immediate operation of Spirits? We must no longer say upon these
principles that fire heats, or water cools, but that a Spirit heats,
and so forth. Would not a man be deservedly laughed at, who should
talk after this manner? I answer, he would so; in such things we ought
to "think with the learned, and speak with the vulgar." They who to
demonstration are convinced of the truth of the Copernican system do
nevertheless say "the sun rises," "the sun sets," or "comes to the
meridian"; and if they affected a contrary style in common talk it
would without doubt appear very ridiculous. A little reflexion on what
is here said will make it manifest that the common use of language
would receive no manner of alteration or disturbance from the
admission of our tenets.

  52. In the ordinary affairs of life, any phrases may be retained, so
long as they excite in us proper sentiments, or dispositions to act in
such a manner as is necessary for our well-being, how false soever
they may be if taken in a strict and speculative sense. Nay, this is
unavoidable, since, propriety being regulated by custom, language is
suited to the received opinions, which are not always the truest.
Hence it is impossible, even in the most rigid, philosophic
reasonings, so far to alter the bent and genius of the tongue we
speak, as never to give a handle for cavillers to pretend difficulties
and inconsistencies. But, a fair and ingenuous reader will collect the
sense from the scope and tenor and connexion of a discourse, making
allowances for those inaccurate modes of speech which use has made
inevitable.

  53. As to the opinion that there are no Corporeal Causes, this has
been heretofore maintained by some of the Schoolmen, as it is of
late by others among the modern philosophers, who though they allow
Matter to exist, yet will have God alone to be the immediate efficient
cause of all things. These men saw that amongst all the objects of
sense there was none which had any power or activity included in it;
and that by consequence this was likewise true of whatever bodies they
supposed to exist without the mind, like unto the immediate objects of
sense. But then, that they should suppose an innumerable multitude
of created beings, which they acknowledge are not capable of producing
any one effect in nature, and which therefore are made to no manner of
purpose, since God might have done everything as well without them:
this I say, though we should allow it possible, must yet be a very
unaccountable and extravagant supposition.

  54. In the eighth place, the universal concurrent assent of
mankind may be thought by some an invincible argument in behalf of
Matter, or the existence of external things. Must we suppose the whole
world to be mistaken? And if so, what cause can be assigned of so
widespread and predominant an error? I answer, first, that, upon a
narrow inquiry, it will not perhaps be found so many as is imagined do
really believe the existence of Matter or things without the mind.
Strictly speaking, to believe that which involves a contradiction,
or has no meaning in it, is impossible; and whether the foregoing
expressions are not of that sort, I refer it to the impartial
examination of the reader. In one sense, indeed, men may be said to
believe that Matter exists, that is, they act as if the immediate
cause of their sensations, which affects them every moment, and is
so nearly present to them, were some senseless unthinking being.
But, that they should clearly apprehend any meaning marked by those
words, and form thereof a settled speculative opinion, is what I am
not able to conceive. This is not the only instance wherein men impose
upon themselves, by imagining they believe those propositions which
they have often heard, though at bottom they have no meaning in them.

  55. But secondly, though we should grant a notion to be never so
universally and steadfastly adhered to, yet this is weak argument of
its truth to whoever considers what a vast number of prejudices and
false opinions are everywhere embraced with the utmost
tenaciousness, by the unreflecting (which are the far greater) part of
mankind. There was a time when the antipodes and motion of the earth
were looked upon as monstrous absurdities even by men of learning: and
if it be considered what a small proportion they bear to the rest of
mankind, we shall find that at this day those notions have gained
but a very inconsiderable footing in the world.

  56. But it is demanded that we assign a cause of this prejudice, and
account for its obtaining in the world. To this I answer, that men
knowing they perceived several ideas, whereof they themselves were not
the authors- as not being excited from within nor depending on the
operation of their wills- this made them maintain those ideas, or
objects of perception had an existence independent of and without
the mind, without ever dreaming that a contradiction was involved in
those words. But, philosophers having plainly seen that the
immediate objects of perception do not exist without the mind, they in
some degree corrected the mistake of the vulgar; but at the same
time run into another which seems no less absurd, to wit, that there
are certain objects really existing without the mind, or having a
subsistence distinct from being perceived, of which our ideas are only
images or resemblances, imprinted by those objects on the mind. And
this notion of the philosophers owes its origin to the same cause with
the former, namely, their being conscious that they were not the
authors of their own sensations, which they evidently knew were
imprinted from without, and which therefore must have some cause
distinct from the minds on which they are imprinted.

  57. But why they should suppose the ideas of sense to be excited
in us by things in their likeness, and not rather have recourse to
Spirit which alone can act, may be accounted for, first, because
they were not aware of the repugnancy there is, as well in supposing
things like unto our ideas existing without, as in attributing to them
power or activity. Secondly, because the Supreme Spirit which
excites those ideas in our minds, is not marked out and limited to our