Sceptical Solution of these Doubts.
87
Impression. The thinking on any Object readily transports the Mind to what is contiguous; but 'tis only the actual Presence of an Object, that transports it with a superior Vivacity. When I am a few Miles from home, whatever relates to it touches me more nearly than when I am two hundred Leagues distant; tho' even at that Distance the reflecting on any thing in the Neighbourhood of my Friends or Family naturally produces an Idea of them. But as in this latter Case, both the Objects of the Mind are Ideas; notwithstanding there is an easy Transition betwixt them; that Transition alone is not able to give a superior Vivacity to any of the Ideas, for want of some immediate Impression[1].
No
- ↑ Naturane nobis, inquit, datum dicam, an errore quodam, ut, cum ea loca videamus, in quibus memoria dignos viros acceperimus multum esse versatos, magis moveamur, quam siquando eorum ipsorum aut facta audiamus aut scriptum aliquod legamus? Velut ego nunc moveor. Venit enim mihi Platonis in mentem, quem accepimus primum hîc disputare solitum: Cujus etiam illi hortuli propinqui non memoriam solum mihi afferunt, sed ipsum videntur in conspectu meo hîc ponere. Hîc Speufippus, hîc Xenocrates, hîc ejus auditor Polemo; cujus ipsa illa sessio suit, quam videamus. Equidem etiam curiam nostram, Hostilium dico, non hanc novam, quæ mihi minor esse videtur postquam est major, solebam intuens, Scipionem, Catonem, Lælium, nostrum vero in primis a'vum cogitare. Tanta vis admonitionis est in locis; ut non sine causa ex his memoriæ deducta sit disciplina. Cicero de Finibus. Lib. 5.
