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ried. 8 But to return to the consideration of Colours: As an apparition of them may be produced by motions from within, without the assistance of an outward object, so I have observed, that 'tis sometimes possible that the Colour that would otherwise be produced by an outward object, may be chang'd by some motion, or new texture already produced in the Sensory, as long as that unusual motion, or new disposition lasts; for I have divers times try'd, that after I have through a Telescope look'd upon the Sun, though thorow a thick, red, or blew glass, to make its splendor supportable to the eye, the impression upon the _Retina_, would be not only so vivid, but so permanent, that if afterwards I turned my eye towards a flame, it would appear to mee of a Colour very differing from its usual one. And if I did divers times successively shut and open the same eye, I should see the adventitious Colour, (if I may so call it) changed or impair'd by degrees, till at length (for this unusual motion of the eye would not presently cease) the flame would appear to mee, of the same hew that it did to other beholders; a not unlike effect I found by looking upon the Moon, when she was near full, thorow an excellent Telescope, without colour'd Glass to screen my eye with; But that which I desire may be taken notice of, because we may elsewhere have occasion to reflect upon it, and because it seems not agreeable to what Anatomists and Optical Writers deliver, touching the relation of the two eyes to each other, is this circumstance, that though my Right eye, with which I looked thorow the Telescope, were thus affected by the over-strong impression of the light, yet when the flame of a Candle, or some other bright object appear'd to me of a very unusual Colour, whilst look'd upon with the Discompos'd Eye, or (though not so notably) with both eyes at once; yet if I shut that Eye, and looked upon the same object with the other, it would appear with no other than its usual Colour, though if I again opened, and made use of the Dazled eye, the vivid adventitious Colour would again appear. And on this occasion I must not pretermit an Observation which may perswade us, that an over-vehement stroak upon the Sensory, especially if it be naturally of a weak constitution, may make a more lasting impression than one would imagine, which impression may in some cases, as it were, mingle with, and vitiate the action of vivid objects for a long time after.
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