History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2): Revised EditionDraper, John William
History
History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2): Revised Edition
Draper, John William
Europe -- Civilization
is destined, being separate from both, to be governed and held in order
both by the spirit and the Reason. For this end God has given it a
watch, the liver, which is dense, smooth, and shining, and, containing
in combination both bitter and sweet, is fitted to receive and reflect,
as a mirror, the images of thoughts. Whenever the Reason disapproves, it
checks inordinate desires by its bitterness, and, on the other hand,
when it approves, all is soothed into gentle repose by its sweetness;
moreover, in sleep, in sickness, or in inspiration it becomes prophetic,
so that even the vilest portion of the body is in a certain degree
participant of truth. In other respects the lower portion of the trunk
is fashioned with equal adaptation for the ends it has to serve. The
spleen is placed on the left side of the liver, in order to secrete and
carry off the impurities which the diseases of the body might produce
and accumulate. The intestines are coiled many times, in order that the
food may not pass too quickly through the body, and so occasion again an
immoderate desire for more; for such a constant appetite would render
the pursuit of philosophy impossible, and make man disobedient to the
commands of the divinity within him."
[Sidenote: His ethical ideas.]
The reader will gather from the preceding paragraph how much of wisdom
and of folly, of knowledge and of ignorance, the doctrines of Plato
present. I may be permitted to continue this analysis of his writings a
little farther, with the intention of exhibiting the manner in which he
carried his views into practice; for Plato asserted that, though the
supreme good is unattainable by our reason, we must try to resemble God
as far as it is possible for the changeable to copy the eternal;
remembering that pleasure is not the end of man, and, though the sensual
part of the soul dwells on eating and drinking, riches and pleasure, and
the spiritual on worldly honours and distinctions, the reason is devoted
to knowledge. Pleasure, therefore, cannot be attributed to the gods,
though knowledge may; pleasure, which is not a good in itself, but only
a means thereto. Each of the three parts of the soul has its own
appropriate virtue, that of reason being wisdom; that of the spirit,
courage; that of the appetite, temperance; and for the sake of
perfection, justice is added for the mutual regulation of the other
three.
[Sidenote: His proposed political institutions.]
[Sidenote: The Republic of Plato.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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