Chap. T. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 71 



faculty that we perceive the truth of felf-evident propofitions, with- 

 out which faculty we never could have proved or demonftrated any- 

 thing ; for if every thing were to be proved, nothing could be 

 proved. 



Thus, from the defects of the human intellect, I have endeavour- 

 ed to give fome idea of the infinite fuperiority of the Divine ; and 

 as we can have ro knowledge of the Divine intelligence, except by 

 the ftudy of our own, I think there is no other way by which we 

 can attain to any conception ot the fuperiority of the Divine nature. 



As intellect is the effence of an intellectual being, which con- 

 ftitutes his nature, and makes him what he is, it is evident that all 

 hi' qu'.lities muft proceed from intelligence : And there is one qua- 

 lity, very remarkable, belonging to the intelledual nature, of which 

 I am now to fpeak. It is the fenfe of the beautiful, the to Kay.ov^ as 

 the Greeks call it, or the piiUbrum and honeflum of the Latins. As 

 it confifts in fyitem, nor can exift in any fubject where there is 

 not a fyftem greater or lei's, and as it is only by intellect that the 

 connedions and relations of things are conceived, without which 

 there can be no lyftem, it is evident that the beautiful is perceived by 

 the intelled, and by it only. And here, too, we may be faid to have 

 in us a very coniiderable portion of the Divinity; for, as I have fhown 

 eliewhere *, there is nothing which influences our adions more, 

 even the moft minute and trifling, than this fenfe of the beautiful ; 

 and, indeed, it may be Hxid to be the governing principle in human 

 life. That this principle muft be infinitely more prevalent in the 

 Divine Nature, I think is evident ; for it muft be infinitely more 

 extenfive than in us, comprehending fyftems that we cannot com- 

 prehend. And it muft be the fole governing principle in the Deity; 

 AVhereas in us it is often thwarted and diverted from its purpofe- 



by 



• Vol. V. Book III. Chnp. 7. alfo vol. 11. Book II. Chap. 5. 



