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 51th Article. What are the first causes of the Passions.

IT is knowne by what hath formerly been said, that the utmost, and neerest cause of the Passions of the Soul, is nothing but the agitation, by which the spirits move the little kernel in the middle of the braine. But this is not sufficient to distinguish them from one another: it is necessary therefore to seek after their originalls, and examine their first causes. NOw, although they may sometimes be caused by the Action of the Soul, which de∣termines to conceive such or such objects: as al∣so by the meere temper of the body, or by the impressions accidentally found in the brain as it oft befalls that a man feels himselfe sad, or merry, not knowing upon what occasion: it ap∣pears

neverthelesse by what hath been said, that the same may bee excited also by the objects which move the senses, and that these objects are their most oridinary, and principall causes: whence it followes, that to find them all out, it is sufficient to consider all the effects of these ob∣jects.