BOOK II PART III
desire it may be observed, that by the will, I
mean nothing but the internal impression we
feel and are conscious of, when we knowingly
give rise to any new motion of our body, or new
perception of our mind. This impression, like
the preceding ones of pride and humility, love
and hatred, it is impossible to define, and need-
less to describe any farther; for which reason
we shall cut off all those definitions and dis-
tinctions, with which philosophers are wont to
perplex rather than dear up this question; and
entering at first upon the subject, shall exam-
ine that long disputed question concerning lib-
erty and necessity; which occurs so naturally in
treating of the will.
It is universally acknowledged, that the op-
erations of external bodies are necessary, and
that in the communication of their motion, in