136 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. IV. 



the corporal and ponderous Mafs of the Parts, hath not yet been enqui- 

 red into, and handled with diligence •■, and no marvail, feeing the fen- 

 fible foul it felf hath been hitherto taken for an entelechie^ 01 Jelf'tnoving 

 Faculties and fome Funftion, rather than a fubftance. But now it is 

 known to be a corporal and materiate Subftance , it is neceflary to be 

 enquired, by what efforts fuch a pufil and a thin foft air flbould put in 

 motion, fuch folid and hard bodies. Therefore feeing this part is De- 

 fcient let enquiry be made thereof. 



^ But ofjenfe andjenjibility there hath been made a far more plenti- 

 ful and diligent enquiry, both in General Trcctifes about them, and in 

 Particular Sciences 5 as in Perfpc&ive, and Mufick^-^ how truly, is not 

 to our purpofe to deliver. Wherefoie we cannot (et them as Deficients : 

 Notn>itf.jianding there are two noble and remarkable Parts, which in 

 this knowledge we affign to be Deficient 5 the one concerning the dific' 

 rence of Perception and Senfc ; the other concerning the Fornt of 

 Light. 

 * ^ As for the Difference between Terception and Senfe, Philofbphers 



DEDiFFE- (hould in their writings de fenfu (^JenfibiUhzve premis'd a folid and 

 PERCEP- found difcovery thereof, as a matter Fundamental. For we fee that 

 TioNis there is a manifeft power of Perception even in all Bodies Natural ; and 

 sus^^^' a kind of Eleftron to embrace that which is any way allied in nature, and 

 favourable to them ; and to fly what is adverfe and foreign. Neither 

 do we mean of more fubtile Terceptions only, as vphen the Loadjione 

 draws unto it Iron 5 Flame leaps to Bituminous Mould ; one Bubble of 

 •water near another Bubble, clofeth and incorporates with it ; Kays 

 glance from a white objeftj the Body of a living Creature affimilates 

 that which is good for it, excerneth what is unprofitable 5 a piece of 

 fpunge even when it is rais'd above the furface of the water, fucks in 

 water, expels air ; and the like. For to what end (hould we enume- 

 rate fuch inftances, feeing no body plac'd neer to another, changeth 

 the other, or is changed of it, unleis a reciprocal Perception precede 

 the operation. Every Body hath z Perception of the Pores and Paf^ 

 fages by which it infinuates it felf, it feels theinvafion of another Bo- 

 dy, to which it yieldeth j it perceivs the removeof another Body, by 

 which it was detained 5 when it recovers it felf, it perceivs the dtvul- 

 fion of its continuance, which for a time refifteth 5 and in a word,Pcr- 

 ception is diffufed through the whole body of Nature. Air doth fb 

 exaftly Senje Hot and Cold, that the Perception thereof is far tiiore fub- 

 tile than mans Touch, which yet is taken for the difcerning Rule of 

 Hot and Cold. Two faults therefore are found concerning this know- 

 ledge s that men have for mofl: part paft it over untoucht,and unhand- 

 led 5 whichnotwithftandingis a mofl noble fpeculation; The other" 

 is that they who perchance have addifted their minds to this contem- 

 \ a- plation, have in the heat of this Purfuit gone too far, and attributed 

 neiia.alij. SenJe to all Bodies, that it is almoft a piacular crime to pull of a bow front 

 a Tree, leji it Jldould groan and complain as Poljdot e <. '-v/. But they fhould 

 Virg. ^n. e^.plore with diligence the difference of Perception and Scnfe, not on- 

 ly in comparing of .Je^/^/^/e/ with InfenfibleszccoTding to the entire bo» 

 dy (as of i-*]ants, and living Crcati res) but alfo to obfervein thefen- 

 fible Body, what (hould be the caufe that fb many Aftions fljould be 

 difcharg'd, and that without any .^fw/e at all? Why Aliments aredi- 



gefted, 



) 



