work_id,theme,provenance,created_at,text,reviewed_on,id,comments,metaphor,dictionary,updated_at,context
7520,"",Reading; text from C-H Lion,2013-07-09 16:47:32 UTC,"It was heretofore the Wisdom of some wise Nations, to let People be Fools as much as they pleas'd, and never to punish seriously what deserv'd only to be laugh'd at, and was after all best cur'd by that innocent Remedy. There are certain Humours in Mankind, which of necessity must have vent. The Human Mind and Body are both of 'em naturally subject to Commotions: and as there are strange Ferments in the Blood, which in many Bodys occasion an extraordinary discharge; so in Reason too, there are heterogeneous Particles which must be thrown off by Fermentation. Shou'd Physicians endeavour absolutely to allay those Ferments of the Body, and strike in the Humours which discover themselves in such Eruptions, they might, instead of making a Cure, bid fair perhaps to raise a Plague, and turn a Spring-Ague or an Autumn-Surfeit into an epidemical malignant Fever. They are certainly as ill Physicians in the Body-Politick, who wou'd needs be tampering with these mental Eruptions; and under the specious pretence of healing this Itch of Superstition, and saving Souls from the Contagion of Enthusiasm, shou'd set all Nature in an uproar, and turn a few innocent Carbuncles into an Inflammation and mortal Gangrene.
(pp. 13-14; p. 9 in Klein)",,21574,"","""The Human Mind and Body are both of 'em naturally subject to Commotions: and as there are strange Ferments in the Blood, which in many Bodys occasion an extraordinary discharge; so in Reason too, there are heterogeneous Particles which must be thrown off by Fermentation.""","",2013-07-09 17:16:16 UTC,Section 2
7520,"",Reading; text from C-H Lion,2013-07-09 16:54:58 UTC,"Methinks, my Lord, it wou'd be well for us, if before we ascended into the higher Regions of Divinity, we wou'd vouchsafe to descend a little into ourselves, and bestow some poor Thoughts upon plain honest Morals. When we had once look'd into our selves, and distinguish'd well the nature of our own Affections, we shou'd probably be fitter Judges of the Divineness of a Character, and discern better what Affections were sutable or unsutable to a perfect Being. We might then understand how to love, and praise, when we had acquir'd some consistent Notion of what was laudable or lovely. Otherwise we might chance to do God little Honour, when we intended him the most. For 'tis hard to imagine, what Honour can arise to the Deity from the Praises of Creatures, who are unable to discern what is Praise-worthy or Excellent in their own Kind.
(pp. 41-2; pp. 21-2 in Klein)",,21578,"","""Methinks, my Lord, it wou'd be well for us, if before we ascended into the higher Regions of Divinity, we wou'd vouchsafe to descend a little into ourselves, and bestow some poor Thoughts upon plain honest Morals.""","",2013-07-09 16:54:58 UTC,Section 5
4103,"",Reading,2013-07-09 19:32:13 UTC,"Nor is it a wonder that Men are generally such faint Reasoners, and care so little to argue strictly on any trivial Subject in Company; when they dare so little exert their Reason in greater Matters, and are forc'd to argue lamely, where they have need of the greatest Activity and Strength. The same thing therefore happens here as in strong and healthy Bodys, which are debar'd their natural Exercise, and confin'd in a narrow Space. They are forc'd to use odd Gestures and Contortions. They have a sort of Action, and move still, tho with the worst Grace imaginable. For the animal Spirits in such sound and active Limbs cannot lie dead, or without Employment. And thus the natural free Spirits of ingenious Men, if imprison'd and controul'd, will find out other ways of Motion to relieve themselves in their Constraint: and whether it be in Burlesque, Mimickry or Buffoonery, they will be glad at any rate to vent themselves, and be reveng'd on their Constrainers.
(p. 71; p. 34 in Klein)",,21587,"","""Nor is it a wonder that Men are generally such faint Reasoners, and care so little to argue strictly on any trivial Subject in Company; when they dare so little exert their Reason in greater Matters, and are forc'd to argue lamely, where they have need of the greatest Activity and Strength. The same thing therefore happens here as in strong and healthy Bodys, which are debar'd their natural Exercise, and confin'd in a narrow Space. They are forc'd to use odd Gestures and Contortions.""","",2013-07-09 19:32:13 UTC,""
4103,"",Reading,2013-07-09 19:34:34 UTC,"Modern Projectors, I know, wou'd willingly rid their hands of these natural Materials; and wou'd fain build after a more uniform way. They wou'd new frame the Human Heart; and have a mighty Fancy to reduce all its Motions, Ballances and Weights, to that one Principle and Foundation of a cool and deliberate Selfishness. Men, it seems, are unwilling to think they can be so outwitted, and impos'd on by Nature, as to be made to serve her Purposes, rather than their own. They are asham'd to be drawn thus out of themselves, and forc'd from what they esteem their true Interest.
(pp. 116-7; p. 54 in Klein)",,21589,"","""They wou'd new frame the Human Heart; and have a mighty Fancy to reduce all its Motions, Ballances and Weights, to that one Principle and Foundation of a cool and deliberate Selfishness.""","",2013-07-09 19:34:34 UTC,""
7707,"",Searching in Google Books,2013-10-13 16:20:40 UTC,"[...] I cannot complain that I have not my Share of Friends of all Ranks, and such, whose Interest, Assistance, Affection, and Opinions too, in fit Cases, I can rely on. But methinks, for all this, there is one Place vacant, that I know no body that would so well fill as your self: I want one near me to talk freely with, De quolibet Ente; to propose to, the Extravagances that rise in my Mind; one with whom I would debate several Doubts and Questions, to see what was in them. Meditating by one's self is like digging in the Mine; it often, perhaps, brings up maiden Earth, which never came near the Light before; but whether it contain any Metal in it, is never so well tried as in Conversation with a knowing judicious Friend, who carries about him the true Touch-stone, which is Love of Truth in a clear-thinking Head. Men of Parts and Judgment the World usually gets hold of, and by a great Mistake (that their Abilities of Mind are lost, if not employ'd in the Pursuit of Wealth or Power) engages them in the Ways of Fortune and Interest, which usually leave but little Freedom or Leisure of Thought for pure disinterested Truth. And such who give themselves up frankly, and in earnest, to the full Latitude of real Knowledge, are not every where to be met with. Wonder not, therefore, that I wish so much for you in my Neighbourhood; I should be too happy in a Friend of your Make, were you within my Reach. But yet I cannot but wish that some Business would once bring you within Distance; and 'tis a Pain to me to think of leaving the World, without the Happiness of seeing you.
(pp. 85-6)",,22961,INTEREST. USE IN ENTRY,"""Meditating by one's self is like digging in the Mine; it often, perhaps, brings up maiden Earth, which never came near the Light before; but whether it contain any Metal in it, is never so well tried as in Conversation with a knowing judicious Friend, who carries about him the true Touch-stone, which is Love of Truth in a clear-thinking Head.""",Metal,2013-10-13 16:20:40 UTC,""
7709,"",Searching in Google Books,2013-10-13 16:44:40 UTC,"I am asham'd to receive so many Thanks for having done so little for a Man who came recommended to me by you. I had so little Opportunity to shew the Civility I would have done to Mr. Burridge, that I should not know how to excuse it to you or him, were not he himself a Witness of the perpetual Hurry I was in all the Time I was then in Town. I doubt not at all of his Performance in the Translation of my Book he has undertaken. He has Understanding, and Latin, much beyond those who usually meddle with such Works: And I am so well satisfied, both of his Ability, and your Care, that the sending me a Specimen, I shall look on as more than needs. As to a Treatise of Morals, I must own to you that you are not the only Persons (you and Mr. Burridge I mean) who have been for putting me upon it; neither have I wholly laid by the Thoughts of it. Nay, I so far incline to comply with your Desires, that I every now and then lay by some Materials for it, as they occasionally occur in the Rovings of my Mind. But when I consider that a Book of Offices, as you call it, ought not to be slightly done, especially by me, after what I have said of that Science in my Essay, Nonumque prematur in annum, is a Rule more necessary to be observed in a Subject of that Consequence, than in any Thing Horace speaks of; I am in doubt whether it would be prudent, in one of my Age and Health, not to mention other Disabilities in me, to set about it. Did the World want a Rule, I confess there could be no Work so necessary, nor so commendable. But the Gospel contains so perfect a Body of Ethicks, that Reason may be excused from that Enquiry, since she may find Man's Duty clearer and easier in Revelation than in her self. Think not this the Excuse of a lazy Man, though it be perhaps of one, who having a sufficient Rule for his Actions, is content therewith, and thinks he may, perhaps, with more Profit to himself, employ the little Time and Strength he has in other Re-searches, wherein he finds himself more in the dark.
(pp. 113-114)",,22964,"","""Nay, I so far incline to comply with your Desires, that I every now and then lay by some Materials for it, as they occasionally occur in the Rovings of my Mind.""","",2013-10-13 16:44:40 UTC,""
7710,"",Searching in Google Books,2013-10-13 16:48:21 UTC,"[...] I never have any Thoughts working in my Head, or any new Project start in my Mind, but my Wishes carry me immediately to you, and I desire to lay them before you. You may justly think this carries a pretty severe Reflection on my Country, or my self, that in it I have not a Friend to communicate my Thoughts with. I cannot much complain of want of Friends to other Purposes: But a Man with whom one can freely seek Truth, without any Regard to old or new, fashionable or not fashionable, but Truth merely for Truth's sake, is what is scarce to be found in an Age; and such an one I take you to be. Do but think then what a Pleasure, what an Advantage it would be to me, to have you by me, who have so much Thought, so much Clearness, so much Penetration, all directed to the same Aim which I propose to my self, in all the Ramblings of my Mind. I, on this Occasion, mention only the Wants that I daily feel, which makes me not so often speak of the other Advantages I mould receive from the Communication of your own Notions, as well as from the Correction of mine. But with this Repining I trouble you too much, and for the Favours I receive from you thank you too little, and rejoice not enough in having such a Friend, though at a distance.
(p. 174)",,22965,"","""Do but think then what a Pleasure, what an Advantage it would be to me, to have you by me, who have so much Thought, so much Clearness, so much Penetration, all directed to the same Aim which I propose to my self, in all the Ramblings of my Mind.""","",2013-10-13 16:48:21 UTC,""