I. Of the Difpofition we have to imitate others in all things, which is the Ori- ginal of the Communication of thofe Error s^ that depend on the Power of Imagination. II. Two things that more efpecially increafe this Difpofition. III. What that flrong Imagination is. IV. That there are federal kinds of it. Of Fools, and of thofe that have a Srong Imagination, in the Senfe 'tis here taken. V. Two considerable Imperfetfions of Men of a Strong Imagination. VI. Of the Power they have to ferfwader and impofe on others.
H A V I N G already explain'd the Nature of the Imagination, the Failings it is fubj'eft to, and Ihewn how our own Imagination engages us in Error; all that remains in this Second Book, is to fpeak to the Contagious Communication of Strong Imaginations^ I mean that Sway and Power Ibme Minds have of drawing others into their Errors. L Strong Imaginations are wondrouily contagious: They domineqr over the weaker, fafhion of the Dif- them by degrees after their own Image, and imprint the fame Chara&ers upon them. And there- pofuion we fore fince Men of Conceit, and of a Vigorous and Strong Imagination, are the leaft reafonable bivetoimi- 0{ anv. there are very few Caufes of the Errors of Men, more nniverfal than this dangerous foaSthiZs Communication of the Imagination.
which utte In order to conceive what this Contagion is, and how it's tranfmitted from one to another, original of we muft know that Men are under a mutual neceffity of one another's Afliftance, and are fb theCnmmu- fram'd as out of many Bodies to compound one, whereof all the Parts have, a mutual Correfpon- "thofcEr- dence. F°r tne preferving and cherifliing of which Union, GOD commanded them to have Charity ron, that f°r eacn other. But whereas Self-love might by little and little extinguifh Charity, and break the- depend on Bond of Civil Society j GOV thought fit for the Prefervation of it, to unite Men more firmly the rower ft{\\ Dy Natural Ties, which might fubfift in cafe Charity fhould fail, and alfo defend it againflf ttiolf' the attacks of Self-love.
Thefe Natural Ties, which we have in common with Beafts, confift in a certain' Difpofition' of Brain, which makes all Men prone to imitate the Actions of thofe they converle with, to frame the fame Judgments with them, and to be a&ed with like Paflions they fee them poflefs'd with. Which Difpofition is a much ftraiter Obligation to bind them to each other, than Charity founded upon Reafon, this Charity being rarely to be met with.
Now when a Man wants this Difpofition of Brain, whereby he may be affefted with our Sen- timents and Paflions, he is Naturally incapable of uniting and making up one Body with us. He may be compar'd to thofe Irregular Stones that cannot be plac'd in a Building, becaufe they can- not be joyn'd with the others.
Oderitnt hilarem trifles^ trifiemque jocofi7 Sedatum.celereSj agilem gnaviimqne remtffi.
'Tis a more confiderable Vertue than is imagin'd, to keep fair with thofe who are untouch'd with our Paflions, and whofe Notions are contrary to our own. And we fhall have Reafoa to think fo, if we conhder that 'tis a kind of Infulting, when we fee a Man that has juft caufe of Sorrow or Joy, not to take part with him in his Sentiments. When a Man is ia Sorrow, one fhould not come before him with a Gay and Airy look; which befpeaks Joy, and violently im- prints the Motions thereof in his Imagination. This being to difturb him from theftate that is moft convenient and pleafaut to him; for forrow is the pleafanteft of all the Paffions, to a Man under any Afflidion.
There Chap. I. The Search after Truth. 85 There is then a certain Difpoiition of Brain in all Men whatever, which naturally inclines them H» to conform and adapt themfelves to the Manners of thofe they live with. Which Difpofition ^things has two more principal means to cherifh and augment it; one whereof is in the Soul, and the" dLrfgfy' other in the Body. The former primarily confifts in the Inclination all Men have for Eminen- increafethe cy and Greatnefs: Which Inclination is a fecret Spur and Incitement to our Talking, Walking, Difpofition Drefling, and Deporting our felves like Men of Rank and Quality. This is the Origine of the Ve have *° New Modes, of the Inconftancy and Flux of the prefent Languages, and of certain general \™™[e °' Corruptions of Manners. In fhort, this is the principal Source of all thofe ftrange and extrava- gant Novelties, which have no Foundation in the Reafon, but only in the Humour of Men.
The other means that augment this our Imitative Difpofition, and which is the Matter chiefly to be fpoke to in this place, confifts in a certain Impreffion, which Men of a ftrong Imagination make upon weak Minds, and delicate and tender Brains.
By the ftrong and vigorous Imagination, I mean that Conftitution of Brain, which makes it JLII#, capable of very deep Impreflions; which fo take up the Capacity of the Soul, as not to fuffer her strong* /- to attend to other things, befides thofe reprefented by thefe Images. maginatim Now there are two forts of Perfons who have a ftrong Imagination in this Senfe explain'd. The »• one receive thefe deep Traces by a diforderly and involuntary Impreffion of the Animal Spirits; IV- and the other, which I defign more particularly to treat of, receive them through the Difpofition J^, incident to the Subftance of their Brain.
'Tis plain that the former are abfolutely Fools, fince they are oblig'd by the Natural Union between their Traces and Idea's, to think of things that others they converfe with, do not think of; which incapacitates them from fpeaking pertinently to the thing in hand, and making a futa- ble Anfwer to the Queftions that are ask'd them.
Of thefe there are infinite forts, that differ 6nly in degree; amongft which may be reckon'd all fuch as are acted without any violent Paffion, fince in the time of their Perturbation, the Ani- mal Spirits fo forcibly imprint the Traces and Images of their Paffion, that they are unable to think of any thing elfe.
But 'tis to be obferv'd, that the Imagination of the weakeft Minds, and the moft foft and ten- der Brains that be, are not in danger of being corrupted by this fort of People, for two very good Reafons. The firft is, that being unable to conform their Anfwers to the Idea's of others, they are as unable to perfwadethem to any thing; and thefecond is, that their Difcourfe is al- ways heard with contempt, upon the account of fo vifible a Diforder in their Brain.
'Tis true however, that Men in a Paffion infect the Spectators with the fame; and ftrike their Imagination with Impreflions like to thofe they feci themfelves. But becaufe the outrage is fb vifible, the Impreflions it makes are refilled, and a little time will quite difcard them. They wear off of themfelves, when no longer fed and fupply'd, by the Caufe that produc'd them; that is, when the tranfported Perfon is out of fight, and the fenfible View of the Features the Paffion drew upon the Face, produces no more alterations in the Fibres of our Brain, nor Agitations in our Animal Spirits.
My Defign is only to examine that fort of ftrong and vigoious Imagination, which confifts in a Difpofition of Brain fit and proper to receive very deep Impreflions, from the weakeft and leaft- adtive Objefts.
'Tis no Imperfection to have a Brain difpos'd for the Imagining things ftrongly, and receiving moft diftinct and lively Images of the moft inconfiderable Objects; provided the Soul ftill fuper- intends the Imagination, and thefe Traces be imprinted by her Orders, and expung'd by her Commands: 'Tis, on the contrary, the Original of Subtilty and Strength of Wit. But when the Imagination lords it over the Soul, and thefe Traces, without ftaying for the Orders of the Will, are ftamp'd by the Difpofition of the Brain, by the A&ion of Objects and the Animal Spi- rits, 'tis manifeftly a bafe and mifchievous Quality, and a kind of Madnefs. Let us try to difco- ver their Character, whofe Imagination is wrought in this manner.
And in order to this, it ought to be re-minded, that the Capacity of the Mind is very narrow, and that there is nothing fo cumberfom, as I may fay, or fo foon takes it up, as the Senfations of the Soul, and, in general, all the Perceptions of Obje&s that vehemently afFed us; and that the deep Traces of the Brain are ever attended with Senfations or other Perceptions, which challenge a great Application of Mind. In remembring this, 'twill be eafie to lay open the Minds of Men of ftrong Imagination, and to difcover their real Characters.
The firft whereof is their Incapacity to judge prudently of things any whit difficult and intri- V. cate; becaufe the extent of their Minds, being fill'd with Idea's naturally annex'd to thefe deep JTO0 covfi' Traces, they are not at liberty of thinking on many things at the fame time: When as in Com- J^i/^" pound Queftions, the Mind, by a quick and defultory Motion, muft run over the Idea's of a great of Men of many things, andfurvey, at one View, all the Relations and Dependencies, that necefTarily go a strong i- to the Refolution of the Queftions. maginatien Every one is confeious from his own Experience^ how impoffible it is to contemplate any ab- ftraft Truth, when he is under the Senfe of Pain, that is any thing violent; the reafon whereof is, that the deep Traces then printed on the Brain, pofTefs the Capacity of the Mind. Thus thofe we are fpeaking of, having, as his fuppos'd, deeper Traces of the fame Objedts than others, muft have a Mind of narrower Bounds, and incapable of embracing fo many things. The firft Defect therefore of thefe Men, is their having a little Mind, and fo much the lefs, as their Brain receives deeper Traces from fuch Objects as are lefs confiderable. • Z The 86 K Malebranche Concerning Book If; The fecond is their being Fifionifis, but in fo fubtile and delicate a way, as his hard to be difcover'd: and which makes the common fort of Men not think them fo: And 'tis only the ac- curate and clear-lighted Minds, that are apprehenfive of their Vifions, and theramblings of their Fancy.
For the underftanding the Original of this Defect, we mult farther call to Mind what has beeii faid at the beginning of the Second Book -, that in regard of what happens in the Brain, the Sen- fes and Imagination differ only in degree of more or lefs; and that 'tis the largenefs and depth of the Traces that makes the Soul fenfible of Objects •, makes her judge them as prefent, and in capa- city to affed her ^ and laftly, near enough to her, to make her feel Pleafure and Pain: For when the Traces are little, the Soul only imagines the Obje&s of them; fhe judges it not as prefent, nor looks upon it as very great and confiderable: But in proportion as thefe Traces grow larger and deeper, the Soul judges the Object to be bigger and more confiderable, that it approaches nearer to us, and, in conclnfion, is capable of touching and hurting us.
The Vifimists I fpeak of are not arriv'd to that high degree of Madnefs, as to believe they fee before their Eyes the Objects that areabfent: The Traces of their Brain are not fo deep as that comes to: They are not fo thorow-pac'd finilh'd Madmen •, for if they were, it would be in vain to talk of them here, fince their Dilufions would be fo vifible, that no Man could be impos'd oa by them, They are not Fifionifis of Senfe therefore, but of Imagination only. Madmen and Phrenticksare Fifionifis of the former fort, for that they fee not things as they are, and frequently fee thofe that are not. But owFifiomfis are of the latter fort, fince they Imagine things quite other- wife than they are, and Imagine likewife thofe that are not. And yet 'tis evident that the Fifionifis of Senfe, differ from the Fifionifis of the Imagination only Secundum plus & minus; and the paf- fage is frequent from one Condition to the other. For which reafon we Ihould reprefent the di- ftemper'd Mind of the latter, by comparing it with that of the former; as being of a more len- fible Nature, and making greater Impreffion on the Soul, fince in things that differ thus only in degree, thofe that are lefs Senfible ought to be exprefs'd by Analogy to thofe that are more fo.
Thefecond Imperfection then, as has been feen, of Men of a Strong and Vigorous Imagina- tion, is their being Fifionifis of Imagination, or fimply Fifionifis: fince the Fifionifis of Senfe go by the Name of Madmen. I come now to fhew the ill Qualities of thefe Fifionary Wits.
They exceed all Bounds, and keep no Mean upon any occafion, hightning what is low and mean, and magnifying what is little, and bringing clofe what's remote; fince nothing appears to them as it is. They admire or exclaim at every thing indifferently, without Judgment and Difcretion. If their Natural Completion difpofes them to Fear; I mean if their Animal Spirits be few in number, weak and unactive, they fhall be frighted at the leaft thing in Nature, and tremble at the fall of a ■ Leaf. Whereas if they abound with Blood and Spirits, the more com- mon thing of the two, they fhall feed upon empty hopes •, and giving themfelves up to their luxu- riant Imaginations, build (as we fay) Caftlesinthe Air,with a mighty Joy and Satisfaction. They are vehement in their Paffions, head-ftrong in Opinions, and ever well fatisfy'd with themfelves* But when once they are ambitious of being look'd upon as the Wits of the Age, and fet up for Authors, (for there are Authors of all forts, Fifionifis and others j) Good God! what Extrava-1 gancies, Whimfies, and Irregular Motions do we fee! wherein Nature has nothing to do, where all is Affected, forc'd, and Bombaftic. They never ftir but they are upon the Prance, every Step muff, be in Time and Meafure, and all proceeds in Figures and Hyperboles. If again the Humour takes them to be Religious, and their own Fancies be their Guide, they turn abfolutely Jews and Pharifees; flicking ufually to the Surface and Shadow; and being wholly taken up with the out-fide Ceremonies, and little Practices of fmall or no importance. Hence they become Scrupulous, Timorous, and Superftitious; to whom every thing is Faith, every thing Eflential, except that which is truly Faith and Effential. For the molt material and weighty things of the Gofpel, Jufiice, Mercy and Faith, are frequently neglected; whilft their Mind is entertain'd (with their Tithing Mint and Cummim) i. e. with the lefs important Duties of Religion: But here the Subject grows too plentiful, and there is no need of making farther Reflection than on what occurs in their ordinary Converfations, to be fatisfy'd of thefe Failings, and to obferve feveral others.
But Men of a ftrong and vigorous Imagination have ftill other Qualities, very neceffary to be throughly explain'd, For hitherto we have treated only of their Defects, and we fhould do them Juftice now in fpeaking of their Advantages; one whereof,among the reft,more efpecially belongs to our Subject; becaufe it is upon the Strength of that they domineer over the Vulgar fort of Minds; they enter them into their Thoughts, and communicate all the falfe Impreflions to them, which themfelves are affected withal.
j This Advantage confifls in a Facility of Exprefling themfelves in a ftrong and lively, though That Men unnatural, manner. Such as Imagine things ftrongly, exprefs them with much vehemence, and efa Strong perfwade all thofe that are convinc'd, more by the fenfible Manner and Impreffion, than by the Jmagina- force of Argument: For the Brains of Men of Strong Imaginations receiving, as has been laid, tion ej/f/^deep Impreflions of the Subjects they imagine, thefe Impreflions are naturally purfued by a great l>erjwatte. commotion of the Spirits, which difpofes their whole Body to fet off their Thoughts in a ready and lively manner of Expreflion. The Air of the Face, the Tone of the Voice, the Elegancy of their Words animating their Expreflions, prepare the Spectators and Hearers for Attention, and difpofc them to a Machinal Reception of the Image imprinted by the Speakers. For, in fine, when Chap. II. The Search after Truth. 87 when a Man is affected with what he fays, he generally affe&s others with it too; as a Man in a Paffion never fails to be moving: Though his Rhetoric be Inartificial and Irregular, yet he is fure of gaining his point, becaufe the Air and External Demeanour ftrike upon the Senfes -7 and act in a livelier way on the Imagination, than the molt powerful Difcourfes coldly pronounc'd: Forafmuch as thefe Difcourfes don't gratifie the Senfes, nor affect, the Imagination.
Thefe Men then have the Advantage of Pleafing, Moving, and Perfwading; becaufe of their Imaging their Thoughts in a moft lively and fenfible manner: Though there be other Caufes contributing to the Conqueft they obtain over the Minds of others. For they moll commonly Difcourfe upon obvious and eafie Subjects, and fuited to Vulgar Capacities. Then they only- make ufe of fuch Terms and Expreffions as raife the confus'd Notions of the Senfes, which are ever very Strong and Pathetical; and when they treat of Lofty and Difficult Subjedts, 'tis in a loofe and common-place way, without venturing a Difcuffion of Particulars, and fixing to Prin- ciples; whether becaufe they underftand not thefe Points, or are fearful of being at a lofs for Terms, or of perplexing or tiring the Minds of fuch as are not capable of much Attention.
And now we may readily judge from what has been faid, that the Diforders of the Imagination are extreamly contagious, and that they iniinuate and diffufe themfelves into molt Minds with a great deal of eafe: But whereas thofe who are of a Strong Imagination, are generally Enemies to Reafon, and irreconcilable to good Senfe:, becaufe of the littlenefs of their Minds, and the Vi- fions they are fubjeft to; 'tis manifeft to be feen there are few more general Caufes of our Er- rors, than this contagious Communication of the Diforders and Diftempers of the Imagination: But thefe Truths deferve to be farther Illuftrated by the Examples, and known Experience of the World.
General Infiances of the Strength of Imagination.
CHILDREN in refpedt of their Fathers, but efpecially Daughters in regard of their Mo- thers, afford us very frequent Inftances of this Communication of the Imagination: The fame things do Servants in relation to their Mafters, Maids in refpect of their Miflreffes, Scholars of their Teachers, Courtiers of their Kings, and generally all Inferiours in refpedt of their Superiours; fuppofing only that Fathers, Mailers, and the reft of the Superiours have any Strength of Imagination themfelves. For otherwife 'tis poffible for Children and Servants to remain untouch'd, or very little infe&ed, with the languid Imagination of their Fathers and Mafters.
The EfTe&s of this Communication may be likewife obferv'd in Equals; but that more rarely, for want of that fubmiflive Refpedt among them, which qualifies and difpofes the Mind for the Reception of the Impreffions of ftrong Imaginations, without examining them: Laftofall, they are to be feen in Superiours alfo, with refpect to their Inferiours, who fometimes are impower'd with fo Lively and Authoritative an Imagination, as to turn the Minds of their Mafters and Supe- riours which way they pleafe.
'Twill be eafie to conceive how Fathers and Mothers make fo very ftrong Impreffions on the Imagination of their Children, if it be confider'd, that the Natural Difpofitions of our Brain, whereby we are inclin'd to imitate thofe we live with, and to participate of their Sentiments and Paffions, are ftronger in Children with refpect to their Parents, than in any others; whereof feveral Reafons may be given. The firft is their being of the fame Blood: For as Parents com- monly tranfmit to their Children the Seeds and Difpofitions for certain Hereditary Diftempers; fuch as the Gout, Stone, Madnefs; and generally all thofe that were not of Accidental Acquire- ment, or whofe fole and only Caufe was not fome extraordinary Fermentation of the Humours, as Fevers and fome others; f for of fuch 'tis plain there can be no Communication ) So they imprint the Difpofitions of their own Brain on the Brain of their Children, and give a cer- tain Turn to their Imagination, that makes them wholly fufceptible of the fame Senti- ments.
The fecond Reafon is the little Acquaintance and Converfe Children generally have with other Men, who might fometimes ftamp different Impreffes on their Brain, and, in fome meafure, in- terrupt the bent and force of the Paternal Impreffion. For as a Man, that was never abroad, commonly Fancies that the Manners and Cuftoms of Strangers are quite contrary to Reafon, be- caufe contrary to the ufage of his Native Town, or Cuftom of his Country, whilft he yields to be carry'd by the current; fo a Child, who was never from his Father's Home, imagines his Parents Sentiments and Ways of Living to be Univerfal Reafon, or rather thinks there are no other Prin- ciples of Reafon or Vertue to be had, befides the Imitation of them. Which makes him believe, whatever he hears them fay •, and do, whatever he fees them do.
But this Parental Impreffion is fo ftrong, as not only to influence the Child's Imagination, but to have its Effect, on the other parts of the Body. So that a young Lad fhall Walk and Talk, and \have the fame Geftures as his Father: And a Girl fhall Mimick the Mother in her Gate, Difcourfe, and Drefs; If the Mother Lifps, the Daughter muft Lifp too; if the Mother has any odd 88 F. Malebranche Concerning Book II.
odd fling with her Head, the Daughter takes the fame: In ihort, Children imitate their Parents in every thing, even in their Bodily Defeds, Grimace, and Faces, as well as their Errors, and Vices.
There are ftill many other Caufes, which add to the EfFed of this Imprefllon. The chief of which are, the Authority of the Parents, the Dependence of Children, and the mutual Love - between them: But thefe Caufes are as common to Courtiers, Servants, and, in general, to all Inferiours, as to Children; I therefore choofe to explain them by the Inftance of the Court- Gentlemen.
There are thofe who judge by what's in fight, of that which is unapparent; of the Greatnefs, Strength, and Reach of Wit, and Parts, which they fee not; by the Gallantry, Honours, and Riches which they know; and meafure the one by the other: And that Dependency Men are in to the Great, the Defire of partaking of their Greatnefs, and that fenfible Luftre that furrounds them, makes themafcribe Honours Divine, if I may fo fpeak, to Mortal Men. For GOD be- llows on Princes Authority, but Men attribute to them Infallibility: Such an Infallibility as has no Boundaries prefcrib'd to it, on any fubjed, or any occafion, nor is confin'd to certain Ceremo- nies. For the Great know all things naturally; they are ever in the Right, even in the Decifion of Queftions which they do not underftand: None attempt to examine their Pofitions, but thofe who want Experience and the Art of Living; and 'tis Prefumption 2nd want of Refped to doubt of them. But 'tis no lefs than Rebellion, at leaft down-right Folly, Sottiflinefs, and Madnefs to condemn them.
But when we are Honour'd with a Place in the Favour and Efteem of Great Men, 'tis no longer, plain Obftinacy, Conceitednefs, and Rebellion; 'tis a Crime of a deeper dye; Ingratitude, and Perfidioufnefs, not to furrender implicitly to their Opinions. 'Tis fuch an unpardonable Offence as utterly incapacitates us for any of their future Favours. Which is the Reafon that Courtiers, and by a neceflary confequenee, the generality of the World, indeliberate! y fubfcribe to the Sen- timents of their Sovereign, even fo far as to Model their Faith by, and make the Truths of Reli- gion fubfervient to his Fantaftic Humour and Folly. ' England and Germany furnifh us but with too many Inftances, of the blind and exorbitant Sub- miflion of the People to the Wilkof their Irreligious Princes, wherewith the Hiilories of the late Times abound: And fome Men of a confiderable Age, have been known to have chang'd their Religion four or five times, by reafon of the diverfe changes of their Princes. . Artie. 07. The Kings and even the Queens of England have the Government of all the States of their Kingdoms^ of the' Reli- whether Ectlefiaftical or Civil in all Caufes. 'Tis they that are the Approvers of the Liturgies, of gion of the the Feftival Services, of the way wherein the Sacraments ought to be Adminiitred and Received. church of They appoint, for inftance, that our LORD fhall not be adored in the Eucharisl, though they England. 0|jjjge t0 tne Receiving it on the Knees, according to the Ancient Cuftom. In a word, they arbitrarily change the whole Subftance of their Liturgies, to fuit them to the New Articles of their Faith; and together with their Parliament, have equal Right of judging of thefe Articles, as a Pope with a Councel; as may be feen in the Statutes of England and Ireland, made at the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. Laftly, we may add that the Kings of England have a greater Jnrifdidion over the Spirituals, than the Temporals of their Subjects; becaufe thofe wretched People, thofe Children of this World, are lefs concerned for the Prefervation of their Faith, than the Security of their Fortunes-, and readily embrace the Opinions of then; Princes, when their Temporal Interelt ftands not in the way.
The Revolutions which have happen'd to Religion in Sweden and Denmark, may ferve as a .farther Evidence of the Power fome Minds have over others; though indeed ail thofe Revolu- tions were contributed to, by many other very confiderable Caufes. Which furprizing Changes are fo many Proofs of the Contagious Communication of the Imagination, but Proofs too vaft and mighty; and fuch as confound and dazle the Mind, rather than enlighten it; becaufe there are too many Caufes concurring to the Production of thefe great Events. When Cour- tiers, and all Men elfe, fo commonly give up the Intereft of Infallible Truths, Elfential Truths; Truths that are neceflary to be aflerted, unlefs a Man refolve upon Everlafting Deftrudion: How can it be expected they fhould run any hazard in the Defence of Abftrad Truths of as little Certainty, as they are of life? If the Religion of the Prince makes the Religion of his Subjeds; the Reafon of the Prince will be the Reafon of his Subjeds too; and fo the Sentiments of the Prince, his Pleafures, his Paflions, his Sports, his Habit, and generally all his Adions will be A-la-mode: For the Prince himfelf being as the Original and Eflential Mode, nothing that is derived from him will be out of Fafhion: And iince all the Irregularities of the Fafhion be- come Graces and Beauties, 'tis no wonder that Princes ad fo forcibly on the Imagination of other Men,