nfound it through its weakness. But enough of this.

The other notions which I have mentioned are nothing but modes in which
the imagination is affected in different ways, and nevertheless they are
regarded by the ignorant as being specially attributes of things,
because, as we have remarked, men consider all things as made for
themselves, and call the nature of a thing good, evil, sound, putrid, or
corrupt, just as they are affected by it. For example, if the motion by
which the nerves are affected by means of objects represented to the eye
conduces to well-being, the objects by which it is caused are called
_beautiful_; while those exciting a contrary motion are called
_deformed_. Those things, too, which stimulate the senses through the
nostrils are called sweet-smelling or stinking; those which act through
the taste are called sweet or bitter, full-flavored or insipid; those
which act through the touch, hard or soft, heavy or light; those,
lastly, which act through the ears are said to make a noise, sound, or
harmony, the last having caused men to lose their senses to such a
degree that they have believed that God even is delighted with it.
Indeed, philosophers may be found who have persuaded themselves that the
celestial motions beget a harmony.

All these things sufficiently show that every one judges things by the
constitution of his brain, or rather accepts the affections of his
imagination in the place of things.[13] It is not, therefore, to be
wondered at, as we may observe in passing, that all those controversies
which we see have arisen amongst men, so that at last skepticism has
been the result. For although human bodies agree in many things, they
differ in more, and therefore that which to one person is good will
appear to another evil, that which to one is well arranged to another is
confused, that which pleases one will displease another, and so on in
other cases which I pass by both because we cannot notice them at length
here, and because they are within the experience of every one. For every
one has heard the expressions: So many heads, so many ways of thinking;
Every one is satisfied with his own way of thinking; Differences of
brains are not less common than differences of taste;--all which maxims
show that men decide upon matters according to the constitution of their
brains, and imagine rather than understand things.

If men understood things, they would, as mathematics prove, at least be
all al