35 8 A TREATISE 



and beare downe the motion^cauled by apreient objeft Actually 

 working without. 



But that which indeed convinceth me to beleeve I goe not 

 wrong in this courfe, which I have fet downe for externe bodies 

 working upon our fenfe and knowledge : is firft , the conveni- 

 ence, and agreeableneifc to nature , both in the objects and in 

 us, that it fhould be done in that manner : and next, a difficulty 

 in Mounfieur des Cartes his way, which methinketh maketh 

 itimpotfible that his mould be true. And then, his being abfb- 

 lutely the befl of any I have hitherto met witha 11, and mine fup- 

 plying what his falleth fliort in, and being fufticient to perform 

 the effects we fee : I ftiall not thinke I doe amifle in beleeving 

 my owne to be true, till fome body elfe fLew a better. 



Let us examine thcfe considerations one after another. It is 

 That wtaU manifest by what we have already eflab'ifhed , that there is a 

 fpirits are the perpetuall fluxe of little parts cr atomes out of all fcnfible bo- 

 immediate dies , that are compofed of the foure Elements, and are here in 

 iaftrumentsof the fphere ofcontinuall motion by adion and paifion : and fiich 

 fcnfationby it is, that in all probability thele little parts cannot chu(e but 

 get in at thedoores of our bodies, and mingle themfelves 

 with the fpirits that are in our nerves. Winch if they doe, 

 it is unavoydable , but that of necelfity they mutt make 

 fome motion in the braine ; as by the explication we have made 

 of our outward fenfes, is manifett : and the braine being the 

 fource and origine ofall fuch motion in the animal, as is termed 

 voluntary; this ftroke of the object , will have the power to 

 caufe fome variation in its motions that are of that nature : and 

 by confequence, mud be a fenfation, for, that change which be- 

 ing made in the braine by the object, is caufe of voluntary mo- 

 tion in the animall, is that, which we call fenfation. 



But we /hall have beft fatisfaction, by confidering how it fa- 

 geth with every fenie in particular. It is plain, that our toucji or 

 feeling is affected by the little bodies of heate, or cold, or the 

 like, which are fcjueefed or evaporated from the object; and 

 doe get into our flefh , and confequently , doe mingle them- 

 ielves with our ipirits ; and accordingly,our hand is htatedwith 

 tfae flond of fubtile fire, which from a great onervirhout, ftrea- 

 meth into it ; and is benamncxlwichjanulcituiies of little bodies 

 ofooid, that ftitk ink. All which little bodies, oi heatc, or of 



cold 



convyang 

 fcnfible qua- 

 litiestothc 

 braioe. 



