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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 89, page id 778263916:0105
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Ctp. ZIV. Duration, and its simple Aodes.
much one Trom another, and, Tthinle, Imay Paz all ot them, fiom the
precile motion oEthe sun; and if the sun moved trom the Creation to
thetlood constantls in the Pquator, and so equalls dispered his lisht and
heat to all the habitable Parts ofthe Farth, in Days all oF thio lame lensch,
erithout its annual variations to the Provicts, 25 a laie ingenious Author
supposes, P do noc think it rery casie io imagino, that (normithstandine
Fhe motion oF the Sun) Nen Mould in che Ancediluvian Worid, from
ihe besimnins count by ears, er measure their time by Periods chat hact
no sensible marts verr obrious to distinguisr them b7.
6: 2F. But, Perhaps, it Wrill be said rithout a regularMotion, such as oF
thesun, or some other, horr could it ever be knomn that such Periods
irere equal: Fo Which lansiver, che Lqualier oF any other returnine ap.
Pearances mishue be lnomn by chelame ras chat chat ol Days ras knonn.
or prelumed to be Poat ArH, Whrich was only by judgins of them by the
train ot ideas had palsed in Nen SMinds in the Interrals, Whereby ther
suessed themto be equal, wrtich was sufficient to make them serve fOr 2
eature; thorigh lince exacter scarch has discorered inequaliey in tho dis
urnal Revolutions ofthe Sun, and re lnom not whether the Annual also
Be noc unequal: Thole y et by their presum dand apparent Rqualier, serre
as Well to reckon time by, choush not to meature che parts ol Duration
exactly, as il thez could be proved eo be exactly equal; e must chere-
fore caresully distinguistr betrixe Duration it selB and the measures we
matie ule ofto judse ol is lensth. Duration in it selE is to be considered,
ad soino on in one constant equal unitorm Courle; but none os the meo.
sures of it e makre ule ol can be lenoon to do (o nor can we De assured
that cheir assioried Parts or Periods are equal in Duration one to another 3
For tro successire lenochs of Duration horrever measured, can never be
demonstrated tobe equal. That Whieh the Wontd uled so lone, and (0
contidentiy for an exact meature ol Duration, the motion of tho Sun haS.
aS P said, Been Found in its several parts unequal: and though Nen hare
Of late made use ofa Pendulum, as a more Ready and regular Notion
than that ofthe Sun or (ro speake more truly) ol theParch; vet il anv
one Bould Be ashred, hor he certainlz knoms that theero succeltive swings
OFa Pendulum are equal, it vould be very hard to satisse hitm selF, that
thier are intalliblr (o: Since e cannot be sure, that the Cause oC That NIOL
cion irtrichis untenoon tous, Mall alivars operate equally; and we arc
ture, that the Medium in erhich the Pendulum mores, is noc constancti
the Came; cicher ot Which varrine, may alter the Equalier oF such Peri-
Ods, and tchereby destroy the cerrainty and cxactnels oF the meature by
Mocion, as Well as any ocher Periods of other Appearances, theNotion
ot Durarion Aill remainine clear, thoushrour mealures ol it cannot any ot
them be demonstraced to be exact. Since then no trro Portions ol suecel
sion can bebrouohe cogethee, ic is impossible ever certainls to tino their
Equalier. AII chat we can dotor a meature ot Time, is to catte such a5
hare continual luccessire Appearances at leeminely equidiltant Periods:
ef Wrhich scemine Lqualiey, ve have no orher measure, bat suehas the train
of our onn Zaeas have lodged in our Memories, with ehe concurrence ot
other probable Rcasons, to persrade us oF cheir R. qualier.
9. 22. One thins seems Aranse to mo, thar whil allnsen manifestiu
mealured Pime by chemotion os the great and risible Bodies oftheWortd,
Time Vet Mould De desined tobe the measure of Morion; Whereas tis ob
vious eo every onethat reflects ever (o litele on it, that eo mealure NIO-
tion, Space is as necelsary ro be considered as Time; and those Who lo0k
2 litrle Farther, Wrill find also che bulk of che chins moved necessary 10 De
tatien