sovereign Happiness of Life that 's what my little Understanding will not comprehend I admire they don't establish the Pleasure of such an Epicurus in Death for to consider the Misery of Life his chiefest Good should have been to put an end to it Believe me if Horace and Petronius had imagined him to themselves as he is described they would not have taken him for their Master in the knowledge of Pleasures The Piety which is allowed him for the Gods is no less ridiculous than the Mortification of his Senses those idle Gods those disabled Beings from whom he saw nothing to be hoped or feared did not merit the pains of his Worship and let not People say That he went to the Temple for fear of drawing the Magistrates upon him and scandalizing his Citizens for he had much less scandalized them by not assisting at the Sacrifice than he doth offend them by his Writings which destroyed the Gods in the World or at least ruined the confidence they had in their Protection But what 's your Opinion of Epicurus says one to me You believe neither his Friends nor his Enemies his Adversaries nor his Partisans What is your Judgment of him I 'm of Opinion That Epicurus was a very wise Philosopher who according to the time and occasions loved Pleasure in Repose or Pleasure in Motion and from this different Pleasure is come that of the Reputation he has had Timisecrates and his Enemies have set upon him by sensual Pleasures those that have defended him have spoken of nothing but of a Spiritual Pleasure When the first have accused him of the expence he made in his Banquets I am perswaded that the Accusation was well grounded When the others have made him swallow down those little Morsels of Cheese to make better chear than was usual I believe they did not want Reason When one says that he argued with Leontium one says true When one affirms that he diverted himself with her one doth not tell me there is a time to laugh and a time to weep according to Solomon a time to be sober and a time to be sensual according to Epicurus Besides a voluptuous Man is not equally so all his Life In Religion the greatest Libertine is sometimes the most Devout In the study of wisdom the most indulgent to Pleasure is sometimes the most severe As for me I look otherwise upon Epicurus in Youth and Health than in Old Age and Distempers Insensibleness Tranquillity and the Happiness of idle sick Persons could not be better express'd than they are in his Writings Sensual Pleasure is not less explained in that Formal Passage which Cicero expresly alledges I know that nothing is forgotten to destroy him or to shift him off but may Conjectures be compared with the Testimony of Cicero who knew so well the Philosophers of Greece and their Philosophy It were much better to reject him upon the Inconstancy of Humane Nature and upon the Inequality of our Minds Where is a Man so uniform as to have nothing of inequality and contrariety in his Actions Solomon deserves the name of Wise at least as much as Epicurus and he did equally mistake in his Opinions and in his Conduct Montagne as yet very Young believed that his Thoughts should be eternally fixed upon Death to be prepared for it when he approached Old Age he makes says he a Recantation desiring to be sweetly conducted by Nature that will sufficiently learn us to die Mr. Bernier a great favourer of Epicurus doth now confess that after having studied Philosophy Fifty Years he doubts of things that he had believed the most assured All Objects have different Faces and the Minds which are in a continual Motion look upon them as they turn insomuch that we have nothing that I may so speak but new Aspects thinking to enjoy new Discoveries Moreover Age brings great Alterations in our Humour and by the Alteration of Humour is very often framed that of Opinions Add that the Pleasures of the Senses sometimes render despicable the Satisfactions of the Mind as too dry and too naked and that the nice and refined Satisfactions of the Mind despise in their turn the Pleasures of the Senses as gross So one ought not to be surprized that in so great a diversity of Prospects and Motions Epicurus who hath writ more than any Philosopher should say the same thing in a different Manner according as he might have different Thoughts and Notions of it What Occasion is there for those general Arguments to shew that he could be sensible of all sorts of Pleasures If you consider him in his Familiarity with Women you will not believe that he spent so much time with Leontium and Ternissa to do nothing but read Philosophy But if he loved the Enjoyment of them as a voluptuous Person he managed himself as a prudent Man and being indulgent to the Motions of Nature contrary to Efforts not always reckoning Chastity for a Vertue always accounting Luxury a Vice he would have Sobriety to be a Dispensation of the Appetite and that the Feasts which were made should never hurt those that were to be Sic praesentibus voluptatibus fruaris ut futuris non noceas He disengaged Pleasures from the Disorders that precede them and the Distaste that follows them As he fell into Infirmities and Pains he fixed the chiefest Good in Insensibleness Wisely in my Opinion for the Condition he was in for the Cessation of Pain is the Happiness of those that endure it As for the Tranquillity of the Mind which composed the other part of his Happiness 't is nothing but an Exemption from Trouble But he that can have no more agreeable Motions is happy in curing himself from the grievous Impressions of Pain After all this Discourse I conclude that Insensibleness and Repose should make the chiefest Good of Epicurus infirm and languishing but for a Man that 's in Health for a Man that 's in a Condition to taste of Pleasures I 'm of Opinion that Health makes it self discerned by something more lively than a Want of Sense and that a good Disposition of the Soul would have something more enlivening than a peaceable State We live in the midst of an Infinity of Goods and Evils and with Senses capable of being affected with the one and prejudiced with the other Without so much Philosophy a little Reason will make us taste good things as sweetly as 't is possible and adapt us for Misfortunes as patiently as we can REFLECTIONS UPON RELIGION TO consider purely the Repose of this Life it would be well if Religion had more or less Influence upon Mankind It compells and doth not subject enough like some Politicks that take away the Sweetness of Liberty without bringing the Advantages of Subjection The Will makes us aspire gently to those good things which are promised to us because it is not excited enough by an Understanding that is not enough convinced We say by Compliance that we
inspires Delicacy and Agreement The Persons of Quality amongst the Ancients had a particular Care to instruct themselves in all things every one knows that Greece has given to the World the greatest Philosophers and the greatest Legislators And one cannot deny but that other Nations have taken from thence all the Politeness they have had The beginnings of Rome were Ignorant and Savage and that wild Vertue which did not pardon their own Children was advantagious to the Common-wealth as they began to be more reasonable they found a way for the Motions of Nature to consist with the Love of their Countrey at length they joyned Graces and Ornaments to Justice and Reason It has been seen then in the latter times that there was no body of any Consideration but what was tied to some Sect of Philosophy not with a design to comprehend the Principles and Nature of things but to fortifie their Minds by the study of Wisdom As for Politicks it is incredible how the Romans instructed themselves early in all the Interests of their State how they applied themselves in the Knowledge of their Policy and Laws as far as to render themselve capable of the Affairs of Peace and War even without Experience The least Curious know after what manner they were affeâ—ted with Learning and it is certain that one saw but few great Men at Rome who did not entertain some ingenious Greeks to talk of things that were agreeable Amongst a hundred Examples that I could alledge I will content my self with that of Caesar and it will suffice for my own Opinion to rely upon his Authority Of all the Sects that were then in Repute he chose that of Epicurus as the most pleasant and most conformable to his Nature and his Pleasures for there were two sorts of Epicureans the one teaching Philosophy in Retirements according to Precept the other who could not approve of the Austerity of too rigid Philosophers gave way only to more natural Opinions Of these last have been the greatest part of the ingenious Men of that time who knew how to distinguish the person from the Magistrate and apply their Cares to the Republick in such a manner that there was left enough both for their Friends and for themselves It would be unprofitable to explain to you the Knowledge that Caesar had of the Affairs of State as well as the politeness and beauty of his Genius I will only say that he could dispute for the Mastery of Eloquence with Cicero and if he did not affect the Reputation of it no person can deny that he both writ and spoke much better as a person of Quality than Cicero A DISCOURSE UPON THE Great ALEXANDER SInce I have read the Great Alexander the old Age of Corneille much less alarms me and I don 't so much apprehend to see the writing of Tragedies end with him But I wish that before his Death he would adopt the Author of this Piece to form with the tenderness of a Father his â—rue Successor I wish that he would afford him the good tast of Antiquity which he enjoys so much to his Advantage that he would make him enter into the Genius of those dead Nations and know judiciously the Character of Heroes which are no more It is in my Opinion the only thing which is wanting to so fine a Wit He has Thoughts strong and bold Expressions which equal the force of his Thoughts But then you will permit me to tell you That he was not acquainted with Alexander or Porus. It appears that he had a mind to give a greater Idea of Porus than of Alexander wherein it was not possible for him to succeed for the History of Alexander as true as it is has much of the Air of a Romance and to make a greater Heroe is to make him pass for Fabulous to take from his Work not only the credit of Truth but the agreeableness of Probability Let us not imagine any thing greater than this Master of the World when our Imaginations shall be too vast and elevated If we would give other Heroes an advantage over him let us take from them the Vices which he had and give them the Vertues which he had not don 't let us make Scipio greater although there never was amongst the Romans a Soul so aspiring as his he should be made more Just more disposed to do Good more Moderate more Temperate and more Vertuous Let the greatest Admirers of Caesar against Alexander alledge in his Favour neither the Passion of Glory the Grandeur of the Soul nor the Firmness of Courage These Qualities are so compleat in the Graecian that to have been more would have have been too much but let them make the Roman more wise in his Enterprises more dexterous in his Affairs to have understood his Interests better and more Master of himself in his Passions One who was a very curious Judge of the desert of Men is contented to liken to Alexander him to whom he would give the highest Character He durst not attribute to him greater Qualities but took away from him the Bad. Magno illi Alexandro par sed sobrio nec iracundo Perhaps our Author is entred into these Considerations in some measure perhaps to make Porus the greater without Romancing he took the party to lessen his Alexander If that was his design he could not succeed better therein for he has made of him so moderate a Prince that a hundred others might be preferred before like him â—â—â—us Not but that Hephestion affords a fine representation of him that Taxila and Porus himself speak advantagiously of his Greatness but when he appears himself he has not the force to sustain it unless through Modesty he had a mind to appear an ordinary Man amongst the Indians in a just Repentance for having been desirous to pass for a God amongst the Persians To speak seriously I can discern here nothing of Alexander but the single Name his Genius his Humour his Qualities appear to me no where I seek in an impeâ—uous Heroe such extraordinary Motions as should excite my Passion and I find a Prince of so little Spirit that he leaves my Bloud entirely cold I imagined to my self in Porus a greatness of Soul which was more strange to us the Heroe of the Indies should have a different Character from ours Another Heaven that I mak so speak another Sun another Land produce therein other Animals and other Fruits The Men appear there quite otherwise by the difference of their Faces and still more If I durst say so by a distinction of Reason Morals Wisdom singular to Religion seem there to guide other Minds in another World Porus notwithstanding whom Quintus Cuâ—tius describes an utter Stranger to the Greeks and Persians is here purely French instead of transporting us to the Indies he is brought into France where he is so well accustomed to our Humour that he seems to be born amongst us or at least to have dwelt
none to come to him but some particular Persons he taught the same things he delivered in publick His Morning Thoughts did not resemble those of the Evening So soon as the Gates of the Lycaeum were shut and that he thought himself at Liberty he spoke another Language 'T is there he acknowledged much more clearly than he doth in his Treatise of the Soul that nothing is more impenetrable than its Nature its Original and its Duration Thus when Alexander was angry that he had published some Works that he had composed for him alone Don't afflict your self answered this cunning Tutor I have taken good order to prevent their being comprehended they are not made to instruct the present Age but to exercise Posterity As for what relates to Seneca you will agree that he is a Braggadocio that shakes for fear at the prospect of Death that he collects all his forces to assure his Countenance in the cutting of his Veins and that he speaks as a Man who is not altogether perswaded of what he says Sometimes these Philosophers tell us wonders of the Residence of the Gods and the Ultimate Bliss sometimes they know not where to harbour them and say That all things annihilate in Death as far as Death it self Now they promise themselves Immortality and promise it to others Now they turn it into Ridicule This is so true that Aristotle is expell'd Athens for an Atheist and Seneca laughs at a Divinity in the Deifying of Claudius From whence do you think proceeds this Diversity in their Opinions It is that they are troubled with different Idea's of present Death and future Life their Soul uncâ—rtain upon the knowledge of it self establisheth or overthrows its Opinions according as it is seduced by the different appearances of truth If you hearken to these Talkers they 'll do their utmost to make you believe them Assure your self Sir that the most resolute amongst them are no more than Quacks that swallow down the Poison with a bâ—tter Grace than others to the end of selling off their Drugs with more applause Epicurus makes an open Profession of putting the Sovereign good in the Senses and teaches that all things conclude with them notwithstanding doth he not seem in dying to contradict the Maxims which he made Profession of during his Life He makes his Will with all the Cautions of a Man that 's concerned at what will happen after him Posterity has an influence upon him his Memory becomes dear to him he cannot wean himself from the Delights of his Garden he flatters himself with the Reputation of his Writings and recommends them to his Disciple Hermachus His Mind which was so far engaged in the Opinion of Annihilation is affected with some tenderness for himself and lays up Honours and Pleasures in another State besides that he goes to leave Solomon who was the greatest of all Kings and the wisest of all Men seems to furnish the Impious wherewith to sustain their Errors at a time when he advises the good Men to remain firm in the love of truth When he makes the Libertines speak in Ecclesiastes is it not plain that he appropriates to Wisdom alone the knowledge of our selves He forms all the Doubts wherein for the most part Humane Reason is perplexed he makes a downright Description of his Irresolution his Desires his Distastes his Knowledge his Ignorance and at length concludes that Eternal Wisdom alone can disentangle this Labyrinth that we must adore the Profundity of its Mysteries and that the silence of a Wise Man is of more value than the Arguments of a Philosopher If any one ought to have been exempt from Error Doubt Inconstancy it was Solomon Notwithstanding we see in the inequality of his Conduct that he was weary of his Wisdom that he was weary of his Folly and that his Vertues and his Vices turn by turn gave him new Disgusts Sometimes he enjoy'd his Life as if all things went at random sometimes he brought back all things to Providence and never spoke with a firm tone but when Eternal Wisdom made him speak Let the Philosophers let the Learned study they will oftentimes find an Alteration and now and then an absolute contrariety in their Judgments Unless Faith subjects our Reason we pass our Lives in Belief and Unbelief in endeavouring to perswade our selves and unable to convince us the activity of our Spirit gives us Motion enough but its Lights are too dim to conduct us The one amorous of themselves help their Imagination to flatter themselves they think to have found what they seek for they triumph some time in their Error but are undeceived in the end The others are vexed at their Ignorance every thing stops them nothing satisfies them they debate upon all Questions that are put to them more unhappy in this than the former in as much as they have not the Wit to deceive themselves This is it Sir in my Judgment wherein consists the purest Wisdom provided that one is always deceived provided that one is puzzled with every thing that 's difficult and that one thinks of the future only to reap the more advantage of the present provided at length that one has reduced his Reason to dispute no more upon things that God was not pleased to submit to reasoning is all that one can desire I not only believe with Solomon that the silence of a Wise Man in this case is of more account than the Discourse of a Philosopher but I esteem the Faith of a stupid Peasant more than all the Lessons of Socrates I know very well that Examples might be brought which seem contrary to what I say There are Pagans perswaded of the other Opinion and affected to their own Sentiments A Discourse upon the Immortality of the Soul hath push'd on some even to brave the horrors of Death the better to enjoy those Pleasures of Life which were promised to them But not to displease the Partisans of the Vertue of the Pagans I believe with some great Saints that Vain-glory made more than half of those Heroick Actions which cause our Admiration When one comes to these terms 't is no more reason that conducts us 't is Passion that draws us along 't is no more the Discourse that has an effect upon us 't is a desire to be better 't is a vanity to die with courage which we love more than Life it self 't is a weariness of present Misfortunes 't is a hope of future Rewards a blind Love of Glory in a word a Distemper a Fury that doth violence to natural Instinct and transports us beyond our selves But a peaceable Mind that examines in cold Blood this terrible Alteration is not at all disturbed by the reading of Plato or Seneca They may preach up That Death is not an evil if Grace doth not come to its relief they don't determine it to us It belongs only to the Sovereign Master of Reason to make Martyrs to inspire a courageous Contempt