Elements of Morals Part 38

[108] Plato, Republic, i., ii.

[109] See his _De Officiis_, i., iv.

[110] It might be called _sensibility_, in the sense this word had in the XVIII. century. It is not enough to be human toward others, one owes some feeling to one's self also.

[111] Nicomachean Ethics, VI., ii.

[112] Ibid., VI., xii.

[113] Nicomachean Ethics, VI., ii.

[114] We do not mean by this that science cannot be a means of livelihood: nothing more legitimate, on the contrary. We only mean that it is not that alone.

[115] See also the admirable pa.s.sage of Augustin Thierry in the preface to _Dix ans d'etude_.

[116] "Answer me, ye ill.u.s.trious philosophers, ye through whom we know what are the causes which attract bodies to a vacuum; what are in the revolutions of the planets, the relations of the s.p.a.ces they travel over at equal periods ... how man sees everything in G.o.d; how the soul and the body correspond to each other without inter-communication, like two clocks.... Even though you had not taught us any of these things, should we be less numerous, less flouris.h.i.+ng, more depraved?" This pa.s.sage recalls vividly that of Malebranche quoted above. What, however, is most curious about it is that Rousseau in his criticism appropriates Malebranche's hypothesis.

[117] "Good sense is the best distributed thing in the world," says Descartes at the beginning of his _Discours de la Methode_.

[118] Unless, of course, pa.s.sion itself implies a duty superior to self-interest: which is not the case here.

[119] See Burlamaqui, _Droit naturel_, part I., ch. vi.

[120] See the celebrated lines in the _Misanthrope_, act ii., sc. v.

[121] _Virtus_ in Latin has both meanings.

[122] Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by R. W. Browne, III., vi.

[123] This idea of Aristotle may be questioned; for, in a sudden peril, one may be sustained by a natural impulse, and the feeling of self-defense, whilst antic.i.p.ated peril allows all the impressions of fear to grow: it requires, therefore, a greater effort to overcome them.

[124] _De Officiis_, I., xxiii.

[125] See Xenophon's _Memorabilia of Socrates_, I., i.

[126] _Discours de la Methode_, part III.

[127] The Works of Epictetus. T. W. Higginson's translation, ch. vi., p.

21.

[128] The Works of Epictetus. T. W. Higginson's translation, ch. xv., page 139.

[129] Latin, _gyrus_, the ring in which colts are driven round by horse-breakers.

[130] Cicero, _De Officiis_, I., xxvi.

[131] Plato's _Republic_, I., iv.: A man deserves to be called courageous when that part of his soul in which anger resides obeys the commands of reason.

[132] Aristotle, _Nicomachean Ethics_, R. W. Browne's transl., IV., v.

[133] Plato's _Republic_, I., iv.

[134] Anger is still n.o.bler when provoked by injustice done to others.

[135] Aristotle, _Nicomachean Ethics_, IV., v.

[136] Kant, _Doctrine de la Vertu_, _trad. franc._, p. 96.

[137] Moliere's _Tartufe_.

[138]

And shall I speak of Iris, loved and praised by all?

Ah! what heart! ah! what heart! humanity itself!

A wounded b.u.t.terfly calls forth the truest tears!

Ah, yes; but when to death poor Lally is condemned, And to the block is dragged, a spectacle to all, Iris will be the first to go to the dread feast, And buy herself the joy to see his dear head fall.

GILBERT, _le Dix-Huitieme Siecle_.

[139] _Lettre sur la metaphysique_, lettre II., chap. ix.

[140] Metaphysics is the science which treats of what is beyond and above nature. We call _metaphysical_ such attributes of G.o.d by which he surpa.s.ses nature; as, for instance, infinitude, immensity; the moral attributes, on the contrary, are those which have their a.n.a.logies in the human soul, such as kindness, wisdom, etc.

[141] V. Cousin, _Le Vrai, le Beau et le Bien_, xvi{e} _lecon_.

[142] See _Dictionnaire de l'Academie francaise_ (7{e} edition, 1878): "_Veneration_, respect for holy things. It is also said of the respectful esteem in which certain persons are held."

[143] A postulate is a truth which, although it cannot be rigorously demonstrated should, nevertheless, by reason of the necessity of its consequences, be practically admitted.

[144] Kant, _Critique de la raison pratique_, II., ii. Trad. de J. Barni, p. 334.

[145] _Critique de la raison pratique_; trad. fr., p. 363.

[146] Jules Simon, _La Liberte de Conscience_, 4{e} lecon (Paris, 1857).--We have borrowed some few pa.s.sages of another book of the same author, _La Liberte_ (Vol. ii., 4{e}, part 1, ch. 1).

[147] Fenelon. _Lettres sur la metaphysique et la religion._ Letter II., ch. i.

[148] The works of Epictetus. T. W. Higginson's transl., I., xvi.

[149] _De Augmentis Scientiarum_, III., i. and iii.

[150] Kant, _Anthropologie_. Trad. franc. de Tissot, p. 27.

[151] Kant gives ingenious examples of these three degrees of action. See his _Anthropologische charakteristik_.

[152] Aristotle's _Rhetoric_, book II., ch. xii., xiii., xiv., Bohn's translation.

[153] Psychology is the science which treats of the faculties and operations of the soul.