Page:Aristotelous peri psuxes.djvu/129

CH. XI.] acute and grave, and Taste of bitter and sweet; but several contraries belong to the sense of Touch, as hot and cold, wet and dry, hard and soft, with others. There is, it is true, a kind of solution for this difficulty, in that the other senses also admit of several contraries; as in the voice there are not only the acute and grave but also the strong and weak, the rough and smooth, with yet other contrasts; and there are many and varied shades of colour. Still it is not clear what that subjacent something is, which is to the tangible impression what the Hearing is to Sound.

Is then the sentient organ placed or not within the flesh, or is it the flesh itself which is immediately perceptive? It does not appear that any indication can be obtained upon this point from sensation being simultaneous with the tangible impression; for, situated as we are, were any one to extend a membranelike substance over his flesh, the party would be equally sensible when touched, and sensible at the moment of contact; and yet, clearly, the sentient organ cannot be in that membrane. It may be, however, that if the membrane were a congenital part of the body, sensation would pass through it more rapidly. Thus, this part of the body appears to be disposed towards us as air would be, had air been diffused around us; for it would seem to us as though by some one sense we perceive sound, colour, and