[This epigraph first appears in 1817, Sybilline Leaves]
Facile credo, plures esse Naturas invisibiles quam visibiles
in rerum universitate. Sed horum omnium familiam quis nobis
enarrabit? et gradus et cognationes et disciimina et singulorum
munera? Quid agunt? quae loca habitant? Harum rerum no-
titiam semper ambivit ingenium humanum, nunquam attigit.
Juvat, interea, non diffiteor, quandoque in animo, tanquam in
Tabula, majoris et melioris mundi imaginem contemplari: ne mens
assuefecta hodierniae vitae minutiis se contrahat nimis, & tota
subsidat in pusillas cogitationes. Sed veritati interea invigilan-
dum est, modusque servandus, ut certa ab incertis, diem a nocte,
distinguamus.
T. Burnet: Archaeol. Phil., p. 68.
[Translation:] I can easily believe that there are more invisible than visible beings in the universe.
But who will describe to us their relation, their families, degrees, affinities, their differences and their functions?
What do they do? Where do they live? The human mind has always looked for, but never attained, a knowledge of these things.
I cannot deny, however, that at times it is valuable to allow the mind to contemplate a larger and better world, as if
seen in a picture; otherwise, accustomed as the mind is to the small details of a daily routine, it may become limited and
concern itself only with insignificant thoughts. But we must ensure that truth and moderation are observed, in order to
distinguish certainty from doubt, and day from night.
Translation by David Owen, Literature of the English Romanticism Class Blog.