8. Whoever will consider the participation of matter in ideas will be
impressed with the above theory, will declare it not impossible, and
express no further doubts. It is necessary to admit the impossibility
of a conception such as the following: on one hand, the ideas
separate from matter; on the other hand, matter at a distance from
them, and then an irradiation from on high descending on matter.
Such a conception would be senseless. What meaning would lie in this
separation of the ideas, and this distance of matter? Would it not
then be very difficult to explain and to understand what is called
the participation of matter in ideas? Only by examples can we make
our meaning clear. Doubtless, when we speak of an irradiation, we do
not, however, mean anything similar to the irradiation of some visible
object. But as the material forms are images, and as they have ideas,
as archetypes, we say that they are "illuminated by the ideas," so as
to convey the idea that that which is illuminated is different from
that which illumines. Now, however, to express ourselves more exactly,
we shall have to enforce that the idea is not locally separated from
matter, and does not reflect itself therein as some object does in
water. On the contrary, matter surrounds the idea on all sides; touches
it somehow without touching it; then, in its entirety, it receives
what, it is capable of receiving from its vicinity (to the idea),
without any intermediary, without the idea penetrating through the
whole of matter, or hovering above it, without ceasing to remain within
itself.