rds；　and　colours。　They

declare　that　the　very　sensations　we　have　from　the　sense　of　touch　are

〃vicarious；〃　as　though　our　friends　felt　the　sun　for　us！　They　deny　_a

priori_　what　they　have　not　seen　and　I　have　felt。　Some　brave　doubters

have　gone　so　far　even　as　to　deny　my　existence。　In　order；　therefore；　that

I　may　know　that　I　exist；　I　resort　to　Descartes's　method：　〃I　think；

therefore　I　am。〃　Thus　I　am　metaphysically　established；　and　I　throw　upon

the　doubters　the　burden　of　proving　my　non…existence。　When　we　consider

how　little　has　been　found　out　about　the　mind；　is　it　not　amazing　that　any

one　should　presume　to　define　what　one　can　know　or　cannot　know？　I　admit

that　there　are　innumerable　marvels　in　the　visible　universe　unguessed　by

me。　Likewise；　O　confident　critic；　there　are　a　myriad　sensations

perceived　by　me　of　which　you　do　not　dream。

Necessity　gives　to　the　eye　a　precious　power　of　seeing；　and　in　the　same

way　it　gives　a　precious　power　of　feeling　to　the　whole　body。　Sometimes　it

seems　as　if　the　very　substance　of　my　flesh　were　so　many　eyes　looking　out

at　will　upon　a　world　new　created　every　day。　The　silence　and　darkness

which　are　said　to　shut　me　in；　open　my　door　most　hospitably　to　countless

sensations　that　distract；　inform；　admonish；　and　amuse。　With　my　three

trusty　guides；　touch；　smell；　and　taste；　I　make　many　excursions　into　the

borderland　of　experience　which　is　in