Of wisdom three books / written originally in French by the Sieur de Charron ; with an account of the author, made English by George Stanhope ...

The Passions and Affections.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Passions of the Mind are a very large and copious Subject, furnish great variety of Mat∣ter for Reflection, and are one of the most consi∣derable Topicks in all this Treatise of Wisdom: And, upon this occasion, we are to observe, that the first Step to be made in this Branch of it, is to learn the true Nature of the Passions, and how to distinguish them from each other, which shall be taught you here in the First Book: And then, for the Remedies of Cure, by which they are to be curb'd, controul'd, and brought within due Bounds, such of them as are general, will be laid down in the Second; And those that are proper for each Passion in particular, will be directed and specify'd accordingly in the Third Book. This Method being most agreeable to that Scheme of the whole Work, drawn out in the Preface.

Now in order to attaining to a clear and distinct Knowledge of them at present, I design to employ one Chapter in treating of the Passions in general, and then to speak of each Passion singly in the Chapters

that follow. But before I enter upon That, I think my self oblig'd in Justice to declare, that of all the Authors I have seen, none hath represented this Matter more copiously, and to the Life, than the Sicur de Vaux in his Moral Tracts; to whom I have been much beholding, and have borrow'd a great deal from thence, of what I shall say upon this Subject of the Passions.