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Full Idea
The senses could not convince us of the existence of sensible things without help from reason.
Gist of Idea
We only believe in sensible things when reason helps the senses
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (New Essays on Human Understanding [1704], 2.07)
Book Ref
Leibniz,Gottfried: 'New Essays on Human Understanding', ed/tr. Remnant/Bennett [CUP 1996], p.129
A Reaction
This nicely pinpoints the big difficulty which keeps besetting orthodox empiricism. I've been educated as an empiricist, but I prefer Leibniz to Berkeley or Hume, and even to the more sensible Locke.