Some may make "a continual War with themselves to promote the Peace of others" and aim at "no less than the Publick Welfare and the Conquest of their own Passion"
— Mandeville, Bernard (bap. 1670, d. 1733)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
J. Roberts
Date
1714, 1723 (2nd ed.)
Metaphor
Some may make "a continual War with themselves to promote the Peace of others" and aim at "no less than the Publick Welfare and the Conquest of their own Passion"
Metaphor in Context
To introduce, moreover, an Emulation amongst Men, they divided the whole Species into a two Classes, vastly differing from one another: The one consisted of abject, low-minded People, that always hunting after immediate Enjoyment, were wholly incapable of Self-denial, and without regard to the good of others, had no higher Aim than their private Advantage; such as being enslaved by Voluptuousness, yielded without Resistance to every gross desire, and madeb no use of their Rational Faculties but to heighten their Sensual Pleasure.c These vile grov'ling Wretches, they said, were the Dross of their Kind, and having only the Shape of Men, differ'd from Brutes in nothing but their outward Figure. But the other Class was made up of lofty high-spirited Creatures, that free from sordid Selfishness, esteem'd the Improvements of the Mind to be their fairest Possessions; and setting a true value upon themselves, took no Delight but in embellishing that Part in which their Excellency consisted; such as despising whatever they had in common with irrational Creatures, opposed by the Help of Reason their most violent Inclinations; and making a continual War with themselves to promote the Peace of others, aim'd at no less than the Publick Welfare and the Conquest of their own Passion.
Fortior est qui se quàm qui fortissima Vincit
Mœnia -- -- -- -- 1
These they call'd the true Representatives of their sublime Species, exceeding in worth the first Class by more degrees, than that it self was superior to the Beasts of the Field.
(42)
Fortior est qui se quàm qui fortissima Vincit
Mœnia -- -- -- -- 1
These they call'd the true Representatives of their sublime Species, exceeding in worth the first Class by more degrees, than that it self was superior to the Beasts of the Field.
(42)
Categories
Citation
"The Grumbling Hive" was printed as a pamphlet in 1705. 1st edition of The Fable of the Bees published in 1714, 2nd edition in 1723 (with additions, essays "On Charity Schools" and "Nature of Society"). Part II publised in 1729. Kaye's text based on 6th edition of 1732.
See Bernard Mandeville, The Fable of the Bees, ed. F.B. Kaye, 2 vols.(Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1988). Orig. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924. <Link to OLL>
See Bernard Mandeville, The Fable of the Bees, ed. F.B. Kaye, 2 vols.(Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1988). Orig. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924. <Link to OLL>
Theme
Psychomachia
Date of Entry
11/08/2004
