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1116 NOTES TO VOLUME II.
perience these disorderly states, the rational faculty is crippled and
brought to a standstill, or rather its movements become retrograde
instead of progressive. A limit is put to its operations, which its
possessor imagines to be the limit of all human capacity, because he
himself is unable to overstep it. He sees little or nothing in the
most studied researches of others, but every thing-oh! how vain
glorious- in his own ; nor can he return to correct conceptions until
his elated thoughts have subsided to their proper level. There are
many,’ says Seneca, ’who might have attained to wisdom, had they
not fancied they had attained it already.’ The Muses love a tranquil
mind, and there is nothing but humility, a contempt of self, and a
simple love of truth, that can prevent or remedy the evils we have
described" (Vol. I, no. 22, pp. 11 and 12, English Edition). Again
we read in the Regnum Animale, "While the will is directed to
the false, it is constantly detained in those things that confirm it,
or are conformable to it" (Part I, no . 9, p. 5, English Edition).
This doctrine, viz. the great influence which is exerted upon the
understanding by the will, is confirmed in the Diary for 1744 in these
words:
"The will has most to say in the understanding" (no. 65).
III. Thought and Respiration. In the Economia Regni Animalis,
we read, "As often as the brain is intent and thinking deeply, or
is occupied with anxious cares, the lungs draw their breath tacitly
and slowly, and the breast either rises to a fixed level, and fears by
any deep breath to disturb the quiet of the brain, or else compresses
itself, and admits only a small amount of air. When the brain is
exhilarated and joyous, the lungs expand and unfold. When the
brain collapses with fear, the lungs do the same. When the brain
is disturbed by anger, the lungs are the same" (Vol. II, p. 67,
English Edition). And again on p. 90 (no. 42), "Whenever the human
brain is pondering reasons, and directing the rational mind to them,
it desires to be calm, and to draw breath quietly, as is usual with
intense thinkers." In the "Divine Love and Wisdom" we read, "Every
one may perceive in himself that the understanding corresponds to
the lungs ..... because no one can think unless his breathing con
spires and accords ; wherefore when he thinks tacitly, he breathes
tacitly, if he thinks deeply, he breathes deeply ; he keeps back and
relaxes, compresses and expands the lungs according to the thought,
thus according to the influx of the affection from love, either slowly,
hastily, eagerly, gently, or attentively; yea, if he hold his breath
altogether, he cannot think except in his spirit by his respiration,
which is not manifestly perceived" (no. 382).
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