tain.---Admission of Ideas, some by a single sense, some by two, others by every way of Sensation and Reflection. Instance in a person born blind, he has no ideas of Light and Colours; but he has those of Figure, Motion, Extension, and Space, (objects both of the sight and touch). Third sort, those which make their entrance into the mind by every channel alike; as Pleasure, and Pain, Power, Existence, Unity, and Succession. Properties of Bodies, whereby they make themselves known to us. Primary qualities: Magnitude, Solidity, Mobility, Texture, and Figure. *** DE PRINCIPIIS COGITANDI. LIBER PRIMUS. AD FAVONIUM. * UNDE Animus scire incipiat: quibus inchoet orsa Principiis seriem rerum, tenuemque catenam Ira, Dolor, Metus, & Curæ nascantur inanes, 5 * Plan of the Poem. + Invocation to Mr. Locke. Si quà primus iter monstras, vestigia conor Signare incertâ, tremulâque insistere plantâ. * Quin potius duc ipse (potes namque omnia) sanctum. 10 Ad limen, (si ritè adeo, si pectore puro,) Obscuræ reserans Naturæ ingentia claustra. Tu cæcas rerum causas, fontemque feverum Pande, Pater; tibi enim, tibi, veri magne Sacerdos, Quanquam parva, dabunt. Lætum vel amabile quicquid 21 Usquam oritur, trahit hinc ortum; nec surgit ad auras, Dulce & amicitiæ vinclum: Sapientia dia Hinc roseum accendit lumen, vultuque sereno * It has been already observed in the Note on Let. 17. Sect. I. p. 172, that Mr. Gray's Hexameters, besides having the variety of Virgil's Pauses, closed also with his Elisions, For Virgil, as an attentive reader will immediately perceive, generally introduces one Elision, and not unfrequently more, into those Lines which terminate the Sense. This gives to his Versification its last and most exquisite grace, and leaves the ear fully satisfied. Mr. Gray could not fail to observe, and of course to aim at this happy effect of Elisions in a concluding Line; of which the present Poem, in particular, affords indubitable and and abundant proofs. + Use and Extent of the Subject. Humanas aperit mentes, nova gaudia monstrans, * Principio, ut magnum fœdus Natura creatrix Perfluit; assidué externis quæ concita plagis, Mobilis, incussique fidelis nuntia motûs, Ad superas hominis sedes, arcemque cerebri. 25 30 35 40 45 * Union of the Soul and Body. + Office of the nervous System. * Mens animi: hanc circum coëunt, densoque feruntur Agmine notitiæ, simulacraque tenuia rerum: Ecce autem naturæ ingens aperitur imago 51 55 Ac uti longinquis descendunt montibus amnes Velivolus Tamisis, flaventisque Indus arenæ, Euphratesque, Tagusque, & opimo flumine Ganges, Undas quisque suas volvens, cursuque sonoro In mare prorumpunt: hos magno acclinis in antro Excipit Oceanus, natorumque ordine longo Dona recognoscit venientûm, ultròque serenat Cæruleam faciem, & diffuso marmore ridet. Haud aliter species properant se inferre novellæ Certatim menti, atque aditus quino agmine complent. + Primas tactus agit partes, primusque minutæ Laxat iter cæcum turbæ, recipitque ruentem. Non idem huic modus est, qui fratribus: amplius ille Imperium affectat senior, penitusque medullis, Visceribusque habitat totis, pellîsque recentem Funditur in telam, & latè per stamina vivit. 60 65 Necdum etiam matris puer eluctatus ab alvo 70 Multiplices solvit tunicas, & vincula rupit; Sopitus molli somno, tepidoque liquore Circumfusus adhuc: tactus tamen aura lacessit Sensation, the Origin of our Ideas. + The Touch, our first and most extensive Sense. Jamdudum levior sensus, animamque reclusit. Idque magis simul, ac solitum blandumque calorem 75 Frigore mutavit cœli, quod verberat acri Impete inassuetos artus: tum sævior adstat, Humanææque comes vitæ Dolor excipit; ille 80 85 90 Formarumque chorus sequitur, Motusque decentes. At caput invisum Stygiis Nox atra tenebris Abdidit, horrendæque simul Formidinis ora, Undique Lætitiâ florent mortalia corda, Purus & arridet largis fulgoribus Æther. Omnia nec tu ideò invalidæ se pandere Menti (Quippe nimis teneros posset vis tanta diei 95 Sight, our second Sense. + Digression on Light. |