Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Alciphron: or the Minute Philosopher

1732

"Have patience, good Euphranor. I will show you in the first place, that whatever was sound and good we leave untouched, and encourage it to grow in the mind of man. And secondly, I will show you what excellent things we have planted in it."

Alc. Have patience, good Euphranor. I will show you in the first place, that whatever was sound and good we leave untouched, and encourage it to grow in the mind of man. And secondly, I will show you what excellent things we have planted in it. You must know then, that pursuing our close and severe scrutiny, we do at last arrive at something solid and real, in which all mankind agree, to wit, the appetites, passions, and senses: these are founded in nature, are real, have real objects, and are attended with real and substantial pleasures; food, drink, sleep, and the like animal enjoyments being what all men like and love. And if we extend our view to other kinds of animals, we shall find them all agree in this, that they have certain natural appetites and senses, in the gratifying and satisfying of which they are constantly employed. Now these real natural good things, which include nothing of notion or fancy, we are so far from destroying, that we do all we can to cherish and improve them. According to us, every wise man looks upon himself; or his own bodily existence in this present world, as the centre and ultimate end of all his actions and regards. He considers his appetites as natural guides directing to his proper good, his passions and senses as the natural, true means of enjoying this good. Hence he endeavours to keep his appetites in high relish, his passions and senses strong and lively, and to provide the greatest quantity and variety of real objects suited to them, which he studieth to enjoy by all possible means, and in the highest perfection imaginable. And the man who can do this without restraint, remorse, or fear, is as happy as any other animal whatsoever, or as his nature is capable of being. Thus I have given you a succinct view of the principles, discoveries, and tenets of the select spirits of this enlightened age.
(pp. 45-6)

Plant::Growth Plant::Planting

Reading

At least 9 entries in ESTC (1732, 1752, 1755, 1757, 1767).

Alciphron: or, the Minute Philosopher. In Seven Dialogues. Containing an Apology for the Christian Religion, Against Those Who Are Called Free-Thinkers. (Dublin: Printed for G. Risk, G. Ewing, and W. Smith, 1732). <Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Vol. II>

See also Alciphron: or the Minute Philosopher (London: J. Tonson, 1732). <Link to Google Books>

03/31/2011