Eu. Indeed he is a Proof of this, who when he had a Mind to call after Caesar, having contracted his Lips as much as he possibly could, scarce pronounced O, but could by no Means pronounce Caesar. The same Person, when having heard a Story, and that he might not forget it, would have written it, reprehended himself for his foolish Thought, when he beheld his solid Hoofs.

Fa. And he had Cause enough.

Eu. Then it follows that the Soul does not see well thro’ purblind Eyes.  The Ears hear not clearly when stopped with Filth.  The Brain smells not so well when oppressed with Phlegm.  And a Member feels not so much when it is benumbed.  The Tongue tastes less, when vitiated with ill Humours.

Fa. These Things can’t be denied.

Eu. And for no other Cause, but because the Organ is vitiated.

Fa. I believe the same.

Eu. Nor will you deny, I suppose, that sometimes it is vitiated by Food and Drink.

Fa. I’ll grant that too, but what signifies that to the Goodness of the Mind?

Eu. As much as Darnel does to a clear Eye-Sight.

Fa. Because it vitiates the Organ.

Eu. Well answer’d.  But solve me this Difficulty:  Why is it that one understands quicker than another, and has a better Memory; why is one more prone to Anger than another; or is more moderate in his Resentment?

Fa. It proceeds from the Disposition of the Mind.

Eu. That won’t do.  Whence comes it that one who was formerly of a very ready Wit, and a retentive Memory, becomes afterwards stupid and forgetful, either by a Blow or a Fall, by Sickness or old Age?

Fa. Now you seem to play the Sophister with me.

Eu. Then do you play the Sophistress with me.

Fa. I suppose you would infer, that as the Mind sees and hears by the Eyes and Ears, so by some Organs it also understands, remembers, loves, hates, is provoked and appeas’d?

Eu. Right.

Fa. But pray what are those Organs, and where are they situated?

Eu. As to the Eyes, you see where they are.

Fa. I know well enough where the Ears, and the Nose, and the Palate are; and that the Body is all over sensible of the Touch, unless when some Member is seized with a Numbness.

Eu. When a Foot is cut off, yet the Mind understands.

Fa. It does so, and when a Hand is cut off too.

Eu. A Person that receives a violent Blow on the Temples, or hinder-Part of his Head, falls down like one that is dead, and is unsensible.

Fa. I have sometimes seen that myself.

Eu. Hence it is to be collected, that the Organs of the Will, Understanding, and Memory, are placed within the Skull, being not so crass as the Eyes and Ears, and yet are material, in as much as the most subtile Spirits that we have in the Body are corporeal.