E3P52S
Scholium — Part III
Latin
Hæc mentis affectio sive rei singularis imaginatio quatenus sola in mente versatur, vocatur admiratio, quæ si ab objecto quod timemus moveatur, consternatio dicitur quia mali admiratio hominem suspensum in sola sui contemplatione ita tenet ut de aliis cogitare non valeat quibus illud malum vitare posset. Sed si id quod admiramur sit hominis alicujus prudentia, industria vel aliquid hujusmodi, quia eo ipso hominem nobis longe antecellere contemplamur, tum admiratio vocatur veneratio; alias horror si hominis iram, invidiam etc. admiramur. Deinde si hominis quem amamus prudentiam, industriam etc. admiramur, amor eo ipso (per propositionem 12 hujus) major erit et hunc amorem admirationi sive venerationi junctum devotionem vocamus. Et ad hunc modum concipere etiam possumus odium, spem, securitatem et alios affectus admirationi junctos atque adeo plures affectus deducere poterimus quam qui receptis vocabulis indicari solent. Unde apparet affectuum nomina inventa esse magis ex eorum vulgari usu quam ex eorundem accurata cognitione. Admirationi opponitur contemptus cujus tamen causa hæc plerumque est quod scilicet ex eo quod aliquem rem aliquam admirari, amare, metuere etc. videmus vel ex eo quod res aliqua primo aspectu apparet similis rebus quas admiramur, amamus, metuimus etc. (per propositionem 15 cum ejus corollario et propositionem 27 hujus) determinamur ad eandem rem admirandum, amandum, metuendum etc. Sed si ex ipsius rei præsentia vel accuratiore contemplatione, id omne de eadem negare cogamur quod causa admirationis, amoris, metus etc. esse potest, tum mens ex ipsa rei præsentia magis ad ea cogitandum quæ in objecto non sunt quam quæ in ipso sunt, determinata manet cum tamen contra ex objecti præsentia id præcipue cogitare soleat quod in objecto est. Porro sicut devotio ex rei quam amamus admiratione sic irrisio ex rei quam odimus vel metuimus contemptu oritur et dedignatio ex stultitiæ contemptu sicuti veneratio ex admiratione prudentiæ. Possumus denique amorem, spem, gloriam et alios affectus junctos contemptui concipere atque inde alios præterea affectus deducere quos etiam nullo singulari vocabulo ab aliis distinguere solemus.
English (Elwes 1883)
This mental modification, or imagination of a particular thing, in so far as it is alone in the mind, is called Wonder; but if it be excited by an object of fear, it is called Consternation, because wonder at an evil keeps a man so engrossed in the simple contemplation thereof, that he has no power to think of anything else whereby he might avoid the evil. If, however, the object of wonder be a man's prudence, industry, or anything of that sort, inasmuch as the said man, is thereby regarded as far surpassing ourselves, wonder is called Veneration; otherwise, if a man's anger, envy, &c., be what we wonder at, the emotion is called Horror. Again, if it be the prudence, industry, or what not, of a man we love, that we wonder at, our love will on this account be the greater (III. xii.), and when joined to wonder or veneration is called Devotion. We may in like manner conceive hatred, hope, confidence, and the other emotions, as associated with wonder; and we should thus be able to deduce more emotions than those which have obtained names in ordinary speech. Whence it is evident, that the names of the emotions have been applied in accordance rather with their ordinary manifestations than with an accurate knowledge of their nature.
To wonder is opposed Contempt, which generally arises from the fact that, because we see someone wondering at, loving, or fearing something, or because something, at first sight, appears to be like things, which we ourselves wonder at, love, fear, &c., we are, in consequence (III. xv. Coroll. and III. xxvii.), determined to wonder at, love, or fear that thing. But if from the presence, or more accurate contemplation of the said thing, we are compelled to deny concerning it all that can be the cause of wonder, love, fear, &c., the mind then, by the presence of the thing, remains determined to think rather of those qualities which are not in it, than of those which are in it; whereas, on the other hand, the presence of the object would cause it more particularly to regard that which is therein. As devotion springs from wonder at a thing which we love, so does Derision spring from contempt of a thing which we hate or fear, and Scorn from contempt of folly, as veneration from wonder at prudence. Lastly, we can conceive the emotions of love, hope, honour, &c., in association with contempt, and can thence deduce other emotions, which are not distinguished one from another by any recognized name.
Modern English
This mental affection, the imagination of a particular thing insofar as it alone occupies the mind, is called wonder. If it is aroused by an object we fear, it is called consternation, because wonder at an evil keeps a person suspended in the mere contemplation of it, unable to think of anything else by which the evil might be avoided. If what we wonder at is someone's prudence, industry, or the like, insofar as we thereby regard that person as far surpassing us, wonder is called veneration. If instead we wonder at someone's anger, envy, and so forth, it is called horror. Again, if we wonder at the prudence or industry of someone we love, that love will, for that very reason, be greater (E3P12); and this love joined with wonder or veneration we call devotion. In a similar way we can conceive hatred, hope, confidence, and other affects combined with wonder, and from this we could derive more affects than are ordinarily named. This makes plain that the names of affects were coined to match their common appearances rather than any precise knowledge of their nature.
To wonder is opposed contempt, whose usual cause is this: because we see someone wonder at, love, or fear a thing, or because a thing at first glance appears similar to things we wonder at, love, or fear, we are determined (E3P15C) to wonder at, love, or fear that same thing. But if, from the thing's presence or from more careful examination, we are compelled to deny everything about it that could be a cause of wonder, love, or fear, then the mind, by the very presence of that thing, remains more determined to think of what is not in it than of what is, whereas ordinarily the presence of an object leads the mind chiefly to regard what is in it.
Just as devotion springs from wonder at what we love, derision springs from contempt of what we hate or fear, and disdain from contempt of folly, just as veneration springs from wonder at prudence. We can also conceive love, hope, honor, and other affects combined with contempt, and from this derive still further affects that are not distinguished from one another by any particular name.