Mr. Locke termeth sight,
'The most comprehensive of all our senses, conveying to our minds the
ideas of light and colours, which are peculiar only to that sense; and
also the far different ideas of space, figure, and motion. ESSAY ON HUMAN
UNDERSTAND. B. ii. C. 9. S. 9. Space or distance, we have shown, is not
otherwise the object of sight than of hearing. VID. sect. 46. And as for
figure and extension, I leave it to anyone that shall calmly attend to
his own clear and distinct ideas to decide whether he had any idea
intromitted immediately and properly by sight save only light and
colours: or whether it De possible for him to frame in his mind a
distinct abstract idea of visible extension or figure exclusive of all
colour: and on the other hand, whether he can conceive colour without
visible extension? For my own part, I must confess I am not able to
attain so great a nicety of abstraction: in a strict sense, I see nothing
but light and colours, with their several shades and variations. He who
beside these doth also perceive by sight ideas far different and distinct
from them hath that faculty in a degree more perfect and comprehensive
than I can pretend to. It must be owned that by the mediation of light
and colours other far different ideas are suggested to my mind: but so
they are by hearing, which beside sounds which are peculiar to that
sense, doth by their mediation suggest not only space, figure, and
motion, but also all other ideas whatsoever that can be signified by
words.
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