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It is easy, when we are describing these beauties, to be diffuse in our expressions, and to exclaim, as we describe, How charming! How exquisite ! &c. But the observation is just, as well as obvious:

Segnius inritant animos demissa per aurem,

Quam quæ sunt oculis commissa fidelibus. Hor. Art. Poet. 180. He, therefore, who would comprehend attitude in works such as these, must either visit the originals, or else contemplate them (as he may easily do) in models, drawings, and books of sculpture and painting.

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We shall find less difficulty in the works of poets, because these address us in words, and convey to us their ideas not through our language but their own. It is thus Virgil gives us an attitude of sitting in desperation :

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Ovid makes Thescelus, as he elevated a javelin, to be miraculously petrified in the very attitude of aiming:

Utque manu jaculum fatale parabat

Mittere, in hoc hæsit signum de marmore gestu.

Metam. v. 182.

More formidable is a similar attitude at Milton's Lazar-house :

Over them triumphant Death his dart
Shook, but delay'd to strike.

Par. Lost, xi. 491.

There are attitudes less tremendous, that mark reverence and humiliation.

Thus Shakspeare:

These crouchings, and these lowly courtesies

Might fire the blood of ordinary men. Jul. Cæsar, act iii. sc. 1. The lying, or being extended on some surface, is an attitude in most instances so connected with death, that death is often denoted by that attitude alone.

Thus Nestor, in Homer, speaking of the Greek commanders slain before Troy:

Αὐδάσοντι δ ̓ ἔοικεν ὁ χάλκεος, εἰς Διὰ λεύσσων,

Γᾶν ὑπ ̓ ἐμοὶ τίθεμαι· Ζεῦ, σὺ δ ̓ Ολυμπου ἔχε.

The brass looks up to Jove, and scems to cry,

This earth is mine; do thou possess the sky. Plut. de Vita et For. Alex. p. 335. edit. Xyland. See also Brodæi Epigram. Gr. 1. iv. p. 454. edit. Franc. 1600, where the lines here cited are introduced by two others.

f Those who dwell in the neighbourhood where these notes were written, may find excellent examples of attitude at Wilton house, (lord Pembroke's,) among the statues and basso-relievos there preserved; in particular, the Cupid bending his Bow; the Faun, who, as he stands, turns his body, and looks backwards; the figures in the Marriage-vase; the Amazon fighting, the basso-relievos of Meleager, of Niobe, of Ceres and Triptolemus, &c.

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Sleep, whom the poets deify, appears under a similar position:

Cubat ipse Deus, membris languore solutis.

Ovid. Metam. xi. 612.

It was perhaps from this resemblance in position, joined to that other, the cessation of the sensitive powers, that Sleep and Death were by the poets called brothers," and that the former upon many occasions served to represent the latter.i

If we pass from poets to actors, (by actors, I mean those of dramatic compositions,) we shall find that attitudes and positions make at least a moiety of their merit; so that though they are to speak, it is certain, as well as to act, yet it is from acting, not from speaking, that they take their denomination.

Nor are just positions without their use to that real actor upon the stage of life, I mean the orator. Demosthenes, in whom rhetoric attained its last perfection, was at first so unsuccessful, that he was in a state of despair, till Satyrus, a celebrated tragedian, shewed him the amazing force of action, by the different manners of repeating certain passages out of Euripides and Sophocles.*

And whence is it that positions derive this wondrous efficacy? It is, in fact, because the body is an organ to the soul; an instrument, whose gestures correspond to every affection, and are

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When sleep represents death, it is commonly marked with some strong epithet: by Homer it is called a brazen sleep; by Virgil, an iron sleep; by Horace, simply a long sleep; which idea the poet Moschus heightens by calling it not only a long sleep, but a sleep without an end; a sleep out of which we cannot be awaked.

Εὕδομες εὖ μάλα μακρὸν, ἀτέρμονα, νήγρετον ὕπνον.

See Hom. Iliad. A. 241. Virg. Æn. x. 745. Hor. Od. 1. iii. 11. 36. Mosch. Idyl. iii. 105. Even in prose-writers, when we read of persons being dead, we sometimes read that "they are fallen asleep," or that "they slept with their fathers." 1 Cor. xv. 6; 2 Chron. ix. 31.

It seems indeed to have been a custom with all nations, in instances of this sort, to mitigate the harshness of the thing signified, by the mildness of the terms that signify it: a well-known figure, called, in books of rhetoric, Euphemismus.

J See Cic. de Orat. iii. 56, 57, 58, 59. edit. Pearce; where it is worth remarking, (c. 59.) so much stress is laid on the management of the countenance, and of the eyes in particular, that we are informed the old men of that age did not greatly praise even Roscius himself, when he appeared in his mask-Quo melius nostri illi senes, qui personatum ne Roscium quidem magnopere laudabant; animi est enim omnis actio; et imago animi vultus est, indices oculi. * Plutarch. Demosthen. p. 849. edit. Xyland.

diversified by nature herself, as those affections are found to vary. Words move only those who understand the language; and even, where the language is understood, acute sentiments often escape the comprehension of unacute hearers. But action, spontaneously indicating the motions of the soul, is a language which not only the vulgar, but even the stranger comprehends. Every one knows the external gestures and signs by which, without teaching, both himself and others indicate their several affections; so that seeing the same signs recur, he readily knows their meaning, inasmuch as nature herself supplies the place of an interpreter. But to pass from these speculations to others more general.

The primary elements of Democritus were atoms and a void. As for the variety and the specific differences, which he found to exist in things, he deduced them out of his atoms; first by figure, as A, for example, differs from N; next by order, as AN, for example, differs from NA; and lastly by position, as Z, for example, differs from N, these letters in figure being in a manner the same.'

Thus position, according to this philosopher, stands among the principles of the universe.

A high rank this, and yet perhaps not an undeserved one, if, by attending to particulars, we contemplate its extensive influence. For not to mention the force of position in the different parts of every animal; not to mention the admirable situation even of subordinate subjects; the grateful variety of lands and waters, of mountains and plains; what shall we say to the position of the heavens above, and of the earth beneath; of the sun himself in the centre, and the several planets moving round him? If we carry our hypothesis further, and suppose (as has been well conjectured) that the solar system itself has a proper position respecting the fixed stars; and that they, presiding in other systems, maintain a certain position respecting the system of the sun; we shall have reason so to esteem the importance of this genus, that perhaps upon its permanence depends the permanence of the world.

Nor need we be surprised, though it be properly an attribute of things corporeal, if we discover the traces of it even in beings incorporeal. If the sensible world be an effect, of which the cause is a sovereign mind, all that we discover in effects we may fairly look for in their causes, since here its prior existence is in a manner necessary."

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Thus our own minds are not only the place and region of our Philoponus, in his comment, informs us, that these strange words were λέξεις ̓Αβ depucal, "Abderic words;" words used in Abdera, the city to which Democritus belonged.

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1 What others called σxua," figure," Democritus called ῥυσμός : τάξις, “ order,” he called diaonyn: and 0éois," situation," position," he called Tporn. See Aristot. Metaph. p. 11. 134. edit. Sylb. See also Lib. de Gen. et Corrupt. 1. i. c. 2. where

or

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See p. 228, &c.

ideas," but with respect to these ideas, such is the influence of position, that upon this in a manner depends our whole perception of truth. Let us, for example, invert the terms of a simple proposition, and instead of saying, that "every man is an animal," say that "every animal is a man ;" and what becomes of the truth which such proposition contained? Let us derange in any theorem the propositions themselves, confounding them in their order, blending them promiscuously, putting the first last, and the last first; and what becomes of the truth which such theorem was to demonstrate? It is lost, till the propositions recover their natural situation.

Tantum series, juncturaque pollet.

Hor.

Democritus, whom we have just mentioned, in order to shew the importance of arrangement in natural subjects, and the amazing differences that arise, where the change is most minute, ingeniously remarks, that out of the same letters are formed tragedy and comedy. We may affirm as confidently, that out of the same terms are formed truth and falsehood.P

The efficacy, indeed, of this intellectual position is so great, that through it not only the wise know, but the unwise become informed. It is by the strength of this alone that all teaching is performed; all learning acquired; that the simple and uninstructed are led from truths acknowledged to truths unknown," and thus ascend by due degrees to the sublimest parts of science. What then shall we say to that stupendous position, to that marvellous arrangement, existing within the Divine Mind; where the whole of being is ever present in perfect order; and to which no single truth is ever latent or unrevealed?'

If we would comprehend the dignity of position in this its * Καὶ εὖ δὴ οἱ λέγοντες τὴν ψυχὴν εἶναι TÓTOV Eidŵv: "Well, therefore, do they conceive, who say that the soul is the region of forms, or ideas." Arist. de An. iii. 4. p. 57. edit. Sylb. See before, p. 277, note 0, and p. 281.

• Ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν γὰρ τραγῳδία γίνεται, καὶ κωμῳδία γραμμάτων. De Gen. et Corrupt. 1. i. c. 2. p. 4. edit. Sylb.

P Simple terms are to be found in the several predicaments or arrangements here treated, being the first part of logic.

From different arrangements of these terms arise propositions; and from different arrangements of propositions arise syllogisms. Propositions are the object of the second part of logic; syllogisms, of the third.

There is no going further, for the most enlarged speculations are but syllogisms repeated. Such, then, in a logical and intellectual view, is the force and extent of the predicament of position or situation here

treated.

There is an order or arrangement peculiar to learners; and of course, with respect

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to them, the principle or beginning of knowledge is different from what it is according to the order of nature. Hence the following observation: 'H dè (ȧpxǹ) 80€ by κάλλιστα ἕκαστον γένοιτο· οἷον καὶ μαθή σεως, οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ πρώτου καὶ τῆς τοῦ πράγματος ἀρχῆς ἐνίοτε ἀρκτέον, ἀλλ ̓ ὅθεν ῥᾷστ' ἂν μάθοι: “ There is another species of beginning, and that is the point from which any thing may be done after the best manner; for example, in the affair of learning any thing, we are sometimes not to begin from what is first, and which is the principle or beginning of the thing itself, but we are to begin from that point whence any one may learn the most easily." Metaph. 1. iv. c. 1.

In the Meno of Plato there is a striking example of an arrangement of truths, which lead an uninstructed youth to the knowledge of a fine and important theorem in geometry. See the dialogue of that name in Plato, and Sydenham's elegant and accurate translation, enriched with diagrams. See before, p. 281, 296, &c.

archetypal form, let us view it at the same instant with something its perfect contrary: let us compare it, for example, to the sick man's dream, or to that chaos of ideas which fills the mind of one delirious. As we can find few situations more unfortunate than these latter; so we can conceive no one more respectable, or divine, than the former.

And so much for the genus or arrangement of position, which arises from the genus or arrangement of where, as this from the genus or arrangement of relation, both position and where being in their nature relatives.

CHAPTER XIV.

CONCERNING HABIT, OR RATHER THE BEING HABITED. ITS DESCRIPTION. ITS PRINCIPAL SPECIES DEDUCED AND ILLUSTRATED. ITS PRIVATION. CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND OR MIDDLE PART OF THE TREATISE.

THE genus of habit, or rather of being habited, is of so little importance, when compared to the other predicaments, that perhaps it might be omitted, were it not in deference to ancient authority."

Though it have respect both to habits which are worn, and to persons who wear them, yet is it not recognised either in the one or the other, but is a relation, which arises from the two taken together.'

Now as every such habit, as well as every such wearer, are both of them substances, the relation must necessarily be a relation existing between substances. It cannot, therefore, be the relation existing between mind and its habits, (such as virtue or science,) nor that between body and its habits, (such as agility or health,)" for these habits are not substances, but inherent attributes.

Again; it cannot be the relation existing between a man and his possessions; for though these are both of them substances, and though a possessor may be said to have an estate, he cannot be said to have it upon him; he does not wear it.*

The authority alluded to is that of the substantia; res habita fere est forma artiPythagoreans and Peripatetics. ficialis de quarta specie qualitatis; applicatio hujus ad illud est habitus hujus prædicamenti. Lib. i. c. 14.

Quod non ita intelligendum est, ac si res ipsæ, quæ sic habentur, sint hujus prædicamenti (puta vestitus ipsi, &c.) quæ ad alia prædicamenta spectant, sed habitio harum, seu ipsum habere, Tò exew Taura. Wallis. Logic. 1. i. c. 14. Soon after he explains habitio, and informs us it means, Vestitum esse, tunicatum esse, togatum esse, corona cingi, calceo indui, &c.

Sanderson in his Logic explains the predicament as follows: Corpus habens est

"Simplicius, when he gives the reason, why habit and the body habited cannot coexist, as substance and its attributes coexist, says, ovμquñ yàp taûtá čoti, kal avrò èkeivo: "for these attributes are connatural, [that is, grow with the-being,] and are the being itself." Simplic. in Præd. p. 93.

* Διὸ οὐδὲ τὰ κτήματα, ἢ ἀνδράποδα, ή φίλους, ἢ πάτερας, ἢ υἱεῖς κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ

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