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A certainty that sensations correspond to external ob jects is necessary to the wants of life, Upon this all men without exception are agreed. Eeflection cannot despoil us of our natural inclination ; and although reason, when most it cavils, may shake the foundations of this belief, it never succeeds in convicting it of error. Even they who give the most weight to such cavils, cannot prove that bodies do not exist: they can only say that we do not know that they exist. The natural inclination then possesses upon this point all the characteristics necessary to elevate it to the rank of an infallible criterion : it is irresistible, universal, satisfies a great necessity of life, and stands the test of reason. As to qualities, the direct objects of sensation, it is not necessary for us that they exist in bodies themselves ; it is enough that these bodies have something which produces in us, in some way or other, a corresponding impression It is of little moment whether a green, or orange color be, or be not, a quality of objects, so long as they have some, quality which produces in us the sensation of green, 07 orange color, as the case may be. prev next |