title: Alpine idiocy
Creators: name: Abercrombie, John
name: Abercrombie, Joannes
Publisher: name: The University of Edinburgh
Year: 1803
Subjects: subject: Mind
subject: Virtue
subject: Weakness
subject: Knowledge
subject: Nature

description: I. HUMANE mentis recti atque veri perspicacis, quâ neque majus aliud, neque præstabilius, in natura mortalium est, et quâ neque melius, neque amplius, neque mirabilius aliud Deus excogitavit, egregia fa- cinora, sicutì anima, immortalia sunt. II. Perspicace mente aërias tentant domos, rotundumque polum percurrunt ingeniosi, cognitionis et scientiæ cupiditate ducti. Boni, prudentiâ et sapientiâ clari, vi rationis, quæ judicat, quid sit ordo, quid sit quod deceat, in factis dictisque qui modus, virtutem indagant et colunt; vitia expellunt; urbes pariunt; dis- sipatos homines in societatem vitæ convocant; convocatos domiciliis, conjugiis, literarum et vocum communione jungunt; ingenuis bonis- que artibus mores emolliunt; legibus atque disciplinâ continent. III. Sed, utì mens sana, valida, benè culta, quæ nec immoderata, nec nimis alta cupit; sed vitæ, utì debet, dux atque rector, ad glo- riam, virtutis atque scientiæ viâ, grassatur; eos, qui possident, ad Dei similitudinem e- vehit: ità mente Naturæ malignitate fatua, aut malis artibus obcæcatâ, et ad inertiam pessumdatâ atque voluptates corporis, nihil humilius est, nihil imbecillius, nihil ignobi- lius; nihil, quod magis commiserentur sapi- entiæ et medicinæ professores. IV. Quum animi morbi, ægrotationes, et imbecillitas, non solùm plùs noceant, quàm corporis, sed etiam difficiliùs auferri et sanari possint; oportet tam philosophos, quàm medi- cos, summâ ope niti, ut non causas modò in- vestigent et cognoscant, quibus oriantur, ve- rùm rationem quoque inveniant, quâ evellant celeriter, aut paulatim ad sanitatem perdu- cant. V. Mentis imbecillitas insignis, de qua pau- cis scribere nobis in animo est, quamvis apud nostrates ignota, tamen digna est, ad quam ob- servandam animos attendant naturæ rerum cu- riosi; at ii tamen maximè, qui sive studio, sive laudandâ officii ratione, ad investigan- dam hominis naturam, et cùm animi faculta- tes, tum naturales corporis actiones contem- plandas ac cognoscendas, trahuntur. VI. Namque hac mentis imbecillitate per omnes gradus considerandâ philosophi percipient, quàm immanè distent viri clari, quæs mo ri vetant Musæ, quorum mens Naturæ obscu- ra perspicit et illustrat, quorum virtuti omnia parent, quorum excelsitas animi et magnitudo decorant humanitatem, à fatuo ALPINO; qui, utpote miserandus, cui Natura neque lumen ingenii dederit, neque inseverit igniculos et semina virtutum, homo non re habendus est, sed nomine; quippe cùm nullâ re, nisi quòd pronus non sit, pecudibus reliquisque belluis antecedat. VII. Ejusdem quoque imbecillitatis con- templatio docet physiologos, quantum res phy- sicæ sensus, quos INTERNOS appellant sapientiæ professores, possint afficere. Et, cùm non so- lùm causæ, ex quibus proveniat imbecillitas, benè intelligantur, sed etiam ratio, quâ per- sanetur, præbet medicis, undè scientiam adi- piscantur de quibusdam animi ægrotationibus, quas sæpè commiserantur, sed rard sciunt le- vare vel tollere. # ## ### #### ###### #### ### ## # I. The discerning human mind, keen in matters of truth and rectitude, holds no greater or nobler attribute among mortals, and nothing greater or more remarkable has God conceived than this; its extraordinary deeds, like the soul itself, are immortal. II. By the insight of the mind, the ingenious reach for the heavens and traverse the celestial sphere, driven by a love of knowledge and learning. Those who are good, known for prudence and wisdom, using reason—judging what is orderly, what is fitting in actions and words—seek and cultivate virtue; expel vices; establish cities; gather dispersed people into a common way of life; unite them with homes, marriages, and the shared life of letters and speech; soften manners through noble and refined arts; keep them within laws and discipline. III. But just as a sound, strong, and well-disciplined mind, desiring neither the excessive nor the too lofty, but serving as the life’s guide and ruler—marching on the path of glory and virtue and knowledge—elevates those who possess it to the likeness of God; so too a mind rendered foolish by nature’s malice, or blinded by evil arts, and sunk into indolence and bodily pleasures, is nothing more abject, weak, or ignoble; nothing more deserving of the pity of the wise and of physicians. IV. Since the diseases, maladies, and weaknesses of the mind cause more harm than those of the body, and are also more difficult to remove and heal, philosophers and doctors must strive with all their might not only to investigate and understand the causes from which they arise but also to find a way to swiftly uproot them or gradually lead back to health. V. The notable weakness of the mind, which we intend to briefly write about, although unknown among our people, is still worthy of observation by those curious about the nature of things; especially by those who, either through study or commendable duty, are drawn to investigate human nature and to contemplate and understand both the faculties of the mind and the natural actions of the body. VI. For by considering this weakness of the mind in all its degrees, philosophers will perceive how immensely those distinguished by virtue of their character—and forbidden by the Muses to die—whose minds perceive and illuminate the obscurities of Nature, to whom all things are obedient, whose loftiness and greatness enoble humanity, differ from the foolish Alpine; who, being pitiable and to whom Nature has granted neither the spark of genius nor implanted seeds of virtue, should be considered a human in name only, since in nothing except being upright does he surpass cattle and other beasts. VII. The contemplation of the same weakness also teaches physiologists the extent to which physical matters can affect the senses, which professors of wisdom call INTERNAL. And when not only the causes from which the weakness arises are well understood, but also the method by which it can be cured, it provides physicians with the knowledge to deal with certain maladies of the mind, which they often pity but rarely know how to relieve or eliminate.