Leviathan | Page 5

the reason be the same, (namely, that nothing can change it
selfe,) is not so easily assented to. For men measure, not onely other
men, but all other things, by themselves: and because they find
themselves subject after motion to pain, and lassitude, think every thing
els growes weary of motion, and seeks repose of its own accord; little
considering, whether it be not some other motion, wherein that desire
of rest they find in themselves, consisteth. From hence it is, that the
Schooles say, Heavy bodies fall downwards, out of an appetite to rest,
and to conserve their nature in that place which is most proper for them;
ascribing appetite, and Knowledge of what is good for their
conservation, (which is more than man has) to things inanimate
absurdly.
When a Body is once in motion, it moveth (unless something els hinder
it) eternally; and whatsoever hindreth it, cannot in an instant, but in
time, and by degrees quite extinguish it: And as wee see in the water,
though the wind cease, the waves give not over rowling for a long time
after; so also it happeneth in that motion, which is made in the internall
parts of a man, then, when he Sees, Dreams, &c. For after the object is
removed, or the eye shut, wee still retain an image of the thing seen,
though more obscure than when we see it. And this is it, that Latines
call Imagination, from the image made in seeing; and apply the same,
though improperly, to all the other senses. But the Greeks call it Fancy;

which signifies Apparence, and is as proper to one sense, as to another.
Imagination therefore is nothing but Decaying Sense; and is found in
men, and many other living Creatures, as well sleeping, as waking.
Memory The decay of Sense in men waking, is not the decay of the
motion made in sense; but an obscuring of it, in such manner, as the
light of the Sun obscureth the light of the Starres; which starrs do no
less exercise their vertue by which they are visible, in the day, than in
the night. But because amongst many stroaks, which our eyes, eares,
and other organs receive from externall bodies, the predominant onely
is sensible; therefore the light of the Sun being predominant, we are not
affected with the action of the starrs. And any object being removed
from our eyes, though the impression it made in us remain; yet other
objects more present succeeding, and working on us, the Imagination of
the past is obscured, and made weak; as the voyce of a man is in the
noyse of the day. From whence it followeth, that the longer the time is,
after the sight, or Sense of any object, the weaker is the Imagination.
For the continuall change of mans body, destroyes in time the parts
which in sense were moved: So that the distance of time, and of place,
hath one and the same effect in us. For as at a distance of place, that
which wee look at, appears dimme, and without distinction of the
smaller parts; and as Voyces grow weak, and inarticulate: so also after
great distance of time, our imagination of the Past is weak; and wee
lose( for example) of Cities wee have seen, many particular Streets; and
of Actions, many particular Circumstances. This Decaying Sense, when
wee would express the thing it self, (I mean Fancy it selfe,) wee call
Imagination, as I said before; But when we would express the Decay,
and signifie that the Sense is fading, old, and past, it is called Memory.
So that Imagination and Memory, are but one thing, which for divers
considerations hath divers names.
Much memory, or memory of many things, is called Experience.
Againe, Imagination being only of those things which have been
formerly perceived by Sense, either all at once, or by parts at severall
times; The former, (which is the imagining the whole object, as it was
presented to the sense) is Simple Imagination; as when one imagineth a
man, or horse, which he hath seen before. The other is Compounded; as

when from the sight of a man at one time, and of a horse at another, we
conceive in our mind a Centaure. So when a man compoundeth the
image of his own person, with the image of the actions of an other man;
as when a man imagins himselfe a Hercules, or an Alexander, (which
happeneth often to them that are much taken with reading of Romants)
it is a compound imagination, and properly but a Fiction of the mind.
There be also other Imaginations that rise in men, (though waking)
from the great impression made in sense; As from gazing upon the Sun,
the impression