238 THE SENSES. 



LESSON XIV. 



THE SENSES THE ORGANS OF THE SENSES 



TOUCH. 



IT is by means of our senses that we become 

 acquainted with the qualities of the objects which 

 surround us. 



The senses are five in number : namely. Sight 

 Smell Taste Touch and Hearing ; each of 

 which conveys feelings of a different kind to the 

 brain. 



These different impressions assist us in forming 

 an accurate idea of the nature of any body which 

 we examine. For instance : we see an apple, its 

 colour is green, and it looks spherical ; we touch 

 it, and find that it is a hard smooth body ; we 

 smell it, it has a slight but agreeable odour ; we 

 taste it, and discover that it has a grateful sub- 

 acid flavour: thus four of our senses are called into 

 play, in order to acquire an accurate knowledge of 

 the properties of a single body. 



Let us consider a moment how imperfect our 

 knowledge would be, if any one of these condi- 

 tions were wanting, and how much gratification 

 would be lost to us. It is, indeed, from the use 

 of our senses, that we obtain most of our pleasur- 

 able emotions ; the summer evening's ramble, and 

 the snug and comfortable winter parlour, would 

 be deprived of their charms, were our senses denied 

 to us, or imperfect. 



