and Pajfions , upon the Under{landing. 377 
feems to be, “That it is one uncompounded 
< c essence, continually in motion, and receiving 
“ different denominations, according to the 
** different modes and circumffances of its move- 
“ ment.” Inftead of confidering the under- 
ftanding, memory, paffions, and will, as diftintd 
and oppofite powers , or, as unconnected tenants 
under the fame roof, would it not be more juff, 
to confider them all as modes of the mind itself, 
and as each of them bearing the common nature 
and character of the whole united fpirit ? We 
fhould then confider, the mind itjelf as under- 
fianding, the mind itjelf as judging, remembering, 
feeling, willing. And this idea would be exactly 
confonant to many facls, and phenomena of 
human nature, which will be hereafter men¬ 
tioned. 
/ 
However the common reprefentation of human 
nature, as confiding of fevered contending powers, 
may have been figuratively adopted, in order to 
folve fome appearances, fuch as, the experience 
of conflifting pajfions , or of oppofite tendencies in the 
foul, yet, it is not founded in philofophical 
truth, and, if not properly guarded, by being 
always confidered merely as a figure , it may 
lead to falfehood, and abfurdity. 
The full elucidation of all thefe pofitions, 
would fwell this paper to a length, far beyond 
the limits wifely appointed for our communi¬ 
cations, which, being intended only as a fubfi- 
diapy 
