115 



fight of a philosopher at the discovery of a new truth, he for 

 the first time ascertains in those different situations, the iden- 

 tity of the object. But still he can have no notion of that 

 distance which occasions the change. He must himself be 

 borne from his mother, and again advanced toward her; he 

 must be conscious of having been in motion-^and possibly 

 that consciousness may not arise until his own powers of lo- 

 comotion have first been exerted— he must have acquired 

 some idea, however faint, of the space he has traversed, be- 

 fore he can. possess the most imperfect notion of distance i 

 and even that idea must have become habitual, long before 

 he recognises it as the cause of the diminution of objects. 

 But that recognition once made, and ripened by time into 

 HABIT, we forget appearances, and attend ©nly to the real, 

 ©bjcct and the real distance. 



A variety of objects, subjected to the same process, lend 

 their assistance in strengthening and perpetuating th^ habit :: 

 and with the exercise of the habit the power encreases of 

 judging correctly of distances. If the infant has traversed 

 no greater space than the length of hi§ chamber, he cannot 

 entertain a conception that the universe is more extensive ; 

 and whatever prospect its windows may command, the ma- 

 nifold objects between his eye and the horizon will appear at' y 

 the distance of fifteen or twenty feet from his ^ye^ if sueh 

 be the limit's of his knowk^ge of space. In proportion as - 

 -that knowledge advanees by means of exj^erience, his horizon 

 recedes — his circuit of vision ie«iaTg<>8, a^d objects -eflere&sa 



