~ 
214 Objervations upon the Efedt of Words upon the Mind. [O&. 1, 
tion is as follows: ‘¢ The founds being 
often ufed without reference to any parti- 
cular occafion, and carrying {till their firkt 
iimpreilions, they at lait lofe their connec- 
tion with the particular occafions that gave 
rile tothem; yet the found. without any 
annexed nolion continues to operate as be- 
fore.” “That a found fhould operate upon 
the mind without any annexed notion, ap- 
pears fo unlikeiy when we confider the na- 
ture of the inteiligent principle, alive at 
all times for invettigation, that with me 
it does not require a fecond confideration ; 
yet clear as it may appear, we mutt care- 
tully examine its ftability. The origin 
of this opinion may, I think, be per- 
ceived : It is known by obfervation that 
the body will periorm certain actions, and 
receive certain impreffions, while the mind 
at the time feems perfcétly unconicious 
of the exciting caufe, notwithftanding 
that caufe is actuall ly underftood ; from 
hence our author fees to have conelaned 
by analogy, that words may produce the 
effect of an idea upon the mind, without 
prefenting that idea itfelf. Altho’ this infer- 
ence might at firft appear plaufible, it will 
not bear the tet of examination; for in 
that inftance where the mind was uncon- 
icious of the exciting caule, we muft re- 
collect it was molt probably employed 
upon fome other confideration, or at leaft 
inattentive to tie impreflion—not that the 
mind was incapable of perceiving the 
caufe, but owing to that caule being from 
fome reafon or ot si uninterefting ; or 
lefs interefting than the other circum- 
ftances which payee the imagination at 
the time.— fhere here appears a fufficient 
reafon for a want of relearch; but it will 
not carry usto the lengths Mr. Burke 
has gone. When we converfe or read, the 
abfence of thought, before mentioned, I 
fhould fuppote,is not frequently to be met 
with; we commonly call to our aid every 
mental refource, and, as clearly as we are 
able, weigh the various arguments that 
are advanced. How different a ftate is 
this from the tormer !—in the firft it was 
merely from want of attention, that an 
efi:ct was produced without a knowledge 
of the canie ; but in the prefent inftance, 
the mind being alive to the {uojeét, if it 
does not perceive the netions annexed to 
the words, it mui arife from a want of 
the power to do fo; and after what has 
been ftated, that difficulty has, I hope, 
been removed—words are but founds, and 
unlels we comprehend the things they 
ftand for, no intellectual pe person can be 
produced. 
I will now confider in what manner 
the mind is affected by the fenfes ; and I 
think the inquiry will bring us to the 
conclufion aimed at. by thefe obfervations. 
In the fenfe of feeling, the impreffion is 
conveyed along the courfe of the nerves 
to their commonorigin, the brain. It is not 
our bulinefs here to inquire,in what manner 
it is conveyed; it is fufficient for our in- 
quiry, that the fenfation ts fo conveyed, 
and there communicated to, or perceived 
by the mind. Now this perception is not 
that of indeterminate feeling, but the 
very figure of the body making the im- 
preffion is allo communicated ; we know 
whether it is fquare, round, rough, or 
fmooth. This iteems to me, aétually te 
prove, that the very zmage of the body is 
prefented to the mind 5 if it is not, I 
know not how to account for the effeét, 
and may tafely defy any reafoner todo fo, 
In fecing ,the object firft is painted upon the 
retina, the expanfion of the optic nerve; 
the fame nerve conveys it to the brain; 
and that it is here communicated to the 
mind, is proved by the reflection which 
takes place upon its particular “form. The 
fame .procefs is purlued in the fenfe of 
hearing: the mere found having made its 
imprefiion upon the organs of the ear, it 
is prefented, by means of the”auditory 
nerve, to the mind, which is affected only 
by the zdea annexed to that found—This 
is performed in a manner analogous to 
the ‘other fenfes ; ; for in feeing, and feel- 
ing, the effeéts are not produced ina fe- 
condary way, by a repetition of a former 
effect, without its caule being perceived ; ~ 
but each fucceffive time the very images 
themfelves are prefented tothe mind. 
Mr. Burke fomewhere in this Effay ob- 
ferves, that in feeking below the furface 
of things we are continually apt to flip 
into error: in this part of it he appears 
to me to have groped fo deep, that he has 
emerged again at the Antipodes, and 
wholly loft the object of his fearch. 
In the third {ection it is faid, in con- 
formity with the opinion of Mr. Locke, 
that general woras, thole belonging to | 
virtue and vice, good and evil efpecially, 
are taught before the particular modes of 
action to which they belong are prefented 
to tne mind—T his pofition I confider indu- 
bitable ; and the whole of this feétion is 
confonant to reafon. 
I fhall now difcufs the fourth, in which 
the effect of words is defcribed. If they 
have all their poflible extent of power, 
fays our author, three effects arife in the 
mind of the hearer—the firft is the found ; 
the fecond the picture or reprefentation of 
the thing fignihed by the found; the third 
“Sy 
