"The Poet is in the right to say, that the Mind is a Part of Man: for it is, indeed, the informing, but not an assisting Part, as a Mariner in a Ship, and a Coachman in his Box, as the Academicks believ'd."

— Lucretius Carus, Titus (94 B.C.- ca. 49 B.C.); Creech, Thomas (1659-1700)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by J. Matthews for G. Sawbridge; and sold by J. Churchill and W. Taylor; J. Wyat, and R. Knaplock; R. Parker, G. Strahan, and J. Phillips; B. Tooke and R. Goslin; J. Brown; J. Tonson; W. Lewis; J. Harding; and J. Graves
Date
1715
Metaphor
"The Poet is in the right to say, that the Mind is a Part of Man: for it is, indeed, the informing, but not an assisting Part, as a Mariner in a Ship, and a Coachman in his Box, as the Academicks believ'd."
Metaphor in Context
94. As Hands, &c.] The Poet is in the right to say, that the Mind is a Part of Man: for it is, indeed, the informing, but not an assisting Part, as a Mariner in a Ship, and a Coachman in his Box, as the Academicks believ'd: But he is grossly mistaken, when he adds; That it is as much a Part of Man as the Feet, the Hands, the Eyes, &c. are Parts of the whole Animal: For in this he makes no Distinction between the integral and essential Parts, as we term them: For the Integral, or integrating Parts, make up the whole Compound, inasmuch as it consists of Matter: thus the Head, the Eyes, the Hands, the Feet, the Legs, &c. constitute the whole Body: but the essential Parts make the Essence and Existence of the whole Compound: Thus Matter and Form; thus Body and Soul constitute the whole Man: But Lucretius believ'd with Epicurus, that the Soul is Corporeal: and so held it to be an integral Part of Man.
(pp. 207-8)
Provenance
Searching "the mind is a" in Google Books
Citation
Lucretius Carus, Titus. T. Lucretius Carus, of the nature of things, in six books, translated into English verse; by Tho. Creech, A.M. ... In two volumes. Explain'd and illustrated with notes and animadversions; being a compleat system of the Epicurean philosophy. Vol. 1. London, 1715. 2 vols. <Link to Google Books> <Link to ECCO<
Date of Entry
04/16/2011

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.