PL A
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P L A
Porphyry, Plotin, Iamhlichus, Proclus, and Plutarch, are thofe who acquired the greateft Reputation among the Greek Platonifts. And among the Latins, Apuleius, and tkalcidius.— Among the Hebrews, Philo Judaus.—The mo- dern Platonifts own Plotin the Founder, at leaft the Refor- mer, of their Seft.
The Platonic Philofophy appears very confiftent with the Mofaic; and a great Party of the primitive Fathers follow the Opinions of that Philofopher, as being favourable to Chri-
ftianity.. Jnflin is of Opinion, Plato could not learn many
things he has faid in his Works, from mere Natural Reafon; but thinks he might have learnt them from the Books ot Mofes which he read when in Egypt.
Hence Numenius, the Pythagorean, exprefsly calls Plato the Attic Mofes; and upbraids him with Plagiarifm in that he dole his DoOrine about the World and God, from the Books of Mofes.
Theodora fays exprefsly, that he has nothing good and com- mendable about the Deity, and his Worfhip, but what he dole from the Hebrew Theology •, and Clemens Alexandrians calls him the Hebrew Philofopher.
Gale is very particular in his Proof of the Point, that Plato borrowed his Philofophy from the Scriptures, either immediately, or by means of Tradition; and,befide the Au- thority of ancient Authors, brings fome Arguments from the
thing itfelf. As, e. gr. Plato's Confeffion that the Greets
borrowed their Knowledge of the one infinite God, from an ancient People, better and nearer to God than they; by which People, our Author makes no doubt, he meant the Jews : from his Account of the State of Innocence; as, that Man was born of the Earth, that he was naked, that he enjoy 'd a truly happy State, that he converfed with
Brutes, &c In effect, from an Examen of all the Parts
of Plato's Philofophy, Phyfical, Metaphyfical, and Ethical; this Author finds in every one, evident Charafters of its fa- crcd Original.
As to the Manner of the Creation, Plato teaches that the World was made according to a certain Exemplar, or Idea, in the Divine Architect's Mind. And all things in the Uni- vcrfe, in like manner, he fhews, do depend on the Efficacy of eternal Ideas.
This Ideal World is thus explained by Didymus : " Plato " fuppofes certain Patterns, or Exemplars of all fenfible " things, which he calls Ideas; and as there may be various " Impreffions taken off from the fame Seal; fo is there a vaft
- ' Number of Natures exifting from each Idea." This Idea
he fuppofes to be an eternal Effence, and to occafion the feveral being in Nature to be fuch as itfelf is : And that moft beautiful and perfect Idea which comprehends all the reft, he maintains to be the World.
Further, Plato teaches that the Univerfe is an intellgent
Animal, confiding of a Body and a Soul. The firft Matter
whereof this Body was form'd, he obferves, was a rude in- digefted Heap, or Chaos : Now, adds he, the Creation was a mixt Production ', and the World is the Refult of a Com- bination of Neceflity and Underftanding, i. e. of Matter, which he calls Necelfity, and the Divine Wifdom.
For the Anima Mttndi, or Soul of the World; fee Ani- ma Mundi.
The Principles, or Elements, which Plato lays down, are Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. See Element.
He fuppofes two Heavens, the Empyrean, which he takes to be of a fiery Nature, and to be inhabited by Angels, &c. And the Starry Heaven, which he teaches is not adamantine or folid, but liquid and fpirable. See Heaven.
His Phyficks, or Doflrine de Corpora, is chiefly laid down in hisTimaus; where he argues on the Properties of Body, in a Geometrical Manner; which Arijhtle takes occafion to
reprehend in him. His Doctrine de Mente is delivered in
his 10th Book of Laws, and his Parmenides.
St. Auguflin commends the Platonic Philofophy, and even fay?, that the Platonifts were not far from Chriftianity : He adds, that the Generality of the new Platonifts of his Time embraced the Faith.
Jnflin Martyr profeffes, that Plato's Doctrine was of the utmoft Advantage to him, in helping him to believe the My- fteries of the Chriftian Faith.— To which it may be added, that it was in good Meafure by Plato's Help that Origin con- futed Celfis. See Trinity, &c.
Indeed the late Author of Platonifme devoile, carries things to an extravagant Length when he contends, that the Dog- ma's of our Religion are only the Opinions of Plato; that the Fathers give us nothing of the Myfteries thereof but what they learnt from him; and that Chriftiany is only a
palpable Platonifm. To which Opinion M. le Clerc feems
a little inclined. See God, Fathers, &-c.
PI.ATONISTS. See Pi a ton ism, and Acade- mic k s.
PLAT TO ON, in War, a fmall, fquare Body of 40 or 50 Men, drawn out of a Battallion of Foot, and placed between the Squadrons of Horfe, to fuftain them; or in Emhufcades, Streights, and Defiles, where there is not room
for whole Battallions, or Regiments.— Plattoons are ufed when they form the hollow Square to ftrengthen the An«i» See Mosqueteer, Hollow Square, Battallion, ri c ° "
The Grenadiers are generally polled in Plattoons. ' s» Grenadier. '
The Word is form'd, by Corruption, of the French p.. laton, a Bottom, or Clue of Thread.
PLATTS, On board a Ship, are flat Ropes, made of Rope- Yarn, and woven one in another. See Rope, & c .
Their Ufe is to fave.the Cable from galling in the Hauls • or to wind about the Flukes of the Anchors, to five the Pen- dant of the Fore-fheet from galling againft them.
PLATYSMA, Myoides, in Anatomy. See Quadra. tds Genu.
PLAY, Lufus. See Game, and Gaming.
Play, in Poetry, &c. See Drama, Tragedy, Come dy, &c.
PLAY-Houfe. See Theatre, Ampitheatre, Sic.
PLEA, Placitum, in Law, that which either Party in a Caufe alledgeth for himfelf in Court. See P l a c i r u M Cause, and Court; fee alfo Pleading, &c.
Pleas, are either of the Crown, or Common Pleas.
Picas of the Crown, are all Suits in the King's Name, for Offences committed againft his Crown and Dignity, or a- gainft his Crown and Peace — Such are Treafons, Felonies Mifpriiions of either, and Mayhem. SeeTREisoN, Feio' ny, &c.
Edward I. enfeoffed Walter de Surge in the Land of Vl/ler in Ireland, Sec. excepting the Pleas of the Crown, ii- Rapeftal, willful Firing, and Treafure-trove. Cam. tii Ireland.
Cotnmon Fleas are thofe agitated between common Per- fons; tho', by the Definition above laid down, they fhould comprife all other except thofe there enumerated, notwitii- itanding the King be a Party.
Plea may farther be divided into as many Branches as ' Allion; in as much as they are in reality the fame thins: See Action. "
There is alfo Foreign Plea, whereby Matter is alledged in any Court, that ought to be tried by another.— As if one lay Baftardy to another in a Court Baron. See Foreign.
Pleas of the Sword.—RanulphEul of Chcflcr, 2" Hen. Ill granted to his Barons of Chejbirc, an ample Charter of Li- berties, exceptis placitis ad gladium meum ptrtinent'ihus.
The Reafon of the Exception was, that William the Com. gave the Earldom oiChefler to his half-Brother Hugh, com- monly called Lupus, Anceftor of this Ramtlph, Tenere ita li- bere ad Gladium, ficut ipfe Rex tenuit Atigliam ad Coronam. i Accordingly in all Indictments for Felony, Murther, &c in the County Palatine, the Form was, Contra pacem Dcm<ni Comitis, gladium & dignitatem fiam; or contra dignitatem Gladu Ceftrui.Sach were the Pleas of the Dignity of the Earl of Chefier. SeeGLADius.
Court of Common Pleas, call'd alfo Common Bench. See Common Pleas.
PLEADING, a Difcourfe fpoke at the Bar, in Defence ol the Caufe of a Party. See Plea and Bar.
From the Time of the Conqusft, all Pleading was per- form d in French, 'till the Time of Edward III. when it was appointed that the Pleas fhould Repleaded in Englijb, but to be enter'd, or recorded, in Latin. See Latin.
At Athens, and even in France and England, it was pro- hibited to have any form'd or prepared Pleading, or to a- mufe the Court with long artificial Harangues; only, in im- portant Matters, 'twas the fettled Cuftom to begin the Plea- ding with a Pafftge in holy Scripture. See Text.
' fis but of late Years that Eloquence was admitted to the car; and it may be faid there is fcarce any Nation in Eu- rope where it is lefs prafticed or encouraged than among J? 5 :— The Elocution of the Bar, like that of the Pulpit, de- ipi.es the Rubs ot Rhetoric. See Action, Eloquence, Oratory, ej-c. '
Pleadings are properly the Allegations of the Parties to the Suits, made after the Count, or Declaration. See Df-
CLARATION.
'" this Senfe the Pleadings exprefs what is contained in the Bar, Replication, and Rejoinder; and not what is in the Declaration itfelf.— Hence Defaults in the Matter of De- claration, are not comprized within the Mispleading, or in- iufficient Pleading, which only extends to that committed in the Bar, Replication, or Rejoinder. See Bar, Repli- cation, and Rejoinder.
P LE A S U R E, the Effeft of a Senfation or Perception agreeable to the Mind, or of the Gratification of fome Ap- petite. See Appetite, Sensation, r>c.
Pleafures may be diftinguifhed into two Kinds. The
firft, thofe which anticipate, or go before, the Reafon;
iuch are all agreeable Senfations. Thei'e are popularly
called Pleafures of Senfe, or of the Body. See Sense.
The fecond are thofe which do not precede or anticipate either the Senfes or Reafon— Thefe we call Pleafures of the
a clear Perception of fome
. .„„ MvtuM ul i\ciiiyii.— 1 neie we
Mind.— Such is the Joy arifmg from;
