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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 68, page id 778263916:0084
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C II A P. A
Of Discernins, and otber Operations of the Mind.
S. F. A Nocher Faculer e may tate notice of in our Minds, is thae
L OF Discerning and distinguistring verween the several Ideas
it has. It is noc enoush tohare a contuled perception ot lomethins
in general. Unless the Mind had a distinct perception of disterent Ob-
jects, and their Oualities, it rould be capable ol vers little Hnoledec,
thouoh the Bodies that atfect us, vere as buse about uS, aS they arC NOU,
and the Mind vere continually emploz d in chinting. On this faculty
oF Distinguistrins one thins from another, depends the evidence and cer-
rainty ot leveral, eren verr general Propolitions, Which have passed for
innate Fruths; because Men over-lookins the true cause, Why thole
Propolitions find universal assent, impute it eholly co nacive unitorm Im-
pressions; Whereas it in truch depends upon chis clear discernins Faculty
Ofthe Mind, Wvhereby it perceires tro Ldeas to bethe lame, or different:
Buc ot this more hereatter.
8. 2. Lio much the imperfection ot accurately discriminatine ideas
one trom anocher lics, cirtier in the dulnels, or taults of the Oreans ot
Senle; Or Want ot accuteness, exereise, or artention in the Understan-
dins; Or hrastinels and precipitanes, natural to lome Tempers, I will
not here examine: Ir suffices to talce norice, that this is one of the Ope-
rations, chat the Mind may reflect on, and observe in it selF. IE isoF thae
consequence to its other Rnomledse, that (0 lar as this faculer is in it (elt
dull, or not righely made ule ot, tor the distinguithins one thins trOm
another; (0 tar our Notions are contused, and our Realon and Fudement
disturbed or missed. TF in harins our Ideas in the Memory ready at
hand, consicts quicteness of parts; in ehis ofhavins them uncontuled, and
beins able nicelr to distinsuist one thing trom another, where there is
bur the least difference, consists; in a great mealure, the exactness oF
Sudomene, and clearness ot Reason, irhich is to be oblerred in onc Man
above another. And hence, perhaps, may be siven lome Realon ot
that common Obserration, That Menirho have a great deal of Wic, anc
prompe Memories, hare not alvays the clearest Judement, or deepest
ReaIOn. FOr Wit Ping most in the assemblase of ideas, and putting thole
together rith quicknels and varier, Wherein can be tound any resem-
blance or congruit, thereby to malce ux pleasant Pictures, and agree-
able Visions in the FanCY: Fudement, on the contrarr, lies quite on
the other side, in separatins caresully Ideas one From anottier, Where.
in ean be found the least difference, therebr to avoid beins missed
by Similicade, and by aftinity to takee one chins for anotter. This
is a irar ot proccedins quite contrarr to Metaphor and AIlusion, Where
in, For che most pare, lies chat entertainment and pleasantrs oF Wit
Which Strikes (0 lively on the Fancs; and theretore (0 accepable to all
People, because its Beauts appears at tirs liglt, and there is required no
labour of thoushe, to examine what Truth or Reolon thereis in it. Tll0
Mlind, withour loolcing anr Farther, rests satissied irith the plealantness ot
the Picture, andthe gayetr oFthe Faner: And it is a kinc oF an attront
t080 about r0 examine il, by the serere Rules ol Fruth, and sood Rea-
f02;