CHAPTER III. [Qg ing, and observing things divine and human ; yet reason ought always to accompany the exercise of our senses, whenever we would form a just judgment of things proposed to our enquiry. Here it is proper to observe also, that as the weakness of reason in our infancy, and the dictates of our senses, sometimes in advancing years, lead the wiser part of mankind astray from truth ; so the meaner parts of our species, persons whose genius is very low, whose judgment is always weak, who are ever in- dulging the dictates of sense and humour, are but children of a larger size, they stand exposed to everlasting mistakes in life, and live and die in the midst of prejudices. III. Imagination is another fruitful spring of false judg- nteut. Our imagination is nothing else but the various appear- antes of our sensible ideas in the brain, where the soul frequently works in uniting, disjoining, multiplying, magnifying, diminish- ing and altering the several shapes, colours, sounds, motions, words and things, that have been communicated to us by the outward organs of sense. It is no wonder therefore if fancy leads us into many mistakes, for it is but sense at second hand. Whatever is strongly impressed upon the imagination, some per- sons believe to be true. Some will choose a particular number in a lottery, or lay a large wager on a single chance of a dye, and doubt not of success, because their fancy feels so powerful an impression, and assures them it will be prosperous. A thousand pretended prophecies and inspirations, and all the freaks of en- thusiasm, have been derived from this spring. Dreams are no- thing else but the deceptions of fancy : a delirium, is but a short wildness of the imagination; and a settled irregularity of fancy is distraction and madness. One way to gain a victory over this unruly faculty, is to set a watch upon it perpetually, and to bridle it in all its extrava- gancies ; never to believe any thing merely because fancy dic- tates it, anymore than I would believe a midnight-dream, nor to trust fancy any farther than it is attended with severe reason. It is a very useful and entertaining power of human nature, in mat- ters of illustration, persuasion, oratory, poesy, wit, conversa- tion., Sce. but in the calm enquiry after truth, and the final judg- ment of things, fancy should retire, and stand aside, unless it be called in to explain or illustrate a difficult point by a similitude. Another method ordeliverance from these prejudices of fancy, is to compare the ideas that arise in our imaginations with the real nature of things, as often as we have occasion to judge concerning them ; and let calm and sedate reason govern and de- termine our opinions : though fancy should shew never so great a reluctance. Fancy is the inferior faculty, and it ought to obey. IV. The various passions or affections of the mind, are nu- merous and endless springs of prejudice. They aiáguise every
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=