CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

PART I.

the Nature and Object of the Philofophy of the Hu-

Of th

man Mind,

PART II.

Page 1

SECT. I. Of the Utility of the Philofophy of the Human

Of the Powers of External Perception.

SECT. I. Of the Theories which have been formed by Phi-

lofophers, to explain the Manner in which the

MIND perceives external Objects,

II. Of certain natural Prejudices, which feem to

have given rife to the common Theories of

Perception,

III.-Of Dr. REID's Speculations on the Subject of

Perception,

IV. Of the Origin of our Knowledge,

SECT. I.-General Obfervations on this Faculty of the

Mind,

II. Of the Objects of our Thoughts, when we employ

general Terms,

III. Remarks on the Opinions of fome modern Phi-

lofophers on the Subject of the foregoing

Section,

IV. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Inferences

with respect to the Ufe of Language as an

Inftrument of Thought, and the Errors

in Reafoning to which it occafionally gives

rife,

V. Of the Purposes to which the Powers of Ab-

ftraction and Generalifation are fubfervient,

VI. Of the Errors to which we are liable in Specu-

lation, and in the Conduct of Affairs, in

confequence of a rafh Application of general

Principles,

VII. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Differences

in the intellectual Characters of Individuals,

ariling from their different Habits of Ab-

ftraction and Generalisation,

152

160

182

197

204

215

224

VIII. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Ufe and

Abuse of general Principles in Politics,

234

CHAP. V.

Of the Affociation of Ideas,

278

PART

1

PART I.

Of the Influence of Affociation in regulating the Succeffion of

our Thoughts.

SICT. I.-General Obfervations on this Part of our Con-

ftitution, and on the Language of Philofo-

phers with refpect to it,

II. Of the Principles of Affociation among our Ideas,

III. Of the Power which the Mind has over the

Train of its Thoughts,

278

289

IV.—Illustrations of the Doctrine ftated in the pre-

ceding Section,

296

302

1. Of Wit,

ibid.

307

313

318

2. Of Rhyme,

3. Of Poetical Fancy,.

4. Of Invention in the Arts and Sciences,

V. Application of the Principles ftated in the fore-

going Sections of this Chapter, to explain

the Phenomena of Dreaming,

PART II.

Of the Influence of Affociation on the Intellectual and on the

Active Powers.

SECT. 1. Of the Influence of cafual Affociations on our

II. Of the Influence of the Affociation of Ideas on

our Judgments in Matters of Tafle,

328

349

370

III. Of the Influence of Affociation on our active

Principles and on our moral Judgments,

387

IV.-General Remarks on the Subjects treated in

the foregoing Sections of this Chapter,

398

CHAP. VI.

Of Memory.

SECT. I.-General Obfervations on Memory,

II Of the Varieties of Memory in different Indi-

viduals,

3

404

417

III. Of

III. Of the Improvement of Memory.-Analyfis of

the Principles on which the Culture of Me-

IV. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Of the Aid

which the Memory derives from Philofophical

Arrangement,

V.-Continuation of the fame Subject.-Effects pro-

duced on the Memory by committing to Writ-

ing our acquired Knowledge,

VI. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Of Artificial

Memory,

VIL Continuation of the fame Subject.-Importance

of making a proper Selection among the Ob-

jects of our Knowledge, in order to derive

Advantage from the Acquifitions of Me-

430

436

447

456

462

472

lofophical Genius,

CHAP. VII.

Of Imagination.

SECT. I.-Analyfis of Imagination,

482

II. Of Imagination confidered in its Relation to fome

of the Fine Arts,

490

III. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Relation of

Imagination and of Tafte to Genius,

507

IV. Of the Influence of Imagination on human Cha-

racter and Happiness,

510

V.-Continuation of the fame Subject.-Inconve-

niences refulting from an ill-regulated Ima

gination,

518

VI. Continuation of the fame Subject.-Important

Ufes to which the Power of Imagination is

fubfervient,

530

NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

537

ELEMENTS

OF THE

PHILOSOPHY

OF THE

HUMAN MIN D.

INTRODUCTION.

PART FIRST.

Of the Nature and Object of the Philofophy of the Human Mind. THE prejudice which is commonly entertained against metaphysical fpeculations, feems to arise chiefly from two causes: First, from an apprehenfion that the fubjects about which they are employed, are placed beyond the reach of the human faculties and, fecondly, from a belief that these subjects have no relation to the business of life.

The frivolous and abfurd difcuffions which abound in the writings of most Metaphysical authors, afford but too many arguments in justification of these opinions; and if fuch difcuffions were to be admitted as a fair specimen of what the human mind is able to accomplish in this department of science, the contempt, into which it has fallen of late, might with juftice be regarded,

B