第59章

["Theymayindeedappeartobe;letthemnotbeaffirmed（Letthemstatetheprobabilities，butnotaffirm。）"

——Cicero，Acad。，n。27。]

butintherealconsequencetheydrawfromitthesehavemuchtheadvantage。Tokillmen，aclearandstronglightisrequired，andourlifeistoorealandessentialtowarrantthesesupernaturalandfantasticaccidents。

Astodrugsandpoisons，Ithrowthemoutofmycount，asbeingtheworstsortofhomicides:yeteveninthis，’tissaid，thatmenarenotalwaystorelyuponthepersonalconfessionsofthesepeople;fortheyhavesometimesbeenknowntoaccusethemselvesofthemurderofpersonswhohaveafterwardsbeenfoundlivingandwell。Intheseotherextravagantaccusations，Ishouldbeapttosay，thatitissufficientaman，whatrecommendationsoeverhemayhave，bebelievedastohumanthings;butofwhatisbeyondhisconception，andofsupernaturaleffect，heoughtthenonlytobebelievedwhenauthorisedbyasupernaturalapprobation。TheprivilegeithaspleasedAlmightyGodtogivetosomeofourwitnesses，oughtnottobelightlycommunicatedandmadecheap。Ihavemyearsbatteredwithathousandsuchtalesasthese:"Threepersonssawhimsuchadayintheeastthree，thenextdayinthewest:atsuchanhour，insuchaplace，andinsuchhabit";assuredlyIshouldnotbelieveitmyself。HowmuchmorenaturalandlikelydoIfinditthattwomenshouldliethanthatonemanintwelvehours’timeshouldflywiththewindfromeasttowest？Howmuchmorenaturalthatourunderstandingshouldbecarriedfromitsplacebythevolubilityofourdisorderedminds，thanthatoneofusshouldbecarriedbyastrangespirituponabroomstaff，fleshandbonesasweare，uptheshaftofachimney？Letnotusseekillusionsfromwithoutandunknown，wewhoareperpetuallyagitatedwithillusionsdomesticandourown。Methinksoneispardonableindisbelievingamiracle，atleast，atalleventswhereonecaneludeitsverificationassuch，bymeansnotmiraculous;andIamofSt。

Augustine’sopinion，that，’tisbettertoleantowardsdoubtthanassurance，inthingshardtoproveanddangeroustobelieve。"

’TisnowsomeyearsagothatItravelledthroughtheterritoriesofasovereignprince，who，inmyfavour，andtoabatemyincredulity，didmethehonourtoletmesee，inhisownpresence，andinaprivateplace，tenortwelveprisonersofthiskind，andamongstothers，anoldwoman，arealwitchinfoulnessanddeformity，wholonghadbeenfamousinthatprofession。Isawbothproofsandfreeconfessions，andIknownotwhatinsensiblemarkuponthemiserablecreature:IexaminedandtalkedwithherandtherestasmuchandaslongasIwould，andgavethebestandsoundestattentionIcould，andIamnotamantosuffermyjudgmenttobemadecaptivebyprepossession。Intheend，andinallconscience，I

shouldratherhaveprescribedthemhelleborethanhemlock;

"Captisqueresmagismentibus，quamconsceleratissimilisvisa;"

["Thethingwasrathertobeattributedtomadness，thanmalice。"

（"Thethingseemedtoresemblemindspossessedratherthanguilty。"）

——Livy，viii，18。]

justicehasitscorrectionsproperforsuchmaladies。Astotheoppositionsandargumentsthatworthymenhavemadetome，boththere，andofteninotherplaces，Ihavemetwithnonethathaveconvincedme，andthathavenotadmittedamorelikelysolutionthantheirconclusions。

Itistrue，indeed，thattheproofsandreasonsthatarefoundeduponexperienceandfact，Idonotgoabouttountie，neitherhavetheyanyend;Ioftencutthem，asAlexanderdidtheGordianknot。Afterall，’tissettingaman’sconjecturesataveryhighpriceuponthemtocauseamantoberoastedalive。

Wearetoldbyseveralexamples，asPraestantiusofhisfather，thatbeingmoreprofoundly，asleepthanmenusuallyare，hefanciedhimselftobeamare，andthatheservedthesoldiersforasumpter;andwhathefanciedhimselftobe，hereallyproved。Ifsorcerersdreamsomaterially;ifdreamscansometimessoincorporatethemselveswitheffects，stillIcannotbelievethatthereforeourwillshouldbeaccountabletojustice;whichIsayasonewhoamneitherjudgenorprivycouncillor，andwhothinkmyselfbymanydegreesunworthysotobe，butamanofthecommonsort，bornandavowedtotheobedienceofthepublicreason，bothinitswordsandacts。Hewhoshouldrecordmyidletalkasbeingtotheprejudiceofthepettiestlaw，opinion，orcustomofhisparish，woulddohimselfagreatdealofwrong，andmemuchmore;for，inwhatIsay，Iwarrantnoothercertainty，butthat’tiswhatIhadtheninmythought，atumultuousandwaveringthought。AllIsayisbywayofdiscourse，andnothingbywayofadvice:

"Necmepudet，utistosfaterinescire，quodnesciam;"

["NeitheramIashamed，astheyare，toconfessmyignoranceofwhatIdonotknow。"——Cicero，Tusc。Quaes。，i。25。]

Ishouldnotspeaksoboldly，ifitweremyduetobebelieved;andsoI

toldagreatman，whocomplainedofthetartnessandcontentiousnessofmyexhortations。Perceivingyoutobereadyandpreparedononepart，I

proposetoyoutheother，withallthediligenceandcareIcan，toclearyourjudgment，nottocompelit。GodhasyourheartsinHishands，andwillfurnishyouwiththemeansofchoice。Iamnotsopresumptuousevenastodesirethatmyopinionsshouldbiasyou——inathingofsogreatimportance:myfortunehasnottrainedthemuptosopotentandelevatedconclusions。Truly，Ihavenotonlyagreatmanyhumours，butalsoagreatmanyopinions，thatIwouldendeavourtomakemysondislike，ifI

hadone。What，ifthetruestarenotalwaysthemostcommodioustoman，beingofsowildacomposition？

Whetheritbetothepurposeornot，tisnogreatmatter:’tisacommonproverbinItaly，thatheknowsnotVenusinherperfectsweetnesswhohasneverlainwithalamemistress。Fortune，orsomeparticularincident，longagoputthissayingintothemouthsofthepeople;andthesameissaidofmenaswellasofwomen;forthequeenoftheAmazonsansweredtheScythianwhocourtedhertolove，"Lamemenperformbest。"

Inthisfemininerepublic，toevadethedominionofthemales，theylamedthemintheirinfancy——arms，legs，andothermembersthatgavethemadvantageoverthem，andonlymadeuseoftheminthatwhereinwe，inthesepartsoftheworld，makeuseofthem。Ishouldhavebeenapttothink;thattheshufflingpaceofthelamemistressaddedsomenewpleasuretothework，andsomeextraordinarytitillationtothosewhowereatthesport;butIhavelatelylearntthatancientphilosophyhasitselfdeterminedit，whichsaysthatthelegsandthighsoflamewomen，notreceiving，byreasonoftheirimperfection，theirduealiment，itfallsoutthatthegenitalpartsabovearefullerandbettersuppliedandmuchmorevigorous;orelsethatthisdefect，hinderingexercise，theywhoaretroubledwithitlessdissipatetheirstrength，andcomemoreentiretothesportsofVenus;whichalsoisthereasonwhytheGreeksdecriedthewomen—weaversasbeingmorehotthanotherwomenbyreasonoftheirsedentarytrade，whichtheycarryonwithoutanygreatexerciseofthebody。Whatisitwemaynotreasonofatthisrate？Imightalsosayofthese，thatthejagglingaboutwhilstsosittingatwork，rousesandprovokestheirdesire，astheswingingandjoltingofcoachesdoesthatofourladies。

DonottheseexamplesservetomakegoodwhatIsaidatfirst:thatourreasonsoftenanticipatetheeffect，andhavesoinfiniteanextentofjurisdictionthattheyjudgeandexercisethemselvesevenoninanityitselfandnon—existency？Besidestheflexibilityofourinventiontoforgereasonsofallsortsofdreams，ourimaginationisequallyfaciletoreceiveimpressionsoffalsitybyveryfrivolousappearances;for，bythesoleauthorityoftheancientandcommonuseofthisproverb，IhaveformerlymademyselfbelievethatIhavehadmorepleasureinawomanbyreasonshewasnotstraight，andaccordinglyreckonedthatdeformityamongsthergraces。

TorquatoTasso，inthecomparisonhemakesbetwixtFranceandItaly，saysthathehasobservedthatourlegsaregenerallysmallerthanthoseoftheItaliangentlemen，andattributesthecauseofittoourbeingcontinuallyonhorseback;whichistheverysamecausefromwhichSuetoniusdrawsaquiteoppositeconclusion;forhesays，onthecontrary，thatGermanicushadmadehislegsbiggerbythecontinuationofthesameexercise。

Nothingissosuppleanderraticasourunderstanding;itistheshoeofTheramenes，fitforallfeet。Itisdoubleanddiverse，andthemattersaredoubleanddiversetoo。"Givemeadrachmofsilver，"saidaCynicphilosophertoAntigonus。"Thatisnotapresentbefittingaking，"

repliedhe。"Givemethenatalent，"saidtheother。"ThatisnotapresentbefittingaCynic。"

"SeuplurescalorilleviasetcaecarelaxatSpiramenta，novasveniatquasuccusinherbasSeuduratmagis，etvenasastringithiantes;

Netenuespluviae，rapidivepotentiacolicAcrior，autBoreaepenetrabilefrigusadurat。"

["Whethertheheatopensmorepassagesandsecretporesthroughwhichthesapmaybederivedintothenew—bornherbs;orwhetheritratherhardensandbindsthegapingveinsthatthesmallshowersandkeeninfluenceoftheviolentsunorpenetratingcoldofBoreasmaynothurtthem。"——Virg。，Georg。，i。89。]

"Ognimedagliahailsuorovescio。"

["Everymedalhasitsreverse。"——ItalianProverb。]

ThisisthereasonwhyClitomachussaidofoldthatCarneadeshadoutdonethelaboursofHercules，inhavingeradicatedconsentfrommen，thatistosay，opinionandthecourageofjudging。ThissovigorousfancyofCarneadessprang，inmyopinion，ancientlyfromtheimpudenceofthosewhomadeprofessionofknowledgeandtheirimmeasurableself—conceit。

AEsopwassettosalewithtwootherslaves;thebuyeraskedthefirstofthesewhathecoulddo;he，toenhancehisownvalue，promisedmountainsandmarvels，sayinghecoulddothisandthat，andIknownotwhat;thesecondsaidasmuchofhimselformore:whenitcametoAEsop’sturn，andthathewasalsoaskedwhathecoulddo;"Nothing，"saidhe，"forthesetwohavetakenupallbeforeme;theyknoweverything。"Sohasithappenedintheschoolofphilosophy:theprideofthosewhoattributedthecapacityofallthingstothehumanmindcreatedinothers，outofdespiteandemulation，thisopinion，thatitiscapableofnothing:theonemaintainthesameextremeinignorancethattheothersdoinknowledge;tomakeitundeniablymanifestthatmanisimmoderatethroughout，andcanneverstopbutofnecessityandthewantofabilitytoproceedfurther。

CHAPTERXII

OFPHYSIOGNOMY

Almostalltheopinionswehavearetakenonauthorityandtrust;and’tisnotamiss;wecouldnotchooseworsethanbyourselvesinsoweakanage。ThatimageofSocrates’discourses，whichhisfriendshavetransmittedtous，weapproveuponnootheraccountthanareverencetopublicsanction:’tisnotaccordingtoourownknowledge;theyarenotafterourway;ifanythingofthekindshouldspringupnow，fewmenwouldvaluethem。Wediscernnogracesthatarenotpointedandpuffedoutandinflatedbyart;suchasglideonintheirownpurityandsimplicityeasilyescapesogrossasightasours;theyhaveadelicateandconcealedbeauty，suchasrequiresaclearandpurifiedsighttodiscoveritssecretlight。Isnotsimplicity，aswetakeit，cousin—

germantofollyandaqualityofreproach？Socratesmakeshissoulmoveanaturalandcommonmotion:apeasantsaidthis;awomansaidthat;hehasneveranybodyinhismouthbutcarters，joiners，cobblers，andmasons;hisareinductionsandsimilitudesdrawnfromthemostcommonandknownactionsofmen;everyoneunderstandshim。Weshouldneverhaverecognisedthenobilityandsplendourofhisadmirableconceptionsundersomeanaform;we，whothinkallthingslowandflatthatarenotelevated，bylearneddoctrine，andwhodiscernnorichesbutinpompandshow。Thisworldofoursisonlyformedforostentation:menareonlypuffedupwithwind，andarebandiedtoandfroliketennis—balls。Heproposedtohimselfnovainandidlefancies;hisdesignwastofurnishuswithpreceptsandthingsthatmorereallyandfitlys