n NOTES. 99 



able hypostasis of thought and power — consequently 

 the existence of anything in the universe beyond a 

 flow of phenomena is a purely hj^Dothetical assump- 

 tion. Indeed a pyrrhonist might raise the objection 

 that if " esse " is " percipi " spirit itself can have no 

 existence except as a perception, hypostatized into a 

 " self," or as a perception of some other spirit. In 

 the former case, objective reality vanishes; in the 

 latter, there would seem to be the need of an infinite 

 series of spirits each perceiving the others. 



It is curious to observe how very closely the 

 phraseology of Berkeley sometimes approaches that 

 of the Stoics : thus (cxlviii.) " It seems to be a 

 general pretence of the unthinking herd that they 

 cannot see God. . . . But, alas, we need only open 

 our eyes to see the Sovereign Lord of all things with 

 a more full and clear view, than we do any of our 

 fellow-creatures ... we do at all times and in all 

 places perceive manifest tokens of the Divinity: 

 everything we see, hear, feel, or any wise perceive by 

 sense, being a sign or effect of the power of God" 

 . . . cxlix. " It is therefore plain, that nothing can 

 he more evident to any one that is capable of the 

 least reflection, than the existence of God, or a spirit 

 who is intimately present to our minds, producing in 

 them all that variety of ideas or sensations which 

 continually affect us, on whom we have an absolute 

 and entire dependence, in short, in whom we live and 

 move and have our heing.^^ cl. [But you will say 

 hath Nature no share in the production of natural 

 things, and must they all be ascribed to the imme- 

 diate and sole operation of God ? ... if by Nature is 



