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in themselves, consisteth. From hence it is, that the Schooles say,
Heavy bodies fall downwards, out of an appetite to rest, and to conserve
their nature in that place which is most proper for them; ascribing
appetite, and Knowledge of what is good for their conservation,
(which is more than man has) to things inanimate absurdly.
When a Body is once in motion, it moveth (unless something els
hinder it) eternally; and whatsoever hindreth it, cannot in an instant,
but in time, and by degrees quite extinguish it: And as wee see
in the water, though the wind cease, the waves give not over rowling
for a long time after; so also it happeneth in that motion, which is
made in the internall parts of a man, then, when he Sees, Dreams, &c.
For after the object is removed, or the eye shut, wee still retain
an image of the thing seen, though more obscure than when we see it.
And this is it, that Latines call Imagination, from the image made
in seeing; and apply the same, though improperly, to all the other senses.
But the Greeks call it Fancy; which signifies Apparence, and is as proper
to one sense, as to another. Imagination therefore is nothing but
Decaying Sense; and is found in men, and many other living Creatures,
as well sleeping, as waking.
Memory
The decay of Sense in men waking, is not the decay of the motion
made in sense; but an obscuring of it, in such manner, as the light
of the Sun obscureth the light of the Starres; which starrs do no
less exercise their vertue by which they are visible, in the day,
than in the night. But because amongst many stroaks, which our eyes,
eares, and other organs receive from externall bodies, the predominant
onely is sensible; therefore the light of the Sun being predominant,
we are not affected with the action of the starrs. And any object being
removed from our eyes, though the impression it made in us remain;
yet other objects more present succeeding, and working on us,
the Imagination of the past is obscured, and made weak; as the voyce
of a man is in the noyse of the day. From whence it followeth,
that the longer the time is, after the sight, or Sense of any object,
the weaker is the Imagination. For the continuall change of mans body,
destroyes in time the parts which in sense were moved: So that the
distance of time, and of place, hath one and the same effect in us.
For as at a distance of place, that which wee look at, appears dimme,
and without distinction of the smaller parts; and as Voyces grow weak,
and inarticulate: so also after great distance of time, our imagination of
the Past is weak; and wee lose( for example) of Cities wee have seen,
many particular Streets; and of Actions, many particular Circumstances.
This Decaying Sense, when wee would express the thing it self,
(I mean Fancy it selfe,) wee call Imagination, as I said before;
But when we would express the Decay, and signifie that the Sense is fading,
old, and past, it is called Memory. So that Imagination and Memory,
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