262 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



a£lion, though that power may not be always exerted. We are, 

 therefore, to underfland, that it is the fame Sentient Principle or 

 Mind, operating in different ways, in the fame manner as the Intel- 

 ledlual Principle operates in perceiving Idea and in combining them 

 in different ways. And, as Nature does nothing in vain, all the 

 three operations of the Animal Life are equally neceflary for the A- 

 nimal Oeconomy : For it would not be fufficient, as I have fhown, 

 that the Animal perceived external objedls, if he did not retain the 

 perceptions of them in his Mind ; and again, it would not be fuffi- 

 cient, if we had only images of things in our Phantafia, which we 

 perceived as we perceive things in Dreams. But it is abfolutely ne- 

 cefTary for our fubfiflance in this Body, that we fhould be informed 

 of what pafles without, as we are by our Senfes, which Synefius 

 very properly compares to door-keepers or porters, that let us know 

 who knocks, and defires to inform us of fomething that it is proper 

 we fhould know. And, laftly, even thefe two would not be fuffi- 

 cient, if the Animal had not a third faculty, by which he operates 

 upon his Phantafms, and joins them together in various ways ; for 

 it is by that faculty that the wonderful thing we call Tnjlin£l ope- 

 rates, and conduds the whole Animal Life of the Brutes. — But of 

 Inftind I fhall fay a great deal more afterwards. 



I hold, therefore, that, in the full grown or perfect Animal, thefe 

 three Powers of the Animal Nature are divifible only in Idea. But, 

 as there is a wonderful progrefs in all things in Nature, from an im- 

 perfedt to a perfedt ftate, I hold that, when the Animal begins to 

 exift, they are adually divided, and particularly with refpedt to 

 Man. 



It appears to me, that, when we firfl: enter into this fcene of ex- 

 iftence, we have no other method of perception but by our Senfes ; 

 for there is reafon to believe that very young children have no Phan- 

 tafia 



