An Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision. - 1709

Dublin: printed by Aaron Rhames, for Jeremy Pepyat,, 1709. The first full exposition of Berkeley's idealist metaphysics First edition of Berkeley's first book, "the most influential tract on the psychology of vision" (Jessop), and a work which Adam Smith called "one of the finest examples of philosophical analysis that is to be found, either in our own, or in any other language" (quoted in Keynes). "Berkeley's aim throughout his writings is to attack materialism... In the New Theory of Vision he prepares the way by arguing that vision represents nothing beyond sensations. Assuming as proved or evident that the sight cannot inform us of distance in a direct line outwards, inasmuch as all the points in such a line are projected upon a single point in the retina, he argues that all sight involves foresight; that the apparently simple perception involves an inference founded upon association, and that the visual sensations are merely signs of corresponding tactual sensations. The connection is 'arbitrary', like the connection between words and things signified, and sight thus forms a natural language, which we learn to interpret by experience in terms of touch. This psychological theory has been generally accepted both by Reid and by Hume and their respective followers, and has often been called an almost solitary example of a philosophical discovery. Anticipations have been noticed in Locke, Descartes, and Malebranche, but the substantial originality of Berkeley remains" (DNB II, p. 354). Provenance: contemporary inscription "Ex Lib Johannis Borden third March 1709" on title leaf recto, "The Gift of my dear Friend Isaac Ambrose Eccles, Esq. Dublin May 23, 1761" on verso. Eccles (1736-1809) was an Anglo-Irish Shakespearean scholar and published editions of several of his plays. Octavo (199 x 120 mm). Contemporary calf, neatly rebacked with red morocco label, new endpapers to style. Slight abrasion to calf, extremities restored and contents washed, title page re-margined, some peripheral browning remaining; withal a very good copy. ESTC T77990; Jessop 25a; Keynes 1.