XXXII.

SUCH a cafe never happened; and no one but a creature out of his fenfes, and quite raving, could fay, I believe in God, and defy him.

XXXIII.

I willingly credit thofe hiftories, the witneffes to which let themselves be cut to pieces.

XXXIII.

THE difficulty is not only to know, whether we ought to give credit to witneffes, who die in defence of their teftimony, as fo many enthufiafts have done; but likewife, whether fuch witneffes really loft their lives on that account; whether their testimony has been transmitted to us; whether they lived in the countries where 'tis related they died. How comes it to pass, that Jofephus, who was born at the time of Chrift's death; Jofephus, who hated Herod; Jofephus, who was but faintly attached to the Jewish principles, does not once mention any of thefe particulars? This is what Mr. Pafchal would have unravelled with fuccefs, as fo many eloquent writers have done fince his death.

XXXIV.

There are two extremes in the fciencies, which are contiguous; The first is, the nat

ral

ral ignorance in which all men are born. The other extreme is, that to which great fouls attain, who, after having acquired all that it is poffible for man to know, find they know nothing; and meet in that very point of ignorance whence they fet out.

XXXIV.

THIS is mere fophiftry; and its fallity confifts in the word ignorance, which is táken in two different fenfes. One who can neither read nor write, is an ignotant perfon; but a mathematician, tho' he be unacquainted with the occult principles of nature, is not fo ignorant, as when he firft began to learn to read. Though Sir Ifaac Newton was not able to give the reafon why a man can move his arm at pleasure, this did not make him lefs knowing in other particulars. A perfon, who is ignorant of the Hebrew language, but skilled in the Latin, is learned in comparison of another, who understands no tongue but his own.

XXXV.

A man cannot be called happy, becaufe diverfions are capable of giving him pleasure; diverfions coming from without, and therefore are dependent; and confequently, they may be disturbed by a thousand accidents, which form fo many unavoidable afflictions.

THAT man is actually happy, who enjoys pleasure; and this pleafure can arise no otherwife than from without. All our fenfations, and ideas, can refult only from outward objects; in like manner as we can nourish our bodies no otherwise than by taking in foreign fubftances, in order for their being changed into our own.

XXXVI.

The extremes of genius* are faid to border upon folly, no less than the extremes of imperfection. Mediocrity only is confidered as good,

XXXVI.

'Tis not the extremes of genius, but the extreme vivacity and volubility of genius, which are faid to border upon folly; the extremes of genius, are extreme juftness, extreme delicacy, extreme extent, which are diametrically oppofite to folly.

AN extreme defect of genius, is the want of conception, an abfolute vacuity with regard to ideas; 'tis not folly but ftupidity. Folly is a diforder in the organs, which makes us perceive feveral objects too quick;

There is a Play here, in the original, in the word Esprit (which fignifies Wit and Senfe, as well as Genius) that cannot be well exprefs'd in English. REM.

or

fixes the imagination on a fingle one, with too great intenseness and violence. Neither is it mediocrity that is confidered as good; but 'tis the keeping clear of the two oppofite vices; 'tis what we call a juft medium, not mediocrity.

XXXVII.

If our condition was truly happy, it would not be proper to divert us from thinking on it.

XXXVII.

THE direct ftate of our condition is, to reflect on those outward objects to which we bear a neceffary relation. 'Tis falfe to fay, that it is poffible for a man to be diverted from thinking on the condition of human nature; for to what object foever he applies his thoughts, he applies them to fomething which is neceffarily united to human nature; and, once again, for a man to reflect or think on himself, abftractedly from natural things, is to think on nothing; I fay, on nothing at all, a circumstance of which I defire the reader to take notice.

PEOPLE, fo far from preventing a man from thinking on his condition, are ever entertaining him with the pleafures of it. With a scholar, fame and erudition are made the topicks of converfation; and, with a prince, matters relating to his grandeur. Pleasure is the fubject with which all perfons are entertain'd. XXXVIII.

1

XXXVIII.

The fame accidents, the fame uneafineffes, and paffions, are found in perfons of the most exalted condition, and in thofe of the lowest : But fome are at the top of the wheel, and others near the centre; confequently the latter are lefs agitated by the fame motion.

XXXVIII.

"Tis false to affert, that thofe in a low condition are lefs agitated than such as are in exalted stations; on the contrary, their grief is more poignant, as they can have lefs relief. Of an hundred perfons who lay violent hands on themselves in London, ninety are mean persons, and scarce one of high rank. The comparison of the wheel is ingenious, but falfe.

XXXIX.

Mankind are not taught to be honest, tho' they are taught every thing elfe; and yet there is nothing in which they pride themselves fo much, as in bonefty. Thus it appears, that the only particular they boast a knowledge in, is the very thing which they are not taught.

XXXIX.

PERSONS are taught how to become honeft men, otherwife few would be fo. Should a father permit his child, during his infancy,