Adaptation of Defence of Poetry
- According to one mode of regarding
- Those classes, two, of mental action which
- Are Reason and Imagination called,
- The former may be considered as mind
- That the relations contemplates by one
- Thought to another borne, howe'er produced;
- The latter as mind, acting on those thoughts
- So as to colour them with its own light,
- Composing from them as from elements,
- Other thoughts, each containing in itself
- The principle of its integrity.
- The one is the to poiein, or (i.e.)
- The principle of synthesis and has
- As objects forms, those which are common
- To universal nature and existence;
- The other is the t'logizein, which is
- The principle of analysis and
- Its action sees relationships of things
- As that, relations; and considering
- Thoughts, not in their integral unity
- But as the algebraical deduction
- Which leads to certain general results.
- Reason thus is the enumeration
- Of quantities already known; The other,
- Imagination is th'perception of
- The rightful value of those quantities,
- Both seperately and as they are whole.
- Reason respects the difference, and
- Imagination the similitudes.
- Reason is to Imagination, as
- The instrument to the agent, and as
- The body to the spirit is, and as
- The shadow to the substance is alike.
Original author: Percy Bysshe Shelley.
ACCORDING to one mode of regarding those two classes of mental action which are called Reason and Imagination, the former may be considered as mind contemplating the relations borne by one thought to another, however produced; and the latter as mind, acting upon those thoughts so as to colour them with its own light, and composing from them as from elements, other thoughts, each containing within itself the principle of its own integrity. The one is the to poiein, or the principle of synthesis and has for its objects those forms which are common to universal nature and existence itself; the other is the to logizein or principle of analysis and its action regards the relations of things, simply as relations; considering thoughts, not in their integral unity but as the algebraical representations which conduct to certain general results. Reason is the enumeration of quantities already known; Imagination is the perception of the value of those quantities, both seperately and as a whole. Reason respects the differences, and Imagination the similitudes of things. Reason is to Imagination as the instrument to the agent, as the body to the spirit, as the shadow to the substance.