Cudworth, Ralph (1617-1688)

A Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality

London

Printed for James and John Knapton

1731

"And the serious Consideration hereof should make us very careful how we let the Reins loose to that Passive Irrational Part of our Soul, which knows no Bounds nor Measures, lest thereby we unawares precipitate and plunge our selves headlong into the most sad and deplorable Condition that is imaginable."

7. Which Exorbitancy of Fancy or Imagination prevailing over Sense, or those Phantasms which arise from the Motion communicated to the Brain from the Objects without by the Nerves, may either proceed originally from some Disease in the Body, whereby the Animal Spirits being furiously heated and agitated, may be carried with so great a Force and Career, as that the Motions caused from the Objects by the Nerves being weakned, may yield and give place to them, and their Phantasms be in a manner silent, vanquished and obliterated by them; those stronger Phantasms that arise from the Agitation of the Spirits themselves, possessing the place of them, the Affection or Animadversion of the Soul being always won by those Phantasms that make the loudest Noise, or have the greatest Vigour. Or else the same thing may proceed Originally from some Disease or Distemper in the Soul it self. When the Lower, Irrational and Passive Part of the Soul (in which the Concupiscible and Irascible Affections are seated) and so by Consequence, sequence, the Phantastick Power of the Soul (the same Power that begets in us those waking Dreams before-mentioned) grows excessively and exorbitantly Predominant, insomuch that it doth not only weaken and extinguish the Noetical Powers, which are always proportionably debilitated as this is invigorated, but also prevent the Power of Sense it self, the Immoderate Activity of the Fancy not permitting the Soul to suffer from, or be Passive to, the Action of the Objects upon it, nor quietly to receive the Impressions of them, without ruffling and confounding them. And this is that sad and lamentable Condition that the Soul of Man is liable and obnoxious to, by its overmuch Indulgence to that Passive and Irrational and Corporeal Part in which the Affections, Appetites and Desires are seated; a Condition which, if it continue always, is worse than Death it self, or Perfect Annihilation. To have not only Reason degraded and dethroned, but even Sense it self Perverted or extinguished, and in the room, thereof boisterous Phantasms protruded from the Irrational Appetites, Passions and Affections (now grown Monstrous and Enormous) to become the very Sensations of it, by means whereof if is easy to conceive that the Divine Vengeance may make the Soul its own Tormentor, though there were no other Hell without it, not only by representing most loathsome and affrightful, dismal and Tragical Scenes of things to it self, but also by Cruciating it self with exquisite and Sensible Pains. And the serious Consideration hereof should make us very careful how we let the Reins loose to that Passive Irrational Part of our Soul, which knows no Bounds nor Measures, lest thereby we unawares precipitate and plunge our selves headlong into the most sad and deplorable Condition that is imaginable.
(III.iv.7, pp. 122-4)

Animals::Horse::Reins and Bridle

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See Ralph Cudworth, A Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality (London: James and John Knapton, 1731). <Link to ECCO><Link to Google Books>

01/22/2012