OF MA N. 3,-0 



preftinted to us by means of Hgbt. A leper, 

 whole ikin was inienfible, could have none ot 

 thofe ideas which originate from the fenfe of 

 feeling. A deaf man knows nothing of- found. 

 Suppofmg a pcrfon to be fucceilively deprived 

 of theie three inftruments of Tenfation, the mind 

 would ftiil exift, and manifeft itfelf by its* own 

 internal power of thinking. But, if you ab- 

 fl'radl colour, extenfion, folidity, and all the o- 

 ther qualities of matter which have a relation to 

 our fenfes, matter, in this cafe, would be entirely 

 annihilated : The mind, therefore, is indeftruc- 

 tible ; but matter may, and muft perifh. 



The iame reafoning applies to the other fa- 

 culties of the mind, when compared vvith the 

 mod effential properties of matter. The mind 

 wills and commands ; the body obeys as far as 

 it is able : 1 he mind can unite itlelf, in an in- 

 llant, to the moJft diftant or moll elevated ob- 

 jeds ; and nothing can prevent this union, when 

 ihe commands it to be eifeded. But the body 

 is incapable of uniting with any objedt ; it is 

 wounded by every thing that makes too clofe 

 an approach. Every thing refifts and becomes 

 an obftaclc to its motions, which are naturally . 

 flow. Is this will, then, nothing more than a 

 corporeal movement ; and is contemplation on- 

 ly a fnnple contadt ? How could this contact 

 be efiedcd with remote objeds, or abftrad fub- 

 jecls ? Or how could this motion be inftantane- 

 oufly accompliflied ? AVlthout fpace and time, 



the 



