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after the Cor。 of Lemma iii。） they are refracted therefrom in a
different manner from that which they followed before such
change； and； further； when afterwards they impinge on the new
surfaces by their own spontaneous movement； they will be
refracted in the same manner； as though they had been impelled
towards those surfaces by external bodies； consequently； they
will； while they continue to be thus refracted； affect the human
body in the same manner； whereof the mind （II。 xii。） will again
take cognizance that is （II。 xvii。）； the mind will again
regard the external body as present； and will do so； as often as
the fluid parts of the human body impinge on the aforesaid
surfaces by their own spontaneous motion。 Wherefore； although
the external bodies； by which the human body has once been
affected； be no longer in existence； the mind will nevertheless
regard them as present； as often as this action of the body is
repeated。 Q。E。D。
*****NoteWe thus see how it comes about； as is often the case；
that we regard as present many things which are not。 It is
possible that the same result may be brought about by other
causes； but I think it suffices for me here to have indicated one
possible explanation； just as well as if I had pointed out the
true cause。 Indeed； I do not think I am very far from the
truth； for all my assumptions are based on postulates； which
rest； almost without exception； on experience； that cannot be
controverted by those who have shown； as we have； that the human
body； as we feel it； exists （Cor。 after II。 xiii。）。 Furthermore
（II。 vii。 Cor。； II。 xvi。 Cor。 ii。）； we clearly understand what is
the difference between the idea； say； of Peter； which
constitutes the essence of Peter's mind； and the idea of the
said Peter； which is in another man； say； Paul。 The former
directly answers to the essence of Peter's own body； and only
implies existence so long as Peter exists； the latter indicates
rather the disposition of Paul's body than the nature of Peter；
and； therefore； while this disposition of Paul's body lasts；
Paul's mind will regard Peter as present to itself； even though
he no longer exists。 Further； to retain the usual phraseology；
the modifications of the human body； of which the ideas represent
external bodies as present to us； we will call the images of
things； though they do not recall the figure of things。 When
the mind regards bodies in this fashion； we say that it imagines。
I will here draw attention to the fact； in order to indicate
where error lies； that the imaginations of the mind； looked at
in themselves； do not contain error。 The mind does not err in
the mere act of imagining； but only in so far as it is regarded
as being without the idea； which excludes the existence of such
things as it imagines to be present to it。 If the mind； while
imagining non…existent things as present to it； is at the same
time conscious that they do not really exist； this power of
imagination must be set down to the efficacy of its nature； and
not to a fault； especially if this faculty of imagination depend
solely on its own naturethat is （I。 Def。 vii。）； if this
faculty of imagination be free。
XVIII。 If the human body has once been affected by two or more
bodies at the same time； when the mind afterwards imagines any
of them； it will straightway remember the others also。
》》》》》ProofThe mind （II。 xvii。 Cor。） imagines any given body；
because the human body is affected and disposed by the
impressions from an external body； in the same manner as it is
affected when certain of its parts are acted on by the said
external body； but （by our hypothesis） the body was then so
disposed； that the mind imagined two bodies at once； therefore；
it will also in the second case imagine two bodies at once； and
the mind； when it imagines one； will straightway remember the
other。 Q。E。D。
*****NoteWe now clearly see what 'Memory' is。 It is simply a
certain association of ideas involving the nature of things
outside the human body； which association arises in the mind
according to the order and association of the modifications
（affectiones） of the human body。 I say； first； it is an
association of those ideas only； which involve the nature of
things outside the human body： not of ideas which answer to the
nature of the said things： ideas of the modifications of the
human body are； strictly speaking （II。 xvi。）； those which
involve the nature both of the human body and of external bodies。
I say； secondly； that this association arises according to the
order and association of the modifications of the human body； in
order to distinguish it from that association of ideas； which
arises from the order of the intellect； whereby the mind
perceives things through their primary causes； and which is in
all men the same。 And hence we can further clearly understand；
why the mind from the thought of one thing； should straightway
arrive at the thought of another thing； which has no similarity
with the first； for instance； from the thought of the word
'pomum' （an apple）； a Roman would straightway arrive at the
thought of the fruit apple； which has no similitude with the
articulate sound in question； nor anything in common with it；
except that the body of the man has often been affected by these
two things； that is； that the man has often heard the word
'pomum；' while he was looking at the fruit； similarly every man
will go on from one thought to another； according as his habit
has ordered the images of things in his body。 For a soldier；
for instance； when he sees the tracks of a horse in sand； will
at once pass from the thought of a horse to the thought of a
horseman； and thence to the thought of war； &c。； while a
countryman will proceed from the thought of a horse to the
thought of a plough； a field； &c。 Thus every man will follow
this or that train of thought； according as he has been in the
habit of conjoining and associating the mental images of things
in this or that manner。
XIX。 The human mind has no knowledge of the body； and does not
know it to exist； save through the ideas of the modifications
whereby the body is affected。
》》》》》ProofThe human mind is the very idea or knowledge of the
human body （II。 xiii。）； which （II。 ix。） is in God； in so far as
he is regarded as affected by another idea of a particular thing
actually existing： or； inasmuch as （Post。 iv。） the human body
stands in need of very