a ftruction from the mouth of ONE who was wifer than philosophers "If ye KNOW "these things, happy are ye if ye Do them:a Fere an inftruction which, with a clear and elegant precifion, divides moral science into its two diftinct and general parts- the Knowledge and the Practice. The former part, under the luminous precepts of the Gofpel, being a work of more obvious and eafy execution, and admiting of a more florid and popular display, has been cultivated by moralifts and divines with competent success of, while the latter, which d John xiii. 17. • Partiemur igitur ethicam in doctrinas principales duas ; alteram de exemplari five imagine boni; alteram de regimine & cultura animi, quam etiam partem georgica animi appellare confuevimus: Illa naturam boni defcribit, hæc regulas de animo ad illam conformando præfcribit. Baconus De Augm. Sc. lib. vii. cap. I. Hanc igitur partem (quando præftantiam ejus in animo recolo) in corpus doctrinæ nondum redactam, non poffum non vehementer mirari. Eam igitur, ex more noftro, cum inter defiderata collocemus, aliqua ex parte adumbrabimus. Ibid. Lib. VII. Cap. 3. See this part of morality opened by Lord Bacon, Propofuerunt nobis exemplaria bella et luculenta atque defcriptiones five imagines accuratas, boni, virtutis, officiorum, felicitatis, tanquam vera objecta, et fcopos voluntatis is to give it operation and effect, and which conftitutes the life of all morality, requiring a deeper investigation into particulars and a more philosophical research, has been at all times too much neglected. The neceffity of this part was seen and acknowledged by the Peripatetic, whose large and comprehenfive mind embraced the confines and marked the dependencies of all learning, and who gave a promise to defcend to the execution of the interefting work; which, however, does not voluntatis et appetitus humani: Verum quomodo quis poffit optime ad hos fcopos (excellentes fane et bene ab illis pofitos) collimare; hoc eft, quibus rationibus et inftitutis animus ad illa affequenda fubigi et componi poffit, aut nihil præcipiunt, aut perfunctorie et minus utiliter. Ibid. lib. vii. cap. I. Delegerunt fibi philofophi in ethica maffam quandam materiæ fplendidam et nitentem, in qua potiffimum vel ingenii acumen, vel eloquentiæ vigorem venditare poffint: Quæ vero practicam maxime inftruunt, quandoquidem tam belle ornari non poffint, maxima ex parte omiferunt. Ibid. * Δεῖ ἄρα ὡς ἔοικε πρῶτον ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς εἰπεῖν, τὶ τέ ἐςι, καὶ ἐκ τίνων γίνεται. οὐθὲν γὰρ ἴσως ὄφελος εἰδέναι μὲν τὴν ἀρετὴν, πῶς δὲ ἄν, καὶ ἐκ τίνων, μὴ ἐπαίειν. οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὅπως εἰδήσομεν τί ἐςι, σκοπεῖσθαι δεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τίνων ἐςὶ σκέψασθαι. ἅμα γὰρ εἰδῆσαι βουλόμεθα, καὶ αὐτοὶ εἶναὶ τοιᾶτοι. τᾶτο δὲ οὐ δυνησόμεθα, ἐὰν μὴ εἰδῶμεν καὶ ἐκ τίνων, καὶ πῶς ἄν. ἀναγκαῖον μὲν ἓν εἰδῆσαι τί ἐςιν αρετή. ὲ γὰρ appear to have been performed, unless very incidentally in his book of Rhetoric, in any of those works which have come down to us.' This is the philofophy of the human heart, which, by a nice and judicious fearch, enquires into its fecret springs and motions, and discovers the latent feeds of all those paffions and affections, which are the iffues and elements of moral life. This philofophy does Το γὰρ ῥᾴδιον εἰδέναι τὸ ἐκ τίνων ἄν, καὶ πῶς ἂν, ἀγνοοῦντα τὸ τί ἐςι, ὥςπερ ἐδ ̓ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπισημῶν. Ariftot Mag. Mor. lib. 1. cap. i. Επι i We have fome good ground to believe that he reserved this important topic of moral investigation to form the crown and conclufion of his poetics. Tres de Poeticâ libros confcripfciffe Ariftotelem memorat Laërtius — tertium (cujus interitum delemus maxime) wegì xadάgσewS, five xarop wows difceptaffe crediderem, h. e. de Animorum Purgatione a Pravis Affectibus, deque Emendatione Morum. Quem quidem apud veteres, Poetica Imitationis probe conftitutæ præcipuum ac proprium fuiffe finem, nil dubium eft. Sed quia, propter multiplices vitiorum formas, 'complura naάgoews illius capita fufiorem tractatum de'fiderarint; obiter illam fane nec nifi verbo tetigit Philofophus in Poeticis (cap. 8. in fine) ejusque rationem ad hoc opus, tanquam ad latiorem campum fufius ac figillatim explicandam retulit.' Goulft. in Synop. Aristot, Poet. See pp. 220, 221 of this volume. not reft in general fpeculation; but defcends to particular experiment and obfervation. It confults the native bent of every difpofition, marks the different tempers and characters of men, whether caft by nature or formed by art, and defcends to all the propenfities of fex, age, country, and condition of life. Thus every disorder of the mind can be traced to its diftinct and proper caufe; and a remedy can be applied, if any remedy can prevail : and thus, by a due correction and proper culture of the mind, fome affections can be promoted whilst others are fuppreffed, which will gradually extirpate the feeds of vice and cherish those of virtue; as the physician consults both the conftitution of his patient and the cause of the difeafe, in order to correct the habit, and to apply a successful cure, Still, however clear the conviction, and captivating the charms, of moral truth may be, men will both refift its evidence and difgrace its beauty. However they may embrace and honour Virtue in idea as leading to the greatest good, they will reject and dishonour it in practice; for Paffion, which is of a con a contrary intereft, will prove an overmatch for Reason, and prevail upon the WILL to cultivate apparent Happiness at the shrine of Pleasure. And this is the true caufe of ⚫ all that disorder and inconsistency in the life ' of man, which the Philosopher affects to admire, which the Divine laments, and for which the Moralift, could never find a cure.'! THE power of DOING, as well as the opportunity of KNOWING, we owe folely toHIM who not only gave the Inftruction, but feconded and illustrated that Inftruction by his own Example. MORAL VIRTUE never appeared on earth with that native brightness, or with those powerful charms, by which fhe is enabled both to convince the Understanding and to captivate the Heart, till brought down from heaven by ONE who "knew what is man;" who in HIMSELF prefented her in all Perfection, and can inveft her with all Power; who "opened his mouth in Parables" and Simili1 Warb. Divine Legation. tudes |