3558. THAT THE SPEECH OF OTHERS IS CONVEYED IN A COMMON [GENERAL] MANNER. It was sometimes perceived that others spoke, and what they said was conveyed to me, not by speech nor by distinct ideas, but in a certain general manner, so that I knew what they said, but the mode of it cannot easily be described, except that it was as when others speak together, and it is known, as it were, from the countenance what they say. But this barely [and remotely] represents such a perception. In this general mode [of communication] there is a certain indication of what they say; and yet so definite that it does not deceive. - 1748, October 13.