Top-level index / Complete interlinear beta

Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten

Aesthetica

Interlinear Beta v2 · §§26–50

Choose a view for each section. Quoted passages stay together in all four views; numbered notes identify their sources.

§ 26

Perceptio quatenus est ratio, est argumentum.

Perception, insofar as it is a reason, is an argument.

Sunt ergo argumenta locupletantia, nobilitantia, probantia, illustrantia, persuadentia, moventia, § 22. quorum aesthetica non solum poscit vim et efficaciam, M. § 515. sed etiam elegantiam, § 25. Pars cognitionis, in qua peculiaris detegitur elegantia, est figura, (schema.)

There are therefore enriching, ennobling, proving, illustrating, persuading, and moving arguments, § 22, of which aesthetics demands not only force and efficacy, Metaphysics, § 515, but also elegance, § 25. The part of cognition in which a particular elegance is detected is a figure, a schema.

Sunt ergo figurae 1) rerum et cogitationum, § 18, sententiae; 2) ordinis, § 19; 3) significationis, quo figurae dictionis, § 20. Figurarum sententiae tot, quot argumentorum, sunt genera.

Therefore there are figures 1) of things and thoughts, § 18, sentiments; 2) of order, § 19; 3) of signification, to which figures of diction belong, § 20. Of figures of thought there are as many kinds as there are of arguments.

§ 27

Pulcritudo cognitionis, § 14. quum sit effectus pulcre cogitantis huius viribus vivis nec maior, nec nobilior, M. §§ 331, 332. ante omnia delineemus aliquam genesin et ideam pulcre cogitaturi, characterem felicis aesthetici, enumerationem eorum, quae in anima naturaliter pulcrae cognitionis causae propiores sunt.

Since the beauty of cognition, § 14, is the effect of one thinking beautifully and is neither greater nor nobler than his living powers, Metaphysics, §§ 331, 332, let us before all else outline some genesis and idea of one about to think beautifully: the character of the happy aesthetician, an enumeration of those things which in the soul are naturally the nearer causes of beautiful cognition.

Ob rationes autem § 17. allatas subsistamus nunc in generali ac veluti catholico charactere, qualem omnis generis pulcre cogitata requirunt, non descendentes in specialem aliquem, complementum generalis ad datam certam determinatae speciei pulcram cognitionem actu praestandam.

But, because of the reasons adduced in § 17, let us now remain in a general and, as it were, catholic character, such as beautifully thought things of every kind require, not descending into some special character, the complement of the general one for actually producing a beautiful cognition of a given, certain, determinate species.

§ 28

Ad characterem felicis aesthetici generalem, supponendo generaliora, § 27. requiritur: I. aesthetica naturalis connata, § 2. (physis, natura, euphyia, euexia psyches geneseos), dispositio naturalis animae totius ad pulcre cogitandum, quacum nascitur.

For the general character of the happy aesthetician, with the more general things presupposed, § 27, there is required: I. innate natural aesthetics, § 2, (physis, nature, euphyia, euexia psyches geneseos), the natural disposition of the whole soul for thinking beautifully, with which it is born.

§ 29

Ad naturam, de qua § 28. 1) ingenium venustum et elegans connatum, ingenium latius dictum connatum cuius facultates inferiores facilius excitentur et ad elegantiam cognitionis apta proportione conspirent.

To the nature of which § 28 speaks belongs 1) an inborn charming and elegant talent, inborn talent taken in the broader sense, whose lower faculties are more easily aroused and conspire in a suitable proportion toward elegance of cognition.

§ 30

Ad ingenium venustum, de quo § 29. A) facultates cognoscitivae inferiores, earumque dispositiones naturales, a) acute sentiendi, M. § 540. non solum, ut anima nanciscatur primam pulcre cogitandi materiam sensibus externis, sed etiam ut sensu interno, intimaque conscientia, M. § 535. mutationes et effectus reliquarum suarum facultatum possit experiri directura.

To the charming talent of which § 29 speaks belong A) the lower cognitive faculties and their natural dispositions: a) for sensing acutely, Metaphysics, § 540, not only so that the soul may obtain the first material for thinking beautifully by the external senses, but also so that, by internal sense and innermost consciousness, Metaphysics, § 535, it may be able to experience the changes and effects of its remaining faculties as one about to direct them.

Ut facultas sentiendi conspiret olim reliquis, tanta sit ingenio venusto, quae non semper et ubique, suis sensationibus quibuscunque, quascunque sit oppressura cogitationes heterogeneas, § 29.

In order that the faculty of sensing may someday conspire with the rest, it should be so great in a charming talent that it will not always and everywhere, with whatever sensations of its own, oppress whatever heterogeneous thoughts, § 29.

§ 31

b) Dispositio naturalis ad imaginandum, § 30. qua ingenium venustum sit εὐφαντασίωτον; quia 1) saepe praeterita pulcre cogitanda sunt; 2) praesentia saepe praetereunt ante, quam absolvatur pulcra eorundem cogitatio; 3) non ex solis praesentibus, sed et praeteritis, futura cognoscuntur.

b) A natural disposition for imagining, § 30, by which a charming talent may be εὐφαντασίωτον; because 1) things past must often be thought beautifully; 2) things present often pass by before the beautiful cognition of them is completed; 3) future things are known not only from present things but also from past ones.

Ut conspiret imaginatio reliquis aliquando facultatibus, tanta sit in ingenio venusto, quae non semper et ubique suis phantasmatibus obscuret reliquas perceptiones omnes naturaliter debiliores singulas singulis imaginationibus. § 29. Ad phantasiam si referatur facultas fingendi, uti saepe apud veteres, duplex eius est in ingenio venusto maioris necessitas.

In order that imagination may someday conspire with the remaining faculties, it should be so great in a charming talent that it will not always and everywhere, by its phantasms, obscure all the remaining perceptions, naturally weaker, one by one with individual imaginings, § 29. If the faculty of inventing is referred to fantasy, as often among the ancients, there is a twofold greater necessity of it in charming talent.

§ 32

c) Dispositio naturalis ad perspicaciam, § 30. M. § 573. qua suggerenda per sensum et phantasiam e.c. §§ 30, 31. acumine et ingenio quasi poliantur.

c) A natural disposition for perspicacity, § 30, Metaphysics, § 573, by which things to be suggested through sense and fantasy, and so forth, §§ 30, 31, are as it were polished by acumen and talent.

Per has facultates et pulcritudo cognitionis, quatenus proportiones phaenomena poscit, et disproportiones phaenomena non admittit, et ipsa pulcra ingenii latius dicti proportio praestanda est, § 29. M. § 572. Hinc quoniam acumen sub ingenii nomine non raro simul delitescit, omnis pulcra cognitio nonnunquam ingenio adscribitur.

Through these faculties both the beauty of cognition, insofar as it demands proportions as phenomena and does not admit disproportions as phenomena, and the beautiful proportion itself of talent more broadly understood, must be furnished, § 29, Metaphysics, § 572. Hence, because acumen not rarely lies hidden at the same time under the name of talent, all beautiful cognition is sometimes ascribed to talent.

Ut tamen et perspicacia probe conspiret aliquando cum reliquis animi facultatibus tanta sit, quae non nisi satis sibi praeparatam in materiam feratur, § 29.

Yet in order that perspicacity too may someday conspire properly with the remaining faculties of the mind, let it be so great that it is borne only upon matter sufficiently prepared for it, § 29.

§ 33

d) Dispositio naturalis ad recognoscendum et memoria, M. § 579. Mnemosyne musarum mater veteribus dicebatur ad memoriam imaginationis etiam reproductionem referentibus, § 31. Neque tamen ipsa recognoscendi facultate supersedere potest pulcre e.g. narraturus, immo fingentem, ne antecedentia turpiter sequentibus repugnent, oportet esse memorem.

d) A natural disposition for recognizing and memory, Metaphysics, § 579. Mnemosyne was called the mother of the Muses by the ancients, who referred also the reproduction of imagination to memory, § 31. Nor, however, can one about to narrate beautifully, for example, dispense with the faculty itself of recognizing; indeed, one inventing must be mindful, lest antecedent things basely conflict with subsequent ones.

§ 34

e) Dispositio poetica, M. § 589, quae tanta requiritur, ut excellentiori practicorum aestheticorum classi nomen poetarum conciliaverit.

e) A poetic disposition, Metaphysics, § 589, which is required to such a degree that it has secured the name of poets for the more excellent class of practical aestheticians.

Nec mirabitur psychologus perpendens, quanta pulcrae meditationis portio combinando praescindendoque phantasmata formanda sit.

Nor will the psychologist wonder, considering how great a portion of beautiful meditation must be formed by combining and by abstracting phantasms.

Ut cum reliquis tamen facultatibus probe conspiret, tanta sit, quae mundum a se quasi creatum non subtrahat reliquarum e.g. perspicaciae, § 31. politionibus. § 29.

Yet in order that it may conspire properly with the remaining faculties, let it be so great that the world as if created by it does not withdraw itself from the polishings of the others, for example of perspicacity, § 31, § 29.

§ 35

f) Dispositio ad saporem non publicum, immo delicatum, M. § 608, qui cum perspicacia, § 31. sensorum, phantasmatum, fictionum e.c. iudex inferior sit, M. § 607. quotiescunque diiudicari singula per intellectum, M. § 641. non interest pulcritudinis, § 15.

f) A disposition for a taste not public, indeed delicate, Metaphysics, § 608, which, since together with perspicacity, § 31, it is the lower judge of sensations, phantasms, fictions, and so forth, Metaphysics, § 607, whenever individual things are to be judged by the intellect, Metaphysics, § 641, does not concern beauty, § 15.

§ 36

g) Dispositio ad praevidendum, M. § 595, et praesagiendum, M. § 610. Quam observantes veteres in ingeniis pulcrioribus, quanta non est in multis, extraordinariam, veluti prodigium quoddam ac miraculum, divinis adscribebant.

g) A disposition for foreseeing, Metaphysics, § 595, and for foreboding, Metaphysics, § 610. Observing this in more beautiful talents, in such a degree as is not found in many, the ancients ascribed the extraordinary thing, as a kind of prodigy and miracle, to divine powers.

Unde poetae denuo vates.

Hence poets again are seers.

Neque tamen haec, in medio posita transeundo, requirenda tantum est ad nescio quae oracula aesthetica; quoniam ad omnem cognitionis vitam, primariam pulcritudinem, requiritur. § 22. M. § 665. Ut conspirare tandem cum aliis haec facultas et dispositio divinatrix possit, § 29. M. § 616. tanta sit, quae suo loco ac tempore nec sensationi, multo minus imaginationi cedat heterogeneae, §§ 30, 31.

Yet this faculty, set in the middle in passing, is not required only for I know not what aesthetic oracles, since it is required for every life of cognition, the primary beauty, § 22, Metaphysics, § 665. In order that this faculty and divinatory disposition may at last conspire with the others, § 29, Metaphysics, § 616, let it be so great that, in its place and time, it yields neither to sensation nor much less to heterogeneous imagination, §§ 30, 31.

§ 37

h) Dispositio ad significandas perceptiones suas, M. § 619, nunc magis, nunc minus necessaria, prout character pulcre tantum cogitantis, intra animam, vel efferentis etiam pulcre cogitata simul attenditur.

h) A disposition for signifying one's perceptions, Metaphysics, § 619, now more, now less necessary, according as the character of one only thinking beautifully, within the soul, or also bringing forth beautifully thought things, is at the same time considered.

Neque tamen in priori potest omnino deesse, § 20. Ut consentiat aliquando cum reliquis non sit tanta, quae pulcritudini necessarium intuitum supprimat: § 35. M. § 620.

Yet it cannot be entirely absent in the former, § 20. In order that it may someday agree with the remaining faculties, let it not be so great that it suppresses the intuition necessary to beauty, § 35, Metaphysics, § 620.

§ 38

Ad ingenium venustum, de quo § 29, B.) facultates cognoscitivae superiores, M. § 624, quatenus a) intellectus et ratio per imperium animae in semet ipsam multum non raro conferunt, ad excitandas facultates inferiores, M. § 730. b) consensus harum et apta pulcritudini proportio saepe non nisi per intellectus et rationis usum obtinetur, § 29. c) magnae vividitatis in analogo rationis consectarium spiritui naturale est pulcritudo intellectus, M. § 637. et rationis, perspicientiae nexus extensive distinctae.

To the charming talent of which § 29 speaks belong B) the higher cognitive faculties, Metaphysics, § 624, insofar as a) intellect and reason, through the soul's command over itself, not rarely contribute much to exciting the lower faculties, Metaphysics, § 730; b) the agreement of these and the proportion suitable to beauty is often obtained only through the use of intellect and reason, § 29; c) as a consequence of great vividness in the analogue of reason, there is natural to the spirit the beauty of intellect, Metaphysics, § 637, and of reason, of insight into a nexus extensively distinct.

§ 39

Ingenium venustum naturaliter dispositum est, ut aliquando, non a statu suo praeterito solum; quicquid memoria regerat, sed ab ipsis sensationibus externis abstrahendo, fictum aliquem statum, ut futurum; attendat, eundem, ut bonum, vel malum; perspicaciter intueatur, et signis convenientibus ob oculos ponere possit, sub intellectus et rationis imperio, §§ 30–38.

A charming talent is naturally disposed so that at some time, not only from its own past state, whatever memory brings back, but by abstracting from the external sensations themselves, it may attend to some invented state as future; may perspicaciously intuit that same state as good or evil; and may be able to place it before the eyes by suitable signs, under the command of intellect and reason, §§ 30–38.

§ 40

Vel per iocum, vel per gravem errorem, excludit sanos Helicone Democritus, § 39. M. § 594. et ineptior est, M. § 639, bona pars, quae pretium ac nomen hominis venusti nancisci sperat,

Either in jest or through serious error, Democritus excludes the sane from Helicon, § 39, Metaphysics, § 594, and more inept, Metaphysics, § 639, is a good part of those who hope to obtain the worth and name of a charming person,

Sourced quotation · Horace [2]

Si tribus Anticyris caput insanabile nunquam Tonsori Licino commiserit.

"Whose head, too hot for hellebore to cool,
Was ne'er submitted to a barber's tool."

Hor.

Horace.

§ 41

Maiores facultates inferiores, eaeque naturaliter tales, requiruntur in pulcre cogitaturo, § 29. Hae vero non solum esse simul cum superioribus naturaliter magnis possunt, M. § 649, sed ad eas etiam, ut conditio, sine qua non, requiruntur. M. § 637. Hinc est opinio praeiudicata; natura repugnare pulcritudinem ingenii severioribus intelligendi ratiocinandique dotibus, quatenus a natura connascuntur acceptae.

Greater lower faculties, and those naturally such, are required in one who is about to think beautifully, § 29. But these not only can exist together with naturally great higher faculties, Metaphysics, § 649; they are also required for them as a condition without which not, Metaphysics, § 637. Hence it is a prejudiced opinion that by nature the beauty of talent is opposed to the more severe gifts of understanding and reasoning, insofar as they are accepted as born together from nature.

§ 42

Potest esse ingenium pulcrum, quod intellectus et rationis usum male neglexit, potest esse ingenium philosophicum et mathematicum non satis instructum ab ornamentis analogi rationis.

There can be a beautiful talent that has badly neglected the use of intellect and reason; there can be a philosophical and mathematical talent not sufficiently furnished by the ornaments of the analogue of reason.

Si potest esse ingenium vel mediocriter venustum ad scientias tamen solidiores ineptum ipsa natura: non tamen esse potest ingenium istis concipiendis natum, omni venustati cognitionis, uti nascitur, inhabile. M. §§ 649, 247.

If there can be a talent even moderately charming yet by nature unfit for the more solid sciences, nevertheless there cannot be a talent born for conceiving those sciences that, as it is born, is incapable of every grace of cognition, Metaphysics, §§ 649, 247.

§ 43

Ingenia potius superiora ac universalia per omnes aetates, Orpheus et philosophiae poeticae statores, Socrates, eiron dictus, Plato, Aristoteles, Grotius, Cartesius, Leibnitius docent a posteriori bene convenire, ac in una sede, non nimis angusta, morari posse dispositionem ad pulcre solideque cogitandum, etiam ex severiori disciplina philosophorum ac mathematicorum.

Rather, superior and universal talents through all ages - Orpheus and the founders of poetic philosophy, Socrates called eiron, Plato, Aristotle, Grotius, Descartes, Leibniz - teach a posteriori that the disposition for thinking beautifully and solidly can agree well and dwell in one seat, not too narrow, even from the more severe discipline of philosophers and mathematicians.

§ 44

Ad aestheticum natum, § 28, requiritur 2) indoles dignam et moventem cognitionem pronius secutura, facultatumque appetitiuarum ea proportio, qua in pulcram cognitionem facilius feratur, s. temperamentum aestheticum connatum, M. § 732.

For one born an aesthetician, § 28, there is required 2) a disposition that will more readily follow worthy and moving cognition, and that proportion of the appetitive faculties by which it is more easily borne into beautiful cognition, or innate aesthetic temperament, Metaphysics, § 732.

§ 45

Quum omnis homo feratur in omne genus appetibilium, quatenus ipsi cognitum est, e.c. M. § 665, locemus eorum aliqua circiter, uti aestheticum decet, § 15, secundum dignitatis ordinem: Pecunia, opes, labor, otium comparativum, deliciae externae, libertas, honor, amicitia, vigor et valetudo corporis firma, virtutum umbrae, cognitio pulcra cum suo corollario virtute amabili, cognitio superior cum suo corollario virtute veneranda.

Since every human being is borne toward every kind of appetible thing insofar as it is known to him, and so forth, Metaphysics, § 665, let us place some of them approximately, as befits an aesthetician, § 15, according to the order of dignity: money, wealth, labor, comparative leisure, external delights, freedom, honor, friendship, vigor and firm bodily health, shadows of virtues, beautiful cognition with its corollary lovable virtue, superior cognition with its corollary venerable virtue.

Licebit ergo temperamentis aestheticis tribuere magnitudinem aliquam pectoris connatam, instinctum in magna potissimum, praesertim apud attendentes, quam facilis inde transitus fit ad maxima. §§ 38, 41.

Therefore it will be permitted to attribute to aesthetic temperaments some innate greatness of heart, an impulse especially toward great things, particularly among those who attend to how easy the transition from there is to the greatest things, §§ 38, 41.

§ 46

Secundum tritam temperamentorum doctrinam melancholicum solet commendari non satis discernentibus pulcras meditationes prolixiores a brevioribus et abstinendis satis cito.

According to the worn doctrine of temperaments, the melancholic temperament is usually commended by those not sufficiently distinguishing longer beautiful meditations from shorter ones and from those to be stopped rather quickly.

His sanguineus, qui dicitur, illis melancholicus aptior erit.

For these the so-called sanguine temperament will be more suitable, for those the melancholic.

Quoniam autem malunt esse cholerici,

But since they prefer to be choleric,

Retained quotation · Source not specified [3]

Quos tulit ad scenam ventoso gloria curru, Magnum opus aggressis eadem det gloria vires.

"those whom glory has carried to the stage in a windy chariot, let the same glory give strength to those who have undertaken a great work."

§ 47

Ad characterem felicis aesthetici requiritur II.) ἄσκησις et exercitatio aesthetica, crebrior repetitio actionum in hoc homogeneatarum, ut sit aliquis ingenii ac indolis, §§ 28–46, descriptorum consensus in datum thema; s. ne quis ab Orbiliis data themata cogitet, in unum cogitandum, in rem unam, § 18, ut habitus pulcre cogitandi sensim acquiratur, M. § 577.

For the character of the happy aesthetician there is required II) ἄσκησις and aesthetic exercise: a more frequent repetition of actions made homogeneous in this, so that there may be some agreement of the talent and disposition described in §§ 28–46 toward a given theme; or, lest someone think of themes given by Orbiliuses, toward one thing to be thought, toward one matter, § 18, so that a habit of thinking beautifully may gradually be acquired, Metaphysics, § 577.

§ 48

Natura, de qua S. II. non potest vel per brevius tempus, in eodem gradu subsistere. M. § 550, hinc nisi continuis exercitiis augeantur eius vel dispositiones vel habitus, § 47, decrescit, quantacunque ponatur, nonnihil ac torpescit, M. § 650. Neque tamen exercitia tantum commendo facultatum, de quibus S. II. sed aesthetica, § 47. Sunt exercitia naturam satis pulcram corrumpentia ac deturpantia, vitanda phaenomena, § 16, apud ingenia activa et semper agentia aliquid, non felicius, quam meliorum commendabili substitutione, M. § 698.

The nature of which Section II spoke cannot remain, even for a rather short time, in the same degree, Metaphysics, § 550; hence unless its dispositions or habits are increased by continual exercises, § 47, it decreases somewhat, however great it is posited to be, and grows sluggish, Metaphysics, § 650. Yet I do not recommend only exercises of the faculties discussed in Section II, but aesthetic exercises, § 47. There are exercises that corrupt and deform a sufficiently beautiful nature, phenomena to be avoided, § 16, among active talents always doing something, by no happier means than by the commendable substitution of better ones, Metaphysics, § 698.

§ 49

Aliquem iam consensum in ipsis exercitiis aestheticis, et iis quidem omnibus posco, § 47. Alias non sunt effectus pulcrae naturae, hinc nec eius vim augent, § 47. M. § 139. Sed tantum aliquem.

I now demand some agreement in the aesthetic exercises themselves, and indeed in all of them, § 47. Otherwise they are not effects of a beautiful nature, and hence do not increase its force, § 47, Metaphysics, § 139. But only some agreement. Training grounds do not demand soldiers as great as battle does.

Palaria non poscunt milites, quantos pugna. Concedo, quaedam naturam satis pulcram nonnihil simul corrumpentia aestheticus, § 16. Concedo etiam deturpantia nonnihil, § 48, modo magis consentiant, ac dissentiunt, a potiori quae dicamus aesthetica, § 47. Concedo tandem, quorum maior est deformitas pulcritudine, modo comitetur ea conscientia, § 35, turpitudinis superponderantis, per quam non, si male nunc, et olim sic erit, M. § 666.

I grant that the aesthetician may use some exercises that at the same time somewhat corrupt a sufficiently beautiful nature, § 16. I grant also some exercises that somewhat deform, § 48, provided they agree more than they disagree, and from the stronger part are called aesthetic, § 47. Finally, I grant exercises whose deformity is greater than their beauty, provided there accompany them a consciousness, § 35, of the overbalancing ugliness, through which it will not be so hereafter, even if it is bad now, Metaphysics, § 666.

§ 50

Non ingenii solum, sed huius ac indolis, de quibus S. II. § 49. aliquem consensum postulo in exercitiis aestheticis, § 47. Colatur ingenium mortuis ac inertibus exercitiis, Ethic. § 403, neglecta prorsus indole, vel omnino corrupta, depressaque, e.g. in passionem dominantem, praevalentemque cupidinem hypocriseos, ferociae athleticae, sodalitii nepotum, ambitionis, licentiae, bacchanalium, desidiae, pigritiae, curarum oeconomicarum, vel omnino pecuniae, § 46, ubique pellucens pectoris exilis vilitas, quicquid venuste cogitatum videatur, deturpabit, § 48.

Not of talent alone, but of this talent and of the disposition discussed in Section II, § 49, I demand some agreement in aesthetic exercises, § 47. Let talent be cultivated by dead and inert exercises, Ethics, § 403, while disposition is entirely neglected, or wholly corrupted and depressed, for example into a dominant passion and prevailing desire for hypocrisy, athletic ferocity, the company of wastrels, ambition, license, revels, idleness, laziness, economic cares, or altogether money, § 46: the everywhere shining-through baseness of a narrow heart will deform whatever seems to have been charmingly thought, § 48.

Sources and textual notes

[2] Horace, Ars Poetica 300-301. John Conington, The Satires, Epistles, and Art of Poetry of Horace, Project Gutenberg eBook 5419. Source 1

Preserve Baumgarten's nunquam and capitalization in the quotation layer. The source-comparison line uses the modern spelling numquam.

Reuse information

Project Gutenberg supplies a United States reuse statement; Conington died in 1869.

[3] The first line adapts Horace, Epistles 2.1.177: quem tulit ad scaenam ventoso gloria curru John Conington, The Satires, Epistles, and Art of Poetry of Horace, Project Gutenberg eBook 5419.

Deferred: the final edition’s current translation is retained.

Second-pass exact-phrase searches again located Magnum opus aggressis eadem det gloria vires only in Baumgarten and in editions or discussions reproducing this section. Horace supplies only the first, singular line; Baumgarten changes quem to Quos and scaenam to scenam. The second line is probably Baumgarten's own hexameteric continuation, but no independent pre-Baumgarten source or existing English translation of the complete two-line unit was located. Conington's translation therefore cannot be represented as covering the second line.

Reuse information

Project Gutenberg supplies a United States reuse statement; Conington died in 1869.