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are but one thing, which for divers considerations hath divers names.
Much memory, or memory of many things, is called Experience.
Againe, Imagination being only of those things which have been formerly
perceived by Sense, either all at once, or by parts at severall times;
The former, (which is the imagining the whole object, as it was
presented to the sense) is Simple Imagination; as when one imagineth
a man, or horse, which he hath seen before. The other is Compounded;
as when from the sight of a man at one time, and of a horse at another,
we conceive in our mind a Centaure. So when a man compoundeth the
image of his own person, with the image of the actions of an other man;
as when a man imagins himselfe a Hercules, or an Alexander,
(which happeneth often to them that are much taken with reading of Romants)
it is a compound imagination, and properly but a Fiction of the mind.
There be also other Imaginations that rise in men, (though waking)
from the great impression made in sense; As from gazing upon the Sun,
the impression leaves an image of the Sun before our eyes a long
time after; and from being long and vehemently attent upon
Geometricall Figures, a man shall in the dark, (though awake)
have the Images of Lines, and Angles before his eyes: which kind of
Fancy hath no particular name; as being a thing that doth not
commonly fall into mens discourse.
Dreams
The imaginations of them that sleep, are those we call Dreams.
And these also (as all other Imaginations) have been before,
either totally, or by parcells in the Sense. And because in sense,
the Brain, and Nerves, which are the necessary Organs of sense,
are so benummed in sleep, as not easily to be moved by the action
of Externall Objects, there can happen in sleep, no Imagination;
and therefore no Dreame, but what proceeds from the agitation of
the inward parts of mans body; which inward parts, for the connexion
they have with the Brayn, and other Organs, when they be distempered,
do keep the same in motion; whereby the Imaginations there formerly made,
appeare as if a man were waking; saving that the Organs of Sense
being now benummed, so as there is no new object, which can master
and obscure them with a more vigorous impression, a Dreame must needs
be more cleare, in this silence of sense, than are our waking thoughts.
And hence it cometh to pass, that it is a hard matter, and by many
thought impossible to distinguish exactly between Sense and Dreaming.
For my part, when I consider, that in Dreames, I do not often,
nor constantly think of the same Persons, Places, Objects, and Actions that
I do waking; nor remember so long a trayne of coherent thoughts, Dreaming,
as at other times; And because waking I often observe the absurdity
of Dreames, but never dream of the absurdities of my waking Thoughts;
I am well satisfied, that being awake, I know I dreame not;
though when I dreame, I think my selfe awake.
And seeing dreames are caused by the distemper of some of the inward
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