Ch. I. pofitions afpire not to the Intellect, but being addreffed to the Imagination, the Affections, and the Senfe, become from their different heightnings either RHETORIC OF POETRY. NOR need we neceffarily view these Arts diftinctly and apart. We may obferve, if we please, how perfectly they co-incide. GRAMMAR is equally requifite to every one of the reft. And though LOGIC may indeed fubfift without RHETORIC OF POETRY, yet fo neceffary to thefe laft is a found and correct LOGIC, that without it, they are no better than warbling Trifles. Now all these Inquiries (as we have said already) and fuch others arifing from them as are of still fublimer Contemplation, (of which in the Sequel there may be poffibly not a few) may with justice be deem'd Inquiries both interesting and liberal. AT Ar present we shall poftpone the whole Ch. I. fynthetical Part, (that is to fay, Logic and Rhetoric) and confine ourselves to the analytical, that is to fay UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR. In this we fhall follow the Order, that we have above laid down, firft dividing SPEECH, as a WHOLE into its CONSTITUENT PARTS; then refolving it, as a COMPOSITE, into its MATTER and FORM; two Methods of Analyfis very different in their kind, and which lead to a variety of very different Speculations. SHOULD any one object, that in the courfe of our Inquiry we fometimes descend to things, which appear trivial and low; let him look upon the Effects, to which those things contribute, then from the Dignity of the Confequences, let him honour the Principles. THE following Story may not impro perly be here inferted. B 4 "When the Fame "of Ch. I. « of Heraclitus was celebrated through out Greece, there were certain perfons, "that had a curiofity to fee fo great a "Man. They came, and, as it happen'd, "found him warming himself in a "Kitchen. The Meannefs of the place " occafioned them to stop, upon which "the Philofopher thus accofted them"ENTER (fays he) BOLDLY, FOR HERE TOO THERE ARE GODS (d),”. We shall only add, that as there is no part of Nature too mean for the Divine Prefence; fo there is no kind of Subject, having its foundation in Nature, that is below the Dignity of a philofophical Inquiry. (d) See Ariftot. de Part, Animal. 1. 1. c. 5. СНА Р. CHA P. II. Concerning the Analysing of Speech into its TH 'HOSE things, which are first to Na-Ch. II. ture, are not firft to Man. Nature begins from Caufes, and thence defcends to Effects. Human Perceptions first open upon Effects, and thence by flow degrees afcend to Causes. Often had Mankind feen the Sun in Eclipfe, before they knew its Caufe to be the Moon's Interpofition; much oftner had they feen thofe unceafing Revolutions of Summer and Winter, of Day and Night, before they knew the Cause to be the Earth's double Motion (a). Even (a) This Distinction of prior to Man, and prior to Nature, was greatly regarded in the Peripatetic Philofophy. See Arift. Phyf. Aufcult. 1. 1. c. 1. Themiftius's Comment on the fame, Pofter. Analyt. 1. 1. c. 2. De Anima, 1. 2. c. 2. It leads us, when properly regarded, to a very important Distinction be tween Ch. II. Even in Matters of Art and human Crea tion, if we except a few Artists and cri tical tween Intelligence Divine and Intelligence Human. walketh ; |