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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 4, page id 778263916:0020
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Noinnate Principles in the Minca
hre will find in chefollomins Treatise. It beins that Term, Wrhich, Pthinli,
serres best to stand For Whatloerer is the Object of the Onderstandins
erhen a Nan thins, Thare used it to express Wvhaterer is meane DY Phan-
tasm, Notion, Species, Or Whatever it is, ivhich the Mind can be employ d
about in thinkins; and P could nocavoid frequently usins it.
Tprelume it ill be calily granted me, that there are luch Ldeas in HlenS
Minds; every onc is conseious of them in himselE, and a Man SWords and
Acions will latistie him, that they arc in orhers.
Our Airst. Enguiri chen Mall De how ther come into the Mind.
 II
BOOKI
Noinnate Principles in the Mind.
B. T. B Tis an establisted Opinion amonsst Tome Nen, Fhat there are in
B thenderstandins certain innate Principles; lome primary No-
tions, KoVas cirolat, Characters, as ic vere samped upon the Mind oF
Nan, irhich the Soul receires in irs very Crst Being; and brings intothe
Worid with ic. It ould be sufficient to convince unprejudiced Readers
OFthe Falsenes oFthis Supposition, if P Bould only Ther (as P hope I MaIL
in chefollorins Parrs oF chis Discourse) hor Men, barelr by thevse ot
thieir nacural Faculties, mas attain to all the Rnom ledse thes have, ith.
out the help ot any innate imprestions; and mas errive at Certaints,
rithour any such Original Notionsor Principles. For Limagine any one
Will casils grant, That it vould be impertinent to suppole the Idéâs ot
Colours innate in a Creature, torhom Crod hath siven Sight, and a Pou-
er to receire them by the Fres From external Objects: and no lels urirea.
Ponable rould it beto actribute several Truchsto che Imprecsions of Nature
and innate Characters, When emar obserre in our selres Faculties, fc
to attain as easie and certain Rnoledse ot them, as il they vere Origi-
nally imprinted on the Mind.
But because a Man is noc permitted without Censure to follo his omn
Thouchus in thesearch of Truth, Whenther lead him ever (o titrlo out of
the common Road: PMall set doun the Reasons, that made me donbe ot
the Fruch of that Opinion, as an Fxcuse For my Mistake, if IBC in one.
Wrhich I leave to beconsider d by chose, who wich me dispole chemselves
to embrace Truth, Where-cverthey find it.
5. 2. There is nothins more commonty calren for granted, than tMaF
there are certain Principles Doch Speculative and Practical (For they spcale
OF Both) universally agreed upon by all Manlind: Wrhrich cheretore they
argue, must needs be the constant Impressions, Wtrich ehe Souls oF Nen
receive in their first Beines, and Which they bring into the Worid with
them, as necellarily and really as chey do any oftheir inherent Paculties.
5. 3. This Argument, dramn trom Dniversal Consent, has this Misfor-
tune in ic, Thac il it ivere true in matter ot Fact, that there ivere certain
Truchs, Wherein aII Mankcind agreed, it vould not prove them innate, it
there can be anz ocher may Mevn hou Nen may cometo that Wniversal
Aereement in chethines ther doconsent insirhich I presume may bedones
5. 4. But, trhich is vorse, this Argument ot universal Consent, whict
id macte ule ot1o prore innale Principtes, lcems 0 me a Bemonctracion
EhaE