The Circular Motion of the Soul

What is the definition of ‘soul’?

Can we conceive of any other than that which has been already given—the motion which can move itself?

Motion which is produced in another, by reason of another, but never has any self-moving power at all, being in truth the change of an inanimate body, to be reckoned second, or by any lower number which you may prefer?

Then the soul is prior to the body.

The body is second and comes afterwards, and is born to obey the soul, which is the ruler.

If the soul was prior to the body the things of the soul were also prior to those of the body?

Then characters and manners, and wishes and reasonings, and true opinions, and reflections, and recollections are prior to length and breadth and depth and strength of bodies, if the soul is prior to the body.

In the next place, we must not of necessity admit that the soul is the cause of good and evil, base and honourable, just and unjust, and of all other opposites, if we suppose her to be the cause of all things?

The soul orders and inhabits all things that move, however moving, must we not say that she orders also the heavens?

One soul or more? More than one—I will answer for you; at any rate, we must not suppose that there are less than two—one the author of good, and the other of evil.

The soul then directs all things in heaven, and earth, and sea by her movements. These are described by the terms—will, consideration, attention, deliberation, opinion true and false, joy and sorrow, confidence, fear, hatred, love, and other primary motions akin to these.

These again:

• receive the secondary motions of corporeal substances
• guide all things to growth and decay, to composition and decomposition, and to the qualities which accompany them, such as:
  • heat and cold
  • heaviness and lightness
  • hardness and softness
  • blackness and whiteness
  • bitterness and sweetness and
  • all those other qualities which the soul uses

The soul:

• controls heaven and earth, and the whole world.
• is a principle of wisdom and virtue, or a principle which has neither wisdom nor virtue.

If we say that the whole path and movement of heaven, and of all that is therein, is by nature akin to the movement and revolution and calculation of mind, and proceeds by kindred laws, then, as is plain, we must say that the best soul takes care of the world and guides it along the good path.

But if the world moves wildly and irregularly, then the evil soul guides it.

Of what nature is the movement of mind?

Then let us not answer as if we would look straight at the sun, making ourselves darkness at midday—I mean as if we were under the impression that we could see with mortal eyes, or know adequately the nature of mind—it will be safer to look at the image only.

Let us select of the ten motions the one which mind chiefly resembles.

All things were either at rest or in motion.

Of moving things, some move in one place, others move in more than one place.

The thing that moves in 1 place moves around a centre like globes made in a lathe.

This is most entirely akin to the circular movement of mind.

The motion of the mind is like the motion of a globe. It does not move in a linear way.

The soul carries all things around. Either the best soul or the worst must of carry round and order and arrange the revolution of the heaven.

If the soul carries round the sun and moon, and the other stars, does she not carry round each individual of them?

Then of one of them let us speak, and the same argument will apply to all.

Every one sees the body of the sun, but no one sees his soul, nor the soul of any other body living or dead; and yet there is great reason to believe that this nature, unperceived by any of our senses, is circumfused around them all, but is perceived by mind; and therefore by mind and reflection only let us apprehend the following point.

If the soul carries round the sun, we shall not be far wrong in supposing one of three alternatives.

Either the soul which moves the sun this way and that:

1. resides within the circular and visible body, or

• This is like the soul which carries us around in every way

2. the soul provides herself with an external body of fire or air as some affirm

• This violently propels body by body

3. the soul is without such a body, but guides the sun by some extraordinary and wonderful power.

This soul of the sun, which is therefore better than the sun, whether taking the sun about in a chariot to give light to men, or acting from without, or in whatever way, ought by every man to be deemed a God.