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The term “fancy,” as Hobbes uses it, is best understood in context with the philosophy of Aristotle. According to Aristotle, objects have an essence, or “fancy,” which sends a “visible species” to the eye, for example, or an “audible species” to the ear, and that “fancy” in turn produces some human sensation. Hobbes disagrees and argues such sensations are produced when an object—not that object’s essence or “fancy”—comes into direct contact with one of the human sense organs. Hobbes argues that Aristotle’s essences and the “fancy” of objects has led, at least in part, to the Christian belief in spirits and transubstantiation.
Fancy Quotes in Leviathan
The Leviathan quotes below are all either spoken by Fancy or refer to Fancy. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 1
Quotes
Yet still the object is one thing, the image or fancy is another. So that Sense in all cases, is nothing els but originall fancy, caused (as I have said) by the pressure, that is, by the motion, of externall things upon our Eyes, Eares, and other organs thereunto ordained.
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Chapter 2
Quotes
From this ignorance of how to distinguish Dreams, and other strong Fancies, from Vision and Sense, did arise the greatest part of the Religion of the Gentiles in time past, that worshipped Satyres, Fawnes, Nymphs, and the like; and now adayes the opinion that rude people have Fayries, Ghosts, and Goblins; […] And for Fayries, and walking Ghosts, the opinion of them has I think been on purpose, either taught, or not confuted, to keep in credit the use of Exorcisme, of Crosses, of holy Water, and other such inventions of Ghostly men.
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Chapter 12
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And in these foure things, Opinion of Ghosts, Ignorance of second cause, Devotion towards what men fear, and Taking of things Casuall for Prognostiques, consisteth the Naturall seed of Religion; which by reason of the different Fancies, Judgements, and Passions of severall men, hath grown up into ceremonies so different, that those which are used by one man, are for the most part ridiculous to another.
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Chapter 47
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To this, and such like resemblances between the Papacy, and the Kingdome of Fairies, may be added this, that as the Fairies have no existence, but in the Fancies of ignorant people, rising from the Traditions of old Wives, or old Poets: so the Spirituall Power of the Pope (without the bounds of his own Civil Dominion) consisteth onely in the Fear that Seduced people stand in, of the Excommunication; upon hearing of false Miracles, false Traditions, and false Interpretations of the Scripture.
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Fancy Term Timeline in Leviathan
The timeline below shows where the term Fancy appears in Leviathan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Of Sense
...through one’s senses. “Yet still the object is one thing,” Hobbes says, “the image or fancy is another.”
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Chapter 2: Of Imagination
...“the Senses receive the Species of things,” which is delivered to the senses, to the Fancy, and to the memory, but there is very little understanding to be had in the...
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Chapter 8: Of the VERTUES commonly called INTELLECTUAL: and their contrary DEFECTS
...similarities and connections where others do not are said to have “Good Wit,” or “Good Fancy,” and their ability to discern differences and similarities is said to be “good Judgement.” Someone...
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Chapter 12: Of Religion
...dreams and is like an apparition. Such apparitions are “nothing else but creatures of the Fancy” thought to be real, and some people honor them like they would a visible body.
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