PRO
(S98)
PRO
A 7rut Proposition, is that which declares a thing to of Juno. — But they all three dwell, chiefly, on the Perfon of
he what it really is; or not to be what it is not. See the Hero, as if he were the Matter of the Poem. See Hero.
Truth. ^ ct there isfome difference, in this refpeef, in the three
A Falfi Proposition, is that which fignifies a thing to Poems ; in that Achilles is named in the Iliad ; but Vlyffss,
be what it is not 5 or not to be what it is. See Falsiiood. and JEneas are not : They are only pointed ar, and thai in
The Truth ot a Fropofition, therefore, depends on the fuch general Terms, as if it were fuppofed they were known
connecting of the Subject with the Attribute, which is done before.
by the A3 of the Mind, call'd Judgment. See Judg- This praflice feems .to fall in with the firft Intention of
ment Error, tSV. the Poet ; who is to feign an Action without Names, and
A Proposition is faid to be pure, when it implies or who, as Arijlotle fays, does not relate the Action of Achilles^
involves nothing befides its Matter and Form ; as, Man is norUlyfJes, nor JEneas, nor anyianicular Perfon, but of a
See Fable and
univerlat, general, and allegorical Perfon. Action.
Add to this, that the Character which the Poet is to give his Hero, and his whole Work, isexprefs'd in the Propor- tion; both by Homer and Virgil, See Character.
The whole Iliad is Anger and Violence ; 'tis Achillea Character, and 'tis what the Poem commences with « M»r/r cLu£i. The Odyffee prefents us in the firft Verfe with the Prudence, Diflimulation, and Addrefs which makes the Character of Ulyffes, and the Bufinefs of the Poem: "APcPpa rioAurpoTot/. And we fee the Piety and Mildnefs of JEneas in the beginning of the Latin Poem : Infignem Fietate Virum.
As to the manner of the 'Fropofition ; Horace contents himfelf to prefcribe Modefly and Simplicity; not to pro- mife much, nor raife great Expectations in the Reader. Don't begin, fays he, like that wretched Poet who fet one 1301th, Fortunam Priami cantabo & nobile Bellum. J/c-73 much better is that of Homer, Die mihi, Mufi, Virum, &c. He does notfpend all his Fire at once, and leave nothing but Smoke : From this feeble beginning, you pa 'I feon fee him rife to the Wonders of Antiphates, Scylla, Charybdis, ani Polypheme.
The fame Modefly we find in the 'Fropofition of the JEneid : If that of the Iliad be a little mure furious, 'tis, perhaps, in conformity to the Characlerof thePocm,which is a Series of Violences and Extravagancies.
Add, that if the Poet be to fpeak with Modefly of his Hero ; much more is he to do fo of himfelf: Thus Vir- gil only fays, I fmgthe ABion of ^Eneas. Homer begs his Mufe toy^jv or fing. How far does Claudian fwerve from thefe Examples ?
— — . — Audaci prcmere Cantu,
Mens congejla jubet, greffus removete prof ani : Jam furor humanos noftro de peBore fenfus Expulit, & totum fpirant prmcoriia Fhotbum.
A fhort Poem, e. gr. an Ode, &c. wherein the violent Strain might be purfued to the end ; might admit of fuch a pom- pous beginning : Thus we find Horace begin an Ode much after the Manner of Claudian :
Oil prcfamim valgus, ££ arceo
Carmina non prius audita Mtifarum Sacerdos, Virginibus puerifque canto.
But the length of an Epic Poem quite excludes all ponv
rational.
A Medal Proposition, is that which betide the pure Matter and Form, involves fome Mode or Manner of Dif- pofition ; as , It is neceffdry Man be rational.
Hence, fuch Fropofition is faid to confift of a Mode and a Diilion ; tl e Mode denotes fome Circumftance which difpofes the 'Propofitiou ; as, It isneceffary: The Diclion is the tell of the Fropofition ; that Man be rational- There are four of thefe Modes very famous, viz. Ne* cejfary, Ti'ffible, Impoffible, and Contingent-. See Neces- sary, Possible, i5c.
Others produce other Modes, as true, falfe, certain, tin- certain, probab'e, Sic.
T« modal Proportions, the Philofophers refer exe'ufive, exceptive, and reftriBive Propofitions; all which are de- noted by a common Name, Exponib'e Tropofitions, be- caufe requiring fome Explanation to make 'cm clearly un- derilood.
An Exclufive Proposition, is that denoted by a Sign, or Charafiter of Exclufion ; as, only, filely, alone : as, 'God alone is eternal ; which is expounded thus, God is eternal, and no other 'Being befide him is fo : Peter only plays; which we expound, Peter plays, and does nothing elfe.
Every Exclufive Fropofition is expounded by two Fropo- fttions, one of which is affirmed, and the other denied.
Exceptive Proposition, is that denoted by an excep- tive Sign ; as, befide, unlefs, &c. Thus, Every Animal, befide Man, is irrational.
Every Exceptive Fropofition is to be refolved, or ex- pounded by three Propofitions ; as that, e. gr. abovemen- tioned, by thefe : Every Animal that is not Man is ir- rational : Ev:ry Man is an Animal : No Man is ir- rational.
ReftriBive, or Limitative Proposition, is that affefled with a reftriflive Sign ; as, according to, fo far as, confi- der'd as, quatenus, ($c. Thus, Man quatenus an Animal, perceives.
PROPOSITION, in Mathematics, is fome Truth ad- vanced, and fhewn to be fuch by Demonllration : or fome Operation propofed, and its Solution fhewn.
If 'the Propoflt ions be deduced from feveral theoretical Definitions compared together ; as this, A Parallelogram is double of a Triangle, Handing on the fame Bafe and of the fame Altitude ; it is call'd «2j6eorO». SeeTiiEOREM.
If from a Praxis or Series of Operations, a 'Problem ; as, To fin.! a third Proportional to two given Quantities. See Problem.
Indeed, in f.rianefs, the Fropofition is only part of a pous Fropofitions. Theorem, viz. that which fhews what agtees to fuch a There is fcarce any Fault we have yet obferv'd a Fropo- thing under fuch Conditions, and what not : In which fenfe Juion liable to, but there is an Inftance of in the 'Propofltien it is diftinguilh'd from the Demonflration, which fhewsthe of Statius'sAchilleid : He bids his Mufe rehearfethe 'Deeds reafons why the Underflanding conceives that to agree to it. of the Magnanimous Son of .ffiacus, who was formidable even See Demonstration. to the T'hmiderer. He adds, 1'hathe has worthily difcharg'i
Again, flriflly f peaking, the Propofitions only a Mem* a former Undertaking, and that Thebes epems him a her of a Problem, viz. that which fhews what is required fecond Amphion. to be done : In which fenfe, it is diflinguifh'd from the
Solution, which rehearfes the feveral things to be done in Magntlninmm JEiudemformidatamtjue Tonanti order to effea what is required ; and from the Demonflra- •progenicm, iS patrio vetitam fuccedere Ceelo tion, which proves, that by doing the things enjoin'd in the Diva rejer.
Solution, the thing requir'd in the Fropofition is truly done. 7a modo, ft veteres digno deplevimus haujltt, See Resolution. Da font es mihi, Fhozbe, novos, i£c.
PROPOSITION, in Poetry, the firft part of an Epic _ „ .„
•Poem, wherein the Author propofes, or lays down, briefly PRO-PRETOR,or PBo-PRKTOR.a Roman Magiftrate, »nd in general, what he has to fay in the Coutfe of his who having difcharged the Office of Pretor at home.was fen' Work. See Poem Epic &c. into a Province to command there with his former pretorial
The Fropofition, Perc Soffit obferves, is to contain the Authority. See Pretor. bare Matter of the Poem, i. e. the Aflion, and the Perfons The Name Fro-pretor was alfo given to thofe, who, that are ro executeit, both human and divine. without having been Pretors at Rome, were fent extraordi-
This is what we have both in the Iliad, the Odyjfee, and na-'ly int0 'he Provinces, to adminifter Juftice with theAu- the JEneid. The Aflion propofed in the Iliad, is the Wrath thority of Pretors.
of Achilles; that of the Odvjfee, the Return of Ulyffes ; and Some alfo give the Name Fro-fretors to thofe fent oy that of the JEneid, the Translation of the Trojan Empire 'he Emperors into the Provinces, which, upon partition in into Italy. Augustus's time, fell to their Lot ; as the Name ProconluL
The fame Author obferves, that the divine Perfons are was g' ven t0 thofe fent into the Provinces, that fell to til0 n2in'd in all the three Tropofitions. Homer, e.gr. declares, People's fhare. See Proconsul.
that what happens in the Iliad, is by the Will of Jupiter ; PRO-PREFECT, Pro pRjEFECTus,amongtheic«?», and that Apollo was the Caufe of the Quarrel between Aga- the Prefefl's Lieutenant ; or an Officer whom the ""*" piemnon and Achilles: The fame Poet fays, 'tins Apollo of the 'Pmorium comm'tfiond to do any partof his Office prevented the Return of Uhffes's Companions ; and Virgil inhisplace. See Prefect. -Mentions theDeUinies, the. Will of the Gods, and the Anger- la Gmter, p.C,C.CLXX, the third Infcription mem"*;
