FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1468   1469   1470   1471   1472   1473   1474   1475   1476   1477   1478   1479   1480   1481   1482   1483   1484   1485   1486   1487   1488   1489   1490   1491   1492  
1493   1494   1495   1496   1497   1498   1499   1500   1501   1502   1503   1504   1505   1506   1507   1508   1509   1510   1511   1512   1513   1514   1515   1516   1517   >>   >|  
gel; if Hatred, Cruelty, and Envy predominate, they declare his Kindred to the Brute. Hence it was that some of the Ancients imagined, that as Men in this Life inclined more to the Angel or Brute, so after their Death they should transmigrate into the one or the other: and it would be no unpleasant Notion, to consider the several Species of Brutes, into which we may imagine that Tyrants, Misers, the Proud, Malicious, and Ill-natured might be changed. As a Consequence of this Original, all Passions are in all Men, but all appear not in all; Constitution, Education, Custom of the Country, Reason, and the like Causes, may improve or abate the Strength of them, but still the Seeds remain, which are ever ready to sprout forth upon the least Encouragement. I have heard a Story of a good religious Man, who, having been bred with the Milk of a Goat, was very modest in Publick by a careful Reflection he made on his Actions, but he frequently had an Hour in Secret, wherein he had his Frisks and Capers; and if we had an Opportunity of examining the Retirement of the strictest Philosophers, no doubt but we should find perpetual Returns of those Passions they so artfully conceal from the Publick. I remember Matchiavel observes, that every State should entertain a perpetual jealousie of its Neighbours, that so it should never be unprovided when an Emergency happens; [1] in like manner should the Reason be perpetually on its Guard against the Passions, and never suffer them to carry on any Design that may be destructive of its Security; yet at the same Time it must be careful, that it don't so far break their Strength as to render them contemptible, and consequently it self unguarded. The Understanding being of its self too slow and lazy to exert it self into Action, its necessary it should be put in Motion by the gentle Gales of the Passions, which may preserve it from stagnating and Corruption; for they are as necessary to the Health of the Mind, as the Circulation of the animal Spirits is to the Health of the Body; they keep it in Life, and Strength, and Vigour; nor is it possible for the Mind to perform its Offices without their Assistance: These Motions are given us with our Being, they are little Spirits that are born and dye with us; to some they are mild, easie, and gentle, to others wayward and unruly, yet never too strong for the Reins of Reason an
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1468   1469   1470   1471   1472   1473   1474   1475   1476   1477   1478   1479   1480   1481   1482   1483   1484   1485   1486   1487   1488   1489   1490   1491   1492  
1493   1494   1495   1496   1497   1498   1499   1500   1501   1502   1503   1504   1505   1506   1507   1508   1509   1510   1511   1512   1513   1514   1515   1516   1517   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Passions

 

Strength

 

Reason

 

perpetual

 

Health

 

Spirits

 

gentle

 

Publick

 

careful

 
render

contemptible

 
Understanding
 
unguarded
 

entertain

 
Security
 

perpetually

 

manner

 

Emergency

 
suffer
 

destructive


Ancients

 

unprovided

 

Neighbours

 
Design
 
jealousie
 

Motions

 

Assistance

 

perform

 

Offices

 

wayward


unruly

 
strong
 

declare

 

preserve

 

stagnating

 

Motion

 

Action

 

Kindred

 
Corruption
 

predominate


Vigour
 
Hatred
 

animal

 

Cruelty

 

Circulation

 

remember

 

improve

 
Causes
 

Custom

 
Country