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CHAP XIII. Of the Oeconomy of Sensation, as far (at least) as it concerns our present Purpose.
WHEN I had written this Tract thus far, I judged it best, first, to publish that of Animal Mechanism, because it contained those Principles that would explain the Matter of Opium; therefore laying this aside, I applied my self to that: But a New Art, rightly to Spell, Write, and Sweeten all Languages, (that I since call'd Phono∣graphy) coming into my Mind, and thinking it might be very useful, and likely to lie for ever in Darkness, (as it had always been) unless I under∣took the Drudgery, I set my self to it; which ta∣king up more Time than I imagined, has to this day hindred the finishing of that Tract of Animal Mechanism, which I now much want, (as was in∣timated:) Therefore because I resolv'd to publish this, (that was so long since promised) I am now forced, for want of that Book, to premise here some Things, concerning the Oeconomy of Sensa∣tion, and the Nature of sensitive Pleasure, in order to explicate the Effects of Opium, which might have been spared, if that of Animal Mechanism had been published.
Considering that Opium must (as was shewn) operate by pleasing the Sense of Feeling, it will be requisite to consider,
- 1. The Oeconomy of Sensation, as far as it concerns the present Purpose, for which this Chapter is de∣sign'd.
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