[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}.]]
[Sidenote: Fallacious and obscure was the lore of the Stoics,]
++ÞE porche þat is to sein a gate of þe toune of athenis
þer as philosophres hadde hir congregac{i}ou{n} to dispoyten.
{and} þilke porche brouȝt[e] so{m}tyme olde men ful 4828
derke in hire sentences. þ{a}t is to sein philosophers þat
hyȝten stoiciens.
[Sidenote: who taught that images of things obvious to the senses
were imprinted on the mind by external objects, and that the soul
is at first like a mirror or a clean parchment, free from figures
and letters.]
þat wenden þat ymages [{and}] sensibilites
þat is to sein sensible ymaginac{i}ou{n}s. or ellys ymaginac{i}ou{n}
of sensible þinges were{n} i{n}p{re}ntid in to soules 4832
fro bodies wiþ oute forþe. ¶ As who seiþ þat þilke
stoiciens wenden þ{a}t þe soule hadde ben naked of it
self. as a mirour or a clene p{ar}chemyn. so þat alle
fygures mosten [fyrst] comen fro þinges fro wiþ oute in to 4836
soules. {and} ben inp{re}ntid in to soules. _Textus._ Ryȝt
as we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen
l{ett}res emp{re}ntid in þe smoþenesse or in þe plainesse of
þe table of wex. or in p{ar}chemyn þat ne haþ no figure [[pg 167]]
[ne] note in it.
[Sidenote: But if the mind is passive in receiving the impressions
of outward objects, whence proceeds the knowledge by which the
mind comprehends all things?]
_Glosa._ But now arguiþ boece aȝeins þat 4841
oppiniou{n} {and} seiþ þus. but yif þe þriuyng soule ne
vnplitiþ no þing. þat is to sein ne doþ no þing by hys
p{ro}pre moeuynges. but suffriþ {and} lieþ subgit to þe 4844
figures {and} to þe notes of bodyes wiþ oute forþe. {and}
ȝeldeþ ymages ydel {and} veyne in þe manere of a
mirour. whennes þriueþ þan or whennes comeþ þan
þilke knowyng in oure soule. þat discerniþ {and} byholdeþ 4848
alle þinges.
[Sidenote: Whence its force to conceive individual existences, to
separate those things when known, to unite divided things, and to
choose and change its path, soaring to the highest and descending
to the lowest things--and returning to itself, to confute false
things by the true?]
and whennes is þilke strengþe þat
byholdeþ þe syngulere þinges. or whennes is þe strengþe
þat dyuydeþ þinges yknowe. {and} þilke stre{n}gþe þat
gadereþ to-gidre þe þinges deuided. {and} þe strengþe þat 4852
cheseþ hys entrechau{n}ged wey for som tyme it heueþ
vp þe heued. þat is to sein þat it heueþ vp þe ente{n}c{i}ou{n}
to ryȝt heye þinges. {and} som tyme it discendiþ in
to ryȝt lowe þinges. {and} whan it retourniþ in to hym 4856
self. it rep{re}uiþ {and} destroieþ þe false þinges by þe
trewe þinges.
[Sidenote: This cause is more efficacious and powerful to see and
to know things, than that cause which receives the characters
impressed like servile matter.]
¶ Certys þis strengþe is cause more
efficient {and} mochel more myȝty to seen {and} to knowe
þinges. þan þilke cause þat suffriþ and resceyueþ þe 4860
notes {and} þe figures inp{re}ssed in manere of matere
[Sidenote: Yet the sense in the living body excites and moves the
mental powers; as when the light striking the eyes causes them to
see, or as the voice rushing into the ear excites hearing.]
algates
þe passiou{n} þat is to seyn þe suffraunce or þe wit
i{n} þe quik[e] body goþ byforne excitynge {and} moeuyng
þe strengþes of þe þouȝte. ryȝt so as whan þat 4864
clerenesse smyteþ þe eyen {and} moeuiþ hem to seen. or
ryȝt so as voys or soune hurtliþ to þe eres {and} co{m}moeuiþ
hem to herkne.
[Sidenote: Then is the force of thought excited; it calls forth
the images within itself, and adds to them the outward forms,
blending external images with the counterparts concealed within.]
þan is þe stre{n}gþe of þe þouȝt
ymoeuid {and} excitid {and} clepeþ furþe þe semblable 4868
moeuynges þe speces þat it halt wiþ i{n}ne it self. {and}
addiþ þo speces to þe notes {and} to þe þinges wiþ out
forþe. {and} medeleþ þe ymages of þinges wiþ out forþe
to þe forme[s] yhid wiþ i{n}ne hym self. 4872
[Linenotes:
4827 _hadde_--hadden
_dispoyten_--desputen
4828 _brouȝt[e]_--browhte
4830 [_and_]--from C.
4837 _inprentid_--aprentyd
4838 _some tyme_--somtyme
_swift_--swyfte
4840 _haþ_--MS. haþe
4843 _vnplitiþ_--vnpleyteth
_doþ_--MS. doþe
4845 _þe_--tho
4863 _quik[e]_--qwyke
_goþ_--MS. goþe
4864 _þouȝte_--thoght
4865 _clerenesse_--cleernesse
4866 _soune_--sown
4868 _furþe_--forth
4870 _out_--owte
4871 _out forþe_--owte forth
4872 _forme[s]_--formes
_yhid_--I-hidde]
[[pg 168]]
[Headnote:
INTELLIGENCE A DIVINE ATTRIBUTE.]