A philosophical amusement upon the language of beasts / Written originally in French. By Father Bougeant ... , now confined at La Fleche on account of this work.
- Bougeant, père, 1690-1743. Amusement philosophique sur le langage des bêtes
- Date:
- 1739
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A philosophical amusement upon the language of beasts / Written originally in French. By Father Bougeant ... , now confined at La Fleche on account of this work. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![[5] argue and a£t together with me, may be nothing, but meer Machines. For I know that I am a&ually thinking and have within me a thinking and knowing Principle. But I am not equally informed of what paifes within other Men, and it cannot be denied but that God has the Power of making liich Creatutes as fhould have the Ap¬ pearance only and Motions of Men, though they were at bottom nothing but Machines. How-, ever, notwithflanding the Truth of this Principle, it would be altogether impoffible for me (unlefs God fhould exprefsly reveal it) to beat it into my Head, that the Men with whom I live are in¬ deed nothing but Machines, made to aflift or in¬ cumber, to pleafe or torment me. And why fo ? It is becaufe when I fee any one fpeaking, rea- foning, and acting as I myfelf do, I know not what Sentiment within me joins with Reafonand Common Senfe, to force me to believe that the Man whom I fee has in him an a&ive and know¬ ing Principle altogether like my own. Nov/, Beafts are in the fame Cafe with regard to us. I / fee a Dog haftening to me when I call him, carefs me when I ftroke him, tremble and run away when I rate him, obey me when I command him, and give all the outward Signs of many different Sentiments ; of Joy and Sadnefs, of l Grief and Pain,• of Fear and Defire, of Paffions, ,of -Love and Hatred. I immediately conclude from thence, that a pog has in him a Principle of Knowledge and Sentiment, be it what it will. Though J fhtould Ufe my utmoft Endea¬ vour, to teatTtThïo- mÿ Head that he is a meer Machine, and though all the Philofophers in the World fhould attempt to convince me of it, I feel myfelf hurried away by an inward Convidti- pn? and by I know not what prevailing Force which i](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30376166_0013.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
