“From our investigation we have learnt, as yet, nothing farther than what a spirit is _not_, and what attributes _cannot_ be ascribed to it. We now must endeavour to state what _real_ qualities constitute the nature of spirits. One of them we have already touched upon; I mean, independence of the laws of physical nature, or _arbitrary choice_. A second quality presses upon us, namely the _faculty of perception_, which our soul is endowed with like all other spirits. And now we are enabled to form a notion of spirits, which, however imperfect it be, yet is determined: a spirit is a simple being, endowed with _arbitrary choice_, and the _faculty of perception_. Don’t you think that this definition answers the common manner of speaking.” “An additional proof of its fitness.” “In the same manner in which the body evinces its existence, by the material effect it produces in the room, the spirit likewise proves its existence by the manifestation of its faculty of perception and of free will. However evident and generally received this proposition is, yet it is misapplied very frequently; for it is, according to my premises, absolutely false, and nothing else but a kind of optic illusion, if we imagine our soul to be inclosed in the human body, nay even in some particular place of it. This illusion may be opposed by another: there are diversions of thought, in which the thinking principle leaves our body so entirely, that only the animal powers are active in the latter, and on the return of our awakening self-consciousness, the soul seems to return from far distant regions. However, this too is mere illusion. We can say nothing farther of the union which subsists between our soul and body, than that our soul is sensible of the existence of a corporeal organ, the mutations of which harmonise exactly with her ideas and resolutions; however, as you never will suppose that your spirit is inclosed by the walls of Amelia’s distant habitation, where your whole soul, with all her sentiments and ideas, is, as it were, translated to; so your spirit can also not be supposed to be inclosed in your body, which seems to be its common residence. No, no, my Lord, that cannot be! the bonds of space can never fetter an immaterial being to a material one.” “This is indeed the natural conclusion which flows from your premises; but by _what_ bonds should then the communion between body and soul be preserved?”