ubstances. Do we say then that these things are not
because the common herd does not know of them? If so, we shall be able to
say also that the soul acts sometimes without any disposition or
inclination contributing towards the production of its act, because there
are many dispositions and inclinations which are not sufficiently perceived
by the common herd, for lack of attention and thought. Secondly, as to the
marks of the power in question, I have already refuted the claim advanced
for it, that it possesses the advantage of making one active, the real
cause of one's action, and subject to responsibility and morality: [433]
these are not genuine marks of its existence. Here is one the author
adduces, which is not genuine either, namely, that we have within us a
power of resisting natural appetites, that is to say of resisting not only
the senses, but also the reason. But I have already stated this fact: one
resists natural appetites through other natural appetites. One sometimes
endures inconveniences, and is happy to do so; but that is on account of
some hope or of some satisfaction which is combined with the ill and
exceeds it: either one anticipates good from it, or one finds good in it.
The author asserts that it is through that power to transform appearances
which he has introduced on the scene, that we render agreeable what at
first displeased us. But who cannot see that the true reason is, that
application and attention to the object and custom change our disposition
and consequently our natural appetites? Once we become used to a rather
high degree of cold or heat, it no longer incommodes us as it formerly did,
and yet no one would ascribe this effect to our power of choice. Time is
needed, for instance, to bring about that hardening, or rather that
callosity, which enables the hands of certain workmen to resist a degree of
heat that would burn our hands. The populace, whom the author invokes,
guess correctly the cause of this effect, although they sometimes apply it
in a laughable manner. Two serving-maids being close to the fire in the
kitchen, one who has burnt herself says to the other: Oh, my dear, who will
be able to endure the fire of purgatory? The other answers: Don't be
absurd, my good woman, one grows used to everything.

24. But (the author will say) this wonderful power which causes us to be
indifferent to everything, or inclined towards everything, simply at our
own free will, prevails over reas