Chap. IV. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 171 



templates the original Forms of things in the Intellectual World, 

 where it dwells. 



How much the Mind fympathifes with the Body in this our pre- 

 fent ftate, muft be known to every body. If the Body is in ill ha- 

 bit, it difturbs all the operations of the Mind, — its Memory, its 

 Phantafia, and its Ihtelledtual powers : And, on the contrary, if the 

 Body is in good habit, and if the Mind be not difordered by Paf- 

 fion, all the fundions go on well. But, let the Body be ever fo 

 well difpofed, every philofopher, who may be faid to live by the 

 Mind, muft acknowledge, that the Body is a dead weight upon him, 

 difturbing more or lefs the operations of his Intelledt, and making 

 them ceafe altogether for a great part of Iiis time. It was to pre- 

 vent this, at leaft in fome meafure, and to feparate the Body from 

 the Mind, as much as it was poflible, in this life, that the Cathartic 

 Regimen above mentioned was invented by the later Platonifts ; by 

 means of which, fome of them have told us, that they were exalted 

 above Humanity, and enjoyed for fome time communication with 

 fupeiior Minds. Thofe, who do not believe that there are Minds 

 fuperior to their own, will laugh at fuch ftories; but, as I do moft 

 firmly believe that there arc fuch Minds, and that we are by Nature 

 deftined for intercourfe with fuch Minds after our death, if we live 

 as we ought to do, I can eafily believe, that men favoured of Heaven, 

 and who abftraft themfelves as much as poflible from the Body, 

 may, even in this life, anticipate the enjoyment of fuch communi- 

 cation, 



3/1*0, What will appear moft extraordinary In this account of our 

 Soul given by Ariftotle, is, that it does not love in its feparate ilate. 

 Can we conceive, it will be faid, that the Mind, in its moft perfedt 

 ftate, fhould not enjoy the greateft pleafure of the Rational Mind ? 

 For, what can give greater pleafure than that pure love, which 



Y 2 Plato 



