A treatise of the passions and faculties of the soul of man With the…A treatise of the passions and faculties of the soule of man With the…

The next Corruption which I observed, is the Levity and too much Volubility of this Power, proceeding from the over-hasty obtrusion of the species. For, notwithstanding I grant the quickness of its operations to be one principal part of the excellency thereof; yet I thereby understand the Power, not the Infirmity; the Nature, not the Disease of that Faculty; the ability of having speedy recourse unto variety of Objects, treasured up in the Memory; or of apprehending new, with dexterity; not that floating and inconstant humour, whereby it makes many needless excursions upon impertinent things, and thereby interrupteth the course of the more needful and present operations of the Soul. For, since it may fall out, that unto the same Faculty, from diversity of occasions, contrary operations may prove arguments of worth; a restraint unto one manner of working, is an argument of weakness and defect, in that it straiteneth and defraudeth the power of those advantages which it might receive, by a timely application of the other: There may be a time, when the Fancy may have liberty to expatiate; but again, some objects will require a more fixed and permanent act. And therefore, ⟨p. 29⟩to have a vanishing and lightning Fancy, that knoweth not how to stay and fasten upon any particular, but as an Hanging of divers Colours, shall in one view present unto the Understanding an heap of species, and so distract its intention; argues not sufficiency, but weakness and distemper in this Faculty.

The next Corruption which I observed, is the Levitie and too much Volubilitie of this Power, proceeding from the over-hastie obtrusion of the species. For, notwithstanding I grant the quicknesse of its operations to be one principall part of the excellencie thereof; yet I thereby understand the Power, not the Infirmitie; the Nature, not the Disease of that Facultie; the abilitie of having speedie recourse unto varietie of Objects, treasured up in the Memorie; or of apprehending new, with dexteritie; not that floating and inconstant humour, whereby it makes many needlesse excursions upon impertinent things, and thereby interrupteth the course of the more needfull and present operations of the Soule. For, since it may fall out, that unto the same Facultie, from diversitie of occasions, contrarie operations may proove arguments of worth; a restraint unto one manner of working, is an argument of weaknesse and defect, in that it straitneth and defraudeth the power of those advantages which it might receive, by a timely application of the other: There may be a time, when the Fancie may have libertie to expatiate; but againe, some objects will require a more fixed and permanent act. And therefore,