Chap.X. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 137 



that they poflefs ; or that they are able to recognife their own minds^ 

 or to form any notion of fuperior minds. 



As to the oreclic powers of the human mind^ compared with tlofc 

 of the brute, it has thefe, as i have obferved, correlponding to its 

 gnoJlic\ for, as it has the [2ime gnojlic powers that the brute has, it has 

 the fame oreciic powers, viz. appetite and anger : But, as it has, be- 

 fides, the gnojlic power of intelUB^ either theoretical or praclicaU it 

 has tw^o oreclic facukies, correlponding each to each of the other, but 

 both unknown to the brute, viz. the love of kimivledge or truths an- 

 fwering to the theoretic intelleB ; the other the pursuit of what is 

 gcod^ anfwering to the pra^ical intelle6i, This^oor/, as I have faid, 

 is either real or apparent. If the-^c^^?*:/ we purfue be real, and if the 

 mind have ftrength enough to make the irrational defires (and brutal, 

 as they may be called) of appetite and anger fubmit to this intellectu- 

 al purfuit of what is good^ then is the man perfect in praciice-t and 

 what the philofopher calls a ^0(5^ /7Zfl«; Apparent good^ on t!ie other 

 hand, is only the ^00^ of opinion^ not of nature; for every man, as I 

 haTC obferved, who ads rationally, is determmed by fome opinion of 

 goodt right or wrong; fo that the whole happinefs of our lives de- 

 pends upon our forming right opinions concerning what is good or 

 ill in human life. 



The brute, on the other hand, defires only what is pUafanty with- 

 out having any idea of w^hat is good: And this is fufficient for the 

 purpoles of animal life; for nature has annexed pleafure to thofe ope- 

 rations, and thofe only, which are neceflary for the prefervation of 

 the individual, or the continuation of the kind; fo that there is no 

 harm in the animal being guided and determined in his adions by 

 thofe pleafurcs. For, as the enjoyment of thcai is not heightened, 

 as among us, by opinion and imagination, nor any improper means 

 ufed to excite the defire of them, they can lead to no blamcablc ex- 

 cels; whereas we, by leaving nature, and following opinion, and 



S living 



/ 



