The passions of the soule in three books the first, treating of the passions in generall, and occasionally of the whole nature of man. The second, of the number, and order of the passions, and the explication of the six primitive ones. The third, of particular passions. By R. des Cartes. And translated out of French into English.

The 46th Article. What is the reason that hinders the Soul from disposing her Passions totally.

NOw, there is a peculiar reason why the Soul cannot suddenly alter or stop her Passions: which gave me occasion to put formerly in their definition, that they are not only caused, but so∣mented, and fortified by some peculiar motion of the spirits; the reason is, they are almost all coupled with some emotion made in the heart, and consequently in all the blood, and spirits too, so that till this emotion cease, they remain pre∣sent in our thoughts, just as sensible objects are present in them, while they act against the or∣gans of our senses; and as the Soul being very sattentive on any other thing, may choose whe∣ther shewill hear a little noise, or feel a little pain or no, but cannot keep her self from hear∣ing

thunder, or feeling fire that burns the hand: so shee may easily overcome the smaller Passions, but not the violentest, and strongest, untill after the emotion of the blood and spirits is allayed. The most the Will can doe, while this emotion is in its full strength, is not to consent to its effects; and to restrain divers motions whereunto it dis∣poses the body. For example; if wrath makes me lift up my hand to strike, the Will can usually restrain it: if fear incites my legs to fly, the Will can stop them: and so of the rest.