection anl Anfwer 2S CHAP. XIL I. Of our Errors concerning the Motions of the Fibres of our Senfes. 2. That we have no Percept tion of thefe Motions, or that we confound them zoitb our Senfations. 3. An Experiment that proves it. 4. Three kinds of, Senfations. 5. The Errors thai accompany them ' Ibid, CHAP. XIII.
CHAP. XIII.
I. Of the Nature of Senfations. 2. That a ' fjjjiati knows them better than he thinks he does. 3. An Ob- jection and Anfwer. 4. Why a Man imagines he has' no Knowledge of his own Senfations. 5. That it is an Error to think all Men have the fame Senfations of the fame Objects. 6. An Objection and Anfwer 3 1 CHAP. XIV.
I. Of the falfe Judgments that accompany our Sen- fations, and which we confound with them. 2. The Reafons of thefe falfe Judgments. 3. That Err or is not in our Senfations, but only in thefe Judgments 35 CHAP. XV.
An Explication of the particular Errors of the Sight, which may ferve as an Exemplar of the gene- ralErr ours of our Senfes..37 CHAP. XVI;] i. That the Errors of our Senfes ferve m inflead of General and very Fruitful Principles, from whence to draw falfe Conclufwns; and thefe Conclufwns again become other Principles in their turn. 2. The Ori- gin e of Efjential Differences. 3. Concerning Subflan- tial Forms. 4. Of fome other Errors of the School- Phi lofophy 38 CHAP. XVIL 1. Another Infance taken from Morality, which floews that our Senfes offer us nothing but falfe Goods., 2. That God alone is our true and proper Good.. ^.The1 Or'igme of the Error of the Epicureans and Stcicks 39 CHAP. XVHL 1. That our Senfes make us liable to Error, even in things which are net fenfible. 2. An Example taken from the Converfatwn of Men. 3. That Senfible Manners are not to be regarded 41 CHAR XIX, Two other Examples. 1. The fi/fi concerning our Errors about the Nature of Bodies. 2. The fecond concerning thofe which refpett the Realities of the -famfi Bodies 42 CHAP. XX, The Conclufon of the Firfl Book. 1. Thai' our Senfes are given w only for the Prefervation of our Body. 2. That we ought to doubt of the Reports they make. 3. That ^tis no little thing to. doubt as we ought to do.
Book the Second, CHAP. I, 'i. AGeneralldea of the Imagination. 2. That it in- eludes two Faculties, an A ctive and a Pa (Jive. 3. A gene- ral Caufe of the Changes winch happen in the Imaginati- on of Men \ and the Foundat ion of the Second Book 4?
The CONTENTS.
CHAP. II.
T Of the Animal Spirits, and the Changes they are \tijell 'to in general. 2. That the Chyle entring the "Heart, occafions a Change in the Sprits. 3. That limine does the fame thing 47 CHAP. III...That the Air 'vnplofd in Refpiration caiifes fome chahge in the Animal Spirits 48 CHAP. IV.
1. Of the Change of the Spiritscaus'd by the Nerves, zvhich go to the Heart and Lungs. 2. Of that which is caused by the Nerves, which go to the Liver, to the Spleen and Vifcera. 3. That all that is performed without the Concurrence of our Will, but yet it cannot be done without a Providence 49 CHAP. V.
1. Of Memory. 2. Of Habits $i CHAP. VI. 1. That the Fibres of the Brain are not fubjetl to fo fudden Changes at the Spirits. 2. Three different Changes incident to the three different Ages 53 CHAP. VII. 1. Of the Communication there is between the Brain of a Mother, and that of her Infant. 2. Of the Com- munication that is between our Brain and the other Parts of our Body, which inclines its to Imitation, and toCompaJJion. 3. An Explication of the Generation of Monfrous Children, and the Propagation of the Species. 4. An Explication of fome Irregularities of the Underffanding, and of fome Inclinations of the Will. <$. Concerning Concupifcence and Original Sin. 6. Objections and Anfwers 54 CHAP. VIII. 1. The Changes which happen in the Imagination of an Infant, after his Birth, by his accompanying with his Aiother, his Nurfe, and other Perfons. 2. Some In- jlrulfions for their good Education 6 1 The Second Part.
CHAP. I.
1. Of the Imagination of Women. 2. Of the Ima- gination of Men. 3. Of the Imagination of old Men 64 That the Animal Spirits generally run in the Tracks of Ideas that are inofi familiar to us, which is the Reafon of our prepofierous Judgments 66 CHAP. III.
Of the mutual Connexion between the Ideas, and the Traces of the Brain; and of the mutual Connexion there is between Traces and Traces, Ideas and Ideas 68 CHAP. IV. 1. That Men of Learning are the 7710ft fubj ell to Error. 2. The Caufes why Men had rather be gui- ded hy Authority, 'than make ufe of their own Rea- fon 71 CHAP. V. Two pernicious Effelts Reading has upon the Ii7ia- gi nation 72 CHAP. VI. That Men ofLear7wig generally are fo opinionated acith an Author, that their principal Drift is the Itnow- ing what he held, without caripg to- know what ought CHAP. VII. Of the Yrepoffeffion of Co7iimentat6rs 76 chap. vm.
I. Of the Inventors of new Sy ferns. 2. The lafil Error of Men of Learning. -ja CHAP. IX.
1. Of Effeminate Minds. 2. Of Superficial Minds. 3. Of Men of Authority. 4. Of the Experimental Philofophers 81 The Third Part.
Of the Difpofition we have to imitate others in all things, which is the Original -of the Communication of thofe Errors that depend on the Power of Imagination. 2. Two things that more efpecially increafe this Dif- pofition. 3. What that ffrong Imagination is. 4. That there are fever al kinds of it. Of Fools, and of thofe that have a ffrong Imagination, in the Senfe ''tis here taken. $. Two conftderable bnperfetlions of Men of afrong bn agination. 6. Of the Power they have to perfuade and impofe on others 84 CHAP. II. General Inffances of the Strength of Imagination 87 CHAP. III. 1. Of the Force of fome Authors Imagination. 2. Of Tertullian * • \ a 3 CHAP. IV. Of the Imagination of Seneca 91 Of MontagneV Book 95 CHAP. VI. I. Of Witches in Imagination, and of Wolf -men.
2. The Cone lufion of the two Firft Books 99 Book the Third.
CHAP. I.
1. Thought is only effential to the Mini. Senfation and Imagination are only the Modifications of it. 2. We know not all the Modifications our Soul is capable of.
3. They are different from our Knowledge andourLove^ nor are they always Confequences of them 101 CHAP. II.
1. The Mind being limited, cannot comprehend any thing of an Infinite Nature. 2. Its Limit at ion is the Origine of a great many Errors. 3. And efpecially of Herefies. 4. The Mind muff befubmitted unto Faith CHAP. III.
1. The Philofophers diffipate or diffolve the Force of the Mind, by applying it to the Subjells, including too Many Relations, and depending on too many things; and by obferving no Method in their Studies. 2. An Infiance taken from Ariftotle. 3. That Geometricians on the contrary take a good Method in the Search of Truth: Efpecially thofe who 77/ake ufe of Algebra and Analyticks. q.That their Method increafes the Strength of the Mind, and that Ar iftorieV Logic k leffens it. $.A- nother Fault of Learned Men 1 07 CHAP. IV.
CHAP. IV.
1. The Mind cannot dwell long upon Objells that have no relation to it, or that include not fo/ue thing of Infinity in them. 2. The Inconf fancy of the Will, is the Caufe of that want of Application, and confequent- ly of Error. 3. Our Scnfaiions take us up more than the ptife Ideas of the Mind. 4. Which is the Source of the Corruption of our Morals. 5. And of the Ig- norance of the Vulgar fort of Men 109 Second The CONTENTS.
Second Part concerning pure Undemanding.
CHAP. I.
I. What is meant by Ideas. That they really exift, end are neceffary to our perceiving all material Ob jells. 2. A Particularization of all the ways pojftble for m to perceive external Ob jells 112 CHAP. II. That material Objefls'emit not Species which refem- ble them 114 CHAP. III. That the Soul ha* no power to produce Ideas. The caufe of the Error Men are guilty of upon this Sub- ielt. n$ CHAP. IV. That we perceive notObjeflsby means of Ideas cre- ated with us. That God does not produce them in us every moment we have need of them ' 1 1 7 CHAP. V. That the Mind perceives neither theEffence nor the Exiftence of Objetls, by confide ring its own Perfecti- ons. That none but God fees them in that manner CHAP. VI. That we fee all things in God 1 1 9 CHAP. VII. 1. Four different manners of Perception. 2. How it is that we know God. 3. How we know Bodies. 4. How we know our own Souls. 5. How we know the Souls of other Men, and pure Spirits 122 CHAP. VIII. 1. The intimate Prefence of the indefinite Idea of Be- ing in general, is the caufe of all the dif orderly abft ra- tions of the Mind -, and the moji part of the Chimeras of the vulgar Philofophy, which hinder many Philofo- phers from acknowledging the Jolidity of true Princi- ples of Phyficks. 2. An Injiance concerning the Ef- fence of Matter. 1 24 CHAP. IX. 1. The Lift general Caufe of our Errors. 2. That the Ideas of things are not always prefent to the Mind when we would have them. 3. That every finite Mind isfubjefl to Error, and why. 4. That we ought not to judge that there is nothing but Body and Spirit: nor that God is a Spirit, according to our conception of Spirits. 128 CHAJ>. X. Some Inftances cf Errors in Phyficks, ivherein Men are engaged, bpfuppofing that the things which differ in their Nature, their Qualities, Extenfion, Duration and Proportion, are alike in all thefe things 130 CHAP. XI. Inftances of fome Errors of Morality, which de- pend on the fame Principle 133 The Conclufion of the Three firft Books 134 Book the Fourth, r CHAP. I.
1. Inclinations are of neceffary to Spirits, as Mo- tionsto Bodies. 2. God gives no Motion to Spirits, but what tends towards him/elf. 3. The tendency Spirits have to particular Goods, proceeds but from their Mo* tion towards Good in general. 4. The Original of our chief eft natural Inclinations, which will make up the' divifion of this fourth Book 137 CHAP II. 1. The Inclination for Good in general, is the Prin- ciple of the Refilefnefs of the Will: 2. And confequent- ly of our Inadvei'tency and Ignorance. 3. The Firji Injiance (/hewing that) Morals are but little known by the generality of Men. 4. The Second Injiance (fkewing that) the Immortality of the Soul is contro- verted by fome People. 5. That we are in extreme Ig- norance in point of abfirall things; and which have but little reference to us. 139 CHAP. III. 1. Curiofity is natural, and neceffary. 2..Three Rules to moderate it. 3. An Explication of the firft of thefe Rules. - 143; CHAP. IV. A Continuation of the fame Sub jell. I. An Expli- cation of the fecondRule concerning Curiofity. 2. An Explication of the Third 146 CHAP. V. 1. Of the fecond natural Inclination, or of Self- love. 2. The Divifion of it into love of Being, and of Well-being -, or ofGreatnefs, and Pleafure 147 CHAP. VL 1. Of the Inclination we have for whatever elevates m above others. 2. Of the falfe Judgments of fome Religious P erf ons. 3. Of the falfe Judgments of the Superftitious, and Hypocrites. 4. Of Voetius, Mr. Des Cartes\r Enemy. 148 CHAP. VII. Of the Defire of Science, and of the Judgments of the faljly Learned. 151 CHAP. VIII. 1. Of tbeDefire of feeming Learned. 2. Of 'the con- verfationof the falfly Learned. ^.Of their Works 153 How the Inclination for Honours and Riches condu- ces to Error. 155 CHAP. X. Of the Love of Pleafure^ with regard to Morality. 1. That Pleafure istobe fhunrfd, though it make us happy. 2. It ought not to carry us to the loving f en- fib le Goods 156 CHAP. XI. Of the love of Pleafure, with reference to Specula- tive Sciences. 1. How it dif able s us from dif cove ring Truth. 2. Some Injiance s 159 CHA P. XII. Of the Effetls which the Thoughts of Future Hap- pinefs and Mifery are capable of producing in the Mind 163 CHAP. XIII. 1. Of the third Natural Inclination: viz. The Friendfhip we have for other Men. 2. It makes us ap- prove the Thoughts of our Friends, and deceive them. by undue Praifes. 16$ Tome The CONTENTS.
Tome II. Book V.
CHAP. I.
OF the Nature and Original of Paffions in gene- ral Page i CHAP II.
Of the Union of the Mind with fenfibleThings; or of the Force and Extent of the Paffions in genera! 3 CHAP. III. . A particular Explanation of all the Changes, hap- pening either to the Body or Soul in every Pajfton 6 CHAP. IV. That the Pleafure and Motion of the Paffions en- gage us in Errors, andfalfe Judgments about Good; that we ought continually to rejift them. How to im- pugn Tuibertinifm ■ 10 CHAP. V. That the Perfetlion of the Mind confifts in itsUni- on-with God, by the knowledge of Truth, and the love of Vertue; and contrariwife, That its Imperfeffi- on proceeds only from its dependency on the Body, cau- fed by the DiJ order of the Senfes and Paffions 1 3 CHAP. VI. Of the more general Errors of she Paffions, with fome particular Inftances 16 Of Paffions in particular, andfirft of Admiration and its ill Ejfetls 18 CHAP. VIII. A Continuation of the fame Subjeffi: What good ufe can be made of Admiration and other Paffions 1 24 CHAP. IX. Of Love and Averficn, and their principal Spe- cies 26 Of Paffions in particular, and in general of the way to explain them, and to know the Errors they caufe ■ 29 CHAP. XI. That all the Paffions juftifie themf elves. What Judg- ments they caufe us to make in theirVindication 3 1 That fuch Paffions as.have Evil for their Ob j eel, are the mofi dangerous andunjuji; and that thofe that have the leaft mixture of Knowledge are the moft live- ly andfcnfible. 34 Book the Sixth.
CHAP I.
The Defign of this Book: Two general ways to keep to Evidence in the Search of Truth, which J hall be the Subjefl of t his Trail 3 6 CHAP. II.
That attention is necejjary topreferve Evidence in our Knowledge; that the modifications of the Soul malie her attentive, but fhare and take tip too much her Ca- pacity of perceiving 37 CHAP. III. Of the ufe that can be made of the Paffions and Senfes, to preferve the attention of the Mind 3 9 CHAP. IV. Of the ufe of Imagination to?nake the Mind atten- tive, and especially of the ufefulnefs of Geometry 41 CHAP. V. Of the means to improve the extent and capacity of the Mind: That Arithmetick and Algebra are of ab- folute neceffity to it 46 Book the Sixth. Part II.
CHAP. I.
Of the Rules that are to be obferved in the Search after Truth 50 CHAP. II.
Of the general Pule that concerns thefubjeUofour Studies: That School Philofophers obferve it not, which is the caufe of fever al Errors in their Phyficks 5 1 chap. in.
Of the' moft dangerous Error in the Philofophy of the Ancients 54 CHAP. IV.
An Explication of the fecond part of the general Pule: That the Philofophers obferve it not, but that Des Cartes ha* exaitly followed it 57 CHAP. V.
An Explication of the Principles of the Peripate- tick Philofophy, in which is ffiewn, that Ariltotle never obferved the fecond part of the general Rule, and his jour Elements, with the Elementary Qualities, are examined 64 CHAP. VI.
General and necejjary Advices to proceed orderly in the Search after Truth, and in the choiee of the Sci- ences 7-o CHAP. VII.
Of the ufe of the Jirji Rule concerning particular ^ueftions 74 CHAP. VIII.
An Application of the other Rules to particular ^ue- ftions 79 CHAP. IX.
The lafl injiance tojhevo the ufefulnefs of this Trea- tife, wherein the caufe of the Union of parts in Bodies, and withal the Rules of the Communication of Motion are examined 85 The Conclufion of the Three lafl Books 96 III uft rat ions upon the foregoing Books 98 F. MalbrancheV Defence againfi the Accufation of Monfieur De la Ville 183 Of Light and Colours. 1 9 3 The End of the Contents.
F. MALEBRANCH E'S TREATISE, CONCERNING The Search after Truth.
BOOK the FIRST.
Concerning The Errors of the Senses.
CHAP. L I. Of the Nature and Properties of the Understanding.
II. Of the Nature and Properties of the Will, and wherein the Liber- ty of the Soul confefts.
ERROR is the Vnlverfal Caufe of the Mifery of Mankind j 'tis the corrupt Principle that has Produc'd Evil in the World: 'Tis this which breeds and cherlfhes in our. Soul, all the Evils that afflidt us, and we mult never hope to eftablifh a folid and real Happinefs, but by ferioufly labouring to avoid it. We are taught by the Holy Scriptures, that Men are only miferable, becaufe they are Sinners, and Criminals; and they would neither be Sinners, nor Criminals, did they not make therafelves Slaves to Sin; by taking part with Error.
If it be true then, That Error is the Source of all the Miferies of Men, 'tis very reafonable that Men lhould endeavour to free themfelves from it; and certainly their Endeavour would not be altogether unprofitable, and unrewarded, though it met not with #11 the Succefs that they could wifh. If Men lhould not hereby become Infallible, yet they would be much lefs rub- ied to be Deceiv'd; and though they obtain'd not an abfolute Deliverance from their Evils, they would however avoid a great part of them. An intire Felicity ought not to be expefted in this Life, fince in this Mortal State there can be no Pretentions to Infallibility; but the Endeavour againft Error lhould be earneft and continual, becaufe the Deiire of being freed from Mifery is inceflant. In a word, as we fervently defire perfeft Happinefs, without the hopes of it, fowe lhould ever induftrioufly tend towards Infallibility, without pretending to it.
It lhould not be imagin'd there is much Difficulty to be undergone in the Search of Truth f 'Tis but opening the Eyes, becoming Attentive, and exaftly obferving fome Rules we fhall give in the * following Difcourfe. An exadtnefs of Thought has fc?rce any thing painful in it j 'tis not a * see tie flavery, as the Imagination reprefents it, and though we meet with fome Difficulty at firii, yet we 6th. Booh find Satisfaction enough to recompenfe our Pains j foratlaft, 'tis this only which enlightens us, and guides us into Truth.
But not to fpend time in preparing the Mind of the Reader, whom 'tis much more juft to be- lieve, fufficiently, of himfelf, difpos'd to xhz Search of Truth, let us examine the Caufes and Na- ture of our Errors -0 and fince the Method of examining things by confidering them in their Birth, and Origine, is the molt regular and perfpicuous, and ferves better than others to give us a tho- rough Knowledge of them, let us try to put it here in Practice.
The Mind of Man, being neither Material nor Extended, is undoubtedly a fimple Subftance,in- of the Nk* divifible,and without any Compofition of Parts ■■, Notwithstanding it has been the Cuftom to di- ture&pro- itinguifh in it two Faculties, namely, the Vnderftandi?ig and the Will, which it is necefiary in the $e,rties °f firlt place to explain. For it feems that the Notions or Idea's Men have of thele two Faculties, are %^tr' not fo clear or diftinct as they ought to be. s" P. But.
E Malebranche Concerning Book I, But becaufe thefe Idea's are very Abftraft, and fall not under the Imagination, it feemsnot amifs to exprefs them by the Refemblance they bear to the Properties belonging to Matter, which being eaiie to be Imagin'd, will render the Notions which may conveniently- be apply'd to thefe two Words Vnderfianding and Will, more diftindr, and alfb more familiar to Vs; only this Cau- tion mull be obferv'd, that thefe Refemblances betwixt the Mind and Matter, are not perfeftly juffc; And that thefe two kinds of Beings are only compar'd in order to make the Mind more At- tentive, and to make others, as it were, fenfible of our meaning.
Matter, or Extenfion, contains in it two Properties or Faculties; the firft Faculty is that of receiving different Figures, and thefecond is its capacity of being mov'd: In like manner the Mind of Man includes two Faculties } the firft, which is the Vnderfianding, is that of receiving many Idea's, that is, of perceiving many things:, the fecond, which is the Will, is the Faculty of re- ceiving many Inclinations, or of J Filling different things. We will begin with an explication of the Refemblances the firft of the Faculties belonging to Matter, has to thefirft of the two Facul- ties appertaining to the MindK Extenfion is capable of admitting two kinds of Figures,The one is only External, as the Round- nefs of a piece of Wax, the other is Internal, and is peculiar to all the little parts the Wax is com- pos'd of j for it is molt certain that all the little parts which go to the Compofition of a piece of Wax, are of a Figure very different from thofe, which conftitute a piece of Iron. Therefore I call that which is external, barely Figure, and I term the internal Figure, Configuration; which is peculiarly neceffary to the Wax to make it what it is.
So likewife it may be faidthat the Idea's of the Soul are of two forts, taking the name of Idea in general for whatever the Mind immediately perceives. The firfr. give Us a Reprefentation of fomething without Us, as of a Square, or an Houfe, &c. The fecond reprefent to Us only what we find within Us, as our Senfations, fain, Tleafure, or the tj/e like. For we fhall make it plain hereafter, that thefe laft Idea's are only a manner of the Mind's exifiing; and for that reafon I call them the Modifications of the Mind.
Thus alfo the Inclinations of the Soul might be call'd Modifications of the fame Soul: For it be- ing manifeft that the Inclination of the Will is a manner of exifiing of the Soul, it might be term'd a Modification of the Soul} jtift as Motion in Bodies, being a manner of exifiing of thofe Bodies, might be faid to be a Modification of Matter: Notwithftanding I do not term the Inclinations of the Will, or the Motions of Matter, Modifications, for as much as both thofe Inclinations, and thofe Motions have commonly a reference to fomething that's external; for the Inclinations ftand related unto Good, and the Motions have a reference to fome feparate Body. But the Figures and Configurations of Bodies, and the Senfations of the Soul have no neceffary relation toany thing with- out. For as a Figure is round when all the external parts of a Body are equally diftant from one of its parts, which we call the Centre, without relation to any thing external; fo all the Senfa- fations we are capable of, might have their fubfiftence, though there were no outward objeft in the World: Their being includes not any neceffary relation to the Bodies which feemto caufe them, as we fhall elfe where prove •, and they are nothing but the very Soul, modify'd in fuch, or fuch a