BOOK I PART IV
ing, and neither to be annihilated by our ab-
sence, nor to be brought into existence by our
presence. When we are absent from it, we say
it still exists, but that we do not feel, we do not
see it. When we are present, we say we feel, or
see it. Here then may arise two questions; First,
How we can satisfy ourselves in supposing a
perception to be absent from the mind without
being annihilated. Secondly, After what man-
ner we conceive an object to become present to
the mind, without some new creation of a per-
ception or image; and what we mean by this
seeing, and feeling, and perceiving.
As to the first question; we may observe, that
what we call a mind, is nothing but a heap
or collection of different perceptions, united
together by certain relations, and supposed,
though falsely, to be endowed with a perfect