428 LOGIC: OE, THE EICHT VSE OF REASOV. stars are not risen till the sun is set, because we never see them by day. But some of these errors may seem to be derived from the next spring. The way to cure the prejudices of infancy is to distinguish, as far as we can, which are those opinions which we framed in perfect childhood; to remember that at the time our reason was incapable of forming a right judgment, and to bring these pro- positions again to be examined at the bar of mature reason. II. Our senses give us many a false information of things, and tempt us to judge amiss. This is called the prejudice of sense; as when we suppose the sun and moon to be flat bodies, and to be but a few inches broad, because they appear so to the eye. Sense inclines us to judge that air has no weight, because we do not feel it press heavy upon us ; and we judge also by our senses, that cold and heat, sweet and sour, red and blue, 4c. are such real properties in the objects themselves, and exactly like those sensations which they excite in us. Note, Those mistakes of this which all mankind drop and lose in their advancing age, are called mere prejudices of in.. fancy ; but those which abide with the vulgar part of the world, and generally with all men, till learning and philosophy cure them, more properly attain the name of prejudices of sense. These prejudices are to be removed several ways. (1.) By the assistance of one sense we cure the mistakes of another ; as when a stick thrust into the water seems crooked ; we are pre- vented from judging it to be really so in itself, for when we take it out of the water, both our sight and our feeling agree and de- termine it to be straight. (2.) The exercise of our reason, and an application to mathematical and philosophical studies, cures many other prejudices of sense, both with relation to the hea- venly and earthly bodies. (3.). We should remember that our senses have often deceived us in various instances, that they give but a confused and imperfect representation of things in many cases, that they often represent falsely those very objectsto which they seem to be suited, such as shape, motion, size and situation, of gross bodies, if they are but placed at ii distance from us; and as for the minute particles of which bodies are composed, our senses cannot distinguish them. (4.) We should remember also, that one prime and original design of our senses, is to in- form us what various relations the bodies that are round about us bear to our animal body, and to give us notice what is pleasant and useful, or what is painful and injurious to us ; but they are not sufficient of themselves to lead us into a philosophical ac- quaintance with the inward nature of things. It must be con- fessed, it is by the assistance of the eye and the ear especially (which are called the senses of discipline) that our minds are furnished with various parts of knowledge, by reading, hear-
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