« back to search

"Secondly it seem'd to me no less unconceivable, whence that dismal ψυχομαχια or intestin war which every Man too frequently feels within himself, and whereof even St. Paul himself so sadly complained, when (in Epist. ad Roman. cap. 3.) he cries out, video aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae; should arise, if not from a Duumvirate as it were of Rulers contending for superiority within us, and inclining us two contrary ways at once."

— Charleton, Walter (1620-1707)

Author

Charleton, Walter (1620-1707)

Work Title

Natural History of the Passions

Place of Publication

London ["in the Savoy"]

Publisher

Printed by T.N. for James Magnes

Date

1674

Metaphor

"Secondly it seem'd to me no less unconceivable, whence that dismal ψυχομαχια or intestin war which every Man too frequently feels within himself, and whereof even St. Paul himself so sadly complained, when (in Epist. ad Roman. cap. 3.) he cries out, video aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae; should arise, if not from a Duumvirate as it were of Rulers contending for superiority within us, and inclining us two contrary ways at once."

Metaphor in Context

Secondly it seem'd to me no less unconceivable, whence that dismal ψυχομαχια or intestin war which every Man too frequently feels within himself, and whereof even St. Paul himself so sadly complained, when (in Epist. ad Roman. cap. 3.) he cries out, video aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae; should arise, if not from a Duumvirate as it were of Rulers contending for superiority within us, and inclining us two contrary ways at once. For, to conceive that one and the. same Simple thing, such as the Reasonable Soul is rightly presumed to be, can be repugnant to itself, or at one and the same time be possessed with opposite affections; is manifestly absurd. There are indeed, who to evade this absurdity, imagine it possible, that of one and the same Rational, simple Soul, there may be two distinct Faculties or powers opposite each to other, from whose clashings and contrary inclinations this civil war may proceed. But to oblige us to swallow this palpable contradiction, these Men ought to have reconciled those two repugnant notions of Simple and Compound; and to have told us, why in the same simple substance of fire there cannot likewise be two mutualy repugnant faculties, heat and cold. In a Mixed body there may be, I confess, opposite faculties; and therefore the like may be imagined also in the Rational Soul, if she be conceived to be of a mixed or compound nature: but this is against their own supposition, and destructive to the natural immortality of the Soul. What then can remain to cause this dire war daily observed within us, betwixt the allurements of our Sense, on one side, and the grave dictates of our Mind, on the other; but two distinct Agents, the Rational Soul and the Sensitive, coexistent within us, and hotly contending about the conduct of our Will?
(Epistle Prefatory)