UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
GENERAL LIBRARY
OCTAVIA WILLIAMS BATES
BEQUEST
!
i
848
Ab A
意
​By the Marquis
Ar gears?
****
**
PHILOSOPHICAL
VISION S.
By the AUTHOR of the
JEWISH LETTERS.
Calumniari fi quis autem voluerit,
*
*
*
*
*
* *
Fillis Focari, nos meminerit fabulis.
PHAD. Fab. Lib. I. Prol.
*
**
Argen, Jean Bastile de Boyer, Marzę
PHILOSOPHICAL
VISIONS.
Tranflated from the FRENCH.
The Poet's Eye in a fine Phrenzy rolling,
Doth glance from Heav'n to Earth, from Earth to
Heav'n;
And as IMAGINATION bodies forth,
The Forms of Things unknown; the Poet's Pen
Turns them to Shape, and gives to airy Nothing
A local Habitation, and a Name.
SHAKESPEARE.
The Fear of offending Fools, has made many Men
of Understanding unhappy; and the Ambition of
Applaufe, has made many great Men commit great
Errors. Vifion X.
f
LONDON:
Printed for R. GRIFFITHS at the Dunciad, and
T. FIELD at the Wheat-Sheaf, in Pater-nofter-
Row.
MDCCLVII.
A
11-41
تعلم کو زور
Late
4-2-
PREFACE.
Τ
HE Jewish Letters are a
Work fo well known and
efteem'd, as to render un-
neceffary all Apologies for
introducing to the World any Produc-
tions of that Author: But as every
Man thinks himſelf, how ever indif-
ferently qualify'd, a competent Judge
of the Merit of any Author, whoſe
Works he glances over; and as there
may be fome Paffages in this, which
will admit of Cenfure, on Account of
the Freedom of Thought which reigns
in them; it is neceffary to fay, that it
was for the Sake of the more refin'd
A 3
and
vi
PREFACE.
and fenfible Parts of this Work, that
the Tranflator thought it worth cloath-
ing in an English Habit. We would
have been glad to have palliated fome
Paffages which too ftrongly favour'd of
Libertinifm; but the Author has fo
blended his Moralities with the Sallies
of a fprightly, uncontrol'd Imagination;
that, to have alter'd the Frame of his
Work, would have intirely deſtroy'd
the whole Fabric. His Arguments are
fo ftrong, his Conclufions fo natural
and true, and his Way of reafoning on
the moſt abftrufe Subjects fo delicate,
yet fo clear; that they muft, at once,
charm and furpriſe the Reader.
How ever obvious to Cenfure the
Laws of his Apelanders may appear,
on a curfory View; I believe the im-
partial Reader, divefted of all Preju-
dices, will acknowledge, that they are
fuch, as would neither tend to debaſe
the Morals, or prejudice the common
Wel-
PREFACE.
vii
Welfare, of Society. And tho', per-
haps, there
may be nothing new in the
Tenets of our Author; we hope the
-Reader will be much delighted with
his Manner of expreffing, and the Form
of his introducing them.
The Characters of different Nations,
in the Second Vifion, are an Honour
to the Writer, for his judicious Cenfure
and Impartiality. Indeed, throughout
this, and all his Works, he manifefts a
thorough Knowledge of human Na-
ture: And thoſe who have not the Op-
portunities of Travel, and Advantages
of extenfive Education, cannot do bet-
ter than to fupply thofe Deficiencies by
improving on the Experience of other
Men. Books may be compar'd to Mir-
rors; which are leſs valuable, the more
they flatter; but, when they reflect
Things as they really are, cannot be
priz'd too much.
A 4
Though
viii
PREFACE.
Though our Author fpeaks, in ge-
neral, pretty freely on religious Occa-
fions; he is the leſs culpable, in that
Freedom, as his Ridicule chiefly turns
on Subjects and Diſputes, whofe perni-
cious Confequences have been very fa-
tal to Mankind; amongft which, none
can be more flagrant than the Contro-
verfies at which he has pointed his
ſharpeſt Malignity; fince they have
really fo obfcur'd the Truth, by their
pretended Illuftrations of it, as to ren-
der the Whole, in fome meaſure, du-
bious. It is amazing to think, how
cruelly the moſt fimple and confpicu-
ous Doctrines have been disfigur'd by
the different Contortions of every Com-
mentator, who was determin'd to make
the most obvious Truths fubfervient to
the Motives of Avarice or Ambition:
Nor has Revenge wanted its Share in
thefe Commotions. If it is faid, how-
In the Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Vifions."
ever,
PREFACE.
ix
ever, that too free and unbounded a
Cenfure, on fuch Subjects, may tend to
inſpire weak Minds with a Difreſpect
for all, becauſe ſome Theologians have
propagated their Tenets, by fuch Means,
and from ſuch Motives, as deſerve not
only the Cenfure, but Contempt of
Mankind; and that fuch Examples
fhould be ftudioufly conceal'd from
People of inferior Underſtanding: I
anſwer, that weak Minds will neither
reliſh, nor comprehend our Author's
Meaning; and that Men of Penetra-
tion, Judgment, and Experience, for
whom, chiefly, this Book is intended,
will run no Hazard of being corrupted
by a Sentiment whofe Force they fo
well know how to obviate. Nor can
the Motives, whatever Good they may
have been productive of, that are built
on fuch Foundations, and fupported by
fuch Cruelty, be the more exempt from
Cenfure. For it is abfurd to fay, that
Murder, tho' committed to promate
Reli
A 5
X
PREFACE.
Religion, can be acceptable to the great,
the good Creator. And as our Au-
thor is not himself a Proteftant, it is
not to be wonder'd that he ſhould fo
freely condemn the Principles and Con-
duct of the firft Promoters of the Re-
formation: He has not, however, been
partial, or injudicious, in his Cenfures,
which are founded on Truth, and
equally levell❜d at every Sect.
If our Author is any-where juftly to
blame, it is in treating fo weighty a
Matter, as the Creation of human
Souls, in fo ludicrous a Light: Yet,
even here, if there are Circumſtances
which may be faid to prove the Dege-
neracy of his Principles, there are
others which demonftrate as much the
contrary: And, indeed, the Phraſe is,
almoft every-where, fo equivocal, that
it is difficult to draw from it, any deter-
minate Conclufion. A Moralift, who
ridicules and laughs at the Follies of
Man-
PREFA C E.
xi
Mankind, will make a much earlier.
and deeper Impreffion on the Minds
of his Readers, than he who only in-
culcates dry Precepts: For the Mind:
is foon weary of whatever ſeems to
immerſe it in a Chain of ferious, me--
lancholy Reflections: But the Ideas.
excited by Pleafantry, and good Hu-
mour, as being more agreeable; are:
likewife more permanent. And there
cannot be a more delicate Burleſque,
or more poignant Satire, on the Imper-
fections of human Nature, than the
Proportion of Folly which Momus min-
gles with the Works of Apollo. There
is nothing more true, than that the
greatest Geniuses have, at Times, been
guilty of the greateſt Abfurdities.. Let:
the learned, the eloquent, the ingenious
Man, read this, and be. vain of his
Talents.
The Freedom with which he cer
fures the Foibles of his Countrymen,,
A.6.
andi
}
xii
PREFACE.
and the Defects of that Profeffion he
was educated in; are further Proofs of
his Judgment and Impartiality. There.
can be nothing fuperior to the Con-
tempt with which he treats their idle-
Controverfies, and almoft as idle Phi-
lofophy. His Idea of their blowing
Bubbles in Soap Suds, is parallel to
(perhaps borrow'd from) the Figure
Mr. Pope introduc'd in his Frontiſpiece
to the Effay on Man; who is feated by
the Side of a Fountain, and employ'd
in the fame Amuſement: But the Folly
of thoſe whom, he fays, endeavour'd
to restore the loft Bubble which had
expir'd from the End of the Quill, and
form'd again a Drop of Water, from
that very Drop; is not only highly fa-
tirical, but moſt admirably picturefque,
and infpires us with a juſt Contempt
for the Syftems of fuperficial Philo-
fophy. The Manners of his Country-
men have been no lefs the Subject of
his Raillery and Satire. It is impof-
fible to ſay any Thing more fevere of
I
a
!
PREFACE.
XM
a People, than that, amongſt them, the
moſt rigid Virtue is in Danger of falling
a Sacrifice to a vicious Gaiety.
I wish I could fay, for the Sake of
my own Country, that his Satire on
the Libertines were not as judicious:
But we ſhall find, on confidering that
his Characters of Nations are drawn
from the Grofs, his Affertions are ge-
nerally well founded, and as well fup-
ported.
However common many of our
Author's Allegories may be; ſuch as
the jealous Eagles, the Oak and the Sa-
tires, the Theatre, and others of the
fame Clafs; the Reader will, never-
theleſs, find in them a Sprightlinefs of
Imagination, and a Turn of Wit both
new and entertaining. In the latter
he has apply'd his Fable differently
from any who have before made Ufe
of the fame Allegory. It is a Leffon
for
Xiv
PREFACE.
for all Ranks of People, couch'd in an
Application to the moſt elevated. The
Satire on the Restraint, under which
the People of Genius of his Nation are
oblig'd to fmother their Sentiments, is
as bold, as fenfible; and it is happy for
our Author, that he was remov'd from
the Power of thofe ignorant, fuperiti-
tious Monks and Cenfors, whofe Con--
duct and Principles he fo freely con-
demns, when he publiſh'd fuch far-
caftic Reflections. His Hint at the
Baftile, which he very expreffively and
juftly reprefents by the Cheft in which:
the offending Genii are imprifon'd;
ftrikes with Horror, and makes us con-
gratulate his Eſcape from ſo barbarous
a Jeopardy. For, indeed, the Free-
dom of many of his earlier Writings
had given him Reaſon to expect ſo diſ--
tinguish'd a Reward..
The Fifteenth Vifion being merely
relative to the Innovations which have
been.
PREFACE.
XV
been made by their modern Writers on
the Purity of the French Language, I
at first thought to have omitted; be-
cauſe the Beauties of it can only be
really tafted by thoſe who are perfect
Maſters of that Tongue, for whofe
Ufe I have inferted all the Extracts in-
troduc'd by our Author in the Thread
of his Difcourfe. For on re-perufing
it with fomewhat more Attention, I
found, that there were many Paffages.
which a judicious Reader, tho' intirely
unacquainted with the French, might
apply, with equal Propriety, to fome
late Writers of our own Nation; and,
confequently, draw much Amufement,
if not fome Inftruction, therefrom. I
determin'd, therefore, not to do fo
much Injustice to my Author, as to
fupprefs a Difcourfe in which he had
difplay'd all the Wit, Humour, and
Judgment, of the moſt ſprightly, pe-
netrating Imagination: A Difcourfe in
which
xvi
PREFACE.
i
which his Satire is equally forcible, and
unbounded; and which, tho' apply'd
to particular Writers, is applicable to
all. The bombaft Verfes I have en-
deavour'd to render into as bombaft
English; and that the Spirit, nor Mean-
ing of my Author might not be laſt,
or miſunderſtood, have fubjoin'd the
Original, by way of Note. Indeed
this Conduct was neceffary to excuſe
the Introduction of ſuch paltry Fuftian.
It must be own'd, that our Author has
a peculiar Delicacy in his keeneſt Sa-
tires, which demonftrates equally the
humane and rigid Critic; of this Dif-
pofition, his Characters of La Mothe
and Fontenelle are fufficient Proofs:
And we find him, on every Occafion,
as ready to applaud Merit, as to cen-
fure Folly: Which convinces us, that
he is, at once, the fine Scholar, and the
true Critic. He has no Envy, no Pe-
dantry, no Pride, no boaſted Superio-
rity;
PREFACE.
xvii
rity; nor, indeed, any of the too com-
mon Appendages of a fuperficial Edu-
cation.
His Journey over Parnaffus is alfo
both humorous, and fatirical; and his
Deſcription of its prefent Inhabitants
fhews us, that, among other Studies,
he has not neglected to perufe, with
Attention, the great Book of Nature.
But nothing can furpafs the Group of
Figures which he has affembled as Can-
didates for Fame. The miſtaken No-
tions of Mankind, who overlook their
real in fearch of imaginary Good; are
finely burleſqu'd, in every Character of
this motley Crew. How juftly is the
Woman of Quality contrafted by the
Citizen's Wife! the Lady Abbefs by
the Opera Singer! In the former we
ſee the fame Principles actuating a
Mind of the fame Stamp, tho' cover'd
with an Artifice abſtracted, and imbib'd
from the Manners of thoſe, with whom
the
xviii
PREFACE.
ſhe had been moft converfant; as ap-
pear more flagrantly, and with lefs
Art, in the uneducated, undifguis'd Sen
timents of the Stage Heroine. The
Courtier is as humorouſly, and as ju-
diciouſly contrafted by the Hackney
Coachman: Each builds his Preten-
fions on the Oppreffion of others
and would have acted as fimilarly, had
the Courtier been the Coachman, and
the Driver of Cattle been preferr'd to
be the Leader of Men.—I muſt not
wholly forget the Divine: Our Au-
thor's Sentiments are too noble, in this
Part, to be neglected; and too confpi-
cuouſly conciſe, to admit of expatiating
on them. It is fufficient to warn the
Reader, that he may find fomething in
this Character worthy his Conſideration.
The Reader of Genius will alſo as much
admire the Reflection with which this
Reverie is concluded.
The Twentieth Viſion is a Fund of
Erudition diſplay'd on an inexhauſtible
Subject:
PREFACE..
xix
Subject: 'Tis a Medley of Philoſophy,
Hiftory, and Criticifm. With what
infinite Art he overthrows all the Sy-
ſtems of vague Philofophy! How trite,
yet how conclufive, are his Arguments!
But I muſt ſuppoſe, that my Reader has
not yet read them; therefore let me
not anticipate his Satisfaction. The
Predeftinarians are highly burlefqu'd
and fatiriz'd, without a particular Ap-
plication, by the invifible Ink of the
Deftinies. And the Doctrine of Pur-
gatory, with all the Artifices of Prieſt-
craft, on that Occafion, are humour-
ouſly ridicul'd, and expos'd, by the An-
fwer of Mercury to the Laconic Que-
ſtion of our Author, concerning the laft
Attribute of his Office. In fhort, he
every-where manifefts his Learning
and Experience, his Sagacity and Ob-
fervation. His Reflections are, at once,
ftriking, agreeable, and concife; his
Satire juft, and his Panegyric, allowing
for the Patriotiſm and Gratitude of a
good
XX
PREFAC E.
good Heart, always well plac'd. But
I will not intrude on the Reader's Pa-
tience, or triumph over his Judgment,
any longer; but refer him to the Book:
In the reading of which, I hope he will
enjoy the fame Satisfaction as myſelf.
But if this is not the Cafe, and any are
inclin'd to* cenfure or calumniate theſe
airy Vifions; be it remember'd, that we
only amuſe ourſelves with feign'd Fables.
* The Author's Motto.
CON-
[xxi ]
CONTENTS.
NTRODUCTION.
Page xxv
VISION I. The Manners and
Customs of the Apelanders. I
VISION II. The Author travels, in Com-
pany with an Ape, into feveral Nations.
A Character of the Ruffians, Pruffians,
French, English, Italians, and Spa-
niards.
12
VISION III. The Hall of Fate. The
Creation of human Souls.
VISION IV. The Abode of Envy
Trouble. A Satire on Authors.
27
and
32
VISION V. Blowing Bladders in Soap Suds.
A Satire on the Philofophers, Malbranche,
Des Cartes, and Leibnitz.
38
VI-
xxii
CONTENTS.
VISION VI. The Palace of Theology.
Page 44
VISION VII. The jealous Eagles.
54
VISION VIII. The mute People.
VISION IX. The Oak and the Satyrs.
Cruft for the Critics.
57
A
63
VISION X. Solitude.
68
VISION XI. The Microfcopifts, Con-
cavifts, and Spyers.
76
VISION XII. A Theatre. The Comedy
call'd Human Nature; or, The Life of
Man.
81
VISION XIII. The imprifon'd Genii. A
Satire on the Restraint laid on the Au-
thors of the French Nation.
85
96
VISION XIV. The Affembly of Monarchs.
VISION XV. Racine from the Shades. A
Dialogue on the modern Writers, and Lan-
guage of the French Nation.
101
VISION XVI. Ballots de Mais; or Oint-
ment of Butt.
149
VI-
CONTENT S. xxiii
VISION XVII. The Author travels over
Parnaffus. The Mufes driven from
thence. Its prefent Inhabitants. Page
15I
VISION XVIII. The Temple of Fame.
155
VISION XIX. The Fountains of true and
falfe Wit.
178
VISION XX. Mercury, with the Book of
Fate.
186
PHI
ERRAT A.
PAGE 2. Lines 21. and 22. for was, read is. Ibid.
1. 23. f. had, r. have. P. 4. 1. 24. f. nto, r. into.
P. 36. 1. 19. f. Bactade, r. Bactole. P. 60. 1. 20. f. is,
7. was. P. 71. 1.4. f.i, r. in. P. 147. 1. ult. f. n,
r.in. P. 211. 1. 12. f. returns, r. return.
[ XXV ]
JUUNI
PHILOSOPHICAL
VISION S.
INTRODUCTION.
S
EVERAL Authors have
publiſh'd their Dreams for
real Truths, and would im-
poſe their Chimæras, the
.
Sport of Fancy, upon the World as
fomething very material: As to me, I
publiſh mine for what they really are;
nothing but Dreams. I enjoy the Hap-
pineſs of having a Soul intirely different
from thofe, which Mr. Locke affirms to
be incapable of Senfation while the Body
rests
xxvi INTRODUCTION.
refts in Sleep. For my Part, I have no
extenfive Ideas when I am awake, but
am rather in a kind of Lethargy;
whereas my Sleep is one continu'd Scene
of fomething new, agreeable, and
par-
ticular. When I am awake, my Un-
derſtanding is confin'd, and inactive;
enjoying only the Benefit of recollecting
what paſs'd in my Dreams; and, even
in this, my Memory is fo weak, as ſcarce
to remember, for two Hours, the moft
material Paffages. This Defect has ob-
lig'd me, as foon as awake, immediately
to commit to Paper whatever Scenes my
Fancy has exhibited to me. Such as
they are, I preſent them to the Public;
not in the leaſt doubting, that they will
be well receiv'd; and meet with Eſteem,
from many in Europe, who never dream.
彌​雅
​EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEF
Advertiſement.
HIS facetious Work made its
THE
first Appearance at Berlin, in
the Year 1746, where the Author
had taken Refuge; being threaten'd
with a Proſecution for the Freedom of
his Writings.
B A B B A B A B D A D Bbcbcb cus
1
PHILOSOPHICAL
VISIONS.
VISION I.
Had no fooner clos'd my Eyes,
than I thought myſelf in an un-
known Country, fituated near
the South Pole, and inhabited
only by Apes; who were govern'd by near-
ly the fame Manners and Cuſtoms that are
proper to Mankind; but what much fur-
pris'd me, I found that they enjoy'd the
Gift of Speech. When I had been there a
fhort Time, one of them accofted me with
great Politeness; "Sir," faid he, “ I
" I per-
"ceive that you are a Stranger, and, by
"your Appearance, I judge that you
B
come
IN
Philofophical Visions.
<6
"come from the Continent; if I can be
"of any Service to you, you need only
έσ fpeak: I love to oblige Men of Worth,
efpecially Strangers." I anfwer'd him
in Terms, expreffing my Senfe of his polite.
and affable Behaviour; adding that his Of-
fer was very acceptable to me. He replied
in a Manner the moft agreeable and enga-
ging; in fhort, I began to love him, and
he, in Return, profefs'd the fincereft Friend-
ſhip for me: Our Hearts were united by a
natural Sympathy and reciprocal Efteem,
without which, no true Friendship can
fubfift.
After having ſpent fome Days with my
new Friend, I carefully inftructed myſelf
in the Manners and Cuftoms of his Na-
tion; they appear'd, to me, to be found-
ed upon the moſt folid Principles of Rea-
fon. Apeland (for that was the Name of
the Country) was a Republic, where the
Power was equally divided betwixt the
People and the Senate; they had a Gover-
nor, whofe extenfive Authority preferves
an exact Equilibrium between the two
Ranks. When the Senate ufurp too
great a Power over the People, or attempt
to
Philofophical Visions.
3
to encroach on their Privileges, and re-
duce them to Slavery, he defends them,
and confines the Ambition of the Senators
in its proper Chanel; or, when the People
attempt to encroach on the Power of the
Senate, he fuftains the Senators, and fup-
ports their Dignity.
The Governor is elected by the joint
Confent and Approbation of the Senate
and People, fo that he is equally indebt-
ed for his Power to both, and, of Confe-
quence, lefs likely to be partial to either;
he must be fifty Years of Age before he is
chofen, and of a moft unblemish'd Cha-
racter; they intirely exclude from the Go-
vernment, all thofe, who, in their Youth,
abandon'd themfelves to the vicious Pur-
fuits of Gaming, Drinking, or Luft; the
Apes being perfuaded that we have a Re-
liſh for all thoſe Vices, ſo long as we live,
that engrofs'd our youthful Days. They,
indeed, allow that at a certain Age the
Paffions grow feeble, not extinct; but as
thofe Volcano's that only emit Flames by
Intervals, can fometimes deftroy a whole
Country, fo the Predominance of any
reigning Paffion in an old Man, is a Fire
B 2
in
Philofophical Vifions.
in the Aſhes, the Strength of which is al-
moſt ſpent, but wants only freſh Supplies
to burn out with more Violence. My
Friend told me, that the Hiſtory of their
Country furnish'd many Examples to cor-
roborate this Opinion. He mention'd the
debauch'd Life of Sepagini the Senator,
who, notwithſtanding a pretended Devo-
tion, and the Dignity of his Station, died
in the Arms of a common Strumpet. He
likewiſe told me of an Officer who quitted
the Service to retire into the Country, and
turn Devotee, yet after he had liv'd thus
upwards of twenty Years, was but little
reform'd, for he was feldom fober, and
never came out of the Temple without
fwearing.
A Governor muft, by the most prudent
and wife Conduct in his Youth, acquire
a Right to rule in a more advanc'd Age.
When he attains the Age of Sixty-five, he
is oblig'd to diveft himſelf of his Authori-
ty, for the Apelanders maintain, that Life
fhould be divided into three diftinct Terms,
the firſt is that in which they ought to in-
ftr &t and improve themſelves, and this
they extend to the Age of Fifty: The Se-
cond
Philofophical Vifions.
5
cond in which they are fuppos'd capable
of governing their Country, and is limit-
ed (as before mention'd) to Sixty-five:
The Third and Laft, they paſs in a tran-
quil Retirement, wholly difengag'd from
the Management of public or private Bu-
finefs.
Thus as foon as an Ape has reach'd his
thirteenth Luftrum (a) he is oblig'd to di-
veſt himſelf of all his public Employ-
ments, and to that End they have efta-
bliſh'd a Law, which they call, the Law
of Indulgence, ordain'd ſolely for the Ho-
nour and Reſpect due to Age. In it they
have forbid the old Apes to intermeddle in
any Affairs of Confequence; left, by a
Judgment and Opinion impair'd by Years,
advanced on Occafions of Emergency;
they ſhould fall into Contempt; as Youth
are but too apt to ridicule the Imper-
fections of Age.
They have another Law, which they
call the fundamental Law, by which it is
ordain'd, that Children ſhould ſhew a filial
Duty and Respect to their Parents; and to
(a) Among the Romans, a Period of five Years.
B
В 3
the
6
Philofophical Vifions.
the Fathers it recommended the strongest
Friendship, and fatherly Love, for their Chil-
dren. This Law, couch'd in fuch plain
Terms, at first appear'd but frivolous;
but the nervous and laconic Explanation
that follow'd it, fhew'd its Excellence.
By the Refpect due from the Son, they
did not mean a fervile Complaifance, but
fuch as is due from one free Man to an-
other. The Apelanders making it an efta-
blifh'd Maxim, that Children are not fo
much oblig'd to their Parents for bring-
ing them into the World, as they are for
their Care in giving them a good Edu-
cation, and treating them with Tender-
nefs. As to their Birth, they alleg'd,
that it was the Work of Chance, pro-
duc'd by Pleaſure; but that Education,
though the Duty of the Parent, and en-
forc'd by Reafon, was a painful and la-
borious Taſk. They affirm, that paternal
Affection confifts not in Words, but Ac-
tions. A Father, under the fpecious Pre-
tence of amaffing a Fortune for his Chil-
dren, fhould not expofe them to Poverty,
during his Life-time: He fhould ſhare
his Income with them, and fupply them,
chear-
Philofophical Vifions.
7
chearfully, with every Neceffary; refuſing
them only what is fuperfluous. As foon
as a Female Ape is of Age to marry,
paternal Fondnefs fhould not be a Plea
for Avarice: The Father fhould pay her
Dowry; nor let the pretended Concern,
of parting with his Daughter, furnish him
with an Excufe for refuſing her an Huf-
band. In fhort, the Love of Parents
fhould be judg'd by the Favours conferr'd
on their Children; and the Refpect of
Children, by their tender Acknowleg-
ment, and grateful Behaviour, to their
Parents.
Their Laws, relating to Marriage, have
a Mixture of the Chrißian and Turkiſh In-
ftitution. They fay, that Marriage was
originally ordain'd folely to make an Ape
happy; by uniting him to a Female he
lik'd, and who might blefs him with a
numerous Progeny; but if that Union
was productive of Confequences contrary
to what was at firft intended, fuch as,
fuppofing the Female to be barren, or of
a Character or Difpofition inconfiftent
with that of her Husband, they could not
be parted too foon; fince the wife Le-
giflators
B 4
3
Philofophical Vifions.
i
giflators had only pafs'd this Law for the
Happineſs of their Republic; and not to
învent new Puniſhments, as the Ills they
were by Nature fubject to, were already
too many. One Day my Friend, dif-
courfing on this Topic, faid to me; "By
"parting two, who do not love each
"other, we make four Perſons happy.
The Ape marries again a Female he
"loves better than the former; and, by
"that Means, two are made happy: The
$6
..
ſeparated Female, likewife, efpoufes a
"Male more to her Liking; and they
are contented. Thus, by a prudent
Separation, we not only prevent the
Mifery of two, but we likewiſe make
"four Perfons happy. And what is the
"Confequence? The Country is better
55
*C
peopled; there is a happier Union (I
"may fay perfect Harmony) in Fami-
"lies; becaufe the Male, who dreads
"the Lofs of his Mate, is always fond,
"and always agreeable: And the Fe-
"male, to preferve his Affection, will
"ever ftudy to pleaſe him."
The Apelanders have no Priefts amongſt
them, tho' they have ſeveral Temples, in
which
Philofophical Vifions.
9
which they hang up many Pictures. They
ſay, that Painting inftructs thoſe who are
illiterate; and affirm, that the main Uti-
lity of that Art is to perpetuate the Re-
membrance of virtuous Actions, which
are uſeful and inſtructive to Society.
They fay, that whoever is virtuous, is
the Priest of Truth; that is to fay, of the
Supreme Being, who is Truth itſelf.
They could not comprehend, as my
Friend afterwards affur'd me, that on the
Continent there ſhould be an ecclefiaftical
State, which was, within itſelf, both civil
and military. But he could not, for a long
Time, recover his Aſtoniſhment, when I
inform'd him, that, in fome Countries,
they rais'd Recruits for Prieſts, as well as
for Soldiers; that there were Houſes ap-
propriated to their Maintenance, in which
they liv'd, in a perfect State of Idlenefs,
two-thirds of their Life-time; uſeleſs
and burdenfome to the Government, and
almoſt always endeavouring to raiſe Com-
motions, with a View of aggrandizing
themſelves. "You are very fimple,'
faid my Friend, "not to know that he
"who is moſt virtuous, is the beſt qua-
" lify'd
B 5
10
Philofophical Vifions.
' lify'd to offer to the Deity the Prayers
" of the People.
"Wiſdom to fay,
46
Does it require much
Almighty GoD, BEING
of BEINGS, Author and Preferver of all
• Nature, grant us Virtue, and whatſoever
* elſe thou seest neceſſary? We never
"make any other Prayer; and what
"Neceffity is there for ſtudying, Year
"after Year, when our own Hearts and
"Underſtandings will dictate what is
proper to ſay.
<6
86
<6
"The Exhortations we have, in our
Temples, to excite us to virtuous and
good Actions, are plain Difcourſes,
"fuch as the Maſter of a Family would
"deliver to his Children and Dependants.
"The first Ape who has an Inclination to
ſpeak, fpeaks; and the others are at-
"tentive; nay, more, they follow his
"Advice; becaufe none but those who
<6
66
are wife and prudent dare to fpeak in
"the Prefence of fuch an Affembly:
"For Modeſty and Wiſdom are (or
ought to be) the Companions of Age.
"As to our Religion, and its Pre-
"cepts," continu'd he, they are con-
"tain'd in three Pages of
66
Writing; and
66 are
+
Philofophical Vifions.
II
CC
are fo very plain and diftinct, that no
one has ever taken it in their Heads to
"confufe them with Explanations. Our
Lawgivers always fpoke to be under-
"ſtood: They have neither Paradox,
"Metaphor, figurative Senfe, nor my-
t
-
fterious Expreffions, in their Writings;
"all is clear, fimple, and natural. We
"fhould burn any one who would at-
"tempt, by his unneceffary Comments,
"to difguife the Truth. Our Law di-
"rects us to love our fellow Citizens,
"and to do as we would be done by :
"That is enough; we do our Duty.
"We do not difpute about the Form;
"but we do, implicitly, as we are di-
"rected."
As I was admiring the good Senfe of
the Apelanders, I fuddenly awoke; and
am convinced, that, in this World, true
Wiſdom is but a Dream.
B 6
V I-
12
Philofophical Vifions.
TH
VISION II.
HE fenfible Difcourfe of my Friend
made fo deep an Impreffion on me,
that, contrary to my ufual Defect, I re-
member'd, with Pleaſure, every Circum-
ftance of our Conference; and ruminated
all Day, with a fecret Satisfaction, on what
had pafs'd in my former Dream: I was,
therefore, no fooner laid down to Reſt,
than Sleep again reftor'd me to his Com-
pany and Converſation.
sc
"I am refolv'd," fays he, " to take a
Trip to the Continent, to inftruct my-
"felf thoroughly in the Manners and
"Cuſtoms of the Inhabitants of that
"Climate; and do not doubt of your
"Inclination to bear me Company." I
freely accepted his Offer; and we imme-
diately departed from Apeland.
After a long Voyage, our Veffel arriv'd
at a Country call'd Urfimania. The Peo-
ple, who inhabit it, have Breafts like.
Bears
€
Philofophical Vifions.
+3
Bears; and Phyſicians have affirm'd, that
the Infide perfectly correfponds with the
outward Appearance; which gives them
a Difpofition naturally rude and unpo-
lifh'd.
One of their Sovereigns (a), a Man of
fuperior Underſtanding, but, at the fame
Time, whimſical, refolving to change the
Manners and Cuſtoms of his Subjects,
order'd them to be cloſe ſhav'd; hoping,
that, when the Ruggedness of that Part
of the Skin was worn off, their favage
Difpofition would be likewife foften'd;
and, by Degrees, wholly fubdu'd. There
were, however, an infinite Number who
would fooner die than facrifice their Hair
to his Ambition; fo that the Prince was
often in Danger, on account of this In-
novation: But he, with great Fortitude,
maintain'd his Refolution; and the Hair
was, accordingly, fhav'd. When he had
gain'd fo material a Point againſt his pre-
judiced Subjects, he ſent ſome of the firſt
Rank into foreign Countries, in Hopes
that the Change of Air, join'd with the
(a) Peter the Great,
falu
14
Philofophical Vifions.
falutary Advice of Phyficians, they might
meet with in their Travels, would, in
Time, totally eradicate all that yet re-
main'd of their native Brutality. This
Expedient fucceeded fo well, that, in a
few Years, when they return'd from their
Travels, the Urfimanian Courtiers were
much improv'd; and bore but little Re-
femblance to their fellow Subjects.
Since the Death of that great Prince,
the Nobility have taken Care to prevent
the Growth of the obnoxious Fur; but the
common People feem to have more of it
than ever: For, about two Years after the
Death of their Sovereign, they made moſt
of the Surgeons and Barbers quit the
Kingdom, who had been invited and en-
courag'd by that Monarch to come there
in his Life-time; that his Subjects might
have equal Advantages of being well
fhav'd, and having depilatory Compo-
fitions, to prevent the Growth of Hair in
their own, as they met with in foreign
Countries.
The Apelander having prefum'd pub-
lickly to cenfure this Conduct, with too
much Freedom; they refented it ſo highly,
that
Philofophical Vifions.
15
that they were on the Point of inflicting
on him, a Puniſhment equal to the Crime
of condemning or ridiculing the Follies
of the Great; which, among theſe People,
is commonly thus: A Muſician plays a
Solo, on the Soles of the Criminal's Feet,
with two little Sticks; and the Tune lafts
till the Cuticle is rais'd in a Blifter. Some-
times a Surgeon, with an Inftrument fome-
what like a Whip, applies fifty or fixty
Laſhes acroſs the Shoulders; of which
they foon cure the Patient, by conducting
him to the frozen Sea, and clapping to
the Wounds a large Plaiſter of Ice.
My Friend, inform'd by fome chari-
table Perfon, of the Favour intended him,
begg'd of me to quit the Kingdom; which
we did accordingly; and, in a few Days,
arriv'd in a Country where the People
feem'd much more civiliz'd and affable
than thoſe we had left. We were, never-
thelefs, greatly embarrafs'd; our Money
was ſhort, and our precipitate Retreat
prevented us from taking the neceffary
Meaſures to procure Supplies. We could
not ſubmit to aſk Alms; therefore, being
much diftrefs'd, chofe to follow the fame
Pro-
16
Philofophical Vifions.
Profeffion that moſt of thofe, who inha
bited this Country, liv'd by. They were
call'd Fuzilleers. As for my own Part, I
found, that my Want of Underſtanding,
and the Weakneſs of my Brain, would
prevent my embracing this Opportunity
of learning their Art; which confifted in
turning, with Eaſe and Dexterity, to the
Right, then to the Left, then to the Right
again, on one Heel, like a Whirligig;
and holding a long Pop-gun on their Shoul-
ders. As foon as my fellow Traveller
was enroll'd in his new Profeffion, they
bound up his Legs with two Pieces of
white Linen, and cut his Cloaths, at leaſt,
two-thirds fhorter; reducing his Breeches.
to ſo ſtrait a Compaſs, that he could hardly
ftoop; and then they began to exercife
him. They made him wheel to the
Right, then to the Left; and when his
Motion was either too quick, or too flow,
they pinch'd him in the Breech, the Pain
whereof caus'd fuch Grimaces, as ufually
fet all his Comrades a laughing; who, in
their Turn, were alfo corrected by a
Stroke of a Cane acrofs their Shoulders;
Gravity and Silence being one of the prin
cipal
1
Philofophical Vifions.
17
cipal Injunctions in the Exercife of the
Pop-gun.
The Fuzileers, finding that the Ape
could never learn this Trade, gave him
his Diſcharge: We were therefore oblig'd
to continue our Rout, and, fome Days
after, arriv'd in a Country where the Peo-
ple almoſt ſtifled us with Careffes and Em-
braces. We thought ourſelves, now, very
fortunate; but, in a little Time, were
convinced, that we had been too hafty, in
forming a Judgment of them, from their
flattering Addrefs. The Kingdom we
were now in, was that of the Changeables :
Theſe People are deſcended (by an incef-
tuous Love) from the Genii Fire, and the
Goddess of Levity. They feldom remain.
two Days in the fame Opinion; in other
Refpects, they are polite, agreeable, and
fprightly; but thefe Qualities only ferve
to make their Friends uneafy, at the little
Ufe they make of their Underſtanding;
and wifh the Poffeffion of fuch fine Ta-
lents might make them more folid and
rational For their Enemies frequently
take Advantage of this Inconftancy of
Temper, to expofe them to Ridicule. Du-
rin
18
Philofophical Vifions.
ring the first five Days, that we were
amongſt theſe People, we were oblig'd to
alter the Faſhion of our Dreſs, fix differ-
ent Times. One Day, in particular, when
we imagin'd ourfelves equip'd intirely in
Taſte, we were much furpris'd to find, by
Five o'clock in the Evening, that we
were regarded as a Couple of Antiques,
and, of Confequence, the reft of the Day
expos'd to the Laughter of every Com-
pany we were in; for they, in general,
love Raillery to Excefs: And tho' they
behave with the utmoft Politenefs to
Strangers, they (thro' their Love of, and.
Propensity to, this vain Foible) take all
Opportunities to ridicule them. They
look upon themſelves as fuperior to the
reft of the World, and imagine Wit to
be their Appenage only; totally excluding
every other Nation. This Way of Think-
ing difgufted my Friend. "Thefe Peo-
"ple," faid he, "are an hundred Times
(6
66
greater Monkeys than thoſe of a little
"Iland, near Apeland, where we fend all
our Countrymen who are diforder'd in
their Intellects." They jump, they
gambol, whiſtle, and talk, all in a Breath.
They
1
Philofophical Vifions.
19
They are agreeable, it is true; but they
are pernicious: Extravagancies of a fa-
cetious, engaging Nature, are infinitely
more dangerous than thofe that have a
more ferious Turn. "Let us fly, my
"dear Friend," faid the Ape,
"let us fly
"from a Country where Inconftancy is,
«Ε
among high and low, an univerſal Paf-
"fion; where Folly has Graces even to
"feduce Wiſdom; and where the moſt
rigid Virtue is in Danger of falling a
"Sacrifice to a vicious Gaiety."
66
I confented to his Requeſt; and from
thence we went to the Kingdom of Liber-
tines. The Name perfectly agrees with
the Conftitution of the People who in-
habit it: They paffionately love Liberty;
but they carry that Regard to fuch a De-
gree of Extravagance, that, in order to
be free, they are Slaves to the Fear of
Subjection. In fhort, their Liberty very
often better deferves the Title of Liber-
tinifm. Many of them write, without any
Refpect, against their Sovereign: They
believe they preferve the Deference due to
their Prince, if they perfonally attack only
his Miniſtry, whom they often treat with
the
20
Philofophical Vifions.
१
the moſt cruel Contempt; believing fo
infolent a Conduct abfolutely neceffary,
and effential to the Liberty of their Coun-
try: Nay, to that extravagant Pitch has
this unreftrain'd, ungovernable Paffion
hurry'd them, that they have maffacred
each other in their Civil Wars, which
have been very frequent amongſt them..
One Brother murders another; while a
Father, perhaps, is plunging a Dagger in
the Bofom of his Son. Hence, there are
few Families amongst them, of whom
fome have not been hang'd, or beheaded.
They have naturally Judgment and Pe-
netration; they love the Study of Arts
and Sciences, and encourage Philofophy;
which, however, only ferves to improve
their Underſtanding, not to reform their
Manners For as they are naturally felf-
fufficient, their Learning produces but
very little Effect on their Hearts and
Minds, which are, in general, too vain to
be fufceptible of good Impreffions. They
not only defpife Strangers, but even hate
them; generous and compaffionate to
thoſe who really are Objects, but jealous
of any Thing that may reflect upon their
Honour;
Philofophical Vifions.
21
Honour; and yet, what is a feeming
Contradiction, they have no Idea of Hof-
pitality; at leaſt it appears, by their Con-
duct, that they have none. They delight
in fhedding human Blood; and, for their
Amufement, encourage Gladiators: Are
wife enough to tolerate the Practice of
different Religions, though they hate
thoſe who differ from their eftabliſh'd
Opinion: And what even exceeds Credit,
is, that the major Part of them do not
believe, that what they profeſs, is better,
or more conformable to Truth, than what
they hate in the Profeffion of others. In
fhort, the Libertines, confider'd in one
Reſpect, are a People to be efteem'd above
any
in the Univerfe; but, in another, are
to be regarded as the moft fenfelefs and
unhappy.
"Let us go," faid my Friend, to me,
"from amongſt a Nation whofe Conduct
gives us Room to doubt, whether we
"fhould moft efteem for their Perfec-
tions, or defpife them for their Foi-
"" bles."
I follow'd the Advice of my Friend;
and, after a fhort Voyage, travelling over
a vaft
22
Philofophical Vifions.
a vaſt Extent of Ground, and many (al-
moſt impaffable) Mountains, we arriv'd
in Popeland. Some Days after our Ar-
rival, I thought I fhould have loft my
Companion. One Evening, as he was
returning Home, he was attack'd by three
Bravoes; who, miſtaking him for a French
Gentleman who had an Intrigue with the
Miſtreſs of a Canon, wounded him dan-
gerouſly. Some Soldiers, who were pa-
trolling at no great Diſtance, running to
his Affiſtance, put the Bravoes to Flight.
I cannot exprefs how much I was con-
cern'd for my Comrade; who, though his
Wounds were not mortal, was oblig'd to
keep his Chamber. When he was on the
Point of going Abroad, an ugly, diſagree-
able Accident happen'd to him. A young
Child, with Tears in its Eyes, came in;
and, falling at his Feet, befought his Pro-
tection against the Cruelty of two Men
who purfu'd him, with Razors in their
Hands. My brave Friend engag'd to
defend it, against any Attempts; and,
when the Ruffians enter'd the Room,
afk'd them, fternly, what Violence they
wanted to do to the Child. "We have
66 our
Philofophical Vifions.
23
66
our Reaſons," fays one;
"what we do,
is for his Good." They then inform'd
him, that they were going to perform a
certain Operation on the Boy. "There
"is a Vacancy," continu'd he who firſt
fpoke," in the Chapel of the High-Prieft
"of Popeland; and he fhould not lofe
"the Opportunity." The Ape, equally
exaſperated againſt fuch Brutes, as againſt
a Prince, who, to gratify an idle Paffion,
fhould rob a Man of his Right to protract
his Generation, exprefs'd himſelf with the
utmoft Indignation against fo vile and
cruel a Cuftom; and, immediately paff-
ing from Expreffion to Action, leap'd
upon them, and would have torn them to
Pieces, if they had not precipitantly re-
tir'd.
"Let us immediately," faid he, "my
"dear Friend, quit a Country where the
Perpetration of the greateſt Crimes is
"authoris'd by Cuftom, and the Confent
"of the Sovereign; where the Inhabit-
έσ ants pay
fo little Regard to their own
"Likeneſs, as for the Sake of tickling
"their Ears with melodious Sounds, to-
<6
tally to deprive themſelves of that
"which
24
Philifophical Vifions.
"which fecures a Succeffion.
For ever
"let that Nation be accurs'd, that, to
૯.
fupport their Amuſements, purſue fuch
"Methods as muft, in the End, extir-
pate Society."
"6
We left Popeland, and arriv'd among
the Fellowbeads. Thefe People are haughty,
of few Words, flothful, fuperftitious to
Excefs, but brave, faithful to their King,
zealous for the Honour of their Country;
Slaves to Women, and yet their Tyrants.
My Friend lik'd the Humour of them
much. He faid, that a Man, haughty
and referv'd, was more to be eſteem'd,
than one who was proud, and always
talking of himſelf. Thus he excus'd their
Pride, on account of their Refervedneſs
and Silence. As to their Sloth, he faid,
it did not affect Strangers; it was only
prejudicial to themſelves. He approv'd,
equally, the Refpect they have for Wo-
men; and the Means they took to fecure
their Fidelity: He thought it the greateſt
Proof of their Understanding, to keep
within the proper Bounds of Refpect, to
a Sex they fo paffionately lov'd; and that
it requir'd a great Fund of Experience,
and
Philofophical Fifions.
25
and good Senfe, to keep that to one's felf,
to which a whole Nation were attracted
by fo violent an Inclination. As to their
Superftition, he faid it was what all Crea-
tures were naturally inclin'd to; that tho'
we ſhould praife and admire thoſe who
have it not, we fhould not condemn and
defpife, but rather pity, thofe who have
fubmitted to the YoAK. However, he
had not long given his Opinion, in fo fa-
vourable a Manner, before he had the
greateſt Reaſon to think otherwife. One
Day, while we were in the Street, waiting
to fee a Proceffion; as the Shrine of the
Saint pafs'd by him, he happen'd to ſcratch
himſelf under the Thigh (a Thing very
common to Apes); but this natural Oc-
currence was mifinterpreted by the Priefts;
who arreſted the poor Creature, and put
him into the Inquifition. His Procefs
was ſpeedily diſpatch'd, and he was con-
demn'd to be burnt, for having profanely
dar'd to ſcratch his Backfide, and expole
his Pofteriors, before the Shrine of the
moft holy St. Mary d'Agreda (a). When
(a) The Superior of a Convent, canoniz'd for her
Charity.
C
they
26
Philofophical Vifions.
they had pafs'd Sentence, and were con-
ducting him to Execution, he confeſs'd,
that Superftition was the worst of all Pre-
judices. As foon as they began to faſten
him to the Stake, the Grief I conceiv'd
for the Fate of my dear Friend, awak'd
me: And I muft own, that I thought
myfelf extremely happy in my Bed, and
at a Diſtance from the INQUISITION.
V L
Philofophical Visions.
27
I
VISION III.
MADE a light Supper, and retir'd,
in good Time, to Bed; but was no
fooner afleep, than I thought myſelf at
the Entrance of a large Palace. Over
the Gate was infcrib'd, in Letters of
Gold, The Palace of Destiny. There was
no Beauty of Architecture, no Regula-
rity, in this vaft Pile; every Thing
feem'd rather the Work of Chance, than
Art. Going out of a fpacious low Room,
I enter'd one very fmall, but lofty: This
led to feveral Apartments, fome of which
were fquare, others round, others trian-
gular, others oval, and octagonal: In
short, there were Apartments of a thou-
fand different Models. At laft, I came
into a large grand Saloon, over the Door
of which was written, The Hall of Fate.
I was agreeably furpris'd, to fee the GODS
feated round a Table in this Room. Ju-
piter had given them an Entertainment,
C 2
and
28
Philofophical Fifions.
and they were all affembled. When they
were fatiated with Nectar and Ambrofia,
an agreeable Intoxication feem'd to be uni-
verfal. Jupiter (their Supreme) finding
himſelf a little elevated, thus addrefs'd the
reft. "It is," faid he, "a long Time
"fince we have entertain'd ourſelves with
66
creating of Souls, and it is one of our
"moft ufual and moft pleaſant Amufe-
66
ments, at the End of our Feſtivals:
"Let us finish this, therefore, in fo agree-
"able, fo comic a Sport; which we have
66 never the Leifure to think of but when
the Nectar gets into our Heads, and
"renders us incapable of any Thing
"more ferious."
All the Gods approv'd of this Pro-
pofal, and to work they went; mingling,
with the Ingredients, whatever Qualities
they found the moft grotesque and fin-
gular. MoмUs made Buffoons and Wit-
MOMUS
lings; APOLLO, Poets, Painters, Hifto-
rians, Orators, Critics, and Sculptors:
MOMUS, who fat next him, retouch'd all
his Works, and breath'd a Spirit of Folly
into all the Productions of the God of
Parnaffus. MERCURY made Thieves, Men
of
-
Philofophical Vifions.
29
of Bufinefs, Partizans, and Projectors; all
his Figures refembled each other: VENUS
form'd Coquettes, and Women of Pleasure;
MINERVA, Prudes; MARS, Warriors,
Heroes, Knights Errant, and Bullies; BEL-
LONA, Amazons, and Viragoes; and Mor-
PHEUS, the God of Dreans, made Phils-
fophers. The Gods and Goddefies laugh'd
heartily, at the droll Figure of their fe-
veral Manufactures; and difputed which
were most ridiculous. When they had
done, Jupiter, gravely ftroking his Beard
with one Hand, and holding a Glafs of
Ambrofia in the other, faid, with a con-
temptuous and malicious Air, "Foolish,
"weak, inconfiderate Mortals! boaſt
<<
your Enjoyment of Liberty on Earth!
"created, in a drunken Frolic, fubject to
"the Caprice and Sport of Fortune; ig-
"norant, one Moment, of what fhall
'
happen the next. Your firft Action
"determines you invincibly to the fc-
"cond; that to the third; and fo on :
"Yet have ye the Confidence to fay, I
" will do fuch a Thing, becauſe it is my
"Pleafure. And why is it your Plea-
"fure? Truly, becauſe you have ftill a
C 3
Spice
30
Philofophical Vifions.
66
66
૬.
Spice of your drunken original Prin-
ciple. Do not ye know, that, fay-
ing ye will do any Thing, becauſe ye
will, is faying nothing at leaft it is
"Nothing to the Purpofe. For, is it
"without Reaſon, that you would do it?
"If fo, it muſt feem, that inanimate
Nothing could produce an Effect: And.
"if ye would do it for a Reaſon, ye
"mut then be determin'd by that Rea-
"fon, and that Reafon by another, but
66
ye were made when we had no Senſe
"in our Noddles, and pray how ſhould
<6
66
ye have any? In fhort, Nothing can
come of Nothing, and the Confequence
"is, that vile Reptiles as ye are, in Spite
"of all your Vanity, ye have neither
"Reafon nor Liberty."
Destiny, who stood at the Elbow of Ju-
puter, much applauded this Harrangue.
66
King of Olympus," fays fhe, "I think ye
"have all created Souls enough for one
"Day; as they are hereafter to be my
"Care, let me now have the Difpofal of
"them." "You are in the Right," fays Ju-
piter; immediately he order'd all the new-
made Souls to be put into a large Sieve,
the
Philofophical Vifions.
31
the Holes of which were at fome Diſtance
from each other; there was an Inſcription
round each, and I read feveral of thofe in
the Middle; there was a Hole for Princes,
and, befide it, one for Herdfmen and
Shepherds; a Hole for Popes, and, befide
it, a Hole for Beggars; a Quarter of an
Inch feparated thofe Souls that were de-
ftin'd to make a Figure in the World, and
thoſe that were to be the moft miferable
Slaves. When the Gods, with an Air of
Contempt, had thrown their feveral Pro-
ductions into the Sieve, Destiny, with fome
Violence, fhook them about, and down
they fell to the Earth through the diffe-
rent Holes. This Sight affected me fo
ftrongly as to awake me, and make me
think, that the Station I enjoy in this
World, intirely depends on the Hole I fell
through.
C 4
V I-
32
Philofophical Vifions.
25 25 25
25 25 25 25 25 25
炎炎
​VISION IV.
I Thought myſelf in a ſpacious Apart-
ment, reſembling a Hall, at the upper
End of which was written, The Abode of
Envy and Trouble. In it were Numbers of
People bufied in various Employments,
which appeared to me comical enough;
many were paffing Grains of Millet thro'
the Eye of a Needle; and, when with a
great Deal of Difficulty they had fucceed-
ed, they ftrung the Grains upon a Thread,
and hung them (according to the Quan-
tity and Size of the Grains they contain’d)
upon different Pillars, on which were in-
fcrib'd, Epic Chaplets, Lyrric Chaplets, Ele-
giac Chaplets, and divers others, which I
have forgot. But what afforded me most
Entertainment, was, that thofe who could
not ſucceſsfully perform this Operation,
acted like Dæmoniacs, or People bewitch-
ed; they were uneafy, figited about, bit
their Fingers, gnaw'd their Nails, turn'd
up the Whites of their Eyes, fometimes
mut-
Philofophical Vifions.
33
muttering to themſelves, at others, bawl-
ing out fo loud, that it was equally im-
poffible to know what they faid; there
were fome few who pafs'd their Grains
through the Eye of the Needle, with the
greateſt Eaſe; and I thought I recollect-
ed amongſt them the Faces of Voltaire and
Pyron, but their Expertneſs rais'd the En-
vy of all their Comrades, who pretended.
their Grains were too fmall, and the Nee-
dle too large, affirming that thoſe they
had threaded were not difpos'd in fufficient
Order, and otherwife reproaching them,
caſting Cenſures on their Works, which,
in my Opinion, were without Founda-
tion.
There were fome who flily ftole Pieces
of Chaplets, and of them compos'd whole
ones; but in the Middle of the Hall was
feated five or fix Perfons, who held a long
Whip in their Hands, upon the Handle
of which was written Criticism; they had
fomething cloudy and fevere in their Coun-
tenance, and ſeem'd to be conſtitutionally
Hypocondriacs. When they caught any
of thofe Thieves in the Fact, they whip'd
them feverely, which expos'd them to the
C 5
Laughe
34
Philofophical Vifions.
?
Laughter of the whole Company; but all
this Shame and Puniſhment had no Ef-
fect, for, the Moment it was over, they
ſtole again as freely as before.
Near thefe Threaders of Grains, were
fome, whofe Occupation appear'd ſtill more
ridiculous; they inflated Bladders with
Wind, which of themſelves immediately
emptied, and put thefe Puffers into a vio-
lent Paffion, becauſe, as ſoon as they had
blown them up, they cried out, this is So-
lid, this is Subftantial and Incontestable, yet
fcarce did they pronounce thofe Words,
but all the Wind they had blown into the
Bladders, immediately evaporated. There
was a Label tied to the Neck of each Blad-
der, on one was wrote Cheminai's Sermons,
Arnaud's Sermons, and fo on; but my Mo-
ther having told me, above thirty Years
fince, that I ſhould hear, and fee, and fay
nothing, and my Father having often in-
cultated in my Infancy, an old Proverb,
that the Truth fhould not be fpoken at all
Times, I concluded on a ferious Reflexion
on thefe Precepts, that I ought to be fi-
lent as to what I faw and read; however,
I will venture to whifper in the Ears of a
few
Philofophical Vifions.
35
few difcreet Perfons, about a Dozen of
thefe Inſcriptions, which, I believe, Peo-
ple will little fufpect my having found tied
to the Bladders.
At a fmall Diſtance from thefe Puffers,
were many employ'd in collecting every
Thing, Good or Bad, that they met with
in the Hall, and, with the greateſt Care,
locking them up in Chefts; every Time
they open'd or ſhut theſe curious Caſkets,
they cried out aloud, "We are working
"for Pofterity, we preſerve in our Cabi-
"nets every Thing that is valuable or
"curious." Having the Curiofity to look
into the Cheſts, I was almoft ftifled with
the Stench that iffued from it; the forry
Compofitions they lock'd up together with
what was really good, corrupted in a ge-
neral Fermentation, what was worthy of
being preferv'd; not being able to fupport
the putrid Effluvia that arofe from thefe
Cheſts, I retir'd fome Diſtance, but was
ftill near enough to read the Infcriptions
of fome of them, on the firſt was written
The History of Calvanifm, by Mainbourg,
and the other Works of that Jefuit; on´an-
other was written, The Works of Varillas;
C 6
on
36
Philofophical Vifions.
1
دو
on a Third, The Hifiory of Denmark, by
Deftrochres; a Fourth was, The Revolutions
of Poland by the Abbè Fontain; a Fifth,
The Revolutions of France, by Mr. de lá
Hode; a Sixth, The History of Lewis XIV,
by Larray; I was reading on, for there was
an infinite Number, but was interrupted
by a violent Uproar, made by five or fix
Perfons, that bawl'd out to others who
were cuffing them, "We have enough,
enough. But in vain did they afk
Quarter, the others ftill beat on, fome-
times ftriking them on the Cheek, fome-
times tweeking them by the Nofe, or
throwing large Folio's at their Heads, fay-
ing at every Affault, "You cannot refift
"againſt fuch Authority." I obferv'd
that the principal of thele Books were the
Works of Cujas, Demoulin, Bartode, Gro-
tius, and d'Argentre; in fhort, the poor
Creatures, whofe Noſes were thus batter'd,
were oblig'd to retire; and fome who were
By-ftanders, faid, to the Antagoniſts,
"Gentlemen, you are indifputably the
"C
66
greateſt Orators in the World; none
ever pleaded with fuch Strength of Ar-
"ment; you fupport a bad Caufe it is
66 truie,
Philofophical Vifions.
37
<<
66
"true, but who can withstand the Force
"of your Expreffion, when by the Pro-
fundity of your Erudition, and the Im-
petuofity of your Eloquence, you have
"rather conquer'd than convinc'd your
Opponents." This appear'd to me fuch
an ill-tim'd Compliment, and fo repug-
nant to the Good of Society, that I awak'd
in great Difguft.
66
VI
38
Philofophical Visions.
I
VISION V.
Had retir'd to Reft later than ufual,
and lay awake fome Time; at laſt,
infenfibly falling afleep, I thought I faw
a Number of People, who were blowing
up Bladders with Soap Suds through a
Quill; every one of thefe had their Par-
tizans and Admirers, who as foon as a
Globe was form'd, immediately exclaim'd,
"Ay, this is the only true Syftem;" but
when they were diffolv'd again to their
original Form, a Drop or two of Water,
their Spectators immediately abandon'd
them, and ran to others who were em-
ploy'd in the fame Manner, and on the
new Formation of any Bubble, changed
from one Side to the other; in fhort, their
whole Life was ſpent in following and ad-
miring theſe empty Bubbles, Dupes to their
ſhort Duration and Inſtability.
At a fmall Diftance were fome, whoſe
Phrenzy feem'd more to be pitied than
the former, they never forfook the Blower
to
Philofophical Vifions.
39
to whom they at first attach'd themſelves;
but, whenever the Bubble was diffolv'd in-
to Water, they inceffantly harrafs'd them-
felves to form, from thofe very Drops, a
freſh Bubble; they blow'd with much
Vehemence to no Purpoſe, for their En-
deavours were unfruitful, and they loft
both their Labour and Time.
Not far from thefe Unfortunates, were
a Set of penfive melancholy People, who
kept their Eyes clos'd, that they might
not fee thofe Objects that were prefented
to their View. They hated every Thing
that had Space, and were eternally endea-
vouring to exalt themſelves to a Place they
call'd the incorporeal Region, where they
pretended to have perfuaded themfelves
that there was no fuch Thing as Matter,
When they attempted to take their Flight
to this imaginary Region, a groſs Column
of Air, forc'd them down to the Centre
of Gravity, and, in the Fall, they gene-
rally broke their Nofes. Some who be-
held their Difafter, fcoff'd at, and derided
them: "" Why," faid they, " you Pack
"of whimsical Wretches, What is it you
"would be at? Live here as other Mor-
"tals
40
Philofophical Vifions.
t
"tals do; why ſhould you frame to your-
"felves the Exiſtence of Beings, of which
"you have no Knowledge? We can com-
"pare you only to thofe Fools, who fhut
"their Eyes when the Sun fhines, and
"then fay it is no luminous Planet. You
6.6
deprive Beings of their Extent, by the
"Strength of your Imaginations, and
"then think they really have no Extent.
Fools as ye are, How can a Being ex-
"ift, and not have Space? and, if it has
66
Space, has it not likewiſe Extent? and,
"if it has Extent, muft it not likewife
"have Parts? and, if it has Parts, has it
"not alfo Matter? Hence it follows, that
"all Subſtance has Extent; for if it ex-
"ifts, it muſt exift in fome Space, and
"have Parts, fo that your Doctrine of
Incorporeality, is nothing but a Chi-
(6
mera; and we rejoice to fee your Pride
"and Folly puniſh'd by the Deſtruction
"of your Nofes." The poor Devils,
quite afham'd and confounded with theſe
Reflections, cover'd their Faces with their
Hands, and retired into a Corner of the.
Room, muttering as they fneak'd off,
"AR,.
Philofophical Visions.
41
"Ab, Des Cartes, it is you that have made
• us break our Nofes."
Amongſt the many different Objects I
beheld in this Vifion, I pitied none fo
much as fome fenfelefs ftubborn Idiots,
who cried out to every one that paſs'd
them, "Sirs, we have really no Body, the
"Idea we have of Matter, is but a meer
"Illufion." "Do not eat then," fays
fome fenfible People that took Notice of
them, and you will foon be convinc'd to
the contrary. "Why we do not eat,"
replied one of thefe pretended Incorpo-
realifts; the Repafts which we fwallow
"are but imaginary Ideas; our Soul is
"govern'd by the Law of Nature, and
"there are certain Impreflions of which
"it would be equally fufceptible, if there
was fuch Things as Bodies, and it had,
❝ one." A four morofe Fellow, who
"ftood by, and was difgufted at this
Speech, replied, "Well, Sir, if
you will
"not believe that you have a Body when
you eat, I will convince you of their
"Exiſtence by another Method of Argu-
ment;" and immediately gave him
(that ſpoke laſt) a confounded Stroke with
a Cud-
cr
42
Philofophical Vifions.
a Cudgel acrofs his Shoulders; the in-
corporeal Gentleman forgetting his Spi-
rituality, was going to return it, but the
other very prudently retir'd, at which he
was fo mad, that he was oblig'd to have
Recourſe to Invectives to fatify and Ap-
peaſe his Anger "Ah," fays he, " you
are, and always will be, one of thoſe
"dull ftupid Dogs that have not Senſe
enough to digeft the fublime Truth
fought after, and diſcover'd by our di-
"vine Patriarch Malebranche."
..
CC
CC
While he was thus wafting his Breath
in paffionate Invectives, a grave good-hu-
mour'd Man came up to him; "Friend,"
fays he, "why are you angry at him from
"whom you have receiv'd this imagina-
66
66
ry Infult; do you not know that all this
"is in the Order of Things? We live in
"the beſt regulated World that is poflì-
"ble; and it was not only ordain'd that
you fhould be beat, but it was better
"that you should have receiv'd the Blow
" than not.” CC
What the Devil," fays
he that was caned, "Was it ordain'd that
"I ſhould be beat?" " Ay, to be fure,'
fays the other, "if you were but wife
"enough,
1
وو
Philofophical Vifions.
43
"enough, you would look upon what has
86
happen'd as a real Benefit, and not a
"Misfortune." " Away, you are an old
"Fool," fays the Firft. "You lye," ſays
the other; upon which they took each
other by the Throat, one crying out, I
am for Malebranche, the other I am for
Leibnitz. This Encounter immediately be-
came general, and the Fear of being en-
gag'd in the Fray, awak'd me. When I
reflected on my Dream, it convinc'd me,
that the Difputes among Philofophers are
but Vifions; and can have no Influence
upon People in their right Senfes.
1
***
V I-
44
Philofophical Vifics.
VISION VI.
OF all the Vifions I ever had, that I
am going to relate gave me the moſt
Uneafinefs, and imprefs'd the ſtrongeſt
Senfe of Horror.
I ſlept very indifferently, many difagree-
able Ideas prefented themſelves to my Ima-
gination, and I thought that two Genii
lifted me into the Air; they convey'd me
over an immenfe Space, at length having
travers'd almoft the Extent of the Globe,
they laid me down on the Top of a very
high Mountain, whereon was a Palace,
the Walls of which were human Bones,
cemented with Blood. A frightful Giant
guarded the Entrance of this Caſtle, hold-
ing in each Hand a Sword; upon one, in
flaming Characters, was infcrib'd, No To-
leration; on the other, Propagation.
1 was ftruck with Horror at this tre-
mendous Sight, when one of the Genii
faid to me, "The Palace before you is
"the
Philofophical Vifions.
45
16
"the Refidence of a Goddeſs, deftin'd to
puniſh Mankind; if it were not for her,
"their Lot would approach too near that
(
56
of Immortals; their Days would flow
"in an uninterrupted Series of Blifs and
Happineſs, living agreeable to the Laws
"of Nature, which are calculated only for
"their Joy and Tranquility, and cannot
deprive them of any Thing that may
contribute to their Eafe and Satisfac-
"tion; for, though nearly all thofe Laws
which have been fram'd by certain Men
"who have prefum'd to act above their
Sphere, are but the Precepts of infup-
portable Bondage, the Laws of Nature
"are fuch only, as contribute to human
Felicity, and prefcribe no Ties, nor de-
"fend any Principles but what ſhould be.”
(6
I liften'd with Attention, but my Ap-
prehenfion of the Giant before me was fo
great, that I had not Courage to anſwer
him. "I am furpriz'd," refum'd the
Genii, "that you have not the Curiofity
"to enter the Palace, and learn what they
'
66
are doing within it; it is in your Power
to be fatisfied, and we have brought
you hither with that Defign." At this
En-
46
Philofophical Vifions.
Encouragement I began to recollect my-
ſelf, and affured my Guide, that I ſhould
have made that Requeſt before, if I had
not been intimidated by the Giant who
ftood Centry at the Gate. "You have
"fome Reafon," replied the Genii, "to
"fear him, for he is the moſt dreadful
"Monſter Hell ever produc'd; he is the
"Son of Hatred and Pride, was nurs'd by
"the Furies, who fed him from his Infan-
દર cy with human Blood. It was he who
"built the Palace you now fee, and he is
"not only the Favourite, but the Support
"alfo of the Goddeſs who inhabits it; he
"fheds the Blood with which her Altars
are daily fed; yet, notwithſtanding his
favage Difpofition and unparell'd Cru-
elty, there are Means, fometimes, to
footh him into Gentleneſs.'
-66
66
66
I told the Genii, that, if fuch a Thing
was poffible, I would very willingly go
into the Palace; "Kneel down,” ſays he,
"and addrefs him three Times by the
Name of the Being that prefides over the
"Lives of the Spanish and Portugueſe
Jews, the Tranquility of French Protef
66
"tants,
Philofophical Vifions.
47
tants, Security of Swediſh Catholics, and
"the Purfe of Engliſh Papifts."
I did as I was directed, and immediate-
ly there appear'd before me a Woman,
with a modeft referv'd Air, who wept one
Moment, and laugh'd the next. Yet,
notwithſtanding, her inconftant Behavi-
our, fhe ftill difplay'd an Air of Circum-
fpection, and had, on a clofe Examina-
tion, fomething of Conftraint. She wore
a Fillet round her Head, upon which was
written Diffimulation, fhe accommodated
me with fuch another, and commanded
me to follow her; we then pafs'd by the
Giant without meeting with any Obſtruc-
tion, and enter'd the Palace together.
We went through a great many large
Apartments, which were chiefly occupied
by Men in black Gowns, who had all
long Swords in their Hands, the Sheaths
of which were made only of Paper, and
infcrib'd, Precepts of Theology; thefe Men
had ſome particular Mark in their Habits,
which denoted their feveral Halls; they
spoke different Languages, but I obſerv❜d
that the Latin Tongue was the moſt uni-
verfal. In every Apartment, or Hall,
there
48
Philofophical Vifions.
there was a Man, feated on a Throne, or
fomething like it, who frequently cried
out, "Remember, that you ought to live
"and die for the Opinions ye have adopt-
"ed." Immediately they all brandish'd their
Swords, and unanimouſly anſwer'd;
"We
"are ready to live and die in the Sup-
66 port of our juſt Cauſe; and will main-
"tain the Honour of the Deity who has
"admitted us into her Temple, againſt
"the World. We will pay no Regard
"to the Duty of Children, Affection of
"Parents, Bonds of Friendship, Ties of
"Honour, nor Obedience of a Subject:
"The Glory of our Patronefs is (and
fhall be) the only Object we have in
"View."
Going out of thefe Apartments, we
enter'd a ſpacious Hall, in the Middle of
which was a Canopy; and underneath was
feated a Woman, who affected an Air of
Majefty; but, in Reality, look'd like an
old Courtezan. In Spite of the Pains
fhe had taken, with white and red, to dif-
guife her Age; her Wrinkles, and hollow
Cheeks, betray'd her: She fcarce dar'd to
fpeak, left fhe fhould difcover her Want
of
Philofophical Vifions.
49
of Teeth; but, when fhe did, her Words
were inarticulate, and almoft unintelli-
gible. Round her were feated her Fa-
vourites; before each of whom was a
Table, upon which they compos'd Phil-
tres, or Poiſons: Every Table had an In-
fcription. I even read fome of them;
and can recollect there were, the Sorbonne,
the Universities of Salamanca, Oxford, Ge-
neva, Wittenberg, Tuberg, Leyden; and
many more I read, but have forgotten.
This, however, I remember; that there
was an infinite Number; for the Hall
was full, and every Table had its own
Chymist.
I obferv'd, that they were feparated
into four Divifions; and in the Middle
of each Divifion was erected a Pedeſtal.
On the firſt was, the Statue of the Pope;
on the fecond, ftood Calvin; on the third,
Luther; and on the fourth, Janſenius (a).
When
(a) Bishop of Ypres, in Flanders; whofe Doctrines
were, in relation to Grace, and Free-will: Which is
reduc'd into five Propofitions. I. Some Commands
of God are impoffible to righteous Men, even tho'
they endeavour, with all their Power, to accomplish
D
them :
50
Philofophical Vifions.
When thofe, who compos'd the Poifons,
had fill'd their Pots, they humbly pre-
fented it to the Image which prefided over
their Divifion. Sometimes: the Statue
would incline its Head, as a Mark of Ap-
probation; or, perhaps, not move at all,
in Sign of Difguft. When it had once
given the Nod of Approbation, to him
-
them: The Grace being wanting, by which they
fhould be enabled to perform them. II. In the
State of corrupt Nature, a Man never refifts inward
Grace. III. To merit and demerit, in the prefent
State of corrupt Nature, it is not requifite a Man
fhould have that Liberty which excludes Neceffity:
That which excludes Conftraint, is fufficient. IV.
The Semipelagians admitted the Neceffity of inward
preventing Grace to each Act, in particular; and
even to the Beginning of Faith: But they were He-
retics, in regard they afferted, that this Grace was
fuch, as that the Will of Man might either refit or
obey it. V. It is Semipelagianifm to fay, that Je-
Jus Chrift died, or fhed his Blood for all Men in ge-
neral. Thefe Propofitions have been condemn'd by
the Popes, Urban VIII. Innocent X. Alexander VII.
and Clement XI. The Bull Unigenitus was publiſh'd
againſt them, which is the Foundation of the pre-
fent Difputes, between the Clergy and Parliaments
of France. It peremptorily condemns the Janfenifts,
without a Difquifition, or any other Argument than
that of Authority.
who
Philofophical Visions.
51
who made the Offering; the Votary, with
the greateſt Care, cover'd up the Pot,
without adding any Thing to it: But
when the Image made no Sign, but re-
main'd motionlefs; the Chymift went to
work again, and added fome more ve-
nomous Ingredients to his Compofition.
In the mean while, fhe, who was feated
on the Throne, from Time to Time, or-
der'd the Pots, thus compleated, to be
brought to her; and then mix'd the Con-
tents of them in a large Veffel; over
which was written, Poiſon to foment reli-
gious Wars: She then gave it to her
Dames of Honour, Envy and Ambition;
with Orders, to make thofe Perfons fwal-
low it whom we faw in the other Apart-
ments.
I was curious to know the Title of this
dangerous Deity; but did not know
whom to afk: At length, I faw two
Men enter, dragging fome unfortunate
Perfons, clad in a very whimfical Manner.
"Divine Theology," faid they, to the God-
defs;
"fee thefe Victims, condemn'd to
"fhed their Blood upon your Altars,
"who were rafh enough to maintain,
D 2
" that
52
Philofophical Vifions.
"that
you are more dangerous than ufe-
"ful; and that plain Reaſon, aſſiſted by
"Nature, is able to lead Mankind to the
"Truth." The Goddefs fum'd at this.
6.6
C.C
This," faid fhe, "is the Effect of the
pernicious Writings of thofe Authors
"who have acquir'd the Title of Wife
"from the Blows they have levell'd at
"me: Let us fhew an Example that
66
may deter thofe, who fhall hereafter
"chance to be in the fame Situation, and
"fhew the Followers of my Enemies,
"that I am as revengeful as I am pow-
erful. My Reputation can only be
"eſtabliſh'd by Cruelty; and that Cruelty
"muft alone preferve it."
The Goddeſs then order'd them to put
theſe unfortunate Wretches to Death, and
brand their Names with a Mark of In-
famy. Immediately, the Executioners,
arm'd with Hatchets, the Handles of
which reſembled Inkhorns, feiz'd the Cri-
minals, and cried out, as loud as they
could, that they were going to put them
to Death as they would Atheiſts, or Re-
probates. The unhappy Victims vainly
protefted their Belief of the Existence
and
B
53
Philofophical Vifions.
C6
and Providence of a Being fupremely
good and gracious: For thefe Execu-
tioners fiercely reply'd, "If you deſpiſe
"or difcredit our Goddefs, you believe
nothing;" and immediately put them
to Death. The Fright awak'd me; and
I reflected, that it has been too often in-
ferr'd, that, in trufting and fubfcribing
tacitly to the Doctrine of the Theologians,
one may, without Danger, difbelieve any
Thing But that it is being idly virtu-
ous, if we dare be good without them.
Men of great Senfe have faid, that, at
Rome, the believing in GoD is of little.
Importance, provided they believe in the
Pope: And, in the Opinion of Jurieu (a),
a Roman Catholic is more culpable than a
Heathen.
(a) A Proteftant Miniſter of the Goſpel at Rot-
terdam, who wrote, with great Vehemence, and even
a Spirit of Perfecution, against the Catholics. In
this Initance our Author justly cenfures all who have
purfu'd their Doctrines beyond the Bounds of Rea-
fon or Humanity.
D 3
V I-
54
Philofophical Vifions.
I
VISION VII.
THOUGHT I beheld Jupiter, in
a Cloud, feated on a Throne, and
furrounded by the principal Gods. About
the Cloud flew a prodigious Number of
Eagles, who, by fluttering and clapping
their Wings, and by making loud Cries,
endeavour'd to attract, each on themſelves,
the Notice and Regard of the Mafter of
the Univerſe; and, as if it were fupreme
Happineſs but to come within his Reach,
they elevated themſelves on the Backs of
each other, and endeavour'd to place
themſelves at the Foot of his Throne:
Yet, having gain'd that Point, they en-
joy'd not the more Tranquillity. For, as
the Place could contain but few, they fu-
riouſly puſh'd and buffeted one another;
fo that, from Time to Time, fome gain'd,
and fome refign'd, that envied, happy Si--
tuation; and there were many, in the
Conteſt, fo hurt, that they fell again
among
Philofophical Vifions.
55
among the Crowd that were flying about
the Throne. Thefe were not only bufied
in endeavouring to attract the Attention
of the God, but, alfo, in repelling other
Eagles, who had afcended the Firma-
ment, to place themfelves amongſt them.
Theſe they eagerly purfu'd, tearing off
their Feathers; and forc'd them, at laſt,
to abandon their Enterprize, and return
again to the Earth.
I was bufied in obferving thefe different
Combats; when, of a fudden, I per-
ceiv'd a foreign Eagle, who, in Deſpite
of all the Oppofition he met with, broke
through the Crowd that would have
check'd his Flight, and fupported him-
felf on the Edge of the Cloud, notwith-
ftanding the Lofs of many Feathers.
The Eagles, that attack'd him, defpairing
of the Victory, and flattering themfelves
that Jupiter would not let fall the leaft
Glance of Favour on him, being a Stran-
ger; and that he could not immediately
place himſelf at the Foot of the Throne;
defcended on a Bog; where, having loaded
their Beaks with ftinking Mud, they re-
afcended the Skies; and, approaching
D 4
their
56
Philofophical Vifions.
their common Enemy, threw on him all
their Filth; expecting, thereby, to render
him fo offenfive, as to become odious in
the Sight of Jupiter. But that which was
defign'd to prejudice, prov'd to be of Ser-
vice to him.
Jupiter, perceiving the Effects of their
Jealoufy, order'd the Goddess Hebe to
throw Cups of Nectar on the perfecuted
Eagle, whereby he was effectually clean'd;
and then, by the Command of Jove,
plac'd at the Foot of his Throne, to the
Confufion of his Enemies. This awak'd
me; and I doubt not but my Vifion was
fent to convince me, that, in the King-
doms of this World, the Courtiers take
all Opportunities of blackening and af-
perfing the Reputation of each other, with
too much Succefs: But in the Kingdom
of an all-wife, fpiritual Prince, 'tis frivo-
lous that fome calumniate others, the
Evil they report of them only making
them more efteem'd of their SOVEREIGN.
V I...
Philofophical Vifions. 57
&&&&&&&&&&EEEEEEEEE&&&&&&
A
VISION VIII.
MONGST the many fingular
Things which I have feen in my
Viſions, none have afforded me more
Amuſement than this of a People who,
notwithſtanding the Ufe of Speech, only
communicate their Ideas by Grimace and
Geſtures.
I imagin❜d myſelf in a fine open Wałk,
where I beheld a Crowd of People who
addrefs'd each other without ſpeaking,
and walk'd together as in earneſt Dif-
courfe, yet parted without uttering a fin-
gle Word, notwithſtanding it appear'd, to
me, that the major Part of this Affembly
were intimately acquainted. On Exa-
mination I found, that they had a pecu-
liar Manner of explaining themſelves,
and underſtanding each other, by Gef-
tures. I obferv'd ſeveral that bow'd their
Heads, and carelefly inclin'd one. Shoul-
der, when they would addrefs (or impart
D 5
any
58
Philofophical Vifions.
any Thing to) their Companions, while
the Parties addrefs'd, nimbly bent their Bo-
dies a little forward, drew one Foot back,
and bow'd their Heads two or three
Times; after which, each Party preci-
pitately embrac'd, kifs'd, cut a Caper,
embrac'd again, ftrok'd up their Hair,
and fo parted.
It appear❜d to me, that the Women ex-
cell'd, in this mute Language. They
had a Method of turning their Eyes fo,
as to exprefs, at one Glance, more than
could be written in three Pages; and
make five or fix Men laugh, for a Quarter
of an Hour, by a flight Wink of one
Eyelid. I obferv'd a young Girl turn her
Head towards a proper young Fellow that
tood near her, and throw a Glance at
him from the Corner of her Eye. The
Cavalier inftantly bow'd, ftepp'd back
two Paces, bow'd again, and, recovering
himſelf, flipt one Hand under his Girdle,
at the fame Time carelefly playing with
the other with a great Bunch of Ribbands.
ſhe wore under her Chin; fhewing, at the
fame Time, as it were, without Defign, or
Affectation, a fine Ring, which he wore
on
Philofophical Vifions.
59
on his little Finger; then contorting his
Eyes and Mouth, in a moft ridiculous
Manner, laugh'd tenderly; then fuddenly
appear'd melancholy, then frantic; then,
in an Inftant, recover'd his firft Appear-
ance; and, fomewhat elevating his Shoul-
ders, bow'd, turn'd his Eyes firſt on the
Sky, then on the Earth, and concluded
by attentively ſtaring on the young Lady.
She return'd all this by a dumb Shew
very little different from the former.
Thefe Geſtures attracted the Obfervation
of feveral Spectators; fome laughing
malignantly, fome clapping each other
on the Shoulders; while others held down
their Heads for the Space of a Minute,
making fuch antic Grimaces, that one
would have taken them for Pagods (e)
of China. The Girl, perceiving that her
own Conduct had given Rife to all this
Mirth and Mimicry, feem'd a little con-
founded; but the Spark was charm'd'
with having drawn the Attention of the
Company on his Miftrefs; and, recover-
(a) Priests.
D 6
ing
60
Philofophical Vifions.
ing from his Reverie, ftamp'd with his
Foot, drum'd a Tune on the Lid of his
Snuff-box, and made a fham Cough, to
recal their Attention.
My Notice was now drawn towards an-
other kind of mute Addrefs. I perceiv'd
fome People that wore on their Eyes a
little Horn, furniſh'd with a Glafs, thro'
which they ogled all the Women: Thofe
on whom they pointed their Horns, were
agitated as if they dreaded fomething as
ominous, as the ancients have reprefented
the Looks of their old Magicians to have
been. They bit their Lips, and roll'd
their Eyes, fometimes foftly, then with a
briſker Motion, and appearing to be much
fhock'd and embarrafs'd, they primm'd
up themſelves; and, cafting their Eyes
downwards, laugh'd ridiculously: And,
in fhort, fo long as the little Horn is
fix'd upon them, their Countenances.
chang'd Colour, like the Camelion. One
can eaſily enough difcern their Confu-
fion; and their different Agitations are fo
expreffive, that thofe, who underſtand
nothing of this mute Language, may
eafily
Philofophical Vifions.
61
eafily comprehend that they mean to ſay,
I fear you do not find me fo handſome as you
expected.
I alſo perceiv'd, among theſe People,
ſome who pretended to affume the Ap-
pearance of Learning, and Eloquence.
Their Salutation was, by clafping and
fhaking of Hands; yet, though they did
not ogle, as the former; their Conduct
appear'd not much lefs ridiculous: For
they frequently ftamp'd with their Feet,
and laugh'd, without any one's knowing
wherefore; walking fometimes gently,
fometimes ſwiftly; and, by their infig-
nificant, unmeaning Air, they might well
be taken for Neapolitan Peasants bit by the
Tarantula; who, every Inftant, run into
fome new Species of Folly.
At the Thoughts of being furrounded
by a Set of People fo vain and trifling,
I awoke; and am perfuaded, that one
may find, among the major Part of the
Beaux and Coquettes of the prefent
Age, the perfect Copy of thefe People,
Speaking by Grimace and Geftures, ap-
proaching nearer to the Nature of Au-
tomatons,
62
Philofophical Vifions.
tomatons, and Puppets, than Humanity:
If it be true, that Reafon is the Ef-
fence of that Humanity fo much diſho-
nour'd by the Manners of three-fourths
of Mankind.
:
V I-
Philofophical Vifions.
63
***
** ***
I
VISION IX.
Imagin'd that I ſaw a great Oak in the
Middle of a large Field: I admir'd
its Height with Pleaſure, at the fame
Time reflecting on the Grandeur of the
Roots that ſupported fo great a Trunk.
While I was abforb'd in thefe Ideas, I
obferv'd a Number of Fawns and Sa-
tyrs, who, with each a Reed in his Hand,
prepar'd and attempted to fell the Tree.
Their Folly much amaz'd me! At the
firſt Blow they ftruck, a Sage, whom I
diſcover'd amongst them, exclaim'd, with
fome. Warmth; "What is it
"What is it you would
"do? Say, what is your Deſign? Are
ye fo weak as to imagine, that ye can, in
"that Manner, execute the Enterprize ye
"have undertaken?"" We would,"
reply'd they," pull down this Tree, and
< 6
we are determin'd to effect it. For a
"long Time it has obftructed our View,
"and we can fuffer it no longer; for it
"feems
7
64
Philofophical Vifions.
"feems to brave, by its Elevation, all the
"Underwoods that we protect." At
thefe Words, the Fawns and Satyrs fell to
Work, with much Vehemence, upon the
Tree, and beat down fome of the Bark
which the Rain had before loofen'd, and
was ready of itſelf to have fallen off.
(6
Behold," cries the Combatants, “al-
ready is the most difficult Part of our
"Labour accomplish'd, the Bark falls,
"and the Tree begins to tremble;" the
Sage, who had before mock'd them,
laugh'd again at their obftinate Credulity;
"That which ye are about to do," faid
he," will prove your Confufion, and the
Moment of your Shame is haftening on."
Nor was it long before this Prediction was
fulfill'd; for the incens'd Satyrs redoubled
their Blows on the Trunk of the decorti-
cated Tree, which, being fo much harder,
fhiver'd their Reeds to Pieces, without
making the leaft Impreffion, or imprint-
ing the Mark of a fingle Blow on the of-
fending Oak.
I then heard a Voice exclaim, in the
following Terms; "Ye ignorant, mif-
guided Deities, learn to refpect a God
who is fuperior to you; I protect this
“ Tree,
66
Philofophical Vifions.
65
"Tree, I ordain'd it to grow and increaſe
"thus largely. Ye attempted not to re-
"duce it in its infant State, and would
ye
now, when it has attain'd its full Vi-
"gour, execute fo vain a Project? As a
"Puniſhment to your Folly, I condemn
66
you, henceforth, to murmer at every
Thing that is Good and Praife-worthy;
"and ye fhall be like the Ruſhes ye have
"fo vainly broken, which the leaſt Blaſt
"will agitate, the leaft Blow will cruſh,
"which cannot withstand the fligheſt At-
66 tack, but tremble at the Breath of the
"moſt gentle Zephyr."
Ye jealous Authors, ye pretended Wits,
who endeavour to eſtabliſh your own, by
leffening the Reputation of other Men,
my Dream alludes to you; learn from
this Example, be convinc'd that your De-
figns are vain and fooliſh, and muſt only
terminate in your own Confufion; which,
if Pride would let you fo apply it, were
fufficient Puniſhment.
There are thofe, who, with great Dili-
gence fearch every Opportunity, and lay
hold of every Occafion to difparage Wri-
ters;
66
Philofophical Vifions.
ters; they will, perhaps, lay to my Charge
an infupportable Pride, pretending, that
in this Dream, I have only endeavour'd
to flatter myself; but I will not ſo much
contemn the Public, as to imagine, or be-
lieve them capable of paying any Atten-
tion to a Reproach fo ill founded; becauſe
I infer, that ignorant Critics ought not to
attack the Reputation of good Authors;
Muft I be accus'd of Vanity and Self-
praife? If fo, Lè Fontaine is very culpa-
ble for having written his ingenious Fa-
ble of the Adder, who broke his Teeth
in attempting to bite a File; Had this
great Author a Defign to flatter or praiſe
his own Works, becauſe he concludes that
Fable with the following Words?
Te Critics of the lower Clafs,
This Tale to you I write;
Ye weak, ye envious nibbling Race,
Who vent on all, your Spite.
How weak the Toil! the Power how ſcant!(a)
With brazen Teeth to wound, the Steel or
Adamant.
What
Ceci s'adreffe à vous, efprits du dernier ordre,
Qui, n'étant bons à rien, cherchez fur tout à mordre.
Vous
Philofophical Vifions.
76
What have I faid more than, Lè Fontaine ?
And, if he is no Way culpable, who ſhall
pretend to affirm that I am? But what are
they that condemn me? are they Divinities,
that hold in their Hands the Hearts of
Men? Do they penetrate the Conſciences,
and fee through Mens Intentions? Neither:
On what Grounds then will they determine,
that in a general Reflexion we pretend to
talk of ourſelves?
l'ous vous tourmentez vainement;
Croicz-vous que vos dents impriment leurs outrages
Sur tant de beaux Ouvrages ?
Ils font pour vous d'airain, d'acier, de diamant.
VI
68
Philofophical Vifions.
VISION X.
I Conceited myſelf in a fine Garden, in-
clos'd by a quick-fet Hedge, and fepa-
rated thereby from an extenſive Plain, or
Orchard, full of the most delicious Fruit,
which appear'd, to me, much more beau-
tiful than thoſe in my own Garden. I
had a great Defire to leave my Retreat
for that more unbounded Plain, but the
Hedge intercepted my Paffage; I ima-
gin'd that I had dwelt in this Solitude
many Years.
One Day, animated by an
earneft Defire of tafting the Fruit of the
Orchard, I made feveral ineffectual Ef-
forts to break the Hedge. I beheld, of
a fudden, a Whirlwind of Smoke arife
from the Earth, which difappearing, I
perceiv'd a young Woman neatly and
plainly drefs'd, who, nevertheleſs, had
fomething of Enchantment in her Coun-
tenance; ſhe was ferious without the leaft
Appearance of Sadnefs, and had an Air
of
Philofophical Vifions.
69
of Satisfaction and Tranquility, feldom to
be met with in the Female Sex; her Man-
ner appear'd, at once, engaging and unaf-
fected, her Gait was alfo uniform and na-
tural. She approach'd, and thus addrefs'd
me: "I am the Goddefs of Solitude,
"and have always protected you, becauſe
"I delight in doing good to thoſe, who
"fix their Minds, like you, on folid Joys.
"I have this Day, with great Regret, ob-
"obferv'd you endeavouring to abandon
"this calm Retreat, for the Pleaſure of
(6
wandering in that vaſt Plain, which you
"have view'd and confider'd with fuch
"Attention. You much deceive your-
"felf if you judge of the Goodneſs of
"the Fruit, which you fee there, by its
"beautiful Appearance; that Appear-
"ance is flattering and deceitful, the
"Fruits of your own Garden are infi-
nitely more fweet, for though the others
"feem ripe and delicious to the Eye, they
are all Bitterneſs and Acidity, of which
fhall no fooner have tafted, than
"you will feverely repent your having
preferr❜d them, to thoſe you have fed
"on in this Retreat."
6.6
(C
'
you
The
70
Philofophical Vifions.
The Difcourfe of the Goddefs had fo
good an Effect on me, that I determin'd
to abandon all Thoughts of deferting my
Garden; but ſhe had no fooner quitted
me, and diſappear'd, than I again turn'd
my Eyes towards the Orchard, the Fruit
now appear'd more beautiful than ever,
and exaggerated the Temptation, yet I
dared not again attempt to break the
Hedge; the Fear that the Goddeſs would
return, and reproach me for the little Va-
lue I fet on her Advice, deterring me.
In this Situation of Mind, another Fe-
male appear'd fuddenly before me; fhe
had a ſprightly Air, but in the Moment
the appear'd moft merry, would fall in-
ſtantly into Sadnefs; fhe pronounc'd one
Word fmiling, the next fighing, and feem-
ed, indeed, of a moft ftrange inconftant
Difpofition. She was elegantly attir'd,
but her Cloaths were fo rich and unwiel-
dy, that every Moment one would have
expected that ſhe would fink beneath their
Weight. I know," faid fhe, "the very
"Bottom of your Heart, and can read
66
your moft fecret Thoughts, liften not to
"vain Council, thirft not for empty Praiſe,
" fol-
Philofophical Vifions.
71
"follow me into the Orchard, and fatiate
"your Defire." At thefe Words fheftruck
the Hedge with a golden Rod fhe carry'd
i her Hand, and inftantly the Inclofure
gave Way, and there was a large Open-
ing, through which I rufh'd into the
Plain. The Moment I enter'd, I ran to
the firft Tree, and pluck'd fome Pears,
which I thought excell'd any Thing of the
Kind in my own Garden; "The Goddefs
"of Solitude, (cried 1) mock'd, and was
playing with me, fhe would have amus'd
"and deceiv'd me, to keep me in eternal
Bondage. I eat of the Fruit of ſeveral
"Trees which appear'd equally delicious."
cc.
While I was thus engag'd in taſting the
Variety of Fruit that prefented themſelves.
to me, I perceiv'd the Hedge which in-
clos'd my forfaken Garden, was fuddenly
converted into a Wall of Iron; my peace-
ful Retreat I now faw for ever intercept-
ed; at firft, indeed, I found fufficent Con-
folation in the Charms of my new Abode,
but too foon I harbour'd other Senti-
ments.
In Proportion as I advanc'd in the
Plain, the Property of the Fruit was in-
tirely
72
Philofophical Vifions.
tirely alter'd, they were all become either
four or bitter; I return'd then to thoſe
which I at firſt taſted, they alfo, not-
withstanding they were before ſo fweet,
were become as bad. All that I now eat
was of a naufeous dreadful Tafte; I be-
gan to reflect, that for not having follow-
ed the Advice of the Goddeſs, I was pu-
nish'd with having no Nouriſhment but
the foureſt and auftereſt Fruits: I deplor'd
my Misfortunes, and earneſtly wiſh'd to
return to my own Garden, but the Wall
which furrounded it, render'd the Accefs
impoffible. Cruſh'd with fo mortal a Cha-
grin, there remain'd now no Gleam of
Hope, no comfortable Ray. I was Night
and Day wandering in a wide Plain, a Ha-
bitation which was become infupportable
to me, the Care and Anxiety with which
I was hourly tormented, would afford me
no Leiſure to recollect thofe pleafing Re-
flexions, which entertained me, and, as it
were, abſorb'd my Ideas, in that delight-
ful loft Retirement; it appear'd to me
that I had no longer the fame Heart, or
the fame Mind, and that the Bitterneſs
and
Philofophical Vifions.
73
and Acidity of the Fruits, whereon I fed,
had influenc'd both the one and the other.
One Day when I was thus abforb'd in
reflecting on my Misfortunes, I advanc'd
farther in the Plain, than I had ever done
before; I perceiv'd that it was bounded
by a vaſt River, beyond which there were
a great Number of Gardens, like that
which I had forfaken. I haftened to the
Side of this River, with a Defign to fee
if it was paffable; the Shore was very ſteep,
the Water was dirty, and the Stream ra-
pid; the Hopes of croffing fo dangerous
a Flood, vaniſh'd at the Sight; but my
Defire to quit that detefted Place, recall'd
my Refolution, and made me determine
to combat all Difficulties. I threw my-
felf into the Water, and was much afto-
niſh'd to ſee it, as I enter'd, much abated
in Rapidity, and its Width alſo contract-
ed. As I approach'd the wifh'd for Shore,
leaving the fatal Plain behind, the Water
ſtill diminiſh'd, and became leſs rapid;
in the Middle of the River it ſcarcely wet-
ted my Knees; at laft I reach'd the fur-
ther Shore, and enter'd one of the Gar-
E
dens,
74
Philofophical Vifions.
dens, the Hedge opening of itſelf to let
me pafs. I turn'd me round, and all the
Trees in the Plain I had quitted, were
that Inftant metamorphos'd into Men.
I awoke at that uncommon Incident,
and have learnt from my Dream, that
true Happineſs exifts only in Retirement,
and that thofe, who being feduc'd and hur-
ry'd away by the flattering chimerical
Ideas which form the great World, idly
quit that Solitude, will heartily repent
their Journey into Life. They may be fa-
tisfied, however, if they know how to con-
quer thoſe Difficulties, which, to them,
appear confiderable, but are much eaſier
to be furmounted, than is to be recover-
ed their former Tranquility. The Bands
which unite us to the World, have not
that Force which our Imaginations give
them; the People will blame us (fay fome)
if we live in a clofe retired Way, but what
avails to a Man, who would think and act
with Senfe and Propriety, the Opinion of
thoſe who are ignorant of true Happineſs
and Wiſdom?
Many
Philofophical Vifions.
75
Many People know the Folly of their
Prejudicies, and yet, during their whole
Life, through an inconceivable Foiblefs,
live the Dupes of thofe very Prejudices.
The Fear of diſpleaſing Fools, has made
many Men of Underſtanding unhappy,
and the Ambition of Applaufe has made
many great Men commit great Errors.
E 2
V I.
76
Philofophical Vifions.
I
VISION XI.
WAS firmly perfuaded, that the Eyes
of all the human Species were Glafs, and
that thoſe of many, produc'd, in every Re-
fpect, the Effects of the Microfcope; to theſe
People the moſt trifling Objects appear
inconceivably Great; an Ant, in their
Eyes, feems as tall as an Elephant; their
Minds, accuftom'd to the Largeneſs of the
Objects reprefented to them, confider,
alfo, all Things as if they were an hundred
Times more confiderable then they really
are. I obſerv'd one of theſe Microfcopifts
entertaining a ſmall Audience, and had
the Curioſity to liften; he was talking of a
General who had made himſelf Mafter of
a Caſtle, defended by three-hundred Men;
and he related the Circumſtances of this
Siege as pompously, and with as much
Prolixity and Aggravation, as Homer the
Siege of Troy. A Moment after, another
of them made an Eulogium in the Stile of
Tra-
Philofophical Vifions.
77
Trajan's Panegyric, on a Prince who had
given a Piece of thirty Pence to a Beggar ;
and though the State of this Prince was
not of the Extent of more than twelve
Leagues, he compar'd his Power to that
of Auguſtus, and fcrupled not to infer in
his Allufion to the Prince's Bounty, that,
in Imitation of Titus, he counted his Days
by his good Deeds. I liften'd to thefe
Eulogiums with Surprize, and was fud-
denly alarm'd by the Cries of a Man, who
exclaim'd, "All is loft, the State is ar-
"riv'd at its utmoſt Period, the Enemy
"have penetrated to the Heart of the
CC
Kingdom;" which, fo defperate Predic-
tion, had no other Foundation, than the
Taking a Redoubt, and the Lofs of an
hundred Men.
I was endeavouring to encourage the af-
frighted Microfcopifts, when I beheld Ten
or Twelve ranging themfelves round one
who was reading a Score of ſmall Verſes;
I was defirous of underſtanding them, but
could comprehend nothing, my Ears were
often ftruck with a harfh Sound, but not
a ſingle Idea did it convey to my Mind,
nor could I retain in my Memory, after
hearing
E 3
78
Philofophical Vifions.
hearing this Lecture, any Thing but the
Words, Chloris, Hope, Defpair, Return, In-
fidelity, and the like, while the Microfco-
piſts extoll'd thefe Verfes, as if they had
been Abſtracts of the Eneid of Virgil, or
of the Phedra of Racine; one cries out,
This is Fine; another exclaim'd, This is Per-
fect; a Third, willing to exceed the for-
mer, cries out, with an enthuſiaſtic Rap-
ture, This is Divine!
I could not recover the Surpriſe that the
Judgment of theſe Microfcopifts created in
me, and I imagin'd I could reap more
Advantage by frequenting another Claſs
of Men, call'd the Concavists, whofe Eyes
are form'd (like the Myopes Glaffes) con-
cave on both Sides, and every Object ap-
pears to them much smaller than they
really are; their Minds are accuſtom❜d to
think of fpiritual Things, as their Eyes
judge of the material; a Perſon was rela-
ting to them, the Lofs of a Place which
muſt endanger the whole Province, the
Concavifts laugh'd the Speaker to Scorn,
and treated the Affair as a mere Trifle;
another, to whom one was Talking of the
Grandeur of Lewis XIV, regarded it as a
Thing
Philofophical Vifions.
79
Thing little more confiderable than the
Fame of a Sovereign, who prefided over
ten or twelve Pariſhes.
I found theſe Men more fingular and
ridiculous than the former, great Things
appear'd not only moderate, but even mean
in their Eyes. Homer, Virgil, and Horace,
were confider'd, by them, as Poets of no
Reputation; the Firft offended againſt
common Senfe, the Second had no Dig-
nity of Character, and the Third, had no
Delicacy. The Moderns fuffer yet more
than the Antients, in the Opinion of the
Concavists, the best of whom they repre-
fent as ſcarcely fufferable; in fhort, the
moſt eminent Merit becomes in their Sight
very inconfiderable, and a Merit of the
fecond Clafs wholly diſappears.
Equally picqu'd with the Judgments
of the Concavists and Microfcopists, I en-
deavour'd to find a Clafs of Men whoſe
Sight was truer and more juft. After
much Labour, I perceiv'd certain Perfons
who look'd at every Object through long
Glaffes, by which Means, whatever they
view'd, was ſeen in a wrong Point of Light.
They always plac'd the Object to be view'd,
either
E 4
80
Philofophical Vifions.
either clofe to the Eye, or at a very great
Diſtance; one could, therefore, never be
certain of any Thing among thefe People;
the fame Thing, which had one Moment
appear'd to them of great Confequence,
appearing the very next Inftant as inconfi-
derable, and they talk of Things accord-
ing to which End of the Glaſs is turn'd
next them.
The Spyers appear'd to me as ridicu-
lous, as the People of the former Claffes :
I was aftonifh'd, to fee how much the
Bleffing which Heav'n has beſtow'd on
Man, in granting him Eye-fight, was
abus'd and render'd uſeleſs. I awoke with
theſe Reflexions, and recollected a Verſe
of Moliere, very applicable to the Pur-
port of my Dream :
How err Mankind from Reafon's happy
Mean!
In ev'ry Allion, (fordid, or obscene)
They flatter idly, or condemn with Spleen. (a)
(a) C'est que morbleu jamais les hommes n'ont raison,
Et que je vois qu'ils font fur toutes les affaires,
Loueurs impertinens, ou cenfeurs témérairés.
V I-
Philofophical Vifions.
8F
JA NK NA NA NA K
VISION XII.
I THOUGHT myſelf in a great
Theatre, where they were playing a
Comedy call'd Human Nature; or, The
Life of Man. The Actors were ſuperbly
drefs'd: They ſeem'd to entertain a great
Idea of their Profeffion, and often affum'd
an Air of Superiority over their Audience.
When the Spectators thought proper to
condemn the Carriage of any Comedian,
if they were perceiv'd, the Actors ex-
pell'd them with Ignominy, and treated
them as if they had been guilty of Blaf-
phemy, or fpeaking with Difrefpect of
facred Perfons. Nevertheless, there was
frequently heard a loud hiffing in the Pit,
which extremely mortify'd the Stage He-
roes. They made many vain Attempts
to difcover the Hiffers; but they had fo
conceal'd themſelves, as to be impercep-
tible. I obferv'd, that whenever a Co-
median committed a Fault, and a Perfon
hifs'd
E 5
82
Philofophical Vifions:
hifs'd artfully, the whole Pit ſeem'd de-
lighted; and the Anger of feveral, who
were frequently hifs'd, diverted them
much.
But thefe, at length, became much ex-
afperated; and they made, among the
Audience, the strictest Scrutiny to dif
cover the Offenders: Yet they endea-
vour'd not to correct thofe Faults which
drew on them this Cenfure, nor, in any
Refpect, to play their Parts better: But,
adding Mifprifion to Choler, they affected
often to commit thofe very Faults, which
occafion'd them to be hifs'd. I remark❜d,
that all the good Comedians fhew'd a
great deal of Regard to the Critics.
Thefe, when they were cenfur'd for any
trifling Faults, far from mifunderſtand-
ing the Difgrace of being hifs'd, endea-
vour'd to amend, and fhew'd not the leaft
Refentment for the Affront they receiv'd.
'Tis true, they waited not long for Con-
folation: For, whenever they perform'd
their Parts well, the Audience juftly ap-
plauded them, by clapping of Hands.
Thefe Applaufes were equally mifunder-
ſtood, by the bad Players; and it feem'd,
to
Philofophical Vifions.
83
to me, that they were angry with their
Companions for being fenfible of the
Friendſhip and Efteem of the Audience.
They difdainfully elevated their Shoul-
ders, at the fame Time laughing, with
Scorn and Indignation. The Glory of
being applauded by the Public, appear'd,
to them, a grofs Affront: One might fee,
that they imagin'd themfelves to be per-
fect Gods; and that it became weak Mor-
tals to adore their Decrees, but not to ex-
amine the Reafon, or the Caufe.
Equally furpris'd to fee the Comedians
mifinterpret the Applaufe, and refent the
Cenfures of the Public; I endeavour'd
to learn the Caufe which gave thefe Act-
ors fo much Pride and Authority. "Cuf
"tom," fays one (of whom I inquir'd
concerning this Matter),
"has appropri-
"ated this Theatre chiefly to the Ufe of
"thofe who rife and obtain a Settlement
"in it: Which being inherited by the
66
Right of Birth, or obtain'd from the
"Intereft of thofe who have the fole
"Power of placing them there; the
"Actors have affum'd a Right of play-
<<
ing their Parts in what Manner they
£ 6
6.6
pleafe
84
Philofophical Vifions.
66
66
"pleafe. They have ufurp'd an abfolute
Sovereignty over their Spectators; who,
on the other Hand, have not the leaſt
Authority to hifs, on the Rifque of
being puniſh'd, whatever Reaſon they
may have, in other Refpects, to do
66 it."
<c
66
I awoke; reflecting, that, in this Life,
the Great are the Comedians, and we the
Spectators; who cannot, without Danger,
cenfure their Folly, whatever Enormities.
they may be guilty of. And I am con-
vinc'd, that thofe, only, who are truly
virtuous, build their Glory on the Love
of the Public; and that thofe, who do
not, affect to miſunderſtand it. Titus
and Marcus Aurelius lov'd their Subjects,
and were therefore ador'd by all; Lewis
ftudies the Felicity of France; Frederic
that of Pruffia; and they are equally Ob-
jects of their People's Love: Caligula and
Domitian difregarded Mankind; and they,
in their Turns, were equally detefted.
Ancient and modern Hiftory affure us,
that all Princes, who have refembled thofe
two Roman Emperors, have not been more
happy, nor lefs defpis'd.
V I-
Philofophical Vifions.
85
I
VISION XIII.
SLEPT profoundly; and, in my
Dream, was firmly perfuaded, that I
had no Body. My Soul (I thought) was
in a great Sea; in the Middle of which
it fwam, with many other Spirits, that ap-
pear'd to be form'd like thofe little An-
gels often reprefented by Painters, in their
moft celebrated Pieces, having only a
Head fupported by two Wings. I thought
myſelf, alfo, converted to fuch an one;
and congratulated the Liberty I enjoy'd;
'which appear'd, to me, the State of per-
fect Glory. By the Help of my two
Wings (which enabled me, alternately, to
fwim or fly), I rais'd myſelf fometimes
from the Water, and flew over a vaft
Expanfe of Air. I difcover'd and ad-
mir'd the Order and Arrangement of
the celeftial Globes; beheld the Caufe of
the different. Revolutions of the Stars,
and meaſur'd their Courfes; then, plun-
ging
86 Philofophical Vifions.
ging again into the Water, contemplated
on the Wonders which the Sea hides in its
Womb, or fecret Caverns. And there
I thought I saw a Thouſand fearful Wrecks,
A Thousand Men that Fishes gnaw'd upon;
Wedges of Gold, great Anchors,Heaps of Pearl,
Ineſtimable Stones, unvalu’d Jewels ;
Some lay in dead Men's Skulls, and in thofe Holes
Where Eyes did once inhabit, there were crept,
As 'twere in fcorn of Eyes, reflecting Gems,
That woo'd the flimy Bottom of the Deep,
And mock'd the dead Bones that lay scatter'd by.
In fhort, all the Secrets of Nature were
expos'd to my View; and I ow'd to my
Liberty, the Knowledge of that divine
Harmony which fupports the Univerſe.
All the Spirits who inhabited that vaft
Element, wherein I made my common
Sojourn, were as happy as myſelf, and
inceffantly congratulated themſelves on
their blissful State. When we had been
fome Time together, one of them thus
addrefs'd me: "Brother," fays he, "the
"Felicity, which we enjoy, is too great to
"be the Lot of every Spirit: There are
cer-
Philofophical Vifions.
87
<<
certainly fomewhere many Beings, much
"lefs favour'd than we: Let us therefore
"traverſe this immenfe Ocean, and fearch
"if we cannot find thofe Spirits who are
"lefs happy, and lefs enlighten'd, than
"ourſelves; perhaps we may find fome
"who are more fo: In that Cafe, we
may profit from their Luftre and Ex-
ample. Let us, in fhort, fee, if there
be other Spirits, whether they are more
"or lefs happy than we."
'
I confented, with Pleaſure, to the Pro-
pofal; and, after having ſwam, during a
Period of Time which feem'd to be not
leſs than two Years, we perceiv'd a great
Space of Sea furrounded by a Net, which
made, as it were, a Park, or Incloſure, in
the Middle of the Waves: In this Space
were impriſon'd, a great Number of Spi-
rits, who appear'd, to me, fo meagre and
emaciated, that I faid, to my Companion,
"Thefe Spirits have fomewhat the Na-
"ture of our Species; but it is, however,
impoffible, that theirs can be intirely
"of the Nature of our Souls. Do you
"not obferve how feeble they are? Their
"Wings are fo fmall, that they are fcarcely
66 per-
66
88
Philofophical Vifions.
"perceptible: They cannot elevate them-
"felves in the Air. Obferve," conti-
nu'd I, "how they fall down into the
"Water, when they attempt to fly.'
"That," fays my Companion,
<6
" is not
furpriſing. Do you not fee that there
" is a kind of Grate which confines them
"like Prifoners in their Habitation :
"They are furrounded, on all Sides, by
"Fillets and Net-work; fo that they can
"neither ſwim in the wide Sea, nor fly in
"the open Air."
The Moment my Comrade had fpoken
thus, I obſerv'd many of thefe captivated
Spirits pafs their Nofes through the Inter-
vals of the Net-work; which, I thought,
teſtify'd their eager Defire of playing in
(i. e. of regaining their) Liberty: It ap-
pear'd, alfo, that their Ambition of flying
in the Air confiderably increas'd when
they perceiv'd us; but they fail'd in all
their Attempts, and were forcibly drawn
back to the Middle of the Inclofure. We
now beheld a Woman fuddenly arife from
the Bottom of an Abyfs: She elevated
herſelf a little above the Water, and ap-
proach'd the Inclofure: She was arm'd
with
Philofophical Vifions.
89
with a flaming Torch. On a Fillet,
which was round the Middle of it, was
written, Superftition. Whenever ſhe per-
ceiv'd any Spirits put their Nofes without
the Bands, fhe ran to them, and burnt
them with her Torch: Nor dar'd any of
theſe unfortunate Beings, after her Ap-
pearance, venture to the Edge of their
Prifon, for fear of the like Puniſhment.
When this infernal Woman had thus
depriv'd thoſe Spirits of the little Shadow
of Liberty they had left, fhe open'd the
Net underneath, enter'd, and ſhut it care-
fully after her: She then call'd to her,
fome of theſe miferable Captives: They
were thoſe of them who had the meaneſt
and moft fordid Air. "I will make you,"
fays fhe," the Guardians of my Rights;
"and ye fhall be the Adminiſtrators of
<s
Juſtice in my Empire. I perceive, that
"the Defire of raiſing themſelves above
"the Element, allotted to Spirits, has
"prompted many, amongst you, fre-
"quently to protrude their Noſes thro'
"the Bands; which, fhould they break,
66
they would not be fafe, but might loſe
"themfelves in the unknown Regions
" which
90
Philofophical Vifuns.
"which abound with Genii, who, conti-
CC
nually revelling in a pernicious, un-
“bounded, dangerous Freedom, pretend
"to rival and imitate the Gods, in their
"audacious Enterprizes.
“To obviate, therefore, fuch great and
"hazardous Abuſes, I have determin'd
"to eftablish you Cenfors of the Mind.
"Ye fhall be employ'd in intangling and
"(
intercepting the Knowledge of what-
"ever might tend to elevate the Mind,
"or infpire it with too much Grandeur:
"Ye fhall prevent, as much as poffible,
"the Knowledge of all metaphyfic
"Truths: Ye fhall fupprefs, with the
"utmoſt Diligence, and load with great
"Difficulties, all (and but with much
"Reluctance approve any of) the new
phyfical Diſcoveries that have the leaft
"Relation with the Sentiments that would
"deftroy thofe Prejudices which are ne-
દ
66
ceffary to confirm Spirits in the Belief
"of what I infpire."
After having thus inftructed and eſta-
blish'd her Cenfors, the Fiend created an-
other Employment, to which ſhe gave the
Title of Doctor. The Spirits, who exer-
cis'd
Philofophical Vifions.
cis'd this Function, were employ'd in pre-
paring of Philtres, the Venom of which
would remove from the Mind, all the
Ideas of Liberty; and reconcile it to a
Bondage in which it retain'd no Senfe of
its unhappy Situation. When theſe Doc-
tors have compos'd their Philtres, they
infuſe them through the Noftrils into the
Brain of thoſe whom they were order'd to
make ftupid: And they call this horrid
Operation, the Art of fuggefting Thoughts
conformable to the Good of the State, and of
learning to fubdue Reafon.
In a fhort Time after theſe Eſtabliſh-
ments were made among the impriſon'd
Spirits, Three-fourths of theſe unhappy
Beings no longer retain'd any Knowledge
of their ſpiritual Effence: They forgot
(if I may be allow'd the Expreſſion), per-
fectly forgot themſelves, and no longer
endeavour'd to acquire Notions which
might elevate their Minds to Contempla-
tions truly uſeful and fublime. Their
chief, and, indeed, only Employment,
was, to compoſe a merry Tale, to cloak
a fharp Quibble in an Epigram, or Ma-
drigal; but their higheft Excellence lay
in
92
Philofophical Vifions.
in a Ballad; and the moft diftinguifh'd
Genii of the Inclofure, thofe amongſt
them who were deem'd fublime, were fuch
as, in the Compaſs of a few Verfes, cou'd
ridicule the Misfortunes of their fellow
Creatures.
The infernal Goddefs (I had almoſt ſaid
the Fury) of Superftition, obferving the
Bondage into which fhe had drawn thofe
enflav'd Spirits, triumph'd over their
Misfortunes, and glory'd in having eſta-
blifh'd fuch Laws as fhe thought would
fubdue any Thing that might riſe to ſub-
vert her Empire.
But I faw, with an infinite Satisfaction,
that ſhe was miſtaken; and that amongſt
the Spirits, thus confin'd, there were
many who regretted the Lofs of their
Liberty: 'Tis true, they feldom dar'd to
put their Noſes through the Apertures of
the Net; becaufe fome, who had been
denounc'd guilty by the Cenfors, and pur-
fu'd by the Doctors, were moſt ſeverely
punifh'd. Sometimes they were ſhut
down in Cheſts, wherein they refpir'd
only by means of little Openings, made,
for that Purpoſe, in the Wood. In the
mean
Philofophical Vifions.
93
mean Time, all the Effect the Dread of
this Puniſhment could produce, on many
of the Genii, was, to guard them from
being tempted to incur the Diſpleaſure of
their infernal Perfecutors, and (making a
Virtue of Neceffity) to reft quietly in their
Confinement.
They took Care, however, to avoid
being poifon'd by the Philtres, which their
Doctors, by Violence, forc'd into their
Noftrils. Some firmly fhut their Nofes,
and the Liquor was forc'd back, fo that
none of it could reach the Brain: Others,
who, notwithſtanding their Precautions,
were fo unfortunate as not to be able to
defend themfelves intirely from the Poi-
fon, on perceiving any Attack, had Re-
courſe to certain Powders, which made
them freeze fo forcibly, that their Brain
was effectually purg'd. There were Ge-
nii who privately fold thefe Powders:
They were inclos'd in Packets, on which
were written the Names of the Chymifts
who compos'd them. I read, among
many different Infcriptions, the follow-
ing: Gaffendi, Bayle, Grotius, Puffendorf,
Locke, JEWISH, Chinese, Perfian, Vol-
taire
94 Philofophical Vifions.
taire (a), &c. whoever had recourſe to the
latter, inquir'd particularly, before they
us'd them, if they had been prepar'd any
Length of Time, thofe lately compos'd
by that Chymift being much adulterated;
Policy, and a Defire of pleafing, or per-
haps deceiving, the Cenfors, having
prompted him to mix, in his Antidotes,
many Ingredients which the Doctors em-
ploy, in the Compofition of their Poi-
fons. Among the different Powders, in
Ufe among the Genii, there was one
which had, indeed, a miraculous Virtue.
It reliev'd and recover'd them more furely
than any of the others: But this was only
proper for the more refin'd and delicate
Spirits, fuch as have a fprightly, pene-
trating, and extenſive Imagination: It
produc'd but little Effect on the Dull and
Phlegmatic. This was infcrib'd, Mon-
(a) In his Epiftle to Urania, Voltaire has ex-
prefs'd himself in Terms which he has contradicted
in fome of his later Writings. It appears, indeed,
that the Air he breathes in great meaſure influences
his Sentiments, at leaft his Expreffions. There is
a great Difference in his Parifian and Berlin Writ-
ings.
taigne.
Philofophical Vifions.
95
taigne. It was compos'd long before any
of the other Powders, and was of in-
finite Service to the Genii, who afterwards
compos'd them.
While I was admiring the different Ef-
fects of theſe falutary Powders, I awoke;
and could not but apply the Purport of
this ſtrange Viſion, to thoſe Countries
wherein Cenfors are appointed, not only
to prevent the Publication of bad Works,
capable of degrading the Tafte, or anni-
hilating the Underſtanding; but to fup-
prefs, likewife, all that are difpleafing to
certain opinionated MONKS and DOCTORS,
no less ignorant than fuperftitious.
V I-
96
Philofophical Vifions.
I
*
VISION XIV.
THOUGHT myſelf in a fine Hall,
built in Form of an Oval, and fu-
perbly ornamented: In it were plac'd many
Chairs of State, at unequal Diſtances;
theſe Chairs were occupied by Perſons
magnificently drefs'd; who were fur-
rounded by a numerous Crowd of At-
tendants, whoſe whole Employ was, to
wait on them. They had their Eyes al-
ways fix'd upon them, the more readily
to obferve and obey their Orders. The
moſt ſcrupulous Devotee is leſs reſerv'd,
and lefs humble, at the Foot of the Altar,
and before the facred Hoft, than theſe
Domeſtics, before their Maſters, notwith-
ſtanding many of thofe Maſters were only
a Species of the human Race without
Speech, and depriv'd alfo of fome of their
Members. Nevertheless, though they have
neither Tongue, nor Hands, nor Feet:
They give Audience, in great Form, to
thofe
Philofophical Vifions.
97
thoſe who come to addrefs them; they
receive alſo, in like State, the Memorials
which are preſented to them. When they
are to reply, one of the principal Do-
meſtics, who (is generally ſtil'd Favourite,
and) is always behind them, leaning on
the Back of the Chair, advances gravely,
takes his Tongue out of his Mouth, and
puts it into that of his Mafter, who then
ſpeaks juſt as the Favourite judges pro-
per: For as it is his Tongue that ſpeaks,
fo it is his Mind that dictates every An-
fwer; and my Lord lofes, with his
Tongue, the Ufe of his Voice. When
he wants to write, the fame Attendant
takes his Hand from his Arm, and fixes
it on that of his Mafter; who, accord-
ingly, writes as he fpoke: And if he has
Occafion to walk, he makes Ufe of the
fame faithful Domeftic's Feet.
Among the Perfons, feated in theſe
Chairs, the greateſt Number feem'd to
be of thoſe who acted only by their
Proxies, or us'd the Tongue and Hands
of their Favourites. But there were, alſo,
many Chairs occupied by fuch as not only
ſpoke and acted of themfelves, but like-
wife
F
9.8
Philofophical Vifions.
wife reftrain'd their Attendants from
fpeaking or acting, without expreſs Or-
ders: And I obferv'd, that the Perfons,
who attended round the Chairs occupied
by thofe Mafters who only made Uſe of
their own Tongue, and their own Hands,
had an Air infinitely more fatisfy'd than
they who waited on the Perfons who made
Uſe of thoſe of their Favourites; thefe
laft being oblig'd not only to fhew the fame
Reſpect to Idols, without Tongue, Hands,
or Feet, as the former do to their Supe-
riors: But it happens, alfo, that they
are forc'd to regard their Maſters Fa-
vourites as a Species of Divinities which
contain, within themſelves, the purer Ef-
fence of the Idol, of which Effence they
are the Repofitories. This double Sub-
jection gives, to thefe People, an Air of
Meannefs which the others have not.
I perceiv'd alſo, in the Hall, fome
Chairs, behind which a Woman waited,
in Capacity of Favourite; and whenever
the places her Tongue in the Mouth of
my Lord the Idol, he appears a very Wo-
man: He prattles impetuoufly, and fre-
quently talks without knowing what he
fays.
Philofophical Vifions.
99
fays. He is always ready to puniſh who-
ever the Woman, whofe Tongue he uſes,
loves not; or to recompence fome un-
deferving Domeſtic, who, by his mean
Servility, or Prefents, has found the Art
of pleaſing her.
But the most fingular Thing which I
faw in this Hall, was, a Woman who was
fighting, behind a Chair, with a Male
Favourite: She would have the Idol make
Ufe of her Tongue, and the Favourite,
on the other Hand, would have the Pre-
ference given to him. After an obftinate
and dubious Combat, the Woman con-
quer'd her Adverfary, by the Affiftance
of a Prieſt, to whom they gave the Title
of my Lord's Director; who, being join'd
with her, by his auxiliary Aid, gave her
the Power of overthrowing her Enemy.
When the other Attendants beheld the
Fall of their Chief, they rang'd them-
felves on each Side of the Woman and
the Director. I cou'd fee them earneſtly
flattering alternately, by their Geſtures.
and Diſcourſe, the Miſtreſs and the Prieſt.
They gallanted with her; with him, they
were Bigots; and form'd, as it were, a
Species
F 2
100
Philofophical Vifions.
Species of Worship compos'd of Co-
quetry, Libertinifm, Diffimulation, and
Hypocrify. Thefe equally ridiculous and
grotefque Objects ftruck my Senſes ſo as
to awake me; and I reflected, that thofe
People are extremely happy, who are go-
vern'd by a Prince that makes Uſe of his
own Tongue, and his own Hands; and is
neither directed by his Minifters or Mi-
ftrefs.
}
V.I-
Philofophical Vifions.
101
I
VISION XV*.
HAD no fooner fallen afleep, than I
thought I beheld a large and bright
Cloud, out of which came a Man, who,
addreffing me with a graceful Air, faid
thus: "I am Racine, come from the Ely-
""
<<
fian Shades: I have obtain'd Leave of
"the Gods, to revifit the Earth for three
"Months, to learn the State and Pro-
grefs of the Belles Lettres: All the il-
"luftrious Authors who were my Cotem-
"poraries, Despereaux, Corneil, with whom
"I am, at this Time, very intimate; Le
"Fontaine, Moliere, Le Bruyere, and many
"other Authors, who, no doubt, are yet
"efteem'd as much as in their Life-time;
expect, with Impatience, the Report I
* As this Viſion merely relates to the French Lan-
guage, it was neceffary, for the Ufe of thoſe who
underftand that Tongue, to add, by way of Note, all
the Quotations our Author makes Ufe of; that they
may be the better able to enjoy the Spirit of his Rail-
lery:
F 3
"thall
102
Philofophical Vifions.
fhall make, at my Return, concerning
"the Merit of thoſe Writers who fucceed
"them."
After I was a little recover'd from my
Surprize, I thought myſelf much ho-
nour'd, in the Vifit of fo great a Poet;
and, particularly, in the Preference which
he had given me, to other Authors. But
as I am a zealous Admirer of the eloquent
Diction of many modern Writers, who
have much imbellifh'd our Language by
inriching it with an infinite Variety of
new Words, and Turns of Phrafe, equally
energic and ingenious; I found the Fa-
fhion of Racine's Difcourfe lefs elegant: I
thought, alfo, his Dialect had fomething
of Rufticity in it, which favour'd of the
Vulgar; I therefore refolv'd to let him
find, by the Manner in which I anſwer'd
him, that he muft, on his Return to
Earth, talk very differently from what he
us'd when he was before an Inhabitant of
it. "It is a great Glory for me," fays I,
"that you have given me the Preference
"of all our faliant Spirits (a), to inſtruct
66
you in that which you defire to know:
*
(a) D'Efprits faillans. Difc. Fam. du C.
"You
Philofophical Vifions.
103
"You make me, in an Inftant, far greater
"than I was during my whole Life; and
66
<<
they may now fay of me, what a certain
"Author fays of the Cedar, that (a) it
grows more in an Aurora, than the Hyffop
"in a Year. When I have the Felicity
"to behold fo great a Poet as yourſelf,
"all my Senfes are abſorb'd in Joy:
"For your charming Diſcourſe paints Rap-
"tures to my Ears; and the lively Colours
66
of your Complexion delight my Eyes (b)
"Methinks I hear you pronouncing Ade-
ges(c), in the Middle of the Poets who
"live in the delightful Shades of Elyfium.
"Undoubtedly you prefide at the Court
"of happy Bards: One may apply to
"you, what one of our modern Authors
has faid of the old King of Troy;
(a) Qu'il croit plus dans une aurore, que l'hyſope en une
annie. Paraphr. de Gracien, pag. 268.
مع
(b) Vos difcours charmans peignent à mon oreille;
les vives couleurs de votre teint content à mes yeux. La
Mothe, Fabl. 18. Liv. 4.
(c) Il me femble de vous oüir prononcer des adages,
(d) au milieu des Poëtes qui vivent dans le délicieux
Eliffée. Ibid. Fabl. 14. Liv. 3.
F 4
"There
104
Philofophical Vifions.
>
"There (a) Priam liften'd to the venerable
"Court of Chiefs that be confulted."
I made no doubt, but Racine would
greatly admire my eloquent Compliment;
but my Surprize was very great, when he
anfwer'd me, laughing; "What does all
"this pompous Nonfenfe mean? Do you
"think I have forgotten my native Lan-
<<
guage, becaufe, in the other World, I
"have had Opportunities of converfing
"with Arabian and Perfian Authors? I
tr
thought you would have fpontaneouſly
"recited a Chapter of the Alcoran, or
"fome Verfes of the SUMA. Leave, I
(6
*
pray you, this Oriental Stile: Let us
"talk naturally, and to be underſtood,
"with Facility."
The abrupt Sincerity of Racine moſt
fenfibly piqu'd me: I took it ill, that he
treated as barbarous, a Language which I
had felected from Authors of the greateſt
Reputation: And I anſwer'd him fourly,
"If your Difcourfe be antiquated, it is
"not my Fault; much lefs, if you will
"not endeavour to improve yourſelf, fo
(a) Là Priam écoutoit la vénérable cour des chefs qu'il
confultoit. Là Mothe Iliade, Liv. 3. pag. 44.
"as
Philofophical Vifions.
105
"as to be able to frequent the Wits and
"brilliant Spirits of the prefent Age,
"without appearing ridiculous: You will
46 vainly affirm to them, that you under-
"ftand the Language while you talk thus;
they will regard you as a Clown, whoſe
"barbarous Dialect would corrupt their
"Stile."
66
"What!" reply'd Racine, with Afto-
nishment, "do the People, whom you
"now call good Authors, write as you
talk?" "Certainly," anfwer'd I. "If
you do not mock me," reply'd the old
Poet, "
you may justly fay, that I muſt
"learn the Language of your modern
"Wits; for it is as different from that
"us'd in my Time, as the Latin us'd by
"the Writers of the third and fourth Cen-
t
tury of the Roman Empire, differs from
"that us'd by the Writers of the Court
"of Auguftus. But tell me, pray, do all
6c
Authors, now-a-days, make Uſe of this
"fine Language, which you think polite,
"and I ridiculous?" "No," anfwer'd I,
"there are yet fome old ones who had the
"Misfortune to live in the Time of your
"Friend Defperaux, who write in the fame
"Man-
F 5
106
Philofophical Vifions.
"Manner, as they wrote and talk'd among
"you. There is a certain Abbè d'Olivet."
k
"Ho, ho, I know," fays Racine, inter
66
rupting me, they fay he has written
"againſt me." "That's true," fays I;
"but he has alfo written againft Là Bru-
66
.
yere, against Bayle, againſt Tourneil, a-
gainft Là Fontaine, againft"-" How?"
replies Racine, "Does this Man write
"against all the World?" "O no," an-
fwer'd I;" he has made, in his Hiftory
"of the Academy of France, the Eulo-
CC
..
gium of Cotin (a); as alfo of Chape-
lain (b). He has given two long De-
"tails on the Merit of thofe Authors."
That's enough," fays Racine; "I am
"not forry, that a Man of fo degenerate,
"fo mean a Tafte, fhould write in a dif-
"ferent Stile from me, and my Cotempo-
"raries." "Quite the contrary," an-
fwer'd I; "he is one of the Authors whofe
"Stile neareſt reſembles the Writers whom
(a) Hiftoire de l'Académie Françoife, pag. 191. &
fuivantes. Confuliez, fur les éloges de Cotin & de Cha-
pelain par l'Abbé d'Olivet; Le fecond Tome de la Cri-
tique du Siécle, Lettre 17.
(b) Ibid. pag. 148. & fuivantes.
❝ we
i
Philofophical Vifions.
107
i
"we regard as the best of your Age. His
Stile is as elegant, if we may believe.
the Admirers of the old Language, as
"that of Cicero, whofe Works he has
"tranſlated into French." "But why,
"then," fays Racine, " does he blame
"Authors, whom he has before juſtify'd
"and defended?" " Through Vanity,"
anfwer'd I," or perhaps to appear more
"learned and enlighten'd than thoſe Au-
"thors." "O! what an evil Vanity!"
fays Racine: "But," continued he, "is
"there then none but this Abbé, who
"write in the Language of the Age of
"Lewis the Fourteenth "We have
"yet," anfwer'd I, "fome other Wri-
"ters of that Stamp. The principal are;
"a Prefident, Author of the Perfian Let-
“ters; a Bard, who has written an Epic
r
'
Poem on the League; two more Poets,
"of whom one is the Author of the
Tragedies of Electra and Rhodomifte;
"the other, of the Tragedy of Guſtavus
"Vaſſa (a). I could perhaps name you
"four
(a) Thefe four Authors are, Meffieurs Le Prefident
de Moatefqaiou, Voltaire, Crabillon, and Pyron.
F 6
One
108
Philofophical Vifions.
"four or five more."
"I know," fays
the Poet," all the Works
"all
tr
you mention;
they are arriv'd in the Elysian Shades;
"and we have decreed them Immorta-
CC
lity."
"But for the Stile," anfwer'd I, "we
"in this World fhould think of thoſe
"Works as you do. But we find the
"Diction not florid enough; they prefent
"to the Mind none but fimple, plain,
"and natural Ideas: On the contrary, the
(6
Poefy of our brilliant Authors prefents
"at once a Thoufand Ideas to the Ima-
One might alfo place, among the dignify'd Au-
thors of the happy Age of Lewis the Fourteenth,
Meffieurs Deftouches, La Chauffée, l'Abbé Berni, Ber-
nard, Fuselier, Author of the charming Opera of the
Greek and Roman Poets, and of many Cantatas as
good as thofe of Rouſſeau. There are, befides, fome
Authors that have only written in Profe; whoſe
Works are as elegant as thoſe of Quintilian, who wrote
in a Time when the pure Latin began to be moſt
fprightly. Eloquence is, at prefent, more predomi-
nant, and much better preferv'd in France at the Bar,
than in the Chair. We have, now a-days, very
great Advocates, but very indifferent Preachers;
excepting fome great Men, who commenc'd Preach-
ing twenty Years ago, and are yet living.
"gination,
Philofophical Vifions.
109
re
gination, and reconciles in one Point
"of View, thoſe which appear moſt op-
66
pofite. Judge of it from this De-
ſcription of the Arms of Paris, in the
"Iliad of Homer.
CC
“I th' brilliant Rampart of an Armour
Strong,
CC
"His Heart couragious baniſhes the Throng
cr
"Of Fears and Doubts: A Sword at once
66
defign'd
"For Uſe and Orn'ment, on kis Thigh re-
(C
CC
« clin'd,
Whose Weight magnificent fuperbly ſhin'd.
J
His Arm fuftain'd a rigid Buckler's Goad,
Aching beneath th' impenetrable Load:
"Next on his Head a gorgeous Helmet fhone,
“With Gems and Plumage glitt'ring in the
"Sun:
"His Dart be feizes for the laft Effay,
"And brandishing in Air, defies Difmay (a).”
"This
(a) “ Sous le brillant rempart d'une forte cuiraſſe
“Son cœur bannit la crainte & rappelle l'audace.
"D'une
IIO
Philofophical Vifions.
4
1
"This is fomething worthy to be call'd
t
- Poetry, The brilliant Rampart of an Ar-
"mour Strong! Neither you nor Corneille
"have
" D'une épée, ornement & défenſe à la fois,
"Pendoit à fon côté le magnifique poids.
"Il a chargé fon bras du fardeau fecourable
"D'un bouclier épais, & prefqu'impénétrable.
"Sur fa tête est un cafque, où de cent brins mouvans
"Flotte une fière aigrette abandonnée aux vents.
"Il prend enfin fon dard pour dernier avantage,
"Et femble, en l'ébranlant, effayer fon courage.
La Mothe, Iliade en vers François, Liv. 3. pag. 53.
This Paffage is thus beautifully tranflated by Mr.
Pope, Book III. V. 409.
"The beauteous Warrior now arrays for Fight,
"In gilded Arms magnificently bright:
The purple Cuiſhes claſp his Thighs arouud,
"With Flow'rs adorn'd, with filver Buckles bound:
"
Lycaon's Corflet his fair Body dreſt,
"Brac'd in, and fitted to his fofter Breast;
"A radiant Baldric, o'er his Shoulder ty'd,
"Suftain'd the Sword that glitter'd at his Side:
"His youthful Face a polish'd Helm o`erſpread;
"The waving Horfe-hair nodded on his Head;
"His figur'd Shield, a ſhining Orb, he takes,
“And in his Hand a pointed Jav'lin ſhakes.”
Nobody
Philofophical Vifions.
III
"have ever ſaid any Thing like it. Have
"either of you fo brilliant, fo lively an
46
(c
""
<6
Imagination, as to fay, the magnificent
Weight of a Sword? You now would
"haye faid. fimply, the Weight of a mag-
nificent Sword. Obferve again, the Poet
writes, to brandish a Dart; a Term un-
"known to you or your Cotemporaries.
"When the fame Poet would exprefs the
“Power which the Caduceus of Mercury
"has to make Men fleep, or deprive them
"of Life; obferve how nobly he expa-
"tiates on this Idea."
:
Nobody ever had more Wit and Spirit, nor nobody
perhaps ever will have more, than Mr. De la Mothe.
His indifferent Works are full of folid and brilliant
Thoughts I fay his indifferent Works; fuch as are
his Fables, his Cantatas, his Tragedies, and the Tranf-
lation of the Iliad. For there are many of his Wri-
tings which are indeed beautiful. And Mr. De Vol-
taire has paſs'd on him a very judicious and equitable
Judgment, when he ſays, in a Note to the Temple of
Tafte, that this Author has made very fine Odes, deli-
cate Operas, and well-written Differtations. It is Pity
that, in many of his Works, he has fo ftrongly given
into the illogical Fuftian; but it is happy that this is
only in his indifferent Works.
“He
112
Philofophical Vifions.
"He the Caduceus bears upon his Arm,
"Which, as he wills, exerts a double Charm;
"With piercing Noife t' aftonish, or impoſe
"Cold Sleep on mortal Eyes, or ravish from
"C
Repofe (a).
"Well," continu'd I,
“did any of your
"Cotemporaries ever think of faying,
"impoſe on mortal Eyes for to fleep, or ra-
་ viſh from Repofe, for to deprive of Life?
"It is not only in the Sublime that the
"Poets of our Days are inimitable:
"There are alfo, in the ludicrous Stile,
' many choice Terms, unknown to you.
"The Jefuit Du C(b), in his Epiftle
"to Stephen the Bookfeller, inſtead of ſay-
"ing, I abandon to you my Verſes; thus
"ennobles that trivial Thought:
"Take
(a) " Il arme auffi fon bras du divin caducće,
"Dont la double puiſſance, à fon choix exercée,
"Telle qu'un bruit perçant, ou que les froids pavots,
Impofe aux yeux mortels, ou ravit le repos.
La Mothe, Iliade en vers François, pag. 48:
(b) Le Jéfuite du C. (b) dans fon Epître au Li-
braire Etienne, pour dire qu'il lui abandonne fes vers,
!' annoblit ainſi cette penſée triviale.”
" Pre-
Philofophical Vifions.
113
"Take my Verfes and convert them to fat
66
Cabbage.'
وو
"The fame Poet, admiring the Beauty
"and Delicacy of the Phrafe fat Cabbage,
"in fpeaking of the Trojans, ſays thus :
(6
Of Italy they made their fat Cabbage." (a)
"In another Paffage, he fays, that the
Romans made of the Univerfe, a Maté-
❝ lote (b*), behold! ſee what it is to have
"a lively Imagination, capable of finding
"out fuch fignificant Expreffions. Do
"you not imagine, that you ſee theſe
"Romans over-running the Univerſe, as
"the Carp overpowers the other Ingre-
"Prenez mes vers, faites-en vos choux gras."
Les Poeftes du Pere Du Cerceau.
"Le memê Poëte, fentant la fineffe & la délica-
"teffe des mots choux gras, dit, en parlant des
"Troyens,"
(a) "De Italie ils firent leurs choux gras."
(b) Dans un autre endroit il dit que les Romains
" fient de l'Univers une matelote.'
* Matelote, an Hodge-podge, or French Olio of
Fiſh, compofed of Carp, Tench, Eels, or whatever
elfe the Cook pleaſes, the Carp being always in great-
eft Proportion.
"dients
114
Philofophical Visions.
"dients of that delicate Compofition, and
"that every Kingdom which they inva-
"ded, and annex'd to their Republic, is
"a Bit of the Carp one may throw into
"the Skellet. You muſt acknowledge
"that your Confederates the Defperauxs,
"the Corneils, the Molliers, the Là Fon-
tains, or the Pelliffons, had but very
"indifferent Ideas and Expreffions, in
66
Compariſon, to thofe, which might be
"faid to partake of fine Gallantry. Ha!
"if you had but the Knowledge of one
"of our living Authors, to whom our
66
new Language is partly indebted for
"its Birth and Perfection, you would ex-
preſs yourſelf more delicately. Is their
66
te
any of your Heroines who has fo live-
"ly exprefs'd and difcrib'd her Love, as
"the Poet I am ſpeaking of, has exprefs'd
"the Love of the Elm, for the little
"Flowers. (a)
(a) "Sur ce gazon les ruiffeaux*
"Murmurent leurs amouretes,
"Et l'on voit jufqu'aux ormeaux,
"Pour embraſſer les fleuretes,
"Pencher leurs jeunes rameaux.
*Fontenelle Opera.
66 Оп
Mr. de Fontenelle is one of thoſe
great Men, who, by their Merit, illuftrate their native Country,
and
Philofophical Vifions.
115
"On the Turf the purling Streams,
"Murmur forth their little Flames :
"And the Stately Elms we fee,
"Fond of Flora's fragrant Race,
"With each Tendril eagerly
ત
Stoop, the Flow'rets to embrace."
"This is at once gallant and fublime,
“one can offer Nothing more ſprightly
#
66 to
and render it the Rival of Greece and Rome; but one may juſtly
fay, that if Mr. de Fontenelle has greatly contributed to the dif
carding the Philofophy of thoſe who were barbarous and pedantic,
and has brought to Light fuch Matters, as, till his Time, were
dark, and impenetrably obfcure, to fuch has had not grown
old in Study; he has alfo confiderably prejudic'd the Belles Lettres
and the common Stile: the former by infinuating to his Readers,
who, for the moſt Part, are the People in high Life, a Difre-
reſpect for the Antients, making them look on the brightest Ge-
niuſſes of Rome and Athens as very indifferent; and the Stile, in
giving too much Freedom to the Sallies of his Wit, and expreſ-
fing them, fometimes, in a romantic Manner. Whatever Efteem
we may have for the fuperior Merit of Mr. de Fontenelle, one
cannot help condemning him, for having introduc'd an affected
Manner of explaining himſelf by a labour'd and ftiff Expreffion,
which has been imitated by many Writers, who have not
his Genius, and has confiderably hurt our Language, and
ruin'd the Stile of Three-fourths of our Authors; his Eclogues
are written with a great Deal of Spirit, but there is here and
there one, in which he has given too much Scope to the Sallies
of his Imagination, and the Pleaſure of a debauch'd Thought,
more Brilliant than Solid; there are alfo in thofe Eclogues, fome
Paffages
116
Philofophical Vifions.
"to the Imagination, than thofe Streams
<<
murmering their little Flames; nor any
"Thing more fublime than thoſe tall
"Elms, who elevate their hoary Heads
"C
even to the Clouds, and, at the fame
"Time, ſtoop (and incline each Tendril)
"to embrace and carrefs not only the
"Flowers, but alſo the Flowerets, that is
"to fay, the very fmalleft Flowers. Which,
"however Mean they may appear in our
"Eyes, nevertheleſs to embrace them,
"the Elm reclines her young Branches
"the fame Poet, who has wrote with
great Force and Energy on the Indiffe-
.
;
Paffages, where Mr. de Fontenelle affects to be too fimple and
natural. Mr. de Voltaire has with Reaſon ſaid of him :
*Your fagacious fprightly Muse,
Wanton, artful, and profuſe;
Spoils with useless Colours quite,
What from Nature fhines fo bright.
Whatever He may be, the Paftorals of Mr. de Fontenelle, al-
though very ingenicus, are much inferior to thofe of Virgil,
notwithſtanding the Criticiſm he has made on thoſe of that La-
tin Poet, in his Digreffion on the Antients; a very indifferent
Work, and much unworthy of fo great a Man as Mr. de Fon-
tenelle.
* Votre Mufe, fage & riante,
Devroit aimer un peu moins l'art.
Ne la gatez point par le fard,
Sa couleur eft affez brillante.
66
rence
Philofophical Vifions.
117
66
<C
rence of the Eclogues of Virgil, and
"the Rufticity of thofe of Theocritus,
gives us an Example of the elegant
Simplicity which ſhould be the Bafis of
paftoral Poetry. You and your Friends
"were great Admirers of the Ancients,
"but, now a Days, thank God, we better
"Writers, much defpife them.
"wherefore? Is it not becauſe we per-
"ceive how far thofe Ancients, fo much
"admir'd, are inferior to ourſelves? But to
"convince you, hear the Example I fpeak
" of. (a)
ATIS.
(a) Où vas tu, Licidas ;
(c
LICIDAS.
Je traverse la plaine,
And
ATIS.
"Et vais même monter la colline prochaine.
" ATIS.
"La courſe eft affez longue.
"LICIDAS.
« Ab! s'il étoit beſoin,
"Pour le fujet qui me mene,
པ་
Je pourrois aller plus loin.
"ATIS.
" Il eſt aiſe de t'entendre ;
"Toujours de l'amour.
H
"
"LICIDAS.
Toujours.
Que faire fans les amours ?
Qui viendroit me les défendre,
"Je finirois l'à mes jours.”.
118
Philofophical Vifions.
ATIS.
"Where hafte you Licidas?
LICIDAS.
66
Across the Plain,
"The neighbour Mountain's Brow, I'mean
to gain.
ATIS.
The Way is long :
LICIDAS.
"Ab! were it longer far,
From fuch a Call, no Danger ſhould debar.
ATIS.
I understand you well; What always
" Love?
LICIDAS.
Ay always, always, by the Powers above;
"No State were happy, but for this Relief,
"And Death were welcome, welcome to my
Grief."
66
I was going to finish the Recital of this
divine Eclogue, and, intended afterwards, to
expatiate on the principal Beauties, when
Racine recollecting himſelf, like a Man
re-
Philofophical Vifions.
119
'
recover'd from a Lethergy, interrupted
me ſmartly; "I am loft," (ſaid he) " and
"fhall think myſelf eternally unhappy,
"if my Son has in the leaft learnt thoſe
“falſe Ideas, or the ridiculous Language
"of the Writers you vaunt;"" Comfort
yourſelf," fays I, " your Son is not
yet fo happy as to be their Emulator;
"he has hitherto preferv'd the Stile of
66
66
is
his Father." "Ha! I breath again,"
anfwer'd Racine," but tell me, I pray,
continued he, "what do the People think
"of him, thofe, I mean, who Regard the
"good Writers of the Age of Lewis XIV,
"as the Models which all who would
"write well, ought to follow, for I little
"value their Efteem who are the Admi-
"rers of your illogical Language."
Theſe laſt Words picqu'd me confide-
rably, and I thought myſelf bound to en-
deavour at altering the Sentiments of Ra-
cine; I attempted, therefore, to ſpeak with
all poffible. Purity, and pitying him, that
he was not at all affected with the Beauty
of thoſe Morfels I recited to him, I an-
fwer'd in the following Terms, "Your
" Son
120
Philofophical Vifions.
"Son has written a Poem on Religion,
"which has been cenfur'd by his Ene-
"mies, for a labour'd Verfification (a) by
"the Manner in which his Poem is con- .
"ducted; we conclude, That the wor-
૮૮
"thy Heir of a fecond. SOPHOCLES (revi-
"ving his noble Genius) has written Part
"of his Poem in pure Advancement of his
"Inheritance (b). It appears that it is him
"whom one of our beſt Poets has in View,
"when he ſays, of Glory and of Plunder
"make
(a) "Votre fils a donné un Poëme fur la Religion,
"dont la verfification a été trouvée, même par les
gens qui ne l'aiment point, une verfification penfee.
"A la façon dont fon Poëme eft conduit, (b)
46
(a) Mémoires de Trevoux, Mai 1726.
66 on
(b) Mr. de la Mothe, Fab. 16. Liv. I. Speaking of Coy-
pel, who painted as well as his Father then living, fays, *
Coypel, thou worthy Heir of a new Appelles,
Who reviving bis fublime Induſtry,
Haft given the Part of thy Pencil,
In pure Advancement of thine Inberitance.
Coypel, digne béritier d'un Appelle nouveau.
Qui, réveilant fa fublime induſtrie,
T'es fait donner la part de fon pinceau
En par avancement d'boirie.
Philofophical Vifions.
121
"make a common Purſe (a); in Effect as
66
66
you are again an Inhabitant of the up-
per World, he will make, without
"Doubt, with you a common Purſe of
"Glory. Your Son has never yet writ-
"ten for the Stage, whether it be Com-
plaifance for the fanfenifts, or whether
it be Fear of not fucceeding, he has not
attempted a fingle Tragedy, and has al-
"ways regarded the Comedians, only as
fimple Heroes of Drollery and Ca-
pers (b). He has made many Travels,
but he has not been a clandeftine Tra-
"veller;
66
66
<c
G
' on croiroit que digne héritier d'un Sophocle nouveau,
" réveillant fa noble induſtrie, il s'eft fait donner la part
"de fon Poëme en pur avancement d'heirie. Il paroit
<<
que c'eſt lui qu'avoit en vûe un de nos meilleurs
"Poëtes, lorfqu'il a dit (a) de glorie & de butin faire
bourſe commune. En effet, fi vous étiez encore ba-
"bitant du haut Monde, il feroit fans doute bourfe
commune avec vous de gloire. Votre fils n'a
jamais voulu travailler pour le théatre. Soit com-
"plaifance pour les Janféniftes, foit crainte de ne
pas réuffir, il n'a fait aucune Tragédie, & a re-
gardé les Comédiens comme de fimples héros en
gambades en cabrioles (b). Il a fait plufieurs -
&
$6
64
(a) La Mothe, Fab. 4. Liv. 4.
(b) Héros de Gracien, Paraphr.
« voi-
122
Philofophical Vifions.
"
"veller (a); on the contrary, he has ap--
" pear'd like a Star, and the elegant Jour-
“naliſts of Trevoux, have faid of his Sub-
66
<C
ject, there has appear'd (b) and diſap-
pear'd at Paris, a literary PHENOME-
"NON, which afterwards appear'd at Mar-
"feilles, to repair to Sea. You will fay,
66
perhaps, that in our modern Language,
"the Word Phenomenon is not always
66
èqually noble; becauſe fometimes it
"may fignify a Cabbage. I am fenfible
"that if we fay fimply, your Son has ap-
pear'd like a Phenomenon, the Commen-
"dation might be equivocal, but it is the
Epithet annex'd to it, that decides the
"Senfe of the Word; (c) the Phænome-
<<
sen
66
non
voïages, mais il ne les a pas faits en voïageur clan-
deftin (a) au contraire il a paru comme un aftre,
" & les élegans Journaliſtes de Trevoux ont dit à
«fon fujet (b): Il a paru & diſparu à Paris un Phé-
«nomène Littéraire, qui depuis a paru à Marfeille pour
"reparoître à Salius."
(c)
"Un Phénomène potager n'eft qu'un choux, ou
6.S une groffe rave; un Phénomène littéraire, c'eſt un
(a) La Methe, Fab. 13. Liv. 1.
(b) Mémoires de Trevoux.
(4) La Mothe, Fabl.
" bon
Philofophical Vifions.
123
"non of a Kitchen Garden, is but a Cab-
bage, or a great Raddiſh; but a lite-
<<
<<
rary Phænomenon is a good Poet, or a
great Hiftorian. Nor is it aftoniſhing,
"that your Son has appear'd like a Phæ-
"nomenon, fince, from his tender In-
((
fancy, he has given Education to his Ge-
"nius (a); moreover, he was born very
« humane, (b) and this Character has pre-
CC
fided over all his Ideas; he knows the
"Value of that fugitive Treasure (c)
"which the Vulgar call Time, and he em-
'
ploys it to ſeaſon his Works (d) with the
"true attic Salt; attentive to all that
may
"contribute to his inftruction in his Mo-
ments of Leifure, he walketh in part
"Ages,
G 2
"bon Poëte, ou un grand Hiſtorien. (a) Il donna
"de l'education à fon efprit. D'alleurs il étoit né très
« humain (b),& ce caractère a toujours préfidé fur toutes
"C
fes idées. Il connoiffoit le prix du tréfor fugitif (c) :
ce tréfor eft ce que le Vulgaire appelle le tems, &
"il l'emploioit à (d) ſaupoudrer fes Ouvrages de jel At-
"tique. Attentif à tout ce qui peut fervir à ſon in-
ſtruction, dans fes momens de loifir ill fe prome -
(C
(a) Spectateur François, pag. 121.
(b) Ibid. pag. 13.
(c) La Vifclede, Secret. perpétuel de l'Académie de Marfeille,
dans un Difcours, prononcé à l'Académie Françoiſe.
(d) Préface des Poéfies diverjes.
«rcit
1.24
Philofophical Vifions.
.
t
Ages (a), and collecting under his Eyes
a great Number of difpers'd Facts, he
"makes the fedentary Travels (b); if any
"one molefts him in his Occupation, he
"darteth (c) a Glance from his Eye, in ſuch
"Sort, that thofe who would have dif
"turb'd him are ſo aſtoniſh'd, that their
66
Eyes dare hardly fix on his Altitude (d);
"in fhort, when one confiders the Vir-
"tues with which your Son is endow'd,
566
one may ſay, that Nature has, to him,
×
Spar'd
“noit (a) dans les fiécles paffes, & rapprochant fous fes
«Ε
yeux un grand nombre de faits difperfés, il faifoit
"des voïages fedentaires (b). Si quelqu'un vouloit le
"détourner de fes occupations, il lui lançoit un coup
"d'ail en (c) deffous, en forte que celui, qui avoit
“voulu le diſtraire, étoit fi étonné, que ſes yeux n'’ô-
"
66
foient prefque fe fixer à leur hauteur (d). Enfin lorf
que l'on confidére les vertus dont votre fils eft
(a) La Mothe, Fab. 1. Liv. 4, dit.
Nouveau Mentor d'un nouveau Télemaque,
Toi, qui le promenant par les Siéiles.
(b) Le même Mr. de la Mothe dit dans le même endroit :
Dans fes viages fédentaires
Tu le conduis, fans crainte des naufrages.
(c) Crebillon, le Fils, Les Egaremens de l'Eſprit & du Cœur,
pag. 145.
(d) Idem, Grigry, pag. 54.
« doüë,
Philofophical Vifions.
125
"(a) Spar'd nothing of that which might
"excite a Self-love, fufficient to make him
"vain and arrogant, yet, notwithſtand-
ing, he is MODEST; and, I believe, ke
"bas given but one fingle Advantage to his
Enemies (b); it is, however, to make
"his Court to the Pedants, and other
"Admirers of the Ancients, that he has
(C
plac'd you infinitely inferior to Euri-
pides, in the Parallel he has drawn of
<< one of
your Pieces, with one of that
"Poet." "I can forgive him," fays
Racine," that Overfight, in Confidera-
tion of his Zeal for the good ancient Au-
thors, and for his Attachment to the true
unadulterated French Language; but not-
withstanding the Superiority which he
gives Euripides over me, there is not a
Poet in the Elyfian Shades dare difpute it
with me And Defperaux, who under-
ftands the Greek as well as my Son, and
doüë, on peut dire que la nature (a) ne lui a rien
épargné de tout ce qui peut inviter l'amour propre à
"n'être pas modejie. Cependant il Peft, & je crois
qu'il n'a donné (b) qu'une feule prije à ſes ennen:is.
(a) Mariveaux, Epître dédicatoire de la double Inconftance.
(d) Differtations Littéraires, pag. S2.
G 3
is
126
Philofophical Vifions.
is in Matters of Poetry as competent a
Judge; has made all the good Poets of
every Age in our celeftial Habitations,
fubfcribe to the Decifion which he has
given in thefe Verfes, while he liv'd:
The Honour of the Gallic Stage,
The Wonder of each learned Sage;
Whofe Writings raife the boary Head
Of fam'd Sophocles, from the Dead;
And fraught with every Art refin'd,
That mend the Heart, and charm the Mind,
Does ev'n Euripides excel,
And matches with the great Corneill.” (a)
"It is true," fays I to Racine, "you
have been a great Poet, and you are to this
Day eſteem'd as fuch, by the Partizans of
the Ancients, and the Moderns who admire
them. They agree, in general to your Me-
rit; but fome Moderns, who pay no Reſpect
to Virgil or Horace, affert, that you are not
arriv'd at a certain Degree of Elevation,
(a) Du théatre François l'honneur & la merveille,
Il fut reffufciter Sophocle en fes Ecrits,
Et dans l'art d'enchanter les cœurs & les efprits,
Surpaffer Euripide, & balancer Corneille.
and,
Philofophical Vifions.
127
and, in giving you great Commendations,
they reproach you with the fame Defects
which they imagine they perceive in the
Ancients; if you had been lefs natural,
you would have appear'd to them more
fublime." "I understand you," fays Ra-
cine fmiling; "a little pompous Nonfenfe
had acquir'd me from thefe Critics, the
Title of Sublime.” "No, no," replied
I," it is not Nonfenfe that they require
of you, it is a certain Force in your Cha-
racters, for they never ſay of your Heroes,
what has been faid fo elegantly in the mo-
dern Language of thoſe of a late tragic
Poet. The Villains that C*** (a) bas in-
troduc'd on the Stage, are illuſtrious Villains,
that excite your Horror, and challenge your
Admiration, you avow your Averſion of
them, yet pay them profufe Refpect."
"Tell
me," fays Racine," is it poffible to un-
"is
derſtand at Paris, now-a-days, what you
are talking of ?" "How," anfwer'd I,
(a) "Les fcélerats, que C— a mis fur le théatre,
font des fcelerats illuftres qui excitent votre horreur,
"&révendiquent votre admiration, vous leur voüez
"votre haine, en leur prodiguant vos refpects."
Difcours Familiars, Du C—————.
pof-
G 4
128
Philofophical Vifions.
poffible to underſtand? You mock me
fure! We read a Book, and we underſtand
a theatrical Poem written in this Tafte with
as much Eafe, as one reads of your Time
the Tranflation of Quintus Curtius, by Vau-
gellas, and as one underftands one of your
Tragedies." "This is very pleaſant, in-
deed," replies Racine. "I never doubted,
and I now firmly believe, that what you
tell me, is one of the Ænigma's which are
put into the Mercurè Gallant; but do the
Hiftorians now-a-days write in a parallel
Style ?" "Without Doubt," anſwer'd I;
"and our moſt celebrated Hiftorians,
take great Care, not to imitate the Stile of
Vertot or Rapin.'
99
"You would much oblige me," fays
Racine, "if you would give me an Idea
of their Stile by a few Examples from
thofe Hiftorians whom you feem to ad-
mire."
"Willingly," reply'd I: "Be-
hold feveral Methods of talking nobly
and elegantly, felected, at random, from
our beft Hiftorians. I will relate them to
you as they occur to my Memory.
*
They
faid,
* "On difoit, lorfque vous viviez, les citoiens Ro-
« mains.
Philofophical Vifions.
129
:
faid, when you was living, the Citizens of
Rome; now-a-days that Phrafe is ob-
folete: The Burgefjes (a) of Rome, finding
that they had rais'd, from among themſelves,
their most zealous Defenders.-The fame
Author, in another Paffage, fays, he did,
without the Help of the refractory Bur
geffes (b). By the Words Funeral-pile, you
underſtood formerly the Pile on which
the Ancients burnt their dead Bodies.
Now, this too, is obfcure: The fame
Hiſtorian always fays, the mortuary Pile(c).
This Epithet is new, and charming. The
Word
61
<<
G 5
"mains. Aujourd'hui ces mots ont vieilli: (a) Les
bourgeois de Rome fentirent qu'ils s'étoient enlevés à eux-
"mêmes leurs plus zélés dijenfeurs.-Le même Auteur
“dit dans un autre endroit, il fe pafia du fecours des
réfractaires bourgeois (b). Par le mot de bucher,
vous entendiez autrefois le bucher où l'on bruloit.
"les corps; cela étoit obſcur. Le même Hiftorien
"dit toujours, le bucher mortuaire (c): Cette épithéte
"eft charmante. Le mot d'équipéene fe difoit autre-
"fois qu'en parlant de la fottife de quelque jeune
"étourdi. Notre Hiftorien l'emploi élegamment
"dans fon Hiftoire Romaine; voici comment il parle
"de la fuite de Clélie."
«‹ ¡I..
(a) Hift. Romaine, par les Peres Catrou & Rouille, de la.
Compagnie de Jefus, Tom. 2. pag. 397.
(b) Ibid. Tom. 3. pag. 62.
(0) Hij}. Romaine, Tom. 2., pag, 1c 3..
130
Philofophical Vifions.
t
Word Indifcretion was only us'd formerly,
in fpeaking of the Folly of a young
giddy-headed Fellow: Our Hiſtorian em-
ploys it elegantly, in his Roman Hiſtory.
Obferve how he talks of the Flight of
Clelius. (a) He fent, into the Camp, En-
voys, to make Proteftations to the King, that
the INDISCRETION of the young Romans
was only the Effect of a Caprice very par-
donable at their Age. This Word is fo
noble, that the fame Author inferts it
very often, the Samnites reproach'd their
Countrymen with the INDISCRETION of
Palepolis (b).
* Infolvent, when Vaugellas and Defpe-
raux liv'd, was only a barbarous Term of
Chi-
"(
(a) "Il envoia au camp des Etrufces faire des protefta-
"tions au Roi, que l'équipée des jeunes Romains n'étoit que
l'effet d'un caprice pardonnable à leur âge. Le mot
d'équipée eft fi noble, que le même Auteur s'en fert
"très fouvent, les Samnites reprocherent à leurs com.
"patriotes l'équipée de Palepolis (b).
***
Infolite, lorfque Vaugelas & Deftreaux vivoient,
"étoit un terme barbare de la chicane. Nos Hifto-
"riens l'ont tiré de la poudre du Barreau, & l'ont
"annobli. 1 eft aujourd'hui du bel ufage, & fe
"trouve prefque dans toutes les pages des Hiftoires
"écrites élegamment. En voici plufieurs excmples.
(a) Hift. Romaine, Tow. 2. pag. 68.
« On
Philofophical Vifions.
131
Chicanery. Our Hiftorians have refcu'd
it from the Duft of the Bar; and have
ennobled it. It is, at preſent, in frequent
Ufe, and of great Efteem. It is found
in almoſt every Page of Hiſtory that is
elegantly written. * Here are a few Ex-
amples: (a) One prov'd that he has re-
ceiv'd Money to establish an INSOLVENT
Law It is an Alfortment INSOL-
VENT (1) They took a Way INSOL-
VENT (2)—Before they attempted an En-
terprize fo INSOLVENT (3) - A Tribune
alone oppos'd himself to the INSOLVENT
Demands of his Colleagues (4)
INSOLVENT Government (5)—An INSOL-
VENT Enrolement (6)-See, now, acknow-
An
ledge
*The Quotations are fo blended, by the Au-
thor, with the Subftance of his Difcourfe, that it
was not poffible to introduce them more concifely,
with any Degree of Propriety.
66
(a)." “On prouva qu'il avoit reçu de l'argent pour por-
ter une loi infolite-C'étoit un affortiment infolite (1)
"Ils frirent une voie infolite (2)
"ter une entrepriſe fi infolite (3)
86
Avant
que
de ten-
Un Tribun jeut s'of-
pofa à la demande infolite de fes collegues (4) — Un gou-
a
vernement infolite (5)
(a) Hift. Romaine, Tom. 2.
(1) Ibid. Tom. 3. pag. 76.
(3) Ibid. pag. 105.
(5) Ibid. pag. 338.
Un enrollement infolite (6).
pag. 306.
(2) Ibid. pag. 301.
(4) Ibid. pag. 324.
(6) Ibid. pag. 504.
G 6
"Avoüez,
x32
Philofophical V'ifions.
ledge," fays I, "that all thefe Phrafes
appear to you very infolvent: This, of
the fame Hiftorian, will not, I believe,
appear to you, much better. He fav'd
the Day to his Enemy (a). You us'd to
fay, in your old Language, he fav'd the
Life of his Enemy; that it is to talk un-
couthly Again you would have faid the
cruel Revolutions; but we fay, the Re-
volutions extremely fevere (b). You alfo
would have faid, to tafte the Fruits of a
wife Government; which ought to be thus
written, to PERCEIVE the Fruits of a SAGE
Government (c). As for Example; (d) Rome
“Avoüez, continuai-je, que toutes ces phrafes vous
paroiffent bien infelites; celle ici du même Hiftorien
ne vous le femblera pas moins: Il fauva le jour à
fon ennemi (a). Vous euliez dit dans votre vieux
"langage, il fava la vie.
Voilà ce que c'eſt que
"de parler Gaulois. Vous diriez encore des rivolu-
"tions cruelles, & l'on doit dire des révolutions outre-
ment fivères (b). Je fais encore affûré que vous
écririez gouter les fruits d'un fage gouvernement. On
"doit écrire percevoir les fruits d'un fage gouverne-
"ment; (c) en voici la
) en voici la preuve. (d) Rome ne perçut pas
"longtems les fruits qu'elle avoit efperés du gouverne-
<<
(4
ment d'un fi faze vieillard."
(a) Hift. Romaine, Tom. 5. pag. 130.
(c) Ibid. Tom. 2, pag. 40.
pag. 10.
(b) Ibid. Tom. 2.
PER-
Philofophical Vifions.
133
PERCEIV'D not, of long Time, the Fruits
which she hoped for, from the Government
of ſo SAGE an old Man. Again; they
alone PERCEIV'D the Emoluments of our
Victories (a). How do you like that Ex-
preffion? The EMOLUMENTS, for the
Fruits of our Victory?
Our Hiftorians are not contented with
enriching the Language with a great
Number of Expreffions formerly out of
Ufe: They have nobly employ'd thoſe
which appear'd the moft bafe; they
thought the Romans at their HEELS (b)!
What Elegance! what Nobility of Ex-
preffion!"
"But à propos, of the Elegance and
noble Simplicity which we find united and
blended together, in the Works of our
modern Hiftorians. I believe there are
few Things, which can be compar'd with
this Portrait which one of them has given
(a) "Autre preuve. Seuls ils perçurent les émolumens
"de nos victoires. Comment trouvez vous cette ex-
"preffion, les emolumens de nos victoires, pour dire le
fruit de nos vidoires ?" Hift. Romaine, Tom. I.
p. 195.
(6) "Ils crurent les Romains à leurs talors." Hift.
Romaine, T. 2. p. 34.
of
134
Philofophical Vifions.
of Cyrus. Preſently, fays he, they (a)
equipp'd the little CYRUS as a Cup-bcarer;
be advanc'd gravely, his Napkin under his
Arm, and holding the Cup delicately between
three Fingers: I apprehended, fays the little
Cyrus, that this Cup was poifon'd. How
fo? Yes, PAPA. Can one, after this,
vaunt the Portraits of Salluft? Ought we
not to acknowledge, that that Latin Wri-
ter was but an indifferent Painter, in Com-
pariſon with our modern Hiſtorian?
What Force of Imagination, in the Ob-
jects he preſents to his Readers! Firſt, it
is the young Cyrus himfelf, equipp'd like
a Cup-bearer, marching gravely, his Nap-
kin under his Arm: What an Image!
Again; 'tis the fame Cyrus holding the
Cup delicately: But where? With what?
In what? By what? How many Que-
ftions might not one afk? The Reader
does not expect, and cannot enough ad-
(a)" Auffi-tôt, on équipe le petit Cyrus en échanfon:
“il s'avance gravement, ſa Jerviette fur l'épaule, & te-
"nant la coupe délicatement entre trois doigts, J'ai appré-
bendé, dit le petit Cyrus, que cette coupe ne fût du poiſon.
"Comment cela? Oui, mon Papa." Rollin, Tom. 3.
p. 305.
mire
Philofophical Vifions.
135
mire this Anſwer, between THREE Fingers.
Severe Exactitude! and worthy to be one
Day obferv'd by the Commentators. The
Hiſtorian particularly recounts the Num-
ber of Fingers with which Cyrus held the
Cup: He makes Ufe of but three, not
four, much leſs five. But obſerve the
Point in which the Hiftorian has attain'd
the Perfection of his Art: Having, as yet,
only prefented to the Mind of the Reader,
familiar and gracious Ideas, fuch as the
Napkin, and the Cup; he furpriſes them,
all at once, with the Name of Poiſon; and,
for fear it *fhould be too ftrong, dimi-
niſhes, in fome meaſure, a Part of the
Horror, by thofe Expreffions, fo tender,
and fo worthy the Majefty of an Hifto-
rian, YES, PAPA."
I continu'd to make the Eulogium of
our beſt Hiftorians; and I had not for-
gotten, in ſpeaking of their Works, to
make mention of the Revolutions of Spain,
written by Father Orleans. I was ready
not only to commend the Stile of that
Work, which approach'd pretty near that
of the Roman Hiftory, but would alfo
* The Surprize.
have
136 Philofophical Vifions.
have mention'd feveral very probable
Facts, reported by that grave Writer,
and began by this, Alcmon (a) loft no Time,
be made Advance towards the Carriers, the
first of the Battalions; and as foon as they
were carry'd, he order'd them to attack
thofe, and other Nations of the Goths,
which prefented themfelves firft. They rain'd
upon them, a Shower of Stones and Darts,
with which they had been crush'd, if the
Arrows had not been retorted on those that
detach'd them, by an invisible Hand: On
which, the Moors alone felt the Blows. It
was impoffible for me to fay fo much to
Racine, as I propos'd. He interrupted
me, and hastily demanded, if our mo-
dern Philofophers exprefs'd themſelves in
the fame Manner as our Poets, and Hifto-
་་
vers
(a) "Alcmon ne perdit point de tems, il fit avancer
la carrière le premier des bataillons, & auffitôt qu'ils
furent à portée, il ordonna d'attaquer ceux des Gots qui fe
préfenterent les premiers. On fit pleuvoir fur eux une
gréle de pierres & de traits, dont ils auroient été accablés,
"fices fiéches n'eufjent été relancées contre ceux qui les dé-
“cochoient; & cela par une main inviſible dont les Mau-
"res feuls reffentcient les coups." Révolutions d'Espagne,
&c. Tom. 1. p. 46.
rians.
Philofophical Vifions.
137
* 66
'
rians. Many of our Philofophers,"
reply'd I, content not themſelves, to
Jurprife Nature on the Fact, (a) and to dif-
cover Truths which divide and fubdivide,
and ramify almoſt to Infinity (b): But they
pour their good Deeds upon all that ap-
proach them; as for Example, the (c)
Houfe of Mr. Fagon, DID refemble, thofe
Temples of Antiquity, wherein were depofited
the Ordinances and Remedies which fuited
different Evils. 'Tis true, that all are
not fo attentive as Mr. Fagon, there are
ſome who neglect their proper Duties.
(d) Mr. de Monmort let his Houſe go at
the Pleaſure of his Domeftics, and spent a
"Plufieurs de nos Philofophes, répondis-je, né
"ſe contentent pas de furprendre la nature fur le
fait (a-1), & de découvrir des vérités qui fe (2) divi-
“ fent, ſe ſubdiviſent, & ſe ramifient (b) preſque à l'in-
"fini; mais ils répandent leurs bienfaits fur tous ceux
qui les approchent. Par exemple, la maiſon de Mr.
Fagon (-3) refèmbloit à ces Temples de l'antiquité, où
"étoient en dépôt les ordonnances & les recettes, qui conve
<<
noient aux maux differens. (d—4) Mr. de Monmort
"laifoit aller fa maifon comme il plaifoit à fes domefliques,
«& dipenfoit beaucoup en négligence.”
(1) Fontenelle, Eloge de Mr. de Tournefort.
(2) Eloge de Mr. Leibnitz.
(3) Eloge de Mr. Fagon、
(4). Eloge de Mr, de Monmort.
great
138 Philofophical Vifions.
great deal negligently: In which he was
wrong. For a Philofopher fhould take as
much Care, to regulate his Houſe, as a
Lieutenant de Police, to regulate a City :
I acknowledge that this is much more.
difficult than it at firft appears to be.
(a) The Citizens of a well-manag'd City re-
joice in the Order in which it is establish'd,
without confidering, what Pains it coft them,
who establish'd or preferve it; in the fame
Manner as Men rejoice in the Regularity of
the celeftial Movements, without having the
leaft Knowledge. And thus the more a po-
litical Government refembles, by its Uniform-
ity, that of the heavenly Bodies, the more
are they infenfible, and, confequently, it is
the more unknown, as it is more perfect:
(a)" Les citoiens d'une ville bien policée jouiffent de
"l'ordre qui y est établi, ſans ſonger combien il en coute de
"peine à ceux qui l'établiffent, ou le confervent; à peu
(C
"
près comme tous les hommes jouiſſent de la régularité des
mouvemens célefies, fans en avoir aucune connoiffance :
"& même plus l'ordre d'une police reffemble par fon uni-
formité à celui des corps céleftes, plus il eft infenfible, &
par conféquent il est toujours d'autant plus ignoré qu'il eſt
"plus parfait." Eloge de Mr. d'Argenfon.
"Blefs
Philofophical Vifions.
139
"Blefs me," cries Racine, "leave the
Stars, the Planets, and the heavenly Move-
ments: and, if poffible, talk to me in a
Manner that I may underſtand you, with-
out torturing my Mind. What? to con-
vince me that civil Policy is ufeful and ne-
ceffary, do you run into an aftronomical
Differtation ?"I am forry," anfwer'd I,
"to have difpleas'd you; but I have the
Misfortune of thinking too much; Mr.
Leibnitz had the fame Defect: (a) It was a
hard Matter fometimes, to make him ſpeak,
because he thought too much, and that, the
DOSE of Things which he had in his Head,
was a great deal too strong, to be utter'd
by a Dose of Words." "A Dofe of
Words!" fays Racine; "Good God!
what Expreffions! If Words had Know-
ledge, I believe Dofe and Words would be
much aſtoniſh'd, to ſee themſelves thus
following one another: I am affur'd that
they were never before feen together, and
(a) "Il pénoit même quelquefois à parler; ce qui ve-
"noit de ce qu'il penfoit trop, & que la dofe des chofes qu'il
"avoit dans fa téte, y étoit beaucoup trop forte par rap-
"port à la doje des paroles." Eloge de Mr. Leibnitz.
could
140 Philofophical Vifons.
could not have thought that they ever
would be!" 66 This," fays I, " is one of
the extraordinary Talents of our modern
Writers; and many do not content them-
felves with only reconciling Expreffions
the moft foreign from each other; but
they ally Ideas which feem the moſt con-
trary: For Example, one of our Philo-
fophers makes mention of the Bottle, the
Purfe, and the Head, à propos to the Que-
ftion on the Vacuum: (a) Let us fee, fays
he, wittily, if there be any Vacuum in Na-
ture; or if there be no other than that,
which, according to the vulgar Language, is
often found, in the BOTTLE, in the PURSE,
or in the HEAD. Is not this very Gal-
lant! O! our Philofophers, infufe Wit,
through all: Even thofe who are the Ad-
mirers of the Ancients, and who write as
they wrote, when you was in the World,
think themſelves oblig'd to fay fome bright
(a) "Voiens, dit-il fpirituellement, s'il y a de vu
"ide dans la nature, ou s'il n'en eft point d'autre que
celui,
"qui, felon le langage du Vulgaire, Je trouve fouvent dans
"la bouteille, dans la bourfe, ou dans la tête."
(a) Entretiens Phyſiques d'Arifte & d'Eudoxe, ou Phyfique
nouvelle en Dialogues, par le Pere Regnault, de la Compagnie de
Jefus, Tom. I. pag. 37,
Things
Philofophical Viſions.
141
Things in their ferious Works. A mo-
dern Author, who is your great Admirer,
after having enumerated the principal
Axioms of Logic, fays; To all thefe Ax-
ioms(e), I fell add one as evident, to all
who know you; ONE CAN SEARCH NO-
WHERE FOR PERFECT BEAUTY, BUT IN
MADAM D***. Some ill-natur'd Pedant,
perkaps, or ſome fcholaftic Critic, will dif-
pute with me, the Evidence of this Propo-
fition; but your Eyes, if you ever deign to
glance by decident on them, will convince
them of its Truth. There is Gallantry,
and the moft refin'd Gallantry: Does it
not appear, to you, that the Sorbonne, and
the University of Salamanca, are con-
quer'd by a Lock of Madam D**** : For
we muft naturally underftand, by the ill-
<C
<<
(a) “ A tous ces Axiömes j'en ajouterai un aufi évident
pour tous ceux qui vous connoifjent. On ne doit cher-
"cher la parfaite beauté que chez Madame D***.
"Peut-être quelque bourru de Savant, ou quelque Scho-
laftique vitilleur me difputeront ils l'évidence de cette
"propofition; mais ves yeux, s'ils daignent jamais le
tourner par hazard vers eux, leur en perfuaderont la
"vérité." Pbilof phie du Bọn Sens, ou Refextens
Philofophiques fur l'incertitude des connoiffances humaines,
Tom. 1. pag. 245.
natur'd
142
Philofophical Vifions.
"take
natur'd Pedant, the French Doctor, and by
the fcholaftic Critic, the Theologians of
Spain." "That, indeed, is fomething
marvellous," fays Racine, with a fcornful.
Smile; but what fay your Critics? Do
they approve all theſe fine Things?"
"Our Critics," anfwer'd I,
great Pains to comprehend all the Beau-
ties of the Works they fpeak of. The
knowing Journaliſts of Trevoux, who are
the Aristarchufes of our Age, not only ap-
prove the Authors who make Ufe of this
new Language, but they encourage, by
their Example, the Cultivation of it.
There has been compil'd an huge Folio
Collection, of the Phrafes and (e) pene-
trating Expreffions, of thefe Journaliſts:
For Example; to ſay that Argument, or
Reaſoning, ought to be the Fundament-
als of a good Sermon, they would fay,
Syllogifms are the Timbers of a good Sermon(b).
(a) "On feroit un gros in folio du recueil des
phrafes & des expreffions tranchantes de ces Jour-
"nalites. Par exemple, pour
Par exemple, pour dire que le raiſonne-
ment doit être le fondement d'un bon Sermon, ils di-
«fent: les Syllogifmes font la charpente d'un bon Sermon (b).
(a) Differtations Littéraires, pag. 19.
(b) Mémoires de Trevoux, Juillet 1726.
Inſtead
Philofophical Vifions.
143
* Inſtead of writing fimply, to confirm Fa-
ther Cheffmacher to be a Rogue; Mr. De
la Chapelle made a Syllogifm as falfe as the
former; they would write, Mr. DE LA
CHAPELLE made a Syllogifm of the fame
DIP as the former (a). The fame Jour-
naliſts, ſpeaking of the Oppofition of Sen-
timents in thefe two Divines; fay ele-
gantly, they are (b) two Writers POINTED
in contrary Facts. One is highly charm'd,
to fee that emphatic Word, pointed, ref-
cu'd from Chicanery, to be rang'd among
the Bellès Lettres, by thefe enlighten'd
Journaliſts, zealous for the Advancement
of Literature, and all that might pro-
mote the Perfection of their Language;
and enrich it with new and copious Terms.
To fay a Council, they faid formerly, no
* Au-lieu d'écrire fimplement, pour convaincre le
"Pere Cheffmacher d'être un fourbe, Mr. De la Cha-
pelle fait un fyllogiſme auffi faux que le précédent, ils
écrivent: (a) Mr. De la Chapelle fait un fyllo-
gifme de la même trompe que le précedent. Les mêmes
journalistes, en parlant de l'oppofition des fenti-
"mens de ces deux Théologiens, difent élegamment,
« Voilà deux Ecrivains appointís en faits contraires (b).”
46
(a) Mémoires de Trevoux, Octobre 1738. (b) Ibid.
more
144
Philofophical Vifions.
more than a Council; *now-a-days, to ex-
preſs this ſingle Word, we ufe two others;
the wife Trevoufians fay, a Conciliary Af
fembly (a). They ſaid, when you was in
the World, the Refemblance of one Sy-
ftem to another, now-a-days we expreſs it
thus (b); the Sameness of two Systems:
Your Cotemporaries would have ſaid fim-
ply, the Avarice of a Bookfeller would
not allow him to wait many Years. Ob-
ſerve now, how our learned Journalists
have render'd this Phrafe (c); the Rapi-
dity of a heated Commerce, attends not the
Revolution of Years; what a Bleffing it
CC
* "Pour dire un Concile, on difoit autrefois fim-
plement, un Concile: aujourd'hui, pour exprimer
ce feul mot, on fe fert de deux autres; les fages
"Trévoufiens difent, une Afemble conciliaire (a).”
64.
+ "On difoit, lorfque vous êtiez dans ce Monde, la
"reffemblance d'un fyſtême à un autre; aujourd'hui
"on s'exprime ainſis (b) la mêmeté de deux fyftemes.
"Vos contemporains euffent dit fimplement, l'a-
" varice d'un Libraire ne lui permet pas d'attendre plu-
Ifieurs années; voici comment nos favans Journal-
iftes rendent cette phrafe, (c) la rapidité d'un com-
..
64
merce échauffe n'attend pas les revolutions des années.
(a) Mémoires de Trevoux, Juillet 1726.
(b) Ibid. Avril 1728.
(c) Ibid. Mai 1727.
is,
Philofophical Vifions.
145
is, to have a Genius fo exalted and fub-
lime, as to exprefs, with fo much Gran-
deur, an Occurrence fo fimple and fami-
liar: Behold what an Affemblage of noble
Terms! the Rapidity! the Revolution of
Years! a beated Commerce! May we not
fay, that all Nature is painted in theſe Ex-
preffions? Rapidity prefents us with the
Idea of thofe great Rivers which carry
their Waters to the Sea: The beated
Commerce, affords us a lively Image of the
Troubles and Agitations of human Life;
and the Revolution of Years, recals to our
Memory, all that appertains to the moſt
fublime Aftronomy.
"If our able Journalists give an Ele-
vation to the moft fimple Things, they
know, alfo, when they pleafe, how to
fpeak of the moſt elevated, in a very na-
tural and ſimple Way: None poſſeſs more
than they, the Art of good Pleaſantry :
For it cannot be faid of theſe illuftrious
Scholars, as Quintilian faid of Demof-
thenes; that he had alway lov'd Raillery,
but could never arrive at the Perfection of
it. One cannot joke or burlefque more
delicately than our Journaliſts have done :
H
For
146
Philofophical Vifions.
For Example; in talking of the Minims,
obferve how they find Means to flat-
ter that religious Order: It is, fay
they, a Commendation to this Order, that
they remove themſelves more and more from
their Name, by their Pomp and Extent;
which has acquir'd them the double Merit of
Doctrine and Edification (a). Well! can
one make a more delicate, or more gal-
lant Illufion, to the Latin Word Minimus?
which is to fay very ſmall, i. e. the leaft."
"It is true," fays Racine, lifting his
Shoulders," that this is highly wonder-
ful; but I hope, in the mean Time, that
the Divines are lefs curious of thefe charm-
ing and ingenious Things; they, I hope,
ftill write as did the Boffuets, the Pafchals,
the Arnauds.” "The Perfons you talk
of," anfwer'd I," are dry, infipid Ge-
niuſes, that have nothing lively, or agree-
able, in their Stile: Our Divines expreſs
themſelves much otherwife, now-a-days.
(a)
C'eft difent-ils, une louange pour cet Ordre de
« s'éloigner de plus en plus de fon nom par la célebrité &
“l'étendue que lui acquiert le double mérite de la doctrine
“& de l'edification." Memoires de Trevoux, Juin
1726.
Would
Philofophical Visions.
147
Would they ſpeak of the End of Pagan-
ifm, and the Errors of the Heathens, they
will remark (a) the different Errors which
have been rais'd, and the Time of their Fall
at the Foot of Faith. How do
you like
that, Fall at the Foot of Faith? This,
now, is what may really be call'd Writing.
The fame Author, fpeaking of St. Paul,
draws the Portrait of that Apoftle in two
Words. (b) He was a Genius CONSE-
QUENT and LUMINOUS. But nothing is
more fublime, than what a certain Divine
fays, in fpeaking of the Soul. This is the
Paffage (c) The Soul is not reckon'd, by its
Birth, according to the natural Computation;
it is not thought to be born, nor is it born n
46
6-6
(a) “Ils marquent les différentes erreurs qui s'étoient
"élevées, & le tems de leur chûte aux pieds de la foi.
"Comment trouvez-vous cette chûte aux pieds de la
'foi? Le même Auteur, parlant de St. Paul, fait le
portrait de cet Apôtre en deux mots. (b) C'étoit un
génie conſequent & lumineux. Mais rien n'eft plus
"fublime que ce que dit un Théologien, en parlant
"de l'efprit, voici ce paffage: (c) L'eſprit ne compte
"pas fa naiffance fuivant la fupputation naturelle, il ne
"croit naître, & il ne naît en effet que dans les lieux où il
"s'étend & où il s'éclaire.
(a) Religion prouvée par les faits, pag. 249.
(b) Ibid.
(c) Ibid.
H 2
Effect
148
Philofophical Vifions.
Effect, but in thofe where it is, and whom
it enlightens. Nothing can, in my Opi-
nion, be equal to this heavenly Morfel,
but this of the fame Divine; the hardy
Tone of Confidence proftrates the feeble
Souls (a). It muſt be acknowledg'd, that
the Author, I now fpeak of, has (b) the
TINTED Ideas of human Sagacity." Great
God! cries Racine, the tinted Ideas! Ah
Moliere! thy precious Ridicule on the Di-
vines, was judicious and rational.’
This
boisterous Exclamation of Racine, awak'd
me; and I immediately tranſcrib'd my
Dream, which I here fubmit to the Read-
er's Judgment.
(a) "Le tou hardi de la confiance profterne les ames foi-
bles. Il faut convenir que l'Auteur, dont je vous
parle."
(b) "Avoit des idées teintes de la fageſſe humaine."
Religion prouvée par les faits.
* *
V I-
Philofophical Vifions.
149
******
*
VISION XVI.
I SAW a Number of People feated round
a very large Table: One of them
pufh'd the Portrait of a Man on to the
Middle of it: Upon which, the whole Af-
fembly drew from their Pockets hollow
Canes, and began to throw thro' them,
on the Vifage of the Portrait, little Balls
compos'd of a Pomatum, which gave a
Luftre to the Picture equal to the beſt
Varniſh. I was admiring the Addreſs of
the Blowers, when one of them put into
his Cane a little Ball, which he call'd
Ointment of BUT. He blew it over the
Picture, and ſpoil'd, by a Touch, all that
the others had done: They then remov'd
this Portrait, and replac'd it by another,
on which they perform'd the like Cere-
mony. They refreſh'd the Colours, gave
them a new Luftre, then blew over the
Picture a Ball of But; and this fecond
Por-
H 3
150
Philofophical Vifions.
Portrait was more disfigur'd than the
former.
I obferv'd, that the Women were ex-
tremely dextrous in throwing the Balls of
But: They threw them more frequently
than the Men: Indeed they feldom put
any other into their Canes. Of ten Por-
traits, that were fpoil'd, nine of them
were by Women. Wearied by the Uni-
formity of my Dream, and difguſted at
feeing the fame Thing fo often repeated,
I awoke; and recollected, that one might
hourly meet with parallel Cafes: For we
often hear Perfons laviſhly praiſe their Ac-
quaintance; nay, wantonly extol them,
with the moſt extravagant Encomiums,.
and afterwards detract all, by a fingle But:
A But is fometimes fo very mischievous,
that it would be happy for thoſe, on whom
it is apply'd, that they had never been.
prais'd at all.
V I
Philofophical Visions.
151
Z*&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & & & & & &
I
VISION XVII.
66
Imagin'd myſelf on the Top of Per-
naffus; and was eagerly travelling over
that Mountain, in fearch of the Muses,
thofe learned Daughters of Jupiter and
Memory. After a long Time marching
without meeting any one, I at laft found
three old Women, of a moft hideous
Afpect.
Approach," fays one of
them, "that we may give you the Re-
compence which you deſerve, for having
taken fo painful and tedious a Journey.'
Surpris'd at fuch a Rencounter, I was fo
aftoniſh'd, that I could make no An-
fwer to the Woman that addrefs'd me.
"Whence arifes your Aftoniſhment?"
fays fhe: "What fearch you here?"
Having, by this Time, a little recover'd
my Fright, "I feek," fays I, "the Mufes;
and I ſhould be oblig'd to you, if you
could conduct me to the Sight of them."
They no longer inhabit this Country,"
6.6.
H 4
fays
· །
152
Philofophical Vifions.
fays the old Woman; "we have chac'd
them hence: They are oblig'd to take
Refuge among fome of their Partizans,
who were willing to receive them; where
they may live, in their Retreat, free from
Broils and Tumults; while we reign
here in abfolute Dominion: For we will
maintain our Empire, even till the Cli-
mates, and Nature's felf, expire together.
It is we that, now-a-days, diſpoſe not only
of the Reputation and Merit of Men of
Letters, but alfo of the Recompence given
to them: We elevate and debafe them, at
our Pleaſure."
The Difcourfe of this Woman excited
my Curioſity; and I begg'd ſhe would in-
form me who fhe was. "I am," reply'd
fhe, "the Goddeſs of Envy; and my two
Sifters, which you fee by me, are the God-
deffes of Avarice and Folly. We convey
our Oracles by a Monfter, that infpires
thoſe who invoke our Aid. Follow me,
and convince yourfelf, how great is the
Number of our Subjects and Adherents."
I follow'd the Hag; and, being arriv'd at
the Mouth of a difmal Cave, I beheld
therein a Monfter with three Heads, of a
Figure
Philofophical Vifions.
153
Figure refembling that by which the Po-
ets defcribe Cerberus. On each Head of
the Monſter was a broad Fillet, on which
was written the Names of the Goddeffes.
That infcrib'd Envy, is the Head which
dictates the Oracles of that Beldame to
the Poets; that infcrib'd Avarice, infpires
the Hiftorians; and the third, on which
Folly is infcrib'd, in great Characters, is
the Organ that fets the Novellifts and
News-writers a talking. I obferv'd about
each Head, a Number of People writing
with much Attention: I faw, alfo, cer-
tain Perfons, who carried in their Hands
little Balls, and approaching the Mon-
fter, prefented him with them; who,
as he ſwallow'd them, feem'd to fall
afleep: For theſe Balls produce, on
the Monſter, the fame Effect, as on Cer-
berus the Cakes of Honey given him by
Æneas. When the Heads of the Mon-
fter were at Reſt, and ceas'd barking, the
Votaries were inactive, and wrote no more.
I was curious to fee what was written on
the different Balls, which thoſe who would
appeaſe the Monſter made him ſwallow.
I read, on thoſe that were given to the
Head
H 5.
154 Philofophical Vifions.
Head infcrib'd Envy, Balls of Flattery aud
Adulation: This Head, as before hinted,
infpires the Poets. On thofe prefented to
the Head which bears the Name of Ava-
rice, were written Balls of Gold: This
Head prefides over the Writers of Hiftory.
And, laftly, on the Balls which were
given to the Head on which was written.
Folly: Balls compos'd of Gold-powder and
Cudgel-blows: This Head dictates to the
Writers of Gazettes..
Admiring, with Wonder, the great
Concourfe of People, who were endea-
vouring to lull this Monfter, I awoke;
and my Dream made me think, that a
great Number of Men T Letters difho-
nour the Sciences, by making of their.
Talents an infamous Commerce; praifing,
more or lefs, their Patrons and Superiors,
as they are more or lefs rewarded: And
reſembling the Neapolitan Bravoes who
affaffinate for Hire, illuftrate or diſhonour.
Perfons in their Writings, for a trifling
Sum.
V I
Philofophical Vifions.
1557
I
VISION XVIII.
FOUND myſelf in a great Road
terminated by a fuperb Temple, on
the Porch of which I read, The Temple of
Fame. A Crowd of People were flocking:
to it, of all Degrees and Stations: There
were Warriors, Magiftrates, Authors,
Painters, Divines, Women of Faſhion,
Citizen's Wives, Lady Abbeffes, Opera.
Singers, Courtiers, and Hackney Coach--
men. When this Multitude arriv'd at a
Bar fix'd at fome Diſtance from the Tem-
ple, thro' which but one could pass at a
Time; they were demanded, by Guards
plac'd for that Purpoſe, on what Pretence
they prefum'd to come thither, and what
were the Qualifications that render'd them
worthy of Admittance to the Temple of
Fame. I expected that thofe People would!
all alledge nearly the fame Reaſons; and
doubted not, but thofe Reafons would:
chiefly rely on the Motives which excited i
H 6
equally!
156
Philofophical Vifions.
equally to Virtue: But I was much afto-
nish'd, when I heard the Anfwers that they
made to thofe who interrogated them.
"Wherefore," fays one of the Guards
to a Man of the Sword who approach'd
the Bar, " pretend you to go to the Tem-
ple?" "Becauſe," anſwer'd he, "I have
had ten Quarrels, from all which I have
extricated myſelf with Dexterity. I have
never fuffer'd the most flight Affront: Of
ten Duels, in which I have been engag'd,
and in which I had fix Times the Advan-
tage of killing my Enemies, feven were
occafion'd only by Difputes, which, in
Reality, were but Trifles, and no ways
impeach'd my Honour: But I love Glory!
fhe has ever excited my Refpects, and I
have only fought Fame in all my Actions."
I made no doubt but they would treat this
hectoring ferocious Bully as a Fool, and
fhut the Bar againſt him; but I was much
aftonifh'd, when I faw them open it, that
he might proceed on his March, and enter
the Temple.
I obſerv'd next a Magifirate, who ex-
claim'd, "I haften to the Temple, with
Affurance that I fhall not be refus'd Ad-
mittance,
Philofophical Fifions.
157
mittance, as there is not a Judge who con-
ducts his Affairs with more Pomp and
Grandeur than myfelf: Far from regard-
ing thoſe Things, which might have pro-
fited me much, as many Counfellors have
done, whoſe Places bring them in, by
Management, ten Times as much as I
make of mine; I fcarcely appear at the
Palace three Times in a Year: I pafs my
Life among amiable Company, and live
in the gay World: I hate the noiſy Buſtle
of the Bar, and the tedious Anxieties of
the Law: I love Fame, and endeavour to
gain her, with eager Diligence: All that
will not elevate me, above my Station,
appears defpicable to me; therefore you
cannot refuſe my Entrance to the Temple."
The Magiſtrate appear'd to me, more
lunatic and ridiculous than the Swordf
man; for he
for he join'd to Impertinence,
Folly and Infatuation: Nevertheleſs, the
Bar was open'd, and he alfo proceeded to
the Temple.
cr
An
Author fucceeded the Judge.
Open the Bar," fays he, with a fierce
Air; "it is for me,
Temple was erected."
chiefly, that this
"That may be,"
reply'd
158
Philofophical Vifions.
เ
reply'd one of the Guards; "but you
muft, nevertheleſs, inform us, on what
Pretenfions you prefume on a Right to
enter it." My Pretenfion," replies the
Author, "is the violent Paffion I have
ever entertain'd for Fame; that Paffion!
which has propell'd me to write Satires,
Epigrams, and fevere Criticiſms: I have
feldom employ'd my Pen on other Works,
but my Paſſion for Fame has been lefs fa-
tisfy'd. I have two Advantages, in writ-
ing of Satires: The firft is, that of being
affur'd of the Succefs of my Works, be-
cauſe they are founded, chiefly, on the
Malignity of the human Heart: The fe-
cond is, the Pleaſure of debafing the Me-
rit of thofe whom I regard as dangerous
Rivals. And thus I doubly appeaſe my
Thirſt of Fame." I expected, that the
Guards would have given this Author 2
Score of good Blows acrofs his Shoulders
with their Halberts, and have that Way
paid him for his pretended Love of Fame;
which, by his own Confeffion, has made
him as dangerous to Society as a mad
Dog But I was miſtaken; for the Bar:
was open'd to him; and he proudly con-
tinu'd .
}
Philofophical Visions.
1591
tinu'd his Journey, till he reach'd and en-
ter'd the Temple.
After the Poet, came a Painter. "Be-
hold," fays he, to the Guards, "what
has made me the Love of Fame." He
then fhew'd a little Picture, in which.
he had painted a Group of Nudities in
the moſt indecent Poſtures.." I. dare
flatter myſelf," added he,
"that nobody
has yet attain'd the Point, to which I am
herein arriv'd: I have facrific'd, to the
Love of Fame, the Pains and Labour of
twenty Years. I could often have painted
more modeft Pictures; but they would
have acquir'd me lefs Reputation." Ho!
for this, fays I; I am very well perfuaded
that he will paſs no farther: For it is
againſt all the Laws of good Senfe, to
think that one can arrive at Fame through
Infamy. But what was. my Surprize?
when I fee them, without farther Scru-
tiny, lift up the Bar, and bid him carry
his Picture to the Temple.
A Divine came after the Painter. -
"How! what!" fays he; "Do you not
know my Name? Surely that were fuffi-
cient to make you open the Bar, without
obliging
=
160
Philofophical Vifions.
obliging me to fpeak." "We doubt
not," fays one of the Guards,
" but you
carry a Name of Dignity fufficient to au-
thorize your Entrance into the Temple;
but we muſt acknowledge that we know
it not." "That," fays the Divine, with
a contemptuous Air, "is a Proof of your
beaſtly Ignorance. Know, then, that I
am call'd Doctor Maffuacatorius: My
Works of Controverfy will be the Admi-
ration of all future Ages. I have always
endeavour'd to prove, that nothing is fo
condemnable as Toleration; and, above
all, demonſtrated, that every truly Chri-
ſtian Prince ought to exterminate all He-
retics, and employ against them the ut-
moſt Rigour of the moft fevere Laws;
and that the Syftem of Toleration is an
impious, a damnable Syftem*. I have,
in
*Thefe Expreffions are made Ufe of, by the Jour-
naliits of Trevoux, in their Memoirs for October 1738.
in the Examination of a Book, written by the cele-
brated Anuand de la Chapelle.It is amazing, that
they daily oppofe the Publication of Books in France,
becauſe, perhaps, there are fome Words that may
diſpleaſe an Examiner; notwithstanding, at the Bot-
tom, they may be not only of no Confequence; but,
in
Philofophical Vifions.
161
**
in Imitation of the illuftrious Journalists
of Trevoux, declar'd openly, and in high
Terms, that I am not only againſt Tole-
ration, but that I make it my GLORY
firmly to oppoſe it.' This Divine, fays
I, to myſelf, feems not to be a Man
anxious of Fame, but a Tyger thirſty of
Blood and Carnage. The Maxims of
this cruel Preacher, were they to be fol-
low'd, would immerſe all Europe in a Sea
in Reality, very innocent; and, in the mean while,
publicly maintain and fupport a Dogma capable of
infinitely prejudicing the State. Let us examine the
Grounds of that Hatred which the Enemies of Tole-
ration have created among the English against Catho-
licifm: Take we all foreign Nations for People com-
pos'd of irrafcible or fenfelefs Fools? We tell them,
that, in effential Points, they have nothing to fear
from the Perfecution of Catholicifm; yet we fuffer the
Body of Clergy, who we know have a great Influ-
ence over religious Affairs, to print and maintain, in
the Heart of the Kingdom, that the Syflem of Tc-
leration is impious; what will an Englishman fay to
this? Why thus: I believe that the young-
is a Prince endow'd with Virtue, Valour, and every
real Merit. He affures me, that he will grant Tole-
ration; but he may become a Devotee: His Under-
ſtanding may be impair'd by Age; and his Confeffor
may fay to him, and perhaps perfuade him, that To-
leration is an Impiety.
of
r62
Philofophical Vifuns.
of Blood. The Catholics deftroy Pro-
teftants, through a Principle of Religion;
and the Proteſtants, what through Fear,
(perhaps to make Reprifals) and for their
own Safety, endeavour to extirpate the
Catholics: For what Security, what Peace,
can they ever hope, or expect, among
People who fay, it is impious to tolerate
them, and that they ought utterly to be
exterminated? While I was making theſe
Reflections, they, to my great Surprize,
open'd the Bar to the Divine, who, with
haughty Strides, enter'd the Temple, where
he found many Perfons as mad, and as
fooliſh, as he was wicked; who were rea-
dily feduc'd by his Sophiſtry, and Enthu-
fiafm, and regarded him as a zealous De-
fender of the Truth.
The Divine was fucceeded by a Woman
of Quality.
"Halloo hoa! halloo !
Fellows open the Bar: Is this (fays fhe)
your Manners to a Woman of my Birth,
and one who has fo well endeavour'd to
fupport a Fame ?" "Dare we, Madam,'
fays one of the Guards, "dare we afk
your Ladyfhip how you have conducted
yourſelf to add new Luftre to your Birth?"
6.6 I
Philofophical Visions.
163
"I live," anfwer'd fhe, " as becomes a
Woman of Quality to live: I paſs the
major Part of the Day at my Toillette;
the reft is employ'd at Plays, Feafting,
and Gaming. My Houfe is the beſt in
Paris, and the Rendezvous of all the po-
lite Company. I do not think my Huf-
band worthy to mix among us: Indeed I
fcarcely fee him three Times in a Month.
I have two Daughters in a Convent, whom
I hope I ſhall never fee more, till the Day
they take the Veil, or that their Father
takes them from the Convent to be mar-
ried. I unite, with fo noble a Conduct,
the Talent of finging a Song at Table
with a good Grace; and I have the Glory
of being eſteem'd the Woman that makes
the beſt Ballad in the City." "Enter,
enter, Madam,”" fays one of the Guards,
"if we refuſe you Entrance to the Tem-
ple, we must interdict the Paffage of the
moft amiable and tumultuous Women of
the Court."
After the Woman of Quality, came a
Citizen's Wife, who exclaim'd with much
Vehemence." Come, come, open the
Bar; who do you take me for? Shew you.
no:
164
Philofophical Vifions.
no Refpect to a Lady of my Appearance?
Know you not, that my Brother in Law is
elected, my Coufin Bailiff, my Father a
Receiver of Rents, and my Hufband firft
Collector of the Cuſtoms?" "All theſe AI-
liances, Madam," fays one of the Guards,
give you no Right to enter this Temple."
"How!" fays fhe, with fome Paffion;
not give me a Right to enter the Tem-
ple? Is the Expence I run into, which
has beggar'd my Hufband and Children,
nay, ruin'd my whole Family, no Pre-
tence, though it has acquir'd me the glo-
rious Reputation of being the moft ge-
nerous Woman of my Quarter? Is it not
my Ambition of Fame, that has made me
fell a Country-houfe, to have always
magnificent Apparel? Do not all, that
know me, acknowledge, that I have the
beft Tafte in the World? The Women
that lodge in our Neighbourhood, who
would be attir'd like the Court Ladies, do
they not confult me? Have I not, in
fhort, the Honour of being efteem'd the
Oracle of the whole Street, in all that re-
lates to Ornament, or Attire? Are theſe
no Claims, theſe no Pretenſions, to enter
the
Philofophical Vifions.
165
the Temple ?" "Without doubt, Ma-
dam," replies the Guards,
"the Bar
fhall be open'd unto you. Continue to
enjoy peaceably, the Glory of ruining
your Friends by your Example, and mak-
ing them lame Copies of the Court La-
dies."
A Lady Abbefs now appear'd at the
Bar. "Ave Maria," fays fhe, with a
modeft Air; " Gentlemen, open the Bar.
I am fuperior to a Sifterhood of Domini-
cans." "My dear Sifter," replies the
Guard, "there are a great Number of
Superiors of Convents in the World; and
if they have all a Right to enter this Tem-
ple, it would be fill'd with nothing but
Lady-abbeffes." "It is not only," re-
ply'd the religious Lady, " in Quality of
a Superior that I approach the Temple;
but that which I prefume fecures me a
Right of Entrance is, the Conduct that
procur'd me that Office, and the Reha-
viour by which I have upheld it. I have
fupported, with an infinite Conftancy, the
Difficulties I met with in fupplanting my
Enemies and Rivals. I have employ'd
my whole Penfion, and whatever I could,
by
166
Philofophical Visions.
by any Stratagem, extort from my Pa-
rents, whofe Allowances were not incon-
fiderable, in making Prefents to the Pro-
vincial of the Dominicans, and the Father-
Director of the Convent. Have had For-
titude enough to accomplish all that I
imagin'd would give me Pleafure; and
the Love I have for Fame is fo ftrong,
that I attempted, with inward Affurances
of Succefs, by Prefents to fecure the In-
tereft of the Provincial, whofe Heart,
although he was old, and a moſt diſagree-
able Figure, I endeavour'd to inflame,
and was happy in the Succefs of
my Un-
dertaking. He lov'd, and gave me the
Honour of inflaming a Heart frozen with
Age: In fhort, I became Superior, by
the Intereft of my new Adorer; fince
when I have confider'd it would be to my
Advantage to maintain the fame Conduct
towards him; becauſe my Union with
him augmented and fecur'd my Credit
over the Community: And I found it
eaſy to conceal an Intrigue under the Veil
of Religion, which had alfo the Pretext
of the fpiritual and temporal Good of the
Society. Thus I have fo well conducted
עלת
Philofophical Vifions.
167
my Affairs, that there cannot be any Su-
perior in France, whofe Merit can equal
mine." "Enter, enter," fays one of the
Guards; "behold, my moft reverend Mo-
ther, the Bar is open'd: It is nearly by
the fame Principles as yours, that Sifter
Cadier has acquir'd immortal Honour;
and I doubt not but your pious Examples
will be follow'd by all Abbeſſes and De-
votees who are ambitious of Fame."
The next who approach'd the Bar, was
an Opera Singer. She was tolerably hand-
fome; but had fomething of forc'd or
conſtrain'd Modeſty in her Carriage. She
affected the Airs of a Woman of Qua-
lity; but the Manners of an illiterate, un-
educated Mind, predominated over all.
She liften'd to her own Talk; yet, had
The but ſpoken for a few Moments only,
fhe might have pafs'd for a Woman of
Genius But the few fprightly Things fhe
had learnt by rote, and utter'd with fome
Art and Judgment, were fucceeded by a
Difcourfe lefs fenfible, which favour'd
ftrongly of the Licentioufnefs of her
Manners. "Pray, Gentlemen," fays fhe,
open
168
Philofophical Vifions.
.
open the Bar. I am a Girl of the
Opera, who love Fame to Diſtraction.
'Tis Fame that governs all my Actions."
“A Girl of the Opera that loves Fame,
and thereby regulates her Actions," cries
the Guard; "we know very few of whom
this can be faid: If you talk of the Co-
medians, wait a little; there are many of
them who add Graces to the Art of So-
phocles, not only by their Abilities, but
alfo by their Sentiments and Conduct. If
you love Fame, you are not of the Opera
of this Country; or you are, perhaps,
that auftere Sale, whofe Graces and Vir-
tues Voltaire has celebrated; or that wife
and prudent Barbarini, whoſe Eulogium
has been written by the ingenious Mon-
criffe; or the amiable and fprightly Sifter
of that Cochois, born to illuftrate the the-
atrical Talents, and fhew that the Quali-
fications of an Actor receive an addi-
tional Luftre from the Knowledge which
fo:metimes feems to have no Connection
thereto." "I am not," fays the Opera
Girl, with an Air of Refentment, "either
of theſe three Perfons: I confider them
only
Philofophical Vifions.
169
only as Fools, to be regarded merely as
the Dupes of ridiculous Prejudices. Vir-
tue was not created for Opera Singers: It
is as prejudicial to them, as an honour-
able ſentimental Love. For my Part, I
take great Care not to fhew or retain more
Regard for one Lover than another;
Gold always determines me; and he who
will give me the moft, is he who has moft
Right to my Heart: Thus I fatisfy my
Ambition and Thirft of Fame. I have
rich Cloaths, and I have Diamonds: I
ride to the Palace in a gilded Chariot,
while that auftere Salè, whofe barren Vir-
tues you boaſt of, walks on Foot. It is
by a peculiarly fenfible Conduct that I
have learn'd the Secret, and enjoy the
Glory, of being better attir'd than any of
my Companions. There are few Women
of Quality, in Paris, fo magnificently
lodg'd as I am. I have repair'd, by my
Addreſs, the Diſadvantages of Birth and
Inexperience. I was only the Daughter
of a poor Wretch, that liv'd on Alms;
and, when I reach'd a certain Age, Po-
verty oblig'd me to enter into a Houſe
I
where
170
Philofophical Vifions.
where I proſtituted my Charms to the firſt
Comer: But I was foon weary of this
Trade; for it hurt my Vanity. At laft,
I found Means to efcape that Place, in
Spite of all the Injuftice my Deſtiny had
done me; and had the Honour of being
admitted into the Rank of kept Ladies :
But my Ambition was not yet fatisfy'd; I
wanted to attract the Regard of the Pub-
lic. In a fhort Time I had the good
Luck to be receiv'd into the Opera, and
was preferr❜d to all the other Girls of that
Magazine: I was no fooner thus ele-
vated, and admitted into the Theatre,
than I difcarded all my former Lovers, as
unworthy of my Regard. I liv'd with
ſeveral Noblemen fucceffively; nay,
often had two or three Keepers at a
Time; and many have been fo delighted
with my Charms, that I have had the
Satisfaction to ruin them."
"Ha!
Ma'mfoille," fays one of the Guards,
"no one can be worthier, than you, of a
Place in the Temple. Go in; diſplay
your Charms; and exercife your Power;
enjoy the Glory of difcompofing the Af-
وو
fairs,
Philofophical Vifions.
17I
fairs, and fquand'ring the Fortunes, of
the young Fools of Family and Diftinc-
tion, till a Warrant from a Magiftrate
fetches you out, to be carry'd to the
Saltpèttrier (a).”
A Courtier came next to the Bar, in
whofe Countenance, notwithſtanding he
affum'd an Air of Politeneſs, were ftrongly
painted the Characteriſtics of Envy and.
Diffimulation. "Gentlemen," ſaid he,
66 my Profeffion affures me that my En-
trance to the Temple must be freely
granted: Every Moment of my Life has
been employ'd to the Advancement of
my Fame: 'Tis to my Regard for that
noble Paffion, that I have facrific'd from
my Infancy every peaceful Moment. I
was born rich, and came of a Houfe
known for the Services it has done the
State. I might have liv'd in Tranquil-
lity, blefs'd with Abundance, paffing the
Winters at Paris, the Summers on my
own Eſtates, or have advanc'd myſelf in
the Service; and perhaps, in Time, have
* A Houſe of Correction, where they are em-
ployed in beating and refining Salt.
I 2
poffefs'd
172
Philofophical Vifions.
poffefs'd one of the firſt Employments in
the Army: But I have rather choſen to
buy a Place at Court, becaufe I thought
that Road the moſt certain, and moſt pro-
per to conduct me to Fame: And I can
flatter myſelf with having fucceeded in
my Progrefs. I have had the Happineſs
to overthrow my Enemies and Rivals, in
the Snares prepar'd for them. I gain'd
on the Credulity of fome by falſe Confi-
dence; others I, by different Artifices,
exaſperated against thoſe who could gain
any Advantage over me; and thus have
made many appear ridiculous: And while
I commended, in others, the Virtues which
could only render them eftimable in the
Eyes of a few philofophical Miſanthropes,
fecretly heighten'd the Ridicule caft upon
them. I have even caft it on many un-
defervedly, and thereby expos'd them to
the Laughter of a Number of fuperficial
Geniuſes, who are more affected by Ri-
dicule than Vice. For, amongst them,
what is call'd good Manners, is of infi-
nitely more Value and Efteem than true
Virtue. In fhort, I may fay that, amongſt
the
Philofophical Vifions. 173
the moſt experienc'd Courtiers, none have
more profited by Court Intrigues. I have
always had at my Command, Women
who had Credit and Intereſt: Some I
have gain'd by Prefents, others by Affi-
duities and Attentions; nor have I dif-
dain'd, on certain Occafions, to influence.
alfo their Waiting-women, whom I have
often prudently engag'd, by Promiſes of
confiderable Recompence, to prepoffefs
their Miftreffes in my Favour. Thefe
Affiduities and Labours have acquir'd me
the Glory to which I afpir'd, and for
which I figh'd fo long: I may fay, there
is not, at this Time, a more confiderable.
Courtier than myfelf. I rejoice in the
precious Advantage of being vainly en-
vy'd at Court, and refpected in the City
as a Man of great Credit."-While the
Courtier was thus haranguing, I faid to
myfelf, the Guards will certainly anfwer
this wicked Man. That which you call
Fame, is but a falfe Honour built on the
Baſis of Infamy. Dare you avow, that
your whole Life has only been employ'd
in prejudicing thoſe who were fo unhappy
as to have any Concurrence or Communi-
I 3
cation.
174
Philofophical Vifions.
cation with you? You are in a great Er-
ror, when you think yourſelf confiderable
becauſe many People fhew you Homage
and Refpect: They honour you for the
fame Reaſon that certain People adore,
and pray to, the Devil; your Fame is no
better than that of an infernal Intelli-
gence.
While I was making thefe Reflections,
the Bar was open'd to the Courtier; and
the Surprize, which feiz'd me on feeing
him enter the Temple, was ftill more aug-
mented by the Difcourfe of a Hackney
Coachman, who was alfo a Candidate for
Fame. "What do you want, my Friend?"
fays the Guards: "Remove yourſelf from
hence." "Ha! Wherefore? For what
Reafon, muft I remove from hence ?"
reply'd the Coachman. "What the De-
vil have I no Pretence to enter the Tem-
ple? Blood! Sirs, have I fo often robb'd
my Maſter, and defrauded his poor Horfes
of their Oats, to no Purpofe? Have I
fo often run the Rifque of being hang'd,
to acquire Fame? and fhall I not, at laſt,
enter the Temple? Shall I reap no Ad-
vantage, nor gain no Reward, for my
La-
Philofophical Vifions.
175
<6
Labour? Open the Bar, Gentlemen; or,
by Jove, I'll fhew you fome good Play."
Softly," reply'd one of the Guards;
"this is not the Way to fucceed here."
Tell us, without putting yourſelf in a
Paffion, what is the Reputation you have
acquir'd by theſe boafted Exploits."
"How? What Reputation I have ac-
quir'd?" reply'd the Driver; "why, I
am always better equipp'd than my Com-
rades; and I have the cleavereſt Servants
in Paris for my Miftreffes. Call
you theſe
trifling Claims? I have always been am-
bitious of diftinguifhing myfelf; and my
Father and Mother us'd to fay, when I
was a Boy, that my Thirſt of Fame would
prompt me to become a Thief. Their
Prediction was indeed true: For, a fhort
Time after, I robb'd a Maſter, whom I
then ferv'd in Quality of Lacquey. I
immediately haften'd to Paris, and had
two Suits of fine Cloaths made; but an
ugly Accident happen'd to me foon after :
One of my Companions, as ambitious of
Fame as myſelf, ftole from me Part of
the Spoil I had taken from my Mafter;
after which, I fwore to have no more
Friends
I 4
176
Philofophical Vifions.
Friends that were ambitious. I had,
however, enough left to fatiate my own
Vanity, and give me Airs for a Time:
So I determin'd that I would not again
rifque my own Neck, to fatisfy the Thirſt
of Fame, or pamper the Avarice of an-
other Rogue."
This Declamation of the Coachman
awak'd me; and I could not help reflect-
ing, that the different Ideas which Men
annex to what they call Fame, is the prin-
cipal Caufe of the wicked Actions they
commit; while other Men, who have
parallel Ideas, fhew them, in regard of
that pretended Glory, Honour and Dif-
tinction. Hence the Hackney Coach-
man, as well as the Courtier, has his
Admirers.
As Love of Pleaſure into Pain betrays,
So most grow infamous through Love of
Praife;
And what fo foolish as the Chace of
Fame?
How vain the Prize! bow impotent the
Aim!
For
Philofophical Vifions.
1.77
3
:
For what are Men, who grafp at Praiſe
Sublime,
But Bubbles on the rapid Stream of
Time?
That rife, and fall; that fwell, and are
no more;
Born, and forgot, Ten Thoufand in an
Hour?
Young's Univerfal Paffion, Sat. 2: &
3+.
"
f
26.
VI
I 5
178
Philofophical Vifions.
I
VISION XIX.
WAS at the Foot of a ſteep Moun-
tain, on which many People were
climbing; and being curious of knowing
what they went there to do, I follow'd
them. Having attain'd the Middle of
the Mountain, I obferv'd, that thoſe who
were there drank greedily of the Water of
a Fountain, which was furrounded by a
Number of People of all Ranks and Con-
ditions. When thefe People had fwal-
low'd a certain Quantity of the Water,
one would have thought, by their Beha-
viour, that they were intoxicated.
often talk'd without knowing what they
faid, they decided, in an authoritative
Manner, on Things of which they have
not the leaſt Knowledge: They judg'd of
Works which they had never ſeen, or
read; they talk'd of Poetry, without
knowing the Laws of Verfification; they
pronounc'd Decifions which they eſteem'd
infal-
They
Philofophical Vifions.
179
infallible, on the Merit of Painters, Sculp-
tors, and Gravers, without having the
leaft Idea of Defign: They judg'd of
Mufic, though they have no Ears: In
fhort, nothing can appear more ridicu-
loufly whimſical, than the Diſcourſe of
this Affembly. In the mean Time, they
give the Character of Sprightly to Works
of Folly and Impertinence, the first of
which they put off and recommend with
Emphaſis and great Gravity, the latter
with as much Petulance. I heard a Wo-
man fay to a Biſhop, "My dear Lord, I
know not how to fupport thofe Nonfenfes.
in which the Authors of our Times im-
merfe all Europe: They have intirely de-
ſtroy'd the Taste of reading Acajou with-
out gaping, Crigny without fleeping at the
fourth Page, and Adelaide (a) without
being weary to Death. I attend to none
but Lectures equally uſeful, inftructive,
and entertaining: I read, for Inftance,
the Roman Hiftory of Catrou. The Ex-
(a) Roman de Mademoiselle Cochois, dans les Me-
moires de l'Eſprit & du Cœur, très bien ecxit.
(a) Romance of Madamoifelle de Cochois, in the Memoirs of
the Heart and Mind.
I 6
actness
180
Philofophical Vifions.
actaefs which reigns in that Book, charms
me: The Stile is of a noble Simplicity,
and fuch as becomes Hiſtory —Are you
acquainted, my Lord, with the Hiſtory
of Charles the Twelfth of Sweden by Mr.
Norberg, Chaplain to that King. That,
indeed, may be call'd a charming Work;
in it we meet with many interefting Cir-
cumſtances, which Voltaire has omitted
through Ignorance, or fupprefs'd through
Malice. For Example; Voltaire fays,
There was carried to General LEWEN, at
the Siege of Thorn, a red Habit lac'd.
The able and exact Norberg has corrected
this Blunder; and pofitively affures us,
that the Lace was not upon a red Ground.
This is what may be call'd writing with
Propriety and Exactitude: 'But it muſt
be acknowledg'd, that our Frenchmen are,
in general, inferior to the Tafk of writing
Hiftory. De Thou is a mere Idiot, in
Compariſon of the exact and enlighten'd
Hubner. I cannot conceive what they
muft be, who approve the new Hiſtory
of Lewis the Eleventh. They ſay, that
the Author of the Jewish Letters has
much commended that Book in one of his
Works;
Philofophical Vifions.
F&I
Works; but that is a Proof of his good
Tafte. He alfo commends Duclos, and
condemns St. Quenin in the Happy Hol-
lander, which is worth an hundred Times
all the Romances of Prevost de Exiles;
and I will venture to affirm, that Prevoft
de Exiles, notwithſtanding the Approba-
tion of that fame Author of the Jewish
Letters, and many other Writers wro
would fet themſelves up as Judges in the
Republic of Letters, appears not to me,
or any competent Critic, an ingenious or
fprightly Author. It is true, that the
Public readily receive and approve what-
ever falls from his Pen; but the Tafte
of the Public is ſo bad, that People of
Wit, like us, fhould pay no Attention to
it." "You are in the Right," reply'd
the Biſhop.
"I can atteft, Madam, the
Truth of what you fay: You know my
laft Paftoral Letter; it is a perfect Piece;
but has been little regarded by the Pub-
lic. The fine Sermons which I have
printed, do not fell: They prefer to mine,
thofe of Bourdaloüe and Maſſillon. This
is pitiable!"
The
182
Philofophical Vifions.
The Difcourfe of the People, whom I
had feen drink of this Fountain, warn'd
me from tafting its Water. I was going
to defcend the Mountain, when a Man
accofted me, faying,
"How is it, Sir,
'
that you are at the Source of fine Wit,
and yet drink not?" "What," anfwer'd
I," the Fountain which I fee? Call you
that the Fountain of Wit?" "Yes," re-
ply'd he;" and as foon as you have
tafted the Water, you will become as en-
lighten'd, and as amiable, as we."
" If
the Waters of that Fountain," faid I,
"render Men fuch as thofe whom I now
behold, I fhall content myſelf with com-
mon Senfe, and for ever renounce fine
Wit." 66 Preferve, then," ſays he, ſhrug-
ing his Shoulders, "your melancholy
common Senfe. Go Sir, go; you may
one Day acquire the Efteem of the l'ene-
tians or Hollanders; there remain ftill,
in Europe, thofe two Roads for Travel-
lers in common Senfe: It may appear
there without the Ornament of refin'd
Wit; but elſewhere, when it appears
alone, it is defpis'd."
I
Philofophical Vifions.
183
I quitted this Man with Intent to de-
fcend the Mountain; when, turning
about, I beheld, on the Summit, an-
other Throng of People, though not fo
numerous as the former. Though I had
much Difficulty to mount it, 1 was de-
termin'd to fatisfy my Curioſity; and,
after having labour'd fome Time, Iar-
riv'd at the Top, where I found a ſecond
Fountain, round which were affembled a
Number of People, who, on drinking of
its Water, entertain'd each other on va-
rious Subjects, uniting, with good Senfe,
a great deal of real Wit. I perceiv'd,
among this Number, People of all Na-
tions of Europe. The Prufian General
Gols, was feated betwixt Crebillon the Fa-
ther, and Crebillon the Son: La Chapelle,
Chais, and Foucourt, talk'd with the Mar-
quis Nicolini; and though this latter was
an Ecclefiaftic of the Roman Church, and
the other three Proteftant Minifters of the
Gofpel; they difputed without Animo-
fity, yet with infinite Erudition, on Mat-
ters of Controverfy. Maupertius rehears'd
to the Miniſter of State Borcke (a), and
(a) Miniſter of State to the King of Pruſſia relat-
ing to foreign Affairs.
to
184
Philofophical Vifions.
to the amiable Villiers (a), his Voyage-
beyond the Line. The Marquis de Val-
lois difcours'd of three new Volumes of
Spectacle de la Nature to the Abbè Pel-
luche, Author of that ingenious Work;
Voltaire read fome excellent Verfes to the
Duc de Richelieu; Titon de Tillet reafon'd
with the Duc de Elbeuf; Pairaid commu-
nicated his Judgment on new Works to
the illuftrious Prefident of the Royal So-
ciety of London.
I faw, alfo, fome Women round this
Fountain. The Marchionefs de Châtilet
read her Works to Caffini and Merian.;
but there was no more mention of the
Diſpute ſhe had formerly had with the lat-
ter: La Chauffée confulted the Marquis
d' Heronville upon one of her Comedies;
Barnard recited his Art of Love to the
Duc de Villars; Algeroti convers'd fome-
times with one, fometimes with another,
and pleas'd all; the Marquis Maffei en-
tertain'd himſelf with the Prefident de
Montefquiou; and Duclos was plac'd be-
tween the Count de Falcalquier and the
Duchefs de Aiguillon.
(a) Embaffador from the Court of London at Berlin.
Charm'd
Philofophical Vifions.
185
Charm'd with the Effect produc'd by
the Water of this Fountain, I attempted
to drink; but was fo unfortunate as to
awake, at the Inftant it touch'd my Lips,
and the only advantagious Inference I
could draw from my Dream was, to re-
collect, that the Fountain of falfe Wit is
widely different from that of the true. Al
the World may approach and drink of the
former, whofe Waters only ferve to ſpoil
good Senfe, and to render thoſe ridiculous
who would otherwife not have been fo:
The latter is only known and frequented
by a very fmall Number of People. Its
Waters repleniſh Reafon with a Salt, that
renders it more picquant, and more agree-
able.
V I-
186
Philofophical Vifions.
I
VISION XX.
SLEPT more profoundly than or-
dinary, and had been in Bed fome
Time, when, on a fudden, I thought I
beheld Mercury defcend from the Clouds.
He held in his Hand an enormous Folio,
the Covers of which were much impair'd
by Ufe. When he approach'd me, he
faid, with a fcornful Air, " Feeble Mor-
tal, who waſteth thy Life in endeavour-
ing to penetrate the Secrets of the Gods;
who art weak and infenfible enough to
hope to comprehend that which is above
the Power of human Effence: What
would you give, were I to fhew you the
Book of Destiny, and expofe, to your
Eyes, the Lot which has befallen all Mor-
tals ?"
"I ſhould be," reply'd I, "more cu-
rious to fee that of the Perfons now liv-
ing, and who fhall hereafter live." "Ha!
ha! ha! I find," fays Mercury, laughing,
"that
Philofophical Vifions.
187
"that you are a pleaſant Original. You
would know that which the Gods know
not themſelves. I, who make you this
Offer; I, who every Day quaff Cups of
Nectar, and feed upon Ambrofia, at the
Elbow of Jupiter my Father, know not
the Things that fhall hereafter happen:
There is none but Fate, more powerful
than all the Gods, knows certainly what
is to come. And all that Jupiter ever
ſays, on that Subject, are only Conjectures,
almoſt as idle as thofe of the Aftrologers;
and, for one Time that Chance verifies his
Predictions, the Succeffion of Time be-
lies them thirty. It is true, that Jupiter
is a little more able and experienc'd, in
the Art of Divination, than me; being
the Father of the Gods, and, of Confe-
quence, the oldeſt Inhabitant of Olympus
after his Father Saturn, who is no more,
now-a-days, than a Godhead without
Power. (But he has retir'd into a Mo-
naftery of Phrygian Priefts; where he
paffes his Life in a calm Retreat.) It is,
nevertheless, true, that whatever Jupiter
declares, in his Oracles, is only founded
on
188
Philofophical Vifions.
h
on Conjecture, and the Experience he has
gain'd from his great Age."
66
But," anfwer'd I, to Mercury, “how
is it poffible, that Jupiter, you, and the
other Gods, fhould be ignorant of the
Decrees of Fate, and the Things of which
they have profcrib'd the Difpofition;
when they entruft their Book to your
Care, and you have it in your Power to
peruſe it, at your Pleaſure, Page by Page?
If you would know that which is to hap-
pen a Thouſand Years hence, can you
not look in the Book for that Paffage
which relates to fo remote a Time?"
"We ſhould have a fine Search, indeed,"
fays Mercury; "we fhould find nothing,
nor fee nothing, but white Paper."
"What!" refum'd I, " do not the De-
ftinies, then, write in their Book the Lot
of all Mankind, and determine therein
the inevitable Form of all Events ?"
“All that, is written," reply'd Mercury,
"in the Book of Fate, but that which is
not yet accompliſh'd, or perhaps may ne-
ver be actually accompliſh'd, is not only
illegible, but alſo invifible to the Eyes of
the
Philofophical Vifions.
189
the Inhabitants of Olympus, as much as to
the Sight of feeble Mortals. All that
Part of the Book of Fate which treats of
Futurity, appears to be only plain white
Paper." However," fays I, to Mer-
cury, all future Events are written
thereon."
“Without doubt," reply'd the
God, "
they are there written in their in-
evitable Form and Order, but unknown
till the very Moment they are to be ac-
compliſh'd; at which Moment, Time
diffuſes over the Page, whereon he finds
the Events of that inftant Period written,
a certain Liquor, which blackens the
white Ink, with which the Deftinies write,
and expoſes to View what before, they had
conceal'd till the Moment of its Exe-
cution."
"Could we not," demanded I, " com-
poſe, by the Affiftance of fome able Chy-
mift, a Liquor of the fame Nature with
that us'd by Time, to unravel the Events
of Futurity ?" "It is impoffible," an-
fwer'd my celeftial Viſitor; "and we Dei-
ties are a little too wife, to attempt the
Execution of a Thing which we know to
be abfolutely impoffible. I acknowledge
that
190
Philofophical Vifions.
¿
that we are glad that Mankind imagine
and believe we have the Secrets of Time:
For if they were once perfuaded to the
contrary, they would wholly fufpend their
Sacrifices, and our Altars would no longer
fmoke with Victims. There would be no
more Offerings; but our Temples would
be quite abandon'd. For what would it
fignify, to make Sacrifices to thoſe who
are ignorant of what is to happen; and,
confequently, can neither grant the Be-
nefits they implore, nor are themſelves.
fenfible whether they can be obtain❜d from
the rigorous Hand of Fate? For Ex-
ample; at the Siege of Troy, we inferior
Deities combated against each other, and
were equally exafperated in the Battles
with the Greek and Trojan Heroes; many
of us were wounded by the Arms of our
Enemies. Think you, if we had truly
known to what Purpoſe the Pains and the
Chagrin we fuffer'd would amount, that
we would have mingled ourfelves fo in-
difcreetly and ridiculously among weak
Mortals? But as, without mixing with
them, and undergoing thofe Hardihips,
we might have conftantly fed on Am-
brofia,
Philofophical Vifions.
191
·
brofia, and have dwelt tranquilly in the
celeſtial Habitation of Olympus; we
would, by our Conduct, have made
them believe, that we took their Affairs
ftrongly to Heart: We therefore affifted
them according to our different Views,
and endeavour'd to make them imagine,
that we were ſtrongly convinc'd of what
would happen to them. Our Interpreter,
the Grand Prieft Calchas, who had the
fame Intereft as ourſelves, who liv'd and
fatten'd on the Food of our Altars, en-
ter'd perfectly into our Views, and by
Oracles, the Senfe of which was capable
of being interpreted different Ways, re-
ferv'd us always a Refource. If the
Greeks had not taken Troy, Colches would
not have fcrupled to fay, that the con-
federate Greeks had, by their Crimes, irri-
tated the Gods againſt them, and thereby
render'd ufelefs their celeftial Promifes.
When Troy was ruin'd, the Reprefent-
atives of the Gods, who defended it, pub-
licly declar'd, that Jupiter only fuffer'd
the Extinction of the Race of Priam, to
give to the Trojans, whom he lov'd, the
future Empire of the World: And this
Fineffe
192
Philofophical Vifions.
Fineffe eaſily extricated thoſe Gods from
their Embarraſſment."
"What you now tell me," ſaid I,
"makes me reflect, with a melancholy
Sorrow, on the confin'd Judgment of
Mankind, who fee not the moſt clear
Things, and who act with as little Con-
fideration as the Beings who are intirely
void of Reaſon.” "Ha!" replies Mer-
cury;
"Reaſon would ferve for no Pur-
pofe, without a Mixture of Superitition.
We Deities know very well, that nothing
can ſo eaſily perfuade or prevail on Man-
kind, as what is offer'd to them under the
Veil of Religion. For Example; the
Birth of my Sifter Venus, produc'd from
the Scum of the Sea; of my Sifter Mi-
nerva, who came all arm'd from the teem-
ing Brain of Jupiter; and that alſo of
my Brother Bacchus, who was preſerv'd
carefully, in the Thigh of powerful Jove,
till the Revolution of nine Months was.
fully compleated. All thefe Things, how
ever abſurd, and contrary to Reaſon, were
receiv'd and credited, by the Greeks and
Romans, as Matters uncontrovertably cer-
tain. It coft Socrates his Life, for daring
to
Philofophical Visions.
193
to attack fuch facred Myfteries; and
many Philofophers have exil'd themſelves
from Athens, to avoid the fame Cata-
ſtrophe. The Romans were ſtill more
zealous for our Worship than the Greeks;
and what further proves how little we have
to apprehend from the Reafon of Man-
kind is, that among the Greeks and Ro-
mans, that is to fay, among the moſt en-
lighten'd Nations, many Men celebrated
for their Eloquence and Learning, have
employ'd all the Sagacity of their Under-
ſtanding to defend the Worfhip of our
Altars, against thoſe who have dar'd to
attack them.”
"You convince me evidently," anfwer'd
I," that it is no Proof of the Truth of
a Syftem, that it is believ'd and defended
by able and learned Men; fince the great-
eft Abfurdities have found zealous Sup-
porters, among whom there have not
been wanting very great Men; and the
ſtrongeſt Argument in Favour of Scep-
ticiím is, without doubt, that which has
been built on that wanton Variety of
Opinions, which have ferv'd as the Bafis
to the Credulity of the principal Chiefs
K
of
194
Philofophical Vifions.
of Sects: Which Opinions are not only
diametrically oppofite to one another, but
alfo contrary to the moft confpicuous and
intelligent Notions.
Some will have it, that Matter is com-
pos'd of Particles that are immaterial,
and have no Extent; and, by a Chain of
Sophiſtry, would eſtabliſh, that many Be-
ings, without Extent, could produce, by
their Union, an extended Being. This is
no lefs contradictory than to fay, that
Chance, or immaterial nothing, could form
Bodies: Yet this Syftem, abfurd as it is,
has been receiv'd in the World with Ap-
probation and Honour.
Others have given to Matter an occult
Quality, of which they neither know the
Caufe, or Effence. By means of this
Quality, which they call Attraction, the
Planets are fufpended in an immenfe
Void: The Sun, which is their common
Centre, draws them to him by his attract-
ive Power; the Planets, on the other
Hand, have in themſelves a centrifugal
Power (another occult Quality),, which
repels them from the Sun: Now as in
this Oppofition of the attractive and cen-
trifugal
Philofophical Vifions.
195
trifugal Powers, the Planets can neither
be more drawn to, or more repell'd from,
the Sun; they, in themfelves, create a
third occult Quality. Thus, by means
of two occult Virtues, of which they not
only cannot comprehend the Poffibility,
but of which Reafon demonftrates the
Impoffibility, they pretend to explain the
Courfe of the Stars, and almoſt all the
Phænomena of Nature.
This Syſtem ſeem'd, for a Time, to
have overthrown all the others, and was
eſteem'd very brilliant; But, in the mean
Time, how much did it fhock the moft
clear Ideas! and how much is it againſt
Reaſon, which fhews us evidently, that
inanimate Bodies neither move, nor change
their Direction, without the immediate
Blow or Percuffion of fome other Body.
For a Body is but a Quantity of Matter,
which is naturally an impenetrable Sub-
ſtance, more or leſs long, round, or deep,
without any Inclination, any Efficacy, for
Motion, or for Reft; but, on the con-
trary, being abfolutely indifferent for this
or that Direction. Nature does not move
the Bodies that furround us, nor will
change
K 2
196
Philofophical Viſions.
change their Direction without the Per-
cuffion of fome other Body determin'd
against them. A Stone will not move
from the Eaft towards the Weft, without
Impulfe; nor do we ever fee a Body
change either its State, or Direction, with-
out an abfolute Percuffion having Part in
the Change: Nor is this occafion'd by
Attraction, which is not their Principle in
the Impulſe; fince they have reign'd hi-
therto motionleſs in the Void. We muſt
therefore, to fupport this Syftem, eſtabliſh
Poffibilities againſt Sight; and refer the
Vivacity of the Heart in Darkneſs, to an
occult Quality, an Opinion long fince
banish'd from the good Phyfics. It has,
however, been frequently reviv'd by cele-
brated Men a little difguis'd, and couch'd
in different Terms.
This, however, it muſt be own'd, is
an amufing Syftem: It makes us think,
that the Planets have the Mind, and af-
fume the Airs, of a young Coquette.
Their first Lover would draw them to
him; the fecond would alſo preferve them
to himself: But they, neither regarding
the one nor the other, cohabit with a
third;
Philofophical Vifions.
197
third; yet they are all pleas'd, and re-
main in Union and Accord. So, alfo,
are the Stars. The Sun attracts them;
their centrifugal Force removes them
from him: Thus they neither approach
their Centre, nor are remov'd (as might
be, were either Property the leaſt predo-
minant) to an infinite Diſtance from it:
But affume a third Degree, which pre-
ferves them in a conftant circular Motion.
By this little Caprice, or Coquetry, equally
fhunning the Roads that lead to or re-
move from the Sun, the Planets are dif-
pos'd to ſubmit to the general Laws of
Nature; by which, if one Body were in-
dependent, and not reſtrain'd or fufpended
by another, it would fall in a ftrait Line
that would remove it from the Centre of
its Motion. For if the Planets had not
been fubfervient to this Law, receiv'd
and adopted by all the Philofophers in the
Oeconomy of the Univerfe, they would
have long fince loft their circulatory Mo-
tion; becauſe they muſt have been drawn
according to the ordinary Law, in a ſtrait
Line, and have fallen into, and been anni-
hilated in, fome of the fix'd Stars.
K 3
Before
198
Philofophical Vifions.
Before the Vogue of this Syftem, there
was another, in Faſhion, which was neither
more conformable to Reafon, nor lefs op-
pofite to the general Laws of Nature.
The Planets, according to this Syftem,
are fufpended in a celeftial Fluid (which
they call'd etherial Maiter), of a prodi-
gious Swiftnefs, Lightnefs, and Agita-
tion: Each Planet was faid to be in the
Centre of a Vortex; the Earth herſelf in
the Centre of her own, and all theſe Vor-
tices turn about the Sun, which turns up-
on its own Axis. A Philoſophy like this
muft naturally form a Chaos, inſtead of
fuſtaining the Order and Harmony of the
Univerſe. Does not common Senſe con-
vince us, what muft neceffarily happen to
two Fluids, circulating in Oppofition to
each other, and acting forcibly one upon
the other? Muft they not, confequently,
confuſe and deſtroy one another? And,
in this Cafe, what muſt happen to the
Planets which are in the Centre of thefe
different Whirlpools of Air? They would
daſh and bruiſe themfelves one againſt
the other, after having fwam at Random
in the great Fluid compos'd of all the
dif
Philofophical Vifions.
199
different Vortices, which, in circulating,
muſt be abſorb'd into one another. This,
alone, is fufficient to throw an inexpref-
fible Ridicule on the Syftem, if the Love
of Novelty did not reftrain Mankind
from inquiring after the greateſt Abfurdi-
ties. There are yet many Extravagancies
in this Syftem, which are equally contra-
dictory and difficult to be underſtood.
First, It is visibly evident, that the Vor-
tex of the Earth could not preferve its
original Movement. Secondly, How is
it poffible that the Comets, thofe im-
menfe Bodies, could freely traverſe theſe
Tourbillons, and in every Senfe, without
meeting with any Obſtacle that might im-
pede their Courfe, or being difarranged
by the Vortices, whofe Directions are ab-
folutely contrary to theirs! Again; How
is it poffible that (the Comets) thofe Tor-
rents, of fuch immenfe Grandeur and Ra-
pidity, fhould not abforb the particular
Motion of a Body, which is but an Atom
in Compariſon to their prodigious Size?
And how is it that the Comets do not
determine thoſe Bodies, by their fuperior
Power, to follow their Courfe! It appears,
that
K 4
200 Philofophical Vifions.
专
​that Mankind are very fond of new Opi-
nions; fince they could embrace, during
almoſt a Century, a Philofophy, the Prin-
ciples of which muft neceffarily eſtabliſh a
new Formation of Chaos.'
وو
"I fee," fays Mercury,
that you
think on the Opinions of Men as fenfibly
as if you had read their Lot in the Book
of Destiny."
"I fhould be curious,"
fays I to the God, "to fee what is writ-
ten on this Subject in their Book." "Wil-
lingly," reply'd he; "there run it over
intirely, and examine not only that Paf-
fage, but what ever elfe you wish to
know." I then open'd the Book of De-
tiny, and found, that it was divided into
three Parts. The firft was intituled,
Chronicle of memorable Falts that have hap-
pen'd long Time before those, to whom they are
attributed, had Existence. The fecond was
call'd, A certain Difpofition of human Ac-
tions; by which may be feen, that Mankind
have always been the Sport of the fame Paf-
fions, and will be, during the Existence of
the Universe. The Title of the third Part
was, A Catalogue of Things and Men which
fall be convey'd to lateſt Poſterity. "This,
وو
fays
Philofophical Visions:
201
fays I to Mercury, "is the Part in which
I fhall find what regards the Syftems and
Opinions of the Philofophers." In Ef-
fect, having turn'd over fome Leaves, I
fell upon a Chapter which had this Title,
The Dreams of certain Vifionaries who have
thought that they were believ'd, and would
always be believ'd to be, the wifeſt and moſt
enlighten'd of Mankind. I beheld, in this
Chapter, the Names of thofe antient Le-
giflators who gave for Laws, to feeble,
credulous. Mortals, thofe Phantafies by
which their Imaginations were affected. I
read the Name Lycurgus in grofs Capitals;
after which was written the Ordinances by
which he permitted Theft in Sparta, to
render the People more attentive; Adul-
tery, the better to People the Country;
and Indecency, and Immodefty, to excite
Defires. I read, before the Name of Ly-
urgus, thofe of many other Lawgivers,
who had neither been more fenfible, nor
had lefs Reputation than himfelf. I read,
alfo, many Names, after his, whoſe Laws
were neither more wife, nor lefs confider-
able. Some had reprefented the Gods to
their
K 5
202 Philofophical Vifions.
their Difciples, as Tyrants always ready to
puniſh the leaſt Faults with eternal Pains
Others attributed to the
and Mifery
Gods all the Crimes of finful Mortals,
and thereby made them fo defpicable, that
Mankind, wicked as they are, are far
more eftimable than the Gods they ferve.
Others have introduc'd the Supreme Be-
ing into their puerile Details: They have
made him regulate and afcertain the
Quantity and Quality of the Food; the
Days in and on which it ought to be eat.
One of their capital Laws was that which
eſtabliſhes a direct Correfpondence with
the Heavens and the Stomachs of Men;
other Legiflators have eftablish'd Cuſtoms
that tend only to make Men idle, infolent,
and fhameleſs; have exempted them from
Labour; have directed them to paſs their
Lives in Indolence and Beggary; have
given them ridiculous Habits, and would
perfuade them that this Life, which unites
them, even in this World, to the Divi-
nity; will elevate them, hereafter, much
above other Men.
After
Philofophical Vifions.
203
After making fome Reflections on the
Hittle Efteen due to the Merit of almoſt
all the Men who had pretended to pre-
fcribe Laws to others; I turn'd to the
Article of Philofophers; and I perceiv'd,
that almoſt all the Opinions that are
adopted by thoſe of latter Days, are little
more than the moderniz'd Syſtems of the
Ancients. The Subtil Matter of Des
Cartes is no more than the fifth Element,
or Ætherial Matter of Aristotle: The Opi-
nions of Democritus, Epicurus, Empedo-
cles; the occult Virtues of the Peripa-
tetics, are employ'd in new Terms by the
Newtonians: The Syftem of Monades, or
the primordial Subftances, takes its Ori-
ginal from Homeomeries and Anaxagoras.
It is true, however, that the primordial
Subſtances of the ancient Philofophers are
more conformable to Reaſon than thofe of
the Moderns; becauſe Anaxagoras fup-
pos'd them to have Extent. It was a vi-
fionary Rabbin who, in the feventh Cen-
tury, depriv'd thefe primordial Particles
of their Extent. I alfo read the Names.
of Leibnitz, Wolf, and of the ſprightly
and charming Marchioneſs Du Châtelet, in
Con-
H 6
204
Philofophical Vifions.
Conjunction with that of one of the Dif
ciples of the Talmud*.
rcury,
I was wishing to read the Names and
Opinions of thofe Philofophers who fhall
write hereafter; but the Deftinies had not
yet thrown over the Page, which con-
tain'd their Memoirs, the Liquor which
blackens, and renders legible, the Ink
with which they are written. Mercu
fuggeſting my Defire, faid to me, "Will
not what you have feen and examin'd, of
fo many Ages paſt, inſtruct you, without
confulting what is to come, the Lot of fu-
ture Systems? They must be compos'd,
and new-modell'd, from the Ancients, as
well as thoſe of the prefent Time. Man-
kind have but a certain Number of Ideas;
* The Body of the Hebrew Law; a Compilation
or Expolitions of the Duties impos'd on that Peo-
ple, either in Scripture, or by Tradition, or by Au-
thority of their Doctors, or by Cuftom, or by Su-
perftition. To freak more plainly, it is the Courſe
of Cafes of Confcience, or of Moral Theology,
wherein the Duties are explain'd, and the Doubts
clear'd, not by Reaſoning, but generally by Autho-
rity, by the Cuſtom of the Nation, and by the Deci-
fions of the moſt approv'd of their ancient Doctors.
Chambers.
and
Philofophical Vifions.
205
and all that they can do is, merely to ex-
preſs them different Ways; when, at the
Bottom, they are all the fame."
"I am," anfwer'd I, "fully perfuaded
of the Truth of what you ſay. For if
there were Men who had a greater. Num-
ber of Ideas than were ever in the Under-
ftandings of thoſe who preceded them,
during fo many Ages: It must be becauſe
theſe Men are made differently from the
others; that their Brains were better dif
pos'd, compos'd of Fibres more firm or
delicate, or replenish'd with a greater
Quantity of animal Spirits. But this hap-
pens not; for Nature has but one certain
Compofition, or Dough, which fhe varies
differently, and of which is created Men,
Animals, Plants. The Trees are neither
larger nor fmaller than they were formerly;
nor are the Lions or Tigers more or leſs
fierce or thirſty of Blood than they have
been during theſe five Thouſand Years:
Even fo the Men of thefe Days perfectly
refemble thofe who liv'd in the earlier
Ages. Nature has not form'd Newton,
Des Cartes, Malebranche, or any others of
a finer or more delicate Compofition than
that
206
Philofophical Vifions.
that whereof fhe created Democritus, Epi-
curus, Plato, or Ariftotle. It is true, that
there is, from Time to Time, fome Ages.
which may be regarded as more enlight-
en'd than others; but this happens not
becauſe the Men, who liv'd in thoſe Ages,
had Ideas unknown to their Predeceffors;
but merely from their Opportunities of
cultivating and improving their Ideas,
and being permitted to produce them to
Light. Thus when a learned German de-
monftrated the Exiftence of the Antipodes,
he was perfecuted for having faid a Thing.
which Plato (a) had maintain'd tranquilly,
more than twelve Centuries before. When
Galileo was impriſon'd, and treated with
the utmoſt Cruelty for having prov'd that
the Earth turns round the Sun; he only
reviv'd an Opinion fupported by the an-
cient Philofophers; who, in that Affer-
tion, thought not that they committed a
Crime.
*Thefe Quotations would have been tranflated,
if the Author's introducing them into the Thread of
his Argument had not render'd it unneceffary.
(a) Plato primus in Philofophia
Laërt. de Vit. & Dogm, Glarer.
da. Diogen.
b. Lib. 3.
When
Philofophical Vifions.
207
When Des Cartes was perfecuted, and
oblig'd to retire into Holland, there to ru-
minate and reflect coolly on the moft ra-
tional Opinions of his Philofophy, which
were directly oppofite to the Opinions of
all the Philofophers of his Time; he only
reflected on Things which had been fup-
ported by Lucretius, fixteen Hundred
Years before his Time, whofe Opinion.
was not then imputed to him as criminal.
Des Cartes fays, that the fenfible Quali-
ties, as Smelling, Tafting, and the like,
are not, by their Nature, attach'd to the
Body. Lucretius has written the fame.
Thing (a)." "Think not, fays he, that
the Principles of Things which have not
(a) Sed ne forte putas folo fpoliata colore,
Corpora prima manere: Etiam fecreta teporis
Sunt, ac frigoris omnino, calidique vaporis:
Et fonitu fterilia & fucco jejuna feruntur:
Nec jaciunt ullum proprio de corpore odorem
Propterea demum debent primordia rerum
Non adhibere Juum gignundis rebus odorem
Nec fonitum, quoniam nihil ab ſe mittere poffunt:
Nes fimili ratione faporem denique quemquam ;
Nec frigus, neque item calidum, tepidumque vaporem?
Lucret. de Rer. Nat. Lib. 2. verf. 180. & feqq.
Co-
་
208
Philofophical Vifions.
Colour, have other Qualities; as Cold,
Heat, Sound, Moiſture, Odour; how
could they give to the Beings, they com-
poſe, their Colour, and their Sound;
fince, being folid and fimple, they ema-
nate none of thefe? They are likewife
without Tafte, without Cold, without
Heat, and have not any Thing of that
Nature."
"What Encomiums do they not, at
this Day, give to Des Cartes, for over-
throwing the Chimeras of fcholaſtic Phi-
lofophy; and for having fuggefted, and
prov'd, that all our Senfations are excited
by Corpufcles, which, in other Refpects,
have not themſelves any Qualities but the
three Dimenſions neceffary to all Bodies?
Certainly his Ideas are not new; and Des
Cartes has only reviv'd them, nineteen
Hundred Years after Epicurus. Lucre-
tius, his Difciple, has further explain'd
himſelf, on thefe Articles, very clearly."
"It is the different Manner, fays ke(a), by
which
(a) Hinc ubi quoque fuave eft aliis, aliis fit amarum.
Illis queis fuave eft, læviffima corpora debent
Contrectabiliter caulas intrare palati :
At
Philofophical Vifions.
209
which the Corpufcles ftrike the Senſe, that
makes us find that bitter, which another
has declar'd to be sweet."
"The Explanation which Des Cartes
has given to the Attraction of the Load-
ſtone, of Amber, and other Bodies where-
in we evidently difcover an attractive
Power, is new to thofe who are unac-
quainted with the ancient Philofophy:
But Lucretius has faid, the fame as Des
Cartes (a), that the magnetic Matter of
the Loadſtone chaces from between the
Iron and itſelf, all the Air in that Space.
which then collapfes round the Iron and
the Loadſtone, and forces them to re-
unite."
At contra, quibus eft eadem res intus acerba:
Afpera nimirum penetrant, ham ataque fauces:
Nunc facile ex his eft rebus cognofcere quæque.
Id. ibid. Lib. 4. verf. 659, & feqq.
(a) Principio, fiuere e lapide hoc per multa neceſſe eſt.
Semina, five eftum, qui difcutit aera plagis:
Inter qui lapidem, ferrumque eft cumque locatus
Aer a tergo quafi provehat atque propellat ;
Trudit
impellit, quafi navim velaque ventus.
Id. ibid. Lib. 6. verf. 1000, & feqq.
The
210
Philofophical Vifions.
D
The fame Lucretius has faid of Light,
precifely the fame Thing as Newton. That
English Philofopher would demonftrate,
that the Light of the Earth is tranfmitted
from the Sun (a); and that the Corpuf-
cles detach'd from luminous Bodies, and
which traverſe the Space of a furprising
Extent, convey, in a few Moments, the
Impreffions of Light, Lucretius teaches
us, that this was the Opinion of Epi-
curus (b).” It is certain, ſays he, that there
are Things which owe their Swiftnefs to
the Legerity or Minutenefs of their Na-
ture, as the Light and the Heat of the
Sun; which are compos'd of Atoms ex-
(a) Rejicientur fimul hypotheſes ex quibus lumen in preſſu
vel motu per iftius medium propagato confiftere fingitur
corpufcula e corporibus lucentibus emiffa. Optic. New.
ton. pag. 314, & 315.
(b) Principio perfape levis res atque minutis.
Corporibus fa&tas, celeres licet effe videre.
In quo jam genere eft folis lux, & vapor ejus
Propterea quia funt e primis facta minutis
Quæ quafi cuduntur, perque aeris intervallum
Non dubitant tranfire fequenti concita plaga
Suppeditatur enim confeftim lumine lumen
Et quafi protelo fimulatur folgure folgur.
Id. ibid. Lib. 4. verf. 133, & feqq•
tremely
Philofophical Vifions.
211
tremely fubtil, which eafily pervade all
the Interſtices of the Air; infomuch that,
in an Inftant, one Light is perpetuated by
another Light; and that the Rays are
always protruded and prefs'd by new
Rays. Concerning the Origin of Rivers
and Fountains, certain ancient Philofo-
phers have had precifely the fame Ideas
as the beſt Philofophers of our Days(a).
According to Seneca, the Fountains and
Rivers come from the Sea by unknown
and fubterraneous Paffages, and returns.
again to the fame Original. The Circu-
lation of the Blood, that famous Difco-
very, of which we fuppofe the Ancients
had no Idea, was not intirely unknown to
the fame Latin Philofopher. He fays, in
(a) Quidam exiftimant terram, quidquid aquarum emi-
fit, rurfus accipere: & ob hoc maria non crefcere, quio
quod infiuxit, non in fuum vertunt, fed protinus redeunt.
Occulto enim itinere fubit terras, & palam venit, fecreto.
revertitur, colaturque in tranfitu mare: quod per multi-
plices anfractus terrarum verberatum, amaritudinem ponit
& pravitatem faporis in tanta foli varietate exuit & in
finceram aquam tranfit. L. Ann. Senec. Nat. Quæft.
Quan
Lib. 3. Cap. 5.
his
212
Philofophical Vifions.
his Natural Queftions (a), that while the
vital Spirits, which enrich the Blood, cir-
culate
(a) Etiamnum & illud accedit his argumentis, per quod
appareat motum effici fpiritu, quod corpora quoque noflra
non aliter tremunt, quam fi fpiritum aliqua caufa contur-
bat: cum timore contractus eft, cum fene&ute languefcit,
& venis torpentibus marcet, cum frigore inhibetur, aut
acceffionem curfu fuo dejicitur. Nam quamdiu fine injuria
perfluit & ex more procedit, rullus eft tremor corpori.
Cum aliquid occurrit quod inhibeat ejus officium, tunc pa-
rum potens perferendis his quæe fuo vigore tenebat, deficiens
concutit, quid integer tulerat. Id. ibid. Lib. 6. Cap. 18.
The fame Seneca explains himſelf ſtill more pre-
cifely in another Paffage, where he compares the
Veins and Arteries to the Paffages, and the Blood to
the fubterraneous Waters. According to him, the
Blood runs, in its Conduits, as the Waters in their
proper Channels, which arifes from the Sea, and re-
turns again to its Source. Theſe are his Words :
Placet natura regi terram; & quidem ad noftrorum cor-
porum exemplar, in quibus & vena funt & arterie: Ille
fanguinis, bæ fpiritus receptacula. In terra quoque ſunt
alia itinera, per que aqua; & alia per que fpiritus cur-
rit: Adeoque illam ad fimilitudinem humanorum corporum
natura formavit, ut Majores noftri aquarum appellaverint
venas. Id. ibid. Lib. 3. Cap. 15. Plato has faid
the fame Thing many Ages before Seneca. Nature,
according to that Greek Philofopher, takes Care that
the Blood may run freely in the Veins, and return
'
by
Philofophical Vifions.
213
culate without Obftruction, the Body is
not fubject to Tremblings; i. e. Diſeaſes.
How could Seneca fay, that the vital Spi-
rits circulate, if the Blood itſelf was not
circulated, but damm'd up all the Paf-
fages?
The modern Phyfiologifts brag of hav-
1
by them to its Source. Neque, fays he, fi craffion fit,
(fanguis) ad motum fiat ineptior atque ægre per venas
fluat refluat. Plato in Timao, pag. 537. In an-
other Paffage he fays, that Difcafes commonly hap-
pen from the Alteration of the Blood which moves
in the Veins, quicker or flower than it ought to do
according to the ordinary Laws of the Circulation.
Que omnia fanguinem ipfum imprimis perimunt, & fe-
runtur faſſim per venas nullo prorfus naturalis circuitus
ordine obfervato. Plat. in Tim. pag. 572. The Cir-
culation of the Blood was known almost two Thou-
fand Years before Plato; for it is four Thoufand
fince it was not only known to the Chirafe, but that
they have fix'd the Time of its intire Revolution to
the Space of two Hundred and Seventy Reſpira-
tions. Sanguinis circulationem -jam à quatuor mille
& pluribus annis feribus notam fuifle teftantur illorum
libri revolutiones vero fingulas metiuntur 270 reſpi-
rationibus. Ifac. Voffii, Var. Obferv. Lib. de Magnit.
Sinarum, pag. 71, 72. What our Author fays on this
Subject, is undoubtedly true: But it is our Country-
man Harvey who was the firſt, we know of, that po-
'fitively afcertain'd its certain Circulation in the two
Syftems of Veffels, Veins and Arteries.
ing
214 Philofophical Vifions.
ing made that great Difcovery of the
Caufe of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea.
They have obferv'd what Connexion there
is between the Movements of the Sea
and of the Moon: They have found,
that the daily Movements of the Moon
are conformable to thofe of the Sea; that
the Moon retards every Day, and the Sea
every Month: At the New and Full of
the Moon, at leaſt a little Time after, the
Sea increaſes more than ordinary; the
Flux diminiſhes when the Moon ap-
proaches her Quadratures, and augments
when the returns againſt the Conjunctions
or Oppofitions: When the Moon is moft
remote from the Earth, the Sea is loweſt;
and, when ſhe is nearer, is much higher :
The Time of the greateſt Tide happens a
few Days after the Equinoxes, or when
the Sun and Moon appear to unite in
the Equator. Thefe Obfervations are
very fine, 'tis true; but how can we fay,
that the modern Philofophers were the
firſt that made them, (2) when Pliny has
recited
(a) Et de aquarum natura complura dicta funt: Sed
Heſtuş maris accedere & reciprocari maximo mirum: Plu-
ribus
Philofophical Vifions.
215
recited them all? And that we may find
them written, at Length, in the Ninety-
feventh Chapter of the Second Book of
his Natural Hiftory?
The Moderns affirm, that the Moon is
a great deal lefs than the Earth; that
it is an opake Body, that owes its Light
to the Sun; that it is not impoffible that
the Moon may be inhabited; that it has
Mountains, Hollows, and Valleys, and
Paffages that reflect more or lefs Light;
that ſhe rotates upon her own Axis. Plu
tarch, after other Philofophers his Prede-
ceffors, has faid all theſe fine Things (b).
Our
ribus quidem modis, verum caufa in Sole Lunaque: Bis in-
ter duos exortus Lunæ affluunt biſque remeant, vicenis qua-
ternifque femper horis, & primum attollente fe cum ea
mundo intumefcentes, mox a Meridiano Cæli faftigio ver:
gente in Occafum refidentes: Rurfufque ab Occafu fupter
Cali ima, & Meridiano contraria accedente, inundantes :
Hinc donec iterum exoriatur, fe forbentes multiplex
etiamnum lunaris differentia, primumque feptenis diebus.
Quippe modici nova ad dividuam æftus, pleniore ab ca ex-
undant, plenaque maxime fervent: Inde mitefcunt
duobus Equinoctiis maxime tumentes & Autumnali am-
plius quam Verno. Plin. Hift. Nat. Lib. 2. Cap. 97.
(b) On doit lire, pour favoir ce que les Anciens
ont penfé de la Lune, le Traité de Plutarque, qui eft
intitulé:
216
Philofophical Vifions.
Our modern Phyfiologifts pique them-
felves, alfo, on having render'd great Ser-
vice to Mankind, in delivering them from
their ridiculous Fear on the Appearance
of Comets; and in teaching us, that thoſe
luminous Bodies, which were once thought
to prefage the greateſt Evils, are Stars
that have their regular Courfes in their
Orbits as the Planets in theirs. But if
the Men, who liv'd in the Time of Se-
neca, had attended to his Leffons, he had
done them the fame Service. For he fays
exprefly the fame Thing as our modern
Philofophers." "We have ſeen, ſays he,
(a) in the feventh Book of his Natural
Questions,
६.
intitulé: De la Face que l'on voit dans le rond, de la
Lune. Ce Traité eft à la pag. 614. de la Traduction
des Oeuvres de Plutarque par Amiot.
(a) Quare ergo per longum tempus apparet, & non cito
exflinguitur? Sex enim menfibus hic ; quem nos Neronis
Principatu letiffimo vidimus ; ſpeciandum ſe præbuit, in
diverfum illi Claudiani circuma&us. Ille enim a fepten-
trione in verticem furgens, Orientem petiit femper obfcu
rior: Hic ab eadem parte cæpit, fed in Occidentem ten-
dens, ad Meridiem flexit, & ibi fe fubduxit oculis. Se-
nec. Quæft. Nat. Lib. 7. Cap. 21.
Ego noflris non affentior. Non enim exißimo cometėn
fubitaneum ignem, fed inter æterna opera naturæ.
Pri-
mum
Philofophical Visions.
217
Questions, during the Reign of Nero a Co-
met, for the Space of fix Months, making
a different Tour than that which appear'd
in the Reign of Claudius; rifing on the
Side of the Septentrion againſt the Orient,
and appearing always more obfcure. The
other parted from the fame Quarter draw-
ing towards the Occident, turn'd itſelf
mum quæcumque aer creat, brevia funt. Nafcuntur enim
in re fugaci mutabili. Quomodo poteft enim aer aliquid
idem diu permanere, cum ipfe aer numquam idem maneat ?
Fluit femper, & brevis illi quies eft, intra exiguum mo-
mentum in alium quam in quo fuerat, ftatum vertitur.
Nunc pluvius, nunc ferenus, nunc inter utrumque varius :
Nubefque illi familiariſſimæ, in quas coit, & ex quibus fol-
vitur, modo congregantur, modo digeruntur: Numquam
immote jacent. Fieri non poteft ut ignis certus in corpore
vago fedeat & ita pertinaciter hæreat, quam quem natura
ne umquam excuteretur aptavit. Id. ibid. Cap. 22.
Ait cometen non unum ex multis erratices effici, fed mul-
tos cometas erraticos effe. Non eft, inquit, fpecies falja,
nec duarum ftellarum eonfinio ignis extenfus; fed & pro-
prium fidus cometes eft, ficut folis aut lune Cæterum
non eft illi palam curfus Altiora mundi fecat: Et tunc
demum apparet cum in imum curfus fui venit Multi
variique funt, diſpares magnitudine, diffimiles colore:
Hi minuunt augentque lumen fuum, quemadmodum alia fi-
dera: Quæ clariora, cum defcendere funt, majora ex loco
propiore vifantur; minora cum redeunt, & obfcuriora quia
obducunt fe longius. Id. ibid. Cap. 17.
L
againſt
218
Philofophical Vifions.
againſt the South, where it difappear'd.
I cannot agree, with the Stoics, that Co-
mets are fiery Bodies, illuminated all at
once: On the contrary, I believe them to
be of the eternal Works of Nature. For
all that is ingender'd of the Air, is of
fhort Duration: Nor is it poffible, that a
Thing ſhould fubfift, for any Length of
Time, in the Air, which is not itſelf al-
ways in the fame State. It glides along
inceffantly, and is never in a State of
Reft: It changes in a Moment, into that
which it was not, but an Inftant before.
Sometimes it is rainy, fometimes ferene,
others variable: The Clouds which it
forms, amaſs themſelves, unite, feparate,
extend, and never remain in a fix'd State.
It is therefore impoffible, that a Fire can
be affur'd and certain, on a Body fo er-
rant and inconftant; and that it fhould
be there attach'd, as are thofe that Nature
has plac'd in a fix'd and determinate Sta-
tion. A Comet therefore, is not a falſe
Image, nor a Fire of two Stars which ex-
pands itſelf on its Neighbour: It is pro-
perly a Star, as are the Sun and the Moon.
Its Courſe is not yet perfectly known: It
runs
Philofophical Vifions.
219
runs over the higheſt Regions of the Sky,
and appears not to us but when it is ar-
riv'd at the loweft Period of its Courſe.
There are Comets of many different Co-
lours, and different Grandeur: Some di-
miniſh and augment their Lights, as do
the Stars, which are moſt clear when they
fet; and appear greateſt when they are
moſt near, and lefs, and more obfcure
when they riſe, becauſe they are then re-
moter from our View. But, fay they who
think that Mankind knew fcarcely any
Thing till theſe latter Ages; to know that
Comets are Stars, is but a trifling Mat-
ter, in Regard to the obferving the Re-
turns of any one: And there are modern
Aftronomers who have done this. They
have done nothing but what has been
done before, by the Egyptians (a), three
Thousand Years ago.
I could eaſily fhew, that there are other
fimilar Opinions of the Philofophers, be-
fides thofe I mention. I confefs, that
certain Inftruments, which we have made
(a) Cometarumque ortus prædicebant (Egiptii). Di
od. Sic. Lib. 1. Part 2.
L2
during
220
Philofophical Vifions.
during thefe latter Times, have made us
acquainted with many Things that the
Greeks and the Romans had not feen: But
who can fay, that the Egyptians, the Ba-
bylonians, and other more ancient People,
had not Knowledge of the fame Inftru-
ments, which might be loft in the Suc-
ceffion of Time? When Printing was first
found out in Europe, we perfuaded our-
felves, that that Invention had, till then,
been unknown to all the Univerſe: But
we find in the Sequel, that it has been
known, more than two Thousand Years,
to the Chineſe. And who knows, if the
Chineſe did not receive it from fome Indian
People, who, in the Courſe of Years,
have loft the Art; and have now no fur-
ther Knowledge of it than we have of the
Secret of painting on Glafs, which is in-
tirely loft in Europe (a). The Arts and
Sciences expire, revive, and change Situ-
(a) This Art has been reviv'd by an ingenious.
Artist of our own Country; but, it is to be fear'd,
will again be loft; as he will not inſtruct any one in
his Art. Some Specimens of his Work are to be ſeen
iu the Parish Church of St. Andrew Holborne.
ations,
Philofophical Vifions.
221
ations, by the Revolutions and Length
of Time. It is four Thoufand Years
fince they calculated, in China, the
Eclipfes of the Sun (a). If that Coun-
try had been wholly devaſtated, as ſome
others have been, we fhould be perfuaded
that the Babylonians and Chaldeans were
the firſt Aftronomers; and we fhould
have had no Knowledge that Aftronomy
had been cultivated before them, by other
Men, who had only proceeded juft to the
Point of calculating an Eclipfe. The
fame may be faid of Microſcopes, Teleſcopes,
and other Inftruments, of which we be-
lieve ourſelves the Inventors; it muft
neceffarily be, that, in the immenfe Ex-
tent of Ages that are elaps'd, Men have
fometimes loft, and fometimes recover'd,
all that we now-a-days regard as intirely
of our own Age: And I am thoroughly
convinc'd, that the only true and un-
doubted Axiom is, that the Sun fees not,
(a) See the Hiſtory of China, by Father Du Halde,
and other Writers who have spoken of China. Con-
fult, eſpecially, thoſe who have been there, and wrote
not before they were well acquainted with them.
L 3.
nor
222
Philofophical Vifions.
nor ever will fee, in his Courſe, any Thing
new to bim.”
"You are in the right," fays Mercury;
"and I, that am a God cotemporary with
Apollo, and of nearly the fame Age, can
affure you, that I have never ſeen any
Thing new, fince I arriv'd at the Age of
Reaſon; and have receiv'd in Heaven the
virile Robe. For while I was yet in my
Infancy, and my Mother Maii educated
me on Mount Cylene, in Arcadia; all that
ftruck my Senfes, for the firſt Time in
the Univerfe, appear'd to me new and fur-
priſing: Time, and the Company of other
Gods, cur'd me of my Prejudices; and
Jupiter found me worthy of the univerfal
Superintendence of Eloquence and Com-
merce: He added, to my other Qualifi-
cations, the Knowledge of expert Thiev-
ery. Therefore, being no lefs the God
of Theft, than of Eloquence and Trade, to
unite all my Subjects, and render their
Manners uniform, I have made all Ad-
vocates and Merchants become as great
Rogues as I could. Jove would alfo
make me the Negotiator of his fecret
Plea-
Philofophical Vifions.
223
Pleaſures; and, to give an honourable
Name to this Employment, he gave me
the Commiffion of Meſſenger to the Gods.
Since that Time, the Princes of the Earth,
who are the Images and Reprefentatives of
the Gods, have imitated the Example of
my Father Jupiter; and heſitate not to
decorate, with pompous Titles, thoſe who
occupy, under them, the fame Employ-
ments which I exercife on Olympus. But
I forget, while I am talking with you,
that I muſt go to convey to the Shades a
Number of Souls, who wait but for me to
quit their corporeal Prifons: This is an-
other of the Attributes of my Office. It
is I that convey the Souls among the
Dead, and occafionally draw them from
thence." "But tell me," faid I to Mer-
cury, "do you really ever take any Souls
out of the Shades, to convey them into
the Light of Heaven?" "My Friend,"
anfwer'd the God, "that has yet never
happen'd: But it is neceffary, in the mean
Time, to perfuade Mankind that I have
that Power: For fhould they know that
in Reality, I can do them not even a
fingle Benefit after their Death; the Re-
L 4
lations
224
Philofophical Vifions.
lations that furvive them would make no
Libations; not a fingle Sacrifice would be
offer'd on their Tombs: And on what
muft the Priests of the Gods of the Manes
live? and indeed, of all the other Divi-
nities, to whom Mortals only pray that
their Souls may be favourably receiv'd,
and foon elevated from the Empire of
Pluto? I myself fhould lofe a great deal,
were Mortals to be made thus wife.
"I underſtand you," faid I; "Half of
your Honours are only founded on the
falfe Ideas which Men have of your Power
and Credit. The fame Things that would
diminish the Profits of the Priefts of the
Manes, would alfo infinitely diminiſh the
Ideas which we entertain of your mighty
Power; therefore you make a common
Caufe with them You refemble thofe
Courtiers, who attract the Attentions, and
Refpects, which we pay them only from
the Prepoffeffion of their great Credit;
when, at the Bottom, they have really
but very little. If we would but endea-
vour to diſcover that which they conceal
with the utmoſt Art and Precaution, all
their Grandeur would vaniſh in an Inftant."
« I
Philofophical Vifions.
225
"I love much to hear you prate, Mr.
Philoſopher," replies Mercury; "but I
am oblig'd, however, to quit you."
"But, good Mercury," faid I, “ ſtay
yet one Moment: I beg you will fuffer
me to overlook a little of the third Part
of that Book of Fate.'
وو
''
"
Willingly,
replies the God of Eloquence; " but make
Hafte; for I have no Time to fpare.
To make good Ufe of the little Time al-
low'd me, I began to examine the Cata-
logue of Heroes deftin'd to live eternally
with the Gods, and enjoy, as they do,
Immortality. I faw the Names of all
thoſe Greek and Roman Generals who de-
populated and deſtroy'd the Weſtern Em-
pire; I faw alfo the Names of the Tarter,
Scythian, and Turkish Generals, who con-
quer'd the Greeks of the eaſtern Nations;
in ſhort, I found, in this Catalogue, the
Names of all the great Men of every Na-
tion, and of every Age.
But I was aftonish'd at the Manner in
which this Catalogue was written: The
Name of each Hero occupied the Top of
a Page, and their principal Actions were
underwritten: The Back of the fame
Page
226
Philofophical Vifions.
Page contain'd the Hiftory of fome in-
confiderable Perfon, and always one of a
very indifferent Merit, oftener of none at
all, and fuch as had been very defpicable,
either for the Crimes they had committed,
or fuffer'd to be committed; or for their
Sentiments. Surpris'd at a Thing which
appear❜d to me ſo ridiculous, I demanded
of Mercury the Reafon. How is it pof-
fible, fays I, that the Destinies fhould
place in their Book, at the Side of the
greateſt Heroes, a Company of miſerable
Fanatics, Rafcals, and Idiots?
"The Deftinies," reply'd Mercury,
"make no Diftinctions of Men; to
them all are equal: And, confequently,
they infert indifferently, in their Cata-
logue, all that are to enjoy Immortality;
and are to be, or have been, reſpected by
a Multitude of Men. Thoſe People
whom you think defpicable, and who
really are fo, have been, nevertheleſs,
eſteem'd as very illuftrious Perfons, and
have had, and perhaps ſtill have, a great
Number of Partizans, their Names will
be convey'd to the lateſt Pofterity; and
many of them have, at this Time, an in-
finite
Philofophical Vifions.
227
finite Number of Admirers and Reverers,
more than Alcibiades, Scipio, or Tamerlane.
Therefore condemn not the Order ob-
ferv'd in the Catalogue; rather condemn
the Folly of Mankind, who are, indeed,
the only Cauſe; and who honour, and
often deify, thoſe who ought to be ab-
horr'd, and condemn'd to an eternal Ob-
loquy."
I return'd no Anſwer: For what Mer-
cury had faid to me, appear'd very reaſon-
able. I continu'd, therefore, to run over
the Catalogue, and confider, with a new
Surprize, the Names of thoſe who occu-
pied the Back of the Leaves on which
were written the Actions of the greateſt
Heroes. I read, at the Back of Pompey
the Great, the Hiftory of a vile Gladiator
call'd Spartacus: Behind that of Julius
Cæfar was a Taylor, who irritated the
Gauls: Behind thofe of Conftantine, and
his Sons, I read the Names, and the Dif
putes, of certain Priefts, who excited in
all Europe the moſt cruel Difputes. I
confider'd with Aſtoniſhment, on the
Back of the Page which contain❜d the
glorious Actions of the Emperor Charles
the
→
228
Philofophical Vifions.
the Fifth, the Name and Manners of a
Monk who left his Convent, chang'd
the Face of Religion in Germany and the
North, and occafion'd many Millions of
Men to perish in a Civil War: Francis
the First was no better accompanied.
This Prince, fo good, fo open, fo gene-
rous and brave, had, for his Affociate, a
Canon (of Noyon, in Picardy ;) learned,
eloquent; but bilious, vain, fplenetic,
and vindictive: Who, retiring to Geneva,
perfecuted, and caus'd to be burnt, thofe
who were not of his Opinion (a); tho',
at the fame Time, he wrote with great
Vehemence and Paffion againft Perfecu-
tion; and plung'd his native Country in
the Horrors of a fatal Diffention. On
the Backs of the Pages occupied by many
other great Men, I read alfo the Names
of Fools, of ignorant Mendicants, Monks,
and falfe Prophets of the CROISADE (b).
Lewis
*An Augustine Friar of Wittenberg in Saxony.
(a) Michael Servetus was, at the Inftigation of this
Canon, burnt at Geneva, Anno 1555. He was the
Leader of a Subdivifion from his Perfecutor's Sect.
(b) A holy War, or an Expedition against Infidels
and Heretics; particularly, against the Turks, for the
Reco-
Philofophical Vifions.
229
Lewis the Fourteenth, that Prince whofe
Memory will be always dear to every ho-
neft Frenchman; who has rais'd the Glory
of his Name, and State, to the higheſt
Pitch, had, on the Back of his Page, the
crafty Jefuit La Chaiffe (a), and the Bi-
fhop Fanfenius (b). The firft has given
France a deadly Wound, which yet bleeds,
by exiling the Proteftants; the latter pre-
par'd new Difputes to divide, a ſecond
Time, the Kingdom. Behind the Page
of Lewis the Fifteenth I read the Name of
the Abbé Paris (c). This good King,
the Love of his Subjects, who van-
quifhes his Enemies, and is, neverthe-
lefs, efteem'd and belov'd by them;
Recovery of Paleftine. To thefe Croifades Multitudes.
of People formerly flock'd, on Principles of Devo-
tion, the Pope's Bull, and the preaching of the
Prieſts of thoſe Days making it appear a Point of
Confcience.
(a) Confeffor to Lewis the Fourteenth, a furious
Perfecutor of the Proteftants.
(b) Cornelius Fanfen, commonly call'd Fanfenius.
Vid. Vifion VI.
(c) A Man remarkable for his Enthuſiaſm and ex-
travagant Charities; who refus'd, on his Death-bed,
to receive the Sacraments, as unworthy of them.
A reputed Saint of the Populace.
had,
230 Philofophical Vifions.
had, at the Back of his Page, a Fa-
natic whom mad Men had chofen for
their Patron. Frederic, King of Pruffia,
Conqueror, in five Battles, over a Confe-
deracy of Enemies united againſt him:
Frederic, whofe Underſtanding is as pro-
found as his Courage is great; has for
his Comrade, in Immortality, the vifion-
ary Zinzindorff (a), Chief of the Peiteftes,
who forbid War, on any Pretext what-
ever; and would make Men Slaves to the
firft that ſhould attack or invade them,
by impoſing on them, as a capital Law,
that they ſhould not take up Arms, even
to defend their Country.
After having read the Names of thoſe
great Kings, I found the Hiftories of all
the celebrated ancient and modern Gene-
rals: Among the latter I obferv'd, that
the Names of Turenne, Luxembourg, Conde,
Villars, Eugene, Marlborough, and Saxe,
were written in large Characters; I faw,
alſo, thoſe of Belleiſle, of Cogni, Schewrin,
and Cumberland; under which Name was
an Eulogium on the Bravery, Prudence,
(a) Moravians.
and
Philofophical Vifions.
231
and Magnanimity, of that Prince. I
perceiv'd, alſo, the Name of the unfor-
tunate Edward, with thefe Words at the
Side; a Prince whofe Courage and Virtues
deferv'd a better Lot.
I afterwards look'd over the Names of
many People, who had not yet com-
manded an Army in Chief, but were in-
titled, by their Birth and Valour, to com-
mand hereafter. I was charm'd, for the
Honour of Learning and Science, to fee
that, in the Eulogiums written under
each Name, many were equally prais'd
for their Courage and Underſtanding;
among the Names thus doubly deſtin'd
to Immortality, I read thofe of Richelieu,
of d'Acquien, of Boufleur, of Nivernois,
of Souvre, of Guerchi, of Derronville, and
ſome of every different Nation: Thoſe
of Chesterfield, of Still, and Slipenbach,
were amongſt them. I faw, alfo, the
Names of fome who dy'd too foon for
the Glory of their Country, and the Ad-
vancement of Arts: Among theſe was
written, in groſs Characters, the Name of
the Duke of Mortimer.
There
ॐ
232
Philofophical Vifions.
There were, alfo, in this Book, the
Names of the moft eminent Miniſters of
State: The Number of them was how-
ever, much ſmaller than I could have
imagin'd. Amongst them I read the
Names of Richelicu, Mazerine, IValpole,
Ormea, Chanvellius, Fagells, Teucin, Ar-
genson, and Maurepas.
I then turn'd to the Article of eminent
Writers, and perceiv'd, with Pleafure,
that the Public conform their Taſte pretty
nearly to the Decrees of the Deftinies. I
found none, amongst the Authors who
were decreed the Honour of Immorta-
lity, but fuch as the Public had alloted it
to. All thofe Writers, fupported by Ca-
bals, protected by great Lords, approv'd
by Authors who had particular Reaſons
for prailing of them; all thefe Writers
were excluded the Book of Fate: I faw
none there but fuch as had a true Merit.
There was, in this Chapter, an Article
intitul'd, The feven modern Sages of the
Republic of Letters. Curious to know
who were theſe feven Sages, and not in
the leaft doubting that they were ſeven
Doctors of the Sorbonne, or feven Acade-
micians;
Philofophical Vifions.
233
micians; I was much furpris'd, when I
found they were neither the one, nor the
other: And when I faw that, to make up
the Number of thefe Sages, they had been
oblig'd to collect feven Writers of dif-
ferent Nations, I was ftill more aſtoniſh'd.
They were, Petrarch, Erafmus, Mon-
taigne, Gaffendi, Bayle, Locke, and Grc-
tius. I read, underneath their Names,
thefe Words; "theſe ſeven great Men,
have join'd to an extenfive Education, a
great deal of Spirit, a great deal of Wif-
dom, a great deal of Probity, a great
deal of Modefty, a great deal of Diffi-
dence of their own Talents, and a great
deal of Precaution in fpeaking their Sen-
timents on Subjects they thought difficult
to illuftrate. They have each, in their
Way, been almoft fuperior to human Na-
ture; but they have not been fo vain, as
to carry their Subjects too far: In this
more wife than many other great Men,
both ancient and modern, who would
attempt to comprehend the Reafon of
Things which their own Reafon might
convince them could not be known by
feeble
234
Philofophical Vifions.
feeble Mortals. They have doubted,
till they have believ'd the Doubt wifer
than the Affertion.”
After the Lift of Men of Letters,
follow'd thofe celebrated for Arts; after
a long Lift of more ancient Candidates
for Immortality, in this Rank, follow'd
the Names of Raphael, Carracchi, Cor-
rege, Le Brun, Le Sener, Pauffin, Na-
tour, Carlos Vanlo, Caze, and Reine.
Thofe of Smitz, and Drevest, were be-
fide thofe of Edelins and Andrans; thofe
of Rameaux and Mondouville accompa-
nied thofe of Lulli and Campia; that of
Haffe was with that of Vinci; the ami-
able and celebrated Salimboni, the famous
Farinelli, were plac'd after Orpheus and
Amphion; and I read, with the Names
of Corelli and Tartini, thofe of Le Clerc
and Guinon..
After having examin'd the Book of
Fate for fome Time longer, an Emotion
of Self-love prompted me to examine if
I could no-where find my own Name.
I fearch'd; and, at laſt, caſt my Eyes
upon it: But I learnt, from what was
written
Philofophical Vifions.
235
written under it, that, that Immortality
would cost me fo much Chagrin and Em-
barraffment, that the Grief, it excited in
me, awak'd me with Horror: And thus
my Dream, and my Immortality, were
concluded together.
FINIS
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