5p39sc.md (1697B)
1 Since human bodies are capable of the greatest number 2 of activities, there is no doubt but that they may be of such a 3 nature, that they may be referred to minds possessing a great 4 knowledge of themselves and of God, and whereof the greatest or 5 chief part is eternal, and, therefore, that they should scarcely 6 fear death. But, in order that this may be understood more 7 clearly, we must here call to mind, that we live in a state of 8 perpetual variation, and, according as we are changed for the 9 better or the worse, we are called happy or unhappy. 10 11 For he, who, from being an infant or a child, becomes a 12 corpse, is called unhappy; whereas it is set down to happiness, 13 if we have been able to live through the whole period of life 14 with a sound mind in a sound body. And, in reality, he, who, as 15 in the case of an infant or a child, has a body capable of very 16 few activities, and depending, for the most part, on external 17 causes, has a mind which, considered in itself alone, is scarcely 18 conscious of itself, or of God, or of things; whereas, he, who 19 has a body capable of very many activities, has a mind which, 20 considered in itself alone, is highly conscious of itself, of 21 God, and of things. In this life, therefore, we primarily 22 endeavour to bring it about, that the body of a child, in so far 23 as its nature allows and conduces thereto, may be changed into 24 something else capable of very many activities, and referable to 25 a mind which is highly conscious of itself, of God, and of things; 26 and we desire so to change it, that what is referred to its 27 imagination and memory may become insignificant, in comparison 28 with its intellect, as I have already said in the note to the 29 last Proposition. 30 31