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

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Passions in general.

[unspec 1] PAssion is a violent Motion of the Soul, in that which is distinguished by the Name of Its Sensitive part:* 1.1 And the Cause and Tendency of this Motion is, either to pursue somewhat which the Soul ap∣prehends to be Good; or to decline, and run away from something, which it apprehends to be Evil.

[unspec 2] But it is very necessary, and of great conse∣quence upon this Occasion, to be rightly inform'd how these Motions begin, and what it is that che∣rishes and kindles these Fires in us. Of This, se∣veral Accounts may be given, and different Com∣parisons made use of, to illustrate it by, according to the different Respects in which we consider them. And first of all, with regard to the sud∣denness and vehemence of their Emotions, it is to be observ'd, That the Soul, which, however seemingly multiply'd by Distinctions, is really but One and the Same in the Body, hath several Powers be∣longing to it; and These differ greatly in their Qualities and Operations, according as the several Vessels in which the Soul keeps her Residence,

and the Instruments she makes use of in dischar∣ging her Functions, and the Objects propounded to her Contemplation, are differently dispos'd. Now when the Parts, where the Soul takes up her Lodging, are not crowded or over-burdened, but filled in such Proportions as sute well with their ordinary Custom and Capacity, and such as are convenient for a due discharge of their re∣spective Duties, then all the Operations of the Soul are gentle and mild, sedate and regular. But, on the other side, when any of these Parts are either put into a swifter and more violent Moti∣on, or are heated above their ordinary and pro∣per Temper, then they immediately feel a consi∣derable Change, to the great Prejudice and Disor∣der of the Soul. The like we see in the Beams of the Sun, which, when scatter'd loosely with all that Freedom they naturally take in diffusing themselves, impart a moderate and gentle, a che∣rishing and kindly Warmth; but when contracted within the Concave of a Burning-Glass, they burn up, and quite consume the very things to which they gave Life and Nourishment before. It must be farther observ'd too, that These Parts are not always distributed alike; And from hence arises another Distinction, not only with regard to the Kind and Quality, but to the Degree of their E∣motion; and so they differ in the same sort, as their Violence is greater or less. Those Motions that are moderate, are capable of being relished and digested; a Man knows what he feels, and is in a Condition of expressing his Resentment in Words, or giving it Vent by Tears. But those that are excessive and extreme, are too big, and too mighty. They stun and take away our Senses quite, fill the Soul with Confusion and Amazement, bind up, and quite overbear her Powers, and disa∣ble her from acting.

* 1.2Slight Passions find a Vent, and Words command; The Fierce swell inward, Dumb and Stupid stand.

[unspec 2] Thus much may suffice, to give us some little Notion of the Passions,* 1.3 the manner of their Ope∣ration, and their Degrees in general. But if we now look upon them, in the Second Place, with Regard to the Viciousness, and Irregularity, and Extravagance; the Injustice and Unreasonableness these Passions are frequently guilty of; thus Man may not unfitly be resembled to a State or Com∣mon-Wealth, and the Condition of the Soul, to that of a Monarch, presiding over that State, con∣stituting several Officers and Magistrates under him, to assist in the good Government of such vast Mul∣titudes of People; giving particular Laws and Di∣rections for their Behaviour, and for the due Ex∣ercise of their particular Charges and Commissions; but still reserving to himself and his own Supreme Jurisdiction, the Cognizance and Determination of all Matters of great Weight and general Impor∣tance; and for the giving fresh and necessary Orders, commanding that all extraordinary Acci∣dents and Emergencies, should immediately and faithfully be reported to himself in Person. Now upon such a Constitution, and such Orders duly observed, the Peace and Prosperity of the whole Kingdom will depend. But if these be neglected and broken, and put out of their proper Course; If the Magistrates, which go between, and are a sort of Balance between King and People, shall suffer themselves, either to be imposed upon thro' Easiness, or Credulity; or corrupted by Favour or Assection; or if they shall employ their Authority

in acting contrary to the Established Laws, and Duties of their Places; or if they shall go beyond their Commissions, and come to a sinal Resolu∣tion in Causes, which they ought not to deter∣mine, without ever laying them before their Sove∣reign, who hath reserv'd the Hearing and Decision of all such Matters to himself in Person: In all these Cases, I say, the publick Peace is violated, the Establishment infring'd, the Prerogative incroach'd upon, and nothing but Mischief, and Misery, and Confusion can be the End of it. Now thus it is likewise in our Little World. The Understanding is King in Man; and under him is employed a Fa∣culty, whose Business it is to receive Idea's, and to make an Estimate of them; This is the Sub∣ordinate Magistrate, whose Office obliges him to examine, and to judge; The Evidence he goes upon, is that Report the Senses make of all things represented to them; and according to this Testi∣mony, and the Judgment in consequence of it, the Affections are by the same Faculty put forward, in order to execute this Sentence. For his Directi∣on, and Governance in the Execution of this Office, our Judge in Commission hath the Law, the Light of Nature, and Dictates of Reason to go by; and this, in ordinary Cases, is sufficient without a∣ny farther Formality: But if it happen, that the Affair be of great Moment, or if any Difficulty arise, then he must have recourse to, and know the Pleasure of his Superiour; and in this Case the Understanding, which sits Supreme, answers all Doubts and Points of Law, and expects to be consulted and applied to for Orders and Advice. This is the Scheme of our Government and Con∣stitution; and so long as Matters are thus managed, all is quiet and well. But it is our Great Unhap∣piness, that this Imaginative Faculty, (which is under the Intellectual, but over the Sensitive, and

to whose Jurisdiction the first Examination and Judgment of things belong,) often suffers it self to be bribed, corrupted, imposed upon; And the Effect of this is, First to pass wrong and rash Judg∣ment; then to set the Affections at work to very ill Purpose; and at last to disturb, and confound, and ruine All. Now several things there are, which may contribute towards the depraving, and disor∣dering this Power, in its Judgments and Operations: As first of all; The Senses themselves, which can∣not penetrate into the Bottom, nor comprehend the Real Substance, and hidden Nature of Things, but the bare Surface, and next Appearance of them only: And These make a Report to the Soul, ac∣cording to their present Apprehension; set before it the outward Images only, and that, so as may gain them Favour and Recommendation, and pre-pos∣sessing it with a Character of their Qualities, found∣ed upon the Satisfactions and Delights they are capable of administring to these Senses in parti∣cular, and not upon the Considerations, how Ne∣cessary, or how Advantagious they may prove to the whole Man in general. A Second Corrupti∣on, which often confirms, and strikes in upon the Neck of This, is the False Notions, and Unthink∣ing Cry of the Vulgar; when we look upon our seives oblig'd to Approve and Disapprove, as Others do; and when nothing is reputed needful to establish an Opinion, more than its being Po∣pular. From these two false Offices of Intelli∣gence, The Report of our own Senses, and the Voice of the People, proceeds a Rash Inconsiderate Opini∣on, which the Soul takes up of Things; and with∣out fair Tryal, or sufficient Deliberation, pronoun∣ces them, Good or Evil; Advantagious or Hurt∣ful; fit to be courted, or fit to be detested and avoided. And this is without all Dispute a very dangerous Guide; a very hot and hasty Mistress;

for as soon as ever we entertain it, without more ado it seizes upon the Imagination; and there standing upon its Defence, strengthens it self as in a Castle, Mans all the Works, and holds it out a∣gainst Reason; then it comes down to the Heart, and there stirs and agitates the Affections, with the violent Resentments of Hope and Fear, and Joy and Grief. In a Word, it is a perfect Incendia∣ry in the State, looks out all the Fools, and Dis∣affected in the Soul, and blows them up into Se∣dition; raises the Mobb, that is, the Passions, and sets all in an Uproar and Confusion. And all this by taking wrong Methods, going Headlong to work, and not submitting the Matter to the Understanding, as by the Nature of this Establishment, and the Duty of its Station, that Faculty was obliged to do.

Permit me to set before you another Illustration of this Matter by a Comparison taken from Military (as the former was an Allusion to Civil) Govern∣ment. The Senses answer here both to the Cen∣tinels, whose Post it is to watch, and be constant∣ly upon the Guard, for the safety of the Soul; and also to Scouts, who are to look out, and scour the Country, and bring in Intelligence to the Un∣derstanding, which is the Supreme Commander of the Soul. To qualify them for this Duty, They are endued with a Power, of perceiving things; di∣scerning and taking the Faces and Forms of them; and embracing or rejecting them, according as they appear Agreable or Disagreable, Delightful or Odious to them. But now in the Execution of their Office, their Business is only to spy out, and to report; to take Care, that their Intelli∣gence be True, and to bring it Faithfully, and relate it Plainly and Calmly. And they ought to satisfy themselves with delivering their Message, without tak∣ing upon them to disturb the higher Powers, or to sound to Arms immediately, and so put all into

Consternation and universal Disorder. And thus it often happens; that as the Centinels in an Army, may lie under Mistakes, because they are not ac∣quainted with the secret Designs of the General; and so receive Them for Friends, which are Ene∣mies in Disguise; and suspect those for Enemies, which are Allies, and marching to their Assistance; The Senses, in like manner, not being privy to all that passes above, and for want of consulting Rea∣son in the Case, are frequently imposed upon by counterfeit Appearances, and apt to take That for a Friend, which is, in truth, our deadly Enemy. And when they go giddily to work upon this Imagination, and without ever expecting Orders from the Understanding, fall on immediately, and alarm the Concupiscible, and Irascible Faculties; then they raise Tumults, and Mutinies in the Soul; and while these last, there is nothing but Clamour and Violence; the Voice of Reason can∣not be heard, nor the Commands of the Under∣standing be at all obeyed.

[unspec 4] Let us now in the next Place, observe their se∣veral Regiments and Ranks;* 1.4 the General, and the Subordinate Kinds and Divisions of them. Now we must know,* 1.5 That all Passion whatsoever, is moved by the Appearance, either Real or Imagi∣nary, of Good or Evil; what actually is, or what is by the Person apprehended so to be. If the Object be Good, and the Soul considers it as such, simply, and without any other Circumstances, this is that Motion of the Soul, which goes by the Name of Love. If to that Good, so considered as before, be added the Circumstance of its being pre∣sent, and the Man reflect upon himself, as in full Possession and actual Enjoyment of it, This is call'd Joy, or Pleasure; but if it be future and distant, then it is Desire. On the other Hand, consider an Evil Object, abstractedly, and merely as such, and

the Passion it stirs in us, is Hatred: If it be pre∣sent, and affect us sensibly, it is Grief and Pain; if some other Person labour under it, 'tis Pity and Compassion; if it be future and approaching only, then 'tis Fear. And This is remarkable, concern∣ing the Passions already named; that Those of them, which proceed from the Apprehension, or the Appearance of Evil, such as we run away from, and are possest with an Abhorrence of, do of all others sink deepest into the Heart, take fast∣est Hold of us, and are most difficult to be di∣spossest again. This now is the first Regiment of Mutineers, which disturb the Content, and break the Peace of our Souls, and these are quarter'd in that which is term'd the Concupiscible Part. The Effects and Disorderly Carriage of These are, it must be confest, of very dangerous Consequence; but yet they are not near so Outragious and Mis∣chievous, as those that we are going to mention. For these first Motions, formed here by the Re∣presentation of the Object,* 1.6 are afterwards conti∣nued, and communicated to the Irascible Part of the Soul, that is, The Place, where the Soul is active, and contriving Means to obtain what she apprehends to be Good; and to deliver her self from that which she apprehends to be Evil. And then, as a Wheel already in Motion, when a fresh Force pushes it, receives that Addition easily, and whirls about with wonderful Strength and Swift∣ness; so the Soul, which is already stirred and warmed with the first Apprehension, when a Se∣cond Attempt is made upon it, and the Coals are blown, flames out, and is transported with Rage and Violence, much greater than before. The Pas∣sions Then raised, ride higher; are much more fu∣rious and ungovernable; for now indeed they are double: The first have come in and joyned them, and thus they back and sustain one another, by

this Union, and mutual Consent. For the former Passions, which were the Result of Good or Evil in Appearance, considered in Speculation only, now fall in with the Practical Consideration of Means proper for the acquiring or avoiding them, and so excite in us Hope or Despair. And here, those that arise from the Prospect of a future Evil, pro∣duce in us, either Fearfulness or Courage; the Ap∣prehension of a present Evil, kindles Anger and In∣dignation; which are Passions extremely Furious and Violent, and such, as when they find the Reason once disturbed, confound and absolutely overturn it. These are the Principal Winds, that raise all the Storms in our Souls; and the Cavern (like that of Aeolus) where they are ingendred, and from whence they break loose, is nothing else but Opi∣nion, (And Opinion is most commonly a false, fleet∣ing, and uncertain Thing; contrary to Nature, and Truth, to Reason and Certainty) that is, A Notion we have, that the Things which are then represented to our Imaginations, are Good or Evil. Nor matters it much, how wild, and extravagant, this Notion is in it self, provided We do but give it Entertainment. For Men proceed not upon Realities, but upon their own Fancies; and when once we have taken a Conceit that a Thing is Good or Evil, we run after, or we run away from it, with as much Eagerness and Impatience, as if it were actually such; and yet it often, very often happens, that the Nature of the Object is directly contrary to our Apprehensions, and ought to move Resentments, just opposite to those we feel upon its Account. And such in general are our Passions.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Nature of these Passions comes next to be consider'd; and my Design in it is,* 1.7 to expose the Folly, the Vanity, the Misery, the Unreason∣ableness and Injustice, the Horrour and Defor∣mity that is in them; that so Men may be taught to know them as they are, and to hate them as they deserve. The Advices proper for preserving our selves from the ill Effects of them, will be deliver'd at large in the following Books. For the two Parts of a Physicians Business, you know, are first to shew the Disease, and then to apply sit Remedies. My present Care then shall be, to tell Men what they all, and where their Distem∣per lies; and for the Prescriptions they must wait a little longer.

Now of the several Passions here to be de∣scrib'd, those shall first be spoken to, which have a respect to the Appearance of Good, such are Love, and the several sorts of it; Desire, Hope, De∣spair, Joy, and the like. And after these we will enter upon those that are excited in us by the Apprehension of Evil, which indeed are very nu∣merous, as Anger, Hatred, Envy, Jealousie, Revenge, Cruelty, Fear, Grief, and Compassion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An Account of Passion; what and whence it is
• * 1.2

  Curae leves loquuntur, ingen••es stupent.

  Senec. Hippolyt.
• * 1.3

  Of the Vi∣••iaus Irre∣gularity in them.
• * 1.4

  Their Di∣stinctions.
• * 1.5

  According to the Ob∣ject and Subject. Six in the Concupisci∣ble Part. Three for Good, and Three for Evil.
• * 1.6

  Five in the Irascible; Two for Good, and Three for Evil
• * 1.7

  See Book III. In the Ver∣tu•• of For∣titude and Temperance