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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 118, page id 778263916:0134
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Sothat the Ldea OF Liberry, is the Idea OFa PoVer in any ASenE t0 do or
forbear any Action, accordins tothe determination or thouxkt ot the
Mind, Whereby cither of them is preterrd to the other; Where cither ot
them is not in the Porer ofthe Agent to be produced by him accordino
to his preterence, there is not Liberty, Thac Agent is under Necessity.
So chat Liberey canrioe bC, Wrhere there is no Thouoht, no Volition, n0
Will; Duc theremar be Thouche, there may be Will, there may be Voti-
tion, Where there is no Liberer. A lierle Consideration ot an obvious
instance or trro mas makre this clear.
5. 9. ATenvis. BaII, Wrhether in Motion by the Sroke oF a RaCkCK, Or
lino Still at rost, is not by any onc talren tobe a free Acenr. It We en-
quire into theRealon, We Mall find it is, because e conceire not a T en-
Dis. Ball to chinte, and consequenely not tohave ans Volition, or preterence
OtMotion to relt, or vice versa; and theretore has not Libertr, is nOt à
Frec Agent; but all its both Motion and Rest, come under oux Idea OE
Necessary, and are (0 calI d. Fiterrise a Man Fallins into the Water, (2
Bridse breakins under him,) has not herein liberer, is not a trec Agent.
For thoushhehas Volition, thoughi he preterrs his nor Fallins t0 Falline;
vet the torbearance ol that Motion nor beins in his Pover, theitoD or
Cellation ofthat Motion tollons noc upon his Volition; and theretore
chereinhe is noctreo. So a Man Prilcins himselt, or his Friend, by aCon-
vulsire motion oFhis Arm, erhichis not in hus Pover upon his Preterence
or Volition to forbear; no Body thints he has in this Liberty; every one
picies him; as actinq by Necessiey and Constraint.
6. 10. Again, suppose a Nan be carried, Wrhils Fast aAlcep, into 2 ROOI,
vihere is a Person he lones to sec and speake rith; and be there loched
fast in, berond his Porver to set out: le amatres, and is glad to sind
himsellin so delirable Company, wrhich he stazs Willinsls in, i. e. preserrs
his Ctar to going airay; Pastc, I5 not this Cay voluntarr: P chinE, no BO.
dy ill doube it; and vet beine locked fact in, tis evident he is nor at li-
verey not to Cay, he has not Trecdom eo bc SOnc. S0 that Liberty is not
an Tdea belongine eo Volition, or preterrins; but to the Person havins the
Pourer ol doins, or Corbearins to do, accordins as the Mind Call chuse.
Our Idea o Liberty reaches as tar as that Poiver, and no Farther. For
Whereerer restraint comes to check that Porver, or compullion, talces array
that Inditterener to act, Or nOLto act; there liberty, and our Notion oE it,
presently ceases.
S. FI. We have instances enoush, and osten more than enouzh in our
ownBodies. A ManSHearE BCaES, and the Blood circulates, irhich tis
noc in his Pover by ans Thouslut or Volition to Bop; and theretore in
respect ol thele Motions, rhere rest depends not on liis choice, nor ould
Follon the determination of his Mind, if it Mould preser it, he is nor a
tree Aoent. Convultire Motions asitare his Lc9s; (0 that thoues he
ills it never so much, he cannoc by ans pover ofhus Mind Kop ttreir
Motion, (as in that odd Dilease called Chorea Sancti Viti) Dut he is perpe-
tually dancins: Ee is not et Liberes in chis Action, but under as much
Necelsity ot movins, as a Stone that Falls, Or a Tennis. BaIl Aruck rith a
Racker. On che ocher fide, a Palsie or Stocls hinder his Leos trom ober-
ins chedetermination ofhis Mind, iE it Wrould thereby transserr his Body
to anoctrer PlaCo. In aIl these chere is ant of Frcedom, thouoh the
Sittins sils even ofa Paralirick, Whils he preferrs it to removal is truly
voluneary: Foluntarr then is not opposed to Necessary; but ro Involuntarr.
For a Man mas preter wrhat he ean do, to whrat he cannot do; the State
heis in, to its ablence or chanse, thoush Wecehu has mace it in it setF
unalcerable.
D: X2.