on, which comprehends
realities; memory, which retains whatever man imagines, thinks and
comprehends. The intermediary between the five outward powers and the
inward powers is the sense which they possess in common--that is to say,
the sense which acts between the outer and inner powers, conveys to the
inward powers whatever the outer powers discern. It is termed the common
faculty, because it communicates between the outward and inward powers and
thus is common to the outward and inward powers.

For instance, sight is one of the outer powers; it sees and perceives this
flower, and conveys this perception to the inner power--the common
faculty--which transmits this perception to the power of imagination, which
in its turn conceives and forms this image and transmits it to the power
of thought; the power of thought reflects and, having grasped the reality,
conveys it to the power of comprehension; the comprehension, when it has
comprehended it, delivers the image of the object perceived to the memory,
and the memory keeps it in its repository.

The outward powers are five: the power of sight, of hearing, of taste, of
smell and of feeling.

The inner powers are also five: the common faculty, and the powers of
imagination, thought, comprehension and memory.

57: THE CAUSES OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THE CHARACTERS OF MEN

Question.--How many kinds of character has man, and what is the cause of
the differences and varieties in men?

Answer.--He has the innate character, the inherited character, and the
acquired character which is gained by education.

With regard to the innate character, although the divine creation is
purely good, yet the varieties of natural qualities in man come from the
difference of degree; all are excellent, but they are more or less so,
according to the degree. So all mankind possess intelligence and
capacities, but the intelligence, the capacity and the worthiness of men
differ. This is evident.

For example, take a number of children of one family, of one place, of one
school, instructed by one teacher, reared on the same food, in the same
climate, with the same clothing, and studying the same lessons--it is
certain that among these children some will be clever in the sciences,
some will be of average ability, and some dull. Hence it is clear that in
the original nature there exists a difference of degree and varieties of
worthiness and capacity. This difference does not imply good or ev