t first be removed that
lack of uniformity which arises from the diversity of external
things: that is, the soul must quit external things. And this S.
Denis expresses first of all in his definition of the circular
motion of the soul when he speaks of "the return of the soul
upon itself as opposed to external things." And there must be
removed in the second place that second lack of uniformity which
arises from the discursive action of the reason. And this takes
place when all the operations of the soul are reduced to the
simple contemplation of intelligible truth. This forms the
second part of S. Denis's definition of this circular
motion--namely, when he speaks of the necessity of "a certain
wrapping together of the powers of the soul," with the result
that, when discursive action thus ceases, the soul's gaze is
fixed on the contemplation of the one simple truth. And in this
operation of the soul there is no room for error, just as there
is no room for error in our understanding of first principles
which we know by simple intuition.

Then, when these first two steps have been taken, S. Denis puts
in the third place that uniformity, like to that of the Angels,
by which the soul, laying aside all else, persists in the simple
contemplation of God. And this he expresses when he says: "Then,
as now made uniform, it, as a whole"--that is, as conformed (to
God)--"is, with all its powers unified, led by the hand to the
Beautiful and the Good."

But the _direct_ motion in the Angels cannot be understood in
the sense that, by considering, they proceed from one point to
another; but solely according to the order of their providential
care for others--according, namely, as the superior Angels
illumine the inferior through those who stand between. And this
is what S. Denis means when he says that the _direct_ motion of
an Angel is "according as he proceeds to the care of the things
subject to him, taking in his course all things that are direct"
following--that is, those things which are disposed in direct
order. But to the human soul S. Denis assigns _direct_ motion in
the sense that it proceeds from the exterior things of sense to
the knowledge of intelligible things.

And he assigns _oblique_ motion to the Angels--a motion, that
is, compounded of the _direct_ and the _circul