You will obtain a vision of matter that is perhaps fatiguing for your imagination, but pure and stripped of what the requirements of life make you add to it in external perception.

In this quote, Henri Bergson explores the idea of perceiving matter in its pure form, free from the distortions and additions that our daily experiences and life requirements impose on it. Bergson suggests that if one were to focus on the essence of matter, without the influence of external perception or the pressures of everyday life, it might be an overwhelming or fatiguing experience for the imagination. This pure perception would be devoid of the practical associations and interpretations that we typically add to objects, leaving only the raw, unfiltered reality.

Bergson’s reference to the fatigue of the imagination highlights the difficulty of fully engaging with the world without the usual filters of convenience and utility. In normal life, we perceive things through a lens shaped by the practical needs of survival, culture, and society. These filters allow us to interact with the world in a manageable way, but they also distort our understanding of the true nature of things. To strip away these layers and perceive matter in its raw form challenges our usual way of seeing and thinking.

The quote speaks to Bergson's philosophy of intuition and time, where he suggests that true understanding comes not from rational thought or analysis but from a deeper, more immediate experience of reality. He is proposing that the imagination, when faced with such pure and unmediated perceptions, might struggle to make sense of it. The exhaustion of this exercise reflects the tension between the mind's usual way of processing the world and the more profound, complex way in which pure intuition might attempt to grasp reality.

Ultimately, Bergson’s quote emphasizes the contrast between everyday perception and a more philosophical, pure perception of the world. It encourages us to consider what might lie beyond the surface of practical life and suggests that the true nature of matter and existence is something that is often hidden behind the filters of daily experience. However, engaging with this pure perception, while difficult, can offer profound insights into the world around us.