第 12 节
作者:老山文学      更新:2024-01-16 22:40      字数:8824
  perceiving that which represents them in the intelligible
  Substance of God。 This I do not understand; but I say; the things
  by me perceived are known by the understanding; and produced by
  the will of an infinite Spirit。 And is not all this most plain
  and evident? Is there any more in it than what a little
  observation in our own minds; and that which passeth in them; not
  only enables us to conceive; but also obliges us to acknowledge。
  。 I think I understand you very clearly; and own the
  proof you give of a Deity seems no less evident than it is
  surprising。 But; allowing that God is the supreme and universal
  Cause of an things; yet; may there not be still a Third Nature
  besides Spirits and Ideas? May we not admit a subordinate and
  limited cause of our ideas? In a word; may there not for all that
  be ?
  。 How often must I inculcate the same thing? You allow
  the things immediately perceived by sense to exist nowhere
  without the mind; but there is nothing perceived by sense which
  is not perceived immediately: therefore there is nothing sensible
  that exists without the mind。 The Matter; therefore; which you
  still insist on is something intelligible; I suppose; something
  that may be discovered by reason; and not by sense。
  。 You are in the right。 {216}
  。 Pray let me know what reasoning your belief of
  Matter is grounded on; and what this Matter is; in your present
  sense of it。
  。 I find myself affected with various ideas; whereof I
  know I am not the cause; neither are they the cause of
  themselves; or of one another; or capable of subsisting by
  themselves; as being altogether inactive; fleeting; dependent
  beings。 They have therefore  cause distinct from me and
  them: of which I pretend to know no more than that it is 。 And this thing; whatever it be; I call
  Matter。
  。 Tell me; Hylas; hath every one a liberty to change
  the current proper signification attached to a common name in any
  language? For example; suppose a traveller should tell you that
  in a certain country men pass unhurt through the fire; and; upon
  explaining himself; you found he meant by the word fire that
  which others call 。 Or; if he should assert that there are
  trees that walk upon two legs; meaning men by the term 。
  Would you think this reasonable?
  。 No; I should think it very absurd。 Common custom is
  the standard of propriety in language。 And for any man to affect
  speaking improperly is to pervert the use of speech; and can
  never serve to a better purpose than to protract and multiply
  disputes; where there is no difference in opinion。
  。 And doth not ; in the common current
  acceptation of the word; signify an extended; solid; moveable;
  unthinking; inactive Substance?
  。 It doth。
  。 And; hath it not been made evident that no
  substance can possibly exist? And; though it should be allowed to
  exist; yet how can that which is  be a ; or that
  which is  be a ? You may; indeed;
  if you please; annex to the word  a contrary meaning to
  what is vulgarly received; and tell me you understand by it; an
  unextended; thinking; active being; which is the cause of our
  ideas。 But what else is this than to play with words; and run
  into that very fault you just now condemned with so much reason?
  I do by no means find fault with your reasoning; in that you
  collect a cause from the :  I deny that
  cause deducible by reason can properly be termed Matter。
  。 There is indeed something in what you say。 But I am
  {217} afraid you do not thoroughly comprehend my meaning。 I would
  by no means be thought to deny that God; or an infinite Spirit;
  is the Supreme Cause of all things。 All I contend for is; that;
  subordinate to the Supreme Agent; there is a cause of a limited
  and inferior nature; which  in the production of our
  ideas; not by any act of will; or spiritual efficiency; but by
  that kind of action which belongs to Matter; viz。 。
  。 I find you are at every turn relapsing into your old
  exploded conceit; of a moveable; and consequently an extended;
  substance; existing without the mind。 What! Have you already
  forgotten you were convinced; or are you willing I should repeat
  what has been said on that head? In truth this is not fair
  dealing in you; still to suppose the being of that which you have
  so often acknowledged to have no being。 But; not to insist
  farther on what has been so largely handled; I ask whether all
  your ideas are not perfectly passive and inert; including nothing
  of action in them。
  。 They are。
  。 And are sensible qualities anything else but ideas?
  。 How often have I acknowledged that they are not。
  。 But is not  a sensible quality?
  。 It is。
  。 Consequently it is no action?
  。 I agree with you。 And indeed it is very plain that
  when I stir my finger; it remains passive; but my will which
  produced the motion is active。
  。 Now; I desire to know; in the first place; whether;
  motion being allowed to be no action; you can conceive any action
  besides volition: and; in the second place; whether to say
  something and conceive nothing be not to talk nonsense: and;
  lastly; whether; having considered the premises; you do not
  perceive that to suppose any efficient or active Cause of our
  ideas; other than ; is highly absurd and unreasonable?
  。 I give up the point entirely。 But; though Matter may
  not be a cause; yet what hinders its being an ;
  subservient to the supreme Agent in the production of our ideas?
  。 An instrument say you; pray what may be the figure;
  springs; wheels; and motions; of that instrument?
  。 Those I pretend to determine nothing of; both the
  substance and its qualities being entirely unknown to me。
  。 What? You are then of opinion it is made up of {218}
  unknown parts; that it hath unknown motions; and an unknown
  shape?
  。 I do not believe that it hath any figure or motion at
  all; being already convinced; that no sensible qualities can
  exist in an unperceiving substance。
  。 But what notion is it possible to frame of an
  instrument void of all sensible qualities; even extension itself?
  。 I do not pretend to have any notion of it。
  。 And what reason have you to think this unknown; this
  inconceivable Somewhat doth exist? Is it that you imagine God
  cannot act as well without it; or that you find by experience the
  use of some such thing; when you form ideas in your own mind?
  。 You are always teasing me for reasons of my belief。
  Pray what reasons have you not to believe it?
  。 It is to me a sufficient reason not to believe the
  existence of anything; if I see no reason for believing it。 But;
  not to insist on reasons for believing; you will not so much as
  let me know  you would have me believe; since you say
  you have no manner of notion of it。 After all; let me entreat you
  to consider whether it be like a philosopher; or even like a man
  of common sense; to pretend to believe you know not what ' and
  you know not why。
  。 Hold; Philonous。 When I tell you Matter is an
  ; I do not mean altogether nothing。 It is true I know
  not the particular kind of instrument; but; however; I have some
  notion of ; which I apply to it。
  。 But what if it should prove that there is something;
  even in the most general notion of ; as taken in a
  distinct sense from ; which makes the use of it
  inconsistent with the Divine attributes?
  。 Make that appear and I shall give up the point。
  。 What mean you by the general nature or notion of
  ?
  。 That which is common to all particular instruments
  composeth the general notion。
  。 Is it not common to all instruments; that they are
  applied to the doing those things only which cannot be performed
  by the mere act of our wills? Thus; for instance; I never use an
  instrument to move my finger; because it is done by a volition。
  But I should use one if I were to remove part of a rock; or tear
  up a tree by the roots。 Are you of the same mind? {219} Or; can
  you shew any example where an instrument is made use of in
  producing an effect  depending on the will of the
  agent?
  。 I own I cannot。
  。 How therefore can you suppose that an All…perfect
  Spirit; on whose Will all things have an absolute and immediate
  dependence; should need an instrument in his operations; or; not
  needing it; make use of it? Thus it seems to me that you are
  obliged to own the use of a lifeless inactive instrument to be
  incompatible with the infinite perfection of God; that is; by
  your own confession; to give up the point。
  。 It doth not readily occur what I can answer you。
  。 But; methinks you should be ready to own the truth;
  when it has bee