THE ELEMENTS OF Moral PHILOSOPHY. BOOK I. PRELIMINARIES. Μάλισα ἐπιμελητέον ὅπως έκαςΘ ἡμῶν, τῶν ἄλλων Μαθημά των αμελήσας, τότε το Μαθήματα, και τηρητὴς καὶ μαθητής ἶσαι ἐὰν ποθὲν οἷος τ ̓ ἦ μαθῶν καὶ ἐξευρῶν τις αὐτὸν ποιήσει δυνατὸν καὶ ἐπισήμονα, ΒΙΟΝ κ ΧΡΗΣΤΟΝ ΠΟΝΗΡΟΝ δια ινώσκοντα, τὴν βελτίω ἐκ τῶν δυαλῶν ἀεὶ πανταχε αἱ ρεθαι. ἀναλογιζόμενον πανία, τὰ νῦν δὲ ῥηθέντα, και ξυν τιθέμενα ἀλλήλος, καὶ διαιρεμένα, πρὸς ἀρεὴν, βία πῶς ἔχει. καὶ εἰδέναι τι κάλλΘ πενία ή πλέτῳ κραθεν, καὶ μετὰ ποίας τινὸς ψυχης ἕξεως κακὸν ἢ ἀγαθον ἐργάζεται πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα τῶν φύσει πει ψυχὴν ὄντων. καὶ τῶν ἐπικλήτων, τί ξυγκεραννύμενα προς άλληλα εργάζεται. ὥσε ἐξ ἁπάντων αὐτῶν δύνατον είναι συλλογισάμενον αἱρεῖς πρὸς τὴν τῆς ΨΥΧΗΣ ΦΥΣΙΝ ἀποβλέποντα, τὸν τε χείρω καὶ τὶν ἀμείνω ΒΙΟΝ. Plat. de Repub, Lib. 1o. HUMAN KNOWLEDGE has been diftributed by Philofo fophers into different Branches, and into more or fewer Divinions, according to the more or lefs extenfive Views, which they have taken of the various Subjects of Human Enquiry. VOL. II. R A great Partition of A great Philofopher has laid it out into three general Provinces, HISTORY, POETRY, and PHILOSOPHY; which he refers to three feveral Powers of the Mind, MEMORY, IMAGINATION, and REASON. Memory fores up Facts, or Ideas, which are the Materials of Knowledge. Imagination ranges and combines them into different Assemblages or Pictures. Reafon obferves their Differences, Connections, and mutual Relations, and argues concerning them. The last is the proper Bufinefs of PHILOSOPHY, Philofophy in which has been defined, the "Knowledge of whatgeneral. "ever exifts," or the "Science of Things Human "and Divine." According to this Definition, its Object comprehends the Univerfe or Whole of Things. It traces whatever can be known by Man concerning the Deity and his Werks, their Natures, Powers, Operations, and Connections. Natural. Therefore to give our Definition more PreciDivifion of fion, PHILOSOPHY may be defined, the KnowPhilofophy. ledge of the Univerfe, or of Nature, and of its Powers, Operations, and Connections, with juft Reafonings deduced from thence. Natural Philofophy inveftigates the Properties and Operations of Body or Matter. Moral Philofophy contemplates Human Nature, its Moral Powers and Connections, and from thefe deduces the Laws of Action; and is defined more strictly the "Science of MANNERS or DUTY, which "it traces from Man's Nature and Condition, and fhews to "terminate in his Happinefs." Therefore it is called Ethics, Difciplina Morum. In fewer Words, it is the "Knowledge of "our DUTY and FELICITY, or the Art of being virtuous and happy." 66 How an Art. How a Science. It is denominated an ART, as it contains 2 Syftem of Rules for becoming virtuous and happy. Whoever practifes thefe Rules, by fo doing, attains an habitual Power and Facility of becoming virtuous and happy. It is likewife called a SCIENCE, as it deduces thofe Rules from the Principles and Connections of our Nature, and proves that the Obfervance of them is productive of our Happiness. It is an Art, and a Science of the higheft Dignity, Importance, and Ufe. Its Object is Man's Duty, or his Conduct in the feveral Moral Capacities and Connections which he fuftains. Its Office is to dire& Its Object. Its Office. Vid. Bacon, Aug. Scient. Lib. II. cap. 1. Its End. direct that Conduct, to fhew whence' our Obligations arife, and where they terminate. Its Ufe, or End, is the Attainment of Happiness; and the Means it employs are Rules for the right Conduct of Its Means. our Moral Powers. The Stan Arts and Sciences. As every Art and Science is more or less valuable, as it contributes more or lefs to our Hap- dard of other pinefs, this Moral Art or Science which unfolds our Duty and Happiness, must be a proper Canon or Standard, by which the Dignity and Importance of every other Art and Science, are to be afcertained. It is therefore pre-eminent above all others; it is that MafterArt, that Mafter-Science, which weighs their refpective Merit, adjufts their Rank in the Scale of Science, prefcribes their Measure, and fuperintends their Efficacy and Application in Human Life. Therefore Moral Philofophy has been honoured with the glorious Epithets of the Directness of Life, the Mif trefs of Manners, the Inventres of Larus and Culture, the Guide to Virtue and Happiness, without fome degree of which Man were a Savage, and his Life a Scene of Barbarity and Wretchednefs. Having thus fettled the Subject and End of the Science, the Elements of which we are attempting to difcover, and fufficiently diftinguifhed it from all others, it feems proper next to fix the Method of profecuting it. Moral Philofophy has this in common with Natural Philofophy, that it appeals to Nature or Fact; depends on The Method. Obfervation; and builds its Reafonings on plain uncontroverted Experiments, or upon the fulleft Induction of Particulars of which the Subject will admit. We must obferve, in both thefe Sciences, Quid faciat & ferat Natura; how Nature is affected, and what her Conduct is in fuch and fuch Circumftances. Or in other Words, we must collect the Phenomena, or Appearances of Nature in any given Inftance; trace thefe to fome General Principles, or Laws of Operation; and then apply thefe Principles or Laws to the explaining of other Phenomena. Therefore Moral Philofophy enquires, not how Man might have been, but how he is conftituted; not into what Principles, or Difpofitions his Actions may be artfully refolved, but from what Principles and Difpofitions they actually flow; not what he may, by Education, Habit or foreign Influence, come to be, or do, but what by his Nature, or Original Conftituent Principles he is formed to be and do. We discover the Office Ufe, or Deftination of any Work, whether natural of R. 2 artificial |