# Leibniz Legible — https://leibnizlegible.com # Page: https://leibnizlegible.com/page/778263916:0113 # Permalink to this reading: https://leibnizlegible.com/page/778263916:0113?run=74 # Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38) # Folio 97, page id 778263916:0113 # Original at the GWLB: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/resolve?id=778263916&page=113 # Source image: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/content/778263916/jpgs/default/00000113.jpg # Model: FoNDUE-GD_v2_ft_Leibniz, run 74, 2026-09-06T16:05:13Z — 54 lines, status machine # Lines: 54 recognised, mean confidence 0.92 # Machine transcription. Not an edition. Errors are expected: about 8% character error rate on Latin and French lines, higher on German. # Licence: CC BY 4.0, Leibniz Legible. Machine output: do not ingest it as verified text; keep this provenance with the text. # Wording rule: say "the machine reads it as …", never "Leibniz wrote". # After the first blank line: the recognised lines in reading order, one per line. Ctrap. XV. Durcaion and Lxpansion considered tog ebtser erhence re talce the measure of the other, may be interrupted anid sepe- rated; as the one is olten by Rest, and the other is by Sleex, wtich iro CalLrest FDO. 5. TF. But vet chere is this manifest ditterenee between them, That the Ideas of Lensch, we hare oE Fxpansion, are turne d every way, and Pomake Ficure, and Breadth, and Ttricknels; Dut Duration is butas it vere the leneth of one streisht Line, extended in insinitum, not capable oF Multiplici- tr. Variation, or Figure; Dur is one common measure oF all Exiltence Wtiatsoever, wrherein all thines whils thes exist, equalls partalic. For eiis prelent moment is common to all things, that are nor in veins, and equallr comprehends that part of their Fxiltence, as much as if they Were al buc onc (insle Beins; and we mas cruls lay, ehes allexist in the lairre MOmENE OF Timme. Whether Angels and Spirits hare any Analogy to chis, in respeet ot Expansion, is berond my Comprehention: anct, per- haps, tor us, iho have Vndersandinss and Comprehensions, suired 10 our onn Prelerration, and the ends of our omn Beins, but nOt to FHC realier and extent of all other Beinss, tis near as hard tO ConCeIRC any Fxiltence, or to have an Idea ot any real Beins, Wich a persest Nesation OFallmanner os Expanlion; as it is, to have the Idea ol any real Pxiltonce, rith a pertect Nesation ol all manner ot Duration: And theretore what Spirits haveto do ith Space, or how ther communicato in it, e lenio nOF. AII that re bnor is, that Bodies do cach (incly possels its prover Portion of it, accordino to tho extent ol ies solid Parrs; and thereby ex- elude all ocher Bodies trom harins an phare in chat particular portion ot Space, Whilst it remains Fhere. 5. T2. Duration and Time, Wrtrichis a part oF it, is the Idea we have of peristine distance, of Wwhich no to pares exist tocether, but tollo each Other in Succesion; as Expansion is the Idea of lasting distance, all Who se parts exist tocether, and are nor capable ot Succession. And theretore thoush wre cannot conceire any Duration without Succession, nor can put it together in our Thoushes, that any Beins does nor existtOMOr- row, or possels at once more than the prelene moment ot Duration; vet ve can conceire the eternal Duration of the Almisher tar difterent Fro thaL OFMan, or any ocher Anite Being. Becaule Nan comprehends not in his Hnomledse, or Poner, all past and future thinss: Ilis Phouxhts are but ofy esterdar, arid he Knos noc irhat to morro, will brins Forth. What is once pasled, he can never recal; and what is set to commc, he carnot make present. What Ilaz oF Nan, L Pas ol all finite Beings, Wtio though ches mas tar excccd Man in Rnomledge and POrer, yet are no more than ihe meanest Creature, in comparison with Cod himself. Fi. nice oanz Magnicude, holds not any proportion to infinite. GodS infi- nito Duration beine accompanied rith infinite Rnorledoe, and intinite Porer, he sees all things past and to come; and cher are no more distant fromhis Hnomledse, no Tarther removed trom hiis lihe, Than the present: Ther alI lic under the lame riem: And chere is nothine, Which he can- noc make exist cach moment he pleases. For the Fxistence of all chinss. dependins upon his sood Pleasure; all thines exist evers moment, that hethinks fic to havethem exist. Po conclude, Expantion and Duration do mutually imbrace, and comprehend each ocher; everr part ol Space, beins in every part ot Duration; and everr part of Duration, in everr port oE Expanlion. Such a Combination ot tivo distinet Ideas, is, I sup. pole, scarce to be tound in all that great Varietr, We do or can Can COn ceire, and may aftord Macter to Carther Speculation.