J 



08 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



is foinetimes of the preient moment only, and at other times it 

 tranlports itfclf to Times far diftant. 



But in what Senfe then is it that our Mind can be faid to be in 

 our Body ? My anfwer is, That it is faid to be in out Body, and 

 confined to our Body, becaufe there is one part of its power, 

 namely, the power of moving Body, which it can only exert upon its 

 own Body, and, by the intervention of its own Body, upon other 

 Bodies ; for, though we can perceive even objeds of Senfe, with- 

 out the organs of Senfe, as in Dreams, we cannot move any Body 

 immediately or diredtly, except our own. In this refpecl, we may 

 be properly faid to be confined in our Bodies; and, in every re- 

 fpecl, our Mind is certainly impeded and retarded in its operations, 

 by its conjundion with the Body. 



It may be obje(Sled that I make this matter much more wonderful 

 than it really is ; for the fad: is truly no more than this, that the 

 energies of our Mind extend to diftant Places and Times ; but it will 

 not from thence follow, that the Mind itfelf, its very fubftance, is 

 tranfported to thofe diftant Times and Places, any more than it will 

 follow, that, becaufe the Eye fees objedts at a great diftance, 

 therefore the Eye muft be fuppofed to be prefent where thofe objeds 

 are. 



To this I atifwer, that it is impoffible to conceive any thing ading 

 or energizing, where or when it is not. The fubftance, therefore, 

 of the Mind, muft of neceflity be where or when it ads j othcrwife 

 we muft divide a Subftance from its Adions or Energies, which is a 

 thing inconceivable. As to the cafe of the Eye perceiving objeds at 

 a great diftancc, it is eafily explained from what is now known of 

 the Science of Optics ; for we know that Vifion is produced by the 

 refledion of the rays of light from the objed upon the pupil of our 

 eye. If, therefore, it could be proved, that all our thoughts, and 



all 



