in THE ORIGIN OF THE IMPRESSIONS 89 



the immediate antecedents of sensations are 

 changes in the nervous system, with which our 

 feelings have no sort of resemblance, the hy- 

 pothesis that sensations " arise immediately from 

 the object " was out of court; and that Hume fully 

 admitted the Cartesian doctrine is apparent when 

 he says (I. p. 272): 



" All our perceptions are dependent on our organs and 

 the disposition of our nerves and animal spirits." 



And again, though in relation to another question, 

 he observes: 



"There are three different kinds of impressions conveyed 

 by the senses. The first are those of the figure, bulk, mo- 

 tion, and solidity of bodies. The second those of colours, 

 tastes, smells, sounds, heat, and cold. The third are the 

 pains and pleasures that arise from the application of ob- 

 jects to our bodies, as by the cutting of our flesh with steel, 

 and such like. Both philosophers and the vulgar suppose 

 the first of these to have a distinct continued existence. 

 The vulgar only regard the second as on the same footing. 

 Both philosophers and the vulgar again esteem the third to 

 be merely preceptions, and consequently interrupted and 

 dependent beings. 



"Now 'tis evident that, whatever may be our philosoph- 

 ical opinion, colour, sounds, heat, and cold, as far as 

 appears to the senses, exist after the same manner with mo- 

 tion and solidity ; and that the difference we make between 

 them, in this respect, arises not from the mere perception. 

 So strong is the prejudice for the distinct continued exist- 

 ence of the former qualities, that when the contrary opin- 

 ion is advanced by modern philosophers, people imagine 

 they can almost refute it from their reason and experience, 

 and that their very senses contradict this philosophy. 'Tis 

 also evident that colours, sounds, &c., are originally on the 



