uidistant from any tangible thing
which exists without the mind.

112. Or rather, to speak truly, the proper objects of sight are at no
distance, neither near nor far, from any tangible thing. For if we
inquire narrowly into the matter we shall find that those things only are
compared together in respect of distance which exist after the same
manner, or appertain unto the same sense. For by the distance between any
two points nothing more is meant than the number of intermediate points:
if the given points are visible the distance between them is marked out
by the number of the interjacent visible points: if they are tangible,
the distance between them is a line consisting of tangible points; but if
they are one tangible and the other visible, the distance between them
doth neither consist of points perceivable by sight nor by touch, i.e. it
is utterly inconceivable. This, perhaps, will not find an easy admission
into all men's understanding: however, I should gladly be informed
whether it be not true by anyone who will be at the pains to reflect a
little and apply it home to his thoughts.

113. The not observing what has been delivered in the two last sections
seems to have occasioned no small part of the difficulty that occurs in
the business of erect appearances. The head, which is painted nearest the
earth, seems to be farthest from it: and on the other hand the feet,
which are painted farthest from the earth, are thought nearest to it.
Herein lies the difficulty, which vanishes if we express the thing more
clearly and free from ambiguity, thus: how comes it that to the eye the
visible head which is nearest the tangible earth seems farthest from the
earth, and the visible feet, which are farthest from the tangible earth
seem nearest the earth? The question being thus proposed, who sees not
the difficulty is founded on a supposition that the eye, or visive
faculty, or rather the soul by means thereof, should judge of the
situation of visible objects with reference to their distance from the
tangible earth? Whereas it is evident the tangible earth is not perceived
by sight: and it hath been shown in the two last preceding sections that
the location of visible objects is determined only by the distance they
bear from one another; and that it is nonsense to talk of distance, far
or near, between a visible and tangible thing.

114. If we confine our thoughts to the proper objects of sight, the whole
is plain and easy.