We ascribe this to a difference of _Genius_ amongst Men. _Genius_
was a Deity worshipped by the Ancient Idolaters: Sometimes as the
God of _Nature_; sometimes as the God of a particular _City_ or
_Country_, or _Fountain_, or _Wood_, or the like; sometimes as
the Guardian and Director of a _single Person._
Exuitur, _Geniumq; meum_ prostratus adorat.
Propert. _l_. 4. _El._ 9 V. 43.
The Heathens had a Notion, that every Man upon his Birth was
given up to the[A] Conduct of some invisible Being, who was to
form his Mind, and govern and direct his Life. This _Being_ the
_Greeks_ called[B] [Greek: Daimon or Daimonion]; the _Latins,
Genius_. Some of them suppos'd a[D] Pair of _Genij_ were to
attend every _Man_ from his Birth; one Good, always putting him
on the Practice of Virtue; the other Bad, prompting him to a
vicious Behaviour; and according as their several Suggestions
were most attended to, the Man became either Virtuous or Vicious
in his Inclinations: And from this Influence, which the _Genius_
was suppos'd to have towards forming the Mind, the Word was by
degrees made to stand for the Inclination itself. Hence[E]
_indulgere Genio_ with the _Latins_ signifies, to give Scope to
Inclination, and more commonly to what is none of the best. On
the other Hand, [F]_Defraudare Genium_, signifies to deny Nature
what it craves.
[A] _Ferunt Theologi, in lucem editis Hominibus cunctis, Salva
firmitate fatali, bujusmodi quedam, velut actus vectura, numina
Sociari: Admodum tamen paucissimis visa, quos multiplices
auxere virtutes.
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