OF BODIES,Chap.XXXII. 337 



. And thus you fee that the outward icnfei , arc not truly 

 i'cs as if the power oftenlation were in them : but in another 

 meaning, to wit, fo far re as they are inftruments of qualifying 

 or conveying the obiecl to the braine. 



New, that the fpirits are the inrtruments of this convey- 

 ance, is evident, by what we daily fee, that if a man be very at-" 

 tentive to fomc one extcrne object ( as to the hearing or (eeing 

 offbmething that much deli^hteth or dilpleafeph him ) henci- 

 ther heareth or feethany thing but what his mind is bent upon; 

 though all that while, his eyes and eares be open, and fevcrali of 

 their objects be prefent,which at other times would afte>ft him. 

 For what can be the reafon of this, bat that the braine emp.'oy- 

 ingthe greateft par t of his ttore of Ipirits about that one object, 

 which fo powerfully entertaineth him the others find very fevy 

 free for them to imbue with their tin&ure ? And therefore, 

 they have not ftrength -enough to give the braine a fuflkient 

 tafte of thcmfelves^to make it be obferved; nor to bring them- 

 ielves into a place where they may be diftin&Iy difcerncd :but 

 ftrivingtogetuntoit, they lofe themfelves in the throng of 

 the others, who for that time doe be/lege the braine clolely. 

 Whereas, in Monfieurdes Cartes his way ( in which no ipirits 

 are required ) the apprehenfion muft of necetfity be carried pre- 

 cilely according to the force of the motion of the externe 



This argument I confeffe, is not fo convincing a oneagainft 

 his opinion, but that the neceffity of the confequence may be a- 

 voidedj and another realbn be given for this efFec^inMounfieur 

 des Cartes his doftrine : for he may fay, that the affection be- 

 ing vehemently bent upon fome one objeft, may can fe the mo- 

 tion to be fo violent by the addition of'inward percuflions , that 

 thcother comming from the outward fenfe,being weaker, may 

 be drowned by it;as lefler founds arc by greater, which doe for- 

 cibly carry our eares their way,and doe fill them fo entirely^that 

 the others cannot get in to be heard : or as the drawing of" one 

 man that pulleth backevvards , is not felt when a hundred draw 

 fbrvr ards. Yet this is hard to conceive , confidering the great 

 eminency which the prefcat obje& hath over an abfent one , to 

 make it ielfbe felt : yvhenee it followeth , that the mnltiplica- 



creafcdwilhin^to overtop 

 3 ana 





