27 6 Dr. Barnes on the Influence of the Imagination, 
<( to do with imagination, feelings, or paflions; 
<c and, that he will bid the faireft for fuccefsful 
“ inquiry into any fubjedt, who can divert his 
<c mind moll entirely of all affections, and bring 
“ it into a ftate of abfolute indifference , and 
<c apathy .” 
It is not uncommon, to hear the Imagination 
condemned as a criminal of the moft dangerous 
nature, whofe province is, at the belt, only to 
amufe, who is a fworn enemy to truth, and 
whom Reafon wifhes to banifh as far as poffible 
from her throne. How often have we known, 
what was very dull, for want of fome feafonings 
of imagination, fuppofed to be, for that reafon, 
very deep? Whilft, on the other hand, what 
was enlivened by the animation of an adtive 
fancy, was cenfured, as fiimfy, and irrational ? 
As if a brilliant imagination could not poflibly 
become the companion, and affiftant of the ' 
pureft underftanding !—That it may, is the point 
which this paper attempts to prove. 
In fupporting this hypothefis, I beg leave 
to hazard a defcription of the human mind, 
which fome may not very readily admit. In 
judging of the mental powers, it does not 
appear to me philofophically juft, to defcribe 
the foul, as confifting of feveral diftindt and 
difcordant faculties, of which, fome are com- 
mifiioned perpetually to oppofe and contradidt: 
the others. The proper idea of human nature 
feems 
