602
MOP
MOR
mooting, is the chief exercise of the inns of court. Particulartimes are appointed for the arguing moot-cases: the place wherethis exercise is performed was anciently called Moot-hall; andthere is a bailiff, or surveyor of the moots, annually chosen bythe bench, to appoint the moot-men for the inns of chancery, andto keep an account of the performance of exercises.
MOPSUS, in fabulous history, a celebrated prophet, son ofApollo, by Manto, the daughter of Tiresias , who flourishedabout the 'time of the Trojan war. After death he was rankedamong the gods, and had an oracle at Matin, celebrated for thetrue and decisive answers which it gave.
Mopsus, the son of Am pyx and CJhloris, born at Titaressa inThessaly. He was the prophet and soothsayer of the Argonauts ,
and died at his return from Colchis by the bite of a serpent it 1Libya .
MOR.®A, in botany, a genus of the liionogynia order, andtriandria class of plants; natural order, Eusatas. Corolla six-pe-taied, the three inner parts spreading narrower; stigma trifidij| There are seventeen species.
i| MORAI, the name given at Otaheile to the burying-grounds,i! which are also places of worship. A morai is a pile of stone raised•; pyramidicallv upon an oblong base or square 267 feet long and(J87 wide. On each side is a flight of steps; those at the shle*j: being broader than those at the ends; so that it terminates not a!i square of the same figure with the base, 1 " 1j roof of a house,
but in a ridge like the
MORAL PPI1LOSOPHY, is the knowledge of what ought jto be, or the application of rules that ought to determine, the |choice of voluntary agents. Moral Philosophy has this in com-mon with Natural Philosophy , that it appeals to nature or fact;depends on observation ; and builds its reasoning* on plain uncon-troverted experiments, or upon the fullest induction of particularsof which the subject will admit. We must observe, in both thesesciences, how nature is affected, and what iter conduct is in such•end such circumstances: or, in other words, we must collect theappearances of nature in any given instance; trace these to somegeneral principles or laws of operation ; and then apply these prin-ciples or laws to the explaining of other phenomena. ThereforeMoral Philosophy inquires, not how man might have been, buthow he is, constituted ; not into what principles or dispositions bisactions may be artfully resolved, but from what principles anddispositions they actually flow ; not what he may, by education,habit, or foreign influence, come to be or do; but, what, by hisnature, or original constituent principles, he is formed to be ansido. We discover the office, use, or destination, of any work,whether natural or artificial, by observing its structure, the partsof which it consists, their connection or joint action. It is thuswe understand the office and use of a watch, a plant, an eye, orhand. It is the same with a living creature of the rational orbrute kind. Therefore, to determine the office, duty, or destina-tion, of man ; or, in other w ords, what his business is, or whatconduct he is obliged to pursue, we must inspect his constitution,take every part to pieces, examine their mutual relations one tothe other, and the common effect or tendency of the whole.
Man is born a weak, helpless, delicate creature, unprovidedwith food, clothing, and whatever is necessary for subsistence ordefence. And yet, exposed as he is in his infantile state, tonumberless wants and dangers, be is utterly incapable of supply-ing the former, or securing himself against the latter. But, though ;thus feeble and exposed, he finds immediate and sure resources in ;the affection and care of his parents, who refuse no labours, and 1forego no dangers, to nurse and rear up the tender babe. By jthese powerful instincts, as by some mighty chain, does nature link ]the parent to the child, and form the strongest moral connectionon his part, before the child has the least apprehension of it. Hun-ger and thirst, with all the sensations that accompany or are con-nected with them, explain themselves by a language strongly ex-pressive, and irresistibly moving. As the several senses bring innotices of surrounding objects, the young spectator shews earlysigns of growing wonder and admiration. Bright objects andstriking sounds are beheld and beard with a sort of commotionand surprise. But, without resting on any, he eagerly passes onfrom object to object, still pleased with whatever is most new. 1Thus the love of novelty is formed, and the passion of wonder |kept awake. By degrees he becomes acquainted with the most jfamiliar objects, his parents, his brethren, and.those of the family |who are most conversant with him. He contracts a fondness for Ithem, is uneasy when they are gone, and charmed to see them jagain, These feelings become the foundation of a moral attach- i
ment on his side ; and by this reciprocal sympathy he forms thedomestic alliance with his parents, brethren, and other membersof the family. Hence he becomes interested in their concerns •and feels joy err grief, hope or tear, on their account, as well as hj sown. As his affections now point beyond himself, to others, he > 5denominated a good or ill creature, as lie stands well or ill affectedto them. These, then, arc the first links of the moral chain ; the ear'ly rudiments, or outlines, of his character; his first rude essays to*wards free agency. When he begins to make excursions fromthe nursery, and extends his acquaintance abroad, lie forms a littlecircle of companions; engages with them in play, or in quest o*adventures; and leads, or is led by them, as his genius is more ofless aspiring. Though this is properly the season in which app e 'tile and passion have the ascendant, yet his imagination and intel-lectual powers open apace; and as the various images of tiling 5pass before the mental eye, lie forms variety of tastes; relishessome tilings, and dislikes others, as his parents, companions, and ^thousand other circumstances, lead him to combine agreeable ° rdisagreeable sets of ideas, or represent to him objects in alluringor odious lights. As bis views are enlarged, bis active and soci apowers expand in proportion ; the love of action, of imitation, an} 1of praise, emulation, curiosity, docility, a passion for command’and fondness of change.—His passions are quick, variable, a" (lpliant to every impression; his attachments and disgust quicklysucceed each other. He compares things, distinguishes action’*judges of characters, and loves or hates them, as tiiey appear wenor ill affected to himself, or to those lie holds dear. Meanwh>‘ clie soon grows sensible of the consequences of his own actions, 3 (they attract applause, or contempt: lie triumphs in the form cr ’and is ashamed of the latter, wants to hide them, and blushes"'} 11 ' 1 ’they are discovered. By these powers he becomes a, fit subje cof culture, the moral tie is drawn closer, he feels that he is a6 ’countable for his conduct to others as well as to himself, and tl' ugradually ripens for society and action. As man advances fm 1 ’’childhood to youth, his passions as well as perceptions take a in° r _extensive range. New senses of pleasure invite him to new p ur _suits; he grows sensible to the attractions of beauty, feels ap eca 'liar sympathy with the sex, and forms a more tender kind ot a 'tachment than he lias yet experienced. This becomes the cein ell [of a new moral relation, and gives a softer turn to his passionsbehaviour. In this turbulent period he enters more deeply in'°‘relish of friendship, company, exercises, and diversions; the !°Vof truth, of imitation, and of design, grows upon him ; and asconnections spread among his neighbours, fellow-citizens, aJ1countrymen, his thirst of praise, emulation, and social ufl'ecti° a ’grow more intense and active. Meanwhile, it is impossible ‘ fhim to have lived thus long without having become sensible ^those more august signatures of order, wisdom, and goodn e5 jwhich are stamped on visible creation; and of those strong sl !jj,gestions w ithin himself of a parent mind, the source of aVi ,! }.genceand beauty ; an object us well as source of that activiO|and those aspirations which sometimes rouse his inmost frame, aP ,carry him out of himself to an almighty and all-governing p 04l ’ e 0 fHence arise those sentiments of reverence, and those affection 5gratitude, resignation, and love, which link, the soul with th e 'J oS -
thor i
conni
passu
Lor,
and t
longs
vario
ships
inter
he e
"'hie!
powe
it coi
'nan,
pare!
ties.
on ai
fores
form
the f
latte i
agair
of p 2
pros|
plied
tally
sions
Peril
over
love
tow,
straii
that
ly in
'ions
ferer
as it
dary
and
disa 1
hatr
f-orn
but
"ea
«re a
bis i
the
link
drai
*eag
this!
stiti
pov
Witl
divi
die
>nai
gul
and
teci
whj
and
and
to<i
Th
tefl
tici
fro;
Vfit
tio;
dei
pri
noi