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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29510-h.zip b/29510-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..08dada4 --- /dev/null +++ b/29510-h.zip diff --git a/29510-h/29510-h.htm b/29510-h/29510-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a6b9d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/29510-h/29510-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1262 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of An Essay on the Beautiful, by Plotinus</title> +<style type="text/css"> + body {margin-top:100px; + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align:justify} + hr { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + pre {font-size: 75%;} +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of An Essay on the Beautiful, by Plotinus + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An Essay on the Beautiful + From the Greek of Plotinus + +Author: Plotinus + +Translator: Thomas Taylor + +Release Date: July 25, 2009 [EBook #29510] +[Last updated: April 8, 2012] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ESSAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL *** + + + + +Produced by Ruth Hart + + + + + +</pre> + +<center> +<h1>AN ESSAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL</h1> + +<h2><i>(From the Greek of Plotinus)</i></h2><br> + +<h3>Translated by<br> +Thomas Taylor</h3><br> + +<p>London<br> +John M. Watkins<br> +21 Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road<br> +1917</p> +</center><br> +<br> + +<p>INTRODUCTION</p> + +<p>It may seem wonderful that language, which is the only method of conveying +our conceptions, should, at the same time, be an hindrance to our advancement in +philosophy; but the wonder ceases when we consider, that it is seldom studied as +the vehicle of truth, but is too frequently esteemed for its own sake, +independent of its connection with things. This observation is remarkably +verified in the Greek language; which, as it is the only repository of ancient +wisdom, has, unfortunately for us, been the means of concealing, in shameful +obscurity, the most profound researches and the sublimest truths. That words, +indeed, are not otherwise valuable than as subservient to things, must surely be +acknowledged by every liberal mind, and will alone be disputed by him who has +spent the prime of his life, and consumed the vigour of his understanding, in +verbal criticisms and grammatical trifles. And, if this is the case, every lover +of truth will only study a language for the purpose of procuring the wisdom it +contains; and will doubtless wish to make his native language the vehicle of it +to others. For, since all truth is eternal, its nature can never be altered by +transposition, though by this means its dress may be varied, and become less +elegant and refined. Perhaps even this inconvenience may be remedied by sedulous +cultivation; at least, the particular inability of some, ought not to discourage +the well-meant endeavours of others. Whoever reads the lives of the ancient +Heroes of Philosophy, must be convinced that they studied things more than +words, and that Truth alone was the ultimate object of their search; and he who +wishes to emulate their glory and participate their wisdom, will study their +doctrines more than their language, and value the depth of their understandings +far beyond the elegance of their composition. The native charms of Truth will +ever be sufficient to allure the truly philosophic mind; and he who has once +discovered her retreats will surely endeavour to fix a mark by which they may be +detected by others.</p> + +<p>But, though the mischief arising from the study of words is prodigious, we +must not consider it as the only cause of darkening the splendours of Truth, and +obstructing the free diffusion of her light. Different manners and philosophies +have equally contributed to banish the goddess from our realms, and to render +our eyes offended with her celestial light. Hence we must not wonder that, being +indignant at the change, and perceiving the empire of ignorance rising to +unbounded dominion, she has retired from the spreading darkness, and concealed +herself in the tranquil and divinely lucid regions of mind. For we need but +barely survey modern pursuits to be convinced how little they are connected with +wisdom. Since, to describe the nature of some particular place, the form, +situation and magnitude of a certain city; to trace the windings of a river to +its source, or delineate the aspect of a pleasant mountain; to calculate the +fineness of the silkworm's threads, and arrange the gaudy colours of +butterflies; in short, to pursue matter through its infinite divisions, and +wander in its dark labyrinths, is the employment of the philosophy in vogue. But +surely the energies of intellect are more worthy our concern than the operations +of sense; and the science of universals, permanent and fixed, must be superior +to the knowledge of particulars, fleeting and frail. Where is a sensible object +to be found, which abides for a moment the same; which is not either rising to +perfection, or verging to decay; which is not mixed and confused with its +contrary; whose flowing nature no resistance can stop, nor any art confine? +Where is the chemist who, by the most accurate analyzation can arrive at the +principles of bodies; or who, though he might be so lucky in his search as to +detect the atoms of Democritus, could by this means give respite to mental +investigation? For every atom, since endued with figure, must consist of parts, +though indissolubly cemented together; and the immediate cause of this cement +must be something incorporeal or knowledge can have no stability and enquiry no +end. Where, says Mr Harris, is the microscope which can discern what is smallest +in nature? Where the telescope which can see at what point in the universe +wisdom first began? Since, then, there is no portion of matter which may not be +the subject of experiments without end, let us betake ourselves to the regions +of mind, where all things are bounded in intellectual measure; where everything +is permanent and beautiful, eternal and divine. Let us quit the study of +particulars, for that which is general and comprehensive, and through this, +learn to see and recognize whatever exists.</p> + +<p>With a view to this desirable end, I have presented the reader with a +specimen of that sublime wisdom which first arose in the colleges of the +Egyptian priests, and flourished afterwards in Greece; which was there +cultivated by Pythagoras, under the mysterious veil of numbers; by Plato, in the +graceful dress of poetry; and was systematized by Aristotle, as far as it could +be reduced into scientific order; which, after becoming in a manner extinct, +shone again with its pristine splendour among the philosophers of the +Alexandrian school; was learnedly illustrated with Asiatic luxuriancy of style +by Proclus; was divinely explained by Iamblichus: and profoundly delivered in +the writings of Plotinus. Indeed, the works of this last philosopher are +particularly valuable to all who desire to penetrate into the depths of this +divine wisdom. From the exalted nature of his genius, he was called Intellect by +his contemporaries, and is said to have composed his books under the influence +of divine illumination. Porphyry relates, in his life, that he was four times +united by an ineffable energy with the divinity; which, however such an account +may be ridiculed in the present age, will be credited by everyone who has +properly explored the profundity of his mind. The facility and vehemence of his +composition was such, that when he had once conceived a subject, he wrote as +from an internal pattern, without paying much attention to the orthography, or +reviewing what he had written; for the celestial vigour of his intellect +rendered him incapable of trifling concerns, and in this respect, inferior to +common understandings, as the eagle, which in its bold flight pierces the +clouds, skims the surface of the earth with less rapidity than the swallow. +Indeed a minute attention to trifles is inconsistent with great genius of every +kind, and it is on this account that retirement is so absolutely necessary to +the discovery of truths of the first dignity and importance; for how is it +possible to mix much with the world, without imbibing the false and puerile +conceptions of the multitude; and without losing that true elevation of soul +which comparatively despises every mortal concern? Plotinus, therefore, +conscious of the incorrectness of his writings arising from the rapidity, +exuberance and daring sublimity of his thoughts, committed their revision to his +disciple Porphyry; who, though inferior in depth of thought to his master, was, +on account of his extraordinary abilities, called by way of eminence the +Philosopher.</p> + +<p>The design of the following discourse is to bring us to the perception of the +beautiful itself, even while connected with a corporeal nature, which must be +the great end of all true philosophy and which Plotinus happily obtained. To a +genius, indeed, truly modern, with whom the crucible and the air-pump are alone +the standards of Truth, such an attempt must appear ridiculous in the extreme. +With these, nothing is real but what the hand can grasp or the corporeal eye +perceives, and nothing useful but what pampers the appetite or fills the purse; +but unfortunately, their perceptions, like Homer's frail dreams, pass through +the ivory gate; and are consequently empty and fallacious, and contain nothing +belonging to the vigilant soul. To such as these a treatise on the beautiful +cannot be addressed; since its object is too exalted to be approached by those +engaged in the impurities of sense, and too bright to be seen by the eye +accustomed to the obscurity of corporeal vision. But it is alone proper to him +who is sensible that his soul is strongly marked with ruin by its union with +body; who considers himself in the language of Empedocles, as</p> + +<p> "Heaven's exile, straying from the orb of light";</p> + +<p>and who so ardently longs for a return to his true country, that to him, as +to Ulysses when fighting for Ithaca,</p> + +<p> "Slow seems the fun to move, the hours to roll;<br> + His native home deep-imag'd in his soul".<a href= +"#note01"><u>[1]</u></a></p> + +<p>But here it is requisite to observe that our ascent to this region of Beauty +must be made by gradual advances, for, from our association with matter, it is +impossible to pass directly, and without a medium, to such transcendent +perfection; but we must proceed in a manner similar to those who pass from +darkness to the brightest light, by advancing from places moderately +enlightened, to such as are the most luminous of all. It is necessary therefore, +that we should become very familiar with the most abstract contemplations; and +that our intellectual eye should be strongly irradiated with the light of ideas +which precedes the splendours of the beautiful itself, like the brightness which +is seen on the summit of mountains previous to the rising of the sun. Nor ought +it to seem strange, if it should be some time before even the liberal soul can +recognize the beautiful progeny of intellect as its kindred and allies; for, +from its union with body, it has drunk deep of the cup of oblivion, and all its +energetic powers are stupefied by the intoxicating draught; so that the +intelligible world, on its first appearance, is utterly unknown by us, and our +recollection of its inhabitants entirely lost; and we become familiar to Ulysses +on his first entrance into Ithaca, of whom Homer says,</p> + +<p> "Yet had his mind, thro' tedious absence lost<br> + The dear remembrance of his native coast".<a href= +"#note02"><u>[2]</u></a></p> + +<p>For,</p> + +<p> "Now all the land another prospect bore,<br> + Another port appeared, another shore,<br> + And long-continued ways, and winding floods<br> + And unknown mountains crowned with unknown woods":</p> + +<p>until the goddess of wisdom purges our eyes from the mists of sense and says +to each of us, as she did to Ulysses,</p> + +<p> "Now lift thy longing eyes, while I restore<br> + The pleasing prospect of thy native shore."</p> + +<p>For then will</p> + +<p> " . . . . the prospect +clear,<br> + The mists disperse, and all the coast appear."</p> + +<p>Let us then, humbly supplicate the irradiations of wisdom, and follow +Plotinus as our divine guide to the beatific vision of the Beautiful itself; for +in this alone can we find perfect repose, and repair those destructive clefts +and chinks of the soul which its departure from the light of good, and its lapse +into a corporeal nature, have introduced.</p> + +<p>But before I conclude, I think it necessary to caution the reader not to mix +any modern enthusiastic opinions with the doctrines contained in the following +discourse; for there is not a greater difference between substance and shade +than between ancient and modern enthusiasm. The object of the former was the +highest good and supreme beauty; but that of the latter is nothing more than a +phantom raised by bewildered imaginations, floating on the unstable ocean of +opinion, the sport of the waves of prejudice and blown about by the breath of +factious party. Like substance and shade, indeed they possess a similitude in +outward appearance, but in reality they are perfect contraries; for the one +fills the mind with solid and durable good, but the other with empty delusions; +which like the ever-running waters of the Danaides, glide away as fast as they +enter, and leave nothing behind but the ruinous passages through which they +flowed.</p> + +<p>I only add, that the ensuing treatise is designed as a specimen (if it should +meet with encouragement) of my intended mode of publishing all the works of +Plotinus. The undertaking is, I am sensible, arduous in the extreme; and the +disciples of wisdom are unfortunately few; but, as I desire no other reward of +my labour, than to have the expense of printing defrayed, and to see Truth +propagated in my native tongue; I hope those few will enable me to obtain the +completion of my desires. For then, to adopt the words of Ulysses,</p> + +<p> "That view vouchsaf'd, let instant death surprise<br> + With ever-during shade these happy eyes!"<a href= +"#note03"><u>[3]</u></a></p><br> +<br> + +<p>CONCERNING THE BEAUTIFUL</p> + +<p>Beauty<a href="#note04"><u>[4]</u></a> for the most part, consists in objects +of sight; but it is also received through the ears, by the skilful composition +of words, and the consonant proportion of sounds; for in every species of +harmony, beauty is to be found. And if we rise from sense into the regions of +soul, we shall there perceive studies and offices, actions and habits, sciences +and virtues, invested with a much larger portion of beauty. But whether there is +above these, a still higher beauty, will appear as we advance in its +investigation. What is it then, which causes bodies to appear fair to the sight, +sounds beautiful to the ear, and science and virtue lovely to the mind? May we +not enquire after what manner they all partake of beauty? Whether beauty is one +and the same in all? Or, whether the beauty of bodies is of one kind, and the +beauty of souls of another? And again, what these are, if they are two? Or, what +beauty is, if perfectly simple, and one? For some things, as bodies, are +doubtless beautiful, not from the natures of the subjects in which they reside, +but rather by some kind of participation; but others again appear to be +essentially beautiful, or beauties themselves; and such is the nature of virtue. +For, with respect, to the same bodies, they appear beautiful to one person, and +the reverse of beauty to another; as if the essence of body were a thing +different from the essence of beauty. In the first place then, what is that, +which, by its presence, causes the beauty of bodies? Let us reflect, what most +powerfully attracts the eyes of beholders, and seizes the spectator with +rapturous delight; for if we can find what this is, we may perhaps use it as a +ladder, enabling us to ascend into the region of beauty, and survey its +immeasurable extent.</p> + +<p>It is the general opinion that a certain commensuration of parts to each +other, and to the whole, with the addition, of colour, generates that beauty +which is the object of sight; and that in the commensurate and the moderate +alone the beauty of everything consists. But from such an opinion the compound +only, and not the simple, can be beautiful, the single parts will have no +peculiar beauty; and will only merit that appellation by conferring to the +beauty of the whole. But it is surely necessary that a lovely whole should +consist of beautiful parts, for the fair can never rise out of the deformed. But +from such a definition, it follows, that beautiful colours and the light of the +sun, since they are simple and do not receive their beauty from commensuration, +must be excluded the regions of beauty. Besides, how, from such an hypothesis +can gold be beautiful? Or the glittering of night and the glorious spectacle of +the stars? In like manner, the most simple musical sounds will be foreign from +beauty, though in a song wholly beautiful every note must be beautiful, as +necessary to the being of the whole. Again, since the same proportion remaining, +the same face is to one person beautiful and to another the reverse, is it not +necessary to call the beauty of the commensurate one kind of beauty and the +commensuration another kind, and that the commensurate is fair by means of +something else? But if transferring themselves to beautiful studies and fair +discourses, they shall assign as the cause of beauty in these the proportion of +measure, what is that which in beautiful sciences, laws or disciplines, is +called commensurate proportion? Or in what manner can speculations themselves be +called mutually commensurate? If it be said because of the inherent concord, we +reply that there is a certain concord and consent in evil souls, a conformity of +sentiment, in believing (as it is said) that temperance is folly and justice +generous ignorance. It appears, therefore, that the beauty of the soul is every +virtue, and this species of the beautiful possesses far greater reality than any +of the superior we have mentioned. But after what manner in this is +commensuration to be found? For it is neither like the symmetry in magnitude nor +in numbers. And since the parts of the soul are many, in what proportion and +synthesis, in what temperament of parts or concord of speculations, does beauty +consist? Lastly, of what kind is the beauty of intellect itself, abstracted from +every corporeal concern, and intimately conversing with itself alone?</p> + +<p>We still, therefore, repeat the question, What is the beauty of bodies? It is +something which at first view presents itself to sense, and which the soul +familiarly apprehends and eagerly embraces, as if it were allied to itself. But +when it meets with the deformed, it hastily starts from the view and retires +abhorrent from its discordant nature. For since the soul in its proper state +ranks according to the most excellent essence in the order of things, when it +perceives any object related to itself, or the mere vestige of a relation, it +congratulates itself on the pleasing event, and astonished with the striking +resemblance<a href="#note05"><u>[5]</u></a> enters deep into its essence, and, +by rousing its dormant powers, at length perfectly recollects its kindred and +allies. What is the similitude then between the beauties of sense and that +beauty which is divine? For if there be any similitude the respective objects +must be similar. But after what manner are the two beautiful? For it is by +participation of species that we call every sensible object beautiful. Thus, +since everything void of form is by nature fitted for its reception, as far as +it is destitute of reason and form it is base and separate from the divine +reason, the great fountain of forms; and whatever is entirely remote from this +immortal source is perfectly base and deformed.<a href= +"#note06"><u>[6]</u></a> And such is matter, which by its nature is ever averse +from the supervening irradiations of form. Whenever, therefore, form accedes, it +conciliates in amicable unity the parts which are about to compose a whole; for +being itself one it is not wonderful that the subject of its power should tend +to unity, as far as the nature of a compound will admit. Hence beauty is +established in multitude when the many is reduced into one, and in this case it +communicates itself both to the parts and to the whole. But when a particular +one, composed from similar parts, is received it gives itself to the whole, +without departing from the sameness and integrity of its nature. Thus at one and +the same time it communicates itself to the whole building and its several +parts; and at another time confines itself to a single stone, and then the first +participation arises from the operations of art, but the second from the +formation of nature. And hence body becomes beautiful through the communion +supernally proceeding from divinity.</p> + +<p>But the soul, by her innate power, than which nothing more powerful, in +judging its proper concerns, when another soul concurs in the decision, +acknowledges the beauty of forms. And, perhaps, its knowledge in this case +arises from its accommodating its internal ray of beauty to form, and trusting +to this in its judgment; in the same manner as a rule is employed in the +decision of what is straight. But how can that which is inherent in body, accord +with that which is above body? Let us reply by asking how the architect +pronounces the building beautiful by accommodating the external structure the +fabric of his soul? Perhaps, because the outward building, when entirely +deprived of the stones, is no other than the intrinsic form, divided by the +external mass of matter, but indivisibly existing, though appearing in the many. +When, therefore, sense beholds the form in bodies, at strife with matter, +binding and vanquishing its contrary nature, and sees form gracefully shining +forth in other forms, it collects together the scattered whole, and introduces +it to itself, and to the indivisible form within; and renders it consonant, +congruous and friendly to its own intimate form. Thus, to the good man, virtue +shining forth in youth is lovely because consonant to the true virtue which lies +deep in the soul. But the simple beauty of colour arises, when light, which is +something incorporeal, and reason and form entering the obscure involutions of +matter, irradiates and forms its dark and formless nature. It is on this account +that fire surpasses other bodies in beauty, because, compared with the other +elements, it obtains the order of form; for it is more eminent than the rest, +and is the most subtle of all, bordering, as it were, on an incorporeal nature. +And too, that though impervious itself it is intimately received by others, for +it imparts heat, but admits no cold. Hence it is the first nature which is +ornamented with colour, and is the source of it to others; and on this account +it beams forth exalted like some immaterial form. But when it cannot vanquish +its subject, as participating but a slender light, it is no longer beautiful, +because it does not receive the whole form of colour. Again, the music of the +voice rouses the harmony latent in the soul, and opens her eye to the perception +of beauty, existing in many the same. But it is the property of the harmony +perceived by sense, to be measured by numbers, yet not in every proportion of +number or voice; but in that alone which is obedient to the production, and +conquest of its species. And this much for the beauties of sense, which, like +images and shadows flowing into matter, adorn with spectacles of beauty its +formless being, and strike the respective senses with wonder and delight.</p> + +<p>But it is now time, leaving every object of sense far behind, to contemplate, +by a certain ascent, a beauty of a much higher order; a beauty not visible to +the corporeal eye, but alone manifest to the brighter eye of the soul, +independent of all corporeal aid. However, since, without some previous +perception of beauty it is impossible to express by words the beauties of sense, +but we must remain in the state of the blind, so neither can we ever speak of +the beauty of offices and sciences, and whatever is allied to these, if deprived +of their intimate possession. Thus we shall never be able to tell of virtue's +brightness, unless by looking inward we perceive the fair countenance of justice +and temperance, and are convinced that neither the evening nor morning star are +half so beautiful and bright. But it is requisite to perceive objects of this +kind by that eye by which the soul beholds such real beauties. Besides it is +necessary that whoever perceives this species of beauty, should be seized with +much greater delight, and more vehement admiration, than any corporeal beauty +can excite; as now embracing beauty real and substantial. Such affections, I +say, ought to be excited about true beauty, as admiration and sweet +astonishment; desire also and love and a pleasant trepidation. For all souls, as +I may say, are affected in this manner about invisible objects, but those the +most who have the strongest propensity to their love; as it likewise happens +about corporeal beauty; for all equally perceive beautiful corporeal forms, yet +all are not equally excited, but lovers in the greatest degree.</p> + +<p>But it may be allowable to interrogate those, who rise above sense, +concerning the effects of love in this manner; of such we enquire, what do you +suffer respecting fair studies, and beautiful manners, virtuous works, +affections, and habits, and the beauty of souls? What do you experience on +perceiving yourselves lovely within? After what manner are you roused as it were +to a Bacchalian fury; striving to converse with yourselves, and collecting +yourselves separate from the impediments of body? For thus are true lovers +enraptured. But what is the cause of these wonderful effects. It is neither +figure, nor colour, nor magnitude; but soul herself, fair through temperance, +and not with the false gloss of colour, and bright with the splendours of virtue +herself. And this you experience as often as you turn your eye inwards; or +contemplate the amplitude of another soul; the just manners, the pure +temperance; fortitude venerable by her noble countenance; and modesty and +honesty walking with an intrepid step, and a tranquil and steady aspect; and +what crowns the beauty of them all, constantly receiving the irradiations of a +divine intellect.</p> + +<p>In what respect then, shall we call these beautiful? For they are such as +they appear, nor did ever anyone behold them, and not pronounce them realities. +But as yet reason desires to know how they cause the loveliness of the soul; and +what that grace is in every virtue which beams forth to view like light? Are you +then willing we should assume the contrary part, and consider what in the soul +appears deformed? for perhaps it will facilitate our search, if we can thus find +what is base in the soul, and from whence it derives its original.</p> + +<p>Let us suppose a soul deformed, to be one intemperate and unjust, filled with +a multitude of desires, a prey to foolish hopes and vexed with idle fears; +through its diminutive and avaricious nature the subject of envy; employed +solely in thought of what is immoral and low, bound in the fetters of impure +delights, living the life, whatever it may be, peculiar to the passion of body; +and so totally merged in sensuality as to esteem the base pleasant, and the +deformed beautiful and fair. But may we not say, that this baseness approaches +the soul as an adventitious evil, under the pretext of adventitious beauty; +which, with great detriment, renders it impure, and pollutes it with much +depravity; so that it neither possesses true life, nor true sense, but is endued +with a slender life through its mixture of evil, and this worn out by the +continual depredations of death; no longer perceiving the objects of mental +vision, nor permitted any more to dwell with itself, because ever hurried away +to things obscure, external and low? Hence, becoming impure, and being on all +sides snatched in the unceasing whirl of sensible forms, it is covered with +corporeal stains, and wholly given to matter, contracts deeply its nature, loses +all its original splendour, and almost changes its own species into that of +another; just as the pristine beauty of the most lovely form would be destroyed +by its total immersion in mire and clay. But the deformity of the first arises +from inward filth, of its own contracting; of the second, from the accession of +some foreign nature. If such a one then desires to recover his former beauty, it +is necessary to cleanse the infected parts, and thus by a thorough purgation to +resume his original form. Hence, then if we assert that the soul, by her +mixture, confusion and commerce with body and matter, becomes thus base, our +assertion will, I think, be right. For the baseness of the soul consists in not +being pure and sincere. And as the gold is deformed by the adherence of earthly +clods, which are no sooner removed than on a sudden the gold shines forth with +its native purity; and then becomes beautiful when separated from natures +foreign from its own, and when it is content with its own purity for the +possession of beauty; so the soul, when separated from the sordid desires +engendered by its too great immersion in body, and liberated from the dominion +of every perturbation, can thus and thus only, blot out the base stains imbibed +from its union with body; and thus becoming alone, will doubtless expel all the +turpitude contracted from a nature so opposite to its own.</p> + +<p>Indeed, as the ancient oracle declares, temperance and fortitude, prudence +and every virtue, are certain purgatives of the soul; and hence the sacred +mysteries prophesy obscurely, yet with truth, that the soul not purified lies in +Tartarus, immersed in filth. Since the impure is, from his depravity, the friend +of filth, as swine, from their sordid body, delight in mire alone.</p> + +<p>For what else is true temperance than not to indulge in corporeal delights, +but to fly from their connection, as things which are neither pure, nor the +offspring of purity? And true fortitude is not to fear death; for death is +nothing more than a certain separation of soul from body, and this he will not +fear, who desires to be alone. Again, magnanimity is the contempt of every +mortal concern; it is the wing by which we fly into the regions of intellect. +And lastly, prudence is no other than intelligence, declining subordinate +objects; and directing the eye of the soul to that which is immortal and divine. +The soul, thus defined, becomes form and reason, is altogether incorporeal and +intellectual, and wholly participates of that divine nature, which is the +fountain of loveliness, and of whatever is allied to the beautiful and fair. +Hence the soul reduced to intellect becomes astonishingly beautiful; for as the +lambent flame which appears detached from the burning wood, enlightens its dark +and smoky parts, so intellect irradiates and adorns the inferior powers of the +soul, which, without its aid, would be buried in the gloom of formless matter. +But intellect, and whatever emanates from intellect, is not the foreign, but the +proper ornament of the soul, for the being of the soul, when absorbed in +intellect, is then alone real and true. It is, therefore, rightly said, that the +beauty and good of the soul consists in her similitude to the Deity<i>;</i> for +from hence flows all her beauty, and her allotment of a better being. But the +beautiful itself is that which is called beings; and turpitude is of a different +nature and participates more of non-entity than being.</p> + +<p>But, perhaps, the good and the beautiful are the same, and must be +investigated by one and the same process; and in like manner the base and the +evil. And in the first rank we must place the beautiful, and consider it as the +same with the good; from which immediately emanates intellect as beautiful. Next +to this, we must consider the soul receiving its beauty from intellect, and +every inferior beauty deriving its origin from the forming power of the soul, +whether conversant in fair actions and offices, or sciences and arts. Lastly, +bodies themselves participate of beauty from the soul, which, as something +divine, and a portion of the beautiful itself, renders whatever it supervenes +and subdues, beautiful as far as its natural capacity will admit.</p> + +<p>Let us, therefore, re-ascend to the good itself, which every soul desires; +and in which it can alone find perfect repose. For if anyone shall become +acquainted with this source of beauty he will then know what I say, and after +what manner he is beautiful. Indeed, whatever is desirable is a kind of good, +since to this desire tends. But they alone pursue true good, who rise to +intelligible beauty, and so far only tend to good itself; as far as they lay +aside the deformed vestments of matter, with which they become connected in +their descent. Just as those who penetrate into the holy retreats of sacred +mysteries, are first purified and then divest themselves of their garments, +until someone by such a process, having dismissed everything foreign from the +God, by himself alone, beholds the solitary principle of the universe, sincere, +simple and pure, from which all things depend, and to whose transcendent +perfections the eyes of all intelligent natures are directed, as the proper +cause of being, life and intelligence. With what ardent love, with what strong +desire will he who enjoys this transporting vision be inflamed while vehemently +affecting to become one with this supreme beauty! For this it is ordained, that +he who does not yet perceive him, yet desires him as good, but he who enjoys the +vision is enraptured with his beauty, and is equally filled with admiration and +delight. Hence, such a one is agitated with a salutary astonishment; is affected +with the highest and truest love; derides vehement affections and inferior +loves, and despises the beauty which he once approved. Such, too, is the +condition of those who, on perceiving the forms of gods or daemons, no longer +esteem the fairest of corporeal forms. What, then, must be the condition of that +being, who beholds the beautiful itself?</p> + +<p>In itself perfectly pure<a href="#note07"><u>[7]</u></a>, not confined by any +corporeal bond, neither existing in the heavens, nor in the earth, nor to be +imaged by the most lovely form imagination can conceive; since these are all +adventitious and mixed, and mere secondary beauties, proceeding from the +beautiful itself. If, then, anyone should ever behold that which is the source +of munificence to others, remaining in itself, while it communicates to all, and +receiving nothing, because possessing an inexhaustible fulness; and should so +abide in the intuition, as to become similar to his nature, what more of beauty +can such a one desire? For such beauty, since it is supreme in dignity and +excellence, cannot fail of rendering its votaries lovely and fair. Add too, that +since the object of contest to souls is the highest beauty, we should strive for +its acquisition with unabated ardour, lest we should be deserted of that +blissful contemplation, which, whoever pursues in the right way, becomes blessed +from the happy vision; and which he who does not obtain is unavoidably unhappy. +For the miserable man is not he who neglects to pursue fair colours, and +beautiful corporeal forms; who is deprived of power, and falls from dominion and +empire but he alone who is destitute of this divine possession, for which the +ample dominion of the earth and sea and the still more extended empire of the +heavens, must be relinquished and forgot, if, despising and leaving these far +behind, we ever intend to arrive at substantial felicity, by beholding the +beautiful itself.</p> + +<p>What measures, then, shall we adopt? What machine employ, or what reason +consult by means of which we may contemplate this ineffable beauty; a beauty +abiding in the most divine sanctuary without ever proceeding from its sacred +retreats lest it should be beheld by the profane and vulgar eye? We must enter +deep into ourselves, and, leaving behind the objects of corporeal sight, no +longer look back after any of the accustomed spectacles of sense. For, it is +necessary that whoever beholds this beauty, should withdraw his view from the +fairest corporeal forms; and, convinced that these are nothing more than images, +vestiges and shadows of beauty, should eagerly soar to the fair original from +which they are derived. For he who rushes to these lower beauties, as if +grasping realities, when they are only like beautiful images appearing in water, +will, doubtless, like him in the fable, by stretching after the shadow, sink +into the lake and disappear. For, by thus embracing and adhering to corporeal +forms, he is precipitated, not so much in his body as in his soul, into profound +and horrid darkness; and thus blind, like those in the infernal regions, +converses only with phantoms, deprived of the perception of what is real and +true. It is here, then, we may more truly exclaim, "Let us depart from hence, +and fly to our father's delightful land".<a href= +"#note08"><u>[8]</u></a> But, by what leading stars shall we direct our flight, +and by what means avoid the magic power of Circe, and the detaining charms of +Calypso?<a href= +"#note09"><u>[9]</u></a> For thus the fable of Ulysses obscurely signifies, +which feigns him abiding an unwilling exile, though pleasant spectacles were +continually presented to his sight; and everything was promised to invite his +stay which can delight the senses, and captivate the heart. But our true +country, like that of Ulysses, is from whence we came, and where our father +lives. But where is the ship to be found by which we can accomplish our flight? +For our feet are unequal to the task since they only take us from one part of +the earth to another. May we not each of us say,</p> + +<p> "What ships have I, what sailors to convey,<br> + What oars to cut the long laborious way".<a href= +"#note10"><u>[10]</u></a></p> + +<p>But it is in vain that we prepare horses to draw our ships to transport us to +our native land. On the contrary, neglecting all these, as unequal to the task, +and excluding them entirely from our view, having now closed the corporeal eye,<a href= +"#note11"><u>[11]</u></a> we must stir up and assume a purer eye within, which +all men possess, but which is alone used by a few. What is it, then, this inward +eye beholds? Indeed, suddenly raised to intellectual vision, it cannot perceive +an object exceeding bright. The soul must therefore be first accustomed to +contemplate fair studies and then beautiful works, not such as arise from the +operations of art, but such as are the offspring of worthy men; and next to this +it is necessary to view the soul, which is the parent of this lovely race. But +you will ask, after what manner is this beauty of a worthy soul to be perceived? +It is thus. Recall your thoughts inward, and if while contemplating yourself, +you do not perceive yourself beautiful, imitate the statuary; who when he +desires a beautiful statue cuts away what is superfluous, smooths and polishes +what is rough, and never desists until he has given it all the beauty his art is +able to effect. In this manner must you proceed, by lopping what is luxuriant, +directing what is oblique, and, by purgation, illustrating what is obscure, and +thus continue to polish and beautify your statue until the divine splendour of +Virtue shines upon you, and Temperance seated in pure and holy majesty rises to +your view. If you become thus purified residing in yourself, and having nothing +any longer to impede this unity of mind, and no farther mixture to be found +within, but perceiving your whole self to be a true light, and light alone; a +light which though immense is not measured by any magnitude, nor limited by any +circumscribing figure, but is everywhere immeasurable, as being greater than +every measure, and more excellent than every quantity; if, perceiving yourself +thus improved, and trusting solely to yourself, as no longer requiring a guide, +fix now steadfastly your mental view, for with the intellectual eye alone can +such immense beauty be perceived. But if your eye is yet infected with any +sordid concern, and not thoroughly refined, while it is on the stretch to behold +this most shining spectacle, it will be immediately darkened and incapable of +intuition, though someone should declare the spectacle present, which it might +be otherwise able to discern. For, it is here necessary that the perceiver and +the thing perceived should be similar to each other before true vision can +exist. Thus the sensitive eye can never be able to survey, the orb of the sun, +unless strongly endued with solar fire, and participating largely off the vivid +ray. Everyone therefore must become divine, and of godlike beauty, before he can +gaze upon a god and the beautiful itself. Thus proceeding in the right way of +beauty he will first ascend into the region of intellect, contemplating every +fair species, the beauty of which he will perceive to be no other than ideas +themselves; for all things are beautiful by the supervening irradiations of +these, because they are the offspring and essence of intellect. But that which +is superior to these is no other than the fountain of good, everywhere widely +diffusing around the streams of beauty, and hence in discourse called the +beautiful itself because beauty is its immediate offspring. But if you +accurately distinguish the intelligible objects you will call the beautiful the +receptacle of ideas; but the good itself, which is superior, the fountain and +principle of the beautiful; or, you may place the first beautiful and the good +in the same principle, independent of the beauty which there subsists.<a href="#note12"><u>[12]</u></a></p><br> +<br> + +<p>NOTES</p> + +<p><a name="note01" id="note01"><u>1</u> </a> Pope's Homer's <i>Odyssey,</i> +Book xiii., ver. 37.</p> + +<p><a name="note02" id="note02"><u>2</u> </a> <i>Odyssey,</i> Book xiii., ver. +223.</p> + +<p><a name="note03" id="note03"><u>3</u> </a> <i>Odyssey,</i> Book vii., ver. +303.</p> + +<p><a name="note04" id="note04"><u>4</u> </a> It is necessary to inform the +Platonical reader, that the Beautiful, in the present discourse, is considered +according to its most general acceptation, as the same with the Good: though, +according to a more accurate distinction, as Plotinus himself informs us, the +Good is considered as the fountain and principle of the Beautiful. I think it +likewise proper to observe, that as I have endeavoured, by my paraphrase, to +render as much as possible the obscure parts evident, and to expand those +sentences which are so very much contracted in the original, I shall be sparing +of notes; for my design is not to accommodate the sublimest truths to the +meanest understandings (as this would be a contemptible and useless +prostitution), but to render them perspicuous to truly liberal and philosophic +minds. My reasons for adopting this mode of paraphrase, may be seen in the +preface to my translation of +<i>Orpheus's Hymns.</i></p> + +<p><a name="note05" id="note05"><u>5</u> </a> "Enters deep into its essence," +etc. The Platonic Philosophy insists much on the necessity of retiring into +ourselves in order to the discovery of truth; and on this account Socrates, in +the first <i>Alcibiades,</i> +says that the soul entering into herself will contemplate whatever exists and +the divinity himself. Upon which Proclus thus comments, with his usual elegance +and depth (in +<i>Theol. Plat,</i> p. 7): "For the soul," says he, "contracting herself wholly +into a union with herself, and into the centre of universal life, and removing +the multitude and variety of all-various powers, ascends into the highest place +of speculation, from whence she will survey the nature of beings. For if she +looks back upon things posterior to her essence, she will perceive nothing but +the shadows and resemblances of beings; but if she returns into herself she will +evolve her own essence, and the reasons she contains. And at first indeed she +will, as it were, only behold herself; but when by her knowledge she penetrates +more profoundly in her investigations she will find intellect seated in her +essence and the universal orders of beings; but when she advances into the more +interior recesses of herself, and as it were into the sanctuary of the soul, she +will be enabled to contemplate, with her eyes closed to corporeal vision, the +genus of the gods and the unities of beings. For all things reside in us, after +a manner correspondent to the nature of the soul; and on this account we are +naturally enabled to know all things, by exciting our inherent powers and images +of whatever exists."</p> + +<p><a name="note06" id="note06"><u>6</u> </a> "And such is matter," etc. There +is nothing affords more wonderful speculation than matter, which ranks as the +last among the universality of things, and has the same relation to being as +shade to substance. For, as in an ascending series of causes it is necessary to +arrive at something, which is the first cause of all, and to which no perfection +is wanting; so in a descending series of subjects, it is equally necessary we +should stop at some general subject, the lowest in the order of things, and to +which every perfection of being is denied. But let us hear the profound and +admirable description which Plotinus gives us of matter (lib. vi., Ennead 3), +and of which the following is a paraphrase: "Since matter," says he, "is neither +soul, nor intellect, nor life, nor form, nor reason, nor bound, but a certain +indefiniteness; nor yet capacity, for what can it produce? Since it is foreign +from all these, it cannot merit the appellation of being, but is deservedly +called non-entity. Nor yet is it non-entity in the manner as motion or station; +but it is true non-entity, the mere shadow and imagination of bulk and the +desire of subsistence; abiding without station, of itself invisible, and +avoiding the desire of him who wishes to perceive its nature. Hence, when no one +perceives it, it is then in a manner present, but cannot be viewed by him who +strives intently to behold it. Again, in itself contraries always appear, the +small and the great, the less and the more, deficience and excess. So that it is +a phantom, neither abiding nor yet able to fly away; capable of no one +denomination and possessing no power from intellect, but constituted in the +defect and shade, as it were, of all real being. Hence, too, in each of its +vanishing appellations it eludes our search; for if we think of it as something +great, it is in the meantime small; if as something more, it becomes less; and +the apparent being which we meet with in its image is non-being, and as it were +a flying mockery. So that the forms which appear in matter are merely ludicrous, +shadows falling upon shadow, as in a mirror, where the position of a thing is +different from its real situation; and which, though apparently full of forms, +possesses nothing real and true--but imitations of being and semblances flowing +about a formless semblance. They appear, indeed, to affect something in the +subject matter, but in reality produce nothing; from their debile and flowing +nature being endued with no solidity and no rebounding power. And since matter, +likewise, has no solidity they penetrate it without division, like images in +water, or as if anyone should fill a vacuum with forms."</p> + +<p><a name="note07" id="note07"><u>7</u> </a> "In itself perfectly pure." This +is analogous to the description of the beautiful in the latter part of Diotima's +Speech in the <i>Banquet</i>; a speech which is surely unequalled, both for +elegance of composition and sublimity of sentiment. Indeed, all the disciples of +Plato are remarkable for nothing so much as their profound and exalted +conceptions of the Deity; and he who can read the works of Plotinus and Proclus +in particular, and afterwards pity the weakness and erroneousness of their +opinions on this subject, may be fairly presumed to be himself equally an object +of pity and contempt.</p> + +<p><a name="note08" id="note08"><u>8</u> </a> "Let us depart," etc., <i>vide</i> +Hom., <i>Iliad,</i> lib. ii., 140, et lib. ix., 27.</p> + +<p><a name="note09" id="note09"><u>9</u> </a> Porphyry informs us in his +excellent treatise, <i>De Antro Nymph,</i> that it was the opinion of Numenius, +the Pythagorean (to which he also assents), that the person of Ulysses in the <i> +Odyssey,</i> represents to us a man, who passes in a regular manner, over the +dark and stormy sea of generation; and thus, at length, arrives at that region +where tempests and seas are unknown, and finds a nation who</p> + +<p> "Ne'er knew salt, or heard the billows roar."</p> + +<p>Indeed, he who is conscious of the delusions of the present life and the +enchantments of this material house, in which his soul is detained like Ulysses +in the irriguous cavern of Calypso, will like him continually bewail his +captivity, and inly pine for a return to his native country. Of such a one it +may be said as of Ulysses (in the excellent and pathetic translation of Mr +Pope):</p> + +<p> "But sad Ulysses by himself apart<br> + Pour'd the big sorrows of his swelling heart,<br> + All on the lonely shore he sate to weep<br> + And roll'd his eyes around the restless deep<br> + Tow'rd the lov'd coast he roll'd his eyes in vain<br> + Till, dimmed with rising grief, they stream'd again."<br> + <i>Odyssey,</i> book v., +103.</p> + +<p>Such a one too, like Ulysses, will not always wish in vain for a passage over +the dark ocean of a corporeal life, but by the assistance of Mercury, who may be +considered as the emblem of reason, he will at length be enabled to quit the +magic embraces of Calypso, the Goddess of Imagination, and to return again into +the arms of Penelope, or Philosophy, the long lost and proper object of his +love.</p> + +<p><a name="note10" id="note10"><u>10</u> </a> See Pope's Homer's <i>Odyssey,</i> +book v., 182.</p> + +<p><a name="note11" id="note11"><u>11</u> </a> "We must stir up and assume a +purer eye within." This inward eye is no other than intellect, which contains in +its most inward recesses a certain ray of light, participated from the sun of +Beauty and Good, by which the soul is enabled to behold and become united with +her divinely solitary original. This divine ray, or, as Proclus calls it, mark +or impression, is thus beautifully described by that philosopher <i>(Theol. +Plat,</i> p. 105): "The Author of the Universe," says he, "has planted in all +beings impressions of his own perfect excellence, and through these he has +placed all beings about himself, and is present with them in an ineffable +manner, exempt from the universality of things. Hence, every being entering into +the ineffable sanctuary of its own nature finds there a symbol of the Father of +all. And by this mystical impression which corresponds to his nature they become +united with their original, divesting themselves of their own essence and +hastening to become his impression alone; and, through a desire of his unknown +nature and of the fountain of good, to participate in him alone. And when they +have ascended as far as to this cause they enjoy perfect tranquillity and are +conversant in the perception of his divine progeny and of the love which all +things naturally possess, and goodness, unknown, ineffable, without +participation and transcendently full."</p> + +<p><a name="note12" id="note12"><u>12</u> </a> But before I take my leave of +Plotinus, I cannot refrain from addressing a few words to the Platonical part of +my readers. If such then is the wisdom contained in the works of this +philosopher, as we may conclude from the present specimen, is it fit so divine a +treasure should be concealed in shameful oblivion? With respect to true +philosophy you must be sensible that all modern sects are in a state of +barbarous ignorance; for Materialism and its attendant Sensuality have darkened +the eyes of the <i>many</i> with the mists of error, and are continually +strengthening their corporeal tie. And can anything more effectually dissipate +this increasing gloom than discourses composed by so sublime a genius, pregnant +with the most profound conceptions, and everywhere full of intellectual light? +Can anything so thoroughly destroy the phantom of false enthusiasm as +establishing the real object of the true? Let us then boldly enlist ourselves +under the banners of Plotinus, and, by his assistance, vigorously repel the +encroachments of error, plunge her dominions into the abyss of forgetfulness, +and disperse the darkness of her baneful night. For indeed there never was a +period which required so much philosophic exertion, or such vehement contention +from the lovers of Truth. On all sides nothing of philosophy remains but the +name, and this is become the subject of the vilest prostitution; since it is not +only engrossed by the naturalist, chemist, and anatomist, but is usurped by the +mechanic in every trifling invention, and made subservient to the lucre of +traffic and merchandise. There cannot surely be a greater proof of the +degeneracy of the times than so unparalleled a degradation and so barbarous a +perversion of terms. For the word philosophy, which implies the love of wisdom, +is now become the ornament of folly. In the times of its inventor, and for many +succeeding ages, it was expressive of modesty and worth; in our days it is the +badge of impudence and vain pretensions. It was formerly the symbol of the +profound contemplative genius, it is now the mark of the superficial and +unthinking practitioner. It was once reverenced by kings and clothed in the +robes of nobility; it is now (according to its true acceptation) abandoned and +despised and ridiculed by the vilest plebeian. Permit me, then, my friends, to +address you in the words of Achilles to Hector:</p> + +<p> "Rouse, then, your forces this important hour,<br> + Collect your strength and call forth all your pow'r."</p> + +<p>Since, to adopt the animated language of Neptune to the Greeks,</p> + +<p> " . . . On dastards, +dead to fame,<br> + I waste no anger, for they feel no shame,<br> + But you, the pride, the flower of all our host,<br> + My heart weeps blood, to see your glory lost."</p> + +<p>Nor deem the exhortation impertinent, and the danger groundless:</p> + +<p> "For lo! the fated time, th' appointed shore,<br> + Hark, the gates burst, the brazen barriers roar."</p> + +<p>Impetuous ignorance is thundering at the bulwarks of philosophy and her +sacred retreats are in danger of being demolished, through our feeble +resistance. Rise then, my friends, and the victory will be ours. The foe is +indeed numerous, but at the same time feeble; and the weapons of truth in the +hands of vigorous union, descend with irresistible force, and are fatal wherever +they fall.</p>---<br> +<br> +[Transcriber's Notes: I have made minor changes to the punctuation and the +format of the notes. I have also made the following spelling changes: + +<p> "powerfully attacts" to "powerfully attracts"</p> + +<p> "converses only with plantoms" to "converses only +with phantoms"]</p><br> +<br> +<br> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An Essay on the Beautiful, by Plotinus + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ESSAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL *** + +***** This file should be named 29510-h.htm or 29510-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/5/1/29510/ + +Produced by Ruth Hart + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An Essay on the Beautiful + From the Greek of Plotinus + +Author: Plotinus + +Translator: Thomas Taylor + +Release Date: July 25, 2009 [EBook #29510] +[Last updated: April 8, 2012] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ESSAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL *** + + + + +Produced by Ruth Hart + + + + +AN ESSAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL +_(From the Greek of Plotinus)_ + + +Translated by +Thomas Taylor + + +London +John M. Watkins +21 Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road +1917 + + + +INTRODUCTION + +It may seem wonderful that language, which is the only method of +conveying our conceptions, should, at the same time, be an +hindrance to our advancement in philosophy; but the wonder ceases +when we consider, that it is seldom studied as the vehicle of truth, +but is too frequently esteemed for its own sake, independent of its +connection with things. This observation is remarkably verified in +the Greek language; which, as it is the only repository of ancient +wisdom, has, unfortunately for us, been the means of concealing, in +shameful obscurity, the most profound researches and the sublimest +truths. That words, indeed, are not otherwise valuable than as +subservient to things, must surely be acknowledged by every liberal +mind, and will alone be disputed by him who has spent the prime of +his life, and consumed the vigour of his understanding, in verbal +criticisms and grammatical trifles. And, if this is the case, every +lover of truth will only study a language for the purpose of +procuring the wisdom it contains; and will doubtless wish to make +his native language the vehicle of it to others. For, since all truth is +eternal, its nature can never be altered by transposition, though by +this means its dress may be varied, and become less elegant and +refined. Perhaps even this inconvenience may be remedied by +sedulous cultivation; at least, the particular inability of some, ought +not to discourage the well-meant endeavours of others. Whoever +reads the lives of the ancient Heroes of Philosophy, must be +convinced that they studied things more than words, and that Truth +alone was the ultimate object of their search; and he who wishes to +emulate their glory and participate their wisdom, will study their +doctrines more than their language, and value the depth of their +understandings far beyond the elegance of their composition. The +native charms of Truth will ever be sufficient to allure the truly +philosophic mind; and he who has once discovered her retreats will +surely endeavour to fix a mark by which they may be detected by +others. + +But, though the mischief arising from the study of words is +prodigious, we must not consider it as the only cause of darkening +the splendours of Truth, and obstructing the free diffusion of her +light. Different manners and philosophies have equally contributed +to banish the goddess from our realms, and to render our eyes +offended with her celestial light. Hence we must not wonder that, +being indignant at the change, and perceiving the empire of +ignorance rising to unbounded dominion, she has retired from the +spreading darkness, and concealed herself in the tranquil and +divinely lucid regions of mind. For we need but barely survey +modern pursuits to be convinced how little they are connected with +wisdom. Since, to describe the nature of some particular place, the +form, situation and magnitude of a certain city; to trace the windings +of a river to its source, or delineate the aspect of a pleasant mountain; +to calculate the fineness of the silkworm's threads, and arrange the +gaudy colours of butterflies; in short, to pursue matter through its +infinite divisions, and wander in its dark labyrinths, is the +employment of the philosophy in vogue. But surely the energies of +intellect are more worthy our concern than the operations of sense; +and the science of universals, permanent and fixed, must be superior +to the knowledge of particulars, fleeting and frail. Where is a +sensible object to be found, which abides for a moment the same; +which is not either rising to perfection, or verging to decay; which is +not mixed and confused with its contrary; whose flowing nature no +resistance can stop, nor any art confine? Where is the chemist who, +by the most accurate analyzation can arrive at the principles of +bodies; or who, though he might be so lucky in his search as to +detect the atoms of Democritus, could by this means give respite to +mental investigation? For every atom, since endued with figure, +must consist of parts, though indissolubly cemented together; and +the immediate cause of this cement must be something incorporeal +or knowledge can have no stability and enquiry no end. Where, says +Mr Harris, is the microscope which can discern what is smallest in +nature? Where the telescope which can see at what point in the +universe wisdom first began? Since, then, there is no portion of +matter which may not be the subject of experiments without end, let +us betake ourselves to the regions of mind, where all things are +bounded in intellectual measure; where everything is permanent and +beautiful, eternal and divine. Let us quit the study of particulars, for +that which is general and comprehensive, and through this, learn to +see and recognize whatever exists. + +With a view to this desirable end, I have presented the reader with a +specimen of that sublime wisdom which first arose in the colleges of +the Egyptian priests, and flourished afterwards in Greece; which was +there cultivated by Pythagoras, under the mysterious veil of numbers; +by Plato, in the graceful dress of poetry; and was systematized by +Aristotle, as far as it could be reduced into scientific order; which, +after becoming in a manner extinct, shone again with its pristine +splendour among the philosophers of the Alexandrian school; was +learnedly illustrated with Asiatic luxuriancy of style by Proclus; was +divinely explained by Iamblichus: and profoundly delivered in the +writings of Plotinus. Indeed, the works of this last philosopher are +particularly valuable to all who desire to penetrate into the depths of +this divine wisdom. From the exalted nature of his genius, he was +called Intellect by his contemporaries, and is said to have composed +his books under the influence of divine illumination. Porphyry +relates, in his life, that he was four times united by an ineffable +energy with the divinity; which, however such an account may be +ridiculed in the present age, will be credited by everyone who has +properly explored the profundity of his mind. The facility and +vehemence of his composition was such, that when he had once +conceived a subject, he wrote as from an internal pattern, without +paying much attention to the orthography, or reviewing what he had +written; for the celestial vigour of his intellect rendered him +incapable of trifling concerns, and in this respect, inferior to +common understandings, as the eagle, which in its bold flight +pierces the clouds, skims the surface of the earth with less rapidity +than the swallow. Indeed a minute attention to trifles is inconsistent +with great genius of every kind, and it is on this account that +retirement is so absolutely necessary to the discovery of truths of the +first dignity and importance; for how is it possible to mix much with +the world, without imbibing the false and puerile conceptions of the +multitude; and without losing that true elevation of soul which +comparatively despises every mortal concern? Plotinus, therefore, +conscious of the incorrectness of his writings arising from the +rapidity, exuberance and daring sublimity of his thoughts, +committed their revision to his disciple Porphyry; who, though +inferior in depth of thought to his master, was, on account of his +extraordinary abilities, called by way of eminence the Philosopher. + +The design of the following discourse is to bring us to the perception +of the beautiful itself, even while connected with a corporeal nature, +which must be the great end of all true philosophy and which +Plotinus happily obtained. To a genius, indeed, truly modern, with +whom the crucible and the air-pump are alone the standards of Truth, +such an attempt must appear ridiculous in the extreme. With these, +nothing is real but what the hand can grasp or the corporeal eye +perceives, and nothing useful but what pampers the appetite or fills +the purse; but unfortunately, their perceptions, like Homer's frail +dreams, pass through the ivory gate; and are consequently empty +and fallacious, and contain nothing belonging to the vigilant soul. +To such as these a treatise on the beautiful cannot be addressed; +since its object is too exalted to be approached by those engaged in +the impurities of sense, and too bright to be seen by the eye +accustomed to the obscurity of corporeal vision. But it is alone +proper to him who is sensible that his soul is strongly marked with +ruin by its union with body; who considers himself in the language +of Empedocles, as + + "Heaven's exile, straying from the orb of light"; + +and who so ardently longs for a return to his true country, that to +him, as to Ulysses when fighting for Ithaca, + + "Slow seems the fun to move, the hours to roll; + His native home deep-imag'd in his soul".[1] + +But here it is requisite to observe that our ascent to this region of +Beauty must be made by gradual advances, for, from our association +with matter, it is impossible to pass directly, and without a medium, +to such transcendent perfection; but we must proceed in a manner +similar to those who pass from darkness to the brightest light, by +advancing from places moderately enlightened, to such as are the +most luminous of all. It is necessary therefore, that we should +become very familiar with the most abstract contemplations; and +that our intellectual eye should be strongly irradiated with the light +of ideas which precedes the splendours of the beautiful itself, like +the brightness which is seen on the summit of mountains previous to +the rising of the sun. Nor ought it to seem strange, if it should be +some time before even the liberal soul can recognize the beautiful +progeny of intellect as its kindred and allies; for, from its union with +body, it has drunk deep of the cup of oblivion, and all its energetic +powers are stupefied by the intoxicating draught; so that the +intelligible world, on its first appearance, is utterly unknown by us, +and our recollection of its inhabitants entirely lost; and we become +familiar to Ulysses on his first entrance into Ithaca, of whom Homer +says, + + "Yet had his mind, thro' tedious absence lost + The dear remembrance of his native coast".[2] + +For, + + "Now all the land another prospect bore, + Another port appeared, another shore, + And long-continued ways, and winding floods + And unknown mountains crowned with unknown woods": + +until the goddess of wisdom purges our eyes from the mists of sense +and says to each of us, as she did to Ulysses, + + "Now lift thy longing eyes, while I restore + The pleasing prospect of thy native shore." + +For then will + + " . . . . the prospect clear, + The mists disperse, and all the coast appear." + +Let us then, humbly supplicate the irradiations of wisdom, and +follow Plotinus as our divine guide to the beatific vision of the +Beautiful itself; for in this alone can we find perfect repose, and +repair those destructive clefts and chinks of the soul which its +departure from the light of good, and its lapse into a corporeal nature, +have introduced. + +But before I conclude, I think it necessary to caution the reader not +to mix any modern enthusiastic opinions with the doctrines +contained in the following discourse; for there is not a greater +difference between substance and shade than between ancient and +modern enthusiasm. The object of the former was the highest good +and supreme beauty; but that of the latter is nothing more than a +phantom raised by bewildered imaginations, floating on the unstable +ocean of opinion, the sport of the waves of prejudice and blown +about by the breath of factious party. Like substance and shade, +indeed they possess a similitude in outward appearance, but in +reality they are perfect contraries; for the one fills the mind with +solid and durable good, but the other with empty delusions; which +like the ever-running waters of the Danaides, glide away as fast as +they enter, and leave nothing behind but the ruinous passages +through which they flowed. + +I only add, that the ensuing treatise is designed as a specimen +(if it should meet with encouragement) of my intended mode of +publishing all the works of Plotinus. The undertaking is, I am +sensible, arduous in the extreme; and the disciples of wisdom are +unfortunately few; but, as I desire no other reward of my labour, +than to have the expense of printing defrayed, and to see Truth +propagated in my native tongue; I hope those few will enable me to +obtain the completion of my desires. For then, to adopt the words of +Ulysses, + + "That view vouchsaf'd, let instant death surprise + With ever-during shade these happy eyes!"[3] + + + +CONCERNING THE BEAUTIFUL + +Beauty[4] for the most part, consists in objects of sight; but it is also +received through the ears, by the skilful composition of words, and +the consonant proportion of sounds; for in every species of harmony, +beauty is to be found. And if we rise from sense into the regions of +soul, we shall there perceive studies and offices, actions and habits, +sciences and virtues, invested with a much larger portion of beauty. +But whether there is above these, a still higher beauty, will appear as +we advance in its investigation. What is it then, which causes bodies +to appear fair to the sight, sounds beautiful to the ear, and science +and virtue lovely to the mind? May we not enquire after what +manner they all partake of beauty? Whether beauty is one and the +same in all? Or, whether the beauty of bodies is of one kind, and the +beauty of souls of another? And again, what these are, if they are +two? Or, what beauty is, if perfectly simple, and one? For some +things, as bodies, are doubtless beautiful, not from the natures of the +subjects in which they reside, but rather by some kind of +participation; but others again appear to be essentially beautiful, or +beauties themselves; and such is the nature of virtue. For, with +respect, to the same bodies, they appear beautiful to one person, and +the reverse of beauty to another; as if the essence of body were a +thing different from the essence of beauty. In the first place then, +what is that, which, by its presence, causes the beauty of bodies? Let +us reflect, what most powerfully attracts the eyes of beholders, and +seizes the spectator with rapturous delight; for if we can find what +this is, we may perhaps use it as a ladder, enabling us to ascend into +the region of beauty, and survey its immeasurable extent. + +It is the general opinion that a certain commensuration of parts to +each other, and to the whole, with the addition, of colour, generates +that beauty which is the object of sight; and that in the +commensurate and the moderate alone the beauty of everything +consists. But from such an opinion the compound only, and not the +simple, can be beautiful, the single parts will have no peculiar +beauty; and will only merit that appellation by conferring to the +beauty of the whole. But it is surely necessary that a lovely whole +should consist of beautiful parts, for the fair can never rise out of the +deformed. But from such a definition, it follows, that beautiful +colours and the light of the sun, since they are simple and do not +receive their beauty from commensuration, must be excluded the +regions of beauty. Besides, how, from such an hypothesis can gold +be beautiful? Or the glittering of night and the glorious spectacle of +the stars? In like manner, the most simple musical sounds will be +foreign from beauty, though in a song wholly beautiful every note +must be beautiful, as necessary to the being of the whole. Again, +since the same proportion remaining, the same face is to one person +beautiful and to another the reverse, is it not necessary to call +the beauty of the commensurate one kind of beauty and the +commensuration another kind, and that the commensurate is fair by +means of something else? But if transferring themselves to beautiful +studies and fair discourses, they shall assign as the cause of beauty +in these the proportion of measure, what is that which in beautiful +sciences, laws or disciplines, is called commensurate proportion? Or +in what manner can speculations themselves be called mutually +commensurate? If it be said because of the inherent concord, we +reply that there is a certain concord and consent in evil souls, a +conformity of sentiment, in believing (as it is said) that temperance +is folly and justice generous ignorance. It appears, therefore, that the +beauty of the soul is every virtue, and this species of the beautiful +possesses far greater reality than any of the superior we have +mentioned. But after what manner in this is commensuration to be +found? For it is neither like the symmetry in magnitude nor in +numbers. And since the parts of the soul are many, in what +proportion and synthesis, in what temperament of parts or concord +of speculations, does beauty consist? Lastly, of what kind is the +beauty of intellect itself, abstracted from every corporeal concern, +and intimately conversing with itself alone? + +We still, therefore, repeat the question, What is the beauty of bodies? +It is something which at first view presents itself to sense, and which +the soul familiarly apprehends and eagerly embraces, as if it were +allied to itself. But when it meets with the deformed, it hastily starts +from the view and retires abhorrent from its discordant nature. For +since the soul in its proper state ranks according to the most +excellent essence in the order of things, when it perceives any object +related to itself, or the mere vestige of a relation, it congratulates +itself on the pleasing event, and astonished with the striking +resemblance[5] enters deep into its essence, and, by rousing its +dormant powers, at length perfectly recollects its kindred and allies. +What is the similitude then between the beauties of sense and that +beauty which is divine? For if there be any similitude the respective +objects must be similar. But after what manner are the two beautiful? +For it is by participation of species that we call every sensible object +beautiful. Thus, since everything void of form is by nature fitted for +its reception, as far as it is destitute of reason and form it is base and +separate from the divine reason, the great fountain of forms; and +whatever is entirely remote from this immortal source is perfectly +base and deformed.[6] And such is matter, which by its nature is +ever averse from the supervening irradiations of form. Whenever, +therefore, form accedes, it conciliates in amicable unity the parts +which are about to compose a whole; for being itself one it is not +wonderful that the subject of its power should tend to unity, as far as +the nature of a compound will admit. Hence beauty is established in +multitude when the many is reduced into one, and in this case it +communicates itself both to the parts and to the whole. But when a +particular one, composed from similar parts, is received it gives +itself to the whole, without departing from the sameness and +integrity of its nature. Thus at one and the same time it +communicates itself to the whole building and its several parts; and +at another time confines itself to a single stone, and then the first +participation arises from the operations of art, but the second from +the formation of nature. And hence body becomes beautiful through +the communion supernally proceeding from divinity. + +But the soul, by her innate power, than which nothing more +powerful, in judging its proper concerns, when another soul concurs +in the decision, acknowledges the beauty of forms. And, perhaps, its +knowledge in this case arises from its accommodating its internal +ray of beauty to form, and trusting to this in its judgment; in the +same manner as a rule is employed in the decision of what is straight. +But how can that which is inherent in body, accord with that which +is above body? Let us reply by asking how the architect pronounces +the building beautiful by accommodating the external structure the +fabric of his soul? Perhaps, because the outward building, when +entirely deprived of the stones, is no other than the intrinsic form, +divided by the external mass of matter, but indivisibly existing, +though appearing in the many. When, therefore, sense beholds the +form in bodies, at strife with matter, binding and vanquishing its +contrary nature, and sees form gracefully shining forth in other +forms, it collects together the scattered whole, and introduces it to +itself, and to the indivisible form within; and renders it consonant, +congruous and friendly to its own intimate form. Thus, to the good +man, virtue shining forth in youth is lovely because consonant to the +true virtue which lies deep in the soul. But the simple beauty of +colour arises, when light, which is something incorporeal, and +reason and form entering the obscure involutions of matter, +irradiates and forms its dark and formless nature. It is on this +account that fire surpasses other bodies in beauty, because, +compared with the other elements, it obtains the order of form; for it +is more eminent than the rest, and is the most subtle of all, bordering, +as it were, on an incorporeal nature. And too, that though +impervious itself it is intimately received by others, for it imparts +heat, but admits no cold. Hence it is the first nature which is +ornamented with colour, and is the source of it to others; and on this +account it beams forth exalted like some immaterial form. But when +it cannot vanquish its subject, as participating but a slender light, it +is no longer beautiful, because it does not receive the whole form of +colour. Again, the music of the voice rouses the harmony latent in +the soul, and opens her eye to the perception of beauty, existing in +many the same. But it is the property of the harmony perceived by +sense, to be measured by numbers, yet not in every proportion of +number or voice; but in that alone which is obedient to the +production, and conquest of its species. And this much for the +beauties of sense, which, like images and shadows flowing into +matter, adorn with spectacles of beauty its formless being, and strike +the respective senses with wonder and delight. + +But it is now time, leaving every object of sense far behind, to +contemplate, by a certain ascent, a beauty of a much higher order; a +beauty not visible to the corporeal eye, but alone manifest to the +brighter eye of the soul, independent of all corporeal aid. However, +since, without some previous perception of beauty it is impossible to +express by words the beauties of sense, but we must remain in the +state of the blind, so neither can we ever speak of the beauty of +offices and sciences, and whatever is allied to these, if deprived of +their intimate possession. Thus we shall never be able to tell of +virtue's brightness, unless by looking inward we perceive the fair +countenance of justice and temperance, and are convinced that +neither the evening nor morning star are half so beautiful and bright. +But it is requisite to perceive objects of this kind by that eye by +which the soul beholds such real beauties. Besides it is necessary +that whoever perceives this species of beauty, should be seized with +much greater delight, and more vehement admiration, than any +corporeal beauty can excite; as now embracing beauty real and +substantial. Such affections, I say, ought to be excited about true +beauty, as admiration and sweet astonishment; desire also and love +and a pleasant trepidation. For all souls, as I may say, are affected in +this manner about invisible objects, but those the most who have the +strongest propensity to their love; as it likewise happens about +corporeal beauty; for all equally perceive beautiful corporeal forms, +yet all are not equally excited, but lovers in the greatest degree. + +But it may be allowable to interrogate those, who rise above sense, +concerning the effects of love in this manner; of such we enquire, +what do you suffer respecting fair studies, and beautiful manners, +virtuous works, affections, and habits, and the beauty of souls? What +do you experience on perceiving yourselves lovely within? After +what manner are you roused as it were to a Bacchalian fury; striving +to converse with yourselves, and collecting yourselves separate from +the impediments of body? For thus are true lovers enraptured. But +what is the cause of these wonderful effects. It is neither figure, nor +colour, nor magnitude; but soul herself, fair through temperance, +and not with the false gloss of colour, and bright with the splendours +of virtue herself. And this you experience as often as you turn your +eye inwards; or contemplate the amplitude of another soul; the just +manners, the pure temperance; fortitude venerable by her noble +countenance; and modesty and honesty walking with an intrepid step, +and a tranquil and steady aspect; and what crowns the beauty of +them all, constantly receiving the irradiations of a divine intellect. + +In what respect then, shall we call these beautiful? For they are such +as they appear, nor did ever anyone behold them, and not pronounce +them realities. But as yet reason desires to know how they cause the +loveliness of the soul; and what that grace is in every virtue which +beams forth to view like light? Are you then willing we should +assume the contrary part, and consider what in the soul appears +deformed? for perhaps it will facilitate our search, if we can thus +find what is base in the soul, and from whence it derives its original. + +Let us suppose a soul deformed, to be one intemperate and unjust, +filled with a multitude of desires, a prey to foolish hopes and vexed +with idle fears; through its diminutive and avaricious nature the +subject of envy; employed solely in thought of what is immoral and +low, bound in the fetters of impure delights, living the life, whatever +it may be, peculiar to the passion of body; and so totally merged in +sensuality as to esteem the base pleasant, and the deformed beautiful +and fair. But may we not say, that this baseness approaches the soul +as an adventitious evil, under the pretext of adventitious beauty; +which, with great detriment, renders it impure, and pollutes it with +much depravity; so that it neither possesses true life, nor true sense, +but is endued with a slender life through its mixture of evil, and this +worn out by the continual depredations of death; no longer +perceiving the objects of mental vision, nor permitted any more to +dwell with itself, because ever hurried away to things obscure, +external and low? Hence, becoming impure, and being on all sides +snatched in the unceasing whirl of sensible forms, it is covered with +corporeal stains, and wholly given to matter, contracts deeply its +nature, loses all its original splendour, and almost changes its own +species into that of another; just as the pristine beauty of the most +lovely form would be destroyed by its total immersion in mire and +clay. But the deformity of the first arises from inward filth, of its +own contracting; of the second, from the accession of some foreign +nature. If such a one then desires to recover his former beauty, it is +necessary to cleanse the infected parts, and thus by a thorough +purgation to resume his original form. Hence, then if we assert that +the soul, by her mixture, confusion and commerce with body and +matter, becomes thus base, our assertion will, I think, be right. For +the baseness of the soul consists in not being pure and sincere. And +as the gold is deformed by the adherence of earthly clods, which are +no sooner removed than on a sudden the gold shines forth with its +native purity; and then becomes beautiful when separated from +natures foreign from its own, and when it is content with its own +purity for the possession of beauty; so the soul, when separated from +the sordid desires engendered by its too great immersion in body, +and liberated from the dominion of every perturbation, can thus and +thus only, blot out the base stains imbibed from its union with body; +and thus becoming alone, will doubtless expel all the turpitude +contracted from a nature so opposite to its own. + +Indeed, as the ancient oracle declares, temperance and fortitude, +prudence and every virtue, are certain purgatives of the soul; and +hence the sacred mysteries prophesy obscurely, yet with truth, that +the soul not purified lies in Tartarus, immersed in filth. Since the +impure is, from his depravity, the friend of filth, as swine, from their +sordid body, delight in mire alone. + +For what else is true temperance than not to indulge in corporeal +delights, but to fly from their connection, as things which are neither +pure, nor the offspring of purity? And true fortitude is not to fear +death; for death is nothing more than a certain separation of soul +from body, and this he will not fear, who desires to be alone. Again, +magnanimity is the contempt of every mortal concern; it is the wing +by which we fly into the regions of intellect. And lastly, prudence is +no other than intelligence, declining subordinate objects; and +directing the eye of the soul to that which is immortal and divine. +The soul, thus defined, becomes form and reason, is altogether +incorporeal and intellectual, and wholly participates of that divine +nature, which is the fountain of loveliness, and of whatever is allied +to the beautiful and fair. Hence the soul reduced to intellect becomes +astonishingly beautiful; for as the lambent flame which appears +detached from the burning wood, enlightens its dark and smoky +parts, so intellect irradiates and adorns the inferior powers of the +soul, which, without its aid, would be buried in the gloom of +formless matter. But intellect, and whatever emanates from intellect, +is not the foreign, but the proper ornament of the soul, for the being +of the soul, when absorbed in intellect, is then alone real and true. It +is, therefore, rightly said, that the beauty and good of the soul +consists in her similitude to the Deity_;_ for from hence flows all +her beauty, and her allotment of a better being. But the beautiful +itself is that which is called beings; and turpitude is of a different +nature and participates more of non-entity than being. + +But, perhaps, the good and the beautiful are the same, and must be +investigated by one and the same process; and in like manner the +base and the evil. And in the first rank we must place the beautiful, +and consider it as the same with the good; from which immediately +emanates intellect as beautiful. Next to this, we must consider the +soul receiving its beauty from intellect, and every inferior beauty +deriving its origin from the forming power of the soul, whether +conversant in fair actions and offices, or sciences and arts. Lastly, +bodies themselves participate of beauty from the soul, which, as +something divine, and a portion of the beautiful itself, renders +whatever it supervenes and subdues, beautiful as far as its natural +capacity will admit. + +Let us, therefore, re-ascend to the good itself, which every soul +desires; and in which it can alone find perfect repose. For if anyone +shall become acquainted with this source of beauty he will then +know what I say, and after what manner he is beautiful. Indeed, +whatever is desirable is a kind of good, since to this desire tends. +But they alone pursue true good, who rise to intelligible beauty, and +so far only tend to good itself; as far as they lay aside the deformed +vestments of matter, with which they become connected in their +descent. Just as those who penetrate into the holy retreats of sacred +mysteries, are first purified and then divest themselves of their +garments, until someone by such a process, having dismissed +everything foreign from the God, by himself alone, beholds the +solitary principle of the universe, sincere, simple and pure, from +which all things depend, and to whose transcendent perfections the +eyes of all intelligent natures are directed, as the proper cause of +being, life and intelligence. With what ardent love, with what strong +desire will he who enjoys this transporting vision be inflamed while +vehemently affecting to become one with this supreme beauty! For +this it is ordained, that he who does not yet perceive him, yet desires +him as good, but he who enjoys the vision is enraptured with his +beauty, and is equally filled with admiration and delight. Hence, +such a one is agitated with a salutary astonishment; is affected with +the highest and truest love; derides vehement affections and inferior +loves, and despises the beauty which he once approved. Such, too, is +the condition of those who, on perceiving the forms of gods or +daemons, no longer esteem the fairest of corporeal forms. What, +then, must be the condition of that being, who beholds the beautiful +itself? + +In itself perfectly pure[7], not confined by any corporeal bond, +neither existing in the heavens, nor in the earth, nor to be imaged by +the most lovely form imagination can conceive; since these are all +adventitious and mixed, and mere secondary beauties, proceeding +from the beautiful itself. If, then, anyone should ever behold that +which is the source of munificence to others, remaining in itself, +while it communicates to all, and receiving nothing, because +possessing an inexhaustible fulness; and should so abide in the +intuition, as to become similar to his nature, what more of beauty +can such a one desire? For such beauty, since it is supreme in +dignity and excellence, cannot fail of rendering its votaries lovely +and fair. Add too, that since the object of contest to souls is the +highest beauty, we should strive for its acquisition with unabated +ardour, lest we should be deserted of that blissful contemplation, +which, whoever pursues in the right way, becomes blessed from the +happy vision; and which he who does not obtain is unavoidably +unhappy. For the miserable man is not he who neglects to pursue +fair colours, and beautiful corporeal forms; who is deprived of +power, and falls from dominion and empire but he alone who is +destitute of this divine possession, for which the ample dominion of +the earth and sea and the still more extended empire of the heavens, +must be relinquished and forgot, if, despising and leaving these far +behind, we ever intend to arrive at substantial felicity, by beholding +the beautiful itself. + +What measures, then, shall we adopt? What machine employ, or +what reason consult by means of which we may contemplate this +ineffable beauty; a beauty abiding in the most divine sanctuary +without ever proceeding from its sacred retreats lest it should be +beheld by the profane and vulgar eye? We must enter deep into +ourselves, and, leaving behind the objects of corporeal sight, no +longer look back after any of the accustomed spectacles of sense. +For, it is necessary that whoever beholds this beauty, should +withdraw his view from the fairest corporeal forms; and, convinced +that these are nothing more than images, vestiges and shadows of +beauty, should eagerly soar to the fair original from which they are +derived. For he who rushes to these lower beauties, as if grasping +realities, when they are only like beautiful images appearing in +water, will, doubtless, like him in the fable, by stretching after the +shadow, sink into the lake and disappear. For, by thus embracing +and adhering to corporeal forms, he is precipitated, not so much in +his body as in his soul, into profound and horrid darkness; and thus +blind, like those in the infernal regions, converses only with +phantoms, deprived of the perception of what is real and true. It is +here, then, we may more truly exclaim, "Let us depart from hence, +and fly to our father's delightful land".[8] But, by what leading stars +shall we direct our flight, and by what means avoid the magic power +of Circe, and the detaining charms of Calypso?[9] For thus the fable +of Ulysses obscurely signifies, which feigns him abiding an +unwilling exile, though pleasant spectacles were continually +presented to his sight; and everything was promised to invite his stay +which can delight the senses, and captivate the heart. But our true +country, like that of Ulysses, is from whence we came, and where +our father lives. But where is the ship to be found by which we can +accomplish our flight? For our feet are unequal to the task since they +only take us from one part of the earth to another. May we not each +of us say, + + "What ships have I, what sailors to convey, + What oars to cut the long laborious way".[10] + +But it is in vain that we prepare horses to draw our ships to transport +us to our native land. On the contrary, neglecting all these, as +unequal to the task, and excluding them entirely from our view, +having now closed the corporeal eye,[11] we must stir up and +assume a purer eye within, which all men possess, but which is +alone used by a few. What is it, then, this inward eye beholds? +Indeed, suddenly raised to intellectual vision, it cannot perceive an +object exceeding bright. The soul must therefore be first accustomed +to contemplate fair studies and then beautiful works, not such as +arise from the operations of art, but such as are the offspring of +worthy men; and next to this it is necessary to view the soul, which +is the parent of this lovely race. But you will ask, after what manner +is this beauty of a worthy soul to be perceived? It is thus. Recall +your thoughts inward, and if while contemplating yourself, you do +not perceive yourself beautiful, imitate the statuary; who when he +desires a beautiful statue cuts away what is superfluous, smooths +and polishes what is rough, and never desists until he has given it all +the beauty his art is able to effect. In this manner must you proceed, +by lopping what is luxuriant, directing what is oblique, and, by +purgation, illustrating what is obscure, and thus continue to polish +and beautify your statue until the divine splendour of Virtue shines +upon you, and Temperance seated in pure and holy majesty rises to +your view. If you become thus purified residing in yourself, and +having nothing any longer to impede this unity of mind, and no +farther mixture to be found within, but perceiving your whole self to +be a true light, and light alone; a light which though immense is not +measured by any magnitude, nor limited by any circumscribing +figure, but is everywhere immeasurable, as being greater than every +measure, and more excellent than every quantity; if, perceiving +yourself thus improved, and trusting solely to yourself, as no longer +requiring a guide, fix now steadfastly your mental view, for with the +intellectual eye alone can such immense beauty be perceived. But if +your eye is yet infected with any sordid concern, and not thoroughly +refined, while it is on the stretch to behold this most shining +spectacle, it will be immediately darkened and incapable of intuition, +though someone should declare the spectacle present, which it might +be otherwise able to discern. For, it is here necessary that the +perceiver and the thing perceived should be similar to each other +before true vision can exist. Thus the sensitive eye can never be able +to survey, the orb of the sun, unless strongly endued with solar fire, +and participating largely off the vivid ray. Everyone therefore must +become divine, and of godlike beauty, before he can gaze upon a +god and the beautiful itself. Thus proceeding in the right way of +beauty he will first ascend into the region of intellect, contemplating +every fair species, the beauty of which he will perceive to be no +other than ideas themselves; for all things are beautiful by the +supervening irradiations of these, because they are the offspring and +essence of intellect. But that which is superior to these is no other +than the fountain of good, everywhere widely diffusing around the +streams of beauty, and hence in discourse called the beautiful itself +because beauty is its immediate offspring. But if you accurately +distinguish the intelligible objects you will call the beautiful the +receptacle of ideas; but the good itself, which is superior, the +fountain and principle of the beautiful; or, you may place the first +beautiful and the good in the same principle, independent of the +beauty which there subsists.[12] + + + +NOTES + +1 Pope's Homer's _Odyssey,_ Book xiii., ver. 37. + +2 _Odyssey,_ Book xiii., ver. 223. + +3 _Odyssey,_ Book vii., ver. 303. + +4 It is necessary to inform the Platonical reader, that the Beautiful, +in the present discourse, is considered according to its most general +acceptation, as the same with the Good: though, according to a more +accurate distinction, as Plotinus himself informs us, the Good is +considered as the fountain and principle of the Beautiful. I think it +likewise proper to observe, that as I have endeavoured, by my +paraphrase, to render as much as possible the obscure parts evident, +and to expand those sentences which are so very much contracted in +the original, I shall be sparing of notes; for my design is not to +accommodate the sublimest truths to the meanest understandings (as +this would be a contemptible and useless prostitution), but to render +them perspicuous to truly liberal and philosophic minds. My reasons +for adopting this mode of paraphrase, may be seen in the preface to +my translation of _Orpheus's Hymns._ + +5 "Enters deep into its essence," etc. The Platonic Philosophy insists +much on the necessity of retiring into ourselves in order to the +discovery of truth; and on this account Socrates, in the first +_Alcibiades,_ says that the soul entering into herself will +contemplate whatever exists and the divinity himself. Upon which +Proclus thus comments, with his usual elegance and depth (in +_Theol. Plat,_ p. 7): "For the soul," says he, "contracting herself +wholly into a union with herself, and into the centre of universal life, +and removing the multitude and variety of all-various powers, +ascends into the highest place of speculation, from whence she will +survey the nature of beings. For if she looks back upon things +posterior to her essence, she will perceive nothing but the shadows +and resemblances of beings; but if she returns into herself she will +evolve her own essence, and the reasons she contains. And at first +indeed she will, as it were, only behold herself; but when by her +knowledge she penetrates more profoundly in her investigations she +will find intellect seated in her essence and the universal orders of +beings; but when she advances into the more interior recesses of +herself, and as it were into the sanctuary of the soul, she will be +enabled to contemplate, with her eyes closed to corporeal vision, the +genus of the gods and the unities of beings. For all things reside in +us, after a manner correspondent to the nature of the soul; and on +this account we are naturally enabled to know all things, by exciting +our inherent powers and images of whatever exists." + +6 "And such is matter," etc. There is nothing affords more +wonderful speculation than matter, which ranks as the last among +the universality of things, and has the same relation to being as +shade to substance. For, as in an ascending series of causes it is +necessary to arrive at something, which is the first cause of all, and +to which no perfection is wanting; so in a descending series of +subjects, it is equally necessary we should stop at some general +subject, the lowest in the order of things, and to which every +perfection of being is denied. But let us hear the profound and +admirable description which Plotinus gives us of matter (lib. vi., +Ennead 3), and of which the following is a paraphrase: "Since +matter," says he, "is neither soul, nor intellect, nor life, nor form, nor +reason, nor bound, but a certain indefiniteness; nor yet capacity, for +what can it produce? Since it is foreign from all these, it cannot +merit the appellation of being, but is deservedly called non-entity. +Nor yet is it non-entity in the manner as motion or station; but it is +true non-entity, the mere shadow and imagination of bulk and the +desire of subsistence; abiding without station, of itself invisible, and +avoiding the desire of him who wishes to perceive its nature. Hence, +when no one perceives it, it is then in a manner present, but cannot +be viewed by him who strives intently to behold it. Again, in itself +contraries always appear, the small and the great, the less and the +more, deficience and excess. So that it is a phantom, neither abiding +nor yet able to fly away; capable of no one denomination and +possessing no power from intellect, but constituted in the defect and +shade, as it were, of all real being. Hence, too, in each of its +vanishing appellations it eludes our search; for if we think of it as +something great, it is in the meantime small; if as something more, it +becomes less; and the apparent being which we meet with in its +image is non-being, and as it were a flying mockery. So that the +forms which appear in matter are merely ludicrous, shadows falling +upon shadow, as in a mirror, where the position of a thing is +different from its real situation; and which, though apparently full of +forms, possesses nothing real and true--but imitations of being and +semblances flowing about a formless semblance. They appear, +indeed, to affect something in the subject matter, but in reality +produce nothing; from their debile and flowing nature being endued +with no solidity and no rebounding power. And since matter, +likewise, has no solidity they penetrate it without division, like +images in water, or as if anyone should fill a vacuum with forms." + +7 "In itself perfectly pure." This is analogous to the description of +the beautiful in the latter part of Diotima's Speech in the _Banquet_; +a speech which is surely unequalled, both for elegance of +composition and sublimity of sentiment. Indeed, all the disciples of +Plato are remarkable for nothing so much as their profound and +exalted conceptions of the Deity; and he who can read the works of +Plotinus and Proclus in particular, and afterwards pity the weakness +and erroneousness of their opinions on this subject, may be fairly +presumed to be himself equally an object of pity and contempt. + +8 "Let us depart," etc., _vide_ Hom., _Iliad,_ lib. ii., 140, et lib. ix., +27. + +9 Porphyry informs us in his excellent treatise, _De Antro Nymph,_ +that it was the opinion of Numenius, the Pythagorean (to which he +also assents), that the person of Ulysses in the _Odyssey,_ +represents to us a man, who passes in a regular manner, over the +dark and stormy sea of generation; and thus, at length, arrives at that +region where tempests and seas are unknown, and finds a nation +who + + "Ne'er knew salt, or heard the billows roar." + +Indeed, he who is conscious of the delusions of the present life and +the enchantments of this material house, in which his soul is +detained like Ulysses in the irriguous cavern of Calypso, will like +him continually bewail his captivity, and inly pine for a return to his +native country. Of such a one it may be said as of Ulysses (in the +excellent and pathetic translation of Mr Pope): + + "But sad Ulysses by himself apart + Pour'd the big sorrows of his swelling heart, + All on the lonely shore he sate to weep + And roll'd his eyes around the restless deep + Tow'rd the lov'd coast he roll'd his eyes in vain + Till, dimmed with rising grief, they stream'd again." + _Odyssey,_ book v., 103. + +Such a one too, like Ulysses, will not always wish in vain for a +passage over the dark ocean of a corporeal life, but by the assistance +of Mercury, who may be considered as the emblem of reason, he +will at length be enabled to quit the magic embraces of Calypso, the +Goddess of Imagination, and to return again into the arms of +Penelope, or Philosophy, the long lost and proper object of his love. + +10 See Pope's Homer's _Odyssey,_ book v., 182. + +11 "We must stir up and assume a purer eye within." This inward +eye is no other than intellect, which contains in its most inward +recesses a certain ray of light, participated from the sun of Beauty +and Good, by which the soul is enabled to behold and become united +with her divinely solitary original. This divine ray, or, as Proclus +calls it, mark or impression, is thus beautifully described by that +philosopher _(Theol. Plat,_ p. 105): "The Author of the Universe," +says he, "has planted in all beings impressions of his own perfect +excellence, and through these he has placed all beings about himself, +and is present with them in an ineffable manner, exempt from the +universality of things. Hence, every being entering into the ineffable +sanctuary of its own nature finds there a symbol of the Father of all. +And by this mystical impression which corresponds to his nature +they become united with their original, divesting themselves of their +own essence and hastening to become his impression alone; and, +through a desire of his unknown nature and of the fountain of good, +to participate in him alone. And when they have ascended as far as +to this cause they enjoy perfect tranquillity and are conversant in the +perception of his divine progeny and of the love which all things +naturally possess, and goodness, unknown, ineffable, without +participation and transcendently full." + +12 But before I take my leave of Plotinus, I cannot refrain from +addressing a few words to the Platonical part of my readers. If such +then is the wisdom contained in the works of this philosopher, as we +may conclude from the present specimen, is it fit so divine a treasure +should be concealed in shameful oblivion? With respect to true +philosophy you must be sensible that all modern sects are in a state +of barbarous ignorance; for Materialism and its attendant Sensuality +have darkened the eyes of the _many_ with the mists of error, and +are continually strengthening their corporeal tie. And can anything +more effectually dissipate this increasing gloom than discourses +composed by so sublime a genius, pregnant with the most profound +conceptions, and everywhere full of intellectual light? Can anything +so thoroughly destroy the phantom of false enthusiasm as +establishing the real object of the true? Let us then boldly enlist +ourselves under the banners of Plotinus, and, by his assistance, +vigorously repel the encroachments of error, plunge her dominions +into the abyss of forgetfulness, and disperse the darkness of her +baneful night. For indeed there never was a period which required so +much philosophic exertion, or such vehement contention from the +lovers of Truth. On all sides nothing of philosophy remains but the +name, and this is become the subject of the vilest prostitution; since +it is not only engrossed by the naturalist, chemist, and anatomist, but +is usurped by the mechanic in every trifling invention, and made +subservient to the lucre of traffic and merchandise. There cannot +surely be a greater proof of the degeneracy of the times than so +unparalleled a degradation and so barbarous a perversion of terms. +For the word philosophy, which implies the love of wisdom, is now +become the ornament of folly. In the times of its inventor, and for +many succeeding ages, it was expressive of modesty and worth; in +our days it is the badge of impudence and vain pretensions. It was +formerly the symbol of the profound contemplative genius, it is now +the mark of the superficial and unthinking practitioner. It was once +reverenced by kings and clothed in the robes of nobility; it is now +(according to its true acceptation) abandoned and despised and +ridiculed by the vilest plebeian. Permit me, then, my friends, to +address you in the words of Achilles to Hector: + + "Rouse, then, your forces this important hour, + Collect your strength and call forth all your pow'r." + +Since, to adopt the animated language of Neptune to the Greeks, + + " . . . On dastards, dead to fame, + I waste no anger, for they feel no shame, + But you, the pride, the flower of all our host, + My heart weeps blood, to see your glory lost." + +Nor deem the exhortation impertinent, and the danger groundless: + + "For lo! the fated time, th' appointed shore, + Hark, the gates burst, the brazen barriers roar." + +Impetuous ignorance is thundering at the bulwarks of philosophy +and her sacred retreats are in danger of being demolished, through +our feeble resistance. Rise then, my friends, and the victory will be +ours. The foe is indeed numerous, but at the same time feeble; and +the weapons of truth in the hands of vigorous union, descend with +irresistible force, and are fatal wherever they fall. + +--- + +[Transcriber's notes: I have made minor changes to the punctuation +and the format of the notes. I have also made the following spelling +changes: + + "powerfully attacts" to "powerfully attracts" + + "converses only with plantoms" to "converses only with phantoms"] + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An Essay on the Beautiful, by Plotinus + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ESSAY ON THE BEAUTIFUL *** + +***** This file should be named 29510.txt or 29510.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/5/1/29510/ + +Produced by Ruth Hart + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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