the six enneads-第98章
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ng faculty＇ has consciousness of the external； for it enables that which entertains the image to have knowledge of the experience encountered； while Nature's function is to engender… of itself though in an act derived from the active principle ＇of the soul＇。 Thus the Intellectual…Principle possesses： the Soul of the All eternally receives from it； this is the soul's life； its consciousness is its intellection of what is thus eternally present to it； what proceeds from it into Matter and is manifested there is Nature； with which… or even a little before it… the series of real being comes to an end； for all in this order are the ultimates of the intellectual order and the beginnings of the imitative。 There is also the decided difference that Nature operates toward soul； and receives from it： soul； near to Nature but superior； operates towards Nature but without receiving in turn； and there is the still higher phase ＇the purely Intellectual＇ with no action whatever upon body or upon Matter。 14。 Of the corporeal thus brought into being by Nature the elemental materials of things are its very produce； but how do animal and vegetable forms stand to it？ Are we to think of them as containers of Nature present within them？ Light goes away and the air contains no trace of it； for light and air remain each itself； never coalescing： is this the relation of Nature to the formed object？ It is rather that existing between fire and the object it has warmed： the fire withdrawn； there remains a certain warmth； distinct from that in the fire； a property； so to speak； of the object warmed。 For the shape which Nature imparts to what it has moulded must be recognized as a form quite distinct from Nature itself； though it remains a question to be examined whether besides this ＇specific＇ form there is also an intermediary； a link connecting it with Nature； the general principle。 The difference between Nature and the Wisdom described as dwelling in the All has been sufficiently dealt with。 15。 But there is a difficulty affecting this entire settlement： Eternity is characteristic of the Intellectual…Principle； time of the soul… for we hold that time has its substantial being in the activity of the soul； and springs from soul… and； since time is a thing of division and comports a past； it would seem that the activity producing it must also be a thing of division； and that its attention to that past must imply that even the All…Soul has memory？ We repeat； identity belongs to the eternal； time must be the medium of diversity； otherwise there is nothing to distinguish them； especially since we deny that the activities of the soul can themselves experience change。 Can we escape by the theory that； while human souls… receptive of change； even to the change of imperfection and lack… are in time； yet the Soul of the All； as the author of time； is itself timeless？ But if it is not in time； what causes it to engender time rather than eternity？ The answer must be that the realm it engenders is not that of eternal things but a realm of things enveloped in time： it is just as the souls ＇under； or included in； the All…Soul＇ are not in time； but some of their experiences and productions are。 For a soul is eternal； and is before time； and what is in time is of a lower order than time itself： time is folded around what is in time exactly as… we read… it is folded about what is in place and in number。 16。 But if in the soul thing follows thing； if there is earlier and later in its productions； if it engenders or creates in time； then it must be looking towards the future； and if towards the future； then towards the past as well？ No： prior and past are in the things its produces； in itself nothing is past； all； as we have said； is one simultaneous grouping of Reason…Principles。 In the engendered； dissimilarity is not compatible with unity； though in the Reason…Principles supporting the engendered such unity of dissimilars does occur… hand and foot are in unity in the Reason…Principle ＇of man＇； but apart in the realm of sense。 Of course； even in that ideal realm there is apartness； but in a characteristic mode； just as in a mode； there is priority。 Now； apartness may be explained as simply differentiation： but how account for priority unless on the assumption of some ordering principle arranging from above； and in that disposal necessarily affirming a serial order？ There must be such a principle； or all would exist simultaneously； but the indicated conclusion does not follow unless order and ordering principle are distinct； if the ordering principle is Primal Order； there is no such affirmation of series； there is simply making； the making of this thing after that thing。 The affirmation would imply that the ordering principle looks away towards Order and therefore is not； itself； Order。 But how are Order and this orderer one and the same？ Because the ordering principle is no conjoint of matter and idea but is soul； pure idea； the power and energy second only to the Intellectual…Principle： and because the succession is a fact of the things themselves； inhibited as they are from this comprehensive unity。 The ordering soul remains august； a circle； as we may figure it； in complete adaptation to its centre； widening outward； but fast upon it still； an outspreading without interval。 The total scheme may be summarized in the illustration of The Good as a centre； the Intellectual…Principle as an unmoving circle； the Soul as a circle in motion； its moving being its aspiration： the Intellectual…Principle possesses and has ever embraced that which is beyond being； the soul must seek it still： the sphere of the universe； by its possession of the soul thus aspirant； is moved to the aspiration which falls within its own nature； this is no more than such power as body may have； the mode of pursuit possible where the object pursued is debarred from entrance； it is the motion of coiling about； with ceaseless return upon the same path… in other words； it is circuit。 17。 But how comes it that the intuitions and the Reason…Principles of the soul are not in the same timeless fashion within ourselves； but that here the later of order is converted into a later of time… bringing in all these doubts？ Is it because in us the governing and the answering principles are many and there is no sovereign unity？ That condition； and； further； the fact that our mental acts fall into a series according to the succession of our needs； being not self…determined but guided by the variations of the external： thus the will changes to meet every incident as each fresh need arises and as the external impinges in its successive things and events。 A variety of governing principles must mean variety in the images formed upon the representative faculty； images not issuing from one internal centre； but； by difference of origin and of acting… point； strange to each other； and so bringing compulsion to bear upon the movements and efficiencies of the self。 When the desiring faculty is stirred； there is a presentment of the object… a sort of sensation； in announcement and in picture； of the experience… calling us to follow and to attain： the personality； whether it resists or follows and procures； is necessarily thrown out of equilibrium。 The same disturbance is caused by passion urging revenge and by the needs of the body； every other sensation or experience effects its own change upon our mental attitude； then there is the ignorance of what is good and the indecision of a soul ＇a human soul＇ thus pulled in every direction； and； again； the interaction of all these perplexities gives rise to yet others。 But do variations of judgement affect that very highest in us？ No： the doubt and the change of standard are of the Conjoint ＇of the soul…phase in contact with body＇； still； the right reason of that highest is weaker by being given over to inhabit this mingled mass： not that it sinks in its own nature： it is much as amid the tumult of a public meeting the best adviser speaks but fails to dominate； assent goes to the roughest of the brawlers and roarers； while the man of good counsel sits silent； ineffectual； overwhelmed by the uproar of h
