An essay towards a real character, and a philosophical language by John Wilkins ...

Of HABIT.

* 1.1SUch superinduced Qualities, whether infused or acquired, whereby the natural Faculties are perfected, and rendred more ready and vigorous in the exercise of their several Acts, according to the more or less perfect Degrees of them, are styled by the name of

• HABIT, Endowment, enure, qualifie, Gift, Talent.
• ...DISPOSITION, Propensity, Proclivity, Promptitude, Proneness, Inclination, readiness, given to, addiction, fitness, aptitude.

To the more general consideration of Habit may appertain

• Those States or Conditions of life which either reward or enable men for vertuous Actions; comprehending the
  • ENDS OR REWARD OF VERTUE. I.
  • INSTRUMENTS OF VERTUE. II.
• Those Qualifications, which, though they are not properly Vertues, yet do prepare for, and dispose unto, and, in other respects, circumstan∣tiate Vertue it self, both in the Habit and Operations of it, and are therefore styled AFFECTIONS OF VERTUE, either
  • INTELLECTUAL. III.
  • MORAL. IV.
• The Kinds of vertuous Habits, whether
  • INFUSED▪ ••••th Intellectual and Moral. V.
  • ACQUIR•••• INTELLECTUAL. VI.

* 1.2I. Those things which are due to the merit of ‖ Vertue or Vice, are styled

• REWARD, Guerdon, Meed, Prize, Recompence.
• ...PVNISHMENT, Penalty, Penance, Iudgment, Plague, Vengeance, inflict, suffer, impunity, scotfree.

These may be distinguished into such as are either more

• General; viz. that state wherein a thing injoys as much perfection as it is capable of.
  1.
  • HAPPINESS, Felicity, Bliss, Blessedness, Beatitude, good, weal, welfare.
  • ...MISERY, Vnhappiness, Infelicity, Extremity, Calamity, Woe, Distress, Disaster, Affliction, Tribulation, Trouble, Plague, Iudgment, Caitiff, Wretch, poor, pitiful, deplorable.
• Particular; relating to the reward of
  • Moral Vertue; in the enjoyment of those things that conduce to our bene esse.
    • ...External;
      3.
      • PROSPERITY, flourishing, thriving, auspicious, fortunate, hap∣py, good luck, success, speed.
      • ADVERSITY, Affliction, distress, tribulation, cross, disaster, infe∣licity, suffering, persecution, duress, fall, pressure, mischance, mishap, misadventure, misfortune, unfortunate, unluckie, un∣prosperous, inauspicious, sinister, dismal, ill luck or success.
    • ...

• ...
  • ...
    • Internal; ‖ quiet, or disquiet of the Affections.
      3.
      • CONTENTATION, Tranquillity, Contentment, Serenity, Hearts-ease, Equanimity, Sedateness, Rest, be satisfied, acquiesce.
      • ...ANXIETY, Discontent, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taking, dump, trouble, anguish, dis∣quiet, vexation, perplexity, streight, pinch.
  • Christian Vertues and Graces; consisting in an everlasting Vision and Fruition of God.
    4.
    • SALVATION, Beatifical Vision, Heaven, Glory.
    • ...DAMNATION, Condemnation Hell, perdition.

II. The INSTRUMENTS OF VERTUE, commonly styled the Goods of Fortune,* 1.3 requisite to the due exercise of the Acts of many Ver∣tues, and one kind of Reward belonging to it, do concern either

• Our Persons, and the being at our own disposal.
  1.
  • LIBERTY, Freedom, at large, deliver, release, inlar••e, set free, rid, dis∣patch, ransom, redeem, manumise, emancipate, give one his head, scope, arbitrary, undetermin'd, unconfined, may, may chuse.
  • ...RESTRAINT, confine, streighten, repress.
• Our Possessions; being either ‖ sufficient, or insufficient, for our occasi∣ons and conveniencies, according to that rank and station wherein we are placed.
  2.
  • RICHES, Wealth, Opulence, Pelf, Means, Fortunes, Estate, thrive, Treasure, make, enrich, worth, well to pass.
  • ...POVERTY, Necessity, Penury, Indigence, Need, Want, poor, empoverish, ruine.
• The sutableness of the things which we have or do, and that satisfacti∣on which we receive by them.
  3.
  • PLEASURE, Delight, Delectation, Enjoyment.
  • ...VNPLEASANTNESS, Grief, Trouble, displeasing.
• Our Names, and the esteem we have amongst good men.
  4.
  • REPUTATION, Credit, Countenance, Applause, Name, Honour▪ Vogue, report, Fame, redoubted, of Note, Glory, Renown, well-sounding.
  • INFAMY, Disgrace, discredit, dishonour, disparage, defame, discounte∣nance, shame, ignominy, Stein, Blot, Blemish, Slur, inglorious, illiberal, ignoble, notorious, ill reflexion, or sound, or name.
• Our Degrees, and the quality of our Conditions in relation to others; being either considerably above them, or below them.
  5.
  • DIGNITY, Promotion, Preferment, Advancement, Honour, Worship, Greatness, State, Port, Title, preeminence, upper-hand, High place, raise, exalt, illustrious.
  • ...MEANNESS, Lowness, Obscurity, Baseness, Vileness, ignoble, plain, abase, debase, degrade, Abjectness.
• Our Ability to protect our selves and others from injury, which is the usu∣al result or consequent of the rest.
  6.
  • POWER-full, Potent-ate, Greatness, Interest, Strength, Might, Puis∣sance, Mastery, Prevalence, Predominance, over-sway, rule-the rost, bear a stroke.
  • ...IMPOTENCE, weak, inconsiderable.

* 1.4III. AFFECTIONS of INTELLECTUAL VERTUE, may be di∣stinguished by their reference to those two Faculties in the

• Rational Soul, imployed for the gaining of Knowledge, viz.
  • Invention; which is ‖ rightly, or ••••••ongly disposed by
    1.
    • SAGACITY, Perspicacity, Sha••pness, Subtilty, Dexterity Wit, clear, quick, acute, searching, piercing, docil, towardly, apt, prompt.
    • ...DVLNESS, Stupidity, Heaviness, gross-witted, indocil, dreaming, Dolt, Dunce, Blockhead.
  • Iudgment; which is ‖ well disposed, by such a temper of mind as doth incline a man to assent unto things upon such evidence as is in it self sufficient, or ill disposed, by such a temper as inclines a man either to assent unto things upon such evidence as is insufficient, or not to assent upon such ••s is sufficient.
    2.
    • FAITH, Docility, Teachableness, Towardliness, Aptness.
      • CREDVLITY, Easiness, light or rash of belief, facil.
      • ...INCREDVLITY, Vnteachableness, Vntowardliness, Sceptical∣ness, Scrupulousness, Vnbelief.
• Sensitive Soul, which are apt to hinder us from Knowledge.
  • Phancy; which is ‖ well, or ill disposed by
    3.
    • SOBRIETY, discreet, grave, serious, staid, steddy, settled, sage.
    • ...CONCEITEDNESS, Affectation, Singularity, fantastical, vagary, wild, light, aiery, giddy, freakish, whimsical, hair-brain'd, brain-sick, Humorist, Opiniaster.
  • App••tite; which is fitly regulated by our being concerned for any Truth according to a due measure; and not either more or less then the evidence and importance of it, doth require.
    4.
    • MODERATION, Temper, Measure, Gentle-ness, qualifie, reduce to reason.
      • ...SLIGHTNESS, Slackness, negligence, remissness, Neutrality, frigid, cold, indifferent, unconcerned, slatering, superficial, cur∣sory, overly, perfunctory, faint.
      • ...FIERCENESS, Fanaticalness, vehemence, violence, eagerness, earnest, furious, heady, immoderate, dogmatical, Opiniaster, boisterous, rough, sour, keen.

IV. The Affections of MORAL and HOMILETICAL Vertues,* 1.5 do concern either

• The Temper and Frame of our Minds, as to their due
  • ...Attention;
    • For any kind of Advantage, or Expedient.
      1.
      • CONSIDERATION, Advisedness, deliberate, ruminate, fore∣cast, of or on purpose.
        • ...CVNCTATION, Loitering, Delay, slack, trifling, linger, lag, while off, drive off, put off.
        • ...RASHNESS, Hastiness, Temerity, heady, hair-brain'd, fool-hardy, cursory, headlong, precipitate, unadvised, incogitancy, inconsi∣derateness, presumption.
    • ...

• ...
  • ...
    • Against any kind of Evil, Danger or Impediment.
      2.
      • HEEDFULNESS, Wariness, Care, Cantelousness, Watchfulness, At∣tention, Intention, Caution, minding, circumspection, chary, vigi∣lant, cautious▪ shie, advised, aware, beware, intend, look to or about, see to, take heed, be thoughtful, take thought, take warning, narrow∣ly.
        • ...CARKING, Solicitude, Anxiety, over-thoughtful.
        • ...CARELESNESS, Heedlesness, incogitancie, negligence▪ slatering, slightness, lightness, supineness, inconsiderate, oscitation, overly, perfunctory, superficial, secure, unwary, retchless, cursory, idle, slothful, sluggardly, slubbering, dissolute, uncircumspect, hand over head, not regard, overslip.
  • Freedom and Readiness of our Faculties about any thing.
    3.
    • ALACRITY, Chearfulness, readiness, forwardness, with all ones heart, with a good will, free, glad, promptness, propensity, rather.
    • ...GRVDGING, maunder, murmure, mutter, repine, regret, querulous, go against, with an ill will.
  • Reality of our Intentions, sutable to our outward Pretences.
    4.
    • SINCERITY, Vprightness, reality, cordialness, heartiness, downright, honest, plain, simple, unfeigned, sound, clear, uncorrupt.
    • HYPOCRISIE, Dissimulation, double tongue or heart, hollow-hearted, feigning, false, counterfeit, sophistical, pretend.
• The Vigorousness of our Endeavours in the prosecution of fitting means.
  5.
  • DILIGENCE, Assiduity, Sedulity, Industry, Attention, Care, Labour, Study, instant, elaborate, ply, bestir, stickle, lay about him, earnest, in∣defatigable, take pains.
    • ...DOVBLE-DILIGENCE, overdoing, busie▪ pragmatical, fain, medling.
    • ...SLOTH, Idleness, laziness, carelessness, lither, loose, retchless, dreaming, Drone, Sluggard, Truant, loiter.
• The Vniversality required to vertuous Actions, in respect of the
  • ...Object.
    6.
    • INTEGRITY, Honesty, intire, equal, impartial, incorrupt, upright.
    • ...PARTIALITY, unequal, making a difference, accepting of persons.
  • Time of continuance▪
    7.
    • CONSTANCY, ••erseverance, Stability, Steadiness, stedfast, firm, fixed, sure, certain, resolute, inflexible, unchangeable, abide, persist, hold out, stand out, stay by, stick to, unwearied, indefatigable.
      • ...PERTINACY, Obstinacy, Contumacy, pervicacious, peremptory, stiff, wilful, inexorable, inflexible.
      • ...LIGHTNESS, Inconstancy, fickleness, levity, instability, mutabi∣lity, uncertain, unsteddy, unstable, unstedfast, unsettled, unstaid, wavering, divers, dodging, shittle, shuttle, slippery, variable, mu∣table, changeable, trifling, giddy, freakish, paltring, fast and loose.

* 1.6V. Those are styled INFUSED HABITS, to which the Divine favour and assistance is required after a more especial manner; which are there∣fore styled by the general name of GRACE, Gift.

To which may be opposed UNGRACIOUSNESS, Impiety, graceless, ungodly, carnal, wicked, sinful.

These are either

• General; consisting in
  • A change of mind from evil to good.
    1.
    • REPENTANCE, Penitence, compunction, relent, remorse, contri∣tion, rue, return, reclaim, renew, regeneration, penance.
    • ...IMPENITENCE, Obdurateness, Hard-heartedness.
  • An habitual frame of mind, whereby we are fitted for vertuous acti∣ons, and more especially for the Duties of Religion.
    2.
    • HOLINESS, Sanctity, Godliness, Piety, Devotion, Righteousness, Sanctification, sacred, Pureness.
    • ...VNHOLINESS, Wickedness, Iniquity, Impiety, Vngodliness, Pro∣phaneness, Corruption, Sin, Miscreant, graceless, Caitiffe.
  • An inlargement of Soul, to desire and endeavour public general good, and taking it off from being immersed in narrow selfish designs.
    3.
    • SELF-DENIAL, Christian Magnanimity, Generosity, Public-spi∣ritedness, Greatness of mind, Resignation.
    • ...SELFISHNESS, Narrowness, Pedanticalness, Littleness of mind, Worldling.
• Particular; styled Theological Vertues; respecting
  • Truth and Falshood; a readiness to yield an effectual assent unto re∣vealed Truths upon such grounds as their natures are capable of, and such as are sufficient to prevail with any such prudent teacha∣ble man as is free from any affected Captiousness.
    4.
    • FAITH, Belief, Believer, Creed.
    • ...INFIDELITY, Vnbelief, Miscreant.
  • ...Good and Evil.
    • Future; being an acquiescence of the mind in the expectation of such Promises as are revealed.
      5.
      • HOPE, Trust, Affiance, Reliance, Re••••mbency.
      • ...DESPAIR, Despondency, out of heart, forlorn, hopeless, past hope, deadness of heart.
    • General; wishing well, and endeavouring to be helpful and ser∣viceable unto all, according to the due proportion we are obli∣ged to by natural or revealed Light.
      6.
      • CHARITY, Love.
      • ...VNCHARITABLENESS, Maliciousness.

VI. Those are styled ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL HABITS which may be gotten by Industry,* 1.7 and tend to the perfecting of the Mind or Understanding. They are distinguishable by their

• Objects; being either
  • Speculative; furnishing the mind with due Notions and conceptions concerning the Nature of things, their Causes, Differences, Rela∣tions and Dependencies.
    1.
    • SCIENCE, Knowledge, Skill, Theory, Learning, Insight.
      • ...CVRIOSITY.
      • ...IGNORANCE, rude, untaught.
  • Active; denoting Skill in men and business, whereby we are inabled to judge what is fit and convenient, according to various cases and circumstances.
    2.
    • WISDOM, Prudence, Discretion, Sapience, wise, sage, politic.
      • ...CRAFT, Cunning, Subtilty, Shiness, Policy, Device, Quirk, Sleight, Fetch, Wile, Trick, sly, shrewd, Knave, Shark, Shift, come over one, over reach.
      • ...FOLLY, Fool-ishness, Simplicity, Silly-ness, Imprudence, Indiscretion, witless, unwise, absurd, shallow, Noddy, Ninny, Sot, infatuate, Foppery.
  • Effective; implying Skill in those several Operations and Works which concern Humane life.
    3.
    • ART, Skill, Dexterity, Craft, Cunning, Insight, Knack, expert, well-seen in, good at, artificial, Workman, Artist.
    • ...VNSKILFVLNESS, bungling, blundering, botching, fumbling, cob∣ling, slubber, smatter, ignorant, silly, rude, gross, jejune, inexpert, inartificial, awkward, Freshman, Novice.
• The manner of acquiring them; whether by
  • Our own Observation, and repeated Trials.
    4.
    • EXPERIENCE, Practice, Exercise, Knowledge, conversant, versed, expert, Experiment, Empyric.
    • ...INEXPERIENCE, inexpert, raw, to seek, Puny, Novice, Freshman, unverst.
  • The Teaching of others, either ‖ vivâ voce, or ex scriptis.
    5.
    • LEARNING, Literature, Scholarship, scholastic, Liberal Science, Skill, indoctinate▪
    • ...VNLEARNEDNESS, illiterate, unlettered, rude, simple.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. II.
• * 1.2

  I. RE∣WARDS OF VER∣TUE.
• * 1.3

  II. INSTRU∣MENTS OF VERTUE.
• * 1.4

  III. AFFE∣CTIONS OF INTELLE∣CTUAL VERTUE.
• * 1.5

  IV. AFFE∣CTIONS OF MORAL AND HO∣MILETICAL VERTUE.
• * 1.6

  V. INFUSED HABITS.
• * 1.7

  VI. ACQUI∣RED IN∣TELLE∣CTUAL HABITS.