Goldsmith, Oliver (1728?-1774)

A Survey of Experimental Philosophy

London

Printed for T. Carnan and F. Newbery jun.

1776

"he more approaching to the testimony of our senses every philosophical solution is, the more perhaps is it conformable to nature."

YET perhaps all this may be accounted for on much more obvious principles. The small plates of colour in one position are turned to the eye, in another, they are turned away, and a different surface presented to the spectator. In the same manner in feeling; some sorts of stuff, such as common plush, if we draw the hand in one direction, will be a smooth surface, but in an opposite direction, very rough. The same object may thus present different surfaces to the eye, as well as the touch; as a field of corn, viewed with the wind, is of a different shade from the same field viewed against the wind; in each case, we see different parts of the same object presented to the view. The more approaching to the testimony of our senses every philosophical solution is, the more perhaps is it conformable to nature. It is the business of a philosopher, like a parent, to correct the errors of sense, but not, like a tyrant, totally to reject their information.
(II.iii.10, p. 386-7)

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Only 1 entry in ESTC (1776).

A Survey of Experimental Philosophy, Considered in Its Present State of Improvement. Illustrated With Cuts. 2 vols. (London: Printed for T. Carnan and F. Newbery jun., 1776). <Link to ECCO-TCP>

09/18/2013