按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
for how fine soever that thread may be； it was once no better than
the fleece of a sheep； and that sheep was a sheep still for all
its wearing it。 They wonder much to hear that gold which in itself
is so useless a thing； should be everywhere so much esteemed； that
even men for whom it was made； and by whom it has its value；
should yet be thought of less value than this metal。 That a man of
lead； who has no more sense than a log of wood； and is as bad as
he is foolish； should have many wise and good men to serve him；
only because he has a great heap of that metal； and that if it
should happen that by some accident or trick of law （which
sometimes produces as great changes as chance itself） all this
wealth should pass from the master to the meanest varlet of his
whole family； he himself would very soon become one of his
servants； as if he were a thing that belonged to his wealth； and
so were bound to follow its fortune。 But they much more admire and
detest the folly of those who； when they see a rich man； though
they neither owe him anything nor are in any sort dependent on his
bounty； yet merely because he is rich give him little less than
divine honors； even though they know him to be so covetous and
base…minded that notwithstanding all his wealth he will not part
with one farthing of it to them as long as he lives。
These and such like notions has that people imbibed； partly from
their education； being bred in a country whose customs and laws
are opposite to all such foolish maxims； and partly from their
learning and studies； for though there are but few in any town
that are so wholly excused from labor as to give themselves
entirely up to their studies； these being only such persons as
discover from their childhood an extraordinary capacity and
disposition for letters； yet their children； and a great part of
the nation； both men and women； are taught to spend those hours in
which they are not obliged to work； in reading： and this they do
through the whole progress of life。 They have all their learning
in their own tongue； which is both a copious and pleasant
language； and in which a man can fully express his mind。 It runs
over a great tract of many countries； but it is not equally pure
in all places。 They had never so much as heard of the names of any
of those philosophers that are so famous in these parts of the
world； before we went among them； and yet they had made the same
discoveries as the Greeks； in music； logic； arithmetic； and
geometry。 But as they are almost in everything equal to the
ancient philosophers； so they far exceed our modern logicians； for
they have never yet fallen upon the barbarous niceties that our
youth are forced to learn in those trifling logical schools that
are among us； they are so far from minding chimeras； and
fantastical images made in the mind； that none of them could
comprehend what we meant when we talked to them of man in the
abstract； as common to all men in particular （so that though we
spoke of him as a thing that we could point at with our fingers；
yet none of them could perceive him）； and yet distinct from
everyone； as if he were some monstrous Colossus or giant。
Yet for all this ignorance of these empty notions； they knew
astronomy； and were perfectly acquainted with the motions of the
heavenly bodies； and have many instruments； well contrived and
divided； by which they very accurately compute the course and
positions of the sun； moon； and stars。 But for the cheat； of
divining by the stars by their oppositions or conjunctions； it has
not so much as entered into their thoughts。 They have a particular
sagacity； founded upon much observation； in judging of the
weather； by which they know when they may look for rain； wind； or
other alterations in the air； but as to the philosophy of these
things； the causes of the saltness of the sea； of its ebbing and
flowing； and of the origin and nature both of the heavens and the
earth； they dispute of them； partly as our ancient philosophers
have done； and partly upon some new hypothesis； in which； as they
differ from them； so they do not in all things agree among
themselves。
As to moral philosophy； they have the same disputes among them as
we have here： they examine what are properly good both for the
body and the mind； and whether any outward thing can be called
truly good； or if that term belong only to the endowments of the
soul。 They inquire likewise into the nature of virtue and
pleasure； but their chief dispute is concerning the happiness of a
man； and wherein it consists？ Whether in some one thing； or in a
great many？ They seem； indeed； more inclinable to that opinion
that places； if not the whole； yet the chief part of a man's
happiness in pleasure； and； what may seem more strange； they make
use of arguments even from religion； notwithstanding its severity
and roughness； for the support of that opinion so indulgent to
pleasure； for they never dispute concerning happiness without
fetching some arguments from the principles of religion； as well
as from natural reason； since without the former they reckon that
all our inquiries after happiness must be but conjectural and
defective。
These are their religious principles； that the soul of man is
immortal； and that God of his goodness has designed that it should
be happy； and that he has therefore appointed rewards for good and
virtuous actions； and punishments for vice； to be distributed
after this life。 Though these principles of religion are conveyed
down among them by tradition； they think that even reason itself
determines a man to believe and acknowledge them； and freely
confess that if these were taken away no man would be so
insensible as not to seek after pleasure by all possible means；
lawful or unlawful； using only this caution； that a lesser
pleasure might not stand in the way of a greater； and that no
pleasure ought to be pursued that should draw a great deal of pain
after it； for they think it the maddest thing in the world to
pursue virtue； that is a sour and difficult thing； and not only to
renounce the pleasures