Page:Characteristicks of men, manners, opinions, times Vol 1.djvu/119

Rh so the Poet again (Sat. 4. v. 77.) uses the word SENSUS, speaking of those who without Sense of Manners, or common Society, without the least respect or deference to others, press rudely upon their Friends, and upon all Company in general, without regard to Time or Place, or any thing besides their selfish and brutish Humour: Haud illud quærentes, num sine SENSU, Tempore num faciant alieno., as old Lambin interprets it, tho without any other Explanation; referring only to the Sensus Communis of in that other Satir. Thus (Epist. 105.) Odium autem ex offensa sic vitabis, neminem lacessendo gratuito: a quo te SENSUS COMMUNIS tuebitur. And accordingly, Justitiæ partes sunt, non violare homines: Verecundiæ, non offendere. Lib. 1. de Off. It may be objected possibly by some, particularly vers’d in the Philosophy above-mention’d, that the, to which the seems to have relation, is of a different meaning. But they will consider withal how small the distinction was in that Philosophy, between the, and the vulgar ; how generally Passion was by those Philosophers brought under the Head of Opinion. And when they consider, besides this, the very Formation of the word upon the Model of the other femaliz’d Virtues, the, &c. they will no longer hesitate on this Interpretation.The Reader may perhaps by this Note see better why the Latin Title of Sensus Communis has been given to this second Treatise. He may observe, withal, how the same Poet uses the word Sensus, in Sat. 15. Hæc nostri pars optima Sensus. that of, even under a or a. But for Humanity or Sense of Publick Good, and the common Interest of Mankind, 'twas no such deep Satir to question whether this was properly the Spirit of a Court. 'Twas difficult to apprehend what Community subsisted among Courtiers; or what Publick between an absolute Prince and his Slave-Subjects. And for real Society, there cou'd be none be- Rh