Concerning the Thoughts of man, I will consider them first Singly, and afterwards in Trayne, or dependance upon one another. Singly, they are every one a Representation or Apparence, of some quality, or other Accident of a body without us; which is commonly called an Object. Which Object worketh on the Eyes, Eares, and other parts of mans body; and by diversity of working, produceth diversity of Apparences.
Concerning the thoughts of man, I will consider them first singly, and afterward in a train, that is, in their dependence on one another. Taken singly, each of them is a representation or appearance of some quality or other attribute of a body outside us. Such a body is commonly called an object. This object works on the eyes, ears, and other parts of a man's body. By working on them in different ways, it produces different appearances.
The Originall of them all, is that which we call Sense; (For there is no conception in a mans mind, which hath not at first, totally, or by parts, been begotten upon the organs of Sense.) The rest are derived from that originall.
The source of them all is what we call sense. (For every idea in a person's mind first arose, wholly or in parts, through the sense organs.) All the rest come from that source.
To know the naturall cause of Sense, is not very necessary to the business now in hand; and I have els-where written of the same at large. Nevertheless, to fill each part of my present method, I will briefly deliver the same in this place.
Knowing the natural cause of sensation is not very necessary for the subject at hand. I have also written about it at length elsewhere. Nevertheless, to complete each part of my present approach, I will briefly explain the cause of sensation here.
The cause of Sense, is the Externall Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediatly, as in the Tast and Touch; or mediately, as in Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling: which pressure, by the mediation of Nerves, and other strings, and membranes of the body, continued inwards to the Brain, and Heart, causeth there a resistance, or counter-pressure, or endeavour of the heart, to deliver it self: which endeavour because Outward, seemeth to be some matter without. And this Seeming, or Fancy, is that which men call sense; and consisteth, as to the Eye, in a Light, or Colour Figured; To the Eare, in a Sound; To the Nostrill, in an Odour; To the Tongue and Palat, in a Savour; and to the rest of the body, in Heat, Cold, Hardnesse, Softnesse, and such other qualities, as we discern by Feeling. All which qualities called Sensible, are in the object that causeth them, but so many several motions of the matter, by which it presseth our organs diversly. Neither in us that are pressed, are they anything els, but divers motions; (for motion, produceth nothing but motion.) But their apparence to us is Fancy, the same waking, that dreaming. And as pressing, rubbing, or striking the Eye, makes us fancy a light; and pressing the Eare, produceth a dinne; so do the bodies also we see, or hear, produce the same by their strong, though unobserved action, For if those Colours, and Sounds, were in the Bodies, or Objects that cause them, they could not bee severed from them, as by glasses, and in Ecchoes by reflection, wee see they are; where we know the thing we see, is in one place; the apparence, in another. And though at some certain distance, the reall, and very object seem invested with the fancy it begets in us; Yet still the object is one thing, the image or fancy is another. So that Sense in all cases, is nothing els but originall fancy, caused (as I have said) by the pressure, that is, by the motion, of externall things upon our Eyes, Eares, and other organs thereunto ordained.
Sensation is caused by an external body, or object, pressing on the organ suited to each sense. The object presses directly in taste and touch, or indirectly in sight, hearing, and smell. Nerves, other fibers, and membranes carry this pressure inward to the brain and heart. There the pressure causes resistance, or counterpressure, as the heart tries to free itself. Because this effort is directed outward, it seems to be something outside us. This appearance, or mental image, is what people call sensation. For the eye, sensation consists of light, or color with a shape. For the ear, it consists of sound. For the nostrils, it consists of smell. For the tongue and palate, it consists of taste. For the rest of the body, it consists of heat, cold, hardness, softness, and other qualities we detect through touch. In the object causing them, all these sensory qualities are only different movements of matter. Through these movements, the object presses on our organs in different ways. Nor are these qualities anything but different movements within us, who receive the pressure. For motion produces nothing but motion. But the appearance of these movements to us is a mental image, whether we are awake or dreaming. Pressing, rubbing, or striking the eye makes us imagine a light. Pressing the ear produces a ringing noise. In the same way, the bodies we see or hear produce these sensations through their strong but unnoticed action. For if colors and sounds were in the bodies or objects causing them, they could not be separated from those objects. Yet reflections in mirrors and echoes show us that they can be separated. In these cases, we know the thing we perceive is in one place, while its appearance is in another. And although, at certain distances, the actual object seems clothed in the mental image it produces in us, they remain distinct. The object is one thing, and the image is another. So sensation, in every case, is nothing but the initial mental image caused, as I have said, by external pressure. That pressure is the motion of external things acting on our eyes, ears, and other organs intended for sensing.
But the Philosophy-schooles, through all the Universities of Christendome, grounded upon certain Texts of Aristotle, teach another doctrine; and say, For the cause of Vision, that the thing seen, sendeth forth on every side a Visible Species(in English) a Visible Shew, Apparition, or Aspect, or a Being Seen; the receiving whereof into the Eye, is Seeing. And for the cause of Hearing, that the thing heard, sendeth forth an Audible Species, that is, an Audible Aspect, or Audible Being Seen; which entring at the Eare, maketh Hearing. Nay for the cause of Understanding also, they say the thing Understood sendeth forth Intelligible Species, that is, an Intelligible Being Seen; which comming into the Understanding, makes us Understand. I say not this, as disapproving the use of Universities: but because I am to speak hereafter of their office in a Common-wealth, I must let you see on all occasions by the way, what things would be amended in them; amongst which the frequency of insignificant Speech is one.
But the philosophy schools in all the universities of Christendom teach a different doctrine, based on certain texts by Aristotle. To explain sight, they say that the object seen sends out a Visible Species in every direction. In English, this means a visible show, appearance, aspect, or being seen. Receiving this into the eye is seeing. To explain hearing, they say that the object heard sends out an Audible Species. This means an audible aspect, or an audible being seen. When this enters the ear, it produces hearing. Indeed, to explain understanding too, they say that the object understood sends out Intelligible Species. This means an intelligible being seen. When this enters the understanding, it makes us understand. I do not say this because I disapprove of universities. But I will later discuss their role in a commonwealth. So I must take every opportunity along the way to show you what needs improving in them. One such fault is the frequent use of meaningless language.