i;8 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



own Mind ; for, let us abftrad, generalize, combine, and repeat, as 

 much as we pleale, any Senfation or Refledion, we never can pro- 

 duce the Idea of Siihftunce. 



It may be faid, perhaps, that the Mind, by abftrading the quali- 

 ties of any thing from the fubjeifl of which they are qualities, gets 

 the Idea of Subftancc. But the Mind, before it can make fuch an 

 abflradion, mull have already acquired the Idea of Subllance ; for 

 we only abflra£l one thing from another, which we know. Thus,, 

 we abftra^rt the fmell of a rofe from the colour, and both from the 

 feel ; but we cannot abftradl any of the three from the Subflance 

 of the rofe, till we have got the Idea of that Subftauce. 



It will be afkcd. How then do we get an Idea, which neither 

 Senfe^ nor attention to the operations of our own Mind, furnilhes ? 

 My anfwer is. That the Mind produces it out of her own ftore; be- 

 ing excited to this production , by confidering that there muft be 

 fomething to which the qualities of any external objedl, perceived 

 by the Senfe, belong, and in which they are inherent. Thus, 1 dif- 

 cover, by my fenfes, the c|ualitics of Extenfion, Solidity, and Rc- 

 fiftance, in Bodies ; upon confidering which, the Mind immediately 

 perceives, that there muft neceffarily he fomething which is extended, 

 folid, and refifling : And this /omctbing I call tl>e Subftance of each 

 Body. I know, by Confcioufnefs, certain Operations of my own Mind ; 

 and, in like manner, I difcover, that, where there are operations, there 

 muft he fomething that operates : And this fomething is the Subftance 

 of Mind. 



Mr Locke feems to have been fenfible, that the Idea of Subftance 

 cannot be drawn from either of the two fources, which he has af- 

 figned to all our Ideas : And, therefore, he would fain deny that we 

 have any fuch Idea ; at Icaft he fays, it is fo obfcure and imperfed, 

 that it does not in the Icaft add to the ftock of our knowledge. But 



there 



