|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 6
[G] _Ingenium quasi intus genitum_.
[H] _Male respondent ingenia coacta; reluctante natur� irritus
Labor est._
There is a vast Variety of these Inclinations among Mankind. Some
there are who have no bent to Business at all; but, if they could
indulge Inclination, would doze out Life in perpetual Sloth and
Inactivity: Others can't be altogether Idle, but incline only to
trifling and useless Employments, or such as are altogether out
of Character. Both these sorts of Men are properly good for
nothing: They just live, and help to[I] consume the Products of
the Earth, but answer no valuable End of Living, out of
Inclination I mean; Providence and good Government have sometimes
made them serviceable against it.
[I] _Fruges consumere nati_. Horat.
The better, and in Truth only valuable, Part of Mankind, have a
Turn for one sort of Business or other, but with great variety of
Taste. Some are addicted to deep Thought and Contemplation: Some
to the abstracted Speculations of Metaphysicks; some to the
evident Demonstrations of the Mathematicks; some to the History
of Nature, built upon true Narration, or accurate Observations
and Experiments: Some to the Invention of _Hypotheses_, to solve
the various _Phenomena_. Some affect the study of Languages,
Criticism, Oratory, Poetry, and such like Studies. Some have a
Taste for Musick, some for History and those Sciences which must
help to Accuracy in it: Some have Heads turned for Politicks, and
others for Wars. Some few there are of such quick and strong
Faculties, as to grasp at every thing, and who have made a very
eminent Figure in several Professions at once. We have known in
our Days the same Men learned in the Laws, acute Philosophers,
and deep Divines: We have known others at once eloquent Orators,
brave Soldiers, and finished Statesmen. But these Instances are
rare.
The more general Inclination among Men is to some Mechanical
Business. Of this there is most general Use for the Purposes of
Human Life, and it needs most Hands to carry it on. The bulk of
Mankind seem turned for some or other of these Employments, and
make them their Choice; and were not such a multiplicity of Hands
engaged in them, great part of the Conveniencies of Human Life
would be wanting. But even the Multitude of these Employments
leaves room for great variety of Inclinations, and for different
_Genij_, to display and exert themselves.
This is an admirable and wise Provision to answer every End and
Occasion of Mankind, for a sure and harmonious Concurrence of
Mens Actions to all the necessary and useful Affairs of the
World. When in very different Ways, but with equal Pleasure and
Application, they contribute to the Order and Service of the
whole. Mr. _Dryden_ has given an Hint, how we may form a
beautiful and pleasing Idea of this from the Powers of Musick,
that arise from the Variety and artful Composition of Sounds.
_From Harmony, from Heavenly Harmony,
This Universal Frame began.
From Harmony to Harmony,
Thro' all the Compass of the Notes it ran,
The Diapasm closing full in Man._
There seems to be a wonderful Likeness in the natural Make of
Mens Minds to the various Tones and Measures of Sounds; and in
their Inclinations and most pleasing Tastes to the several Styles
and Manners of Musick. Something there is in the Mind, of alike
Composition, that is easily touch'd by the kindred Harmony of
Musick,
_For Man may justly tuneful Strains admire,
His Soul is Musick, and his Breast a Lyre._
We have all the Materials of Musick in the Tones and Measure. For
the infinite Variety Composition admits of, can be nothing else,
but higher or lower Tones, stronger or softer Sounds, with a
slower or swifter Motion. The Artist, by an harmonious Mixture
of these, makes the Musick either strong and martial, brisk and
airy, grave and solemn, or soft and moving.
There seems to be in Man a Composition of natural Powers and
Capacities, not unlike to these. From hence I would take the
first Original of their distinguishing _Genij_. The Words by
which they are usually explain'd, have a manifest Allusion
hereto. Thus we say of some Men, they have a brisk and airy
_Genius_; of others, they have a strong and active _Genius_, a
quick and lively Spirit, a grave and solemn Temper, and the like.
The different readiness of Apprehension, strength of Judgment,
vivacity of Fancy and Imagination, with a more or less active
Disposition, and the several Mixtures of which these Powers are
capable, are sufficient to explain this. They may shew us how
some have a particular _Genius_ for Wit and Humour, others for
Thought and Speculation. Whence it is, some love a constant and
persevering Application to whatever they undertake; and others
are continually jumping from one Thing to another, without
finishing any thing at all.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|