mind to receive ideas through the medium of the senses, and not
the existence oiinnate ideas ; — the latter opinion, since the expo-
sitions of Locke, has found few supporters, and must throw us back
to the absurd doctrines of the realists'. [Ed.]
12»



^ i



188 THE FIRST MOKTfl^

ft

As soon as the infant sees, he enjoys ; afiet having
smiled at &ces, he soon smiles at every thing that
strikes his eyes. The pleasure of looking at what is hril-
liant, agitates him. He flutters, gesticulates, and it often
happens that his hand encounters the thing that attracts
his attention. Then he experiences an unexpected sensa-
tion ; he is astonished that an obstacle stops his move-
ments : at last, when a return of the same causes has in-
cessantly led to the same effects, he foresees what will be
the result of his gestures. He then holds out his little
hand with some design, but as he is not yet aWe to appre-
ciate distances ; to touch the object, or not to touch it, is a
game of chance with him. By dint of repeating thi«
game, he becomes a little more expert ; but it is not until
after he is seVen or eight months old, that he can at once
lay his hand upon the thing desired.
