(1709) the natural history of superstition

8/9/2019 (1709) The Natural History of Superstition

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THENatural Hiftory

O FSUPERSTITION.

Sic flerumq-, agitat ftuhos infcitia veri, ^Palames error certo de tramite fellit

:

llle finiflrorfum, hie deorfum abit, unus utriq-.Error^ fed variis illudit partibifi omnes.

Sold by A. Baldmn at the Oxford Armsin Warvpjck^ane. MDCCIX.


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THENatural Hiftory

O FSUPERSTITION.IF any Man furveys and contemplatesthe Vifible World, the gr^^at and glo-

rious body of the Sun, iTiany thou-fand times bigger than the Earth, its

immence diftance from us, this GlobeOn which we live , and numerous otherPlanets moving about it, and receivingVital warmth and Nourilhm.ent from itsBeams 5 if he purlues and agrandizes thisidea, by confidering the much greaterDiftance and Magnitude of the Fixt-Stars,in all probability To many Suns, witH eachtheir particular fyftem of Worlds, and In-habitants, and the frequent difcovery ofnew ones, by the Invention of betterA J Glafles


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The Natural HtftoryGlafles and Telefcopes^ how tnuft head-mire and adore the Power of God, whohas given being and motion to fuch vaftMachines, created them of fuch figure andmagnitude, difpofed them in fuch order,placed them at fuch diftances, gave themfuch proper and fuitable morions, as obligethem to perform the regular and ordinarypurpofes of his Providence, without theconftant and momentary interpofition ofhis Power.Nor is It lefs confpkuous in the forma-tion of inferiour Animals, in th'S littlepart of the World in which we live, whofeparts are fo adapted and difpofed by hisall-wife Providence, as by the neceffity oftheir own Natures to perform the functionsand operations of their Beings : Hence wefee that univerfal Harmony in all Creaturesof the fame Species 5 they have the famehopes and defires, the fame fears and aver-lions^ fome kinds have intrepid Courage,others Pannick Fears 5 Nature direfts fometo force and violence, others to flight andcun^ning^ fome prey upon Flelh, fome liveupon Fruits and Seeds, others upon Grafsand Vegitables 5 Birds of the fame kindbuild their Nefts with the fame. Contrivance,and the fame Materials 5 all Creatures ofthe fame kind defend therafelves with the

fame


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of Superftition.fame Addrefs and Cunning, and are caughtand trapan d by the fame Wiles and Arti-fices, and generate others like them as na-turally and necieflarily as a Tree or Vegetableis produced from its Seed, with fome littledifference in individuals, owing probablyto the circumftance of foil, food, peculiaraccidents, or fomething perhaps parti*cular in the formation of each Syftera.

His partiality to Mankind has not hindredhim from forming our Bodies in the famemanner and of the fame Materials ^ he has gi-ven us the fame Springs of Vital Motion, thefame Nerves, Tendons, Veins and Arteries^the like difpofition and organization of ourBrains, and confequently the like facultiesof Seeing, Feeling, Hearing, Tafting andSmelling, the fame fenfations of Pleafureand Pain, alike Defires and Averfions, alikeHopes and Fears ^ we have the fame wayof coming into the World, and the fameways of going out of it. Nor can it bedenied that in many refpe(9:s we are ex-celled by inferiour Creatures in the organi-zation of our Bodies, as fome are Stronger,others more Aftive, fome Bolder, others oflonger Continuance 5 moft kinds furpafsus in the Acutenefs of one or more of ourSenfes, and fome in all of them.

A 4 Bui


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8 The Natural HiftoryBut we have ample amends made us in

the Faculties of our Souls, which makesit evident we were defigned for noblerUfes 3 for whereas other Animals appear tohave no thoughts or defires above theirquotidian Food , Eafe , Diverfions , orLufts , Men have vifibly larger and moreextenfive views, as not only from the or-dinary and regular Syftem of the Univerfeto carry their Minds to the great Creator,but to infer from thence the Duty andObedience owing to him, and the Juftice,Compaffion, Love and Affiftance owing toone another. And fince the defed and nar-rownefs of our natural Capacities has leftus in the Dark about a Future State, hisabundant goodnefs has amply fupplyed theIhortnefs of our knowledge with DivineRevelation, and has difcovered and annexeda ftate of immortal Happinefs to the naturalrewards attending a Juft and Virtuous Life.

But as there is no perfeftion in this frailState, nor any excellency without fomedefcft accompanying it,fo thefe noble facul-ties of the Mind have mifled and betrayedus into Superflition, as appears in thatnotwithftanding we are abundantly cauti-oned not to miftake the Lupoftures of pre-tended Prophets, the Frauds of Priefts,and the Dreams and Vifions of Enthufiafts

for


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of Superftition. 9for Heavenly Revelations, and our owninfirmities and pannick fears for DivineImpulfes, yet the Fables of the Heathens,the Alchoran of Mahomet^ the more grofsand impious Forgeries of the Papifts, andthe Frauds and Follies of fome who callthemfelves Proteftants, have fo far prevailedover genuine Chriftianky, that the Righte-ous and Faithful are but like the Gold to theEarthy which could not have thus happenedin all Ages, unlefs fomething innate in ourConftitutions made us eafily to be fufcep-tibleof wrong Impreffions, fubje(3: to Pan-nick Fears, and prone to Superftition andError, and therefore it is incumbent uponus, firft of all to examine into the frame andconftitution of our owji Bodies, and fearchinto the caufes of our Pafiions and Infirmi-ties, for till we know from what Source orPrinciple we are fo apt to be deceived byothers, and by our felves, we can never becapable of true Knowledge, much lefs oftrue Religion, which is the perfeftion of it.

I take this wholly to proceed from ourignorance of Caufes, and yet curiofity toknow them, it being impoffible for anyMan fo far to divert himfelf of concern forhis own Happinefs, as not to endeavour topromote it , and confequently to avoidwhat he thinks may hurt him ^ and fince

there


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lo The Natural Hi/iorythere murt be caufes in Nature for everything that does or will happen, either hereox hereafter, it is hard to avoid follidtudetill we think we know them, and thereforefince the Divine Providence has for themoft part hid the Caufes of Things whichchiefly concern us from our View, we mufteither entirely abandon the eiK^uiry , orfubflitute fuch in their room, as our ownImaginations or Prejudices fuggeft: to us,or take the Words of others whom wethink Wift^r than our felves, and as vi^cbelieve have no intent to deceive us.To thefe Weakneffes of our own, andFratids of others , we owe the HeathenGods and Goddelfes, Oracles and Prophets,Nimphs and Satyrs, Fawns and Tritons,'Furies and Demons, mbft of the Stories of

j Conjurers and Witches, Spirits and Appari-tions, Fairies and Hobgoblins, the Dodirineiiof Prognofticks, the numerous ways of Di-vination, viz. Oniromancy, Sideromancy,Tephranomancy , Botonomancy, Crommyo-mancy, Cleromancy, Aeromancy, Onomato-mancy, Arithmomancy, Geomancy, Aleftry-omancy, Cephalomancy, Axinomancy, Co-fcinomancy, Hydromancy, Onychomancy,Daftylomancy, Chriftallomancy, Cataptro-mancy, Gaftromancy, Lecahomancy, Alphi-tomancy, Chiromancy, Orneomancj and

Necro-


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of Superftition. iiNecromancy, Horofcopy, Aftrology and Au-gury, Metopofcopy and Palmiftry, the fearof EcJipfes, Comets, Meteors, Earthquakes,Inundations, and any uncommon Appear-ances, though ever fo much depending uponNatural and Neceflary Caufes, nor are therewanting People otherwife of good under-ftanding, who are affefted with the fallingof a Sale-Seller, eroding of a Hare, croakingof a Raven, howling of Dogs, fcreachingof Owls, the motion of Worms in a Bed-fteed, miftaken for Death- Watches , andother as fenfles and trifling Accidents.

Tis this Ignorance of Caufes, t:. fubjeftsus to miftake the Phantafms and Images ofour own Brains (which have no exiftenceany where elfe) for real Beings, and fub-fifting without us, as in Dreams where wefee Perfons and Things, feel Pain and Plea-fure, form Defigns, hear and make Dif*courfes, and foraetimes the Objefts are re-prefented fo Lively to our Fancies, and theImpreflions fo Strong, that it would behard to diftinguifh them from Realities, ifwe did not find our felves in Bed.But if a Melancholy Man fitting by him-felf id a doleful Mood, with his Brainsbrooding upon Vifions and Revelations,(hould careledy nod himfelf half a Sleep,and his Imagination having received a

vigorous


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1 2 The Natural Hijloryvigorous reprefentation of an Angel de-livering a Meffage to him, (hould Wakein a Surprize , without having obfervedhis own Sleeping ( as often happens ) Icannot fee how he (hould diftingiiilh itfrom a Divine Vifion.

There have been furprifing Inftances ofthis kind in extatick Fits and Trances,which are but Sounder Sleeps, that caufemore lively and intenfe Dreams : fomein thefe Delirium's have fancied their Soulsto have been tranfported to Heaven orHell , to have had perfonal Communica-tion with God and the Holy Trinity,have given defcriptions of the Angelsand their Habitations, and brought backMeffages, Propheljes and Inftruftions toMankind, which Phoenomena*s, howeverftrange at firft fight, are eafily to be ac-counted for by natural caufes, for theideas and operations of our Minds beingevidently produced, by the agitations andmotions of the internal parts of our ownBodies, and impreffions heretofore madeon them, as well as the adtions of Ob-jefts without us ( which will be madeappear in the fequel of this Difcourfe. )It muft neceflarily happen when the Or-gans of Sence f which are the Avenuesand Doors to let in external Objefts )

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of Super/iition, y 1are (hut and locked op by Sleep, Diftem-pers, or ftrong Prejudices, that the imagi-nations produced from inward Caufes muftreign without any Rival, for the Imageswithin us ftriking ftrongly upon, andaffefting the Brain, Spirits, or Organ, wherethe imaginative Faculty refides , and allObjefts from without, being wholly, or in'a great meafure (hut out and excluded, foas to give no information or afliftance, wemuft unavoidably fubmit to an evidencewhich meets with no contradidion, andtalce things to be as they appear.

I conceive that Ig?:k Fatnusof the Mind,which the Vifionaries in all Ages havecalled the Inward Light , and leads allthat have followed it into Pools and Ditch-es, to be like what is before defcribed :for by their own defcription *it is onlyto be attained by renouncing the Senfes, andall the Intelledual Faculties, and whollyfequeftring their Thoughts from World-ly and material Objefts, by which eleva-tion of Mind, they arrive to a more clofeand intimate union with God, have in-ternal communication with him, and byimmediate Motions and Infpirations learnall Truths, and whatever is neceffary tobe done. This is what Men of vulgarNotions call fending their Wits for a

Venture^


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14 T^he Natural HiftoryVenture^ and indeed is but a wakingDream, for they alike lock up all theiroutward Senfes, which are the only Con-duits of Knowledge, and deliver them-felves up to the guidance of wild Fancy,and confequently rauft be aftuated who-ly by their feveral Complexions, Con-ftitutions and Diftempers , which oftenmake them /x/V like, embrace their ownClouds and Foggs for Pieties.The fame Vifions happen to us when

our Organs are indifpofed by Sicknefs,and then according to the Nature of oqrDiftcrapers, we fee fuch appearancesas our former Prejudices and Educa^tion have rendered moft Dreadful orDelightful to us : Spmetimes we fee An-gels and Beatifick Vifions, fometimes Di-vels with' Inftruments of. Fear and Hor^four.The like is common amongfl: Melan-rcholy and Hypocondriack Men, who oftenaft in the Government of themfelves andFamilies with Prudence enough , andfometimes have excellent qualifications inother refpefts, and yet a particular De-lufion has got fuch hold of their Fan-cies , that it is out of the Power oftheir Friends otherwife to Cure theni,thao by feeming to comply with their

Ima^i-


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of Superllition. 15Imaginations: One thought his Nofe long \enough to open Gates, another thought (himfeif a Glafs Bottle , and bid People \ftand oat of his way left they (houldBreak Him 5 Even the Reverend Dr. Pel-ting believed himfeif with Child , andcould not be convinced to the contrary,till a Midwife pretended to deliver hioiof a Falfe Conception. Some have con- /ceited themfelves to be God the Father,the Meffias, the Holy Ghoft, the AngelGabriel, to be Monarchs, Popes and Em-perours, others have fancied themfelvesto be Dogs, Cats and Wolves : BeaumontA Gentleman now Living has of spirits,^.given an account in Print of 39^.his Converfation with Spirits for feveralYears together, and clofes his Accountwith a diftrufi: of the reality of theirConverfation with him, though he hadfaid before they appeared to him to hereal. Many inftances of this kind areto be found in Burtons Melancholy^ andmore to be feen at Bedlam.When the Delufions are thus apparentthey ferve others for Mirth and Diver-fion, and do no harm 5 but if theyhappen to Pcrfons , of whofe Godlinefsand Wifdom we have conceived an Opi-Uion, they cannot fail of making ftrorig


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l6 The Natural Hifloryimpreffions upon us, efpecially if theirVifions concur with our Prejudices andnatural Fears*Though true Religion improves theFaculties, exhilerates the Spirits, makesthe Mind calm and Serene, renders usufeful to Society, and moft aftive in theAffairs of the World, yet I dont knowhow it has happened, that in all Agesand Countries, Fanatical, MelanchollyEnthufiaftick, Monkifti, Reclufe, Seque-iftred Perfons have pafled upon the Worldfor Religious, fuch who lived in Cloi-Iters and Caves or became Pilgrims and Her-mits, who feeming not to mind the Af-fairs of this World , were believed tqknow the more of the next.

As nothing but difappointed Pride, in-difpofition of Body, difturbance of Mind,or dejeftion of Spirit, can work aboutthis Strange Metamorphofis, fo it is im-poffible when Men have abandoned thenatural calm and ferenity of their Minds,and difturbed their Organs with wild ima-ginations, but they muft fee Vifions bothSleeping and Wakings and when theyhave thus thoroughly impofed upon them-felves, it will not be diflScult to deceiveothers , for there are fo many in allCountries^ whom Ignorance, Pride, Con-

ceit,


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Of Superflition. 17ceit, ill habit of Body, Melancholly andSplenatick Tempers , unfortunate Cir-cumftances, caufelefs and fecret Fears,and a pannick difpofition of Mind haveprepared for fuch Impreffions, that theycan never want followers enough 5 notto mention fuch who embrace their O*pinions Fraudulently, and to ferve theirown Ambition and Profit.Which of our Senfes does not oftendeceive us ? Our Tafts and Smell willbe quite Vitiated ^ ftrong preflures ofthe Ears make us hear Noifes , of theEyes , fee Fire 5 Strangling makes thewhole World appear in Flames 5 theJanndies make every thing feem Yel-low 5 Calentures make the Sea looklike a Delightful Green Medow ^ thingsftrait in the Water will appear crook-ed 5 Mirrours will make Bodies appearwhere they are not, and magnifie, mul-tiply, or leffen them 3 Bodies by Refra-tion will feem otherwife then they are,and by the Refleftion , and due po-fition of Glaffes, may be made to appearin different Places.

It's evident the Divine Wifdom hathfo formed and united our Souls andBodies , that they mutually ad uponB one


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1 8 The Natural Hijloryone another, infomuch that there is noaftion of the Mind that does not caufea correfpondent one in the Body ^ norno motion of the Body, that does notproduce a fuitable affeftion in the Mind.The different Paffions of Love, Hate,Contempt, Shame, Pity, Hope, Def-pair, Admiration, Fear, Courage, An-ger, Luft, dv. not only caufe differentLineaments and Features in the Facebut give different motions to the Nerves,Mufcles, and every part of the Body ^nor on the other fide, can the Bodyreceive any impre(Iion& in which theMind has not its (hare: Both come in-to the World together, and are after-wards joint Partners in all the emer-gencies of Life : Both encreafe in Youth,decline in Age , are nouri(hed withFood, enlivened with Wine, alteredwith Weather , refrelhed with Sleepimproved by Exercife , fatigued withLabour, opprefTed with Gluttony andDrunkennefs , enervated with Sicknefs,and often all the Noble Faculties andOperations of the Mind, are quite de-ftroyed by the accidental difturbance ofthe Organization of the Body, and fome-times fet right again, and recovered by Phi-fick or Surgery. Be-


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Of^ Super(lition, i^Befides every thing in Nature is in

conftant Motion, and perpetually emit-ting Effluviums and minute Particles ofits Subftance, which operate upon, andftrikc other Bodies. How are we af-fefted with Smells and imperceptibleVapours , which often caufe Epidemi-cal Diftempers ? Dogs will purfue theirMafters Scent through crouds of Peo-ple, and will trace their Steps througha Country, and find their way Homeagain at a great diftance ^ fome Peoplewill turn Pale, and even Sound at aCats being in the Room 5 we are of-ten infefted with Diftempers at a di-ftance, the poifonous Particles float-ing in the Air are often carried aboutin the Cloths of Phifitians, Nurfes andVifirants. And as Diftempers are thuscaufed by Noxious Effluviums, I fee noreafon why in fome cafes they maynot be cured by fuch as are agreeableand Salutiferous ^ Greatnx is faid tohave cured many Diftempers by hisTouchy The Kings Evil is often cu-red by the Stroaking of a Ring right-ly Anoynted , together with the helpof a vigorous Imagination, which is asunaccountable 3 fome at the point ofB 2 Death


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20 The Natural HiftoryDeath have been cured by putting aYoung Vigorous Perfon in the fameBed ^ and 'tis a common obfervation,if a Healthy and Difeafed Perfon lyetogether, one grows better and the otherworfe.

Since therefore both Mind and Bodyare vifibly affeded with the Aftionsof other Beings, and of one another,and wherever we move we arc furround-ed with Bodies, all which in fome de-gree operate upon us, it cannot happenin the variety of aftions and events inthe World, but fome muft appear ve-ry extraordinary , and will not fallwithin common Obfervation, which hasgiven opportunity to Men of Fraudu-lent intention, to impofe upon the Ig-norance and Credulity of others.How many Nations formerly, andeven at this Day, believe Eclypfes and

Comets to be Supernatural 5 and to de-nounce the Anger of the Gods? Howmany miftake the Stagnation of theirown Blood for being Hag-ridden? Howmany Enthufiafts take their own Pre-judices and Whimfeys for Divine Im-pulfes, and the ftruggels of, their Rea-fon for Temptations of the Devil? Howmany


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Of Super/lition. 21'many the Legerdemain and Tricks ofJuglers for Conjuring and Witchcraft ?What Frauds may be afted with Glafles,Speaking Trumpets, Ventriloquies, Ec-choes, Phofpherus , Magick Lanthorns&c. ? Mathematicians for many Ageswere thought to deal with the Devil,and in our own a Dancing Mare wasBurnt in the Inquifition of Portugal For-merly Madmen were thought to be De-moniacks, and in fome Countries at thisDay, their Perfons are efteemed Sacred,and their Raying to be Prophecy. TheAmericans take Paper and Letters to beSpirits which carry Mens Thoughts fromone to another, and indeed 'tis hardlyconceivable by Nations who have noNotion of Writing, how Men (houldConverfe at a diftance, and know oneanothers Thoughts, but by the mediationof vifible or invifible Agents. If any one(hould have more exquifite Senfes thanother Men (which is not difBcult to fup-pofe ) how many Difcoveries would hemake unaccountable to the reft of Man-kind ^ If he could follow Men or Beaftsby the Scent like Dogs, or See in theDark like Cats ; If he had the fameNatural Prefage of Tempefts, Thunder

B 3 and


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2 2 The 'Natural ^Hifloryand Lighrning, Fair and Foul Weather,as fome Animals both at Sea and Landfeem to have, how many People mighthe deceive by feeming Wonders andMiracles? We naturally admire what wecannot apprehend, and feem to do fomefort of credit to our Underftandings,in believing whatever is out of our reachto be Supernatural.Many in other refpefts prudent enough,give too much countenance to thefe Fol-lies, ill conceiving they attribute moreHonour to the Divine Omnipotence,when they fuppofe he afts po re nati^and accommodates his Providence to eachfingle Aftion and Emergency, then inbelieving that his Eternal Wifdom hathfo contrived and framed the whole Sy-ftem of Nature , and in its OriginalConftitution implanted fuch Caufes, asby their own energy (hall produce allthe Events in the World, (unlefs forfome particular Reafons he thinks fitto interpofe his immediate Providence )than which nothing feems to be morederogatory to his Power, or more con-trary to the Nature of Things, which inmany inQances we all allowo

Who


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of Superftition. 25Who is there that does not perceive

that in Dreams, our Thoughts and De-fires are the natural and neceffary pro-duftions of the afFeftions of our Bo-dies ? If we lye Hot, we are fubjeft toAngry and Paffionate Dreams, if Cold,to Fearful ones^ A Loaded Stomachraifes up Apparitions of Devils , Ter-rors and Death ^ Opium gives to manythe moft agreeable Senfations 5 Dream-ing upon our Backs inclines us to Laf-civious and Wanton Thoughts, and adue temperament of Body gives SoundSleep without any Dreams at all ^ - andyet how few are there , that do notbelieve their Wakeing Thoughts are all-togecher in their Power, without beingable to give any Reafon for the diffe-rence }Who is there that does not fee th^tthe Raving of a Man in a Feavour

the wild Difcourfe of one in Bedlam ,the Extravagancies of Drunken Menand the Vifions of Diftrafted, are theneceffary effei^-s of Di (temper, and a dif-ordered Brain > and yet how few be-lieve the fame of the other Follies andImpertinencies of their Lives , thoughbqt leffer degrees of the fame Paflions >

B 4 much


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24 T^he Natural Hijlorymuch more if we meet with any un-common Appearances or Phcjenomena'sof Nature, we immediately folve all ourDoubts in recurring to the Divine Om-nipotence.

Nature in many circumftances feemsto work by a fort of fecret Magick ,and by ways unaccountable to us, andyet produces as certain , and regularevents as the moft obvioufly Mechani-cal Operations. Paffions of the Mind,as well as Anions of the Body 5 arenot only communicated by all the Sen-fes, but probably by other ways in-difcernable to us: Mufick not onlyworks us into variety of Paffions, butis faid to cure the Bite of a Tarantu-la^ and makes the Perfon AfFefted Skipand Dance in fpight of his raging Pain:How many can avoid being affefted withtfie Groans or Sight of one in Mife-ry, any unufual Tone of the Voice, theSolemnity of a Coronation, the Pompof a Funeral, the Farce of a Procef-fion , the Power of Eloquence, theCharm es of Poetry, the rich and fplen-ded Equipage of Great Men, or thefolemn Dump of an Enthufiaft? Sud-idain good or ill News give fuch vio-


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of Superftition. 25lent agitations to the Spirits , as fome-times kills the Patient 5 many are fright-ned into Convulfive Fits, and even in-to Diftraftion 3 the fight of our Friendsin Joy or in Grief produce the fameafFeftions in us, before we know thecaufe of it in them 5 the Paffion ofLove is conveyed by wanton Glances,by the Touch, the Motion, and the Ear 5and as far as appears to us , all otherPaffions are communicated by like means 5The Frights and Longings of Womenwith Child ftamp Images and Impref-fions, of the things feared or defired,on the Faetus's , which laft after theyare Born, and (ometimes as long as theylive 5 There was once a remarkable ac-cident happened at the Afting of Att'-dromeda^ at Abdera a Greek City, up-on an extream hot Day , that many ofthe Speftators fell into Feavours \ andhad this accident from the Heat andTragedy together , that they did no-thing but pronounce Jambiques, with theNames of Perfem and Andromeda 3 TheYawning of one Perfon infers a wholeCompany 5 the Tone, the Motions, theGeftures, and Grimaces of thofe weconverfe with fteal infenfibly upon us,

even


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26 The Natural Hifloryeven when we endeavour to avoid them sNot only Nations and Se&s, but Pro-feffions , and particular Societies ofMen for the moft part contraft peculiarAirs, and Features, which are eafilydiftinguifhable to a nice obferver, andone but of moderate skill in Phifiog-nomy will difcover a Parfon, a Qua-ker, or a Taylor, drefs them how youpleafe.

There is a certain Sympathy and An-typathy in Nature , or to exprcfs myfelf otherwife, fo agreeable or contrarycontexture of different Bodies, as by afort of natural Mechanifm do inclineto, or avoid another, this appears notonly in Phifical and Philofophicai Ex-periments, but by many vulgar andcommon Obfervations ^ feme bodies can-not be made to unite, others will notfeparate^ The Loadftone draws Iron toit , Gold Quickfilver ^ The SenfitivePlant (brinks from your Touch 5 Someforts of Vegitables, though fet at a di-ftance, attraft one another and twinetogether, others grow farther apart ^Turkicocks fly at Red ^ Pheafants willftare upon the Eyes of a Fox till theyfall upon him 3 a Ratlefnake fixing hisEyes


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of Super/iition. 2iEyes upon a Squerril, will make him runinto his Mouth.

All forts of Animals have their in-clinations and difgufts to others , andwe our felves have fecret affeftions andaverfions to Perfons, and Things, thatwe can no otherwife give an accountof, then that Effluxes of Volatile A-nimal Spirits flow conftantly from us,of fuch form and configuration as eafi-ly permeate and penetrate fome Bodies,and are refifted by others of differenttextures and compofition , and whenentered, communicate the fame paffionsand difpofitions to Bodies fuitably dif-pofed, as they caufed in the Body fromwhence they came , and in Bodies o-therwife formed different Operations,as the fame Wind or Breath blown in-to different Inftruments caufes variousMufick.

This may help to unriddle manyPhsenomena's and appearances of Nature,vulgarly afcribed to Fafcination andWitchcraft 5 for why may not the dif-agreeable effluviums of a Difeafcd OldWoman give a Child Convulfive Fits,as well as the Meazeh and the S^a^Vo;^^ and the poifonous and melancholy

Vapours


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2 8 The Natural HijloryVapours fteaming from an Enthufiaft,caufe Diftraftion and Raving as wellas the Bite of a Mad Dog>We perceive in a thoufand inftaqces,the anions of others by an undefignedimitation produce the like in our felves 5No Man is furprized to hear of onethrown into Convulfive Fits, with di-ftorted Limbs and Countenance, at thefight of another in the fame conditi-on, and yet if a poor Enthufiaft withhis Brains intoxicated with reading theRevelations, who has made a luckydifcovery that the laft Day is at hand,when the reft of Mankind are to bedeftroyed, that he and his acquaintancemay enjoy Dominions , Principalities,and Powers 5 I fay if fuch uncom-mon agitations of the Mind (hould pro-duce as uncommon agitations of theBody , and caufe the fame in others,whofe Intellefts and Organs are woundup to the fame pitch (as when twoViolins are tuned alike, if you ftrikeupon one, the other Sounds ) immedi-diately half the World is in an up-roar: Some vf\\\ have thefe FanaticalThrows and Convulfions to be the work-ings and flowings of the Holy Ghoft 5

the


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of Superjiition^ 25the Parfons will have them to be fomeof the Devils Tricks to dumfound theChurch 5 and even Men of good Senfeare not u^ithout apprehenfions, that theymay be Jugling and confederate Kna-very in order to fome dangerous de-fign , whereas they are as natural asAgues, Apoplexies, Epilepfies, or Fitsof the Mother , which were formerlythought to be fupernatural , and thePerfons affefted to be poffeffed withSpirits and Demons. Sir Richard Buck:ley has endeavoured to prove thefe a-gitations always attended the true Pro-phets, and the Letter of Enthufiafm hasfully (hewn they always accompaniedthe falfe ones.To ftop the natural courfe of ourSpirits, colleft them all together, andendeavour to keep them fixt upon onefingle Objeft or Opinion, is like dam-ing up the Current of a River, andleaving part of its Channel dry, thatit may overflow the adjacent Countrey.The Beams of the Sun v*^hilft difperfedgive vital warmth, and nouriftiment toMen , Beafts , and Vegetables , but ifcontrafted to one point would fet theWorld on Fire 5 fo the Spirits of Man,

whilft


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30 The Natural Hi/lorywhilft difFufed through the Body, giveproper and futable Motions and Vigourto the whole Machine , but if colleft-ed all together muft either burft theVeins , or caufe exceffive Pains , Con-vulfions 5 Agitations , fits of Quakingand Trembling. A violent intentionof Mind , long fixt upon the fameObjeft , never fails giving ConvulfiveDiftempers, or making the Perfon Di-ftrafted.Some of the Quakers (if we may

believe the Reverend Mr. George Keithin his Magick, of Huak^nfm ) have ar-rived to a great proficiency in this na-tural Magnetifm, or Magick, having bya watchful and accurate obfervation ofthefe mutual Effluxes and Emanations

,

which flow from one to another , at-taind to a difcernment of Spirits, that isby the Eye, the Touch, and even bybeing in the fame Room, to the know-ledge of their Friends from their Ene*mies, or thofe of the fame Party, Inte-reft and Faftion, from thofe of anotherHe fpeaks of it as an undoubted mat-ter of Faft known amongft them, thatas betwixt the former there is an op-pofition of Spirit to Spirit, that may

be


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of SuperHition. 31be felt, fo between the latter there isan Unity, Amity or Friendfhip of Spiritto Spirit, that is fo difcernable, that theyrarely mi (lake their Foe for their Friendthough all his Words, Carriage andAftions pretend it : They feel fome fe-cret Effluviums go forth from their Heartsmutually from one another, and to oneanother, which are received by thofeof the fame Spirit, like a plealant Oyl orCordial that doth fenfibly gratifie them,but by thofe of another Spirit ( if theycan find room to enter ) like fo manyFinns and Needles that wound them ,and penetrate the very Heart and Vitalparts 5 and when the Patient hath ftrengthenough to refift their impreffions, he per-ceives only fome fmall irapulfe or touchwhich is ungrateful to him.He farther tells us, this Spirit of Qua-kerifm is not only communicated bythe Sight, the Touch, by Melodiousand Mufical Soundsf^ as well withoutWords as with them , but fometimesonly by the fimple feeling of a migh-ty Power that exerts it felf in theirSilent Meetings, which not only over-comes little Children , but Perfons at

Age,


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32 ^The Natural HiftoryAge, and he gives an inftance of ma-ny Boys and Girls at a Quakers Meet-ing at Wahham ^ feized with (hiveringFits like an Ague, which went off andreturned for feveral Weeks together.

This Author who was formerly oneof them , and is now a Mimfter ofthe Church of England^ would neverin a Book written againfi the Delu-fions of Quakerifm confefs thefe Fafts,and endeavour to folve them by Natu-ral caufes, if he had not thought themto be undeniable, and though *tis noteafie for others to give intire credit tofuch uncommon Relations, yet we maybe fure the firfl: Propagators of thisFanaticifm muft have hit upon fomefecret in Nature to ftrike the Paffions,or fo confiderable a Seft could not ona fuddain ftart up from fo inconfidera-rable a Founder as a poor Shoemakerwithout Articles or Priefts , though ex-cluded from Honours and Offices, Re-proached, Contemn'd, their Eftates Con-fifcatcd, their Perfons Banilhed or throwninto noifom Goals and Dungeons, andwhat is more, they continue to encreafcthough they are let alone.

It's


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Of Super/iition. 33Its a fevere circumftance which at-

tends thofe who oppofe received Opini-ons , that in Argument they muft ad-.mit every thing fuppofed by their Ad-verfaries to be true, if it be poffible,and often what is not fo, if the im-poffibility be not very apparent 5 Whenonce Men have imbibed ftrong Preju-dices, vi^hich ferve their prefent Intereft,or arike forcibly upon their Hopes andFears, every thing in Nature (hall bemade to contribute to their Syftem^Misfortunes to their Enemies are God sJudgments for their Sins , and fo aretheir Succefles too, becaufe they becomethereby confirmed in their Errors ^ Goodfortune to themfelves , is God's Re-ward for their Piety, ill Succefs is hisCorrection for their Amendment 5 eve-ry Thought which confirms their Opi-nion is a Divine Impulfe, which con-tradi(fts them, a Suggeftion of the De-vil ^ every accident that attends them,every good or ill Seafbn, every com-mon as well as uncommon appearancein Nature, is made an immediate Adfcof God, and either a Bleffing or Judg-ment 5 any unufual Operation of theirown Minds or Bodies is imputed to

C the


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34 "^^^ Natural Hijlorythe Holy Ghoft, of others that are ofdifferent Sefti to the Devil, fo that'tis impoflible to Convert a well fet-led Enthufiaft; you will in vain denyany thing to be fupernatural which hethinks fo , unlefs you can (hew a vi-fible connexion between the Caufe andthe Effeft, and often that will not doneither, becaufe the weak efforts of Car-nal Reafon, are unable to fearch intothe hidden Mifteries of God.Who would undertake to convinceone of the Seft juft before mentioned,that his Tranfports , and his PannickFears, his Tremblings and his Quakingsare owing to Natural Caufes, and notthe immediate Spirit of God > 'Twillbe in vain to tell him that the famewere common to an Infamous Seft inOld Rome, to the Pythian Prophetefs

,

the Syhills^ the AUnmbrati in Spain, theFanaticks in Germany^ are now Aftedover again by a new whimfical Seft inEngland , and indeed have accompaniedalmoft every Fanaticifm that ever ap-peared in the Worlds He has an An-fwer ready, which is proof againft allObjeftions, that himfelf and thofe of jhis Party are Infpired by the Holy-

_

^ Ghoft,


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" Of SuperItitton. 35Ghoft , but ail others are Attuated bythe Devil , in order to prom.)te Here-fy; It requires lefs pains to believe aMiracle , than to difcover it to be anIrrporture, or account for it by thePowers of Nature, which notwithftand-ing I think may be fhewn to have pro-duced and fet at work moft of theEnthufiarms that ever happened , andparticularly our Illuminated Sefts hereat Home , with all their Convulfions ^Tremblings and Qaakings.

It has been already obferved, that ma-ny of our Paffions will not only caufeagitations of the- Body, Convulfive Fitsand Trances, bur even Kill us 5 greatexceffes of Love Fear or Joy, will makeus Shake and Quiver, great venerationfor the Perfon or Affen.bly we Speakbefore , will m^ke many Tremble andQuake like an Afpen Leafy fome havebeen ftruck Silcrt, and others have fal-len to (he Ground^ How tht:n muft anEnthufiaft be furprized , who believeshimfelf honoured with the extraordina-ry Vifits of a Deity, and the IlJap-fes of the Holy Ghoft into his Soul?What Motions, Ai/itations, Convulfions,Tremblings and Qaakings muft be caus'dC 2 by


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3^ The Natural Hiftoryby the co-operation of the Paffions ofLove, Devout Fear and Av^^e, Joy andVeneration in fo high and tranfcendcnta degree? What agreeable Senfationsmuft he feel ? How RaviQiing Joys andTranfporcing Raptures .


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Of Superflition. 37Phifitians have difcovered certain Mij:-

tures oi the Elements, and firft Princi-ples of the Bodies of Animals , whichthey have diftingui(hed by the Namesof Sanguine, Phleme, Yellow Cho-Jer , and Black, which is alfoS calledMelancholy , an4 common experienceproves that from the different mixture,a vain and variation of thefe Humours,pr fome other compounds , are owingall the Difpofitions and Diftempers ofthe Mind and Body.

Sanguine, is a compofition of Hot andMoift, and flouii(hes moft in Youth,gives a vigorous motion to the Limbs,a Purple, kofy, and florid Complexionto the Face, white ajid foft Skin, (hi-ning arid reddifh Hair on the Head,and little on the Body: It Fermentslike New Wine jufl: put into the Cask,makes us Thoughtjefs, Brisk and Airy,Bold, infolent and Wanton, Extrava-gant, Luxurious, and immoderately gi-ven to Mirth and Pleafure, which Hqrace well defcribes in the following Ver*fes,

Jmberbis Jnvenjs tandem,^ Cuflode remoto^Qaffdet equis^ cambufq*^ & aprki gra^if^e^ /ca^/pi, C J Q-


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. I i ' i m ^ I *38 The Natural HtftoryCereus in vitium fleilt^ ntoniiorthus afperÛtilium tardus frovifor^ frodigus c^ris^Suhlimk cHpidttJûe^ d^ amnta relwquere per^

nix.

It caufes in Sleep foft and gentle Va-pours to rife to the Brain , which in-ipire agreeable and pleafant Dreams

,

and chiefly of fuch Subjefts as the Mindis converfant with in the Day, as is wellexprelFed by Claudian.

Ownia que fenfu volvuntur vofa diurnoPe&ore fopito reddtt arnica quksVenator defeffa toro jam mtmhra reponit^Mens tamen ad fylvas C^ fua lufira redit 5J:id/cibf^ Iftes^ auriga fomnia currmVanaq\ no&urnis nttta cavetur equis ^Furio gaudet amans^ permutat navUa merusÊt vigil elapfus qHrit avarus opes^Blandaq-^ largitur frttfira fitientibus grisIrrignus gelid pocula fonte fopor :Me qnoq-j ntufarnm ftudiym fitb noUefihntiÂrtibus ajjltetis follicitare foletLib. 3. Prê.

Fieme is a mixture of Cold and Moift,atid abounds in Winter, when the Jui-ces for want of due Warmth and Mo-

tion


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of ituperftiuon. 3^^_ . I i - I . . I I tion are Crude and Indigelted , likeWine in the Prefs before it has Fer-mented. The Complexion is white, theSkin foft , the Urine pale , the Bodyinclinable to be grofs, the Mufcles andVeins funk and hid, the Hair lank andthin , and for want of Nourifhmencquickly grows grey ^ the native Heatbeing overcome with Moifture, the Sen-fes become lefs quick , the Powers ofthe Mind dull, fluggifti and ftupid, theSpeech flow , and the Memory loofesits retentive Faculty, but People of thisComplexion are Steady, Good-natured,hard to be Provoked, and free from allGuile, Fraud and Treachery.

In Sleep moift Vapours afcending to theBrain, make them Dream of Hail, Snow,Ice and Rain, of Rivers and Baths, andfometimes they miftake their Bed for anUrinal. This Conftitution caufes hea-vinefs, ftuffings in the Head, runningand dimnefs in the Eyes , noifes andringing in the Ears, Diftillations, Coughs,Catarrs , intenfe Pains, if the Humourfettle in particular parts, as alfo Scabs,Tetters, Scurvies, Leprofies, and fomeforts of Feavours.

C 4 Choler


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4 Ihe Natural HiftoryCholer is a compofition of Hot and

Dry, of a fiery Colour and EfFed, andabounds moft in the Summer Months:It makes the Complexion pale, the Bodylean , flender and mufculous , the Skitihot and Hairy , the Hair curled , theWater high coloured , the Pulfe fwiftand ftrong, and the Veins prominent.People of this Complexion are Ghear-ful, Forward and Aftive, have a greatcommand of Thoughts and Words, androwling and ready Eloquence, but areBuify, Imperious, Paffionate, Variable,Uncertain, Graf^y, Defigning and Trea-cherous.

cut Trijlia beUa^JraqS^ infidtsq^^ & noxia crimina cordr.

In Sleep, burning Vapotirs flying upto the Brain, caufe tumultuous and an-gry Dreams, Fury and Slaughter ragingon every fide, and Towns, Cities andWoods in Flames.ExagHant vefana quks^ fintnique fnrentesAtq-^ altena fremit vdni terroris imago,Lucan. 1. 5.

This


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- . .1

of Superftition. /^\This Complexion inclines to the Jaun-

dies, to Twiftingsof the Guts, with in-tollerable Pains and Tortures, to Terti-an and Burning Feavers , which caufeRaving and Frenzies.The Atra-bilis or Melancholy, is a com-

pound of Cold and Dry, and aboundsmoft in Spring and Autumn ; Its a Vif-cous and Sour Juice, and confifts ofthe thicker Parts and Dregs of the Blood,which 'tis the Duty of the Liver to Se-perate, and as it were to Scum and Cla-rifies and if this Office be duly per-formed the Spirits are Pure and Clear,and give an aftive Motion to the Brain,which caufes profufe Joy and Mirth 5otherwife the Spleen and Ventricle be-come Obftrufted, and then four and poi-fonous Vapours afcending to the Brain,as it were from corrupt and ftinkingPools, the Animal Spirits are Vitiated,from whence arife Swimmings in theHead, Tremblings and Palpitations ofthe Heart, deep Sighs, Inquietude andalienation of the Mind, Grief, Anxie-ty, Dejeftion, Abfurd Thoughts, Anxi-ous and Pannick Fear, and ^ defire ofSolitude.

Mifer


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42 The Natural Hiftory^

- -Mifer in plvis mosnns errabat opacisPer cawpos folus latos atqne avia regna^Ipfi fiium cor edensy hominum vejiigia vi^

tans.

Every Noife frightens them, they di-flruft every body, fear Friends and Ene-mies alike, are haunted with vain andcaufelefs Terrors of Confcience, and bothfleeping and waking fee dreadful Imagesand Apparitions of Devils and Chains be-fore their Eyes.

Perpetua anxhtas^ nee menf^ tempore cejjat^HoUe hrevam fi forte indulfit cura faporem^Et toto verfata toro jam membra qmefcunt^Continuo templum d^ vloUti nuwinis arasCpnf^TcHin fomno^ ac mentem fudoritf^ ur-get:Hi funt qui trepidant & ad omnia fulgura

pallent^Cum tonat^ examines primo qnoque tempore

call.Juven. Satyr. 13.

In Dreams they try to run away fromjhefe frightful Images, but in the Attempttheir Strength fails them, their Knees fink^

' * under


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of Super/iition. 43under them, and their Limbs will not fup-port the Weight of their Bodies, whichFirgH well decribes in the followingVerfes.

Ac velut in fomnk ochIos ubi langmdajrefjit

NoSe qnies, nequkquam avidos extenderscurfiff

Velle videmnr^ d^ in med'm conatihus griSnccidimufy nan lingud valet^ non corpore

notSufficient vires, nee vox nee verba fequun*

tur,Virg. Lib. 12.

Though this fort of Cholar is in itsown Nature cold, yet being very drytakes Fire like Tinder. Arifiotleobfervcs, when Melancholy is sca, 30!*once heated, it is like BoilingWater, and tranfcends the Flame of Fire,and then Sulphurious Exhalations flyingup to the Brain, fill the Mind with livelyImaginations , quicken and enlarge theWit and Invention, and make the Tongueto Admiration fluent and eloquent, andwhen heated to a great degree caufe Ra-ving, Frenzy, andMadnefs.

TW$


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44 The Natural HifloryThis will account for the fadden chan-

ges in Perfons of this Complexion ; Whenthe Humour is in its Natural State they areheavy, grave, anxious, fearful, dejefted andopprefs'd with Grief and Defpair 5 talk ofnothing but Humility, Mortification, Dif-confolation and Dcfertion $ but if heatedwith Exercife, Wine, the Converfation ofagreeable Men and Women, or any otheraccidental Caufe on a fudden, they willbe furprizingly joyful, gay and wanton,full of Laughter and pleafant Conceits,bright, and fometimes extravagant thoughtsand Expreffions. Melancholy partakesmuch of the Nature of Wine, whichmakes fome Men pleafant, others quarrel-fome, fome filent, others noifie, fome la-fcivious, others impotent , fome crying,others laughing.Quid non ebrietas defignat .


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of Super/iition, 4 5thefe Conditions of Melancholy, v^hichfor brevity fake I omit 5 nor do I pfetendto have given an exaft Phyfical Accountof the other Phoenomena's above menti-oned, much lefs to difcover the inwardFrame and Conftitution of Subftances 5which can be known to no Man till GodAlmighty in another State has giyen usnew Senfes and Faculties 5 (all the Know-ledge we have in this, being fome f^w ob-vious Effefts and Operations Bodies haveupon one another ^or is fuch exaftnefsneceffary, my Purpofe being only to (hewin general, that the Paffions and other qua-lities of the Mind, are the neceffary Pro-duftions of thefe, or fome other unknownMixtures and Compofitions of the Body,which as they are infinitely variable inDegree and Proportion, and receive per-petual Alteration by the Bodies emittingand receiving new Particles, as well asdifferent Modifications of thofe it had be-fore by the Aftions of external Objects 5fo our Features, Complexions, Conftitu-tions, Diftempers, Senfes, Paffions, andother Affeftions of the Mind , muft bevaftly different, and probably two Mennever had exactly the fame, or the fameMan at different time?-

.lAcer-


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4^ The 'Natural HifloryA certain Organization of the Body

and Mixture of Juices in the Blood, con^curring with fuitable and correfpondentAftions of other Beings without us, pro-duce Prudence, Temperance, Moderation,Humanity, Indolence and Complacency ofMind ^ different Conftitutions produce vi-olcnt and unruly Appetites : Our Virtuesas well as Health confift in having mode-rate Defires and Averfions, or which is allone, Hopes and Fears to which all ourPaifions are reducible ^ in a certain degreethey are neceffary to the Prefcrvation of ourBeings, and all the Duties of Life, in agreater, they become Vices, and at laft Ra-ving and Madnefs, Courage foon growsinto Anger , and then Rage ^ Frugalitymakes an eafy Progreffion to Covetoufnefs,then Miferablenefs, and that Want it wou'davoid 5 there is a ready tranfition from Be-nevolence into Generofity Profufenefs andExtravagance ^ from Religion not con-duced by Reafon, into Superfticion andFanaticifm^ and of Hope into Confidence,Pride, Conceit, and Vain-Glory. All thefein their Exceffes are feveral kinds of Mad-nefs, which is but violent Paffion that pro-duces ftrange and unufual Behaviour, ofthe numerous forts whereof one might unroll a Legion, and perhaps no one is with-

out


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ef Superflition. 47out a Tindlure of one kind or other,which I am perfwaded the moft SoberMih will acknowledge true of himfelf,if he reflefts upon the vanity and extra-vagance of his Secret Thoughts, when hefits or walks Mufing alone.The M'nd in its natural State is con-tented with common Thoughts and Con-ceptions, but when the Spirits are rai-fed above their proper Pitch , like fer-mented Liquor, they endanger the Vef-fel, and when elevated to a very highdegree, are Fired like Gunpowder, whichblows up it felf, and every thing elfeabout it: Some Indifpofitions make theBody many times Stronger than in fullHealth, others produce a ftrange anduncommon Energy in the Brain, whichcaufes furprizing Difcourfes, and Rap-fodies of lofty Words and Thoughts,and a ftrength of Imagination which isinconceivable, that can bring and cureDiftempers, carry People in Sleep outof their Beds, and conduft them fafeover Bridges ind Precipices, where theydurft not venture when Awake, but itis in nothing more furprifing then in thePo^er it has o^^er the Mind, to makeit miftake it fcif , and its own Infirmi-

ties.


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48 The Natural Hiliorjties, for the Spirit of God 5 This iswhat is called Enthufiaftn , by whichword is meant a ftrong and impetuousMotion, or extraordinary and tranfcen-derit Ardor, Fervency or Pregnancy ofthe Soul, Spirits or Brain, which is> vul.garly thought to be Supernatural.

Mankind in their Ignorance of Caufes,.have been always prone to believe fomefpecial: Prefcnce of God, or a Superna-tural Power to be in whatever is unu-fual Great or Vehement. This made theAncients afcribe Thunder and Lightningto Jnpiter^ Wifdom to FalJas^ Craft toMercury^ the lively Thoughts producedby Wine toBaccht^^ Storms and Tempeftsto Eolus^ the Rapfodies of Poetry to theMufes, Courage to Man^ R^g^ ^nd Mad-nefs to the Eumenides or Furies^ the Paf-fions of Love to Cupid^ the Produdionsof the Earth to Cens^ and things feem-ingly Accidental to Fortune ; To thefeIdols of their own Fancies they builtMagnificent Temples, endowed them withPriefts , Lands, Officers and Revenues 5and Worlhipped them with Oblations

,

Prayers and Thanks 5 this difpofition gaverife to the Worlhipping of Heroes, Legif-lators and Founders of new Sefts and

Opini*


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of Superftition. 4.9Opinions, for the People perceiving un-common Wifdom, Eloquence, Refolutionand Succefs to attend all their Words andAnions, believed them to be Infpiredand AiGfted by feme Superiour Power,and fo intirely abandoned themfelves totheir Conduft whilft Living, and Ador*dthem when Dead.'Tis this makes a Melancholy Man mi-ftake the impetuous Tranfport, wherebyhe is Fervently and Zealoufly carried inMitters of Religion, for Divine Infpira-tion, and the Power of God in him, forfeeling a ftorm of Devotion coming uponhim, his Heart full of Godly affedion,his Head in his own Opinion pregnantwith clear and fenfible Reprefentations

,

his Mouth flowing with powerful Elo-quence, and not being able to obfervefrom what condud of Reafon or othercaufes in Nature this fudden Change pro-ceeds, immediately concludes it to bethe Power of God working Supernatu-rally in hira^ he thinks every fudden Helpor Evafion , every lucky hint to avoidDangers or compafs Deliverances, to pro-ceed immediately from God, every ima-gined difcovery of an Error held byothers, to be a Supernatural Revelation,D every


52/539

50 The Natural Hijioryevery fine and curious Thought that ftealsinto his Mind, a pledge of the DivineFavour, and a fingular Illumination, everyftaring and rampant Fancy, every unbri-dled bold and confident Obftruftion ofhis own uncouth and fupine Invention tobe a fpecial Truth, and the Power andPrefence of God in his Soul : He efteemshis Pride and Tumour of Mind, his IViflF^inflexible and unyielding Temper, hisfteady and oblVmate refolutioh to admitno demonllration'againft his Opinions,and to fufFer Torture or Martyrdom, tobe the fpecial Support and Divine AITf(Vance of God, and his ardent Zeal, andimplacable defire of Revenge towards allwho oppofe him, to be the more than or-dinary influence and impulfe of the HolyGhoft, for the extirpation of Herefy,whereas the Enthufiafl: is only intoxicatedwith Vapours afcending from the lowerRegions of his Body, as the Vythian Pro-phetefs of old, in her Prophetick Trances,was by the power of certain Exhalationsbreathing from fubterranean Caverns, forall thefe appearances are eafily refolvibleinto the power of Melancholy, which isbut a fort of natural Inebriation, thefame effefts being produced often byWine

and


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of Superjiition. 51and 'tis obfervable that fuch hightlownand bloated Expreflions, Rapfodies ofUight and lofty Words, and rowling andand dreaming Tautoligies , which fallfrom Enthufiafts , generally happen toPerfons before they are Stark Mad.The particular difpofition of the Blood,

which produces this temper of the Mind,feems to be the predominance of AduftMelancholy, well impregnated with Gall,the firft gives prefumptious Confidence,and the latter Infolence and Impatience ofConrradiaion , which if it prevails fomuch in fpeculative Queftions, which re-gard no Mans Profit or Power, and thatboth fides agree, are to be determined bythe rules of Reafon ( in fo much thatpeople of this Complexion can Converfewith none but of their own Opinionswhat havock muft it make in matters ofReligion > Upon which Subjeft almoftall Mankind feem to have agreed by u-niverfal Confent to talk Unintelligibly ,and by that means have endeavoured todeftroy or take away the only criterionbetween Truth and Fallhood, Religionand Superftition -^ Every fide pretends toVifions, Revelations, Miracles and My-llcries, expect to be believed upon theirD 2 own


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- - - . -

52 The Natural Hiftoryown Authority, and purfue all who dareoppofe them, with Vengeance and De-ftruftion, as perverfe Unbelievers, He-reticks, Deift and Atheifts, which cha-ritable and polite Language is promifcu-oufly given by and to all Parties andFaftions in Religion.Though at firft fight it appears veryabfurd, that all Mankind (hould be con-

cerned in the Vifions and Revelationsof two or three Men, when few of thefame Nation or Diftrift can know theirPerfons, fewer their Sincerity, and whe-ther they are Infpired by God, are De-ceived themfelves, or intend to Deceiveothers^ It mufi: be more fo to expeftNations diftant in Scituation, Languageand Cuftoms, to leave their Affairs andHabitations to hunt after Prophets, Mi-racles, and Revelation Mongers, or givecredit to the fabulous or uncertain Sto-ries or Legends of People they knownothing of, when we can hardly be-lieve any thing faid to be done in thefame Town or Neighbourhood, and fcarcein the fame Houfe, or tell a Story ofever fo fimple Particulars, that we canknow again when we hear it 5 It isvet more ridiculous to oblige all the

World


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of Super/tition. 55world to rake into the Rubbifh of An-tiquity , to learn all Languages, eira-raine all Syftems, and thereby difcoverall Impoftures, Forgeries, Interpolations,Errors and Miftakes, or elfe fubmit to theGuidance of others who are neither Ho-nefter nor Wifer than themfelves, and be-fides have an Intereft to Deceive them^Yet the true Enthufiaft fees none of thefeDifEculties, flares at no Abfurdities^ ve-ry fure he is that he has received fre-quent Revelations, is thoroughly fatis-fied of his own fnfpiration and Miffion,and expefts all Mankind, both now andhereafter, to be fo to; He has giventhem fufficient notice, by promulgatinghis Dofl-rine amongft a few that he canperfwade to Hear him, and condemnsall the refl as Obftinate Contumacious He-reticks, and wilful Tranfgreflbrs againflDemonftration and evident Light: A-verfion, Pride and Fury in the (hape ofZeal, like a mighty Storm ruffles hisMind into Beating Billows, and Boifte^rous FluQ:uations5 At laft he is all in aRage, and no Church Buckets to quenchhis Fiery Religion, Religion and theGlory of God drives him on : The Ho-ly Enthufiaftick Igngs to Feaft and Riot

upon


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Ir r

54 [ be Natural Hi/iory^ &C.upon humane Sacrifices, turn Cities andNations into Shambles, and deftroy withFire and Sword fuch who dare thwarthis Frenzy, and all the while like ano-ther Nero, Plays upon his Harpe, andSings Te Denm at the Conflagration.

FINIS.


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vUiJuLTt^

INQUIRYINTO THEOriginal of ourloEAsBEAUTYand FIRTUE;,A/ In Two TREATI S E S.

IN WHICHThe Principles of the late Earl oFShaftesburyare Explain'd and Defended, againft the Author ofthe FaMe of the SeesAND THE

Ideas of jJWGco^ and ^w7 are eflablifli'd, accord-ing to the Sentiments of the Antient Moralifis.With an Attempt to introduce a Mathematkal Calcti-

^; , lation m Subjefts of Morality.anhLT'nXh"! '/"""" '!"^^'"peaurentiu.ur, nullum aliudan,mal pulchmudmem venuftatem, convenientiam paniumfenct

: Q.uam fimihtudmem natura ratioque ab oculis ad an"um transferens, multo etiam magis pu'chmudincm! co.ftam,am, ord.nem .n conCliis faftif^ue confervanduTputacQ^bus ex rebus conflatur & efBcitm- id quod qu^rfmus honefturn : Quod et.amfi nob.htamm non fit, tamei honellum fit :quodque enamfi a nullo laude.ur, natura eftlaudabile. FoTmamqu.dem ipfam & fac.em honefti vides. qu^ fi oculis cernemun..rab.les amores excitaret fapien.fe. \k. deo//i" """

LONDON:Printed by J. Darby in Barthokmew-CUre, for WiLt andZk t O r 'r '' t-r*'^'*-^"'' f ' P""^-^ Church!yard, J. O s E o R N and T. I, o N e M A N in Pmer-Ncller.f^'--. and S.Cham.. BR in the P,&r,. M Dcc ^^

6


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i-,r!. LA ir-

ov^T nl

:o


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(m>

THEPREFACE.THERE is na part of PhAo-Ibphy of more importance^than a jiift Knowlec^e of liumaa Nature, and its various,lowers and ^Diffojitions. Our late Incpii^

rys harue been very, much empkyd about ourUnderftanding, and the feveralMethods ofcktahnng Truth. JVe generally acknow^ledge^ that the Importajice ofojiy Truth ixnothing elfe than its Momenty or Efficacy tomake Men happy, or to give themthegrea*teJlandmx)JilaftingTleafnre\ astd^WiOkX^denotes only a Capacity ofpurfuing this Endby the beft Means. It muji furely tijen beof the greateji importance to have difiindiConceptions of this End it felf as well oa6f the Means necejfary to obtain it ; thatwe may find out which are the greatefi andtnoft lafiing Tleafures^ and not employ ourReafbUy after all our laborious Improve-ments of ity in trifltng 'Purfuits, It is to^be fear'd indeedy that mjojl ofour Studyswithout this hufuiry will be of very lit*tie ufe to us\ for theyfeem to havejcarceA ^ any


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iv The P R E FA C E.any other tendency than to lead us intofpeculative Knowledge it felf. Nor are wediftincily told how it is that Knowledgeor Truth is pleafant to us.

. THIS Conjideration fet the Author ofthe following Papers about inquiring intothe various T'leafares which human ]>[zrtvixt is capable of receiving. We jhall ge-nerally find in. our modern philofophicWritings, nothing further on this Head^than fome bare "Divifion of them into Sen-fible,


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ThePREFAGE; yry of more importance in Morals, toprovewhat "uve call the reality of Virtue, or thatit is the liireft Happinefs of the Agent, thanone would at firji imagine.

.

IN refleBing upon our external Senfes,we plainly fee, .that our Perceptions of7leafure, or Tain, do not depend dire61ly4)n our Will. Objects do not pleafe us ac-cording as we incline they fhould : , Theprefence of fome ObjeBs necejfarily plea-fes its, and the prefence of others as ne-cefarily difpleafes us ; nor. can we by ourWill, any otherwife procure Tleafire, orOfvoid Tain, than by procuring theformer'kind of Obje6is, and avoiding the latter r.by the very Frame of our Nature the one ismade the occafion of 'Delight^and the other'OfT>iJfatisfaBion,

V V; jTHE fameObfervation will hold in allours other Tleafures and Tains :, for therehremany other forts of ObjeBsi whichpleafe, or difpleafe us as necejjarily, asmaterial Objects do when they operate up-^on our Organs of Sefife. There is fcarcely' any Objeci which Qur Minds are employ'about, which is not thus confituted the ne-c^lf^ry occafion of fome Tleafur^w Tain :Thus we jhallfind ourfelves pleas*d witha regular Form, apiece


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^1 Tlie P R E F A C E.mdwe oiê cmtfctous that this TPleaJiire ne-cejfarily arifes from the Contemplation ofthe Idca^whtch is phenfrefent to our Mindswith all its Circumftances^ altho fome ofthefe Ideas have nothing of what we callfenjihle Perception m them ; and in thofe"which havcy the Tleafiere arifesfrom fome.Uniformity, Order, Arrangement, IiBita-tion ; andnotfrom thefimfle Ideas ^/Co-lour, (?r Sound, or mode of %yxt\\QVL fk^farately canjider'd.THE SE Têternmmtions to hefleas'^tth any Forms or Ideas which occur to our

Obferuation,the Author chufesto callSEVt*-s^s ; dififiguifloing them from the lowerswhich commonly go by that Name^ hy cal-4ing ourôwer offerceivingthe Beauty (fRegularity, Order, Harmony, an Inter-nal Sense; and that '^Determination to'^he pleas'd with the Contemplation of thofeAffedions, Adions, or Charaders of ra-rtional Agents, which we call virtuous, heymarJts by the name of a Mo r a l S ei^sb.HI S principal T>efign is to Jhew,** 'T^hat human Nature was not left quki,

** mdifferait in the affair of Virtue, to* form to it felfObfermfions concerning** the Advantage ^ ifadvantagc ^y j^-'* tions, and according^ to regulate its ConduB!' Thewe^nefiofourRe^fmând the avocatitms arijmg from the ji^r^


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The PREFACE,fnity and Neceffitys of our Nature, are fogreat, that very few of Mankind couldmve fortrid thofe long 'T>edu[imis of Rea-fotty which mayjhewfome Actions to be inthe whole advantageous to the Agent, andtheir Contrarys pernicious. The A V t h o rof Nature has much better furnijh*d usfor a virtuous Conduct, than our Mora-lifts feem to imagine, by almoji as quickandpowerful InjtruEiions, as we haveforthe frefervation of our Bodys : He hasmade Virtue a lovely Form, to excite ourfurfuit of it ; and has given us ftrong Af-fections to be the Sjpriftgs of each virtuousAiion,THIS moral Senfc ^/Beauty />? Ac-

tions ^^^ Affedions may appear flrange atfirji View : Some of our Moralifts them-'felves are offended at it in my LordShaftesbury ; yS much they are accuftonfd to deduce every Approbation, orAverjion, from rationalViews


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viu The PREFACE.Mankind a Relifli j^r ^.Beauty mChzTac-ters,. /7;MaixnCi5 ? 1 doubt we have madePhiloiojjhy,. as well as Religion, hy ourfoolijh management of it, fo aujier.e andungainly u form,^ that a Gentleman cannoteafily bring himfelf to like it; ^.andthofewho are Strangers to it, can fcarcely hearto hear our "Defcri^tion of it : So,much isit changedfr0)71 "what, was onceahe. delightof thefineji Gentlemen among th. Antients,and their Recreation after the Hurry ofpiblick Ajfairs !

-, IN the firfl Treatife, the Author- /^r-ha^'s in fome Infiances has gone too far, infiipfofing a greater Agreement of Mankindin theirSQ^Q ofBQamy,rthan Experienceperhaps will confirm ; but all he is folli-citous about is, to floew, " That there is" fome Senle of Beauty natural to Men!'And wefind to the full as great an Agree-ment of Menmi their Relijhes of/forms,as in their external Senfes, which allagree to be natural ; and that Tleafure,. or^ahiy 'Tjclight, or Averfion are naturallyjoipJd to their Perceptions. If the Readerbe convinced offiich "Determinations oftheMind to be fleas'd with Forms, Propor-tions, r.efemblances, Theorems, it willhe'nodijfcult matter to apprehend anotherfiiperior Senfe natural to Men, determiningthem to be pleas'd with Actions, Charac-ters, AffecSlions. This is if/6^. moral Senfe

4 which


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The PREFACE.:' ^,which makes the Subjeii pfthe fecondTreatife, \.^ '{^^

; ,TMEproferOccafionsofTerception hy'the, external Senfes, occur to us as fooni^K-'Mc^ come into the Worlds and thenceperhaps, we eafily look ufon theje Senfes to^^ natural : but the Objects ofthejuperior'Senjhs j^ 'QQdX}X:y; and YixtViQ generally donot, it is probably fame little time beforeChildren do reflect, or at leaji let us knowthat} they reflect_ ufon^xoôitioi^ /m.d Simi-litude ; upon KS^Qdiions, Chara^^s,; Tem-pers ; or come to know the external Actionswhich ar Evidences ofthem,: And hencefw.e imagiiie that their Senie of Beauty, andtheir 'V^xA Sentimeajcs of Anions, mufibe entirely owing to Inftruîon .^x;?^ Educa-tion ; whereas it is full as eajy to con-ceiv^,. .bow a CharacSter, a^txsx^^âs foonas they are obferv'd^ may be conjiitutedbyNatu,ê the neceffary occajion offPlea-fure, dr an ObjeB of ApprobatioUi as aTafte or a Sound ; tho it be Jbme time be-fore thefe ObjeEis prefent themfelves to ourObfervation, .^^-^'^j'^

- : WE R E ' not the Author diffident ofhis own Performance^ as too inconfiderableto have any great Names mentioned in it^he would have publickly acknowledged hisObligations to a certain hoKXy (who/eMame would have had no fmall Authoritywith


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^ Tlic ptiefage:with the learned World) for admittinghim into his Acquaintance, andgiving himfome Reviarks in Converfation, which havevery much imj^rov'd thefe Papers beyondwhat they were atjirjl. The Author mighthave found good Materials for a modemdedication from the aBive parts of hisLifCy as well as from his Learning andRefleBion ; huf h0 knows him to be one ofthat fort^ \. S^: ,^

Cai thafe fi p^^e, recalcitrat undiqueturns ^.

jind therefore, when they come to hisHands again, he only repeats to him theold T)eaication with ivhich he firjl pre^fented them---^'^ ^''^^ .^"^ .^^ :"^Si quid ego acijtiVdro, curamve le-

vaffb.Si quas te coquat, aut verfet in ped^orc

fixa.Jam pretium tulerim f.

THE fame Conflderation hinders theAuthor from mentioning a Clergyman, towhom he was much obliged for revifingthefe 'Papers, and for fome valuable Re-marks, That Gentleman's CharaB^r isfurther known for every ^tality becoming

^ Hor. li^, %. Sat. 1. V. Id.;* rCiccro df StneffHtey in in'uio^


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The PREFACE. xihis Office, than the Author can wellpre-fume his Wafers ever Jhall be ; and there^fore he thinks he can do him no honour bymentioning him,WHATEVER Faults the Ingeni^

cms may fittd with the AutborV TPerfor*mance^ he hopes no body willfind any thingin it contrary to Religion or good Man-ners : and he Jhall be wellpleas'd if hegives the learned World an occafion ofexamining more thorowly thefe SubjeEis^which are, heprejumes, of very confide^r^Ie Importance. The chief Gromid ofhisAffurance that his Opinions in the mainarejuji, is thisy That as he took the firjlHints of them from Jome of the greatdftWriters of Antiquity^ fb the more he hasconversed with them, he finds his lUufira^tions the more conformable to their Sen*timents.

THE


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Ji. . . i i I M I .THE

Sedl. L f^Oncermng fime Towets-^ of:.U\ '^0.V.\^ Tercepim dtfimfifrom whativ vij" .generally underfiood by Seuiation.^ V : . Page ISecSfc. II. 0/original


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The COK'TENTST

Introduction. Page i 61]Sed:. I. Of the moral Senfe by which wej^erceive Virtue and Vice, and approveor di/approve them in others. 107

SecU:. II. Concerning the immediate Motiveto virtuous Adions. 12 j

Se


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The CONTENTS,Sedl. VII. A T>edufion of fome complex

moral Ideas, viz, of Obligation, andRight, Fer^ed, In^rfe


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/

Treatise I.Viz.A NINQUIRY

CONCERNINGBeauty, Order, ^e.


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O


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I

A NIN Q U I R Yconcerning

Beauty, Order, &c.SECT. I.

Concerning fome powers of ^ercej^tlon]dlJllnH from what is generally under^flood by Senfation.TO make the following Obferva-tions underftood, it may benecefTary to premife Tome De-

finitions, and Obfervations ei-ther univerfally acknowledged, or fiifRcient-ly prov'd by many Writers both ancient andmodern, concerning our Perceptions calledSenfations, and the Adions of the Mindeonfequent upon them.

^rt, I. Those Ideas that are raised inthe Mind upon the prefence of external Ob*B jefts^


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i ^;i I N Q.U I R Y concerningSed. ijeds, and their ading upon our Bodys, are'LOrv caird Senfattons. We find that the Mind

in fiich Calcs is paffive, and has not Powerdirectly to prevent the Perception or Idea,or to vary it at its Reception, as long asv/e continue our Bodys in a Hate fit to beaded upon by the external ObjecSt.

2. When two Perceptions are entirelydifferent from each other, or agree in no-thing but the general Idea of Senfation, wecall the Powers of receiving thofe differentPerceptions, di-fferent Senjes. Thus Seeingand Hearing denote the different Powers ofreceiving the Ideas of Colours and Sounds.And altho Colours have vaft Differencesamong themfelves, as alfo have Soundsyet there is a greater Agreement amongthe moft oppofite Colours, than betweenany Colour and a Sound : Hence we callall Colours Perceptions of the fame Senle.All the feveral Senfes ieem to have theirdiftind: Organs, except Feeling, which isin fome degree diffused over the wholeBody.

3

.

TH E Mind has a Power of compound-ing Ideas that were receiv'd feparately,ofcomparing their Objeds by means of theIdeas, and of obierving their Relations andProportions ; of enlarging and diminilhingits Ideas at pleaiiire, or in any certain Ratio,

or


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Beaut Yj Order^ e>c. ^or Degree ; and of confidering feparately Se6t. i ^each of the fimple Ideas, which might per- L/^VNJhaps have been impreis'd jointly in the Sea-lation. This laft Operation we common-ly call AbftracStion.

4. The Ideas ofSubflances are compound-#ed of the various fimple Ideas jointly im-prefs'd, when they prefented themfeives toour Senfts. We define Subflances only by e-numerating thefe fenfible Ideas : And iuchDefinitions may raife an Idea clear enought)f the Subftance in the Mind of one whonever immediately perceiv'd the Subftance ;provided he has feparately received byhis Senfes all the fimple Ideas that are inthe Compofition of the complex one ofthe Subftance defin'd : But if he has not re-ceived any of thefe Ideas, or wants theSenfes neceffary for the Perception of them,no Definition can ever raife in him anyidea of that Senfe in. which he is deficient.

'5. Many of our fenfitive Perceptioiisare pleafant, and many painful, immedi-ately, and that without any knowledge ofthe Caufe of thisPleaiure or Pain, or how theObjects excite it, or are the Occafions ofit ; or without feeing to what flirther Ad-vantage or Detriment the Ufe of fiich Ob-jeds might tend : Nor would the moft ac-curate Knowledge of thefe things vary ei-ther the Pleafiire or Pain of the Perception,B 2 how-


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4 ^n I N Q.11 1 R Y concerningSed I . however it might give a rational PleafiireO'^'V^^' diftind: from the fenfible ; or might raife a

diftind: Joy, from prolped: offurther Advan-tage in the Objedt, or Averfion, from ap-prehenfion of Evil.

6. H E N c E it follows, that when Inftruc-tion, Education, or Prejudice of any kind,raife any Defire or Averfion toward an Ob-jedt, this Defire or Averfion muft be found-ed upon an Opinion of Ibme Perfedlion, orof fome Deficiency in thole Qualitys forPerception, of which we have the properSenfes. Thus if Beauty be defir'd by onewho has not the Senle of Sight, the Defiremuft be rais'd by fome apprehended Regu-larity of Figure,Sweetnefs of Voice, Smooth-nefs or Softnefs, or Ibme other Quality per-ceivable by the other Senfes, without rela-tion to the Ideas of Colour.

7. The Ideas raifed in different Perfbnsby the fame Objed:, are probably different,when they difagree in their Approbation orDiflike ; and in the lame Perlon, w^hen hisFancy at one time differs from what it wasat another. This will appear from refledl-ing on thofe Objeds, to which we havenow. an Averfion, tho they were formerlyagreeable : And we lliall generally fin(i thatthere is fome accidental Conjundion of adifagr^eable Idea, which always recurs withthe Objed: ; as in thofe Wines which Men


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Beauty, Order, (isrc 5acquire an Averfion to, after they have ta- SecS. i ken them in an Emetick Preparation : In O^^VNJthis cafe we are confcious that the Idea isalter'd from what it was when that Winewas agreeable, by the Conjunction of theIdeas of Loathing and Sicknefs of Stomach.The hke Change of Idea may be infenfiblymade by the Change of our Bodys as weadvance in Years, which may occafion anIndifference towards Meats we were fondof in our Childhood.W E Ihall not find it perhaps fb eafy to

account for the Diverfity of Fancy in ourDrefi, and fbme other Affairs ; and yet thismay arife from a like accidental Conjundti-on of Ideas : as for inftance, if either fromany thing in Nature, or from the Opinionof our Country or Acquaintance, the fancy-ing of glaring Colours be look'd upon asan evidence ofLevity, or of any other evilQuahty of Mind ; or if any Colour or Fa-Ihion be commonly us'd by Rufticks, orby Men of any difagreeable Profeffion, Em-ployment, or Temper ; thefe additionalIdeas may recur conftantly with that of theColour or Fafhion, and caufe a conftant Dif^Jike to them in thofe who join the additio-nal Ideas, altho the Colour or Form be noway difagreeable of themfelves, and actu-ally do pleafe others who join no fuchIdeas to them. But there does not feem tot)e.aDy Ground to believe fuch a DiverfityB 3 ig


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6 ^ilNQUIRY concerningSed. I . in human Minds, as that the fame Idea orL/^^^ Perception Ihould give plealiire to one and

pain to another, or to the fame Perfon at dif-ferent Times ; not to fay that it feems aContradidion, that the fame Idea ihould dofo.

8. T HE only Pleafure of Senle, that ourPhilofophers feem to confider, is that whichaccompanys the fimple Ideas of Senfation :But there are vaftly greater Pleafures inthofe complex Ideas of Objeds, which ob-tain the Names of Beautiful, Regular, Har-monious. Thus every one acknowledgeshe is more delighted with a fine Face, a juflPidure, than with the View of any oneColour, were it as ftrong and lively aspofTible ; and more pleas'd with a Profpedt of the Sun rifmg among fettled Clouds,and colouring their Edges, with a ftarryHemifphere, a fine Landskip, a regularBuilding ; than with a clear blue Sky, afmooth Sea, or a large open Plain, not di-verfify'd by Woods, Hills, Waters, Build-ings : And yet even thefe latter Appearan-ces are not quite fimple. So in Mufick,the Pleafure of fine Compofition is incom-Earably greater than that of any one Note,ow fweet, full, or fwelling foever.

K . 9. Le T it be obferv'd, that in the follow-ing Papers, the word Beauty is taken for$he Idea rais'd in us, and a Senle of Beau-

ty


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B E A u T Y-> Order, ej^-c. /ty for our Power of receiving this Idea. Sed. iHarmony alfo denotes our pleafant Ideas '^^^""^arifmg from compofition of Sounds, and agood Ear (as it is generally taken) a Pow-er of perceiving this Plealure. In the fol-lowing Sections, an Attempt is made to difcover what is the immediate Occafion ofthefe pleafant Ideas, or what real Qiialityin the Obje


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8 ^/i I NQ U I R Y concirntngSed. I. ing at great diftances as any men whatfoe-^/V>^ vcr : And yet perhaps they fliall reiilh no

pleafure in Mufical Compofitions, in Paint-ing, Architedlure, natural Landskip ; orbut a very weak one in comparifon of whatothers enjoy from the fame Objeds. Thisgreater Capacity of receiving fuch pleafantIdeas we commonly call a fine Genius orTafte : In Mufiek we feem univerfally toacknowledge fomething like a diftind: Scnfefrom the External one of Hearing, and callit ^ good Ear ; and the like diftiu(5tion wewou'd probably acknowledge in other Af-fairs, had we alfo got diftind: Names to de-note thefe Powers of Perception by.

1 1 : There will appear another Realbnperhaps afterwards, for calling this Powerof perceiving the Ideas of Beauty, an In-ternal Senfe, from this, that in fome otherAffairs, wnere our External Senfes are notmuch concern'd, we difcern a fort of Beaa-ty, very like, in many refpeds, to that ob-ferv'd in fenfible Objedts, and accompany'dwith like plealiire : Such is that Beauty per-

. ceiv'd in Theorems, or univerfal Truths,in general Caufes, and in fome extenfivePrinciples of Adion.rr 12. Let every one here confider, how.different we muft fuppofe the Perceptionto be, with which a Poet is tranfportedupon tl^e Profpeca of any of thofe Objeds. ^ ^ ' - * of


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Beauty, Order, e^t. 9cf natural Beauty, which ravifli us even inSed. ihis Deicription ; from that cold lifelefs Con- v,-^v-vception which we imagine to be in a dullCritick, or one of the Virtuofi, withoutwhat we call a fine Tafte. This latter Clafsof Men may have greater Perfedion in thatKnowledge, which is deriv'd from exter-nal b eniition ; they can tell all the fpeci-fick Differences of Trees, Herbs, Minerals,Metals ; they know the Form ofevery Leaf,Stalk, Root, Flower, and Seed of all theSpecies, about which the Poet is often veryignorant : And yet the Poet fliall have a\^afl:ly more delightful Perception of theWhole ; and not only the Poet, but anyman of a fine Tafte. Our External Senlemay by Meafurino; teach us all the Propor-tions of Architedure to the Tenth of anInch, and the Situation of every Mufcle inthe human Body ; and a good Memory mayretain thefe ; and yet there is ftill fome-thing further neceffary, not only to makea compleat Matter in Architedure, Paint-ing, or Statuary, but even a tolerable Judgein thefe Works ; or to receive the higheil:pleafure in contemplating them. Since^hen there are fuch different Powers ofPerception, where what are commonlycalled the External Senfes are the fame ;fmce the moft accurate Knowledge of whatthe ExternalSenfes difcover, often does notgive the pleafure of Beauty or Harmony,which yet one of a good Tafte will en-

Joy


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1 o jin I N Q.U I R Y concerningSed. I.joy at once without much Knowledge ; weun/'^niay juftly ufe another Name for thefe

higher and more deHghtful Perceptions ofBeauty and Harmony, and call the Powerof receiving fuch Impreflions, an InternalSenfe. The Difference of the Perceptionsfeems fufficient to vindicate the Ufe of adifferent Name.

13. This fuperior Power of Perceptionis juftly called a Senfe, becaufe of its Affi^nity to the other Senfes in this, that the Plea-fure does not arife from any Knowledge ofPrinciples, Proportions, Caufes, or of theUfefulnefs of the Objed: ; but ftrikes us atfirft with the Idea of Beauty; nor doesthe moft accurate Knowledge increafe thisPleafure of Beauty, however it * may fu-per-add a diftin^ rational Pleafure fromprofpedls of Advantage, or from the la-icreaie of Knowledo;e,

14. And further, the Ideas of Beautyand Harmony, like other fenfible Ideas,are neceflarily pleafant to us, ^s well as im-mediately fo ; neither can any Refolutionof our own, nor any Profj3e(5l: of Advantageor Difadvantaoe, vary the Beauty or De-formity of an Objed: : For as in the exter-nal Senfations,no View ofIntereft will makean Objed grateful, nor Detriment, diftind;

See above. Art' \,froin


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Beauty, Order,


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12 ^/z I N QU I R Y concerningSed. I . Senfe of Beauty from Objeds, by whichV"V>-^ they are conftituted good to us, is very

diftind from our Defire of them when theyare thus conftituted : Our Defire of Beautymay be counter-ballanc'd by Rewards orThreatnings, but never our Senfe of it ; evenas Fear ofDeath, or Love of Life, may makeus chufe and defire a bitter Potion, ornegled: thofe Meats which the Senfe ofTafte would recommend as pleafant ; andyet no prolpedl of Advantage, or Fear ofEvil, can make that Potion agreeable to theSenfe, or Meats difagreeable to it, thatwere not fo antecedently to this Prolpedt.Juft in the fame manner as to the Senfe ofBeauty and Harmony ; that the purfuit ofliich Objeds is frequently negleAed, fromprofpedis of Advantage, Averfion to La-bour, or any other Motive of Self-love,does not prove that we have no Senfe ofBeauty, but only that our Defire of it maybecounter-ballanced byaftronger Defire : SoGold out-Vv^eighing Silver, is never adduc'das a proof that the latter is void of Gra-vity.

1 5. H AD we no fach Senfe of Beauty andHarmony ; Houfes, Gardens, Dreis, Equi-page might have been recommended to usas convenient, fruitful, warm, eafy ; butnever as beautiful ; And in Faces I fee no-thing that could pleafe us, butLivelinefs ofColour, and Smoothnefs ofSurface : Aodyet

no-


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B E A u T 1r, O R D E It, ((src. ! ;nothing is more certain, than that all thefe Sedt. i -Objeds are recommended under quite dif- ^*-^v^^,ferent views on many occafions : And noCullom, Education, or Example could e-ver give us Perceptions diftind: from thofeof the Senfes which we had the ufe of be-fore, or recommend Objeds under anotherConception than grateful to * them. But ofthe Influence of Cuftom, Education, Ex-ample, upon the Senfe of Beauty, we flialltreat below f.

17. B E A u T Y is either Original, or Com-parative ; or if any like theTerms better, Ab-iblute, or Relative : Only let it be noted, thathy Abfolute or Original Beauty, is not un-derftood any Quality liippos'd to be in theObjed, that ihould of itfelf be beautiful,without relation to any Mind which per-ceives it : For Beauty, like other Names offenfible Ideas, properly denotes the Per-ception of fome Mind ; fb Cold, Heat,Sweet, Bitter, denote the Senfations in ourMinds, to which perhaps there is no relem-blance in the Objeds that excite thefe Ideasin us, however we generally imagine thatthere is fomething in the Objed; juft like ourPerception. The Ideas of Beauty and Har-mony being excited upon our Perception ofIbme primary Quality, and having rela-tion to Figure and Time, may indeed have

^ See Art. 6, f Se&. 7,


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14 ^;zINQ.UIRY concerningSed:. 2. a nearer refemblance to Objedls, than theftL/^y\J Senlations that feem not lb much any Pic-

tures of Objeds, as Modifications of theperceiving Mind ; and yet were there noMind with a Senfe of Beauty to contem-plate Objedls, I fee not how they could becaird beautiful. We therefore by * Abfo-lute Beauty underftand only that Beauty,which we perceive in Objects without com-parifon to any thing external, of which theObjed: is fuppos'd an Imitation, or Pidhireluch as that Beauty perceiv'd from theWorks ofNature, artificial Forms, Figures,Theorems. Comparative or Relative Beau-ty is that which we perceive in Objeds^commonly confidered as Imitations or Re-lembiances of fbmething elle. Thefe twoKinds of Beauty employ the three follow-ing Sedtions.

SECT- ILof Original or Jbfolutc (Beauty.

r.O I N C E it is certain that we have'^ Ideas of Beauty and Harmony, letus examine what Quality in Objects ex-* This divifion of Beauty Is taken /row the different Totm-

dations of Pleafure as to our Senfe of />, rather than from theObjeSls themfelves : for mofl of the follovomg Injlances of re-lative Beauty haze alfo abfolute Beauty ; ay2d 7nany of the In-Jianccs of abfolute Beauty y have alfo relative Beauty in fomerefpect or other. But we tnay dijihitlly confider thefe tii'OFouf2tains of Pltafure, Uniformity in the ObjiH it felf andllifemblance to fome OrigmaL

cites


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Beauty, Order, ^c. 1Cites theft Ideas, or is theoccafion of them. Sed. i.And let it be here obferv'd, that our Inqui- ^^^^v^^ry is only about the Qualitys that are beau-tiful to Men, or about the Foundation oftheir Senfe of Beauty ; for, as was abovehinted, Beauty has always relation to theSenfe of Ibme Mind; and when we afterwardslliew how generally the Objedls that occurto us, are beautiful, we mean agreeable tothe Senfe of Men : for as there are not afew Objects, which feem no way beautifulto Men, fb we lee a variety of other Ani-mals who feem delighted with them ; theymay have Senfes otherwife conflituted thanthofe of Men, and may have the Ideasof Beauty excited by Objects of a quite dif-ferent Form. We fee Animals fitted for eve-ry Place ; and what to Men appears rude andfhapelels, or loathfom, may be to them aParadife.

1. That we may more diflincStly dilco-ver the general Foundation or Occafion ofthe Ideas of Beauty among Men, it will benecefTary to confider it firft in its fimplerKinds, fuch as occurs to us in regular Fi-gures ; and we may perhaps find that thelame Foundation extends to all the morecomplex Species of it.

3. The Figures that excite in us dieIdeas of Beauty, feem to be thole in whichthere is Vuiformitj am'idjl Variety. There

are


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\^ ^ri I NQU I R Y concerningSedt. 2. are many Conceptions of ObjecSts that are a*^^^v^^ greeable upon other accounts, fuch as Gran-

deur, Novelty, Sandtity, and fbme others^:that lliall be touched at * afterwards. Butwhat we call'Beautiful in Objedts, to [peakin the Mathematical Style, (eems to be in acompound Ratio of Uniformity and Varie-ty ; fo that where the Uniformity of Bo-dys is equal, the Beauty is as the Variety 5and where the Variety is equal, the Beautyis as the Uniformity. ;This will be plainfrom Examples. ^First, The Variety increafes the Beau-

ty in equal Uniformity. The Beauty ofan equilateral Triangle is lefs than that ofthe Square

(1709) the natural history of superstition

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