CHAP. V. Subordination of Intelligence-Difference of Ideas, both in particular Men, and in whole Nations-Different Genius of different Languages-Character of the English, the Oriental, the Latin, and the Greek Languages-Superlative Excellence of the Last-Conclusion. ORIGINAL TRUTH ), having the Ch. V. most intimate connection with the su (a) Those Philosophers, whose Ideas of Being and Knowledge are derived from Body and Sensation, have a short method to explain the Nature of TRUTH. It is a factitious thing, made by every man for himself; which comes and goes, just as it is remembered and forgot; which in the order of things makes its appearance the last of any, being not only subsequent to sensible Objects, but even to our Sensations of them. According to this Hypothesis, there are many Truths, which have been, and are no longer; others, that will be, and have not Ch. V. preme Intelligence, may be said (as it were) to shine with unchangeable splendor, enlightening throughout the Universe every possible Subject, by nature susceptible of its benign influence.— Passions and other obstacles may prevent indeed its efficacy, as clouds and vapours may obscure the Sun; but itself neither admits Diminution, nor Change, because the Darkness respects only not been yet; and multitudes, that possibly may never exist at all. But there are other Reasoners, who must surely have had very different notions; those I mean, who represent TRUTH not as the last, but the first of Beings; who call it immutable, eternal, omnipresent; Attributes, that all indicate something more than human. To these it must appear somewhat strange, how men should imagine, that a crude account of the method how they perceive Truth, was to pass for an account of Truth itself; as if to describe the road to London, could be called a Description of that Metropolis. For my own part, when I read the detail about Sensation and Reflection, and am taught the process at large how my Ideas are all generated, I seem to view the hu man only particular Percipients. Among Ch. V. these therefore we must look for ignorance and errour, and for that Subordination of Intelligence, which is their natural consequence. We have daily experience in the Works of ART, that a partial Knowledge will suffice for Contemplation, tho' we know not enough, to profess ourselves Artists. Much more is this true, with respect to NATURE; and well for man man Soul in the light of a Crucible, where Truths are produced by a kind of logical Chemistry. They may consist (for aught we know) of natural materials, but are as much creatures of our own, as a Bolus or Elixir. If Milton by his URANIA intended to represent TRUTH, he certainly referred her to a much more antient, as well as a far more noble origin. -Heav'nly born! Before the hills appear'd, or fountains flow'd, P. L. VII. Sce Proverbs VIII. 22, &c. Jeremiah X. 10. Marc. Antonin. IX. 1. Ch. V. kind is it found to be true, else never could we attain any natural Knowledge at all. For if the constitutive Proportions of a Clock are so subtle, that few conceive them truly, but the Artist himself; what shall we say to those seminal Proportions, which make the essence and character of every natural Subject? -Partial views, the Imperfections of Sense; Inattention,' Idleness, the turbulence of Passions; Education, local Sentiments, Opinions, and Belief, conspire in many instances to furnish us with Ideas, some too general, some too partial, and (what is worse than all this) with many that are erroneous, and contrary to Truth. These it behoves us to correct as far as possible, by cool suspense and candid examination. Νήφε, καὶ μέμνησ ̓ ἀπιςεῖν, ἄρθρα ταῦτα τῶν φρενῶν. AND thus by a connection perhaps little expected, the Cause of LETTERS, and and that of VIRTUE appear to co-in- Ch. V. cide, it being the business of both to examine our Ideas, and to amend them by the Standard of Nature and of Truth (1). In this important Work, we shall be led to observe, how Nations, like single Men, have their peculiar Ideas; how these peculiar Ideas become THE GENIUS OF THEIR LANGUAGE, since the Symbol must of course correspond to its Archetype (c); how the wisest NaDd 4 tions (b) How useful to ETHIC SCIENCE, and indeed to KNOWLEDGE in general, a GRAMMATICAL DISQUISITION into the Etymology and Meaning of WORDS was esteemed by the chief and ablest Philosophers, may be seen by consulting Plato in his Cratylus; Xenoph. Mem. IV. 5, 6. Arrian. Epict. I. 17. II. 10. Marc. Anton. III. 11. V. 8. X. 8. (ε) ΗΘΟΥΣ ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡ ἔτι τ ̓ ἀνθρώπω ΛΟΓΟΣ. Stob. Capiuntur Signa haud levia, sed observatu digna (quod. fortasse quispiam non putarit) de ingeniis et moribus populorum et nationum ex linguis ipsorum. Bacon. de Augm. Scient. VI. 1. Vid. etiam. Quintil. L. XI. p. 675. Edit. Capperon. Diog. L. I. p. 58. et Menag. Com. Tusc. Disp. V. 16. |