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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 278, page id 778263916:0294
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Fxtent of Flumane Knomledge.
BOOR
Figures and Parts, We can no waz attain, Whilst ire are contined to rliis
Farth, there beinsno natural Means, cither by Senlation or Reflection, t0
conves their certain Ldeas into our Minds? J’hey are out ol the reach ot
chose Inlets oFall our Hnomledge; and wrhat sores of Furniture and Inha-
bicanes chole Mansions contain in ehem, we cannoc so muchasguess, much
less have clear, and distinet Ldeas oF them.
6. 25. Is a Great, nay Por the greatest, part oF the several ranlis OF B0-
dies in the Vniverse, Ccape our notice by cheir remoteness; thereare others
chat are no less concealed from us by their Minuteness. These insensible
Corpuseles, being ele actire parts oE Matrer, and the great Instruments oc
Nature, on wrhich depend not omly all their secondary Oualicies, but al(0
OlE OF chicir vatural Operations; our ane of precile distinet Ideas oE
their primary Oualiries, lceps us in an uncureable lenorance oF irtrat we
desire robnor about them. I doube not but il ve could discover the
Figure, Sico, Connexion, and Morion ofthe minute constituent parts or
any tiro Bocies, We hould hnor withont Trial several ot their Opera-
tions orc upon another, as ve do now the Proverties ot a Square, Or 3
Friangle; and re srould be able to tell belore Fland, that Rubarb would
purse, Hlemlock kill, and Opium make 2 Man ACcD; 25 Well a5 a Watch.
maker does that a licrle vicce ot Paper, laid on the Ballance, Will kecp the
Wacch trom soins eill it be removed; orthat some linall Part OF it, beirs
rubb d by a File, the Machin rould quire lose its Morion, and theWatct
sononore  Bid wehnon the mechanical Afections ot ehe Particles ol
Rubarb, Hemlock, Opium, and a Man, a5 a Watch. malcer does thole oF 2
Watch. Whereby it pertorms all its Operations; and ot a File, Whichby
rutbins on ehem will alter the Figure oF any oF the Whecls; The dissol.
vins oP Silver in aqua forris, and Cold in ag. regia, and not vice versa
Would bethen, perhaps, no more disticult to kno, than it isto a Smitti
tounderstand why the turmins ot oneler will open a LOck, and nocthe
curnins of anocher. Bur whilst re are destiture ot Senses, acure enousl
to dilcorer the minute Particles of Bodies, and to sive us Ideas of their
mechanical Afections, We mustbe content to be ignorant ot their proper-
ties and ways oF Opcration; nor can e be altured about them any
farcher, than fome seir Trials crematie, are able toreach. But Whether
chey wrill succeed asairi another time, we cannorbe certain. Thishinders
our certain Rnoir ledge ot universal Fruchs, concerning natural Bodies. And
our Renson carries us herein very sirle besond parrieular matrer oc
Fact.
5. 26. And Cheresore T am apt to doube thaE, hou Car Coever humane
industry may advance usetul and experimental. Philolophy in physical
Thines, Ccientifical will Aill Be out ot our reach; because We WanE per-
sect and adequate Ldeas ofthole very Bodies, Wrhich are nearest tous, and
mostunder our Command. Thoserhich re have rantred into C lasses un-
der names, and we think our selves best acquainted wich, we have but
very impertect, and incompleat Ideas of. Distinet Ideas oF the several
Torts oE Bodies, that fall under che Lxamination of our Senles, perhaps, we
may hare; DuE adlequate Ideas, Psuspect, e have noc ot any one amonest
them. Andthouxhi the former oF these ill serveus for common V se and
Dilcourse; vec trhils e ant the latrer, ve arenot capable of scientisicat
Unouledee; nor Mall ever be able to discover general, instructive Truths
concernins them. Cerrainey and Demonstration, are Thinss re must
noc, in these Matters, pretend 10. By the Colour, Figure, Faste, and Snell,
and oetier sensible Oualities, We have as clear, and distinct Ldeas ot sage
and Hemlocte, as We have ot a Circle anda Frianele: Duc harine no sdeas
T
ot