FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65  
66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   >>   >|  
L500 to set up such a page in business. [Footnote 3: [Trick]] [Footnote 4: The Daemon or Angel which, in the doctrine of Immortality according to Socrates or Plato, had the care of each man while alive, and after death conveyed him to the general place of judgment (Phaedon, p. 130), is more properly described as a Guardian Angel than the gods of Epicurus can be said to pour storms on the heads of their worshippers. Epicurus only represented them as inactive and unconcerned with human affairs.] * * * * * No. 215. Tuesday, November 6, 1711. Addison. --Ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes Emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros. Ov. I consider an Human Soul without Education like Marble in the Quarry, which shews none of its inherent Beauties, till the Skill of the Polisher fetches out the Colours, makes the Surface shine, and discovers every ornamental Cloud, Spot, and Vein that runs through the Body of it. Education, after the same manner, when it works upon a noble Mind, draws out to View every latent Virtue and Perfection, which without such Helps are never able to make their Appearance. If my Reader will give me leave to change the Allusion so soon upon him, I shall make use of the same Instance to illustrate the Force of Education, which _Aristotle_ has brought to explain his Doctrine of Substantial Forms, when he tells us that a Statue lies hid in a Block of Marble; and that the Art of the statuary only clears away the superfluous Matter, and removes the Rubbish. The Figure is in the Stone, the Sculptor only finds it. What Sculpture is to a Block of Marble, Education is to a Human Soul. The Philosopher, the Saint, or the Hero, the Wise, the Good, or the Great Man, very often lie hid and concealed in a Plebeian, which a proper Education might have disinterred, and have brought to Light. I am therefore much delighted with Reading the Accounts of Savage Nations, and with contemplating those Virtues which are wild and uncultivated; to see Courage exerting it self in Fierceness, Resolution in Obstinacy, Wisdom in Cunning, Patience in Sullenness and Despair. Mens Passions operate variously, and appear in different kinds of Actions, according as they are more or less rectified and swayed by Reason. When one hears of Negroes, who upon the Death of their Masters, or upon changing their Service, hang themselves upon the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65  
66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Education

 

Marble

 

Epicurus

 

brought

 

Footnote

 

Matter

 

superfluous

 

Sculpture

 

Philosopher

 
Sculptor

Rubbish
 

removes

 

Figure

 
illustrate
 

Instance

 

Aristotle

 
change
 

Allusion

 
explain
 

Statue


statuary
 

clears

 

Doctrine

 

Substantial

 

Actions

 

variously

 

operate

 

Patience

 

Cunning

 

Sullenness


Despair

 

Passions

 

rectified

 
swayed
 

Masters

 

changing

 

Service

 
Negroes
 

Reason

 
Wisdom

Obstinacy
 
disinterred
 

delighted

 

proper

 

concealed

 

Plebeian

 

Reading

 

Accounts

 
Courage
 

exerting