Lord Bacon uses the metaphorical expression fountain instead of seed; but he plainly alludes to an original not a factitious source of law. "For there, are in nature certain fountains of Justice, whence all civil laws are derived, but as streams; and like as waters do take tinctures and tastes from the soils through which they run, so do civil laws vary according to the regions and governments where they are planted, though they proceed from the same fountains."*

Causabon, who is styled by Lord Shaftesbury, "one of the greatest and most learned of moderns," expresses himself to the following effect: " But great men have not transmitted to posterity the precepts and examples of virtue, in order that we may know them for the mere empty purpose of outward gratification of the ears, or the vain boast of useless erudition; but that they might animate us by their labours, to dig up and bring into active usefulness the seeds of integrity and virtue; which, as they may have been received from nature, surrounded notwithstanding with vices, and almost overwhelmed, without proper cultivation, continue latent in our minds, like seeds utterly sunk and buried deep in the ground."+

Dr. Johnson remarks, that "nothing is more unjust than to judge of man by too short an acquaintance, and too slight inspection; for it often happens, that in the loose, and thoughtless, and dissipate,

* Bacon Adv. of Learn. B. 2. + Shaftesbury Character. vol. 1,

there is a secret radical worth, which may shoot out by proper cultivation; that the spark of heaven, though dimmed and obstructed, is yet not extinguished, but may by the breath of counsel and exhortation, be kindled into flame."*

Sir Matthew Hale has the following passage:"I have before said, that the goodness of God had lodged an inward stock in man whereby to improve his intellectual nature, namely, those common notions (communes notitiae) of the existence of a God, and that he is to be worshipped, served, and obeyed, the common root of Religion in mankind; these are in him like the first rudiments of the Fatus, the Embryo of religion, or the egg, as it were, out of which it is hatched. The contemplation of the admirable works in the world doth exceedingly fortify and improve those first rudiments of natural Religion, and digests them into their just formation."+

The idea suggested in the concluding words of the last author, may perhaps recal some of the remarks recently made on the assimilation of food to the mind. But, I am not acquainted with the writings of any author, who has expressed himself in such frequent allusion, or so decidedly in illustration of the analogy I am supporting as Cudworth.

In opposition to those who, to use his expression, "would make the soul as naked a thing as possible," he contends, that "it is enabled, as occasion serves

* Rambler, No. 70.

+ Prim. Orig. Sect. iv. Ch. 8.

and outward objects invite, gradually and successively to unfold and display itself in a vital manner, by framing intelligible ideas and conceptions within itself; as the spermatic or plastic power doth virtually contain within itself the forms of all the several organical parts of animals, and displays them gradually and successively, framing an eye here, and an ear there." And he adds, "The primary and immediate objects of intellection and knowledge are not things existing without the mind, but the ideas of the mind itself actively exerted, that is, the intelligible Reasons of things, which are its own, and which it protrudes from within itself,"" those things, which," in another place, he says, "are the pure offspring from the mind and sprout from the soul itself." "As the intelligible forms by which things are understood or known are not stamps or impressions passively printed upon the soul from without, but ideas vitally protended or actively exerted within itself.".... The following remarks or corollaries I consider too important to be omitted: "Hence it is also, as experience tells us, that scientifical knowledge is best acquired by the soul's abstraction from the outward objects of sense, and retiring into itself, that so it may the better attend to its own inward notions and ideas. And therefore it is many times observed, that over-much reading and hearing of other men's discourses, though learned and elaborate, doth not only distract the mind, but also debilitates the intellectual powers, and makes the mind passive and sluggish, by calling

it too much outwards. For which cause that wise philosopher Socrates, altogether shunned that Dictating way of Teaching used by the sophisters of that age, and chose rather an Aporetical (doubting or inquisitive) method; because knowledge was not to be poured into the soul like liquor, but rather to be invited and gently drawn forth from it; nor the mind so much to be filled therewith from without, like a vessel, as to be kindled and awakened. From hence is that strange parturiency that is often observed in the mind, when it is solicitously set upon the investigation of some truth, whereby it doth endeavour, by ruminating and revolving within itself, as it were, to conceive it within itself, to bring it forth out of its own womb; by which it is evident, that the mind is naturally conscious of its own active fecundity, and also that it hath a criterion within itself, which will enable it to know when it hath found that which it sought."

"For, the Truths and Essences of Things are not Dead Things, like so many statues, images, or pictures hung up somewhere by themselves alone in a world neither are truths mere sentences and propositions written down with ink upon a book, but they are Living Things, and nothing but modifications of mind or intellect." Treatise on Morality.

:

Some of the preceding notions of Cudworth may perhaps be quaintly expressed, and may also appear extravagant; and it might not be easy to defend every expression or turn of thought; but the general meaning, which it is not difficult to collect, is to my

mind sufficiently obvious, and will I think be found in unison with the observations of many others.

I observe, indeed, that Stewart has animadverted strongly upon a passage, quoted from Cudworth and partly sanctioned by Dr. Price, chiefly in reference to abstract ideas, where he says, "the cognoscitive power of the mind contains in itself virtually (as the future plant or tree is contained in the seed) general notions or exemplars of all things, which are exerted by it, or discover themselves as occasions invite and proper circumstances occur:" but I confess, that to me it appears, more like an extravagant application of a principle in itself correct, than to be condemned as altogether whimsical.

John le Clerc, one of the most distinguished scholars and critics of his age, observes, in relation to the matter before us, that, "although, accurately speaking, there are no ideas planted in our minds by nature; yet no one can deny that the faculties of our minds' are so formed by nature, that as soon as we begin to reason, we may also begin in some measure to distinguish truth from falsehood, and good from evil. For, he adds, the form or image of Truth is always pleasing to us; on the other hand, that of Falsehood is displeasing: Nay more, we prefer virtue to vice, on account of the seeds planted in us; which then begin to shoot forth to the light, when we are able to reason; and they become more fruitful the better

* See Elements of Phil. vol. 2, p. 122.