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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 63, page id 778263916:0079
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lerception.
8. 20. Nor necd e monder, that this is done with (o little notice, i
re consider, hor very quick the actions of the Mind are pertormed: FOr
a5 it selftales upno spacc, hasnoextention; (o its actions leem to require
notime, but mans ofthem seem to be crouded into an Instant. Ispeak
this in comparison to the actions of the Body. Any one may calily ob-
serve this in his own ThougHes, Who will talse the pains tO refect On
them. FTo, as it evere in an instant, docs our Minds, with onc glance,
sec allthe parts oF a demonstration, which may very well be called a lone
Onc, il we consider the time it ill require to rut it into Words, and Atcp
by Rep Ten it anocher: Sccondlr, re Mall noc be lo much surprized
that ehis is done in us ith (o licele notice, il we consider, hou the faci
licy ve set of doins chings, by a custom ol doins, matees them otten
Pals in us, without oux norico. FTabirs, especiall sueh as are bexun ve-
ry carly, come, at lalt, to produce actions in us, Which often scave our obser-
vation. Ilow Trequently do we, in a das, corer our Eyes rrith our tive-
lids, Writhout perceirins thatre are at all in the dark: Men, that by cu
Com have eot theuse ot a By-word, do almost in every sentence, pro-
nounce Counds; Which, thouoh talten notico ot by otters, ther thiem
selres neither hear, nor oblerve. And cheretore tis not (o strange, that
our elind Bould otten chansethe Idea oF its Senlation, intottrat ot iis
Judoment, and malse one serre onls to excite the other, rithout our
talcins notice ot it.
6. TF. This Foculty oF Perception, scems tome to bethat, wrhich puts
the distinction berwint the animal Kinsdom, and the inferior parts of Na-
ture. For horever Vegerables have, many ot them, lome degrees ot
Mocion, and uxon the difterent application ot octer Bodies to chem, do
very bristels alter cheir Fisures and Morions, and so have obtained the
name ossensitire Plants, trom a motion, Wrhich has some resemblance to
chac, irtrich in Animals Follos upon Sensation: Vet, I suppole, it is aII
bare Mechanisim; and no otherwile produced, than ehe turmine oF a wild
Oat-beard, br the inlinuation ot the Particles ot Moilture; or the Mort-
nins oF a Rope, by the attusion of Water. AII erhich is done ithout
any senlation in the Subject, orthe havinq or receivins any Ideas.
9. F2. Perception, Ibeliere, is, in lome degree, in all sorts of Animals;
thouol in lome, possiblr, the Avenues provided tor the reception ot Sen-
sations, are (o ler by Nature, and the Perception, thes are reccived itl,
(0 obleure and dull, that it comes extreamly Mhort ol the quicknels and va-
riety oE Sensations, Which is in ocher Animals; Dut retitis sufficient For
and wilelr adapted to the state and condition of chat sore oF AnimalS, Wvho
are thus constituted by Nature: Sothar thc Wisdom and Goodness oF the
Mater, plaintr appears in aIl the Parts of this Aupendious Fabrick, and
alltheseveral deorees and rants ot Creatures in it.
5. 23. Wemay, Ichink, trom theMalse oF an Oyster, or C ockle, reato-
nably conclude, that it has nor lomanr, nor (0 quick Senses, 25 a MTan,
or several other Animals; nor il it had, mould it in thac state and inca-
pacier of transserring it self trom one place to another, be better d by
chem. What ∞00d rould Sioht and Flcarino do to a Creature, that can-
noc move it sel( to or Fromthe Objects, Wherein at a distance it perceires
Good or Fvil: And evould not quichnels ot sensation, De an Inconveni.
ence to an Animal, that must lic silI, Wrhere Chance has once placed it;
and chere receiresthe atux of colder or warmer, clean or tout Water, as
it haPPEnSLO COmC FOIL:
3. 20