STUDY XII. 37I 



thought itfelf muft refer; for the evidence to which 

 we attempt to fubject all the operations of our rea- 

 fon, is itfelf fimply fentiment. 



I fhall, firft, make it appear, that this myfteriou* 

 faculty differs effentially from phyfical fenfations, 

 and from the relations prefented to us by reafon, 

 and that it blends itfelf in a manner confiant and 

 invariable in every thing that we do ; fo that it is, 

 if I may be allowed the expreffion, human inftinct. 



As to the difference of fentiment from phyfical 

 fenfation, it is evident, that Iphigenia at the altar 

 gives us an impreffion of a very different nature 

 from that produced by the tafte of a fruit, or by 

 the perfume of a flower ; and as to that which di- 

 ftinguifhes it from a procefs of the underftanding, 

 it is certain that the tears and the defpair of Cly- 

 iemnejlra excite in us emotions of a very different 

 kind from thofe fuggefted by a fatyr, a comedy, 

 or even, if you will, by a mathematical demon- 

 (t ration. 



Not but that reafon may fometimes iffue in fen- 

 timent, when it prefents itfelf with evidence; but 

 the one is only, with relation to the other, what the 

 eye is with relation to the body, that is, an intellec- 

 tual virion ; befides, mental feeling appears to me 



b b 2 to 



