"Shall we say then, that there is a first Mover within us, a Mind, Rector, or presiding Faculty over the rest?"
— Forbes of Pitsligo, Alexander Forbes, Lord (1678-1762)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Osborn and T. Longman
Date
1734
Metaphor
"Shall we say then, that there is a first Mover within us, a Mind, Rector, or presiding Faculty over the rest?"
Metaphor in Context
AEMILIUS
Shall we say then, that there is a first Mover within us, a Mind, Rector, or presiding Faculty over the rest? Indeed we may be indifferent what is concluded in such Speculations, for it will not alter the state of the things. People frequently do speak of such a leading Principle, and of a Spirit in Man: and then this Spirit is as frequently denominated, or receives its Character, from any Quality that appears most prevailing, not only with regard to the moral Dispositions, but even the Complexion, Temper, Genius, and whatever is most observable in the Person: thus we say, a proud Spirit, a violent Spirit, an active Spirit, and many other kinds of Spirits (some better, some worse) that are to be met with in the world.
(pp. 99-100)
Shall we say then, that there is a first Mover within us, a Mind, Rector, or presiding Faculty over the rest? Indeed we may be indifferent what is concluded in such Speculations, for it will not alter the state of the things. People frequently do speak of such a leading Principle, and of a Spirit in Man: and then this Spirit is as frequently denominated, or receives its Character, from any Quality that appears most prevailing, not only with regard to the moral Dispositions, but even the Complexion, Temper, Genius, and whatever is most observable in the Person: thus we say, a proud Spirit, a violent Spirit, an active Spirit, and many other kinds of Spirits (some better, some worse) that are to be met with in the world.
(pp. 99-100)
Categories
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
Three entries in ESTC (1734, 1762, 1763).
See Essays Moral and Philosophical, on Several Subjects: Viz. A View of the Human Faculties. (London: Printed for J. Osborn and T. Longman, 1734). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
See Essays Moral and Philosophical, on Several Subjects: Viz. A View of the Human Faculties. (London: Printed for J. Osborn and T. Longman, 1734). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/18/2013
