i64 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book III. 



It is true, alfo, that Arlftotle fays, that the Intellect is pafTive and 

 perifhable * ; and it is from this pailage chiefly that it would fcein 

 Ariftotle makes a diftindtion of Intelledl into that which is operative 

 and immortal, and that which is paflive and perifliable. To avoid 

 this interpretation, Philoponus fuppofes that Ariftotle means here, 

 by the Nou? -n-aSjiTixcf, the Phantafia. But Ariftotle every where di- 

 ftinguifties betwixt the Intellect and the Phantafia, particularly in 

 liib. 3. De Amma^ cap. 3. et 4 ; nor do I fee with what propriety 

 he can call the Phantafia Intellect, any more than the Senfe. I 

 therefore agree with Ariftotle's other Interpreter, Simplicius, that 

 Ariftotle here means, by the paflive Intelled, the Intelle<f!t that 

 is pradical, of which he had faid before, that it does not operate 

 without the Phantafia, and, confequently, not without the Senfes. 

 Now, this Intelledl is certainly paflive, as it has its Ideas not from 

 within, but by imprefllons from without ; for whatever is aded up- 

 on is paflive. But the commentators upon Ariftotle very properly 

 diftinguifli betwixt a TAOofj or fuffe ring, which tends to impair or 

 deftroy the thing, and that which tends to improve and perfed: 

 it. The firft kind is what is called ?i9of*, or Corruption : But the 

 ir«6o{ here is of the latter kind ; for, by the impreflion of external 

 objects upon the Senfes, the Intelled is excited, improved, and 

 brought to perfedion in us. Ariftotle adds, that this Intellect is 

 corruptible or perifliable : And, I think, Simplicius has given alfo a 

 very good meaning to this expreflion ; for, fays he, whatever ope- 

 rates by Organs, if thefe organs are perifliable, may be faid alfo to 

 be perifliable. Now, as the Pradical Intelled operates by the Or- 

 gans of Senfe, which are perifliable, fo far forth it may be faid to 

 be perifliable alfo t. 



That 



• Hnhrix*; ««( tpSufTiK, Lib. 3. De Jnlma, cap. 6. in fine. 



t Simplicius's commentary upon the firft book of Ariftotle, De Anima, p. l6. 

 of the commentary, and alfo his commentary upon the 3d lib. p. 69. 



