VOLUME the FIRST They have forfaken me the Fountain of living waters, and heaved them out cijierns, broken cijierns that can hold no 5. Farther jkcount of the Views of Free- thinkers, 6. 7he Progrefs of a Free-thinker towards Atheifm, 7. Joint Impojlure of the Priejl and Md^ gijirate. '8. fhe Free-thinkers Method in making Converts and Difcoveries, 9. The Atheiji alone Free, His Senfe of natural Good and EviL Vol. I, a iQ.M$- The CONTENTS. 10. Modern Free - thinkers viore properly named Mi?iute Fhilofophers. 11. Minute Fhilofophers^ what fort of Men, and how educated. 12. Their Numbers^ Pro^refsy and Tenets. 13. Compared with other Fhilofophers. 14. What Tlmigs a?id Notions to be efeemed Natural, 15. Truth the fame y notwithjlandifig Diver- fty of Opinions. 1 6. Rule and Meafure of moral Truths, The second DIALOGUE. Sedt. I. Vulgar Error ^ That Vice is hurt- ful. 2. The Benefit of Drujikennefs, Gaming^ and IVhoring. 3.. Frejudice againfl Vice wearing off. 4. Its Ufefulnefs illuf rated m the mjiances of Callicles and Telelilla. 5. The Rcafojiing of Lyficles in behalf of Vice examined. 6. Wrong to punijh AEiions when the Doc- trifles whejice they fiow are tolerated. 7. Hazardous Experiment of the Minute Fhilofophers. 8. Their DoBrine of Circulation and Re- volution. 9. Their Senfe of a Reformation. 10. Riches The CONTENTS. 10. Riches alone not the Public Weal, 1 1. Authority of Minute Philofophers : Their Prejudice againjl Religion, 12. EffeBs of Luxury:. Virtue^ whether notional? 13. Pleafure of Senfe. 14. What fort of Pleafure mofl natural to - Man, 1 5. Dignity of Humane Nature. ■ 16. Pleafure miftaken, 17. AmufementSy Mifery^ and Cowardife of Minute Philofophers. 18. Rakes cannot reckon, 19. Abilities and Succefs of Minute Phih- fophers, 20. Happy EffeBs of the Minute Philofo- phy in particular Infafices, 21. Tt heir free Notio?is about Government. 22. England the proper Soil for Minute . Pbilofophy. 23. T^he Policy and Addrefs of its Vro- fefjors, 24. Merit of Minute Philofophers towards the Public. 25. 'Their Notions and Character, ^6. Their Tendency towards Popery and Slavery. . The CONTENTS, The third DIALOGUE. Scd:. I. Alciphron' s accounf of Honour, 2. CharaBer and ConduEl of Men ofHo-- nour, 3. Senfe of moral Beauty. 4. The Honejlum or i:& jcccAoV of the An^ cients, 5. Tajle for moral Beauty whether a fur^ Guide or Rule. 6. Minute Philofophers ravijhed with the AbftraB Beauty of Virtue, 7. T^heir Virtue alone difinterefled and heroic, 8. Beauty of fenfible Objedisy what, and how perceived. p. The Idea of Beauty explained by Paintr ijtg and Ar chit e Bur e, 10. Beauty of the moral Syjlem, wherein it (onfjis, 1 1. Itfuppofeth a Providence, 12. Influence of to jcaAoV and to Trniwov. 13. Enthujiafm ^'Cratylus compared with the Sentiments ^Ariftotle. J 4. Compared with the Stoical Principles. 15. Minute Philofophers^ their Talent for Raillery and Ridicide. J 6. The Wifdom of thofe who. make Virtue alone its own Reward. The CONTENTS, The fourth DIALOGUE, Seft. I. Prejudices concerning a Deity. 2. Rules laid down iy Aiciphvon to be ob^ ferved in proving a God, 3. What fort of Proof be expeBs. 4. Whence we colleB the Being of other Thinking Individuals. 5. The fame Method 3. foniori proves the Being of God. 6. Alciphron'i fecond Thoughts on this Point, y. God fpeaks to Men. 8. How Diflance is perceived by Sight. 9. The proper ObjeUs of Sight at no diflance, 10. Lights, Shades^ and Colours^ varioufly combined form a Language. 11. The Signification of this Language learned by 'Experience, 12. God explaineth himfelf to the Eyes of Men by the arbitrary Ufe of fenfible Signs, 13. The Prejudice and two-fold Afpe5t of a Minute Philofopher, 14. God prefent to Mankind^ i?2forms, ad- monijhesy and dire^s them in a fenfible manner, ^5. Admirable Nature and Ufe of this vifual La?2guage, ^ 16. Minute The CONTENTS. 1 6. Minute Philofophers content to admit a God in certain Senfes, 17. Opinion of fomey who hold that Know^ ledge and Wtjdom are not properly in God. 18. Dangerous Tendency of this Notion. 19. Its Original. 20 The Senfe of Schoolmen upon it, 2 1 . Scholajlic Ufe of the Terms Analogy and Analogical explained: Analogical Perfections of God mifunderjiood, 22. God intelligent^ w//2', and goody in t,he proper Senje of the Words. 23. Objection from moral Evil confdered, 24. Men argue from their own Defeats a* gainji a Deity. 25. Religious JVorJhip reafonable and expe^ dient. The fifth DIALOGUE. Sedt. I. Minute Philofophers join in the Cry^ and follow the Scent of others. 2. JVorJhip prefcribed by the Chrifian Re^ ligion Jiii table to God and Man, 3. Power and Influence of the Druids. 4. Excellency and Ufefulnefs of the Chrifi- an Religion. ^, It ennobles Mankind^ and makes them happy. 6. Religion neither Bigotry nor Super flitioJt. 7. Phyficians and Phyfic for the Soul, % Character The CONTENTS. B. Charadler of the Clergy, 9. Natural Religion and Humane Reafoiz not to be difparaged, 10. T^endency andVfe of the Gentile i?^//- gion. IT. Good EffeBs of Chrijlianity. 12. Englifhmen compared with ancient Greeks and Romans. 13. T'he Modern Practice of Duelling, 14. CharaBer of the Old Romans, how to be formed, 15. Genuine Fruits of the GofpeL 16. Wars and FaBions not an EffeB of the Chrijiian Religion. ly. Civil Rage and Mafacres in Greece and Rome. 18. Virtue of ancient Greeks. 19. parrels of Polemical Divines, 20. Tyranny^ Vfwpation^ Sophijlry of Ec-- clefajiics, 2 1 . 'The TJniverfities cejifured. 22. DiviJie Writiiigs of a cert am modern Critic, 23. Learning the EffeB of Religion, 24. Barbarifm of the Schools, 25. Re ft oration of Learning and polite Arts, to whom owing, 26. Prejudice and Ingratitude of Minute Philofophers, 27. 'Their Pretenfons and ConduB inco?!- fiftent. 28. Men The CONTENTS. 28. Men and Brutes compared with refpeSi to Religion. 29. Chrijiianify the only Means to ejlablijh Natural Religion, 30. Free-thinkers mijlake their Talents ', have a Jirong Imagination, 31. Tithes and Church-lands, 32. Men dijlinguifiedfrom Humane Crea^ tures, 21, Difiribution of Mankind into Birds Beajls, and Fijhes, ' 34. Plea for Reafon allowed, but Unfair- nefs taxed, 35. Freedom a Blefing or a Curfe as it is ufed, 36. Priejlcraft not the reignijig Evil THE THE Minute Philosopher^ The First Dialogue. I. IntroduBion. II. Aim and Endeavours of Free-thinkers. III. Oppofed by the Clergy, IV. Liberty of Free-thinkings V. Farther Account of the Views ofFree^ thinkers. VI. ^he Progrefs of a Free- thinker towards Athetfm, VII. Joint Impojlure of the Priejl and Magifiratd VIII. The Free-thinker's Method in ma- king Converts and Difcoveries, IX. The Atheijl alone Free. His Senfe of natural Good and Evil. X. Modern Free-think- ers more properly named Minute Phi- lofophers. XL Minute Philofophers^ what fort of Men^ and how educated. XII. Tfjeir NumberSy Progrefs, and Te- nets. XIII. Compared with other Philofo- phers. XIV. What Things and No- VoL. L B tions 1 The Minut e Dial, tions to be efteemed natural XV. Truth I. the Jame^ notwithjlanding Diverjity of ^«or^ Opinions. XVI. Rule and Meafure of moral Truths, I.|pi^ Flattered my idi.Theages, that ^J before this time I might have been able to have fent you an agreeable Account of the Succefs of the Affair, v^hich brought me into this remote Corner of the Country. But inftead of this, I fliou'd now give you the Detail of its Mifcarriage, if I did not rather choofe to entertain you with fome amuling Incidents, which have helped to make me eafy under a Cir- cumftance I cou'd neither obviate nor fore- lee. Events are not in our power ; but it always is, to make a good ufe even of the very worft. And I muft needs own, the Courfe and Event of this Affair gave opportunity for Refledions, that make me fome amends for a great lofs of Time, Pains, and Expence. A Life of Adion, which takes its IfTue from the Counfels, Paffions, and Views of other Men, if it doth not draw a Man to imi- tate, will at leaft teach him to obferve. And a Mind at liberty to refled on its ov/n Obfervations, if it produce nothing ufefil to the World, feldom fails of En- tertainment Philosopher. j tertainment to it felf. For feveral Months Dial, paft I have enjoy'd fuch Liberty and Lei- I. fure in this diftant Retreat, far beyond the Verge of that great Whirlpool ofBufinefs, Fadlion, and Pleafure, which is called the World. And a Retreat in it fclf a- greeable, after a long Scene of Trouble and Difquiet, was made much more fo by the Converfation and good Qualities of my Hoft Eiiphranor^ who unites in his own Ferfon the Philofopher and the Far- mer: two Charadlers not fo inconfiftent in Nature as by Cuftom they feem to be. Eiiphranor^ from the time he left the Uni- veriity, hath liv'd in this fmall Town; where he is pofleffed of a convenient Houfe with a Hundred Acres of Land ad- joining to it; which being improved by his own Labour, yield him a plentiful Subfiftence. He hath a good Collection, chiefly of old Books, left him by a Cler- gyman his Uncle, under whofe Care he was brought up. And the Bufinefs of his Farm doth not hinder him from making good ufe of it. He hath read much, and thought more; his Health and Strength of Body enabling him the better to bear Fa- tigue of Mind. He is of opinion that he cou'd not carry on his Studies with more Advantage in the Clofet than in the Field, where his Mind is feldom idle while he B z prunes 4 The Minute Dial, prunes the Trees, follows the Plough, or I. looks after his Flocks. In the Houfe of this honeft Friend I became acquainted with Crito, a neighbouring Gentleman of diftinguifhed Merit and Eftate, who lives in great Friend fhip with Euphranor, Laft Summer, Crito ^ whofe Parifh-Church is in our Town, dining on a Sunday at Eu- phranor s^ I happened to inquire after his Guefts, whom we had feen at Church with him the Sunday before. They are both well, faid CritOy but, having once occa- fionally conformed, to fee what fort of AiTembly our Parifh cou'd afford, they had no farther Curiofity to gratify at Church, and fo chofe to ftay at home. How, faid Euphranor^ are they then Diffenters } No, replied CritOy they are Free-thinkers. Eu- phranor ^ who had never met with any of this Species or Sedt of Men, and but little of their Writings, fliew'd a great Defire to know their Principles or Syftem. That is more, faid CritOy than I will under- take to tell you. Their Writers are of different Opinions. Some go farther, and explain themfelves more freely than others. But the current general Notions of the Sed: are beft learned from Converfation with thofe who profefs themfelves of it. Your Curiofity may now be fatisfy'd, if you and Dion wou'd fpend a Week at my Houfe Phi losopher. 5 Houfe with thefe Gentlemen, who feem Dial. very ready to declare and propagate their I, Opinions. Alciphro7i is above Forty, and no Stranger either to Men or Books. I knew him firftat the Temple, which, up- on an Eftate's falling to him, he quitted, to travel through the polite parts of £r^« rope. Since his Return he hath lived in the Amufements of the Town, which be- ing grown ftale and taftelefs to his Palate, have flung him into a fort of fplenetic Indolence. The young Gentleman, Zy- ficles^ is a near Kinfman of mine, one of lively Parts, and a general Infight into Letters ; who, after having paflfed the Forms of Education, and feen a little of the World, fell into an Intimacy with Men of Pleafure, and Free-thinkers, I am afraid much to the damage of his Confti- tution and his Fortune. But what I moft regret, is the Corruption of his Mind by a Set of pernicious Principles, which, ha- ving been obferved to furvive the Paf- fions of Youth, foreftal even the remote Hopes of Amendment. They are both Men of Fafliion, and wou'd be agreeable enough, iftheydidnot fancy themfelvcs Free-thinkers. But this, to fpeak the Truth, has given them a certain Air and Manner, which a little too vifibly declare they think themfelvcs wifer than the reft of the World, B 3 I 6 The Minute Di AL.I fhou'd therefore be not at all difpleafed I. if my Guefts met with their Match, where they leafl: expefted it, in a Country Farmer. I fliall not, replied Euphranor^ pretend to any more than barely to inform my felf of their Principles and Opinions. For this end I propofe to-morrow to fet a Week's Task to my Labourers, and ac- cept your Invitation, if Dio?2 thinks good. To which I gave confent. Mean while, fa id Crifo, I fliall prepare my Guefts, and let them know that an honeft Neighbour hath a mind to difcourfe them on the Sub- jedl of their Free-thinking. And, if I am hot miftaken, they will pleafe themfelves with the Profpe6t of leaving a Convert behind them, even in a Country-Village, Next Morning Euphranor rofe early, and fpent the Forenoon in ordering his Af- fairs. After Dinner we took our Walk to Crito\, which lay through half a do- zen pleafant Fields planted round with Plane-trees, that are very common in this part of the Country. We walked under the delicious Shade of thefe Trees for about an Hour before we came to Critos Houfe, which ftands in the middle of a fmall Park, beaudfy'd with two fine Groves of Oak and Walnut, and a wind- ing Stream of fv/eet and clear Water. We met a Servant at the Door with a fmall Baf- Philosopher. 7 Basket of Fruit which he was carryingDi al. into a Grove, where he faid his Mafter I. was with the two Strangers. We found' them all three fitting under a Shade. And after the ufual Forms at firft meeting, Eu- fhranor and I fate down by them. Our Converfation began upon the Beauty of this rural Scene, the fine Seafon of the Year, and fome late Improvements which had been made in the adjacent Country by new Methods of Agriculture. Whence Alciphron took occafion to obferve, That the moft valuable Improvements came la- teft. I fhould have fmall Temptation, faid he, to live where Men have neither polifhed Manners, nor improved Minds, though the Face of the Country were ever fo well improved. But I have long ob- ferved, that there is a gradual Progrefs in humane Affairs. The firft Care of Man- kind is to fupply the Cravings of Nature : in the next place they ftudy the Conve- niencies and Comforts of Life. But the fubduing Prejudices, and acquiring true Knowledge, that Herculean Labour is the laft, being what demands the moft perfed; Abilities, and to which all other Advan- tages are preparative. Right, faid Euphra- nor ^Alciphron hath touched our true Defedl. It was always my Opinion, That as fooii as we had provided Subfiftcnce for the Bo- B 4 dy, 8 TheMinute Di AL.dy, our next Care fhould be to improve I. the Mind. But the Defire of Wealth fteps between and engrolTeth Mens Thoughts. II. ALC. Thought is that which we are told diftinguiflieth Man from Beaft : and Freedom of Thought makes as great a difference between Man and Man. It is to the noble Afferters of this Privilege and Perfedion of Humane kind, the Free- thinkers I mean, who have fprung up and multiplied of late Years, that we are in- debted for all thofe important Difcoveries, that Ocean of Light which hath broke in and made its way, in fpite of Slavery and Superftition. Euphranor^ who is a fincere Enemy to both, teftified a great Efteem for thofe Worthies who had pre- ferved their Country from being ruined by them, having fpread fo much Light and Knowledge over the Land. He added. That he liked the Name andCharader of a Free-thinker : but in his Senfe of the Word, every honeft Inquirer after Truth in any Age or Country was intitled to it. He therefore defired to know what this Sedt was that Alciphron had fpoken of as newly fprung up ? what were their Te- nets ? wJiat were their Difcoveries ? and wherein they employ'd themfelves, for the benclit of Mankind ? Of all which, he fhou*d Philosopher. «> ihou'd think himfelf obliged, if Alciphron Dial, would inform him. That I fhall, very I. eafily, replied Alciphron^ for I profefs my felf one of the number, and my moft in- timate Friends are fome of the moft con- fiderable among them. And perceiving that Euphranor heard him withRefped, he proceeded very fluently. You muft know, laid he, that the Mind of Man may be fitly compared to a piece of Land. What flubbing, plowing, digging, and harrowing, is to the one; that thinking, reflecting, examining, is to the other. Each hath its proper Culture ; and as Land that is fuf- fered to lie wafte and wild for a long Tradl of Time, will be overfpread with Brufh-Wood, Brambles, Thorns, and fuch Vegetables which have neither Ul^e nor Beauty; even fo there will not fail to fprout up in a ncglefted uncultivated Mind, a great number of Prejudices and abfurd Opinions, which owe their Origia partly to the Soil it felf, the Paflions and Imperfedlions of the Mind of Man ; and partly to thofe Seeds which chance to be fcattered in it by every Wind of Dodtrine, which the Cunning of Statefmen, the Singularity of Pedants, the Superftition of Fools, or the Impofture of Priefts, Ihall raife. Reprefent to your felf the Mind of Man, or Humane Nature in general, that for lo The Minute Dial. for fo many Ages had lain obnoxious to I. the Frauds of defigning, and the Follies of weak Men: How it mufl be over-run with Preiudices and Errors: what firm and deep Roots they muft have taken: and confequently how difficult a Task it mufl be to extirpate them : And yet this Work, no lels difficult than glorious, is the Em- ployment of the modern Free-thinkers. Alciphron having faid this, made a Paufe, and looked round on the Company. Truly, faid I, a very laudable Undertaking! We think, faid Eiiphranor^ that it is praife- worthy to clear and fubdue the Earth, to tame brute Animals, to fafhion the Out- fides of Men, provide Sufl:enance for their Bodies, and cure their Maladies. But what is all this in comparifon of that moil ex- cellent and ufeful Undertaking, to free Mankind from their Errors, and to im- prove and adorn their Minds ? For things of lefs Merit towards the World, Altars have been raifed, and Temples built in ancient Times. Too many in our Days, replied Alciphron^ are fuch Fools as not to know their beil: Bcnefadors from their worft Enemies : They have a blind Re- fped: for thofe who enflave them ; and look upon their Deliverers as a dangerous Sort of Men, that wou'd undermine re- ceived Principles and Opinions. EUPH, 1% Philosopher. ii It were a great pity fuch worthy ingenious Dial, Men fhou'd meet with any Difcourage- I, ment. For my part, I fhou'd think a Man, who fpent his Time ii; fuch a painful im- partial Search after Truth, a better Friend to Mankind than the greateft Statefman or Hero , the Advantage of whofe Labours is confined to a little Part of the World, and a fhoFt Space of Time j whereas a Ray of Truth may enlighten the whole World, and extend to future Ages. ALC. It will be fome time, I fear, before the common Herd think as you do. But the better Sort, the Men of Parts and polite Education, pay a due Regard to the Pa- trons of Light and Truth. III. EUPH. The Clergy, no doubt, are on all Occafions ready to forward and ap- plaud your worthy Endeavours. Upon hear- ing this, Lyjicles cou'd hardly refrain from Laughing. And Alciphron^ with an Air of Pity, told Eiiphranor^ that he perceived he was unacquainted with the real Charader of thofe Men : For, faith he, you mufl: know, that of all Men living they are our greateft Enemies. If it were poffible, they wou'd extinguifli the very Light of Nature, turn the World into a Dungeon, and keep Mankind for ever in Chains and Darknefs. EUPH, I never imagined any thing i^ Th e M I n ut e Dial. thing like this of our Proteftant Cler-. I. gy, particularly thofe of the eftabliflied Church; whom, if I may be allowed to judge by what I have ken of them and their Writings, I fhou'd have thought Lo- vers of Learning and ufeful Knowledge. ^LC, Take my Word for it, Priefts of all Religions are the fame: wherever there are Priefts, there will be Prieflcraft : and wherever there is Prleftcraft, there will be a perfecuting Spirit, which they never fail to exert to the utmoft of their Power a- gainft all thofe who have the Courage to think for themfelves, and will not fubmit to be hoodwinked and manacled by their reverend Leaders. Thofe great Mailers of Pedantry and Jargon have coined feveral Syflems, which are all equally true, and of equal Importance to the World. The con- tending Seds are each alike fond of their own, and alike prone to difcharge their Fury upon all who diffent from them. Cruelty and Ambition being the darling Vices of Priefts and Churchmen all the World over, they endeavour in all Countries to get an Afcendant over the reft of Mankind ; and the Magiftrate having a joint Intereft with the Prieft in fubduing, amufing, and fearing the People, too often lends a hand to the Hierarchy; who never think their Autho- rity and Poffeffions fecure, fo long as thofe 7 who Philosopher. 13 who differ from them In opinion areal-DiAL. lowed to partake even in the common I. Rights belonging to their Birth or Species. (•VNJ To reprefent the matter in a true Light, figure to your feives a Monftre or Spedre made up of Superftition and Enthufiafm, the joint Iffue of Statecraft and Prieflcrafr, rattling Chains in one Hand, and with the other brandiiliing a flaming Sword over the Land, and menacing Deftrudlion to all who fliall dare to follow the Didlates of Reafon and Common Senfe. Do but con- fider this, and then fay if there was not Danger as well as Difficulty in our Un- dertaking. Yet, fuch is the generous Ar- dour that Truth infpires, our Free-think- ers are neither overcome by the one, nor daunted by the other. In fpite of both we have already made fo many Profe- lytes among the better Sort, and their Numbers increafe fo faft, that we hope we fhall be able to carry all before us, beat down the Bulwarks of all Tyranny, Secu- lar or Eccleiiaftical, break the Fetters and Chains of our Countrymen, and reftore the original inherent Rights, Liberties, and Prerogatives of Mankind. Eiiphranor heard this Difcourfe with his Mouth open and his Eyes fixed upon Alciphron, who, having uttered it with no fmall Emotion, ftopt to draw Breath and recover himfelf : But 14 The Minute DiAL.But finding that no body made anfwer, I. he refumed the Thread of his Difcourfe, ^^^p^ and turning to Eiiphranor fpoke in a lower Note what follows. The more innocent and honeft a Man is, the more liable is he to be impofed on by the fpecious Pre- tences of other Men. You have probably met with certain Writings of our Divines that treat of Grace, Vertue, Goodnefs, and fuch matters, lit to amufe and deceive a fimple honeft Mind. But believe me when I tell you they are all at bottom (however they may gild their Defigns) united by one common Principle in the fame Intereft. I will not deny there may be here and there a poor half-witted Man that means no : . mifchief : but this I will ba bold to fay, that all the Men of Senfe among them are true at bottom to thefe three Purfuits of x^Lmbition, Avarice, and Revenge. IV. While Alciphron was fpeaking, a Servant came to tell him and Lyficles^ that fome Men who were going to London waited to receive their Orders. Where- upon they both rofe and wxnt towards the Floufe. They were no fooner gone, but Euphranor addreffing himfelf to Crito faid, he believed that poor Gentleman had been a great Sufferer for his Free-thinking: for that he feemed to exprefs himfelf with the Philosopher. 15 the Paflion and Refentment natural to Men Dial who have deceived very bad Ufage. I be- I. lievc no fuch thing, anfwered Crito, but have often obferved thofe of his Sedt run into two FauksofConverfation, declaim- ing and bantering, juft as the tragic or the comic Humour prevails. Sometimes they work themfelves into high Paflions, and are frightened at Speftres of their own raifing. In thofe Fits every Country-Cu- rate paffes for an Inquifitor. At other times they afifed: a fly facetious Manner, making ufe of Hints and Allulions, ex- preffing little, mfmuating much, and upon the whole feeming to divert themfelves with the Subjedl and their Adverfaries. But if you wou'd know their Opinions, you muft make them fpeak out and keep clofe to the Point. Perfecution for Free- thinking is a Topic they are apt to enlarge on though without any juft Caufe, every one being at full Liberty to think what he pleafes, there being no fuch thing in England that I know as Perfecution for Opinion, Sentiment, or Thought. But in every Country, I fuppofe, fome Care is taken to reftrain petulant Speech: and, whatever Mens inward Thoughts maybe, to difcourage an outward Contempt of what the Public efteemethSacred.Whether this Care in Ejtgland hath of late been fo excef- J 6 TheMinute Di AL.exceflive, as to diflrefs the Subjefts of this I. once free and eafy Government : whether v^^V^w/ the Free-thinkers can truly complain of any Hardfhip upon the fcore of Confcience or Opinion : you will better be able to judge, when you hear from themfelves an account of the Numbers, Progrefs, and Notions of their Seft : which I doubt not they will communicate fully and freely, provided no body prefent feemsfhockedor offended. For in that cafe it is poffible good Manners may put them upon fome Referve. Oh ! faid Euphra?2or^ I am never angry with any Man for his Opinion : whe- ther he be Jew, Turk, or Idolater^ he may fpeak his Mind freely to me without fear of offending. I fhou'd even be glad to hear what he hath to fay, provided he faith it in an ingenuous candid Manner. Whoever digs in the Mine of Truth, I look on as my Fellow-labourer: but if, while lam taking true pains, he diverts himfelf with teizing me and flinging dufl in mine Eyes^ I fhall foon be tired of him. V. In the mean time Aktphron and Ly fides having difpatched what they went about returned to us. Ly fides fate down where he had been before. But Akiphron flood over-againfl us, with his Arms folded acrofs, and his Head reclined on the left Shoulder Philosopher. 17 Shoulder in the Pofture of a Man medi-Di al* racing. We fate filent not to difturb his I. thoughts ; and after two or three Minutes he uttered thofe Words, Oh Truth, Oh Li- berty ! After which he remained mufing as before. Upon this Enphrano?^ took the freedom to interrupt him. Alciphron^ faid he, it is not fair to fpend your Time in Soliloquies. The Converfation of learned and knowing Men is rarely to be met with in this Corner, and the Opportunity you have put into my Hands I value too much, not to make the beft ufe of it. ALC Are you then in earnefta Votary of Truth, and is it poffible you fliou'd bear the liberty of a fair Inquiry ? EUPH. It is what I defire of all things. ALC. What! upon every Subjed: ? upon the Notions you firfl fucked in with your Milk, and which have been ever fince nurfcd by Parents, Paftors, Tutors, religious Affembiies,Books of Devotion, and fuch Methods of pre- poffefTing Mens Minds. EUPH, I love Information upon all Subjeds that come in my way, and efpecially upon thofe that are moft important. ALC. If then you are in earneil:, hold fair and fland firm, while I probe your Prejudices and extirpate your Principles. Di^m "-je teres avias tibi de piilmone rei^ello^ Vol. L C Having i8 TheMikute" Having faid thus, j^ldphronknkhisBrows and made a ihort Paufe, after which he proceeded in the following manner. If we are at the pains to dive and penetrate into the bottom of things, and analyfc Opinions into their firft Principles, we fliall find that thofe Opinions, which are thought of greateft Confequence, have the flighteft Original, being derived either frorii the cafual Cuftoms of the Country where we live, or from early Inftrudtion inftilled into our tender Minds, before we are able to difcern between Right and Wrong, True and Falfe. The Vulgar (by whom I underftand all thofe who do not make a free Ufe of their Reafon)areapt to take thefe Prejudices for Things facred and unqueftionable, believing them to be im- printed on the Hearts of Men by God himfelf, or convey'd by Revelation from Heaven, or to carry with them fo great Light and Evidence as muft force an Af- fent without any Inquiry or Examination. Thus the fliallow Vulgar have their Heads furniihed with fundry Conceits, Principles, andDo(5lrines,religious,moral,and political, all which they maintain with a Zeal pro- portionable to their want of Reafon. On the other hand, thofe who duly employ their Faculties in the fearch of Truth, take efpecial care to weed out of their Minds and Phil oso phe r, i5> and extirpate all fuch Notions or Prejudices D i al^ as were planted in them, before they ar- I. rived at the free and intire life of Reafon. ^^^'V^. This difficult task hath been fuccefsfully performed by our modern Free-thinkers, who have not only diffedted with great Sagacity the received Syftemes, and traced every eftablifhed Prejudice to the Foun- tain-head, the true and genuine Motives of Affent : But alfo, having been able to embrace in one comprehenfive View the feveral Parts and Ages of the World, they obferved a wonderful variety of Cufloms and Rites, of Inftitutions Religious and Civil, of Notions and Opinions very un- like and even contrary one to another: A certain Sign they cannot all be true. And yet they are all maintained by their feve- ral Partizans with the fame pofitive Air and warm Zeal ; and if examined will be found to bottom on one and the fame Foundation, the Strength of Prejudice. By the help of thefc Remarks and Difcove- ries, they have broke through the Bands of popular Cuftom, and having freed them- felves from Impofture, do now generoufly lend a Hand to their Fellow-Subjeds, to lead them into the fame Paths of Light and Liberty. Thus, Gentlemen, I have given you a fummary Account of the Views and Endeavours of thofe Men who G 2 are 20 The Mi n ute Di A t. are called Free-thinkers. I fin r^e Courfeof I. what I have faid or ihall lay hereafter, there be fome thin2;s contrary to your pre-con- ceived Opinions, and therefore Ihocking anddifagreeable, you will pardon the Free- dom and Plainneis of a Philofopher ; and confider that, whatever difpleafure I give you of that kind, I do it in ftrid: regard to Truth and Obedience to your own Commands. 1 am very fenfible, that Eyes long kept in the dark, cannot bear a fud- den View of noon Day-light, but muft be brought to it by degrees. It is for this Reafon, the ingenious Gentlemen of our ProfelTion are accuftomed to proceed gra- dually, beginning with thofe Prejudices to which Men have the leaft Attachment, and thence proceeding to undermine the reft by flow and infenfible Degrees, till they have demolifhed the whole Fabric of Humane Folly and Superftition. But the little time I can propofe to fpendhere obligeth me to take a fhorter courfe, and be more diredl and plain than poflibly may be thought to fuit with Prudence and good Manners. Upon this, we af- fured him he was at full Liberty to fpeak his Mind of Things, Perfons, and Opini- ons without the leaft Rcferve. It is a Liberty, replied Alciphron, that we Free- thinkers are equally willing to give and take. Philosopher. ir take. We love to call things by theirDiAL. right Names, and cannot endure that I. Truth fliou'd fuffer through Complai-' fance. Let us therefore lay it down for a Preliminary, that no Offence be taken at any thing whatfoever fliall be iliid on either fide. To which we all agreed. VI. In order then, fdld Akiphron, to find out the Truth, we will fuppofe that I am bred up, for Inftance, in the Church of E77gland : When I come to maturity of Judgment, and refled: on the particular Worfhip and Opinions of this Church, I do not remember when or by what means they firft took poffefTion of my Mind, but there I find them from time imme- morial. Then cafting an Eye on the Edu- cation of Children, from whence I can make a judgment of my own, I obferve they are inilruded in religious Matters before they can reafon about them, and confequently that all fuch Inftruclion is nothing elfe but filling the tender Mind of a Child with Prejudices. I do there- fore rejedl all thofe Religious Notions, which I confider as the other Follies of my Childhood. I am confirmed in this way of thinking, when I look abroad into the World, where I obferve Papifts and ieveral Sefts of Diffenters, which do all C 3 agree %z Th e Minute Dial, agree in a general Profeffion of Belief in I. Chrift, but differ vaftly one from another <— -\^— ^ in the Particulars of Faith and Worfliip. I then enlarge my View fo as to take in Jews and Mahometans^ between whom and the Chriftians I perceive indeed fome fmall Agreement in the Belief of one God; but then they have each their diftindt Laws and Revelations, for which they ex- prefs the fame regard. But extending my view ftill further to Heathenifh and Ido- latrous Nations I difcover an endlefs Va- riety, not only in particular Opinions and Modes of Worfhip, but even in the very Notion of a Deity, wherein they widely differ one from another, and from all the forementioned Seds. Upon the whole, inflead of Truth fimple and uniform I perceive nothing but Difcord, Oppofition, and wild Pretenfipns, all fpringing from the fame Source to wit the Prejudice of Education. From fuch Reafonings and Reflexions as thefe, thinking Men have concluded that all Religions are alike falfe and fabulous. One is a Chriftian, ano- ther a Jew, a third a Mahometan, a fourth an Idolatrous Gentile, but all from one and the fame Reafon, becaufe they happen to be bred up each in his refpedlive Sed:, In the fame manner, therefore, as each of thefe contending Parties condemns the reft, Philosopher.^ ij reft, fo an unprejudiced ftander-by will Dial, condemn and rejed: them all together, ob- I. ferving that they all draw their Origin" from the fame fallacious Principle, and are carried on by the fame Artifice to an- fwer the fame Ends of the Prieft and the Magiftrate. VII. E UPH, You hold then that the Magiftrate concurs with the Prieft in im- pofmgonthe People. ALC, I do, and fo muft every one who confiders things in a true Light. For you muft know, the Magiftrate's principal Aim is to keep the People under him in awe. Now the pub- lic Eye reftrains Men from open Offences againft the Laws and Government. But to prevent fecret TranfgrefHons, a Magi- ftrate finds it expedient, that Men fhou'd believe there is an Eye of Providence watching over their private Atflions and Defigns. And, to intimidate thofe who might otherwife be drawn into Crimes by the Profpedl of Pleafure and Profit, he gives them to underftand, that whoever efcapes Punifhment in this Life will be fure to find it in the next -, and that fo heavy and lafting as infinitely to over- balance the Pleafure and Profit accrewing; from his Crimes. Hence, the Belief ot a God, the Immortality oftheSju!, and a C 4 • future 24 Th e M inut e Dial, future State of Rewards and Puniftiments I. have been efleemed ufeful Engines of Government. And to the End that thefe notional airy Doctrines might make a (en- fible Impreffion, and be retained on the minds of Men, skilful Rulers have in the feveral civilized Nations of the Earth devifed Temples, Sacrifices, Churches, Rites, Ceremonies, Habits, Mufic, Prayer, Preaching, and the like fpiritual Trumpe- ry, whereby the Prieft maketh temporal Gains, and the Magiftrate findeth his Ac- count in frightening and fubdulng the People. This is the Original of the Com- bination between Church and State, of Religion by Law eftabliilied, of Rights, Immunities, and Incomes of Prieilsall over the World : There being no Government but would have you fear God that you may honour the King or Civil Power. And you will ever obferve that politic Princes keep up a good Underftanding Vvith their Clergy, to the end that they in return, by inculcating F.eligion and Loyalty into the Minds of the People, may render rhem tame, timorous, and flavifli. CrUo and I heard this Difcourfe of jdlciphron with the utmoft Attention, though without any Appearance of Sur^ pri2>e, there h ;ig indeed noihhig in it to P3 new o^ qnexpcdted. But Euphrancr^ who Philosopher^ 15 who had never before been prefent at Dial- fuch Converfation, could not help fhew- I. ing fome Aftonifhment; which Lyficles' obferving, asked him with a lively Air, how he liked Alciphron\ Lecture. It is, faid he, the firft I believe that you ever heard of the Kind, and requireth a ftrong Stomach to digeft it. EIJPH, I will own to you, that my Digeftion is none of the quickeft ; but it hath fometimes, by degrees, been able to mafter things which at firft appeared indigeftible. At prefent I admire the free Spirit and Elo- quence of Alctphrou'y but, to fpeak the Truth, I am rather aftoniflied, than con- vinced of the Truth of his Opinions. How (faid he, turning to Alciphron) is it then poffible you fliou'd not believe the Being of a God ? ALC. To be plain with you, I do not. VIII. But this is what I forefaw, a Flood of Light let in at once upon the Mind being apt to dazzle and diforder rather than enlighten it. Was I not pinched in Time, the regular way would be to have begun with the Circumftantials of Religion, next to have attacked the Myfteries of Chriftianity, after that pro- ceeded to the practical Doctrines, and in the laft place to haye extirpated that which i6 The Minute Dial. which of all other religious Prejudices, I. being the firft taught, and Bafis of the reit, hath taken the deepeft Root in our Minds, I mean, the Belief of a God. I do not wonder it flicks with you, ha- ving known fevcral very ingenious Men who found it difficult to free themfelves from this Prejudice. EUPH. All Men have not the fame Alacrity and Vigour in thinking: For my own part, I find it a hard Matter to keep pace with you. j4LC, To help you, I will go a little way back, and refume the Thread of my Reafoning. Firft I muft acquaint you. That having applied my Mind to con- template the Idea of Truth, I difcovered it to be of a ftable, permanent, and uni- form nature^ not various and changeable, like Modes or Fafliions, and things de- pending on Fancy. In the next place, having obferved feveral Seds, and Subdi- vifions of Seds efpoufmg very different and contrary Opinions, and yet all pro- feffing Chriflianity, I rejeded thofe Points wherein they differed, retaining only that which was agreed to by all, and fo be- came a Latitudh2aria?L Having after- wards, upon a more enlarged View of things, perceived that Chriflians, Jews, and Mahometans had each their difierent Syflemsof Faith, agreeing only in the Be- lief Philosopher. z7 lief of one God, I became a Deijl, Laft-D i al ly, extending my View to all the other I. various Nations which inhabit this Globe, ^ and finding they agreed in no one Point of Faith, but differed one from another, as well as from the forementioned Sedts, even in the Notion of a God, in which there is as great Diverfity as in the Me- thods of Worfhip, I thereupon became TinAtheiJi'y it being my Opinion, that a Man of Courage and Senfe fhould follow his Argument wherever it leads him, and that nothing is more ridiculous than to be a Free-thinker by halves. I approve the Man who makes thorough Work, and, not content with lopping off the Branches, extirpates the very Root from which they fprung. IX. Atheifm therefore, that Bugbear of Women and Fools, is the very Top and Perfefliion of Free- thinking. It is the grand Arcanum to which a true Genius naturally rifeth, by a certain Climax or Gradation of Thought, and without which he can never poffefs his Soul in abfolute Liberty and Repofe. For your thorough Convidlion in this main Article, do but examine the Notion of a God with the fame Freedom that you would other Pre- judices. Trace it to the Fountain-head, and 1? TheMinute Di AL.and you fliall not find that you had it by I. any of your Senfes, the only true Means of difcovering what is real and fubftan- tial in Nature. You will find it lying amongft other old Lumber in fome obfcure Corner of the Imagination, the proper Receptacle of Vifions, Fancies, and Pre- judices of all Kinds : And if you are more attached to this than the reft, it is only becaufe it is the oldeft. This is all, take my Word for it, and not mine only^ but that of many more the moft inge- nious Men of the Age, who, I can aflure you, think as I do on the Subjed: of a Deity. Though fome of them hold it proper to proceed with more Referve in declaring to the World their Opinion in this Particular, than in moft others. And it muft be owned, there are ftill too many in England w^ho retain a foolifh Prejudice againft the Name of Atheift. But it leffens every Day among the bet- ter fort ; and when it is quite worn our, our Free-thinkers may then, (and not till then) be faid to have given the. finifliing Stroke to Religion ; it being evident that fo long as the Exiftence of God is be- lieved, Religion muft fubfift in fome Shape or other. But the Root being once plucked up, the Scions which ftiot from it will of courfe wither and decay. Such are Philosopher. 19, are all thofe whimfical Notions of Con-DiAL. Icience, Duty, Principle, and the like, I. which fill a Man's Head with Scruples^' awe him with Fears, and make him a more thorough Slave than the Horfe he rides. A Man had better a thoufand times be hunted by Bailiffs or Meffengers than haunted by thefe Spedres, which em- barafs and embitter all his Pleafures, cre- ating the mofl real and fore Servitude upon Earth. But the Free-thinker, with a vigorous flight of Thought breaks through thofe airy Springes, and afferts his original Independency. Others in- deed may talk, and write, and fight a- bout Liberty, and make an outward Pre- tence to it, but the Free-thinker alone is truly free. Alciphron having ended this Difcourfe with an Air of Triumph, Eiiphranor fpoke to him in the follow- ing manner. You make clear Work. The Gentlemen of your Profefiion are, it feems, admirable Weeders. You have rooted up a World of Notions, I fliould be glad to fee what fine things you have planted in their ftead. ALC, Have Pa- tience, good Etiphra?2or. I will fhew you in the firft place, That whatever was found and good we leave untouched, and encourage it to grow in the Mind of Man. And fecondly, I will fhew you what JO The Minute Dial. what excellent things we have planted I. in it. You muft know then, that pur- fuing our clofe and fevere Scrutiny, we do at laft arrive at fomething folid and real, in which all Mankind agree, to wit, the Appetites, Paffions, and Senfes : Thefe are founded in Nature, are real, have real Objeds, and are attended with real and fubllantial Pleafures ; Food, Drink, Sleep, and the like animal. Enjoyments being what all Men like and love. And if we extend our view to the other kinds of Animals, we fhall find them all agree in this, that they have certain natural Appetites and Senfes, in the gratifying and fatisfying of which they are con- jflantly employed. Now thefe real natu- ral good things which include nothing of Notion or Fancy, we are fo far from deflroying, that we do all we can to eherifh and improve them. According to us, every wife Man looks upon him- felf, or his own bodily Exiftence in this prcfent World, as the Centre and ulti- mate End of all bis Adions and Regards. He confiders his Appetites as natural Guides direding to his proper Good, his Paffions and Senfes as the natural true Means of enjoying this Good. Hence he endeavours to keep his Appetites in high Relifhjhis Paffions and Senfes ftrong and PHILOSOl^HER. J I and lively, and to provide the greateftDiAL, Quantity and Variety of real Objects fuit- I. cd to them, which he ftudieth to enjoy ^^^'v^^ by all poflible means, and in the higheil Perfedion imaginable. And the Man who can do this without Reftraint, Re- morfe, or Fear, is as happy as any other Animal whatfoever, or as his Nature is capable of being. Thus I have given yoii a fuccindl View of the Principles, Dif- coveries, and Tenets of the feled Spirits of this enlightned Age. X. Crito remark'd, that Alclpbron had fpoke his Mind with great Clearnefs- Yes, replied Etiphrajtor^ we are obliged to the Gentleman for lettine; us at once into the Tenets of his Se6l. But, if I may be allowed to fpeak my Mind, y//- ciphron^ though in compliance with my own Requeft, hath given me no fmall Uneafinefs. You need, faid Alciphron^ make no Apology for fpeaking freely what you think to one who profeifeth himfelf a Free-thinker. I (hou'd be for- ry to make one, whom I meant to oblige, uneafy. Pray let me know wherein I have offended. I am half afliamed, re- plied Euphranor, to own that I who am no great Genius have a Weaknels inci- dental to little ones. I would fay that I J^ Th E Mll^UTE I have favourite Opinions, which you re- prefent to be Errors and Prejudices. For Inftance, the ImmortaHry of the Soul is a Notion I am fond of, as what fup- ports the Mind with a very pleafing Profpe6l. And if it be an Error, I fhould perhaps be of jT/zZ/j's Mind, who in that Cafe profeiTed he (liould be forry to know the Truth, acknowledging no fort of Obligation to certain Philofophers in his Days, who taught, the Soul of Man was mortal. They were, it feems, Pre- deceffors to thofe who are now called Free-thinkers ; which Name being too general and indefinite, inafmuch as it comprehends all thofe who think for themfelves, whether they agree in Opi- nion with thefe Gentlemen or no, it fliou'd not feem amifs to affign them a fpecific Appellation or peculiar Name, whereby to diflinguiih them from other Philofophers, at leaft in our prefent Con- ference. For I cannot bear to argue a- gainfi: Free-thinking and Freethinkers. AL C, In the Eyes of a v/ife Man Words are of fmall Moment. We do not think Truth attached to a Name. EUPH, If you plcafe then, to avoid Confufion, let us call your Sedl by the fame Name that Ju/iy (who underflood the force of Lan- guage) bellow'd upon them, j!^LC» With all Philosopher. jj all my Heart. Prav what may that Name Dial* be? EUPH. V/hy, he calls them Mt- I. ?iute Philofophers. Right, faid Crito, the modem Free-thinkers are the very fame with thofe Cicero called Minute Philofo- phers, which Name admirably fuits them, they being a lort of Sccft which dimi- Jiiih all the moft valuable things, the Thoughts, Views, and Hopes of Men; all the Knowledge, Notions, and Theo- ries of the Mind they reduce to Senfe; Humane Nature they contrad: and degrade to the narrow low Standard of Animal Life, and afTign us only a fmall Pittance of Time inftead of Immortality. Alci-^ phron very gravely remarked, That the Gentlemen of his Se6t had done no In- jury to Man ', and that if he be a little, fhortlived, contemptible Animal, it was not their faying it made him fo: And they were no more to blame for what- ever Defeds they difcover, than a faith- ful Glafs for making the Wrinkles which it only (hews. As lO what you obferve, faid he, of thofe we now call Free- thinkers, having been anciently termed Minute Philofophers^ it is my opinion this Appellation might be derived from their confidering things minutely, and not fwallowing them in the grois, as other Men are ufed to do, Behdes, we D all j4 The Minut e Dial. all know the beft Eyes are neceflary to L difcern the minuteft Objed:s: It feems ^•v^v/ therefore, that Minute Philofophers might have been fo called from their diftin- guiOied Perfpicacity. EUPH. O Alci- phron! thefe Minute Philofophers (fince that is their true Name) are a fort of Pirates who plunder all that come in their way. I confider my felf as a Man left ftript and defolate on a bleak Beach. XI. But who are thefe profound and learned Men that of late Years have de- molifhed the whole Fabric, which Law- givers, Philofophers, and Divines, had been crefting for fo many Ages ? Lyficlcs hear- ing thefe Words, fmiled, and faid he be- lieved Eiiphranor had figured to himfelf Philofophers in fquare Caps and long Gowns; but, thanks to thefe happy Times, the Reign of Pedantry was over. Our Philofophers, faid he, are of a very dijfferent Kind from thofe aukward Stu- dents, who think to come at Knowledge by poring on dead Languages, and old Authors, or by fequeftring themfelves from the Cares of the World to medi- tate in Solitude and Retirement. They are the beft bred Men of the Age, Men who know the World, Men of Pleafure, Men of Fafhion^ and fine Gentlemen. Philosopher* jjf EUPH. I have fome fmall Notion ofDiAL, the People you mention, but fhou'd ne- I. ver have taken them for Philofophers. CRT. Nor would any one elfe till of late. The World it feems was long un- der a Miftake about the way to Know- ledge, thinking it lay through a tedious Courfc of Academical Education and Study. But among the Difcoveries of the prefent Age, one of the principal is, the finding out that fuch a Method doth ra- ther retard and obftrudl, than prom.ote Knowledge. ALC. Academical Study may be comprifed in two Points j Read- ing and Meditation. Their Reading is chiefly employed on ancient Authors in dead Languages : (o that a great Part of their Time is fpent in learning Words; which, when they have maftered with infintffe pains, what do they get by it but old and obfolete Notions, that are now^ quite exploded and out of ufe ? Then, as to their Meditations, what can they poffibly be good for ? He that Wants the proper Materials of Thought, may think and meditate for ever to no purpofe: Thofe Cobwebs fpun by Scho- lars out of their own Brains being alike unferviceable, either for Uie or Orna- ment. Proper Ideas or Materials are on- ly to be got by freqiiencing good Com- D 2 pany. !^6 The Minute DiAL.pany. I know feveral Gentlemen, who, I. fince their Appearance in the World, have fpent as much time in rubbing off the Ruft and Pedantry of a College-Educa- tion, as ihey had done before in acqui- ring it. L TS. I'll undertake, a Lad of Fourteen, bred in the modern way, ihall make a better Figure, and be more con- iidered in any Drawing-Room or AfTem- bly of polite People, than one of Four- and-twenty, who hath lain by a long time at School and College. He fhall fay better things, in a better manner, •and be more liked by good Judges. EUPH, Where doth he pick up all this Improvement? CRT. Where our grave Anceftors wou'd never have looked for it, in a Drawing-Room, a Coffee-Houfe, a Chocolate - Houfe , at the Tavern, or Groom-Porter's. In thefe and the like fafhionable Places of Refort, it is the Cuftom for polite Perfons to fpeak free- ly on all Subjeds, religious, moral, or political. So that a young Gentleman who frequents them is in the way of hearing many inftrudlive Lecflures, fea- foned with Wit and Raillery, and utter- ed with Spirit. Three or four Sentences from a Man of Quahty fpoke with a good Air, make more Impreflion, and convey more Knowledge, than a dozen Differ^ Philosopher. 37 DIffertations in a dry Academical way.DTAL. EUPH, There is then no Method I. or Courfe of Studies in thofe Places. LTS, None but an eafy free Converfa- tion, which takes in every thing that of- fers, without any Rule or Defign. EUPH. I always thought that fome Order was neceflary to attain any ufeful degree of Knowledge; that Hafte and Confufion be- gat a conceited Ignorance -, that to make our Advances fure, they fliou'd be gra- dual, and thofe Points firfl learned v/hich might caft a Light on what v/as to fol- low. ALC. So long as Learning was to be obtained only by that flow formal courfe of Study, few of the better fort knew much of it; but now it is grown an Amufem.ent, our young Gentry and Nobility imbibe it infenfibly amid ft their Diverfions, and make a confiderable Pro- grefs. EUPH, Hence probably the great number of Minute Philofophers. CRL It is to this that Sed: is owing for fo many ingenious Proficients of both Sexes. You may now commonly fee (what no former Age ever faw) a young Lady, or a Petit Maitre nonplus a Divine or an old- fafhioned Gentleman, who hath read ma- ny a Greek and Latin Author, and fpent much Time in hard methodical Study. EUPH. It fliou'd feem then that Me- D 3 thod. jS The Minute DiAL.thod, Exadlnefs, and Induftry are a Dif- I. advantage. Here Alciphron^ turning to ' Lyjicles, faid he could make the Point very clear, if Eiiphrajtor had any Notion of Painting. EUPH, I never faw a iirft-rate Pidture in my Life, but have a tolerable Collecftion of Prints, and have ittn fome good Drawings. ALC You know then the difference between the Dutch and the Italian manner. EUPH, I have fome Notion of it. ALC. Sup- pofe now a Drawing finifhed by the nice and laborious Touches of a Dutch Pencil, and another off-hand fcratched out in the free manner of a great Ita- lian Mafter. The Dutch Piece, which hath cofl fo much Pains and Time, will be exafl: indeed, but without that Force, Spirit, or Grace, which appear in the other, and are the Effeds of an eafy free Pencil. Do but apply this, and the Point will be clear. EUPH. Pray in- form me, did thofe great Italian Mafters begin and proceed in their Art without any choice of Method or Subjeft, and always draw with the fame Eafe and Freedom? Or did they obferve fome Method, beginning with fimple and ele« mentary Parts, an Eye, a Nofe, a Finger, which they drew with great Pains and Care, often drawing the fame thing, in order Philosopher. 35; order to draw it corredly, and fo pro-DiAL, ceeding with Patience and Induftry, till I. after a confiderable length of Time they arrived at the free mafterly manner yoii fpcak of. If this were the Cafe, I leave you to make the Application. ALC, You may difpute the Matter if you pleafe. But a Man of Parts is one thing, and a Pedant another. Pains and Method may do for fome fort of People. A Man muft be a long time kindling wet Straw into a vile fmothering Flame, but Spirits blaze out at once. EUPH. The Minute Philofophers have, it feems, better Parts than other Men, which qualifies them for a different Education. ALC, Tell me, Eiiphranor^ what is it that gives one Man a better Mien than another; more Polite- nefs in Drefs, Speech, and Motion ? No- thing but frequenting good Company. By the fame means Men get infenfibly a delicate Tafte, a refined Judgment, a cer- tain Politenefs in thinking and expreffing one's felf. No wonder if you Country- men are ftrangers to the Advantage of po- lite Converfation, which conftantly keeps the Mind awake and adtive, exercifing its Faculties, and calling forth all its Strength and Spirit on a thoufand diflFerent Occa- fions and Subjedls, that never came in the way of a Book-worm in a College, no D 4 niore 40 The Minute Di A L. more than of a Ploughman. CRI, Hence I. thofe Hvely Faculties, that Quicknefs of Apprehenfionj that Slynefs of Ridicule, that egregious Tslent of Wit and Hu- mour, which difiinguifh the Gentlemen of your Profeffion. * EUPH, It fliouldfeem then that your Sed is made up of what you call fine Gentlemen. LTS. Not al- together, for we have am.ong us fome con- templative Spirits of a coarfer Education ; who, from obferving the Behaviour and Proceedings of Apprentices, Watermen, porters, and the Affemblies of Rabble in the Streets, have arrived at a profound Knowledge of Humane Nature^ and made great Difcoveries about the Principles, Springs, and Motives of moral Adions. Thefe have demolifhed the received Syf- tems, and done a world of good in the City. JLC\ I tell you we have Men of all Sorts and Profeuions, plodding Citi- zens, thriving Stockjobbers, skilful Men in Bufinefs, polite Courtiers, gallant Men of the Army; but our chief Strength and Flower of the Flock are thofe promifing young Men v/ho have the Advantage of a modern Education. Thefe 2 re the growing Hopes of our Sedl, by whofe Credit and In- fluence in a few Years we expe<3" to fee thofe great things accomplilhed that we have in view. EUPH. 1 cou'd never have imagined Philosopher. 41 imagined your Sedt fo confiderable. ALC, D i al< There are in England many honeft Folk I. as much in the dark about thefe Matters as your felf. XII. To judge of the prevailing Opi- nion among People of Failiion, by what a Senator faith in the Houfe, a Judge upon the Bench, or a Prieft in the Pulpit, who all fpeak according to Law, that is, to the reverend Prejudices of our Fore- fathers, would be wrong. You ihould go into good Company, and mind what Men of Parts and Breeding fay, thofe who are befl: heard and moft admired, as well in public Places of Refort, as in private Vi- fits. He only who hath thefe Opportu- nities, can know our real Strength, our Numbers, and the Figure that we make. EUPH. By your Account, there muft be many Minute Philofophers among the Men of Rank and Fortune. ALC, Take my word for it, not a few, and they do much contribute to the fpreading our Notions. For he who knows the World muft obferve, that Fafhions conftantly defcend. It is therefore the right way to propagate an Opinion from the upper end. Not to fay that the Patronage of fuch Men is an Encouragement to our Authors. EUPH, 4t The Minut e J)i AL.EUPH, It feems then you have Authors I. among you. LTS. That we have, feve- ral, and thofe very great Men, w^ho have obliged the World v^ith many ufeful and profound Difcov^ries. CRL Mofchotty for inftance, hath proved that Man and Beaft are really of the fame Nature: That con- fcquently a Man need only indulge his Senfes and Appetites to be as happy as a Brute. Gorgias hath gone further, de- monftrating Man to be a Piece of Clock- work, or Machine ; and that Thought or Reafon are the fame thing as the Impulfe of one Ball againft another. Cimon hath made noble ufe of thefe Difcoveries, prov- ing as clearly as any Propofition in Ma- thematics, ThatConfcience is a Whim, and Morality a Prejudice -, and that a Man is no more accountable for his Adions than a Clock is for ftriking. Tryphon hath written irrefragably on the Ufefulnefs of Vice. Thrajhior hath confuted the foolifh Prejudice Men had againft Atheifm, fliew- ing, that a Republick of Atheifts might live very happily together. Demylus hath made a Jeft of Loyalty, and convinced the World there is nothing in it : To him and another Philofopher of the fame Stamp this Age is indebted for difcovering, that Public Spirit is an idle Enthufiafm which feizeth Philosopher, 4j feizeth only on weak Minds. It would be D i a l . endlcfs to recount the Difcoveries made I by Writers of this Se Appellations, betokening great Force andDi At, Liberty of Mind. It is very poffible, the I. Heroic Labours of thefe Men may be re- prefented (for what is not capable of Mif- reprefentationr) as a piratical plundering and ftripping the Mind of its Wealth and Ornaments ; when it is in truth the di- vefting it only of its Prejudices, and re- ducing it to its untainted original State of Nature. Oh Nature ! the genuine Beauty of pure Nature ! EUPH. You feem very much taken with the Beauty of Nature. Be pleafed to tell me, A/d" ph?'0?i^ what thofe things are which you efteem natural, or by what Mark I may know them. XIV. ALC, For a thing to be natural, for inftance, to. the Mind of Man, it muft appear originally therein, it muft be uni- verfally in all Men, it muft be invariably the fame in all Nations and Ages. Thefe Limitations of Original, Univerfal, and In- variable, exclude all thofe Notions found in the Humane Mind, which are the Effej quefti on whether every one can frame aDiAL. Notion of the public Good, much lefs H. judge of the Means to promote it. X. But you, Lyfides^ who are mafter of this Subjeft, will be pleafed to inform me, whether the public Good of a Nation doth not imply the particular Good of its Individuals? Zr^. It doth. £J7Pi/. And doth not the Good or Happinefs of a Man confift, in having both Soul and Body found and in good Condition, enjoying thofe Things which their refpedive Na- tures require, and free from thofe Things which are odious or hurtful to them. LTS, I do not deny all this to be true. EUPH, Now it would feem worth while to coalider, whether the regular decent Life of a virtuous Man may not as much conduce to this End, as the mad Sallies of Intemperance and Debauchery. LTS. I will acknowledge that a Nation may meerly fubfilt, or be kept alive, but it is impoiTible it would flourifh without the Aid of Vice. To produce a quick Circu- lation of Traffick and Wealth in a State, there muft be exorbitant and irregular Motions in the Appetites and Paffions. EUPH. The more Feople a Nation con- tains, and the happier thofe People are, the more that Nation maybe faid to flourifh. I think 5^4 The Minute Di AL. think we are agreed in this Point. LTS* II. We are. EUPH, You allow then that Riches are not an ultimate End, but fhould only be confidered as the Means to procure Happinefs. LTS. I do, EUPH. It feems, that Means cannot be of Ufe without our knowing the End, and how to apply them to it. LTS. It feems io, EUPH. Will it not follow, that in order to make a Nation flourifh, it is not fuffi- cient to make it wealthy, without know- ing the true End and Happinefs of Man- kind, and how to apply Wealth towards attaining that End ? In Proportion as thefe Points are known and pradlifed, I think the Nation fhould be likely to flou- rifli. But for a People, who neither know nor praftife them, to gain Riches, feems to me the fame Advantage that it would be for a lick Man to come at Plenty of Meat and Drink, which he could not ufe but to his Hurt. LTS. This is mecr So- phiflry : It is arguing without perfuading. Look into common Life : Examine the Purfuits of Men : Have a due Refped: for the Confent of the World; and you will foon be convinced, that Riches alone are fufficient to make a Nation flouriih- ing and happy. Give them Riches and they will make themfelves happy, with- out that political Invention, that Trick of Philosopher. / 95 of Statefmen and Philofophers, called Dial, Virtue. IL XI. EUPH, Virtue then, in your Ac- count, is a Trick of Statefmen. LTS. It is. EUPH. Why then do your fagacious Sc&, betray and divulge that Trick or Se- cret of State, which wife Men have judged neceifary for the good Government of the World? Lyficks hefitating, Crito made anfwer, That he prefumed it was be- caufe their Sed:, being wifer than all other wife Men, difdained to fee the World go- verned by wrong Maxims, and would fet all Things on a right Bottom. EUPH. Thus much is certain : If we look into all Inftitutions of Government, and the political Writings of fuch as have here- tofore paffed for wife Men, we (hall find a great Regard for Virtue. LTS, You fhall find a ftrong Tindure of Prejudice. But, as I faid before, confult the Multitude if you would find Nature and Truth. EUPH. But among Country Gentlemen, and Farmers, and the better Sort of Tradefmen, is not Virtue a reputable Thing? LTS. You pick up Authorities among Men of low Life and vile Educa- tion. EUPH. Perhaps we ought to pay a decent Refpefc to the Authority of Mi- nute Philofophers. LTS. And I would fain The Minute fain know whofe Authority iliould be more confidered, than that of thofe Gen- tlemen who are alone above Prejudice, and think for themfelves. EUPH. How doth it appear that you are the only un- prejudiced Part of Mankind ? May not a Minute Philofopher, as well as another Man, be prejudiced in Favour of the Leaders of his Sed: ? May not an Atheifti- cal Education prejudice towards Atheifm ? What fhould hinder a Man's being pre- judiced againft Religion, as well as for it? Or can you affign any Reafon why an At- tachment to Pleafure, Intereft, Vice, or Vanity, may not be fuppofed to prejudice Men againft Virtue ? LTS, This is plea- fant. What ! Suppofe thofe very Men in- fluenced by Prejudice, who are always difputing againft it, whofe conftant Aim it is to deted: and demolilh Prejudices of all Kinds ! Except their own, replied Crkoy for you muft pardon me, if I can- not help thinking they have fome fmall Prejudice, though not in Favour of Vir- tue. XII. I obferve, Ly fides ^ that you al- lowed to Euphranor^ the greater Number of happy People are in a State, the more that State may be faid to flourifh : It fol- lows therefore, That fuch Methods as mul- Phi losopher. 5>7 multiply Inhabitants are good, and fnchDiAL as diminifli them are bad for the Public. IT. And one would think no Body need be told, that the Strength of a State confifts more in the Number and Sort of People, than in any Thing elfe. But in Proportion as Vice and Luxury, thofe public Bleflings encouraged by this Minute Philofophy, prevail among us, fewer are difpofed to marry, too many being diverted by Plea- fure, difabled by Difeafe, or frightned by Expence. Nor doth V ice only thin a Na- tion, but alfo debafeth it by a puny dege- nerate Race. I might add, That it is rui- nous to our Manufadiurcs ; both as it makes Labour dear, and thereby enables our more frugal Neighbours to underfell us : and al- fo as it diverts the lower fort of People from honeft Callings to wicked Projeds. If thefe and fuch Confiderations were ta- ken into the Account, I believe it would be evident to any Man in his Senfes, that the imaginary Benefits of Vice bear no Proportion to the folid real Woes that attend it. Lyjicles^ upon this, fliook his Head, and fmiled at Cr/Vt?, without vouch- fafing any other Anfwer. After which, addrefling himfelf to Euphranor^ There cannot, faid he, be a ftronger Inftance of Prejudice, than that a Man fhould at tliis time of Dav preferve a Reverence for that Vol. L ' H Idol, ^8 The Minute D I A L. Idol, Virtue, a thing fo effectually expofed IL and exploded by the moft knowing Men of v^v^ the Age, who have fhewn, that Man is a meer Engine, play'd upon and driven about by lenfible Objeds: and that moral Virtue is only a Name, a Notion, a Chi- masra, an Enthufiafm, or at beft a Fa- fhion, uncertain and changeable, like all other Falhions. EUPH. What do you think, Lyfides, of Health ? Doth it depend on Fancy and Caprice, or is it fomething real in the bodily Compofition of a Man? LTS, Health is fomething real, which refults from the right Conftitution and Temperature of the Organs, and the Fluids circulating through them. EUPH, This you fay is Health of Body. LTS. It is. EUPH. And may we not fuppofe an healthy Conftitution of Soul, when the Notions are right, the Judgments true, the Will regular, the Paffions and Appetites direfted to their proper Objedts, and con- lined within due Bounds ? This, in re- gard to the Soul, feems what Health is to the Body. And the Man whofe Mind is fo conftituted, is he not properly cal- led virtuous? And to produce this healthy Difpofition in the Minds of his Countrymen, fhould not every good Man employ his Endeavours ? If thefe things have any appearance of Truth, as to me they Philosopher, 5>p they feem to have, it will not then be Dial, fo clear a Point, that Virtue is a meer U. Whim or Fafhion, as you are pleafed to reprefent it : I muft own fomething un- expecftedly, after what had been difcourfed in laft Evening^s Conference, which if you would call to mind, it might perhaps fave both of us fome Trouble. LTS, Would you know the Truth, Euphra?ior? Imufl own I have quite forgot all your Difcourfe about Virtue, Duty, and all fuch Points, which, being of an airy notional nature, are apt to vanifh, and leave no Trace on a Mind accuftomed only to receive Im^^ preffion from Realities. XIII. Having heard thefe Words, Eu.^ pbrafior looked at Crito and me, and faid fmiling, I have miftaken my Part: it was mine to learn, and his to inftrudt. Then addreffing himfelf to Lyjicks, Deal faith- fully, faid he, and let me know whether the publick Benefit of Vice be in truth that which makes you plead for it ? L TS. I love to fpeak frankly what I think. Know then, that Private Intereil is the firft and principal Confideration with Philofophers of our Sed:. Now of all Interefts, Pleafure is that v/hich hath the ftrongeft Charms, and no Plea- fures like thofe which are heightened and H 2 en- loo Th e Minut e Di A L. enlivened by Licence. Herein confifts the II, peculiarExcellency of our Principles, that they fhew People how to ferve their Country by diverting themfelves, caufmg the two Streams of public Spirit and Self- love to unite and run in the fame Chan- nel. I have told you already, that I ad- mit a Nation might fubfift by the Rules of Virtue. But give me leave to fay, It will barely fubfift in a dull, joylefs, infipid State; whereas the fprightly Ex- ceffes of Vice infpire Men with Joy. And where Particulars rejoice, the Public, which is made up of Particulars, muft do fo too: that is, the Public muft be happy. This I take to be an irrefraga- ble Argument. But to give you its full Force, and make it as plain as poffible, I will trace things from their Original. Happinefs is the End to which created Beings naturally tend, but we find that all Animals, whether Men or Brutes, do naturally and principally purfue real Plea- fure of Senfe; which is therefore to be thought their fupreme Good, their true End and Happinefs. It is for this Men live ; and whoever underftands Life muft allow that Man to enjoy the Top and Flower of it, who hath a quick Senfe of Fleafure, and withal Spirit, Skill, and Fortune, fufficient to gratify every Appe- tite Philosopher. ioi titc, and every Tafte. Niggards and Fools D i al. will envy or traduce fuch a one, be- jj^ caufe they cannot equal him. Hence, all that fober Trifling, in Difparagement of what every one would be mafter of if he could, a full Freedom and unlimi- ted Scope of Pleafure. EUPH, Let mc fee whether I underfland you. Pleafure of Senfe, you fay, is the chief Pleafure. LTS. I do. EUPH. And this would be crampt and diminifhed by Virtue. LTS, It would. EJJPH. Tell me, Lyficlesj is Pleafure then at the height when the Appetites are fatished? LTS. There is then only an Indolence, the lively Senfe of Pleafure being paft. EUPH. It fhould feem therefore, that the Appetites muft be alvyays craving to preferve Plear- fure alive. LTS. That is our Senfe of the Matter. EUPH. The Greek Philo- fopher therefore was in the right, who confidered the Body of a Man of Pleafure as a leaky Veflel, always filling, and ne- ver full. LTS. You may divert your felf with Allegories, if you pleafe. Bui: all the while ours is literally the true Tafle of Nature. Look throughout the Univerfe, and you (hall find Birds and Fifhes, Beafts and Infedts, all kinds of Animals with which the Creation fvvarms, conftantly engaged by Inftinft in th^ Pur-. H 3 fuit 102 Tut Minute D I AL.fuit of fenfible Pleafure. And fliall Man II. alone be the grave Fool who thwarts, and croffes, and fubdues his Appetites, while his Fellow-creatures do all moft joyfully and freely indulge them ? EUPH, How ! Lyficles! I thought that being governed by the Senfes, Appetites, and Paffions, was the moft grievous Slavery: and that the proper Bufinefs of Free-thinkers, or Philofophers, had been to fet Men free from the Power of Ambition, Avarice, and Senfuality. L TS. You miftake the Point. We make Men relifh the World, attentive to their Interefts, live- ly and luxurious in their Pleafures, without Fear or Reftraint either from God or Man. We defpife thofe preach- ing Writers, who ufed to difturb or cramp the Pleafures and Amufements of Humane Life. We hold, that a wife Man who meddles with Bufinefs, doth it alto- gether for his Intereft, and refers his In- tereft to his Pleafure. With us it is a Maxim, That a Man fliould feize the Moments as they fly. Without Love, and Wine, and Play, and late Hours, we hold Life not to be worth living. I grant, indeed, that there is fomething grofs and ill-bred in the Vices of mean Men, which the genteel Philofopher abhors. CRL But to cheat, whore, betray, get drunk, do all thefe Philosopher. ioj thefe things decently, this is true Wif-DiAL, dom and Elegance ojf Tafle. 11. XIV. EUPH. To me, who have been us'd to another way of thinking, this new Philofophy feems difficult to digeft. I muft therefore beg leave to examine its Principles, with the fame Freedom that you do thofe of other Se6ls. LTS, Agreed. EUPH, You fay, if I miftake not, that a wife Man purfues only his private In- tereft, and that this confifts in fenfual Pleafure, for proof whereof you appeal to Nature. Is not this what you ad- vance? LTS, It is. EUPH. You con- clude therefore, that as other Animals are guided by natural Inftincfl, Man too ought to follow the Didtates of Senfe and Appe- tite. LTS. I do. EUPH. But in this, you do not argue as if Man had only Senfe and Appetite for his Guides, on which Suppofition there might be Truth in what you fay ? But what if he hath Intelled, Reafon, a higher Diftind:, and a nobler Life ? If this be the Cafe, and you being Man, live like a Brute, is it not the Way to be defrauded of your true Happinefs ? to be mortified and difap- pointed ? Confider moft forts of Brutes : you fhall perhaps find them have a grea- ter Share of fenfual Happinefs than Man. LTS. H4 I04 Th e Mi nute Djal. LTS. To our Sorrow we do. This hath II. made fevcral Gentlemen of our Secft envy Brutes, and lament the Lot of Humane Kind. CRI, It was a Confideration of this fort, which infpired Erotylus with the laudable Ambition of wifhing himfelf a Snail, upon hearing of certain Particula- rities difcovered in that Animal by a mo^ dern Virtuofo. JEVPH. Tell me, Lyft^ cles, if you had ?r\ inexhauftible Fund of Gold and Silver, Ihould you envy another for having a little more Copper than you ? LTS, I fhould not. EVPH. Are not Rea- fon, Imagination, and Senfe, Faculties dif- fering in Kind, and in Rank higher one than another. LTS. I do not deny it. EUPH. Their Ads therefore differ in Kind. LTS, They do. EUPH. Confe^ quently the Fleafures perfedive of thofe A(5ls are alfo different. LTS, They are. EUPH. You admit therefore three forts of Pleafure: Pleafure of Reafon, Pleafure of Imagination, and Pleafure of Senfe. LTS, I do. EUPH And, as it is reafona- ble to think, the Operation of the highefl and nobleft Faculty to be attended with the highefl Pleafure, may we not fuppofe the two former to be as Gold or Silver, and the latter only as Copper? Whence it ihould feem to follow, that Man need not envy or imitate a Brute. L2^S. And ne- verthelefs Philosopher. 105 verthelefs there are very ingenious MenDiAL, who do. And furely every one may be II. allowed to know what he wants, and L/VNi wherein his true Happinefs confifts. EUPH, Is it not plain that different Animals have different Pleafures ? Take a Hog from his Ditch or Dunghjl, lay him on a rich Bed, treat him with Sweet- meats, and Mufic, and Perfumes. All thefe things will be no Entertainment to him. Do not a Bird, a Beaft, a Fifli, amufe themfelves in various manners, in- fomuch that what is pleafing to one may be Death to another ? Is it ever feen that one of thefe Animals quits its own Ele- ment or Way of living, to adopt that of another? And ihall Man quit his own Nature to imitate a Brute ? LTS. But Senfe is not only natural to Brutes : is it not alfo natural to Man ? EUPH, It is, but with this Difference : it maketh the Whole of a Brute, but is the loweft Part or Faculty of a Humane Soul. The Na- ture of any Thing is peculiarly that which doth diftinguifh it from other Things, not what it hath in common with them. Do you allow this to be true ? LTS, I do. EUPH, And is not Reafon that which makes the principal Difference between Man and other Animals ? LTS. It is, EUPH. Reafon therefore being the prin- cipal lo^ Th e Minute DiAL.cipal part of our Nature, whatever is II, moll reafonable fliould feem moft natural to Man. Muft we not therefore think rational Pleafures more agreeable to Hu- mane Kind, than thofe of Senfe ? Man and Beaft having different Natures, feem to have different Faculties, different En- joyments, and different forts of Happinefs. You can eafily conceive, that the fort of Life which makes the Happinefs of a Mole or a Bat, would be a very wretched one for an Eagle. And may you not as well conceive that the Happinefs of a Brute can never conflitute the true Happinefs of a Man ? A Beafl, without Reflexion or Remorfe, without Forefight or Appe- tite of Immortality, without Notion of Vice or Virtue, or Order, or Reafon, or Knowledge ! What Motives, what Grounds can there be for bringing down Man, in whom are all thefe things, to a Level with fuch a Creature ? What Merit, what Am- bition in the Minute Philofopher to make fuch an Animal a Guide or Rule for Hu- mane Life? XV. LTS. It is ftrange, Euphranor, that one who admits Freedom of Thought as you do, fliould yet be fuch a Slave to Prejudice. You flill talk of Order and Virtue, as of real things, as if our Phi- lofophers 6 Philosopher. 107 lofophers had never demonftrated, that Dial, they have no Foundation in Nature, and II. are only the Effeds of Education. I know, laid Crito^ hov^ the Minute Philofophers are accuftomed to demonftrate this Point. They confider the animal Nature of Man, or Man fo far forth as he is Animal : and it muft be owned that confidered in that Light, he hath no Senfe of Duty, no Notion of Virtue. He therefore, who fhould look for Virtue among meer Animals, or Hu- mane Kind as fuch, would look in the wrong place. But that Philofopher, who is attentive only to the Animal Part of his Being, and raifeth his Theories from the very dregs of our Species, may probably upon fecond Thoughts find himfelf mif- taken. Look you, Crito^ faid Lyficles^ my Argument is with Euphranor^ to whom addreffing his Difcourfe ; I obferve, faid he, that you ftand much upon the Dig- nity of Humane Nature. This Thing of Dignity is an old worn-out Notion, which depends on other Notions, old and ftale, and worn-out, fuch as an immaterial Spirit, and a Ray derived from the Divinity. But in thefe Days Men of Senfe make a Jeft of all this Grandeur and Dignity: and many there are would gladly exchange their Share of it for the Repofe and Free- dom, and Senfuality of a Brute. But Com- parifons io8 ' Th e Minut e Di AL.parifons are odious: waving therefore all II. Inquiry concerning the refpedive Excel- v^v^^^ lencies of Man and Beaft, and whether it is beneath a Man to follow or imitate Brute Animals, in judging of the chief Good and Conducfl of Life and Manners^I lliall be content to appeal to the Autho- rity of Men themfelves, for the Truth of my Notions. Do but look abroad into the World, and ask the common run of Men, whether Pleafure of Senfe be not the only true, folid, fubilantial Good of their Kind ? EUPH. But might not the fame vulgar fort of Men prefer a Piece of Sign- poft Painting to one of Raphael's^ or a Grubjlreet Ballad to an Ode oi Horace? Is there not a real Difference between good and bad Writing? LTS. There is. EUPH. And yet you will allow there muft be a Maturity and Improvement ofUnderftand- ing to difcern this Difference, which doth not make it therefore lefs real. LTS, I will. EUPH. In the famie manner what fliould hinder, but there maybe in Nature a true Difference between Vice and Vir- tue, although it require fome Degree of Reflexion and Judgment to obferve it ? In order to know whether a thing be agree- able to the rational Nature of Man, it feems one fhpuld rather obftrve and con- fult thofe who have mofl employed orirn- proved 6 Philosopher. ioj> proved their Reafon. LTS. Well, I (hall Dial. not infifton confulting the common Herd 11. of Mankind. From the ignorant and grofs Vulgar, I might my felf appeal in ma- ny Cafes to Men of Rank and Fafliion. EUPH. They are a fort of Men I have not the Honour to know much of by my own Obfervation. But I remember a Re- mark of Arijlotle^ who was himfelf a Courtier and knew them well. ^ Virtue, * faith he, * and good Senfe are not the * Property of high Birth or a great Eftate. * Nor if they who poflefs thefe Advanta- * ges, wanting a Tafle for rational Plea- * fures, betake themfelves to thofe of Senfe 5 * ought we therefore to efteem them eli- * gible, any more than we fhould the Toys * and Paftimes of Children, becaufe they * feemfo to them ?'. And indeed one may- be allowed to queftion, whether the trueft Eftimate of Things was to be expected from a Mind intoxicated with Luxury, and dazzled with the Splendor of high living. Ciimjlupet infants aciesfufgvribuSy & €um AccUnisfalfis animus mdiora recufat Hon CnVoupon this obferved, that he knew an EngUJh Nobleman, who in the Prime of * Ethic, ad Nicom; 1. lo. c 6, Life no The Minute Dial, Life profefleth a liberal Art, and Is the IL firft Man of his Profeffion in the World : v^X"^ and that he was very fure, he had more Pleafure from the Exercife of that elegant Art, than from any fenfual Enjoyment within the Power of one of the largefl: Fortunes, and moil bountiful Spirits in Great Britain. XVI. LTS. But why need we have Recourfe to the Judgment of other Men in fo plain a Cafe ? I appeal to your own Breaft : confult that, and then fay if fen- fible Pleafure be not the chief Good of Man. EUPH. I, for my part, have of- ten thought thofe Pleafures which are higheft in the Efteem of Senfualifls fo far from being the chiefeft Good, that it feem- ed doubtful upon the whole, whether they were any Good at all, any more than the meer Removal of Pain. Are not our Wants and Appetites uneafy ? LTS, They are. EUPH. Doth not fenfual Pleafure con- fift in fatisfying them ? L TS, It doth. EUPH, But the Cravings are tedious, the Satisfadion momentary. Is it not fo? LTS. It is, but what then? EUPH. Why then itfhouldfeemthat fenfual Plea- fure is but a fhort Deliverance from long Pain. A long Avenue of Uneafinefs leads to a Point of Pleafure, which ends in Dif- guft Philosopher. m guft or Remorfe. CRT. And he who pur-D i al< fues this 7gms fatuus imagines himfelf a II. Philofopher and Free-thinker. LTS, Pe- dants are governed by Words and Notions, while the wifer Men of Pkufure follow Fad:, Nature, and "^^vik., CRI. But what if notional Pleafnres fhoiild in fad: prove the moft real and lading ? Pure Pleafures of Reafon and Imagination neither hurt the Health, nor wafte the Fortune, nor gall the Confcience. By them the Mind is long entertained without loathing or fatiety. On the other hand a Notion (which with you it feems pafleth for no- thing) often embitters the moft lively fenfual Pleafures, which at bottom will be found alfo to depend upon Notion, more than perhaps you imagine : it being a vulgar Remark, that thofe things are more enjoyed by HopeandForetafteofthc Soul, than by Pofleffion. Thus much is yielded, that adual Enjoyment is very (hort, and the Alternative of Appetite and Difguft long as well as uneafy. So that, upon the whole, it fhould feem thofe Gentlemen, who are called Men of Pleafure from their eager Purfuit of it, do in reality with great Expence of For- tune, Eafe, and Health purchafe Pain, LTS. You may fpin out plaufible Argu- ments, but will after all find it a difficulc Matter I It Th e Minute Dial. Matter to convince me, that fo many in- IL genious Men fhould not be able to di- ftinguifh between Things fo direcflly op- pofite as Pain and Pleafure. How is it poffible to account for this ? CRI. I be- lieve a Reafon may be afligned for it, but to Men of Pleafure no Truth is fo pala- table as a Fable. Jove once upon a time having ordered, that Pleafure and Pain fhould be mixed in equal Proportions in every Dofe of Humane Life : upon a Com- plaint that fome Men endeavoured to fe- parate what he had joined, and taking more than their Share of the Sweet, would leave all the Sour for others, commanded Mercury to put a ftop to this Evil, by fixing on each Delinquent a Pair of invi- fible Spedacles, which fliould change the Appearance of Things, making Pain look like Pleafure, and Pleafure like Pain, La- bour like Recreation, and Recreation like Labour. From that Time the Men of Pleafure are eternally miflaking and re- penting. L TS, If your Docflrine takes place I would fain know what can be the Advantage of a great Fortune, which all Mankind fo eagerly purfue ? CRL It is a common Saying with Eucrates^ That a Great Fortune is an edged Tool^ which a hundred may come at, for one who knows how to ufe it, fo much eafier is the Art of Getting than that of Spending* What its Philosopher. 115 Its Advantage is I will not fay, but I will Dial. venture to declare what it is not. I am II. fure that where Abundance excludes Want, and Enjoyment prevents Appetite, there is not the quickeft Senfe of thofe Pleafures we have been fpeaking of: in which the Footman hath often a greater Share than his Lord, who cannot enlarge his Stomach in proportion to his Eftate. XVII. Reafonable and well-educated Men of all Ranks have, I believe, pretty much the fame Amufements, notwith- ftanding the Difference of their Fortunes: But thofe who are particularly diftin- guifhed, as Men of Pleafure, feem to pof- fefs it in a very fmall degree. EUPH. I have heard that among Perfons of that Character, a Game of Cards is efteemed a chief Diverlion. LTS, Without Cards there could be no living for People of Fafhion. It is the mod delightful way of pafling an Evening when Gentlemen and Ladies are got together, who would other- wife be at a lofs what to fay or do with themfelves. But a Pack of Cards is fo engaging, that it doth not only employ them when they are met, but ferves to draw them together. Sluadrille gives them Pleafure in profpe£l during the dull Hours of the Day, they reflect on it with Delight, Vol. L I and 1 14 Th e Minute Dial, and it furniflies Difcourfe when it is over, 11. CRT. One would be apt to fufped: thefe People of Condition pafs their Time but heavily, and are but little the better for their Fortunes, whofe chief Amufement is a thing in the power of every Foot- man, who is as well qualified to receive Pleafure from Cards as a Peer. I can ea- fily conceive that when People of a cer- tain Turn are got together, they fhould prefer doing any thing to the Ennui of their own Converfation : but it is not eafy' to conceive there is any great Pleafure in this. What a Card-table can afford, requires neither Parts nor Fortune to judge of. LTS. Play is a ferious Amufement, that comes to the Relief of a Man of Pleafure, after the more lively and affefting Enjoy- ments of Senfe. It kills Time beyond any thing ', and is a moft admirable Anodyne to divert or prevent Thought, which might otherwife prey upon the Mind. CRI, I can eafily comprehend, that no Man upon Earth ought to prize Anodynes for the Spleen, more than a Man of Fafhion and Pleafure. An ancient Sage fpeaking of one of that Charader, faith he is made wretched by Difappointments and Appe- tites, AvyretTcn ccTTOTvy^olifMv xai, eTri^u/jLooy, And if this was true of the Greeks who lived in the Sun, and had fo much Spirit, I Philosopher. hj I am apt to think it is ftill more fo ofDiAL. our modern EngliJJj. Something there is II. in our Climate and Complexion, that makes Idlenefs no where fo much its own Pu- nifhment as in England, where an unedu- cated fine Gentleman pays for his mo- mentary Pleafures, with long and cruel Intervals of Spleen ; for relief of which he is driven into fenfual ExcefTes, that produce a proportionable Depreffion of Spi- rits, which, as it createth a greater Want of Pleafures, fo it leflens the Ability to en-- joy them. There is a Caft of Thought in the Complexion of an Englijhjjian, which renders him the mod unfuccefsful Rake in the World. He is (as Arijlotle exprefl'eth it) at variance with himfelf He is nei- ther Brute enough to enjoy his Appetites^ nor Man enough to govern them. He knows and feels that what he purfues is not his true Good \ his Reflexion ferving only to fhew him that Mifery which his habitual Sloth and Indolence will not fuf- fer him to remedy. At length being grown odious to himfelf, and abhorring his own Company, he runs into every idle AlTembly, not from the Hopes of Pleafure, but meerly to refpite the Pain of his own Mind. Liftlefs and uneafy at the prefent, he hath no Delight in refledling on what is paft, or in the Profpedl of any thing to I z come. I 6 The Minute D I A L. come. This Man of Pleafure, when after 11. a wretched Scene of Vanity and Woe his animal Nature is worn to the Stumps, wifhes and dreads Death by turns, and is lick of living, without having ever tried or known the true Life of Man. EUPH. It is well this fort of Life, which is of fo little Benefit to the Owner, conduceth fo much to that of the Public. But pray tell me, do thefe Gentlemen fetup for Minute Philofophers ? CRL That Sed you muft know, contains two forts of Philofophers, the Wet and the Dry. Thofe 1 have been defcribing are of the former Kind. They differ rather in Pradice than in Theory. As an older, graver, or duller Man, from one that is younger, and more capable or fond of Pleafure. The dry Philofopher palTeth his Time but drily. He has the Honour of Pimping for the Vices of more fprightly Men, who in return offer fome fmall Inccnfe to his Vanity. Upon this Encouragement, and to make his own Mind eafy when it is paft being pleafed, he employs himfelf in juflifying thofe ExcelTes he cannot partake in. But to re- turn to your Queftion, thofe miferable Folk are mighty Men for the Minute Philofo- phy. EUPH, What hinders them then from putting an end to their Lives ? CRL Their not being perfuaded of the Truth of what Philosopher. 117 what they profefs. Some indeed, in a Fit D i a l. of Defpair, do now and then lay violent II. hands on themfelves. And as the Mi- ^s>-v"Xi^ nute Phllofophy prevails, we daily fee more Examples of Suicide. But they bear no proportion to thofe who would put an end to their Lives if they durft. My Friend CUnias^ who had been one of them, and a Philofopher of I'ank, let me into the fecret Hiftory of their Doubts and Fears, and ir- refolute Refolution^ of making away with themfelves ; which laft he afiiires me is a frequent Topic with Men of Pieafure, when they have drunk themfelves into a little Spirit. It was by virtue of this me- chanical Valour the renowned Philofopher Hermocrates (hot himfelf through the Head. The fame thing hath fmce been pra(flifed by feveral others, to the great Relief of their Friends. Splenetic, worried, and frightened out of their Wits, they run up- on their Doom with the fame Courage as a Bird runs into the Mouth of a Rattle Snake; not becaufe they are bold to die, but becaufe they are afraid to live. Clinias endeavoured to fortify his Irreligion by the Difcourfe and Opinion of other Minute Philofophers, who were mutually ftrength- ened in their own Unbelief by his. After this manner. Authority working in a Cir- cle, they endeavoured to atheize one ano- I 3 then ii8 The Minute Dial. thcr. But though he pretended, even to a II. Demonftration, againft the Being of a God, yet he could not inwardly conquer his own Belief. He fell fick, and acknowledged this Truth ; is now a fober Man and a Chri- ftian ; owns he was never fo happy as fince he became fuch, nor fo wretched as while he was a Minute Philofopher. And he who has tried both Conditions, may be al- lowed a proper Judge of both. LTS, Tru- ly, a fine Account of the brighteft and braveft Men of the Age ! CRI. Bright and Brave are fine Attributes. But our Curate is of opinion, that all your Free-thinking Rakes are either Fools or Cowards. Thus he argues j If fuch a Man doth not fee his true Intereft he wants Senfe^ if he doth, but dare not purfue it, he wants Courage. In this manner, from the Defeft of Senfe and Courage, hededuceth that whole Spe- cies of Men, who are fo apt to value them- felves upon both thofe Qualities. LTS. As for their Courage, they are at all times ready to give Proof of it : and for their Un- derftanding, thanks to Nature, it is ofafize not to be meafured by Country Parfons. XVIII. EUPH. But5^rr^to, whowas no Country Parfon, fufpedted your Men of Pleafure were fuch through Ignorance. LTS. Ignorance! of what? EUPH. Of the Philosopher. 119 the Art of computing. It was his Opinion D i al. that Rakes cannot reckon *. And that for 11. want of this Skill they make wrong Judg- ments about Pleafure, on the right Choice of which their Happinefs depends. LTS. I do not underftand you. EUPH, Do you grant that Senfe perceiveth only fen- fible things? LTS. I do, EUPiJ. Senfe perceiveth only things prefent. LTS, This too I grant. EUPH, Future Pleafures, therefore, and Pleafures of the Under- ftanding, are not to be judged of by adtual Senfe. LYIS, They are not. EUPH. Thofe therefore who judge of Pleafure by Senfe, may find themfelves miftaken at the foot of the Account. i" Ckm lapiclofa chiragra Contudit 'articulos veteris ramalla faglj "Turn crajfos transijfe dies lucemque paluftrem^ Et fibi jam feri vitam ingemuere reli6iam. To make a right Computation, ihould you not confider all the Faculties, and all the Kinds of Pleafure, taking into your Account the Future as well as the Pre- fent, and rating them all according to their true Value? CRI, T\\q Epicureans themfelves allowed, that Pleafure which * Plato in Protag. f Perfius, Sat. 5. I ^ pro- I20 The Minute Di A L. procures a greater Pain, or hinders a grea- IL ter Pleafure, fhould be regarded as a Pain; and, that Pain which procures a greater Pleafure, or prevents a greater Pain, is to be accounted a Pleafure. In order there- fore to make a true Eftimate of Pleafure, the great Spring of Adlion, and that from whence the Condudt of Life takes itsBias, we ought to compute intellectual Pleafures and future Pleafures, as well as prefent and fenfible : We ought to make Allow- ance in the Valuation of each particular Pleafure, for all the Pains and Evils, for all the Difguft, Remorfe, and Shame that attend it : We ought to regard both Kind and Quantity, the Sincerity, the Intenfe- nefs, and the Duration of Pleafures. Let a Free-thinker but bethink himfelf, how little of Humane Pleafure confifts in ac- tual Senfation, and how much inProfpedl! Let him then compare the Profped: of a virtuous Believer with that of an unbe- lieving Rake. EUPH. And all thefe Points duly confidered, will not Socrates feem to have had Reafon of his Side, when he thought Ignorance made Rakes, and particularly their being ignorant of what he calls the Science of More and Lefs, Greater and Smaller, Equality and Comparifon , that is to fay, of the Art of Computing? LTS. All this Difcourfe feems Philosopher. m feems notional. For real Abilities of D i A l^ every kind, it is well known we have II. the brighteft Men of the Age among us. v^v^v/ But all thofe who know the World do calculate, that what you call a good Chri- ftian, who hath neither a large Con- fcience, nor unprejudiced Mind, muft be unfit for the Affairs of it. Thus you fee, while you compute your felves out of Pleafure, others compute you out ofBufi- nefs. What then are you good for with all your Computation? EUPH. I have all imaginable Refped: for the Abilities of Free-thinkers. My only Fear was, their Parts might be too lively for fuch flow Talents as Forecaft and Computation, the Gifts of ordinary Men. XIX. CRI. I cannot make them the fame Compliment that Euphranor does. For though I fhall not pretend to cha- rafterize the whole Seft, yet thus much I may truly affirm: That thofe who have fallen in my way have been moftly raw Men of Pleafure, old Sharpers in Bufinefs, or a third fort of lazy Sciolifts, who are neither Men of Bufinefs, nor Men of Spe- culation, but fet up for Judges or Critics in all kinds, without having made a Progrefs in any. Thefe, among Men of the World, pafs for profound Theorifts, and itt Th e Minute Dial, and among fpeculative Men would fccm II. to know the World: a conceited Race, ^■'^v^^ equally ufelefs to the Affairs and Studies of Mankind! Suchasthefe, forthemoft part, feem to be Sectaries of the Minute Philofophy. I will not deny that now and then you may meet with a Man of eafy Manners, that, without thofe Faults and Affedlationa> is carried into the Party by the meer Stream of Education, Fa- fhion, or Company; all which do in this Age prejudice Men againft Religion, even thofe who mechanically rail at Preju- dice. I muft not forget that the Minute Philofophers have alfo a ftrong Party a- mong the Beaux and fine Ladies; and, as Affedlations out of Charadter are often the ftrongefl:, there is nothing fo dogma- tical and inconvincible as one of thefe fine things, when it fets up for Free- thinking. But, be thefe Profeffors of the Seft never fo dogmatical, their Authority muft needs be fmall with Men of Senfe. For who would choofe for his Guide in the Search of Truth, a Man whofe Thoughts and Time are taken up with DrefSj Vifits, and Diverfions ? Or whofe Education hath been behind a Counter, or in an Office ? Or whofe Speculations have been employed on the Forms of Bu- finefsj who is only well read in the ways and Philosopher. nj and Commerce of Mankind, in Stock-DiAL. jobbing, Purloining, Supplanting, Bribing ? H. Or would any Man in his Senfes give a Fig for Meditations and Difcoveries made over a Bottle? And yet it is certain, that inftead of Thought, Books, and Study, moft Free-thinkers are the Profe- lytes of a Drinking-Club. Their Prin- ciples are often fettled, and Dccifions on the deepeft Points made, when they are not fit to make a Bargain. LTS, You forget our Writers, Crito, They make a World of Profelytes. CRI. So would worfe Writers in fuch a Caufe. Alas! how few read! and of thefe, how few are able to judge ? Plow many wifli your Notions true? How many had rather be di^ verted than inftrufted? How many are con- vinced by a Title ? I may allow your Reafons to be effeflual, without allowing them to be good. Arguments, in themfelvesof fmall Weight, have great Eflfeft, when they are recommended by a miftaken Intereft, when they are pleaded for by Paffion, when they are countenanced by the Humour of the Age: and above all, with fome fort of Men, when they are againft Law, Government, and eftablifhed Opinions: things which, ^s a wife or good Man would not de^ part from without clear Evidence, a weak ©r a bad Man will affed; to difparage on 114 The Minute DiAL.on the flighteft Grounds. LTS. And II. yet the Arguments of our Philofophers •^ alarm. CBJ, The Force of their Reafon- ing is not what alarms : their Contempt of Laws and Government is alarming: their Application to the Young and Igno- rant is dangerous. EUPH. But without difputing or difparaging their Talent at Ratiocination, it feems very poffible their Succefs might not be owing to that alone. May it not in fome meafure be afcribed to the Defeds of others, as well as to their own Perfedlions ? My Friend Eu- crates ufed to fay, that the Church would thrive and flourifh beyond all Oppofi- tion, if fome certain Perfons minded Pie- ty more than Politics, Pradlics than Po- lemics, Fundamentals than Confefta- ries, Subftance than Circumftance, Things than Notions, and Notions than Words. LTS, Whatever may be the Caufe, the EfFedls are too plain to be denied. And when a confidering Man obferves that our Notions do, in this moft learned and knowing Age, fpread and multiply, in op- pofition to ejftablifhed Laws, and every Day gain ground againft a Body fo nume- rous, fo learned, fo well fupported, pro- tefted, encouraged for the Service and De- fence of Religion : I fay, when a Man obferves and confiders all this, he will be apt Philosopher. i^j apt to afcribe it to the force of Truth, Dial. and the merits of our Caufe ; which, had IL it been fupported with the Revenues and Eftablifhments of the Church and Uni- verfities, you may guefs what a Figure it would make, by the Figure that it makes without them. EU P H, It is much to be pitied, that the learned ProfefTors of your Sedt do not meet with the Encou- ragement they deferve. LTS, All in due time. People begin to open their Eyes. It is not impoffible but thofe Revenues that in ignorant Times were applied to a wrong Ufe, may, in a more enlightned Age, be applied to a better, CRI, But why Pro- fefTors and Encouragement for what needs no teaching ? An Acquaintance of mine has a moft ingenious Footman that can neither write nor read, who learned your whole Syftem in half an Hour : He knows when and how to nod, fhake his Head, finile, and give a Hint as well as the ableft Sceptic, and is in Fadl a very Mi- nute Philofophen LTS. Pardon me, it takes Time to unlearn religious Prejudi- ce, and requires a ftrong Head. C RL I do not know how it might have been once upon a Time, But in the prefent laudable Education, I know feveral who have been imbued with no religious No- tions at all i and others who have had them fo 12^ Th e Minute D I A L. fo very flight, that they rubbed ofF wlth- II. out the leafl Pains. XX. Fanope^ young and beautiful, un- der the Care of her Aunt, an Admirer of the Minute Philofophy, was kept from learning the Principles of Religion, that fhe might not be accuflomed to believe without a Reafon, nor aflent to what fhc did not comprehend. Panope was not indeed prejudiced with religious Notions, but got a Notion of Intriguing, and a Notion of Play, which ruined her Repu- tation by fourteen, and her Fortune by four and twenty. I have often refledted on the different Fate of two Brothers in my Neighbourhood. Cleon the elder be- ing defigned an accompliflied Gentle- man, was fent to Town, had the firfl part of his Education in a great School : What Religion he learned there was foon un- learned in a certain celebrated Society, which, till we have a better, may pafs for a Nurfery of Minute Philofophers, Cleo?i drefled well, could cheat at Card^, had a nice Palate, underflood the Myf- tcry of the Die, was a mighty Man in the Minute Philofophy. And having {hined a few Years in thefe Accompliihments, he died before thirty, childlcfs and rot- ten, expreffing the wtmoft Indignation 5 ^hat Philosopher. 127 that he could not outlive that old Dog his Dial. Father , who, having a great Notion of U. polite Manners, and Knowledge of the World, had purchafed them to his fa- vourite Son, with much Expence, but had been more frugal in the Education of Chcerephon^ the younger Son ; who was brought up at a Country-School, aad en- tered a Commoner in the Univerfity, where he qualified himfelf for a Parfo- nage in his Father's Gift, which he is now poffeffed of, together with the E- ftate of the Family, and a numerous OiF- fpring. LTS. A Pack of unpolifhedCubbs, I warrant. CRI, Lefs poliftied, perhaps, but more found, more honeft, and likely to be more ufeful than many who pafs for fine Gentlemen. Crates^ a worthy Juftice of the Peace in this County, ha- ving had a Son mifcarry at London^ by the Converfation of a Minute Philofo- pher, ufed to fay with a great Air of Complaint : If a Man fpoils my Corn, or hurts my Cattle, I have a Remedy againft him: But if he fpoils my Children, I have none. LTS. I warrant you, he was for penal Methods : He would have had a Law to perfecute tender Con- fciences. CRI, The tender Confcience of a Minute Philofopher! He who tu- tored the Son of Crates^ foon after did Juftice ,2,8 The Minute Juftice on himfelf. For he taught Lyci- daSy a modeft young Man, the Princi- ples of his Secft. LycidaSy in return, de- bauched his Daughter, an only Child: Up- on which, Charmides, (that was the Mi- nute Philofopher's Name) hanged him- felf. Old Bubalion in the City is carking, and ftarving, and cheating, that his Son may drink and game, keep Miftrefles, Hounds, and Horfes, and die in a Jail. Bubalion ntNtvih^lck thinks himfelf wife, and paffeth for one that minds the main Chance. He is a Minute Philofopher, which Learning he acquired behind the Counter, from the Works of Prodicus and Tryphon. This fame Bubalion was one Night at Supper, talking againft the Im- mortality of the Soul, with two or three grave Citizens, one of whom the next Day declared himfelf Bankrupt, with five thoufand Pound of Bubalion's in his Hands : And the Night following he re- ceived a Note from a Servant, who had during his Ledture waited at Table, de- manding the Sum of fifty Guineas to be laid under a Stone, and concluding with moft terrible Threats and Imprecations. L TS. Not to repeat what hath been al- ready demonftrated. That the Public is at bottom no Sufferer by fuch Accidents, which in truth are inconvenient only to private Philosopher* rz^ private Perfons, who in their turn too may D r a l.- reap the Benefit of them : I fay, not to II. repeat all that hath been demonfcrated on that Head, I fliall only ask you whe- ther there would not be Rakes and Rogues, although we did not make them ? Believe me, the World always was, and always will be the fame, as long as Men are Men. CRT. I deny that the World is always the fame. Humane Nature, to ufe Alciphro?2?> Comparifon, is like Land, better or worfe, as it is improved, and according to the Seeds or Principles, fown in it. Though no body held your Tenets, I grant there might be bad Men by the Force of corrupt Appetites and irregular Paffions. But where Men, to the Force of Appetite and PafTion, add that of Opinion, and are wicked from Principle, there will be more Men wick- ed, and thofe more incurably and out- rageoufly k>. The Error of a lively Rake lies in his Paffions, and may be reform- ed : But the dry Rogue who fets up for Judgment, is incorrigible. It is an Ob- fervation oi AriJiotleSy That there are two forts of Debauchees, the aVe^xw?, and the ctjcoAacr©^, of which the one is fo a- gainft his Judgment, the other with it: And that there may be hopes of the former, but none of the latter. And in Vol. L K fa^ 1^0 The Minute D I AL.fad I have always obferved, that a Rake II. who was a Minute Philofopher, when grown old, becomes a Sharper in Bufinefs, LTS, I could name you feveral fuch who have grown mod noted Patriots. CRI. Patriots ! fuch Patriots as Catiline and Marc A?itony\ LTS, And what then? Thofe famous Romans were brave, though tmluccefsfui. They wanted neither Senfe nor Courage ; and if their Schemes had taken effeft, the brisker Part of their Coun- trymen had been much the better for them, XXI. The Wheels of Government go on, though wound up by different Hands: if not in the fame Form, yet in fome o- ther, perhaps a better. There is an end- lefs Variety in things : weak Men, indeed, are prejudiced towards Rules and Syftemes in Life and Government : and think if thefe are gone, all is gone : But a Man of a great Soul and free Spirit, delights in the noble Experiment of blowing up Syftemes, and diflblving Governments, to mold them anew upon other Principles, and in another Shape. Take my Word for it: there is a plaftic Nature in things that feeks its own End. Pull a State to pieces, jumble, confound, and ftiake together the Particles of Humane Society, and then let them P tt 1 1 O S O P H £ R^ 1 J I them ftand a while, and you fhall foon iDiALb fee them fettle of themfelves in fome II. convenient Order, where heavy Heads are lowed, and Men of Genius upper- moft, EUPH. hyficles fpeaks his Mind freely. LTS. Where was the Advan- tage of Free-thinking, if it were not at- tended with Frec-fpeaking ; or of Free- fpeaking, if it did not produce Free-ad:ing? We are for thorough, independent, ori^ ginal Freedom. Inward Freedom without outward is good for nothing, but to fet a Man's Judgment at variance with his Praftlce. CRI. This free Way of Lyfi^ cles may feem new to you : it is not fo to me. As the Minute Philofophers lay it down for a Maxim, That there is no- thing facred of any kind, nothing but what may be made a Jeft of, exploded, and changed like the Fafhion of their Clothes t fo nothing is more frequent than for them to utter their Schemes and Principles, not only in feled: Companies, but even in pub- lic. In a certain Part of the World, where ingenious Men are wont to retail their Speculations, I remember to have feen a Valetudinarian in a long Wig and a Cloke, fitting at the upper End of a Table^ with half a dozen of Difciples about him* After he had talked about Religion in a Manner^ and with an Air thaC would make K 3 ©n@ Ijl Th E MiNUTfi Dial. one think, Atheifm eftablifhed by Law II. and Religion only tolerated, he entered upon Civil Government: and obferved to his Audience, that the natural World was in a perpetual Circulation. Animals, faid he, who draw their Suftenance from the Earth, mix with that fame Earth, and in their turn become Food for Vegetables, which again nourifh the Animal Kind: The Vapours that afcend from this Globe, defcend back upon it in Showers : The Elements alternately prey upon each other: That which one part of Nature lofeth a- nother gains; the Sum total remaining always the fame, being neither bigger nor leffer, better nor worfe, for all thefe inteftine Changes. Even fo, faid this learned Profeflbr, the Revolutions in the civil World are no Detriment to Humane Kind : one part whereof rifes as the other falls, and wins by another's Lofs. A Man therefore who thinks deeply, and hath an Eye on the whole Syftcme, is no more a Bigot to Government than to Religion. He knows how to fuit himfelf to Occafi- ons, and make the beft of every Event : For the reft, he looks on all Tranflations of Power and Property, from one Hand to another, with a Philofophic Indifference. Our Ledlurer concluded his Difcourfe with a moft ingenious Analyfis of all political and PhILOSOPHER.^ I}} and moral Virtues, into their firft Princi-Di al. pies and Caufes, {hewing them to be meer II. Fafhions, Tricks of State, and lUulions on the Vulgar. LTS, We have been often told of the good Eifeds of Religion and Learning, Churches and Univerfities : But I dare affirm, that a dozen or two inge- nious Men of our Sed: have done more towards advancing real Knowledge by extemporaneous Ledures in the Compafs of a few Years, than all the Eccleiiaftics put together for as many Centuries. EUPH. And the Nation no doubt thrives accordingly. But, it feems, Crito, you have heard them difcourfe. CRI, Upon hearing this, and other Ledures of the fame Tendency, methought it was needlefs to ellabliih Profeffors for the Minute Phi- lofophy in either Univerfity : while there are fo many fpontaneous Ledurers in every Corner of the Streets, ready to open Mens Eyes, and rub off their Prejudices about Religion , Loyalty , and public Spirits LTS. If Wiihing was to any purpofe, I could wifh for a Telefcope that might draw into my view things future in Time, as well as diftant in Place. Oh! that I could but look into the next Age, and be-^ •bold what it is that we are preparing to be, the glorious Harvefl of our Principles : the Spreading of which hath produced a vifi^ K 3 ble 134 The Minute D I AL.ble Tendency in the Nation towards fome- IL thing great and new. CRL One thing I dare fay you would expedl to fee, be the Changes and Agitations of the Public what they will, that is, every Free- thinker upon his Legs. You are all Sons of Nature, who chearfully follow the Fortunes of the common Mafs. LTS. And it muft be owned we have a Maxim, that each JJjould fake care of one, CRL Alas, Lyficles^ you wrong your own Charafter. You would fain pafs upon the World and upon your felves for interefted cunning Men : But can any thing be more difinterefled than to fa- crifice all Regards to the abftradled Specula- tion of Truth ? Or can any thing be more void of all Cunning than to publifh your Difcoveries to the World, teach others to play the whole Game, and arm Mankind againft your felves ? XXII. If a Man may venture to fug- geft fo mean a Thought as the Love of their Country, to Souls fired with the Love of Truth, and the Love of Liberty, and grafp- ing the whole Extent of Nature : I would humbly propofe it to you. Gentlemen, to obferve the Caution pradtifed by all other Difcoverers, Projedors, and Makers of Ex- periments, who never hazard all on the firfl Trial, Wpuld it not be prudent to try the Philosopher.^ ijj the Succefs of your Principles on a fmall Dial. Model in fome remote Corner ? For in- II. ftance, fet up a Colony of Atheifts Monomotapay and fee how it profpers, be- fore you proceed any further at home: Half a dozen Shipload of Minute Philo- fophers might eafily be fpared upon fo good a Defign, In the mean time, you Gentlemen, who have found out that there is nothing to be hoped or feared in another Life : that Confcience is a Bugbear : that the Bands of Government, and the Cement of Humane Society are rotten things, to be diflblved and crumbled into nothing, by the Argumentation of every Minute Phi- lofopher: be fo good as to keep thefe fublime Difcoveries to your felves : Suffer us, our Wives, our Children, our Ser- vants, and our Neighbours, to continue in the Belief and way of Thinking efta- bliflied by the Laws of our Country. In good earneft, I wifh you would go try your Experiments among the Hottentots or Turks. LTS. The Hottentots we think well of, believing them to be an unpreju- diced People: but it is to be feared their Diet and Cuftoms would not agree with our Philofophers : As for the TurkSy they are Bigots, who have a Notion of God and a Rcfpedl for Jefus Chrift. I queftion whether it might be fafe to venture among K 4 them 13^ Th e Minute Dial. them. CRI, Make your Experiment II. then in fome other part of Chri/lendom. L2^S. We hold all other Chriftian Na- tions to be much under the power of Pre- judice : even our Neighbours the Dutch are too much prejudiced in favour of their Religion by Law eftablifhed, for a prudent Man to attempt Innovations under their Government. Upon the whole, it feems we can execute our Schemes no where with fo much Security, and fuch Profpedt of Succefs as at home. Not to fay that we have already made a good Progrefs. Oh! that we could but once fee a Parliament of true, ftanch, libertine Free-thinkers ! CRL God forbid ! I fhould be forry to have fuch Men for my Servants, not to fay, for my Mailers. LI^S, In that we differ. XXIII. But you will agree with mc, that the right Way to come at this was to begin with extirpating the Prejudices of particular Perfons. We have carried on this Work for many Years with much x\rt and Induflry, and at firft with Secrecy, working like Moles under Ground, con- cealing our Progrefs from the Public, and our ultimate Views from many, even of our own Profelytes, blowing the Coals between polemical Divines^, laying hold ^ '. - - on Philosopher, 157 on and improving every Incident, which Dial. the Paffions and Folly of Churchmen af- II. forded, to the Advantage of our Sedl. As our Principles obtained, we ftill proceeded to farther Inferences : and as our Numbers multiplied, we gradually difclofed oui' Selves and our Opinions: where we are now, I need not fay. We have ftubbed, and weeded, and cleared Humane Nature to that degree, that in a little time, leaving it alone without any Labouring or Teaching, you (hall fee natural and juft Ideas fprout forth of themfelves. CRT. But I have heard a Man, who had lived long, andob- ferved much, remark that the worft and moft unwholfom Weed was this fame Minute Philofophy. We have had, faid he, divers epidemical Diftempers in the State, but this hath produced of all others the moft deftrudlive Plague. Enthufiafm had its Day, its Eifefts were violent, and foon over : This infeds more quietly, but fpreads widely : The former bred a Fever in the State : this breeds a Confumption and final Decay. A Rebellion, or an Inva- fion, alarms and puts the Public upon its Defence; but a Corruption of Principles works its Ruin more flowly perhaps, but more furely. This may be illuftrated by a Fable I fomewhere met with in the Writings of a Swijs Philofopher, fetting forth 6 138 The Minute DiAL.foi'th the Original of Brandy and Gun- II. powder. The Government of the North being once upon a time vacant, the Prince of the Power of the Air convened I a Council in Hell : wherein, upon Compe- I tition between two Daemons of Rank, it was determined they fhould both make trial of their Abilities, and he fhould fucceed who did moft Mifchief. One made his Appearance in the Shape of Gunpowder, the other in that of Brandy: The former was a declared Enemy, and roared with a terrible Noife, which made Folks afraid, and put them on their guard : The other paffed as a Friend and a Phyfician through the World, difguifed himfelf with Sweets, and Perfumes, and Drugs, made his way into the Ladies Cabinets, and the Apo- thecaries Shops, and under the Notion of helping Digeftion, comforting the Spirits, and cheering the Heart, produced direct contrary Effedtsj and having infenfibly thrown great numbers of Humane Kind into a lingring, but fatal Decay, was found to People Hell and the Grave fo faft as to merit the Government, which he ftill poflefles. XXIV. LrS. Thofe who pleafe may amufe themfelves with Fables and Alle- gories. This is plain En^lijh : Liberty is a good PHILOSOPHERr 139 good Thing, and we are the Support of D i al. Liberty. CRT. To me it feems that Li- IL berty and Virtue were made for each other. If any Man wifh to enflave his Country, nothing is a fitter Preparative than Vice : And nothing leads to Vice fo furely as Irreligion. For my part I cannot comprehend or find out, after having con» fidered it in all Lights, how this crying down Religion fhould be the EfFecft of honeft Views towards a juft and legal Li- berty. Some feem to propofe an Indul- gence in Vice ; others may have in prof- peft the Advantages which needy and am- bitious Men are ufed to make in the Ruin of a State : One may indulge a pert petu- lant Spirit J another hope to be efteemed among Libertines, when he wants Wit to pleafe, or Abilities to be ufeful. But, be Mens Views what they will, let us exa- mine what Good your Principles have done : Who has been the better for the Inftrudtions of thefe Minute Philofophers ? Let us compare what we are in refped: of Learning, Loyalty, Honefly, Wealth, Power and public Spirit with what we have been. Free-thinking (as it is called) hath wonderfully grown of late Years. Let us fee what hath grown up with it, or what EfFefts it hath produced. To make a Catalogue of 111$ is difagreeable: And the 140 The Minute D I A L. the only Blefling it can pretend to is Lu- ll, xury: That fame Blefling which revenged the World upon old Rome : That fame Luxury that makes a Nation, like a dif- eafed pampered Body, look full and fat with one Foot in the Grave. LTS. You miftake the Matter. There are no People who think and argue better about the pub- lic Good of a State than our Sed -, who have alfo invented many Things tending to that End, which we cannot as yet con- veniently put in practice. CRT. But one Point there is, from which it mufl be own- ed the Public hath already received fome Advantage, which is the Eifedl of your Principles flowing from them, and fpread- ing as they do: I mean that old Roman Practice of Self-murder, which at once puts an End to all Diftrefs, ridding the World and themfelves of the miferable. LTS, You were pleafed before to make fome Reflexions on this Cuftom, and laugh at the Irrefolution of our Free- thinkers : But I can aver for Matter of Fadl, that they have often recommended it by their Example as well as Arguments: And that is folely owing to them that a Pradice, fo ufeful and magnanimous, hath been taken out of the Hands of Lu- natics, and refl:ored to that Credit among Men of Senfe, which it anciently had. In v^hat-* Philosopher^ 141 whatever Light you may confider it, thisD i al, is in fad a folid Benefit. But the beft II. EfFecfl of our Principles is that Light and Truth fo vifibly fpread abroad in the World. From how many Prejudices, Er- rors, Perplexities, and Contradidions have we freed the Minds of our Fellow-Sub- jeds ? How many hard Words and intri- cate abfurd Notions had poffefTed the Minds of Men before our Philofophers appeared in the World ? But now even Women and Children have right and found Notions of Things. What fay you to this, Crito? CRL I fay, with refped: to thefe great Advantages of deftroying Men and Notions, that I queftion whe- ther the Public gains as much by the latter as it lofeth by the former. For my own part I had rather my Wife and Children all believed what they had no Notion of, and daily pronounced Words without a Meaning, than that any one of them fhould cut his Throat, or leap out of a Window. Errors and Nonfenfe as fuch are of fmall Concern in the Eye of the Public, which confider not the metaphyfical Truth of Notions, fo much as the Tendency they have to produce Good or Evil. Truth it felf is valued by the Public, as it hath an Influence, and is felt in theCourfeof Life. You may confute a wholeShelf of School- men, 14^ The Minute Dial. men, and difcover many fpeculative IL Truths, without any great Merit towards your Country. But if I am notmiftaken, the Minute Philofophers are not the Men to whom we are moft beholden for Difco- veries of that Kind. This, I fay, muft be allowed s fuppofing, what I by no Means grant, your Notions to be true. For, to fay plainly what I think, the Tendency of your Opinions is fo bad, that no good Man can endure them, and your Argu- ments for them fo weak that no wife Man will admit them. LTS. Has it not been proved as clear as the Meridian Sun, that the politer Sort of Men lead much happier Lives, and fwim in Pleafurefince the fpreading of our Principles ? But, not to repeat or infift further on what has been fo amply deduced, I fhall only add, that the Advantages flowing from them, extend to the tenderefl Age and the fofter Sex. Our Principles deliver Children from Terrors by Night, and Ladies from fple- netic Hours by Day. Inftead of thcfe old fafhioned Things, Prayers and the Bible, the grateful Amufements of Drams, Dice, and Billet-doux have fucceeded. The fair Sex have now nothing to do but drefs and paint, drink and game, adorn and divert themfelves, and enter into all the fweec Society of Life, CRI. I thought, LyJtcleSy the Philosopher: I4j the Argument from Pleafure had been ex- Dial. haufted: But fince you have not done II. with that Point, let us once more by Eu- phranors Rule caft up the Account of Pleafure and Pain, as Credit and Debt un- der diftindl Articles. We will fet down in the Life of your fine Lady, rich Clothes, Dice, Cordials, Scandal, late Hours againfh Vapours, Diftafte, Remorfe, Lofles at Play, and the terrible Diftrefs of ill fpent Age increafing every Day : Suppofe no cruel Accident of Jealoufy, no Madnefs or In- famy of Love : Yet at the Foot of the Ac- count you fhall find that empty, giddy, gau- dy, fluttering thing, not half fo happy as a Butterfly, or a Grafhopperon a Summer's Day. And for a Rake or Man of Pleafure, the Reckoning will be much the fame, if you place Lifllefnefs, Ignorance, Rotten- nefs, Loathing, Craving, Quarrelling, and fuch Qualities or Accomplifhments over- agalnfl his little Circle of fleeting Amufe- ments: Long Woe againft momentary Pleafure: And if it be confidered, that when Senfe and Appetite go off, though he feek Refuge from his Confcience in the Minute Philofophy, yet in this you will find, if you fift him to the Bottom, that he affeds much, believes little, knows no- thing. Upon which Lyjicles turning to me obferved, that Crito might difpute againft Faft 144 Th e Minute Dial. Fafl if he plcafed, but that every one muft 11^ fee the Nation was the merrier for their Principles. True, anfwered Crito, we are a merry Nation indeed : Young Men laugh at the old: Children defpife their Parents: and Subjecfls make a Jeft of the Govern- ment: Happy Eifeds of the Minute Phi- lofophy ! XXV. LTS, Infer what Effeds you pleafe, that will not make our Principles lefs true. CRL Their Truth is not what I am now coniidering. The Point at pre- fent is the Ufefulnefs of your Principles : And to decide this Point we need only take a fhort View of them fairly propofed and laid together: That there is no God or Providence : That Man is as the Beafts that perifh: That hisHappinefs as theirs con- fifts in obeying Animal Inftinds, Appetites, and Paflions: That all Stings of Confci- ence and Senfe of Guilt are Prejudices and Errors of Education: That Religion is a State Trick : That Vice is beneficial to the Public : That the Soul of Man is corporeal and difTolveth like a Flame or Vapour: That Man is a Machine actuated accord- ing to the Laws of Motion : That confe- quently he is noAgentorSubjecS of Guilt: That a wife Man will make his own par- ticular individual Intereft in this prefent Life, Philosopher. 145 Life, the Rule and Meafure of all hisDiAL. Adlions: Thefe, and fuch Opinions, are, H. it feems, the Tenets of a Minute Philofo- pher, who is himfelf according to his own Principles an Organ play*d on by fenfible Objefts, a Ball bandied about by Appetites, and Paffions : So fubtile is he as to be able to maintain all this by artful Reafonings : So fharp-fighted and penetrating to the very Bottom of Things as to find out, that the moft interefted occult Cunning is the only true Wifdom. To compleat his Cha- rafter, this curious Piece of Clock- Work, having no Principle of Aftion within it felf, and denying that it hath or can have any one free Thought or Motion, fets up for the Patron of Liberty, and earneftly contends for Free-thinkifig. Crito had no fooner made an end, hut Ly fides addreffed himfelf to Euphranor and me : CritOy faid he, has taken a world of Pains, but con- vinced me only of one fingle Point, to wit. That I mufl defpair of Convincing him. Never did I, in the whole Courfe of my Life, meet with a Man fo deeply immer- fed in Prejudice ; let who will pull him out for me. But I entertain better Hopes of you. I can anfwer, faid I, for my felf, that my Eyes and Ears are always open to Convidion : I am attentive to all that paffes, and upon the whole fhall form. Vol. L L whe- 14^ The Minute Di AL.whether right or wrong, a very imparclai 11. Judgment. Crifo, faid Eiiphranor^ is a 'more enterprifmg Man than I, thus to rate and ledure aPhilofopher. For my part, I always find it eafier to learn than to teach. Ifhall therefore beg your Affiftance to rid me of fome Scruples about the Tendency of your Opinions 5 which I find my felf unable to mafter, though never fo willing. This done, though we fhould not tread exadly in the fame Steps, nor perhaps go the fame Road; yet we fliall not run in all Points diametrically oppofite one to ano- ther. XXVI. Tell me now, Lyficles, you wha are a minute Obferver of Things, whe- ther a Shade be more agreeable at Morn- ing or Evening, or Noon-day. LTS. Doubtlefs at Noon-day. EUTH. And what difpofeth Men to Reft ? LTS. Ex- ercife. EUPH, When do Men make the greateft Fires ? LTS, In the coldeft Wea- ther. EUPH, And what creates a Love for iced Liquors ? LTS. Exceflive Heat, EUPH, What if you raife a Pendulum to a great Height on one Side ? LTS, It will, when left to it felf, afcend fo much the higher on the other. EU'TH. It fhould feem, therefore, that Darknefs enfues from Light, Reft from Motion, Heat from Philosopher. 147 from Cold, and in general that one Ex- Dial. treme is the Confequence of another. 11. LTS. It fliould feem fo. EUTH, And doth not this Obfervation hold in the ci- vil as well as natural World ? Doth not Power produce Licence, and Licence Power ? Do not Whigs make Tories, and Tories Whigs? Bigots make Atheifts, and Atheifts Bigots ? LTS. Granting this to be true. EUPH. Will it not hence follow that as we abhor Slavifh Principles, we fhould avoid running into licentious ones ? I am, and always was, a fmcere Lover of Liberty, legal EngliJJj Liberty ; which I efteem a chief Bleffing, Ornament, and Comfort of Life, and the great Preroga- tive of an E?2gliJJjma?2, But is it not to be feared, that upon the Nation^s Running into a Licentioufnefs which hath never been endured in any civilized Country, Men feeling the intolerable Evils of one Extreme may naturally fall into the other? You muft allow, the Bulk of Mankind are not Philofophers like you and Alciphron. LTS. This I readily acknowledge. EUPH. I have another Scruple about the Tenden-^ cy of your Opinions. Suppofe you fhould prevail and deftroy this Proteftant Church and Clergy: How could you come at the Popifh? I am credibly informed there is a great Number of EmiiTaries of the L 2 Church 148 The Minute Dial. Church of Rome difguifed in England: II. Who can tell what Harveft a Clergy fo numerous, fo fubtle, and fo well furnifh- ed with Arguments to work on vulgar and uneducated Minds, may be able to make in a Country defpoiled of all Religion, and feeling the Want of it ? Who can tell whether the Spirit of Free-thinking end- ing with the Oppofition, and the Vanity with the Diftindion, when the whole Nation are alike Infidels, who can tell, I fay, whether in fuch a Jundure the Men of Genius themfelves may not affed a new Diftindion, and be the firft Converts to Popery ? LTS. And fuppofe they fhould. Between Friends it would be no great Mat- ter. Thefe are our Maxims. In the firft Place we hold it would be beft to have no Religion at all. Secondly, we hold that all Religions are indifferent: If, therefore, upon Trial, we find the Country cannot do without a Religion, why not Popery as well as another ? I know fever al ingeni- ous Men of our Sed, who, if we had a PopifliPrinceon the Throne, would turn Papifts to-morrow. This is a Paradox, but I ftiall explain it. A Prince whom we compliment with our Religion, to be fure muft be grateful. EUPH. I under- ftand you. But what becomes of Free- thinking all the while ? LTS. Oh ! we fliould Philosopher. 149 fhould have more than ever of that, forDiAL. we fhould keep it all to our felves. As II. for the Amufement of retailing it, the Want of this would be largely compenfa- ted by folid Advantages of another Kind. EUPH. It feems then, by this Account, the Tendency you obferved in the Nation towards fomething great and new proves a Tendency towards Popery and Slavery. LTS. Miftake us not, good Euphranor, The Thing firft in our Intention is Con- fummate Liberty : But if this will not do, and there muft after all be fuch Things tolerated as Religion ?nd Government, we are wifely willing to make the beft of both. CRL This puts me in mind of a Thought I have often had. That Minute Philofophers are Dupes of the Jefuits. The two moft avowed, profefled, bufy Propagators of Infidelity in all Companies, and upon all Occafions, that I ever met with, were both Bigotted Papifts ; and being both Men of confiderable Eftates, fuffered confiderably on that Score ^ which it is wonderful their Thinking Difciples fhould never refleft upon. Hegemon^ a moft diftinguifhed Writer among the Minute Philofophers, and Hero of the Sedt, I am well aiTured, was once a Papift, and never heard that he profelled any other Religion. I know that many of L ^ the I JO The Minut e Dial. the Church of Rome abroad, are pleafed II. with the Growth of InfideUty among us, v--nrv^ as hoping it may make way for them. The Emiffaries of Rome are known to have perfonated feveral other Seds, which from time to time have fprung up amongft us ; and why not this of the Minute Phi- lofophers, of all others the beft calcula- ted to ruin both Church and State ? I my felf have known a Jefuit abroad talk a- mong Englijh Gentlemen like a Free- thinker. I am credibly informed, that Jefuits, known to be fuch by the Minute Philofophers at home, are admitted into their Clubs : And I have obferved them to approve, and fpeak better of the Je- fuits, than of any other Clergy whatfo- ever. Thofe who are not acquainted with the fubtle Spirit, the refined Politics, and wonderful Oeconomy of that renowned Society, need only read the Account given of them by the Jefuit, Inchofer^ in his Book De Monarch! a Solipjorum \ and thofe who are, will not be furprized they fhould be able to make Dupes of our Minute Philofophers : Dupes, I fay, for I can never think they fufpefl: they are only Tools to ferve the Ends of cunningerMen than themfelves. They feem to me drunk and giddy with a falfe Notion of Liberty, and fpur'd on by this Principle to make ina4 Philosopher. i^i mad Experiments on their Country, they Dial. agree only in pulling down all that ftands II. in their Way; without any concerted Scheme, and without caring or knowing what to eredl in its ftead. To hear them, as I have often done, defcant on the moral Virtues, refolve them into Shame, then laugh at Shame as a Weak- nefs, admire the unconfined Lives of Savages, defpife all Order and Decency of Education ; one would think the In- tention of thefe Philofophers was, when they had pruned and weeded the Notions of their Fellow-Subjeds, and diverted them of their Prejudices, to ftrip them of their Clothes, and fill the Country with naked Followers of Nature, enjoy- ing all the Privileges of Brutality. Here Crito made a paufe, and fixed his Eyes on Alciphron^ who during this whole Conversation had fate thoughtful and at- tentive, without faying a Word ; and with an Air, one while diflacisfied at what Lyjicles advanced, another, ferene and pleafed, feeming to approve fome better Thought of his own. But the Day being now far fpent, Alciphron pro- pofed to adjourn the Argument till the following; when, faid he, I fliall fet Matters on a new Foundation, and in fo full and clear a Light, as, I doubt L 4 not Dial, not, II. The Minut e will give intire Satisfaftlon. So we changed the Difcourfe, and after a Repajft upon cold Provifions, took a walk on the Strand, and in the cool of the Evening returned to Cr/Vs. The Philosopher. 1^5 The third DIALOGUE. /. Alciphron'j account of Honour, II. Cha- ra5ier and ConduB of Men of Honour. III. Senfe of moral Beauty. IV. The Honefium or nrd kol\ov of the Ancients. V. Tajlefor moral Beauty whether afure Guide or Rule. VI. Minute Philofophers ravijhedmth the Ab/iraB Beauty ofVir^ tue. VII. Their Virtue alone difmterefl- ed and heroic, VIII. Beauty of fenfible Obje^s what and bow perceived ? IX. The Idea of Beauty explained by T^aint- ing and ArchiteBure , X. Beauty of the moral Syjlem^ wherein it confijls, XL It fuppofeth-a Providence. XII. hifluence of ToycocAou and to irnliro^^ XIII. £;z- thufiafm of Cratylus compared with the Sentiments ^ Ariftotle. XIV. Compar-^ ed with the Stoical Principles, XV. Minute Philofophers^ their Talent for Raillery and Ridicule, XVI. The Wif dom of thofe who make Virtue alone its own Reward, THE 154 The Minute Dial. III. I.P^^HE following Dayaswefate ^-"^r^^ ^M.^^ round the Tea-table, in a I Summer Parlour which looks i into the Garden, Alcifhron after the firft Difli turned down his Cup, and reclining back in his Chair proceeded as follows. Above all the Se6ts upon Earth it is the peculiar Privilege of ours, not to be tied down by any Principles. While other Philofophers profefs a fervile Adhe- rence to certain Tenets, ours affert a noble Freedom, differing not only one from a- nother, but very often the fame Man from himfelf. Which Method of Proceeding, befide other Advantages, hath this annex- ed to it, that we are of all Men the hard- eft to confute. You may, perhaps, confute a particular Tenet, but then this affects only him who maintains it, and fo long only as he maintains it. Some of our Sed: dogmatize more than others, and in fome more than other Points. The Dodtrine of the Ufefulnefs of Vice is a Point wherein we are not all agreed. Some of us are great Admirers of Virtue. With others the Points of Vice and Virtue are problemati- cal. For my own part, though I think the Dodtrine maintained Yefterday by Ly- fides an ingenious Speculation ^ yet, upon the whole, there are divers Reafons which 5 incline Philosopher, 155 incline me to depart from it, and ratherDiAL, to efpoufe the virtuous fide of the Queftion ; III. with the fmalleft, perhaps, but the moft contemplative and laudable Part of our Sedt. It feemeth, I fay, after a nice In- quiry and balancing on both fides, that we ought to prefer Virtue to Vice ; and that fuch Preference would contribute both to the public Weal, and the Reputation of our Philofophers. You are to know then, we have among us feveral that without one Grain of Religion, are Men of the niceft Honour, and therefore Men of Vir- tue, becaufe Men of Honour. Honour is a noble unpolluted Source of Virtue, with- out the leaft Mixture of Fear, Intereft, or Superftition. It hath all the Advan- tages, without the Evils, which attend Re- ligion. It is the Mark of a great and fine Soul, and is to be found among Perfons of Rank and Breeding. It affedls the Court, the Senate, and the Camp, and in general every Rendezvous of People of Fafliion. EUPH. You fay then. That Honour is the Source of Virtue. JLC. I do. EUPH. Can a thing be the Source of it felf ? JLC. It cannot. EUPH. The Source, therefore, is diftinguifhed from that of which it is the Source. ^LC. Doubtlefs. EUPH. Honour then is one thing, and Virtue another, jiLC. I grant it. Virtu- ous tS^ The Minute D I A L. ous Adions are the Effedl, and Honour is III. the Source or Caufe of that EfFed. EUPH. Tell me. Is Honour the Will producing thofe Adions, or the final Caufe for which they are produced ^ or right Reafon, which is their Rule and Limit, or the Objed: about which they are converfant ? Or do you by the Word Honour underftand a Faculty, or Appetite ? All which are fuppofed, in one Senfe or other, to be the Source of Humane Actions. ALC. Nothing of all this. EUPH. Be pleafed then to give me fome Notion or Definition of it. Alciphron having mufed a while anfwered, that he defined Honour to be a Principle of virtuous Aftions. To which Euphranor replied; if I underftand it rightly, the Word Prin- ciple is varioufly taken* Sometimes by Principles, we mean the Parts of which a Whole is compofed, and into which it may be refolved. Thus the Elements are faid to be Principles of compound Bodies. And thus Words, Syllables, and Letters are the Principles of Speech. Sometimes by Principle we mean a fmall particular Seed, the Growth or gradual Unfolding of which doth produce an organized Body, animal or vegetable, in its proper Size and Shape. Principles at other times are fuppofed to be certain fundamental Theorems in Arts and Sciences^ in Religion and Politics. Let Philosopher. 157 Let me know in which of thefc Senfes,DiAL. or whether it be in fome other Senfe, III. that you underftand the Word, when you L/^VNJ fay, Honour is a Principle of Virtue. To this Alciphron replied, that for his part, he meant it in none of thofe Senfes, but defined Honour to be a certain Ardour or Enthufiafm that glowed in the Breaft of a gallant Man. Upon this, Eiiphramr ob- ferved, it was always admitted to put the Definition in place of the thing defined. Is this allowed, faid he, or not? A LC, It is. EUPH. May we not therefore fay, that a Man of Honour is a warm Man, or an Enthufiaft ? Alciphron hearing this, declared, that fuch Exadnefs was to no purpofe^ that Pedants, indeed, may dif- pute and define, but could never reach that high Senfe of Honour which diftin- guiflied the fine Gentleman, and was a thing rather to be felt than explained. II. Crito y perceiving that Alciphron could not bear being preflTed any farther on that Article, and willing to give fome Satisfadion to Euphra^ior^ faid. That of himfelf indeed he fhould not undertake to explain fo nice a Point; but he would re- tail to them part of a Converfation he once heard hztv^t^n Nicander a Minute Philofopher, and Menecles a Chriftian, upon 158 The Minut e Dial. upon the fame Subjedl, which was for III. Subflance as follows. M, From what Principle are you Gentlemen virtuous? N. From Honour. We are Men of Ho- nour. M, May not a Man of Honour de- bauch another's Wife, or get drunk, or fell a Vote, or refufe to pay his Debts, without lefTening or tainting his Honour ? N. He may have the Vices and Faults of a Gentleman: But is obliged to pay Debts of Honour, that is, all fuch as are contradled by Play. M. Is not your Man of Honour always ready to refent Affronts, and engage in Duels ? A^. He is ready to demand and give Gentleman's Satisfaftion upon all proper Occafions. M It fhould feem by this Account, that to ruin Tradefmen, break Faith to one's ownWife^ corrupt another Man's, take Bribes, cheat the Public, cut a Man's Throat for a Word, are all Points confiftent with your Principle of Honour. A^. It cannot be de- nied that we are Men of Gallantry, Men of Fire, Men who know the World, and all that. M. It feems therefore that Ho- nour among Infidels is like Honefty a- mong Pirates: fomerhing confined to themfelves, and which the Fraternity per- haps may find their Account in, but e- very one elfe fhould be on his guard againft. By this Dialogue, continued CritOy Philosopher. 155? Crifo, a Man who lives out of the grand Dial, Moiidcy may be enabled to form fome III. Notion of what the World calls Ho- nour, and Men of Honour. EUPH, I muft intreat you not to put me off with Nicanders Opinion, whom I know nothing of: but rather give me your own Judg- ment, drawn from your own Obfervation upon Men of Honour. CRI. If I muft pronounce, I can very fmcerely affureyou that by all I have heard or feen, I could never find, that Honour, confidcred as a Principle diftind: from Confcience, Reli- gion, Reafon, and Virtue, was more than an empty Name. And I do verily believe, that thofe who build upon that Notion have lefs Virtue than other Men; and that what they have or feem to have, is owing to Fafhion, (being of the reputable Kind) if not to a Confcience early imbued with religious Principles^ and afterwards retaining a Tindlure from them, without knowing it. Thefe two Principles feem to account for all that looks like Virtue in thofe Gentlemen. Your Men of Fafliion, in whom animal Life abounds, a fort of Bullies in Morality, who difdain to have it thought they are afraid of Confcience; thefe defcant much upon Honour, and affed: to be called Men of Honour, rather than confcientious or honeft Men. But, by ^6o Th£MINUT£ D I AL.by all that I could ever obferve, this fpe^ III. cious Charafter, where there is nothing ^>^V^^ of Confcience or Religion underneath, to give it Life and Subftance, is no better than a Meteor or painted Cloud. EUPH. I had a confufed Notion that Honour vsras fomething nearly connefted with Truth : and that Men of Honour were the great- eft Enemies to all Hypocrify, Fallacy, and Difguife. CRI, So far from that, an In- fidel, who fets up for the niceft Honour, fhall, without the leaft grain of Faith or Religion, pretend himfelf a Chriftian, take any Teft, join in any Ad: of Wor- fhip, kneel, pray, receive the Sacrament to ferve an Intereft. The fame Perfon, without any Impeachment of his Ho- nour, fliall moft folemnly declare and pro- mife, in the face of God and the World, that he will love his Wife, and forfaking all others, keep only to her, when at the fame time it is certain, he intends never to perform one Tittle of his Vow; and convinceth the whole World of this asfoon as he gets her in his Power, and her For- tune, for the fake of which this Man of untainted Honour makes no Scruple to cheat and lye. EUPH. We have a No- tion here in the Country, that it was of all things moft odious, and a Matter of much Rifque and Peril, to give the Lye t« Philosopher. kTi to a Man of Honour. C RI, It is very D i a l. true. He abhors to take the Lye, but not III. to tell it. III. JkiplTO?!^ having heard all this with great Compofure of Mind and Coun- tenance, fpake as follows. You are not to think, that our greatefl; Strength lies in our greareft Number, Libertines, and mcer Men of Honour. No : v^e have among us Philofophers of a very different Character, Men of curious Contemplation, not go- verned by fuch grofs things as Senfe and Cuftom, but of an abftradted Virtue and fublime Morals : and the lefs religious the more virtuous. For Virtue of the high and difinterefted Kind, no Man is fo well qua- lified as an Infidel, it being a mean and felfifh thing to be virtuous through Fear or Hope. The Notion of a Providence, and future State of Rewards and Punifhments, may indeed tempt or fcare Men of abjedt Spirit into Pradlices contrary to the natu- ral Bent of their Souls, but will never produce a true and genuine Virtue. Togo to the bottom of things, to analyfe Virtue into its firft Principles, and fix a Scheme ef Duty on its true Bafis, you muft un- derftand, that there is an Idea of Beauty- natural to the Mind of Man. This all Men defire, this they are plea fed and Vol. L M delighted i6z The Minut e Dial. delighted with for its own fake, purely III. from an Inftindt of Nature. A Man needs no Arguments to make him difcern and approve what is beautiful : it ftrikes at firft Sight, and attracts without a Reafon. And as this Beauty is found in the Shape and Form of corporeal Things 5 fo alfo is there analogous to it, a Beauty of another Kind, an Order, a Symmetry, andComeli- nefs in the moral World. And as the Eye perceiveth the one, fo the Mind doth, by a certain interior Senfe, perceive the other ; which Senfe, Talent, or Faculty, is ever quickeft and pureft in the nobleft Minds. Thus as by Sight I difcern the Beauty of a Plant or an Animal, even fo the Mind apprehends the moral Excellence, the Beauty, and Decorum of Juftice and Temperance. And as we readily pro- nounce a Drefs becoming or an Attitude graceful, we can, with the fame free un- tutored Judgment, at once declare, whe- ther this or that Condudl or Adtion be comely and beautiful. To relifh this kind of Beauty, there muft be a delicate and fine Tafte: But where there is this natu- ral Tafte, nothing further is wanting, eithe^ as a Principle to convince, or as a Motive to induce Men to the Love of Vir- tue. And more or lefs there is of this Tafte or Senfe in every Creature that hath Reafon. Philosopher. kj j Reafon. All rational Beings are by na-DiAL, ture focial. They are drawn one towards III. another by natural AfFecflions. They unite and incorporate into Families, Clubs, Par- ties, and Commonwealths by mutual Sym- pathy. As by means of the fenfitive Soul, our feveral diftind: Parts and Members do confent towards the animal Functions, and are conneded in one Whole: Even ib, the feveral Parts of thefe rational Syftems, or Bodies Politic, by virtue of this moral or interior Senfe, are held together, have a Fellow-feeling, do fuccour and protect each other, and jointly cooperate towards the fame End. Hence that Joy in Society, that Propenfion towards doing good to our Kind, that Gratulation and Delight in be- holding the virtuous Deeds of other Men, or in refleding on our own. By Contem- plation of the Fitnefs and Order of the Parts of a moral Syftem, regularly ope- rating, and knit together by benevolent AfFedions, the Mind of Man attaineth to the higheft Notion of Beauty, Excellence, and Perfedion. Seized and rapt with this fublime Idea, our Philofophers do infinite- ly defpife and pity whoever fhall propofe or accept any other Motive to Virtue. Inte- reft is a mean ungenerous thing, deftroying the Merit of Virtue: andFalfhopd of every kind is inconfiflent with the genuine Spirit M 2 of 164 The Minute Di AL.of Philofophy. CRL The Love there- III. fore that you bear to moral Beauty, and your Paflion for abftradted Truth, will not fuffer you to think with Patience of thofe fraudulent Impofitions upon Man- kind, Providence, the Immortality of the Soul, and a future Retribution of Rewards and Punifhments; which under the Notion of promoting, do, it feems, deftroy all true Virtue, and at the fame time contra- dict and difparage your noble Theories, manifeftly tending to the Perturbation and Difquiet of Mens Minds, and filling them with fruitlefs Hopes, and vain Terrors. j4LC. Mens firll Thoughts and natural Notions are the beft in moral Matters. And there is no need that Mankind Ihould be preached, or reafoned^ or frightened into Virtue, a thing fo natural and congenial to every Humane Soul. Now if this be. the Cafe, as it certainly is, it follows that all the Ends of Society are fecured without Religion, and that an Infidel bids fair to be the moft virtuous Man, in a true, fub- lime, and heroic Senfe. IV. EUPH. O Akiphron! while you talk, I feel an Affedion in my Soul, like the Trembling of one Lute upon ilriking the unifon Strings of another. Doubtlefs there is a Beauty of the Mind, a Charm in 6 Virtue, / Philosopher, i^y Virtue, a Symmetryand Proportion in theDiAL. moral World. This moral Beauty was HI. known to the Ancients by the Name of ^at^ Honejium, or tq xao The Minuts D I AL. as natural Means can go ? But in no Cafe III. is it to be hoped, that to >caAcV will be the leading Idea of the many, who have quick Senfes, ftrong Paffions, and grofs Intelledls. XIIL JLC. The fewer they are, the more ought we to efteem and admire fuch Philofophers, whofe Souls are touched and tranfported with this fublime Idea, CRT. But then one might expedl from fuch Phi- lofophers, fo much good Senfe and Phi- lanthropy, as to keep their Tenets to them- felves, and confider their weak Brethren, who are more ftrongly affedled by certain Senfes and Notions of another Kind, than that of the Beauty of pure difinterejfted Virtue. Cratyliis^ a Man prejudiced againft the Chriilian Religion, of a crazy Confti- tution, of a Rank above moft Mens Am- bition, and a Fortune equal to his Rank, had little Capacity for fenfual Vices, or Temptation to dilhoneft ones. Cratylus having talked himfelf, or imagined that he had talked himfelf, into a Stoical En- thufiafm about the Beauty of Virtue, did, under the Pretence of making Men heroi- cally virtuous, endeavour to deftroy the Means of making them reafonably and hu- manly {o\ A clear Inftance, that neither l|^irth nor Books nor Converfation can in- troduce Philosopher. i^i troduce a Knowledge of the World into aD i al. conceited Mind, which will ever be its III. own Objedt, and contemplate Mankind in its own Mirrour! ALC, Cratylus was a Lover of Liberty, and of his Country, and had a mind to make Men incorrupt and virtuous, upon the pureft and moft diiin- terefted Principles. CRI, His Condud: feems juft as wife, as if a Monarch fhould give out, that there was neither Jail nor Executioner in his Kingdom to enforce the Laws, but that it would be beautiful to obferve them, and that in fo doing Men would tafte the pure Delight which re- fults from Order and Decorum. ALC, After all, is it not true that certain ancient Phi- lofophers, of great Note, held the fame Opinion with Cratylus^ declaring that he did not come up to the Charadler, or de- ferve the Title of a good Man, who prac- tifed Virtue for the fake of any Thing but its own Beauty ? CRI, I believe, indeed, that fome of the Ancients faid fuch Things as gave Occafion for this Opinion. ArtJ^ totle * diftinguifheth between two Charac- ters of a good Man, the one he calleth a^aSoV, or fimply good, the other jcaAos y,cLycx.^oSy from whence the Compound Term KaXoxdyd^lcZ', which cannot, per- haps, be rendered by any one Word in our * Ethic, ad Eudemum, lib. 7, cap, ult. 5 Language. 1^2 The Minute D I A L. Language. But his Senfe is plainly this t III. dycc^QS he defineth to be that Man to whom the good Things of Nature are good : For, according to him, thofe Things, which are vulgarly efteemed the greateft Goods, as Riches, Honours, Power, and Bodily Perfedlions, are indeed good by Nature, but they happen neverthelefs to be hurtful andbadtofomePerfons, upon the account of evil Habits : Inafmuch as neither a Fool, nor an unjuft Man, nor an Intemperate can be at all the better for theUfe of them, any more than a fick Man for ufing the Nou- rifliment proper for thofe who are in Health. But %aAo$ xdycL^os is that Man in whom are to be found all Things worthy and de- cent and laudable, purely as fuch, and for their own fake, and who praftifeth Virtue from no other Motive but the fole Love of her own innate Beauty. That Philofopher obferves likewife, that there is a certain po- litical Habit, fuch as the Spartans and o- thers had, who thought Virtue w^as to be valued and pradlifed on account of the na- tural Advantages that attend it. For which Reafon he adds. They are indeed good Men, but they have not the xctAoxdycc^lcc, or fupreme confummate Virtue. From hence it is plain that, according to ^f^ijlotle, a Man may be a good Man without believ- ing Virtue its own Reward^ or being only moved Philosopher^ i^^ moved to Virtue by the Senfe of moralDiAL* Beauty. It is alfo plain that he diftin- HI. guifheth the political Virtue of Nations, which the Publick is every where con- cerned to maintain, from this fublime and fpeculative Kind. It might alfo be ob- ferved, that his exalted Idea did confift with fuppofmg a Providence, which in- fpeds and rewards the Virtues of the beftMen. For, faith he in another Place*, if the Gods have any Care of Humane Affairs,, as ic appears they have, it fliould feem realonable to fuppofe, they are moft deliglited with the moft excellent Nature, and moft approaching their own, which is the Mind, and that they v^ill reward thofe who chiefly love and cultivate what is moft dear to them. The fame Philofopher obferves-j-, that the Bulk of Mankind are not naturally difpofed to be awed by Shame, but by Fear: nor to abftain from vicious Pradtices, on account of their De-^ formity, but only of the Puniftimenc which attends them. And again j, he tells us, that Youth, being of it felf averfe from Abftinence and Sobriety, ftiould be under the Reftraint of Laws regulating their Education and Employment, and that the fame Difcipline fhould be continued even after they became Men. For which, faith * Ad Nicom. 1. lo. c. 8. f Ibid. c. 9. t ^^^i^- Vol. I. O he. 1^4 The Minute Dial, he, we want Laws, and, in one Word, for III. the whole ordenijg of Life: inafmuch as the Generality of Mankind obey rather Force than Reafon, and are influenced ra- ther by Penalties, than the Beauty of Vir- tue; ^r?w/c/.i5 Yi TxfzaAa!. From all which it is very plain, what ylrijiotle would have thoupfht of thofe, who fhould go about to leflc n or deftroy the Hopes and Fears of Ma nkind, in order to make them virtuous on this fole Principle of the Beauty of Virtue. XIV. ALC, But, whatever the Stagi-- rite and his Peripatetics might think, is it not certain the Stoics maintained this Doc- trine in its highefl Senfe, afferting the Beauty of Virtue to be all-fufiicient; that Virtue was her own Reward ; that this alone could make a Man happy, in fpite of all thofe things which are vulgarly efteemed the greateft Woes and Miferies of Humane Life ? And all this they held at the fame time that they believed the Soul cf Man to be of a corporeal Nature, and in Death diffipated like aFlame or Vapour. CRI* It muft be owned, the Stoics fome- times talk, as if they believed the Morta- lity of the Soul. Senecay in a Letter of his to LuciliuSy fpeaks much like a Minute Philofopher, in this Particular. But in feveral other Places, he declares himfelf of a clear Philo s op H E R, Ij>5 a clear contrary Opinion, affirming, that Dial. the Souls of Men after Death mount aloft III. into the Heavens, look down upon Earth,' entertain themfelves with the Theory of Coeleftial Bodies, the Courfe of Nature, and the Converfation of wife and excel- lent Men, who having lived in diftanc Ages and Countries upon Earth, make one Society in the other World. It mufl: alfo be acknowledged, that Marcus Antoninm fometimes fpeaks of the Soul as perifliing or diffolving into its Elementary Parts: But it is to be noted, that he diftinguifheth three Principles in the Compofition of Humane Nature, the o-^^a, ^^X^^-i ^S?, * Body, Soul, Mind; or as he otherwife expreflethhimfelf, ax^ycicci •mvevfj.dTiov, and :^yefJiovLytovj Flefh, Spirit, and governing Principle. What he calls the -{v^yi, or Soul, containing the brutal Part of our Nature, is indeed reprefented as a Com- pound diffoluble, and actually diffolved by Death: But the^a?, or to -^yeuoviycov^ the Mind or ruling Principle, he held to be of a pure Coeleftial Nature, ^eov dTroa-Trxa-iJiac a Particle of God, v/hich he fends back intire to the Stars and the Divinity. Be- fides, among all his magnificent Leffons and fplendid Sentiments, upon the Force and Beauty of Virtue, he is pofitive as to L. 3. c. 16. O z the ic;6 Th e Minute Dial. the Being of God, and that not meerly as III. a plaftic Nature, or Soul of the World, —'but in the flridt Scnfe of a Providence in- fpeding and taking care of Humane Af- fairs*. The Stoics therefore, though their Style was high, and often above Truth and Nature, yet, it cannot be faid, that they fo refolved every Motive to a virtuous Life into the fole Beauty of Virtue, as to en- deavour to deflroy the Belief of the Im- mortality of the Soul and a diftributive Providence. After all, allowing the difin- terefled Stoics (therein not unlike our mo- dern Qiiietifts) to have made Virtue its own fole Reward, in the moft rigid and abfolute Senfe, yet what is this to thofe who are no Stoics ? If we adopt the whole Principles of that Secft, admitting their Notions of Good and Evil, their cele- brated Apathy, and, inoneW^ord, fetting up for compleat Stoics, we may pofTibly maintain this Dodrine with a better Grace: at leaft it will be of a Piece, and confiflenc with the Whole. But he who fhall bor- row this fplendid Patch from the Stoics, and hope to make a Figure by inferring it in a Piece of modern Compolition, fea- foned with the Wit and Notions of thefe Times, will indeed make a Figure, but * Marc. Antonin. 1. 2. §. u. perhaps Philosopher. i5>7 perhaps it may not be in the Eyes of aDi al. wife Man the Figure he intended. HI. XV. Though it mufl: be owned, the prefent Age is very indulgent to every thing that aims at profane Raillery; which is alone fufficient to recommend any fan- taftical Compofition to the Public. You may behold the Tinfel of a modern Au- , thor pafs upon this knowing and learned \ Age for good Writing; affected Strains forWit^ Pedantry for Poll tenefs; Obfcu- rities for Depths; Ramblings for Flights; \ the moft aukward Imitation for original Humour; and all this upon the fole Merit of a little artful Profanenefs. u^.LC, Every one is not alike pleafed with Writings of Humour, nor alike capable of them. It is the fine Irony of a Man of Quality, ^ That certain Reverend Authors, who ' can condefcend to Lay-wit, are nicely * qualified to hit the Air of Breeding and * Gentility, and that they will in time, no ' doubt, refine their Manner to the Edifi- * cation of the polite World; who have * been fo long feduced by the way of Rail- * lery and Wit.' The Truth is, the vari- ous Taile of Readers requireth various Kinds of Writers. Our Secft hath pro- vided for this with great Judgment, fo profelyte the graver fort we have certain O 3 pro«. i5j8 Th e Mikut e Dial, profound Men at Reafon and Argument. III. For the Coffee-houfes and Populace, we have Declaimers of a copious Vein. Of fuch a Writer it is no Reproach to fay, ^L^Jluit lutukntiiS', he is the fitter for his Readers. Then, for Men of Rank and Politenefs, we have the fineft and wittieft Railleurs in the World, whofe Ridicule is the fure Teft of Truth. EUPH. TdX me, Alciphron, are thofe ingenious i?^///^^rj Men of Knowledge? yfLC. Very know- ing. EUPH, Do they know, for inftance, the Copernican Syftem, or the Circulation of the Blood? ALC. One would think you judged of our Seft, by your Country Neighbours: There is no body in Town but knows all thofe Points. EUPH. You believe then. Antipodes, Mountains in the Moon, and the Motion of the Earth. ALC. We do. EUPH. Suppofe, five or fix Centuries ago, a Man had main- tained thefe Notions among the Beaux EJprits of an EngliJIo Court j how do you think they would have been received ? ALC. With great Ridicule. EUPH, And now it would be ridiculous to ridicule them. ALC. It would. EUPH. But Truth was the fame then and now. ALC. It was. EUPH. It fhould feem, there- fore, that Ridicule is no fuch fovereign Touchftone and Teft of Truth, as you Gentle- Philosopher; if)p Gentlemen imagine. ALC. One thingDi al. weknow: Our Raillery and Sarcafms gall III. the black Tribe, and that is our Comfort.' CRI. There is another thing it may be worth your while to know : That Men in a laughing Fit may applaud a Ridicule, which fhall appear contemptible when they come to themfelves: witnefs the Ri- dicule of Socrates by the Comic Poet, the Humour and Reception it met with no more proving that, than the fame will yours, to be juft, when calmly confidered by Men of Senfe. ALC. After all, thus much is certain, our ingenious Men make Converts by deriding the Principles of Re- ligion. And, take my Word, it is the moft fuccefsful and pleafmg Method of Convic- tion. Thefe Authors laugh Men out of their Religion, as Horace did out of their Vices : Admijfi circum pracordia ludunt. But a Bigot cannot relifh or find out their Wit. XVI. CRL Wit, without Wifdom, if there be fuch a thing, is hardly worth finding. And as for the Wifdom of thefe Men, it is of a Kind fo peculiar, one may well fufpect it. Cicero was a Man of Senfe, and no Bigot, neverthelefs he makes Scipio own himfelf much more vigilant and vigorous in the Race of Virtue, from O 4 fup-^ 100 The Minute D 1 AL.fuppofing Heaven the Prize*. And he in- III. troduceth Cato declaring, he would never have undergone thofe virtuous Toils for the Service of the Public, if he had thought his Being was to end with this Life-f . AhC. I acknowledge Cato^ Sci- piOy and Cicero, were very v/e)! for their Times: but you muft pardon me, if I do not think they arrived at the high con- fummate Virtue of our modern Free- thinkers. EUPH. It fhould feem then, that Virtue flouriflieth more than ever among us. JLC. It (hould. EUPH. And this abundant Virtue is owing to the Method taken by your profound Vv^riters to recommxnd it. ALC. This I grant. EU PPL But you have acknowledged, that the Enthufiaflic Lovers of Virtue are not the many of your Sed:, but only a few feled Spirits. To which Alciph'ron making no Anfwer, Crito addreffed himfelf to Eu- phranor : To make, faid he, a tree Efti- mate of the Worth and Growth of mo- dern Virtue, you are not to count the vir- tuous Men, but rather to confider the Qua- lity of their Virtue. Now you muft know, the Virtue of thefe refined Theo- rifts is fomething fo pure and genuine, that a very little goes far, and is in truth invaluable. To v/hich that reafonable in- ^ Soinn. Scipionis. \ Dc Senedute. teref!:e4 PHILO S OPHER. 20I tercfled Virtue, of the old EngUJIo or Spar- Dial. tan kind, can bear no Proportion. EUPH. IIL Tell me, Alciphrofi, are there not Difeafes '---or^^ of the Soul, as well as of the Body? A La Without doubt. EUPH. And are not thofe Difeafes, vicious Habits? ALC. They are. EUPH, And, as bodily Diftempers are cured by Phyfic, thofe of the Mind are cured by Philofo- phy: are they not? ALC. I acknow- ledge it. EUPH, It feems, therefore, that Philofophy is a Medicine for the Soul of Man. ALC. It is. EUPH, How flidU we be able to judge of Medicines, or know which to prefer ? Is it not from the Effe6ls wrought by them ? ALC, Doubt- lefs. EUPH, Where an Epidemical Dif^ temper rages, fuppofe a new Phyfician fhould condemn the known eftabiifhed Practice, and recommend another Method of Cure : Would you not, in proportion as the Bills of Mortality increafed, be tempt- ed to fufpedt this new Method, notwith- flanding all the plaufible Difcourfe of its Abettors ? ALC, This ferves only to a- mufe and lead us from the Queftion. CRL It puts me in mind of my Friend La772pro- cles, who needed but one Argument againfl Infidels. I obferved, faid he, that, as In- fidelity grew, there grew Corruption of every kind, and new Vices. This fimple Obfer-^ zot The Minute DiAL.Obfervation on Matter of Fad: was fuffi- III. cient to make him, notwithftanding the Remonftrance of feveral ingenious Men, imbue and feafon the Minds of his Chil- dren betimes with the Principles of Reli- gion. The new Theories, which our acute Moderns have endeavoured to fubftitute in place of Religion, have had their full Courfe in the prefent Age, and produced their Effedl on the Minds and Manners of Men. That Men are Men, is a fure Maxim : But it is as fure that EngliJJomen are not the fame Men they were : whether better or worfe, more or lefs virtuous, I need not fay. Every one may fee and judge. Though, indeed, after Arijtides had been banifhed, and Socrates put to death at Athens^ a Man, without being a Conjurer, might guefs what the Beauty of Virtue could do in England, But there is now neither room nor occalion for Guef- fing. We have our own Experience to open our Eyes ; which yet if we continue to keep fhut, till the Remains of religious Education are quite worn off from the Minds of Men ; it is to be feared we fliall then open them wide, not to avoid, but to behold and lament our Ruin. ALC. Be the Confequences what they will, I can never bring my felf to be of a mind with thofe, who meafure Truth by Con- venience, Philosopher, 205 venicnce. Truth is the only Divinity that Dial. I adore. Wherever Truth leads, I (hall III. follow. EUPH, You have then a Paf- fion for Truth? ALC Undoubtedly. EUPH. For all Truths? ALC. For all. EUPH. To know, or to publifh them? ALC. Both. EUPH. What! would you undeceive a Child that was taking Phyfic ? Would you officioufly fet an Ene- my right, that was making a wrong At- tack? Would you help an enraged Man to his Sword? ALC. In fuch Cafes, common Senfe direds one how to behave. EUPH. Common Senfe, it feems then, muft be confulted whether a Truth be fa- lutary or hurtful, fit to be declared or concealed. ALC. How ! you would have me conceal and ftifle the Truth, and keep it to my felf ? Is this what you aim at ? EUPH. I only make a plain Inference from what you grant. As for my felf, I do not believe your Opinions true. And although you do, you ihould not therefore, if you would appear con- fiftent with yourfelf, think it neceflary or wife to publifh hurtful Truths. What Service can it do Mankind to leiTen the Motives to Virtue, or what Damage to in- creafe them ? ALC. None in the World. But I muft needs fay, I cannot reconcile the received Notions of a God and Pro- vidence 2.04 The Minute Dial, vidence to my Underftanding, and my Na- III. ture abhors the Bafenefs of conniving at a Fahhood. EUPH, Shall we therefore appeal to Truth, and examine the Reafons by which you are withheld from believ- ing thefe Points? ALC. With all my Heart, but enough for the prefent. We will make this the Subjed: of our next Conference. The Philosopher The fourth DIALOGUE. . Prejudices concerning a Deify. 11. Rules laid da-wn /^^ Alciphron to be obferved in proving a God, III. IVhat fort of Proof be expedis. IV. Whejice we collect the Being of other 'Thinking hidividuah. V. The fame Method a fortiori proves the Being of God. VI. Alciphron*^ fecoJii Thoughts on this Point. VII. God fpeaks to Men. VIII. Hovo Dijiance is per- ceived by Sight. IX. The proper ObjeBs of Sight at no diftance, X. Light s^ Shades^ and Colours^ varioufly co??ibi?2ed form a Language. XI. The Signification of this Language learned by Lxperience. XII. God explaineth hi7nfelf to the Eyes of Men by the arbitrary Ufe of fenfible Signs. XIII. The Prejudice and two- fold AfpeB of a Minute Philofopher, XIV. God pre/ejit to Mankind ^ ijiforms^ admonijhes^ and directs them in a fenfible manner. XV. Admirable Nature a fid XJJe of this vifual Language. XVI. Mi- nute Philojophers content to ad?nit a God in certain Senjes. XVII. Opinion of Jbme^ who hold that Knowledge and Wif doni xo^ The Minute Dial, dom are ?20t properly in God, XVIII. Dan-* IV. geroiis Tendency of this Notion, XIX. Its v-rv"x.^ Original XX. The Senfe of Schoolmen upon it, XXI. Scholajiic life of the Terms Analogy and Afjalogical explained : Analogical PerfeBions of God mifunder- food, XXII. God intelligent J wife^ and goody in the proper SeJife of the Words. XXIII. Objection from moral Evil con- fidered, XXIV. Men argue from their own Defeats agai?2jl a Deity, XXV. Re* ligioiis iVorfiip rcafonable and expedient . I. ^M^^P APvLY the next Morning, as ft ^^^ ^ looked out of my Window, S P^^ ^^ ^^ Alciphron walking in ^^^ the Garden, with all the Signs of a Man in deep Thought. Upon which I went down to him. Alciphron^ faid I, this early and profound Meditation puts me in no fmall Fright. How fo! Becaufe I ihould be forry to be convinced there was no God. The Thought of Anarchy in Nature is to me more fhocking than in Civil Life : in- afmuch as Natural Concerns are more im- portant than Civil, and the Balis of all others. I grant, replied Alciphron^ that fome Inconvenience may poflibly follow from difprovinga God: but as to what you fay of Fright and Shocking, all that is no- 5 thing PHILOSOPHERo xoy thing but Prejudice, meer Prejudice. Men D i a l» frame an Idea or Chimsera in their own IV". Minds, and then fall down and worfhip it, Notions govern Mankind : but of all No- tions, that of God's governing the World hath taken the deepeft Root, and fpread the fartheft : It is therefore in Philofophy an heroical Atchievement to difpolTefs this imaginary Monarch of his Government, and banifh all thofe Fears and Specflres which the Light of Reafon alone can difpel; Non radii folis^ non lucida tela diet Difcutiunt^ fed Naturae fpecies ratioque^. My Part, faid I, fhall be to ftand by, as I have hitherto done, and take Notes of all that paffeth during this memorable Event: while a Minute Philofopher not fix Foot high attempts to dethrone the Monarch of the Univerfe. Alas! replied Alciphron, Arguments are not to be meafured by Feet and Inches. One Man may fee more than a Million : and a fhort Argument, managed by a Free-thinker, may be fufficient to overthrow the moft Gigantic Chimsera. As we were engaged in thisDifcourfe, Crito and Euphratjor joined us. 1 find you have been beforehand with us to day, faid Crito to Alciphroriy and taken the Advantage of Solitude and early Hours, while Eu- phranor and I were afleep in our Beds. * Lucretius. Wc 2o8 The Minute Dial. We may therefore expedl to fee Atheifm IV. placed in the beft Light, and fupported ' by the ftrongeft Arguments. 11. ALC, The Being of a God is a Subjedl upon which there has been a world of Common-place, which is needlefs to repeat. Give me leave therefore to lay down certain Rules and Limitations, in order to fhorten our prefent Conference. For as the End of Debating is to perfuade^ all thofe Things which are foreign to this End, fhould be left out of our Debate. Firft then, let me tell you, I am not to be perfuaded by Metaphyfical Arguments : fuch for Liftance as are drawn from the Idea of an All-perfed: Being, or the Ab- furdity of an infinite Progreffion of Cau- fes. This fort of Arguments I have al- ways found dry and jejune: and, as they are not fuited to my way of Thinking, they may perhaps puzzle, but never will convince me. Secondly, I am not to be perfuaded by the Authority either of pafl or prefent Ages, of Mankind in general, or of particular wife Men : all which paf- feth for little or nothing with a Man of found Argument and free Thought. Third- ly, All Proofs drawn from Utility or Con- venience are foreign to the Purpofe. They may prove indeed the Ufefulnefs of the Notion, Philosopher. xoj^ Notion, but not the Exiftence of the Dial. Thing. Whatever Legiflators or Statef- IV". men may think, Truth and Convenience are very different Things to the rigorous Eyes of a Philofopher. And now, that I may not feem partial, I will limit myfelf alfo not to object, in the firft place, from any thing that may feem irregular or un- accountable in the Works of Nature,, againft a Caufe of infinite Power and Wifdom : becaufe I already know the An- fwer you would make, to wit. That no one can judge of the Sym_metry and Ufe of the Parts of an infinite Machine, which are all relative to each other, and to the whole, without being able to comprehend the intire Machine, or the whole Univerfe* And in the fecond place, I fhall engage my felf not to objed: againfl: the Juflice and Providence of a Supreme Being, from the Evil that befalls good Men, and the Pro- fperity which is often the Portion of wicked Men in this Life : becaufe I know that, inflead of admitting this to be an Objedlion againft a Deity, you would make it an Argument for a future State ; in which there fhall be fuch a Retribution of Rewards and Punifliments, as may vindi- cate the Divine Attributes, and fet all Things right in the End. Now thefe An- fwers, though they fhould be admitted for Vol. I, P good no The Minute Dial, good ones, are in truth no Proofs of the IV. Being of God, but only Solutions of cer- tain Difficulties which might be objected, fuppofing it already proved by proper Ar- guments. Thus much I thought fit to premife, in order to fave Time and Trouble both to you and myfelf. CRI, I think that, as the proper End of our Conference ought to be fuppofed the Difcovery and Defence of Truth, fo Truth may be jufti- fied, not only by perfuading its Adverfa- ries, but, where that cannot be done, by fhewing them to be unreafonable. Argu- ments, therefore, which carry Light, have their Effed, even againft an Opponent who fhuts his Eyes, becaufe they fhew him to be obftinate and prejudiced. Be- fides, this Diftindtion between Arguments that puzzle and that convince, is leaft of all obferved by Minute Philofophers, and need not therefore be obferved by others in their favour. But, perhaps, Euphranor may be willing to encounter you on your own Terms, in which Cafe I have nothing farther to fay. III. EUPH. Alctphron ads like a skil- ful General, who is bent upon gaining the Advantage of the Ground, and alluring the Enemy out of their Trenches. We, who believe a God, are intrenched within Tra- Philosopher. hi Tradition, Cuftom, Authority, and Law. Dial. And neverthelefs, inftead of attempting to IV. force us, he propofes that we fhould vo^ luntarily abandon thefe Intrenchments, and make the Attack : when we may ad: on the defenfive with much Security and Eafe, leaving him the Trouble todifpoffefs us of what we need not refign. Thofe Reafons (continued he, addreffing himfelf to Akiphrofi) which you have muflered up in this Morning's Meditation, if they do not weaken, mull: eftablifli our Belief of a God : for the utmoft is to be expedled from fo great a Mafter in his Profeffion, when he fets his Strength to a Point. jiLC. I hold the confufed Notion of a Deity, or fome invifible Power, to be of all Prejudices the moft unconquerable. When half a dozen ingenious Men are got together over a Glafs of Wine, by a chearful Fire, in a Room well lighted; we banifli with eafe all the Spectres of Fancy or Education, and are very clear in our Decifions. But, as I was taking a folitary Walk before it was broad Day-light in yonder Grove, methought the Point was not quite fo clear: nor could I readily recoiled: the Force of thofe Arguments, which ufed to appear fo conclufive at other times. I had I know not what Awe upon my Mind, and feemed haunted by a fort of Panic, P 2 which ill Th e Minute , which I cannot otherwife account for, than by fuppofing it the Effeft of Preju- dice : For you nnuft know, that I, like the reft of the World, was once upon a Time catechifed and tutored into the Be- lief of a God, or Spirit. There is no furer Mark of Prejudice, than the believing a Thing without Reafon. What Neceffity then can there be that I fliould fet myfelf the difficult Task of proving a Negative, when it is fufficient to obferve, that there is no Proof of the Affirmative, and that the admitting it without Proof is unrea- fonable ? Prove therefore your Opinion, or, if you cannot, you may indeed remain in poffeffion of it, but you will only be poffeffedof a Prejudice. EUPH, O AL ciphron^ to content you we muft prove, it feems, and we muft prove upon your own Terms. But, in the firft place, let us fee what fort of Proof you exped". ALC, Perhaps I may not exped: it, but I will tell you what fort of Proof I would have : And that is in ftiort, fuch Proof as every Man of Senfe requires of a Matter of Fadt, or the Exiftence of any other particular thing. For Inftance, ffiould a Man ask why I believe there is a King of Great Britain ? I might anfwer, Becaufe I had feen him : Or a King of Spain? Be- caufe I had feen thofe who faw him. But as Philosopher. 215 as for this King of Kings, I neither fawDi al. him myfelf, nor any one elfe that ever did IV. fee him. Surely if there be fuch a thing as God, it is very flrange that he fliould leave himfelf without a Witnefs^ that Men fhould flill difpute his Being; and that there fhould be no one evident, kn- fible, plain Proof of it, without recourfe to Philofophy or Metaphyfics. A Matter of Fail is not to be proved by Notions, but by Fads. This is clear and full to the Point. You fee what I would be at. Upon thefe Principles I defy Superftition. EUPH, You believe then as far as you can fee. ^LC, That is my Rule of Faith. EUPH, How ! will you not believe the Exigence of Things which you hear, un- lefs you alfo fee them ? ALC. I will not fay fo neither. When I infilled on Seeing, I would be underftood to mean Perceiving in general. Outward Objedls make very different Impreffions upon the animal Spi- rits, all which are comprifed under the common Name of Senfe. And whatever we can perceive by any Senfe we may be fure of. IV. EUPH. What ! do you believe then there are fuch things as animal Spi- rits? ALC. Doubtlefs. EUPH, By Vv'hat Senfe do you perceive tliem ? ALC. P 3 I do ii4 TheMinute D T A L.I do not perceive them immediately by any IV. of my Senles. I am never thelefs perfuaded of their Exiftence, becaufe I can collefl: it from their Effects and Operations. They are the Meflengers, which running to and fro in the Nerves, preferve a Communica- tion betw^een the Soul and outw^ard Ob- jedls. EUPH. You admit then the Being of a Soul. u^LC. Provided I do not ad- mit an immaterial Subftance, I fee no In- convenience in admitting there may be fuch a Thing as a Soul. And this may be no more than a thin fine Texture of fubtile Parts or Spirits refiding in the Brain. EUPH. I do not ask about its Nature, I only ask whether you admit that there is a Principle of Thought and Adion, and whether it be perceivable by Senfe. jiLC. I grant that there is fuch a Principle, and that it is not the Objedl of Senfe itfelf, but inferred from Appearances which are perceived by Senfe. EUPH, If I under- iland you rightly, from animal Functions and Motions, you infer the Exiftence of animal Spirits; and from reafonable AcSs, you infer the Exiftence of a reafonable Soul. Is it not fo ? ylLC. It is. EUPH. It fhould feem, therefore, that the Being of Things imperceptible to Senfe may be coHeded from Effeds and Signs, or {en- fible Tokens. j^LC, It may. EUPH. Tell Philosopher. uj Tell me, Alciphro?!^ is not the Soul thatDi al, which makes [the principal Diftindion he- IV. tween a real Perfon and a Shadow, a living '^^ — v^— ^ Man and a Carcafe? ALC I grant it is. EUPH, I cannot, therefore, know that you for Inftance are a diftindl thinking In- dividual, or a living real Man, by furcr or other Signs, than thofe from which it can be inferred that you have a Soul. ALC. You cannot. EUPH. Pray tell me, are not all Adls immediately and pro- perly perceived by Senfe reducible to Mo- tion? ALC. They are. EUPH. From Motions therefore you infer a Mover, or Caufe : and from reafonable Motions (or fuch as appear calculated for a reafonable End) a rational Caufe, Soul, or Spirit. ALC, Even fo. V. EUPH. The Soul of Man aduates but a fmall Body, an infignificant Parti- cle, in refped of the great Maffes of Na- ture, the Elements, and heavenly Bodies, and Syftem of the World. And the Wif- dom that appears in thofe Motions, which are the Effed: of Humane Reafon, is in- comparably lefs than that which difco- vers it felf, in the Strudure and Ufe of organized natural Bodies, Animal or Ve- getable. A Man with his Hand can make no Machine fo admirable as the Hand it ]^ 4 felf: zi(^ The Minut e Dial, felf : Nor can any of thofe Motions, by IV. which we trace out Humane Reafcn, ap- proach the Skill and Contrivance of thoie wonderful Motions of the Heart and Brain and other vital Parts, which do not depend on the Will of Man. JILC. All this is true. EUPH. Doth it not fol- low then, that from natural Motions, in- dependent of Man's Will, may be in- ferred both Power and Wifdom incompa- rably greater than that of the Humane Soul? ^LC. It mould feem fo. EUPH. Further, is there not in natural Produc- tions and EfFeds a vifible Unity of Coun- fel and Defign ? Are not the Rules fixed and immoveable? Do not the fame Laws of Motion obtain throughout ? The lame in China and here, the fame two thou- fand Years ago, and at this Day ? j^LC. All this I do not deny. EUPH. Is there not alfo a Connexion or Relation between Animals and Vegetables; between both, and the Elements ; between the Elements, and heavenly Bodies ; fo that from their mutual RefpecSs, Influences, Subordina- tions, and Ufes, they may be coUeded to be Parts of one Whole, confpiring to one and the fame End, and fulfilling the fame Defign ? yiLC. Suppofing all this to be true. EUPH, Will it not then follow, that this vaftly great or infinite Power and Philosopher. 117 and Wifdom muft be fuppofed in oneDiAL. and the fame Agent, Spirit, or Mind -, and IV. that we have, at leaft, as clear, full, and immediate Certainty of the Being of this infinitely wife and powerful Spirit, as of any one Humane Soul whatfoever befides our own ? ALC, Let me confider : I fuf- peft we proceed too haftily. What ! Do you pretend you can have the fame Af- furance of the Being of God, that you can have of mine whom you actually fee ftand before you and talk to you ? EUPH. The very fame, if not greater. ALC. How do you make this appear ? EUPH. By the Perfon Alciphron is meant an in- dividual thinking Thing, and not the Hair, Skin, or vifible Surface, or any Part of the outward Form, Colour, or Sh2i^t oi Alciphron. ALC. This I grant. EUPH, And in granting this, you grant that, in a flrid: Senfe, I do not fee Alci^ phro?i, i.e. that individual thinking Thing, but only fuch vifible Signs and Tokens, as fuggeft and infer the Being of that in- vifible thinking Principle or Soul. Even fo, in the felf fame manner it feems to me, that though I cannot with Eyes of Flefli behold the invifible God -, yet I do in the flridlefl Senfe behold and perceive by all my Senfes fuch Signs and Tokens, fuch EfFeds and Operations, as fuggeft, indicate. 21 8 The Minute Dial. indicate, and dcmonftrate an invifible IV. God, as certainly and with the fame Evi- v^>pv> dence, at leaft, as any other Signs, per- ceived by Senfe, do fuggeft to me the Exiftence of your Soul, Spirit, or thiixk- ing Principle ; which I am convinced of only by a few Signs or EfFefts, and the Motions of one fmall organized Body: Whereas I do at all Times and in all Places, perceive fenfible Signs, which evince the Being of God. The Point, therefore, doubted or denied by you at the beginning now feems manifeflly to follow from the Premifes. Throughout this whole In- quiry, have we not confidered every Step with Care, and made not the leaft Advance without clear Evidence ? You and I exa- mined and aflented fingly to each foregoing Propofition : What fliall we do then with the Conclufion ? For my part, if you do not help me out, I find my felf under an abfolute Neceffity of admitting it for true. You muft therefore be content, hencefor- ward to bear the Blame, if I live and die in the Belief of a God. VI. ALC. It muft be confeft, I do not readily find an Anfwer. There feems to be fome Foundation for what you fay. But on the other hand, if the Point was fp clear as you pretend, I cannot conceive how PHILO S OPHE R, Zip how fo many fagaclous Men of our SeftDi al. ihould be fo much in the dark, as not to IV. know or believe one Syllable of it. EUPH. O Alciphroriy it is not our prefent Bufinefs to account for the Overfights., or vindi^ cate the Honour of thofe great Men the Free-thinkers, when their very Exiftence is in danger of being called in queftion. ALC. Howfo? EUPH. Be pleafed to recoUedl the Conceflions you have made, and then fhew me, if the Arguments for a Deity be not conclufive, by what better Argument you can prove the Exiftence of that thinking Thing, which in ftridnefs conftitutes the Free-thinker. As foon as Eufhranor had uttered thefe Words, Al- ciphron ftopt fhort and ftood in a Pofture of Meditation, while the reft of us con- tinued our Walk and took two or three Turns, after which he joined us again with a fmiling Countenance, like one who had made fome Difcovery. I have found, faid he, what may clear up the Point in difpute, and give Etiphranor in- tire Satisfaftion ; I would fay an Argu- ment which will prove the Exiftence of a Free-thinker, the like whereof cannot be applied to prove the Exiftence of a God. You muft know then, that your Nocion. of our perceiving the Exiftence of Godj, as certainly and immediately as we do that 210 TheMinute Dial, that of a Humane Perfon, I could by IV. no Means digeft, though I muft own it ^-^^v^^ puzzled me, till I had conlidered the Matter. At firft methought, a particular StrucSure, Shape, or Motion was the moft certain Proof of a thinking, rea- fonable Soul. But a little Attention fa- tisfied me, that thefe Things have no neceilary Connexion with Reafon, Know- ledge, and Wifdom. And that allowing them to be certain Proofs of a living Soul, they cannot be fo of a thinking and reafonable one. Upon fecond Thoughts, therefore, and a minute Examination of this Point, I have found that nothing fo much convinces me of the Exiftence of another Perfon as his fpeaking to me. It is my hearing you talk that, in ftrid: and philcfophical Truth, is to me the beft Argument for your Being. And this is a peculiar Argument in- applicable to your Purpofe : For you will not, I fuppofe, pretend that God fpeaks to Man in the fame clear and fenfible manner, as one Man doth to another. VII. EUPH. How! is then the Im- preffion of Sound fo much more evident than that of other S^nfes ? Or, if it be, is the Voice of Man louder than that of Thun- Philosopher. 12 i Thunder? ALC. Alas! You miftake theDi al. Point. What I mean is not the Sound of IV, Speech meerly as fuch, but the arbitrary Ufe of fenfible Signs, which have no Si- militude or neceflary Connexion with the Things fignified ; fo as by the appofite Ma- nagement of them, tofuggeftandexhibite to my Mind an endlefs Variety of Things, differing in Nature, Time, and Place : thereby informing me, entertaining me, and diredling me how to ad:, not only v/ith regard to Things near and prefent, but alfo, with regard to Things dillant and future. No matter, whether thefe Signs are pronounced or written, whether they enter by the Eye or the Ear: They have the fame Ufe, and are equally Proofs of an intelligent, thinking, defigning Caufe. EUPH, But what if it fhould appear that God really fpeaks to Man ; would this content you ? ALC. I am for admitting no inward Speech, no holy Inflindls, or Sug- geftions of Light or Spirit. All that, you muft know, paffeth with Men of Senfe for nothing. If you do not make it plain to me, that God fpeaks to Men by out- ward fenfible Signs, of fuch fort and in fuch manner, as I have defined, you do nothing. EUPH, But if it fliall appear plainly, that God fpeaks to Men, by the Intervention^ and Ufe of arbitrary, out- ward, lit The minute Dial, ward, fenfible Signs, having no Refcm- IV. blance or neceflary Connexion with the v-^'V^^ Things they ftand for and fuggeft : If it fliall appear, that by innumerable Com- binations of thefe Signs, an endlefs Va- riety of Things is difcovered and made known to us ; and that we are thereby inftrudled or informed in their different Natures -, that we are taught and admo- niflied what to fliun, and what to pur- fue 'y I and are directed how to regulate our Motions, and how to adl with refpeft to Things diftant from us, as well in Time as Place ', will this content you ? j4LC, It is the very Thing I would have you make out 'y for therein confifts the Force and Ufe and Nature of Language. VIII. EUPH. Look, Alciphron, do you not fee the Caftle upon yonder Hill ? jlLC. I do. EUPH, Is it not at a great Diftance from you? ^LC. It is. EUPH. Tell me, Alciphron, is not Diftance a Line turned End-wife to the Eye? ALC. Doubtlefs. EUPH. And can a Line, in that Situation, projed: more than one fingle Point on the Bottom of the Eye ? ALC. It cannot. EUPH. Therefore the Appearance of a long and of a fhort Dif- tance is of the fame Magnitude, or rather of no Magnitude at all, being in all Cafes one Philosopher. izj one fingle Point. ALC. It feems fo.DiAL. EUPH. Should it not follow from hence IV. that Diftance is not immediately perceived (/VN4 by the Eye ? ALC, It fhould, EUPH. Muft it not then be perceived by the Me- diation of fome other Thing ? ALC, Ic muft. EUPH, To difcover v^hat this is, let us examine v^hat Alteration there may be in the Appearance of the fame Obje(ft, placed at different Diflances from the Eye. Now I find by Experience that, when an Objeft is removed ftill farther and farther off in a diredl Line from the Eye, its vi- fible Appearance ftill grows leffer and fainter : And this Change of Appearance, being proportional and univerfal, feems to me to be that by which we apprehend the various Degrees of Diftance. ALC. I have nothing to objed: to this. EUPH. But Littlenefs or Faintnefs, in their own Nature, feem to have no neceffary Con- nexion with greater Length of Diftance. ALC. I admit this to be true. EUPH. Will it not follow then, that they could never fuggeft it but from Experience ? ALC. It will. EUPH. That is to fay, we perceive Diftance^ not immediately, but by Mediation of a Sign, which hath no Likenefs to it, or neceffary Connexion with it, but only fuggefts it from repeated Experience, as Words do Thin2;s. ALC. Hold, 22,4 The Minute Dial. Hold, Euphranor\ Now I think of It, the IV. Writers in Optics tell us of an Angle made by the two Optic Axes, where they meet in the vifible Point or Objedt; which Angle, the obtufer it is the nearer it fhews the Objed: to be, and by how much the acuter by fo much the farther off; and this from a neceffary demonftrable Con- nexion. EUPH, The Mind then finds out the Diftance of Things by Geometry. ALC. It doth. EUPH. Should it not follow, therefore, that no body could fee but thofe who had learned Geometry, and knew fomething of Lines and Angles ? ALC, There is a fort of natural Geome- try, which is got without Learning, EUPH, Pray inform me, Alciphro?i, in order to frame a Proof of any Kind, or deduce one Point from another, is it not neceffary, that I perceive the Connexion of the Terms in the Premifes, and the Connexion of the Premifes with the Con- clufion : And, in general, to know one Thing by means of another, muft I not firft know that other Thing ? when I per- ceive your Meaning by your Words, muft I not firft perceive the Words themfelves? and muft 1 not know the Premifes before I infer the Conclufion ? ALC. All this is true. EUPH, Whoever, therefore, col- lefts a nearer Diftance from a wider Angle, 5 9\ PH iLd s opfifiR. £2^ or a farther Diftance from an acurerAngle,Di al, muft firft perceive the Angles themfelves. IV. A nd he who doth not perceive thofe Angles, can infer nothing from them. Is it fo or not? ALC. It is as you %. EUPH. Ask now the firft Man you meet, whether he perceives or knows any Thing of thofe Optic y^ngles? Or whether he ever thinks about them, or makes any Inferences from them, either by natural or artificial Geo- metry ? What Anfwer do you think he would make ? ALC, To fpeak the Truth, I believe his Anfwer would be, that he knew nothing of thofe Matters. EUPH. It cannot therefore be, that Men judge of Diftance by Angles: Nor confequently can there be any Force in the Argument you drew from thence, to prove that Dif- tance is perceived by means of fomething which hath a neccflary Connexion with it, ALC, I agree with you. . IX. EUPH. To me it feerhs, that a Man may know whether he perceives a Thing or no : and if he perceives it, whether it be immediately or mediately: and if me- diately, whether by means of fomething like or unlike, neceifarily or arbitrarily conne6ted with it. ALC. It feems {o. EUPII. And is it not certain, that Diftance is perceived only by Experience, if it be Vol. I, Q^ neither %i6 The Minute Dial. neither perceived immediately by itfelf, IV. nor by Means of any Image, nor of any Lines and Angles, which are like it, or have a neceffary Connexion with it ? j4LC, It is. EUPH, Doth it not feem to follow from what hath been faid and allowed by you, that before all Experience a Man would not imagine, the Things he faw were at any Diftance from him ? ^LC How! let me fee. EUPH, The Littlenefs or Faint- nefs of Appearance, or any other Idea or Senfation, not neceflarily connedted with, or refembling Diftance, can no more fug- geft different Degrees of Diftance, or any Diftance at all, to the Mind, which hath not experienced a Connexion of the things fignifying and fignified, than Words can fuggeft Notions before a Man hath learned the Language. j4LC. I allow this to be true. EUPH, Will it not thence follow, that a Man born blind, and made to fee, would, upon firft receiving his Sight, take the things he faw, not to be at any Diftance from him, but in his Eye, or rather in his Mind? ylLC. I muft ovv^n it feems fo : And yet, on the other hand, I can hardly perfuade my felf, that, if I were in fuch a State, I ftiould think thofe Objects, which I now fee at fo great Diftance, to be at no Diftance at all. EUPH, It i'eems then, that you now think the Objcds of Sight are Philosopher, nf are at a Diflancc from you. ^LC. Doutt- Dial* lefs I do. Can any one queftion but yon- IV. der Caftle is at a great Diftance? EUPH. Tell me, Alciphroft, can you difcern the Doors, Windows, and Battlements of that fame Caftle? ^LC. I cannot. AtthisDif- tance it feems only a fmall round To wen EUPH. But I5 who have been at it, know that it is no fmall round Tower, but a large fquare Building with Battlements and Turrets, which it feems you do not fee. ALC, What will you infer from thence ? EUPH, I would infer, that the very Objed:, which you ftridlly and pro- perly perceive by Sight, is not that Thing which is feveral Miles dillant. ALC. Why fo ? EUPH. Becaufe a little round Object is one Thing, and a great fquare Objed: is another. Is it not ? ALC, I can- not deny it. EUPH, Tell me, is not the vifible Appearance alone the proper Ob- jed: of Sight? ^LC. Itis. What think you now, (faid Euphrajior pointing to- wards the Heavens) of the vifible Appear- ance of yonder Planet ? Is it not a round luminous Flat, no bisjger than a Sixpence? ALC, What then ? £[7P//. Tell me then, what you think of the Planet itfelf. Do you not conceive it to be a vafl Opaque Globe, with feveral unequal Rifings and Vallies ? ALC, I do. EUPH. How can 0^2 you ii8 The Minute Dial. you therefore conclude, that the proper IV. Obje6t of your Sight exifts at a Diftance ? ALC, I confefs I know not. EUPH. For your farther Conviftion, do but confider that crimfon Cloud. Think you that if you were in the very Place where it is, you would perceive any Thing like what you now fee ? ALC, By no means. I fhould perceive only a dark Mifl. EUPH. Is it not plain, therefore, that neither the Caftle, the Planet, nor the Cloud, which you fee here, are thofe real ones which you fuppofe exift at a Diftance ? X. ALC. What am I to think then? Do we fee any thing at all, or is it altoge- ther Fancy and Illufion ? EUPH. Upon the whole, it feems the proper Objects of Sight are Light and Colours, with their feveral Shades and Degrees ; all which, being infinitely diverfified and combined, form a Language wonderfully adapted to fuggeft and exhibit to us the Diftances, Figures, Situations, Dimenlions, and va- rious Qiialirics of tangible Objeds : not by Similitude, nor yet by Inference of neceffary Connexion, but by the arbitrary Impofuion of Providence : juft as Words fuggeft the Things fignified by them. ALC. How! Do we not, ftridly fpeak- ingj perceive by Sight fuch Things as Trees3 Philosopher. 129 Trees, Houfes, Men, Rivers, and theDiAL* like ? EUPH. We do, indeed, perceive IV. or apprehend thofe Things by the Fa- culty of Sight. But will it follow from thence, that they are the proper and im- mediate Objedls of Sight, any more than that all thofe Things are the proper and immediate Objedls of Hearing, which are fignified by the Help of Words or Sounds ? j^LC. You would have us think then, that Light, Shades, and Colours, vari- oufly combined, anfwer to the feveral Ar- ticulations of Sound in Language : and that, by means thereof, all Sorts of Ob- jecfts are fuggefted to the Mind through the Eye, in the fame Manner as they are fuggefted by Words or Sounds through the Ear : that is, neither from neceffary Dedudlion to the Judgment, nor from Similitude to the Fancy, but purely and folely from Experience, Cuftom, and Habit. EUPH, I would not have you think any Thing, more than the Nature of Things obligeth you to think, nor fub- mit in theleaft to my Judgment, but only to the Force of Truth : which is an Imfjofition that I fuppofe the freeft Think- ers will not pretend to be exempt from. ALC, You have led me, it feems, Step by Step, till I am got I know not where. But I iball try to get out again, if not Q.3 by %^o TheMinute Dial. by the Way I came, yet by fome other IV. of my own finding. Here Alciphron^ 'having made a fliort Paufe, proceeded as follows. XI. Anfwer me, Euphranor^ fliould it not follow fom thcfe Principles, that a Man born blind, and made to fee, would at firft Sight, not only not perceive their Diftance, but alfo not fo much as know the very Things themfelves which he faw, for Inftance, Men or Trees ? which furely to fuppofe muft be abfurd. EUPH. I grant, in confequence of thofe Principles, which both you and I have admitted, that fuch a one would never think of Men, Trees, or any other Objedls that he had been accuflomed to perceive by Touchy upon having his Mind filled with new Sen- fations of Light and Colours, whofe vari° ous Combinations he doth not yet under-, (land, or know the Meaning of; no more than a Chinefe^ upon firft hearing the Words Mmi and Tree^ would think of the Things Signified by them. In both Cafes, there muft be Time and Experience, by repeated Adts, to acquire a Habit of knowing the Connexion between the Signs and Things fignified ; that is to fay, of underftanding the Language, whether of the Eyes or of the Ears. And I conceive no Abfurdity in all Philosopher. 131 all this. ALC, I fee, therefore, in ftridlDiAL. Philofophical Truth, that Rock only in IV. the fame Senfe that I may be fa id to hear it, when the Word Rock is pronounced. EUPH. In the very fame. JLC, How- comes it to pafs then, that eveiy one fhall fay he fees, for Inftance, a Rock or a Houfe, when thofe Things are before his Eyes 'y but no body will fay he hears a Rock or a Houfe, but only the Words or Sounds themfclves, by which thofe things are faid to be fignified or fuggefted, but not heard ? Befides, if Vifion be only a Language fpeaking to the Eyes, it may be asked; When did Men learn this Lan- guage ? To acquire the Knowledge of fo many Signs, as go to the making up a Language, is a Work of fome Difficulty. But will any Man fay he hath fpent Time or been at Pains, to learn this Language of Vifion? EUPH. No Wonder, we cannot affign a Time beyond our remoteft Memory. If wc have been all pradliling this Language, ever fince our firft En- trance into the World : If the Author of Nature conftantly fpeaks to the Eyes of all Mankind, even in their earlieft Infancy, whenever the Eyes are open in the Light, whether alone or in Company : It doth not feem to me at all flrange, that Men ihould not be aware they had ever learned Q_4 a Lan-^ t^t Th e M I nute Di A L.a Language, begun fo early, and praftifed IV. {o conftantly, as this of Vifion. And, if we alio confider that it is the fame through- out the whole World, and not, like other Languages, differing in different Places : it will not feem unaccountable, that Men fhould miflake the Connexion between the proper Objed;s of Sight and the Things fignified by them, to be found in neceffary Relation, or Likenefs : Or, that they fhould even take them for the fame things. Hence it feems eafy to conceive, why Men, who do not think, fhould confound in this Language of Vif.on the Signs with the Things fignified, otherwife than they are wont to do, in the various particular Languages formed by the feveral Nations of Men. XIL It may be alio worth while to ob^ ferve, that Signs being little confidcred in themfelves, or for their own fake, but only in their relative Capacity, and for the fake of thole things whereof they are Signs, it comes to pafs, that the Mind often overlooks them, fo as to carry its Attention immediately on to the Things signified. Thus, for example, in reading we run over the Characters with the Highteft regard, and pals on to the mean- ing. Hence it is frequent for Men to fay, ihej Philosopher. 235 they fee Words, and Notions, and Things, D i al. in reading of a Book: whereas in Strict- IV. nefs, they fee only the Characters, which fuggeft Words, Notions, and Things. And by parity of Reafon, may we not fup- pofe, that Men, not refting in, but over- looking the immediate and proper Ob- jects of Sight, as in their own Nature of fmall moment, carry their Attention on- ward to the very Things iignified, and talk as if they faw the fecondary Objedts? which, in Truth and StricSnefs, are not feen, but only fuggefled and apprehended by means of the proper Objects of Sight, which alone are feen. ylLC. To fpeak my Mind freely, this DilTertation grows tedious, and runs into Points too dry and minute for a Gentleman's Attention. I thought, faid Crko, we had been told, the Minute Philofophers loved to confider things clofely and minutely. ^LC. That is true, but in fo polite an Age, who would be a meer Philofopher ? There is a certain Scholaftic Accuracy which ill fuits the Freedom and Eafe of a well-bred Man. Bur, to cut fhort this Chicane, I propound it fairly to your own Confcience, whether you really think that God himfelf fpeaks every Day and in every Place to the Eyes Qf all Men ? EUPH, That is really and in truth my Opinion: and it fliould be yours 234 The Minute Di AL.youi's too, if you are confiftent with your IV. felf, and abide by your own Definition of Language. Since you cannot deny, that the Great Mover and Author of Nature con- ftantly explaineth himfelf to the Eyes of Men by the fenfible Intervention of ar- bitrary Signs, v^hich have no Similitude or Connexion with the Things fignified; fo as by compounding and difpofing them, to fuggeft.and exhibit an endlefs Variety of Objefts, differing in Nature, Time, and Place, thereby informing and direfting Men how to aft with refpedt to things diftant and future, as well as near and prefent. In confequence, I fay, of your own Sentiments and Conceffions, you have as much reafon to think, the univer- fal Agent or God fpeaks to your Eyes, as you can have for thinking any particular Perfon fpeaks to your Ears. ALC. I can- not help thinking, that fome Fallacy runs throughout this whole Ratiocination, though perhaps I may not readily point it out. Hold ! let me fee ! In Language the Signs are arbitrary, are they not ? EUPH. They are. ALC. And confequently, they do not always fuggeft real Matters of Fad:. Whereas this natural Language, as you call it, or thefe vifible Signs, do always fuggeft Things in the fame uniform way, and have the fame conftant regular Con- nexion Philosopher. x}5 nexion with Matters of Fad:: whence itDiAL. fhould feem, the Connexion was neceffary, IV. and therefore, according to the Definition premifed, it can be no Language. How do you foive this Objeftion ? EUPH. You may folve it your felf, by the help of a Pidure or Looking-glafs. ^LC. You are in the right. I fee there is nothing in it. I know not what elfe to fay to this Opinion more, than that it is fo odd and contrary to my way of thinking, that I fhall never affent to it, XIII. EUPH. Be pleafed to recolleft your own Ledtures upon Prejudice, and apply them in the prefent Cafe. Perhaps they may help you to follow where Rea- fon leads, and to fufpedl Notions which are ftrongly riveted, without having been ever examined. ylLC. I difdain the Suf-^ picion of Prejudice. And I do not fpeak only for my felf. I know a Club of moft ingenious Men, the freeft from Prejudice of any Men alive, who abhor the Notion of a God, and I doubt not would be very able to untie this Knot. Upon which Words oi Alciphron^ I, who had adled the Part of an indifferent Stander-by, ob- ferved to him : That it misbecame his Cha- radler and repeated Profeffions, to own an Attachment to the Judgment, or build upon z^6 The Minute D I A L. upon the prefumed Abilities of other Men, IV. how ingenious foever: and that this Pro- ceeding might encourage his Adverfaries to have rccourfe to Authority, in which perhaps they would find their Account more than he. Oh! faid Crifo, I have often obferved the Condudl of Minute Philofophers. When one of them has got a Ring of Difciples round him, his Me- thod is to exclaim againfl Prejudice, and recommend Thinking and Reafoning, giv- ing to underftand that himfelf is a Man of deep Refearches and clofe Argument, one who examines impartially, and concludes warily. The fame Man in other Com- pany, if he chance to be prefTed with Reafon, fliall laugh at Logic, and affume the lazy fupine Airs of a fine Gentleman, a Wit, a Railleur, to avoid theDrynefs of a regular and exadl Inquiry. This double Face of the Minute Philofopher is of no fmall Ufe to propagate and maintain his Notions. Though to me it feems a plain Cafe, that if a fine Gentleman will Ihake ofi Authority, and appeal from Religion to Reafon, unto Reafon he muft go : And if he cannot go without Leading-Strings, furely he had better be led by the Autho- rity of the Public, than by that of any Knot of Minute Philofophers. ^LC. Gentlemen, this Difcourfe is very irkfome an4 Phi losop ti £ r. 157 and needlefs. For my part, I am a Friend Dial. to Inquiry. I am willing Reafon fliould IV. have its full ond free Scope. I build on no Man's Authority. For my part, I have no Intereft in denying a God. Any Man may believe or not believe a God, as he pleafes, for me. But after all, Euphranor muft allow me to ftare a little at his Conclufions. EUPH, The Conclufions are yours as much as mine, for you were led to them by your own Conceffions. XIV. You it feems ftare to find, that God is not far from every one of us; and that in him we live, and move, and have our Being. You, who in the beginning of this Morning's Conference, thought it flrange, that God lliould leave himfelf without a Witnefs, do now think it ftrange the Witnefs fhould be fo full and clear. ALC. I muft own I do. I was aware, indeed, of a certain Metaphyfical Hypo- thefis, of our feeing all things in God by the Union of the Humane Soul with the intelligible Subftance of the Deity, Vv^hich neither I, nor any one elfe could make Senfe of But I never imagined it could be pretended, that we faw God with our flellily Eyes, as plain as we fee any Hu- mane Perfon whatfoever, and that he daily fpeaks to our Senfes in a manifeft and clear The Minute clear Dialed. CRL As for that Metaphy- fical Hypothefis, I can make no more of it than you. But I think it plain, This op- tic Language hath a neceffary Connexion with Knowledge, Wifdom, and Goodnefs, It is equivalent to a conftant Creation, be- tokening an immediate Ad of Power and Providence. It cannot be accounted for by mechanical Principles, by Atoms, At- tradlions, or Effluvia. The inftantaneous Produdion and Reproduction of fo many Signs combined, diffolved, tranfpofed, di- verfified, and adapted to fuch an endlefs va- riety of Purpofes, ever fhifting with the Occafions, and fuited to them, being utterly inexplicable and unaccountable by the Laws of Motion, by Chance, by Fate, or the like blind Principles, doth fet forth and tefcify the immediate Operation of a Spirit or thinking Being : and not meerly of a Spirit, which every Motion or Gravita- tion may poffibly infer, but of one wife, good, and provident Spirit, who direcfts, and rules, and governs the World. Some Philofophers , being convinced of the Wifdom and Power of the Creator, from the Make and Contrivance of organized Bodies, and orderly Syftem of the World, did ncvcrthclefs imagine, that he left this Syftem, with all its Parts and Contents well adjufted and put in motion, as an Artift Philosopher; - 155? Artift leaves a Clock, to go thenceforward Dial. of it felf for a certain Period. But this IV. vifual Language proves, not a Creator meerly, but a provident Governor a(^ually and intimately prefent and attentive to all our Interefts and Motions: who watches over our Condud, and takes care of our minuteft Adions and Defigns, throughout the whole courfe of our Lives, informing, admoniftiing, and diredting incelTantly, in a moft evident and fenfible manner. This is truly v/onderfuL EUPH, And is it not fo, that Men (hould be encompafled by fuch a Wonder, without refledling on it? XV. Something there is of Divine and Admirable in this Language, addrefled to our Eyes, that may well awaken the Mind, and deferve its ucmoft Attention: it is learned with fo little Pains : it exprefleth the Differences of Things fo clearly and aptly : it inftrudls with fuch Facility and Difpatch, by one Glance of the Eye con- veying a greater Variety of Advices, and a more diftindt Knowledge of Things, than could be got by a Difcourfe of feveral Hours. And, while it informs, it amufes and entertains the Mind with fuch fingular Pleafure and Delight. It is of fuch excel- lent Ufe in giving a Stability and Perma- nency to Humane Difcourfe, in recording Sounds 240 Th £ Minute Dial. Sounds and beftowing Life on dead Lan- IV. guages, enabling us to converfe with Men of remote Ages and Countries. And it anfwers fo appofite to the Ufes and Necef- fities of Mankind, informing us more di- flindlly of thofe Objects, whofe Nearnefs and Magnitude quaHfy them to be of greateft Detriment or Benefit to our Bodies, andlefs exadly, in proportion as their Lit- tlenefs or Diflance make them of lefs Con- cern to us. ALC, And yet thefe ftrange Things affed: Men but Uttle. EUPH. But they are not ftrange, they are famiUar, and tliat makes them be overlooked. Things which rarely happen ftrike ; where- as Frequency leflens the Admiration of Things, though in themfelves ever fo ad- mirable. Hence a common Man, who is not ufed to think and make Reflexions, would probably be more convinced of the Being of a God, by one fingle Sentence heard once in his Life from the Sky, than by all the Experience he has had of this vifual Language, contrived with fuch exquifite Skill, fo conftantly addreffed to his Eyes, and fo plainly declaring the Nearnefs, Wifdom, and Providence of him with whom we have to do. ALC. After all, I cannot fitisfy my felf, how Men ihould be fo little furprifed or amazed a- bout this vifive Faculty, if it was really of a Nature Philosopher. xj^t & Nature fo furprifing and amazing.Di al; EUPH. But let us fuppofe a Nation IV. of Men blind from their Infancy, mong whom a Stranger arrives, the only Man who can fee in all the Country : Let us fuppofe this Stranger travelling with fome of the Natives, and that one while he foretells to them, that, in cafe they walk ftraight forward, in half an Hour they fhall meet Men, or Cattle, or come to a Houfe : that if they turn to the right, and proceed, they fhall in a few Minutes be in danger of falling down a Preci- pice: that fhaping their courfe to the left, they will in fuch a time arrive at a River, a Wood^ or a Mountain. What think you ? Muft they not be infinite* ly furprifed, that one, who had never been in their Country before, fliould know it fo much better than them- felves? And would not thofe Predic- tions feem to them as unaccountable and incredible, as Prophefy to a Minute Philofopher ? ALC, I cannot deny it. EUPH, But it feems to require intenfe Thought, to be able to unravel a Pre- judice that has been fo long forming, to get over the vulgar Error of Ideas common to both Senfes, and fo to di- ftinguifh between the Objedls of Sight Vol. I. Pv and 242^ The Minute D I A L.and Touch*, which have grown (if I may IV. fo fay) blended together in our Fancy, as to be able to fuppofe our felves exadlly in the State, that one of thofe Men would be in, if he were made to fee. And yet this I believe is poffible, and might feem worth the pains of a little Thinking, ef- pecially to thofe Men whofe proper Em- ployment and Profefli on it is to think, and unravel Prejudices, and confute Miftakes, I frankly own I cannot find my way out of this Maze, and fhould gladly be fet right by thofe who fee better than my felf. CRL The purfuing this Subjeft in their own Thoughts would poflibly open a new Scene to thofe fpeculative Gen- tlemen of the Minute Philofophy. It puts me in mind of a Paffage in the Pfalmift, where he reprefents God to be covered with Light as with a Garment, and would methinks be no ill Comment on that ancient Notion of fome Eaflern Sages : That God had Light for his Bo- dy, and Truth for his Soul, This Con* * See the annexed Treatife, ?T©- y^ dvmvjji©^ : the Wifdom of God he terms an unreafonanable, unintelligent, and fool- ifh Wifdom ; r aAoyov 0^ clvbv 5^ fJic*)^v cotflcLv, But then the Reafon he gives, for expreffing himfelf in this ftrange Man- ner, is, that the Divine Wifdom is the Caufe of all Reafon, Wifdom, and Under- ftanding, and therein are contained the Treafures of all Wifdom and Knowledge. He calls God \ksrgp(7o(p©* and •visrgp^fit)^ : As if Wifdom and Life were Words not worthy to exprefs the Divine Pcrfedlions : And ne adds, that the Attributes unin- * De Hierarch. Coeleft. c. z, f De Nom. Div. c. 7. 5 telljgent Philosopher. 2ji telligent and unperceiving muft be afcrib- Dial. cd to the Divinity, not xar eAAei-^iv by IV. way of Defeft, but 5ca6' '^stt^o^m by way oi Eminency : which he explains by our giving the Name of Darknefs to Light inacceffible. And, notwithftanding the Harflinefs of his Expreffions in fome Places, he affirms over and over in others, that God knows all Things ; not that h-e is beholden to the Creatures for his Knowledge, but by knowing himfelf, from whom they all derive their Being, and in whom they are contained as in their Caufe. It was late before thefe Writings appear to have been known in the World : Andalthough they obtained Credit during the Age of the Schoolmen, yet fince cri- tical Learning hath been cultivated, they have loft that Credit, and are at this Day given up for fpurious, as containing feve- ral evident Marks of a much later Date than the Age of Dionysus. Upon the whole, although this Method of growing in Expreffion, and dwindling in Notion, of clearing up Doubts by Nonfenfe, and avoiding Difficulties by running into af- fefted Contradiftions, may perhaps pro- ceed from a well-meant Zeal ; yet it ap-- pears not to be according to Knowledge, and inftead of reconciling Atheifts to the Truth^hath, I doubt, a Tendency to con- firm i^z The Minute Dial. firm them in their own Perfuafion. It IV. ihould feem, therefore, very weak and ralh in a Chriftian to adopt this harfli Language of an Apocryphal Writer, pre- ferably to that of the Holy Scriptures. I remember, indeed, to have read of a certain Philofophcr, who lived fome Cen- turies ago, that ufed to fay, if thefe fup- pofed Works of Dionyftus had been known to the Primitive Fathers, they would have furnifhed them admirable Weapons againft the Haeretics, and would have faved a world of Pains. But the Event fmce their Difcovery hath by no means confirmed his Opinion. It mull be owned, the celebrat- ed Picus of Mirandula^ among his Nine Hundred Conclufions (which that Prince, being very young, propofed to maintain by public Difputation at Rome) hath this for one; to wit, that it is more improper to fay of God, he is an Intelled: or intelli- gent Being, than to fay of a reafonable Soul that it is an Angel: Which Dodrine it fcems was not reliflied. And Picus^ when he comes to defend it, fupports himfelf altogether by the Example and Authority of Dionyfius, and in effedl ex- plains it away into a meer verbal Diffe- rence, affirming, that neither Dionyjins nor himfelf ever meant to deprive God of Knowledge, or to deny that he knows all Things: Philosopher. ijj Things : But that, as Reafon is of kind Dial. peculiar to Man, fo by Intellection he un- IV. derftands a kind or manner of Knowing peculiar to Angels : And that the Know- ledge, which is in God, is more above the Intelleftion of Angels, than Angel is above Man. He adds that, as his Tenet confifls with admitting the moft perfect Know- ledge in God, fo he would by no Means be underftood to exclude from the Deity Intelled:ion itfelf, taken in the common or general Senfe, but only that peculiar fort of Intellcdion proper to Angels, which he thinks ought not to be attributed to God any more than Humane Reafon*. Piciis, therefore, though he fpeaks as the Apocryphal Dio?iyfius, yet when he ex- plains himfelf, it is evident he fpeaks like other Men. And although the formen- tioned Books of the Coeleftial Hierarchy and of the Divine Names, being attribu- ted to a Saint and Martyr of the Apoftoli- cal Age, were refpedied by the Schoolmen j yet it is certain they rejected or foftned his harfli ExprelTions, and explained away or reduced his Dodtrine to the received No- tions taken from Holy Scripture, and the Light of Nature. *Pic. Mirand. in Apolog. p. 155. Ed. Baf. XX. Thomas X5r4 Th e Minute Dial. XX. Thofnas Aquinas expreffethhis Senfe IV. of this Point in the following manner. All ^-^"^r^ Perfedions, faith he, derived from God to the Creatures are in a certain higher Senfe, or (as the Schoolmen term it) eminently in God. Whenever, therefore, aNamebor- rov^ed from any Perfection in the Creature is attributed to God, we muft exclude from its Signification every thing that belongs to theimperfedl Manner, wherein that Attri- bute is found in the Creature. Whence he concludes, that Knowledge in God is not an Habit, but a pure Adt *. And again the fame Doftor obferves, that our Intelledl gets its Notions of all forts of Perfeftions from the Creatures, and that as it apprehends thofe Perfections, fo it fignifies them by Names. Therefore, faith he, in attributing thefe Names to God, we are to confider two Things y firft. The Perfections them- felves as Goodnefs, Life, and the like, which are properly in God; and, fecondly. The Manner which is peculiar to the Crea- ture, and cannotjftricSly and properly fpeak- ing, be faid to agree to the Creator -j-. And although SuarjeZy with other Schoolmen, teacheth, that the Mind of Man conceiv- eth Knowledge and Will to be in God, as Faculties or Operations, by Analogy only * Sum. Theolog. p. i. Qua^ft. 14, Art. i. f Ibid.Qusit. 13. Art. 3. to Philosopher- ijj to created Beings ; yet he gives it plainly Dial, as his Opinion, that when Knowledge is IV. faid not to be properly in God, it muft be underftood in a Senfe including Imperfec- tion, fuch as difcurfive Knowledge, or the like imperfed kind found in the Creatures: And that, none of thofe Imperfeftions in the Knowledge of Men or Angels belonging to the formal Notion of Knowledge, or to Knowledge as fuch, it will not thence follow that Knowledge, in its proper formal Senfe^ may not be attributed to God : And of Knowledge taken in general for the clear evident underftanding of all Truth, he ex- prelly affirms that it is in God, and that this was never denied by any Philofopher who believed a God *. It was, indeed, a current Opinion in the Schools, that even Being itfelf fhould be attributed analogi- cally to God and the Creatures. That is, they held that God, the fupreme, indepen- dent, felf-originate Caufe and Source of all Beings, muft not be fuppofed to exift in the fame Senfe with created Beings, not that he exifts lefs truly, properly, or formally than they, but only becaufe he exifts in a more eminent and perfeft Manner. XXL But to prevent any Man's being led, by miftaking the Scholaftic Ufe of the * Suarez Difp. Metaph. Tom, 2, Dirp. 30. Seft. 1 5- Terms The Minute Terms Analogy and Analogical^ into an Opinion that we cannot frame in any De- gree, a true and proper Notion of Attri- butes applied by Analogy, or, in the School Phrafe, predicated analogically, it may not be amifs to inquire into the true Senfe and Meaning of thofe Words. Every one knows, that Analogy is a Greek Word ufed by Mathematicians, to fignify a Similitude of Proportions. For Inftance, when we obferve that Two is to Six, as Three is to Nine, this Similitude or Equality of Pro- portion is termed Analogy. And although Proportion ftridly fignifies the Habitude or Relation of one Quantity to another, yet in a loofer and tranflated Senfe, it hath been applied to fignify every other Habi- tude: And confequently the Term Ana logy comes to fignify all Similitude of Relations, or Habitudes whatfoever. Hence, the Schoolmen tell us there is Analogy be- tween Intellecft and Sight : Forafmuch as, Intelled: is to the Mind, what Sight is to the Body ? And that he who governs the State is analogous to him who fleers a Ship. Hence a Prince is analogically filled a Pi- lot, being to the State as a Pilot is to his VefTel *. For the farther clearing of this Point it is to be obferved, that a two-fold Analogy is diflinguifhed by the School- * Vide Cajetan. de Norn. Analog, c. 3. men. Philosopher; i^j men, metaphorical and proper. Of theDiAL. firft Kind there are frequent Inflances in IV. Holy Scripture, attributing Humane Parts and Paffions to God. When he is repre- fented as having a Finger, an Eye, or an Ear: when he is faid to repent, to be an- gry, or grieved: every one fees the Analo- gy is meerly metaphorical. Becaufe thofe Parts and Paffions, taken in the proper Signification, muft in every Degree necef- farily, and from the formal Nature of the Thing, include Imperfedion. When, therefore it is faid. The Finger of God appears in this or that Event, Men of common Senfe mean no more, but that it is as truly afcribed to God, as the Works wrought by Humane Fingers are to Man : and fo of the reft. But the Cafe is different, when Wifdom and Know- ledge are attributed to God. Paffions and Senfes, as fuch, imply Defed: but in Knowledge fimply, or as fuch, there is no Defeat. Knowledge therefore, in the proper formal Meaning of the Word, may be attributed to God proportiona- bly, that is, preferving a Proportion to the infinite Nature of God. We may fiy, therefore, that as God is infinitely above Man, fo is the Knowledge of God infi- nitely above the Knowledge of Man, and this is what Cajetan calls Analcgia Vol. L S propria 258 The Minute D I A-L.proprie faSla. And after this fame Ana« n^ Jogy? we mtifl; underftand all thofe Attri- butes to belong to the Deity, which in themfelves fimply, and as fuch, denote Perfection. We may therefore confiftently with what hath been premifed, affirm that all forts of Perfedion, which we can conceive in a finite Spirit, are in God, but without any of that Allay which is found in the Creatures. This Doftrine therefore of Analogical Perfedions in God, or our knowing God by Analogy, feems very much mifunderflood and mifapplied by thofe who would infer from thence : that we cannot frame any dired or proper Notion, though never fo inadequate, of Knowledge or Wifdom, as they are in the Deity: or underftand any more of them than one born blind can of Light and Colours. XXII. And now, Gentlemen, it may be expedled I fhould ask your Pardon for having dwelt fo long on a Point of Meta- phyfics, and introduced fuch unpoliflied and unfafhionable Writers, as the School- men, into good Company : but as Lyfick;; eave the Occafion, I leave him to anfwer for it. LTS. I never dreamt of this dry Differtation. But, if I have been the Occafion of difcuffing thefe Scholaftic Points^ Philosopher. 255? Points, by my unlucky mentioning the Dial. Schoolmen, it was my firft Fault of the IV. Kind, and I promife it fhall be the lafr. The meddling with crabbed Authors of any fort, is none of my Tafte. I grant one meets now and then with a good Notion in what we call dry Writers, fuch an one for example as this I was fpeaking of, which I muft own ftruck my Fancy. But then for thefe, we have fuch as Prodicus or T>iagoras^ who look into obfolete Books, and fave the reft of us that trouble. CRI. So you pin your Faith upon them. LTS, It is only for fome odd Opinions, and Matters ofFadl, and critical Points. Beiides, we know the Men to whom we give credit: They are judicious and honeft, and have no End to ferve but Truth. And I am confident fome Author or other has main- tained the forementioned Notion in the fame Senfe as Diagoras related it. CRI. That may be. But it never was a received Notion, and never will, fo long as Men believe a God: the fame Arguments that prove a firft Caufe, proving an intelligent Caufe: Intelligent, I fay, in the proper Senfe: Wife and Good in the true and formal Acceptation of the Words. Other- wife it is evident, that every Syllogifm brought to prove thofe Attributes, or (which is the fame thing) to prove the S 2 Being %6o Th e Minute DiAL.Being of a God, will be found to confift IV. of four Terms, and confequently can con- clude nothing. But for your part, Aid- phron^ you have been fully convinced, that God is a thinking intelligent Being in the fame Senfe with other Spirits, though not in the fame imperfeft Manner or Degree. XXIII. ALC. And yet I am not with- out my Scruples: For with Knowledge you infer Wifdom, and with Wifdom Goodnefs. Tho I cannot fee that it is ei- ther wife, or good, to enadl fuch Laws as can never be obey'd. CRI, Doth any one find fault with the Exadlnefs of Geome- trical Rules, becaufe no one in Praftice can attain to it ? The Perfedlion of a Rule is ufeful, even though it is not reach- ed. Many may approach what all may fall fhort of ALC. But how is it pofTible to conceive God fo good, and Man fo wicked ? It may perhaps with fome Co- lour be alledged, that a little foft fhadow- ing of Evil fets off the bright and lumi- nous Parts of the Creation, and fo contri- butes to the Beauty of the whole Piece: Bur, for Blots fo large and fo black it is impoffible to account by that Principle. That there fhould be fo much Vice, and fo little Virtue upon Earth, and that the Laws of God's Kingdom fliould be fo ill obferved Phil o s opher. 2(^r obferved by his Subjedls, is what can never Dial, be reconciled with that fur palling Wif- IV. dom and Goodnefs of the fupreme Mo- narch. EUPH, Teir me, Alciphro?:, would you argue that a State was ill ad- miniftred, or judge of the Manners of its Citizens, by the Diforders committed in the Goal or Dungeon ? ALC, I would not. EUPH. And for ought we know, this Spot with the few Sinners on it, bears no greater Proportion to the Univerfe of Intelligences, than a Dungeon doth to a Kingdom. It feems we are led not only by Revelation, but by common Senfe, ob- ferving and inferring from the Analogy of vifible Things, to conclude there are in- numerable Orders of intelligent Beings more happy and more perfecft than Man: whofe Life is but a Span, and whofe Place, this earthly Globe, is but a Point, in refpedl of the whole Syftem of God*s Creation. We are dazzled indeed with the Glory and Grandeur of things here below, becaufe we know no better. But I am apt to think, if we knew what it was to be an Angel for one Hour, we fhould return to this World, though it were to fit on the brightefl Throne in it, with vaftly more Lothing and Reluftance, than we would now defcend into a Icathfomc Dungeon or Sepulchre; S 3 XXIV. zc% Th e M I n ute XXIV. CRL To me it feems natural, that fuch a weak, palfionate, and fhort- fighted Creature as Man, (hould be ever liable to Scruple's of one kind or other. But, as this fame Creature is apt to be over-pofitive in judging, and over-hafty in concluding, it falls out, that thefe Dif- ficulties and Scruples about God's Con- dud: are made Objedions to his Being, And fo Men come to argue from their own Defeds, againft the Divine Perfedions. And, as the Views and Humours of Men are different, and often oppofite, you may fometimes fee them deduce the fame a- theiftical Conclufion from contrary Pre- mifes. I knew an Inftance of this in two Minute Philofophers of my Acquaintance, who ufed to argue each from his own Temper againft a Providence. One of them, a Man of a choleric and vindidive Spirit, faid he could not believe a Provi- dence : becaufe London was not fwallowed up or confumed by Fire from Heaven: the Streets being, as he faid, full of People, who fiiew no other Belief or Worfliip of God, but perpetually praying that he would damn, rot, fink, and confound them. The other, being of an indolent and eafy Temper, concluded there could be no fuch thing as a Providence: for that a Being of confummate Wifdom muft need3 I Philosopher. z^t^ needs employ himfelf better, than in mind-D i a l. ing the Prayers, and Adions, and little In- IV. terefts of Mankind. ALC. After all, if ^ God have no Paflions, how can it be true that Vengeance is his? Or how can he be faid to be jealous of his Glory ? CRI. We believe that God executes Vengeance without Revenge, and is jealous without Weaknefs, juft as the Mind of Man fees without Eyes, and apprehends without Hands. XXV. ALC, To put a Period to this Difcourfe, we will grant, there is a God in this difpaflionate Senfe: but what then ? What hath this to do with Religion or Divine Worfliip? To what purpofe are all thefe Prayers, and Praifes, and Thankfgivings, and Singing of Pfalms, which the foolifli Vulgar call ferving God ? What Senfe, or Ufe, or End is there in all thefe things? CRI, We worfhip God, we praife and pray to him : not becaufe we think that he is proud of our Worfhip, or fond of our Praife or Prayers, and affedted with them as Mankind are: or that all our Service can contribute in the leaft Degree to his Happinefs or Good: But becaufe it is good for us, to be fo difpofed towards God : becaufe it is juft and right, and fuitable to the Nature of S 4 Things, 164 Th e Mi nut e Dial. Things, and becoming the Relation we IV. ftand in to our fupreme Lord and Gover- nor. ALC, If it be good for us to worfhip God, it fhould feem that the Chriftian Religion, which pretends to teach Men the Knowledge and Worfhip of God, was of fome Ufe and Benefit to Mankind. CRL Doubtlefs. ALC. If this can be made appear, I fliall own my felf very much miflaken. CRL It is now near Dinner time. Wherefore, if you pleafe, we will put an end to this Con- verfation for the prefent, and to Morrovv' Morning refume our Subjedl. The Philosopher, The fifth DIALOGUE. I. Minute Philofophers join in this Cry^ and follow the Scent of others, II. Worjhip prefcribed by the Chrijlian Religion fuit- able to God and Man, III. Power and Influence of the Druids. IV. Excellency and Ufefulnefs of the Chrijlian Religion. V. It ennobles Mankind ^ and makes them happy, VI. Religion neither Bigotry nor Superftition, VII. Phyficians and Phyfic for the SouL VIII. CharaUer of the Clergy, IX. Natural Religion and Hu- mane Reafon Jiot to be dijparaged. X. T'endency and Ufe of the Gtnnlt Religion, XL Good EffeEls of Chriftianity. XIL Englifhmen c^;;?/>/7r^^i£^/V^ /?;2^/V;/if Greeks ^zW Romans. XIII. I^he Modern Prac- tice of Duelling, XIV. CharaBer of the Old Romans, how to be formed, XV. Genuine Fruits of the Gofpel. XVI. Wars and FaBions not an Effedl of the Chrifi- an Religion, XVII. Civil Rage and Ma f acres in Greece ^//^Rome. XVIIL Virtue of ancient Gv^^k.%, XIX. Sluar- rels of Polemical Divines. XX. Ty- ranny^ Vfurpation^ Sophifry of Eccle-^ fajlics. 16(5 The Minute Dial, fiajiics, XXI. T^he Vniverfities cenfured. IV. XXII. Divine Writings of a certain mo^ v-^^pw' dern Critic. XXIII. Learning the Ef- feB of Religion. XXIV. Barbarifm of the Schools. XXV. Rejloration of Learn- ing and polite Arts^ to whom o%ving. XXVL Prejudice and higratitude of Mi- nute Philofophers. XXVII. Their Pre- tenfions and Conduct inconfifient. XXVIII. Men and Brutes compared with refpeB to Religion. XXIX. Chrifiianity the only Means to ejiabliflj Natural Religion. XXX. Free-thinkers fnijlake their Ta- lents ; have a Jirong Imagination. XXXI. Tithes andChurch-lands.XXXU. Men dijlijiguified from Humane Crea- tures. XXXIII. Dijiribution of Man- kind into Birds, Beajls^ and Pipes. XXXIV. Plea for Reafon allowed, but Vitfairnefs taxed. XXXV. Freedom a Blefjing or a Ciirfe as it is ufed. XXXVL Prieflcraft not the reigni^ig Evil. E amufed otir felves next Day, every one to his Fancy, till Nine of the Clock, when Word was brought that the Tea-table was fet in the Li- brary : which is a Gallery on a Ground- floor, with an arched Door at one End opening Philosopher. ^c-j opening into a Walk of Limes ; where, asD i al, foon as we had drank Tea, we were V. tempted by fine Weather to take a Walk which led us to a fmall Mount of eafy Afcent, on the Top whereof we found a Seat under a fpreading Tree. Here we had a Profpedl on one Hand of a narrow Bay or Creek of the Sea, inclofed on either Side by a Coaft beautified with Rocks and Woods, and green Banks and Farm-houfes. At the End of the Bay was a fmall Town placed upon the Slope of a Hill, which from the Advantage of its Situation made a confiderable Figure. Several Fidiing- boats and Lighters gliding up and down on a Surface as fmooth and bright as Glafs enlivened the Profped:. On the other Side we looked down on green Failures, Flocks, and Herds, basking beneath in Sun-fliine, while we in our fuperior Situation enjoyed the Frefhnefs of Air and Shade. Here we felt that fort of joyful Inftinft which a rural Scene and fine Wea- ther infpire ; and propofed no fmall Plea- fure, in refummgand continuing our Con- ference without Interruption till Dinner : But we had hardly feated ourfelves, and looked about us, when we faw a Fox run by the Foot of our Mount into an adja- cent Thicket, A few Minutes after, we heard 2(58 The Minute Di AL.heard a confufed Noife of the opening of V. Hounds, the winding of Horns, and the W^^ roaring of Country Squires. While our Attention was fufpended by this Event, a Servant came running out of Breath and told Crito, that his Neighbour C/^/>/>2/j, a Squire of Note, was fallen from his Horfe attempting to leap over a Hedge, and brought into the Hall, where he lay for dead. Upon which we all rofe and walked haftily to the Houfe, where we found Cte- fippiis juft come to himfelf, in the midft of half a dozen Sun-burnt Squires in Frocks and fliort Wigs, and Jockey-Boots. Being asked how he did ? he anfwered it was only a broken Rib. With fome Difficulty Crito perfuaded him to lie on a Bed till the Chirurgeon came. Thefe Fox-hunters, having been up early at their Sport, were eager for Dinner, which was accordingly haftened. They paffed the Afternoon in a loud ruftic Mirth, gave Proof of their Religion and Loyalty by the Healths they drank, talked of Hounds and Horfes and Elections, and Country Affairs, till the Chirurgeon, who had been employed a- bout Ctejjppiis^ defired he might be put into Crito s Coach, and fent home, hav- ing refufed to flay all Night Our Guefls being gone, we repofed ourfelvcs after the Philosopher, i6^ the Fatigue of this tumultuous Vilit, and Dial* next Morning aflembled again at the Seat V. on the Mount. Now Lyjjcles^ being a' nice Man, and a bel efprit^ had an infinite Contempt for the rough Manners and Converfation of Fox-hunters, and could not refled: with Patience that he had loft, as he called it, fo many Hours in their Company. I flattered myfelf, faid he, that there had been none of this Species remain- ing among us : Strange that Men fhould be diverted with fuch uncouth Noife and Hurry, or find Pleafure in the Society of Dogs and Horfes ! How much more ele- gant are the Diverfions of the Town! There feems, replied Euphranor^ to be fome Refemblance between Fox-hunters and Free-thinkers; the former exerting their animal Faculties in Purfuitof Game, as you Gentlemen employ your Intellec- tuals in the Purfuit of Truth. The Kind of Amufement is the fame, although the Object be different. LTS, I had rather be compared to any Brute upon Earth than a rational Brute. CRI, You would then have been lefs difpleafed with my Friend Pythocles^ whom I have heard compare the common fort of Minute Philofophers, not to the Hunters, but the Hounds. For, faid he, you fliall often fee among the Dogs The Mi nu te Dogs a loud Babler, with a bad Nofe, lead the unskilful Part of the Pack ; who join all in his Cry without following any Scent of their own, any more than the Herd of Free-thinkers follow their own Reafon. II. But Pythocles was a blunt Man, and muft never have known fuch Reafoners among them as you Gentlemen, who can fit fo long at an Argument, difpute every Inch of Ground, and yet know when to make a reafonable Conceffion. LTS, I don't know how it came to pafs, but me- thinks Alciphrofi makes Conceffions for himfelf and me too. For my own part, I am not altogether of fuch a yielding Temper : But yet I don't care to be lingu- lar neither. CRI, Truly, Alciphron^ when I confider where we are got, and how far we are agreed, I conceive it probable we may agree altogether in the End. You have granted that a Life of Virtue is upon all Accounts eligible, as moft conducive both to the general and particular Good of Mankind : And you allow, that the Beau- ty of Virtue alone is not a fufficient Mo- tive with Mankind to the Pradice of ir. This led you to acknowledge, that the Be- lief of a God v/ould be very ufeful in the World: Philosopher. ^y^ World : And that confequently you fliould Dial. be difpofed to admit any reafonablc Proof V. of his Being: Which Point hath beenL/VNJ proved, and you have admitted the Proof. If then v^x admit a Divinity, why not Divine Worflnp ? And if Worfliip, why not Religion to teach this Worfhip ? And if a Religion, why not the Chriftian, if a better cannot be affigned, and it be al- ready eflabliflied by the Laws of our Coun- try, and handed down to us from our Fore-fathers ? Shall we believe a God, and not pray to him for future Benefits nor thank him for the paft ? Neither truft in his Protedion, nor love his Goodnefs, nor praife his Wifdom, nor adore his Power ? And if thefe Things are to be done, can we do them in a Way more fuitable to the Dignity of God or Man, than is prefcribed by the Chriftian Religion ? ALC. I am not perhaps altogether fure that Religion muft be abfolutely bad for the Public : But I cannot bear to fee Policy and Religion walk hand in hand : I do not like to fee Humane Rights attached to the Divine : I am for no PontifexMaximus^ fuch as in ancient or in modern Kome : No high Prieft, zs myudo'a: No Royal Priefts, as in /Egypt and Spa7'ta : No fuch Things as Dairos of Japan^ or Lamas of Tartary. III. I knew 27- The Minute Dial. III. I knew a late witty Gentleman of V. our Sedl, who was a great Admirer of the ancient Druids, He had a mortal Antipa- thy to the prefent eftablifhed Religion, but ufed to fay he fhould like well to fee the Druids and their Religion reftored, as it anciently flourifhed in Gaul 2ind Britai?!-, for it would be right enough that there jfhould be a Number of contemplative Men fet apart to preferve a Knowledge of Arts and Sciences, to educate Youth, and teach Men? the Immortality of the Soul and the moral Virtues. Such, faid he, were the Druids of old, and I fhould be glad to lee them once more eftabliihed among us. CRL How would you like, Alciphron^ that Priefts fhould have Power to decide all Controverfies, adjudge Property, diflri- bute Rewards and Punifhments : that all who did not acquiefce in their Decrees fhould be excommunicated, held in Abhor- rence, excluded from all Honours and Pri- vileges, and deprived of the common Bene- fit of the Laws : and that now and then, a Number of Lay-men fliould be cram- med together in a Wicker-idol, and burnt for an Offering to their Pagan Gods? How fhould you like living under fuch Priefls and fuch a Religion? J^LC. Not at all. Such a Situation would by no means agree with Free- Philosopher. 275 Free-thinkers. CRI. And yet fuch wereDi al. the Druids^ and fuch their ReHgion, if we V. may truftCV/^ir's Account ofthem^. LTS, I am now convinced more than ever, there ought to be no fuch Thing as an eftabhfhed Rehgion of any kind. Certainly all the Nations of the World have been hitherto out of their Wits. Even the Athenians themfelves, the wifeft and freeft People upon Earth, had, I know not what, foolifh Attachment to their eftablifhed Church, They offered, it feems, a Talent as a Re- ward to whoever fhould kill Diagoras the Melian^ a Free-thinker of thofe Times, who derided their Myfteries : And Prota- goras^ another of the fame Turn, narrow- ly efcaped being put to Death, for having wrote fomething that feemed to contradidt their received Notions of the Gods. Such was the Treatment our generous Sed: met with at Athens, And I make no doubt, but thefe Druids would have facrificed many a Holocauft of Free-thinkers. I would not give a fingle Farthing to ex- change one Religion for another. Away with all together, Root and Branch, or you had as good do nothing. No Druids or Priefls of any fort for me : I fee no oc- cafion for any of them. * De BcIIo Gallico, 1.6. Vol. I. T IV. EUPIL 274 "Th e Mtnu t e Dial. IV. Eliru, What Ly fides faith, puts V. nie in mind of the Clofe of our laft Con- ference, wherein it was agreed in the fol- lowing, to relume i.he Pomt we were then entered upon : to wit, the Ufe or Benefit of theChrillian Religion, which Alciphron expedled Crito fhould make appear.. CRI. I am the readier to undertake this Point, becaufe I conceive it to be no difficult one, and that one great Mark of the Truth of Chrlftianity is, in my Mind, its Tendency to do Good, which feems the North-Star to condud: our Judgment in moral Mat- ters, and in all things of a pradtic Na- ture; moral or pradical Truths being ever conn e(fled with univerfal Benefit. But to judge rightly of this Matter, we fhould endeavour to aft \\k.tLyficles upon another Occafion^ taking into our View the Sum, of Things, and confidering Principles as branched forth into Confequences to the utmcfl: Extent we are able. We are not fo much to regard the Humour or Caprice* or imaginary DiftrelTes of a few idle Men, v/hofe Conceit may be offended, though their Confcience cannoi be Vv^ounded; but fairly to confidtr the true Intereft of Indi- viduals, as well as of Humane Society. Now the Chriftian Religion, confidered as a Fountain of Light, and Joy, and Peace, as t^HlLO SOPHER, iyj as a Source of Faith, and Hope, and Cha- Dial, rity, (and that it is lb, will be evident to V. whoever takes his Notion of it from the Gofpel) muft needs be a Principle of Hap- pinefs and Virtue. And he who fees nor, that the deftroying the Principles of good Aftions muft deftroy good Adions, fees nothing : And he who, feeing this, fhall yet perfift to do it, if he be not wicked, who is ? V. To me it feems the Man can fee nei- ther deep nor far, who is not fenfible of his own Mifery, Sinfulnefs, and Depen- dence ; who doth not perceive, that this prefent World is not defigned or adapted to make rational Souls happy ^ who would not be glad of getting into a better States and who would not be overjoyed to find, that the Road leading thither was the Love of God and Man, the prad:ifing every Virtue, the living reafbnably while we are here upon Earth, proportioning our Efteem to the Value of Things, and fo ufing this World as not to abufe it. For this is v/hat Chriftianity requires. It neither injoins the Naftinefs of the Cynic, nor the Infen- iibility of the Stoic. Can there be a higher Ambition than to overcome the World, or a wifer than to fubdue ourfelves, or a T 2 more 17^ Th e Mi nute Dial. more comfortable Dodlrine than the Re- V. miflion of Sins, or a more joyful Profped: than that of having our bafe Nature re- newed and affimilated to the Deity, our being made Fellow-Citizens with Angels and Sons of God ? Did ever Pythagoreans^ or PlatG?iifts^ or Stoics^ even in Idea or in Wifh, propofe to the Mind of Man purer Means, or a nobler End ? How great a Share of our Happinefs depends upon Hope ! How totally is this extinguifhed by the Minute Philofophy ! On the other hand, how is it cherifhed and raifed by the Gofpel ! Let any Man who thinks in earncfi but confider thefe things, and then fay which he thinks defer veth beft of Man- kind, he who recommends, or he who runs down Chriflianity ? Which he thinks likelier to lead a happy Life, to be a hope- ful Son, an honeft Dealer, a worthy Pa- triot, He who nncercly believes the Gof- pel, or Ht who believes not one Tittle of it? He who aims at being a Child of God, or He who is contented to be thought, and to be, one of Epicurus'^ Hogs ? And in fad, do but fcan the Cha- re ders, aiid obferve the Behaviour of the common iort of Men on both fides : Ob- ferve, c nd fay whxh live moll agreeably to the Didates of Reafon? How things ihould Philosopher. 277 ihould be, the Reafon is plain: how they Dial* are, I appeal to Faft. VI. y^LC. It is wonderful to obferve how things change Appearance, as they are viewed in different Lights, or by diffe- rent Eyes. The Pifture, CnfOy that I form of Religion is very unlike yours, when I confider how it unmans the Soul, filling it with abfurd Reveries, and flavifh Fears: how it extingui{l:ies the gentle Paffions, infpiring a Spirit of Malice, and Rage, and Perfecution : When I behold bitter Refentments and unholy Wrath in thofe very Men, who preach up Meeknefs and Charity to others. CRL It is very pof- fible, that Gentlemen of your Seft may think Religion a Subjedl: beneath their Attention: but yet it feems that whoever fets up for oppofing any Dodtrine, fhould know what it is he difputes againft. Know then, that Religion is the virtuous Mean between Incredulity and Superftition. We •do not therefore contend for fuperftitious Follies, or for the Rage of Bigots. What we plead for is. Religion againft Profane- nefs. Law againft Confufion, Virtue againft Vice, the Hope of a Chriftian againft the Defpondency of an Atheift. I will not juftify bitter Refentments and unholy T 3 Wrath xyS The Minute Dial. Wrath in any Man, much lefs in a Chri- V. ftran, and leaft of all ia a Clergyman. But if Sallies of Humane Paffion Ihould fomcr times appear even in the bcft, it will not furprife any one who reflects on the Sar- cafms and ill Manners with which they are treated by the Minute Philofophers. For, as Cicero fomewhere obferves, Haiet quenda?7i aculeum Coiitiimelia^ quern pad prudentes ac viri boni difficillime poffunt. But although you might fometimes obferve particular Perfons, profeiling themfelves Chriftians, run into faulty Extremes of any Kind, through Paffion and Infirmity, while Infidels of a more calm and difpaf- fionate Temper fhall perhaps behave better. Yet thefe natural Tendencies on either fide prove nothing, either in favour of Infidel Principles, or againft Chriftian. If a Be- liever doth Evil, it is owing to the Man, not to his Belief. And if an Infidel doth Good, it is owing to the Man, and not to his Infidelity. VII. LTS. To cut this Matter fhort, I fhall borrow an Allufion to Phyfic, which one of you made ufe of againft our Sedl. It will not be denied, that the Clergy pafs for Phyficians of the Soul, and that Religion is a fort of Medicine which they Philosopher. i7P they deal in and admin ifter. If thenD Souls in great numbers are difeafed and loft, how can we think the Phyfician skilful, or hisPhyficgood? It is a common Complaint, that Vice increafes, and Men grow daily more and more wicked. If a Shepherd's Flock be difeafed or unfound, who is to blame but the Shepherd, for neglecting, or not knowing how to cure them? A Fig therefore for fuch Shepherds, fuch Phyfic, and fuch Phyficians, who like other Mountebanks, with great Gra- vity and elaborate Harangues put off their Pills to the People, who are never the better for them. EUPH. Nothing feems more reafonable than this Remark, That Men {hould judge of a Phylician and his Phyfic, by its Effedt on the Sick. But pray, Lyficles^ would you judge of a Phy- fician, by thofe Sick who take his Phyfic and follow his Prefcriptions, or by thofe w^hodonot? LYS, Doubtlefs by thofe who do. EUPH. What (liall we fay then, if great numbers refufe to take the Phyfic, or inftead of it take Poifon of a diredt contrary Nature prefcribed by others, who make it their Bufinefs to difcredit the Phy- fician and his Medicines, to hinder Men from ufing them, and to deftroy their Effed by Drugs of their own } Shall the T 4 Phyficiaa 2.80 The Minute D I A L.Phvfician be blamed for the Mifcarriage of V. thofe People? Zr^. By no means. EUPH. By a parity of Reafon fhould it not follow, that the Tendency of religious Doctrines ought to be judged of by the Effeds which they produce, not upon all who hear them, but upon thofe only who receive or be- lieve them ? LTS. It feems fo. EUPH. Therefore to proceed fairly, fhall we not judge of the Effeds of Religion by the Re- ligious, of Faith by Believers, of Chriftia- pity by Chriftians ? VIII. LTS. But I doubt thefe fincere Believers are very few. EUPH. But will it not fufhce to juftify our Principles, if in proportion to the Numbers which receive them, and the degree of Faith with which they are received, they produce good Ef- feds. Perhaps the Number of Believers are not fo few as you imagine: and if they were, whofe Fault is that fo much as of thofe who make it their profeffed Endea- vour to leflen that Number? And who are thofe but the Minute Philofophers ? LTS. I tell you it is owing to the Clergy them- felves, to the Wickednefs and Corruption of Clergymen. EUPH, And who denies but there may be Minute Philofophers even ^mong the Clergy? CRI, In fo numerous a Body Philosopher. 281 a Body it is to be prefumed there are Men Dial. of all forts. But notwithftanding the cruel V. Reproaches caft upon that Order by their Enemies, an equal Obferver of Men and Things will, if I miftake not, be inclined to think thofe Reproaches owing as much to other Faults, as thofe of the Clergy : ef- pecially if he confiders the declamatory manner of thofe who cenfure them. EUPH. My Knowledge of the World is too narrow for me to pretend to judge of the Virtue, and Merit, and liberal Attain- ments of Men in the feveral Profeffions. Befides, I {hould not care for the odious Workof Comparifon: But I may venture to fay, the Clergy of this Country where I live are by no means a Difgrace to it : on the contrary, the People feem much the better for their Example and Dodrine. But fuppofing the Clergy to be (what all Men certainly are) Sinners, and faulty; fuppofing you might fpy out here and there among them even great Crimes and Vices, what can you conclude againft the Pro- feffion it felf from its unworthy Profef- fors, any more than from the Pride, Pe- dantry, and bad Lines of fome Philofo- phers againft Philofophy, or of Lawyers againft Law? IX. It xSz The Minute Dial. IX. It is certainly right to judge of V. Principles from their EfFeds, but then we muft know them to be EfFedts of thofe Principles. It is the very Method I have obferved, w^ith refpefl: to Religion and the Minute Philofophy. And I can honeftly aver, that I never knew any Man or Fa- mily grow worfe in proportion as they grev^ religious: But I have often ob- served, that Minute Philofophy is the worft thing which can get into a Family, the readieft way to imp over ifh, divide, and difgrace it. ALC. By the fame Me- thod of tracing Caufes from their EfFefts, I have m^ade it my Obfervation, That the Love of Truth, Virtue, and the Happi- nefs of Mankind are fpecious Pretexts, but not the inward Principles that fet Di- vines at work : Elfe why fhould they af- fedl to abufe Humane Reafon, to difparage Natural Religion, to traduce the Philofb- phers, as they univerfally dor CRI. Notfo univerfally perhaps as you imagine. A Chriftian, indeed, is for confining Reafon within its due Bounds: and fo is every reafonable Man. If we are forbid med- dling with unprofitable Queftions, vain Philofophy, and Science falfly fo called, it cannot be thence inferred, that all In- quiries into profitable Queflions, ufeful Phi- Philosopher. 283 Philofophy, and true Science, are unlaw- Dial. ful. A Minute Philofophcr may indeed V. impute, and perhaps a weak Brother may imagine thofe Inferences, but Men of Senfe will never make them. God is the common Father of Lights: and all Know- ledge really fuch, whether natural or re- vealed, is derived from the fame Source of Light and Truth. To amafs together Au- thorities upon fo plain a Point would be needlefs. It muft be owned fome Mens attributing too much to Humane Reafon, hath, as is natural, made others attribute too little to it. But thus much is generally acknowledged, that there is a natural Re- ligion, which may be difcovered and proved by the Light of Reafon, to thofe who are capable of fuch Proofs. But it muft be withal acknowledged, that Pre- cepts and Oracles from Heaven are incom- parably better fuited to popular Improve- ment, and the Good of Society, than the Reafonings of Philofophers : and accord- ingly we do not find, that natural or ra- tional Religion, as fuch, ever became the popular national Religion of any Country. X. ALC. It cannot be denied, that in all Heathen Countries there have been re- ceived 8 284 The Minute DiAL.ceived under the colour of Religion, a V. world of Fables and fuperftitious Rites. But I queftion whether they were lo abfurd and of fo bad Influence, as is valgarlv re- prefented, fince their refpeffive Legiflators and Magiftrates mujfl:, without doubt, have thought them ufetul. CRI, It were need- iefs to inquire into all the Rites and No- tions of the Gentile World. This hath been largely done when it was thought ne- ceflfary. And whoever thinks it worth while, may be eafily fatisfied about them. But as to the Tendency and Ufefulnefs of the Heathen Religion in general, I beg leave to mention a Remark of St. Aiigu-- ftines *, who obferves that the Heathens in their Religion had no Affemblies for preaching, wherein the People were to be inftruded what Duties or Virtues the Gods required, no Place or Means to be taught what Perjius -f- exhorts them to learn. Difciteque 6 miferi^ £5? caufas eogmfcite rerum^ ^id fumus^ £5? ^uidnam vidfuri gignimur, — ALC. This is the true Spirit of the Party, never to allow a Grain of Ufe or Good- nefs to any thing out of their own Pale : But we have had learned Men who have * De Civitate Dei 1. 2. f Sat. 3. don© 8 Philosopher. 285 done Juftice to the Religion of the Gejitiles. Dial. CRI We do not deny but there was fome- V. thing ufeful in the old ReLgions of Rotne and Greece^ and fome other Pagan Coun- tries. " On the contrary, we freely own they produced fome good Effefts on the People: But then thefe good EfFedls were owing to the Truths contained in thofe falfe Religions: the truer therefore, the more ufeful. I believe you will find it a hard Matter to produce any ufeful Truth, any moral Precept, any falutary Principle or Notion in any Gentile Syftem, either of Religion or Philofophy, which is not comprehended in the Chriflian, and either enforced by ftronger Motives, or fuppor- ted by better Authority, or carried to a higher Point of Perfedion. XI. Confequently you would have us think our felves a finer People than the ancient Greeks or Romans, CRI. If by finer you mean better, perhaps we are : and if we are not, it is not owing to the Chriftian Religion, but to the want of it. ALC, You fay perhaps we are. I do not pique my lelf on my Reading: Butfhould be very ignorant to be capable of being impofed on in fo plain a Point. What! compare ucero or Brutus to an E?2glip Patriot, i85 The Minute Dial. Patriot, or Se?ieca to one of our Parfons ! V. Then that invincibleConftancy and Vigour of Mind, that difinterefted and noble Vir- tue, that adorable publick Spirit you fo much admire, are things in them fo well known, and io different from our Manners, that I know not how to excufeyour/>^r- haps. Euphranor^ indeed, who pafleth his Life in this obfcure Corner, may poiTibly miflake the Charafters of our Times: but you who know the World, how could you be guilty of fuch a Miflake ? CRI. O Alciphron ! I would by no means detract from the noble Virtue of ancient Heroes : But I obferve thofe great Men were not the Minute Phiiofophers of their Times : and that the bell: Principles upon which they afted are common to them with Chriflians^ of whom it would be no difhcult Matter to afTign, if not in our own Times, yet within the co^npafs of our own Hiflory, many InflaaceL in every Kind of Worth and Virtue, publick or private, equal to the moft celebrated of the Ancients, Though perhaps their Story might noc have been fo well told, fet off with fuch fine Lights and Colourings of Style, or fo vulgarly known and coafidered by every School-Boy. But though it fhould be granted, that here and there a Greek or Rojna?i Philosopher. ig^ Uoman Genius, bred up under ftrlft LawsDi al. and fevere Difcipline, animated o public V. Virtue by Statues, Crowns, Triumphal Arches, and fuch Rewards and Monu- ments of great Adions, might attain to a Charaftcr and Fame beyond other Men ; yet this will prove only, that they had more Spirit, and lived under a civil Polity more wifely ordered in certain Points than ours: Which Advantages of Nature and Civil inftitution will be no Argument for theirReligion, or againfl ours. On the con- trary, it feems an invincible Proof of the Power and Excellency of the Chriftian Religion, that, without the help of thofe Civil Inftitutions and Incentives to Glory, it ihould be able to infpxre a Phlegmatic People with the nobleft Sentiments, and foften the rugged Manners of Northern Boors into Gentlenefs and Humanity : and that thefe good Qualities fhould become National, and rife and fall in proportion to the Purity of our Religion, as it ap- proaches to, or recedes from the Plan laid down in the Gofpcl. XII. To make a right Judgment of the Effefts of the Chriftian Religion, let us take a Survey of the prevailing Notions and Manners of this very Country where we 288 The Minute Di AL. we live, and compare them with thofe of V. our Heathen PredecelTors. ALC, I have heard much of the glorious Light of the Gofpel, and fhould be glad to fee fome Effects of it in my own dear Country, which, by the bye, is one of the moft corrupt and profligate upon Earth, not* withftanding the boafted Purity of our Religion. But it would look mean and diffident, to affed: a Comparifon with the barbarous Heathen, from whence we drew our Original: If you would do ho- nour to your Religion, dare to make it with the moft renowned Heathens of An- tiquity. CRI, It is a common Prejudice, to defpife the prefent, and over-rate re- mote Times and Things. Something of this feems to enter into the Judgments Men make of the Greeks and Romans. For though it muft be allowed, thofe Nations produ- ced fome noble Spirits and great Paterns of Virtue: yet upon the whole, it feems to me they were much inferior in point of real Virtue and good Morals, even to this corrupt and profligate Nation, as you are now pieafed to call it in dilhonour to our Religion; hov^ever you may think fit to charaderize it, when you would do honour to the Minute Philofophy. This, I U^ink, v/ill be plain to any one, who fliall Philosopher. 28 p fhall turn off his Eyes from a few fliiningDi al. Characters, to view the general Manners V. and Cuftoms of thofe People. Their in- folent Treatment of Captives, even of the highefl Rank and fofter Sex, their unnatural expofing of their own Chil- dren, their bloody Gladiatorian Spec- tacles, compared with the common No- tions of EngliJJjmeny are to me a plain Proof, that our Minds are much foftened by Chriflianity. Could any thing be more unjuft, than the condemning a young Lady to the moft infamous Pu- nifhment and Death for the Guilt of her Father, or a whole Farriily of Slaves, perhaps fome hundreds for a Crime com- mitted by one ? Or more abominable than their Bacchanals and unbridled Lufts of every kind ? which, notwithftanding all that has been done by Minute Phi- lofophers to debauch the Nation, and their fuccefsful Attempts on fome part of it, have not yet been matched among us, at leaft not in every Circumftance of Impudence and Effrontery. While the Romans were poor, they were tem- perate ; but, as they grew rich, they became luxurious to a Degree that is hardly believed or conceived by us. It cannot be denied, the old Roman Spirit Vol. I. U was 2L5?o The Minute Dial, was a great one. But it is as certain, there V. have been numberlefs Examples of the moft refolute and clear Courage in Bri- tons^ and in general from a Religious Caufe. Upon the whole, it feems an In- ftance of the grcateft Blindnefs and Ingra- titude, that we do not fee and own the ex- ceeding great Benefits of Chriftianity, which, to omit higher Confiderations, hath fo vifibly foftened, polilhed, and embelliflied our Manners. XIII. j^LC. O Crko, we are alarmed at Cruelty in a foreign Shape, but over- look it in a familiar one. Elfe how is it poffible that you fhould not fee the In- humanity of that barbarous Cuftom of Duelling, a Thing avowed and tolerated and even reputable among us ? Or that feeing this, you (hould fuppofe our Eng^ lifimen of a more gentle Difpofition than the old Romans, who were altogether Strangers to it ? CRI. I will by no means make an Apology for every Goth that walks the Streets, with a determined Pur- pofe to murder any Man who fhall but fpit in his Face, or give him the Lye. Nor do I think the Chriftian Religion in the leaft anfwerable, for a Practice fo diredly oppofite to its Precepts, and which obtains Philosopher. tpi obtains only among the idle Part of theDiAL, Nation, your Men of Fafl^iion; who, in- V. ftead of Law, Reafon, or Religion, are governed by Fafhion. Be pleafed to con- fider that what may be, and truly is, a moft fcandalous Reproach to a Chriftian Country, may be none at all to the Chriftian Religion : For the Pagan en* couraged Men in feveral Vices, but the Chriftian in none. ^LC. Give me leave to obferve, that what you now fay is fo- reign to the Purpofe. For the Queftion, at prefent, is not concerning the refpec-* tive Tendencies of the Pagan and the Chriftian Religions, but concerning our Manners, as adually compared with thofe of ancient Heathens, who I aver had no fuch barbarous Cuftom as Duel- ling. CRL And I aver that, bad as this is, they had a worfe : and that was Poi- ibning. By which we have reafon to think there were many more Lives de- ftroyed, than by this Gothic Crime of Duelling : Inafmuch as it extended to all Ages, Sexes, and Characfters, and as its EftecSts were more fecret and unavoidable : and as it had more Temptations, Intereft- ^s well as Paffion, to recommend it to wicked Men. And for the Fad, not to wafte Time, I refer you to the Roman U ^ Author^ 1S>^ Th e Minute D I A L. Authors themfelves. LTS. It is very true : V* Duelling is not fo general a Nufance as Poifoning, nor of fo bafe a Nature. This Crime, if it be a Crime, is in a fair way to keep its Ground in fpite of the Law and the Gofpel. The Clergy never preach againft it, becaufe themfelves never fuflfer by it : and the Man of Honour muft not appear againft the means of vindicating Honour. CRI, Though it be remark- ed by fome of your Sed:, that the Clergy are not ufed to preach againft Duelling, yet I neither think the Remark it felf juft, nor the Reafon affigned for it. In effed:, one half of their Sermons, all that is faid of Charity, Brotherly Love, Forbearance, Meeknefs, and Forgiving Injuries is di- redly againft this wicked Cuftom ; by which the Clergy themfelves are fo far from never fuffering, that perhaps they will be found, all Things confidered, to fuffer oftner than other Men. LTS, How do you make this appear ? CRI, An Ob- ferver of Mankind may remark two kinds of Bully, the Fighting and the Tame, both public Nufances : the former (who is the more dangerous Animal, but by much the lefs common of the two) employs himfelf wholly and folely againft the Laity, while the tame Species exert their 8 Philosopher. ipj their Talents upon the Clergy. TheDiAL. Qualities conftituent of this tame Bully V. are natural Rudenefs joined with a deli- v^v^s-^ cate Senfe of Danger. For, you muft know, the Force of inbred Infolence and ill Manners is not diminifhed, though it acquire a new Determination, from the fafhionable Cuftom of calling Men to ac- count for their Behaviour. Hence you may often fee one of thefe tame Bullies ready to burft with Pride and ill Humour, which he dares not vent, till a Parfon has come in the way to his Relief And the Man of Raillery, who would as foon bite off his Tongue, as break a Jeft on the Profeffion of Arms, in the Prefence of a military Man, fliall inftantly brighten up, and affume a familiar Air with Religion and the Church before Ecclefiaftics. Dor-^ con, who paffes for a Poltron and ftu- pid in all other Company, and really is fo, when he is got among Clergymen, affecSks a quite oppofite Charafter. And many Dorco?is there are, which owe their Wit and Courage to this Paffive Order. XIV. ALC. But to return to the Point in hand, can you deny, the old Romaris were as famous for Juilice and Integrity, U 3 as iP4 Th e Minute Dial. as Men in thefe Days for the contrary V. Qualities ? CRT. The Charader of the Romans is not to be takeri from the Sen- timents of ^ull)\ or Cato's Actions, or a fhining PaiTage here and there in their Hiftory, but from the pirevaihng Tenor of their Lives and Notions. Now if they and our modern Britons are weighed in this fame equal Balance, you will, if I miftake not, appear to have been preju- diced in favour of the old Romans againft your own Country : probably becaufe it iprofeffeth Chriftianity. Whatever Inftan- ces of Fraud or Injuftice may be feen in Chriflians carry their own Cenfure with them, in the Care that is taken to conceal them, and the Shame that attends their Difcovery. There is^ even at this Day^ a fort of Modefty in all our publick Councils and Deliberations. And I be- lieve, the boldeft of our Minute Philofo- phers would hardly undertake in a po- pular AfTembly, to propofe any Thing parallel to the Rape of the SabineSy the mofl unjuft Ufage of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus^ or the ungrateful Treatment of Camillus^ which, as a learned Father obferves, were Infta^nces of Iniquity a- greed to by the public Body of the Ro-^ mans. And if Rome in her early Days were Philosopher; 20^ were capable of fuch flagrant InjufHce,Di al, it is moft certain flie did not mend her V. Manners, as flie grew great in Wealth' and Empire, having produced Monfters I in every Kind of Wickednefs, as far ex- j ceeding other Men, as they furpafTed I them in Power. I freely acknowledge, the Chriftian Religion hath not had the fame Influence upon the Nation, that it would in cafe it had been always profef- fed in its Purity, and cordially believed by all Men. But I will venture to fay, that if you take the Ro?na?i Hiftory from one End to the other, and impartially compare it with our own, you will nei- ther find them fo good, nor your Coun- "trymen fo bad as you imagine. On the contrary, an indifferent Eye may, I verily think, perceive a Vein of Charity and Juflice, the Effedl of Chriflian Princi- ples, run through the latter; which, though not equally difcernible in all Parts, yet difclofeth it felf fufficiently to make a wide Difference upon the whole, in fpite of the general Appetites and Paflions of Humane Nature, as well as of the particular Hardnefs and Roughnefs of the Block, out of which we were hewn. And it is obfervable (what the Roman Authors themfelves often fuggefl) that, U 4 even %^6 The Minute Dial. even their Virtues and magnanimous V. Adlions rofe and fell with a Senfe of Providence and a future State, and a Philofophy the neareft to the Chriflian Religion. XV. Crito having fpoke thus, paufed. But Alciphron addreffing himfelf to £w- fhrariQr and me, faid, It is natural for Men, according to their feveral Educa- tions and Prejudices, to form contrary Judgments upon the fame Things, which they view in very different Lights. Crito^ for inftance, imagines that none but Sa- lutary Effefts proceed from Religion : on the other hand, if you appeal to the gene- ral Experience and Obfervation of other Men, you fhall find it grown into a Pro-. verb that Religion is the Root of Evil. ^antiim Religio pofuit fuadere malorum. And this is not only among 'Epicureans or other ancient Heathens, but among Mo- derns fpeaking of the Chriftian Religion. Nowmcthinks it is unreafonabletooppofe againft the general concurring Opinion of the World, the Obfervation of a particu- lar Perfon, or particular Set of Zealots, whofe Prejudice flicks clofe to them, and ever Philosopher. 25>7 ever mlxeth with their Judgments andDiAL. who read, colleft, and obfcrve with an Eye V. not to difcover the Truth, but to defend ^^or**-^ their Prejudice. CR /. Though I cannot think with Alciphro72, yet I muft own, I admire his Addrefs and Dexterity in Ar- gument. Popular and general Opinion is by him reprefented, on certain Occafions, to be a fure Mark of Error. But when it ferves his Ends that it fliould feem other- wife, he can as eafily make it a Charac- ter of Truth. But it will by no means follow, that a profane Proverb ufed by the Friends and admired Authors of a Minute Philofopher, muft therefore be a received Opinion, much lefs a Truth grounded on the Experience and Obferva- tion of Mankind. Sadnefs may fpring from Guilt or Superftition, and Rage from Bigotry : But Darknefs might as well be fuppofed the natural Eftedt of Sunihine, as fullen and furious Paffions to proceed from the glad Tidings and divine Precepts of the Gofpel What is the Sum and Sub^ ftance. Scope and End of Chrift*s Religi- on, but the Love of God and Man ? To which all other Points and Duties are re- lative and fubordinate, as Parts or Means, as Signs, Principles, Motives, or Effeds. Now I would fain know, how it is pofr lible 25^8 TheMiNUTE Di AL.fible for Evil or Wickednefs of any kind V. to fpring from fuch a Source. I will not pretend, there are no evil Qualities in Chriftians, nor good in Minute Philofo-* phers. But this I affirm, that whatever Evil is in us, our Principles certainly lead to Good: and whatever Good there may be in you, it is moft certain your Princi- ples lead to Evil. XVI. ALC, It muft be owned there Is a fair Outfide, and many plaufible Things may be faid, for the Chriftian Religion tak- en fimply as it lies in the Gofpel. But it is the Obfervation of one of our great Writers, that the firft Chriilian Preachers very cunningly began with the faireft Face and the beil moral Dodtrines in the World, It w^as all Love, Charity, Mceknefs, Pa- tience and fo forth. But when by this means they had drawn over the World and got Power, they foon changed their Appearance, and fhewed Cruelty, Ambiti- on, Avarice, and every bad Quality. CRI. That is to fay, fome Men very cunning- ly preached and underwent a world of Hardships, and laid down their Lives to propagate the beft Principles and the bell: Morals, to the end that others fome Cen- turies after might reap the Benefit of bad 4 ones. Philosopher. 199 ones. Whoever may be cunning, there is D i a l. not much Cunning in the Maker of this V. Obfervation. ^LC. And yet ever fince this Religion hath appeared in the World, we have had eternal Feuds, Faftions, Maf- facres and Wars, the very Reverfeof that Hymn with which it is introduced in the Gofpel : Glory be to God on high^ on 'Earth PeacCy Good-will towards Men. Ci?/. This I will not deny. I will even own, that the Gofpel and the Chriftian Religion have been often the Pretexts for thefe Evils : but it will not thence follow they were the Caufe. On the contrary it is plain, they could not be the real proper Caufe of thefe Evils; becaufe a rebellious, proud, re- vengeful, quarrelfome Spirit is direftly op- ^ofite to the whole Tenor and moft ex- prefs Precepts of Chriftianity : a Point fo clear that I {hall not prove it. And fe- condly, becaufe all thofe Evils you men- tion were as frequents, nay^ much more frequent, before the Chriftian Religion was known in the World. They are the common Produdt of the Paffions and Vices of Mankind, which are fometimes covered with the Mafque of Religion by wicked Men, having the Form of Godli- nefs without the Power of it. This Truth feems fo plain, that I am furprifed how any 500 The Minute Dial, any Man of Senfe, Knowledge, and Can- V. dour can make a Doubt of it. XVII. Take but a View of Heathen Rojne y what a Scene i$ there of Fadion and Fury and civil Rage ? Let any Man confider the perpetual Feuds between the PatriciaJis and Plebeians^ the bloody and inhumane Fadions of Marius and SyllUy Cinna and OBavius^ and the vafl havoc of Mankind, during the two famous Triumvirates. To be iliort, let any Man of common Candour and common Senfe but caft an Eye, from one End to the o- ther of the Roman Story, and behold that long Scene of Seditions, Murders, Maf- facres, Profcriptions and Defolations of every kind, enhanced by every cruel Cir-* cumftance of Rage, Rapine, and Revenge; and then fay, whether thofe Evils were introduced into the World with the Chriftian Religion, or whether they are not lefs frequent now than before ? ALC. The ancient Romans^ it muft be ownedj had a high and fierce Spirit, which pro- duced eager Contentions and very bloody Cataftrophes. The Greeks^ on the other hand, were a polite and gentle Sort of Men, foftened by Arts and Philofophy. It is impoifible to think of the little States and Philosopher. 501 and Cities of Greece, without wifhing to D i a l* have Hved in thofe Times, without ad- V. miring their Policy and envying their Happinefs. CRI. Men are apt to confider the dark Sides of what they poffefs, and the bright ones of Things out of their Reach. A fine Climate, elegant Tafte, polite Amufements, Love of Liberty, and a moft ingenious inventive Spirit for Arts and Sciences were indifputable Preroga- tives of ancient Greece, But as for Peace and Quietnefs, Gentlenefs and Humanity, I think we have plainly the Advantage : For thofe envied Cities com^pofed of gentle Greeks were not without their Factions, which perfecuted each other v/ith fuch Treachery, Rage, and Malice, that in refpedt of them our factious Folk are meer Lambs. To be convinced of this Truth, you need only look into ^hiicydides *; where you will find thofe Cities in gene- ral involved in fuch bitter Fadtions, as for Fellow-Citizens without the Formali- ties of War, to murder one another, even in their Senate- houfes and their Temples ; no regard being had to Merit, Rank, Ob- ligation, or Nearnefs of Blood. And if Humane Nature boiled up to fo vehe- ment a Pitch in the politeft People, what * Thucyd. 1. 3. wonder ^ot The Minute Dial, wonder that Savage Nations fhould fcalp,; V. roaft, torture, and deftroy each other, as W"^ they are known to do ? It is therefore plain, that without ReUgion there would not be wanting Pretexts for Quarrels and Debates ; all which can y^ry eafily be accounted for by by the natural Infirmities and Corruption of Men, It would not perhaps be fo eafy to account for the Blind-, nefs of thofe, who impute the moft hel- lifli Efifeds to the moft divine Principle, if they could be fuppofed in earneft, and tQ have confidered the Point. One may daily fee ignorant and prejudiced Men make the moft abfurd Blunders : But that Free- thinkers, Divers to the Bottom of Things, Fair Inquirers, and Openers of Eyesfhould be capable of fuch a grofs IVIiftake, is what one would not exped:, XVIII. ALC. The reft of Mankind we could more eafily give up : but as for the Greeks, Men of the moft refined Ge- nius exprefs an high Efteem of them : not only on account of thofe Qualities which you think fit to allow them, but alfo for their Virtues. CRI, I Ihall not take up- on me to fay how far fome Men may be prejudiced againft their Country, or whe- ther others may pot be prejudiced iri favour Ph I LO S CIPHER, 50 J favour of it. But upon the fulleft andDiAL. moft equal Obfervation that I am able to V. make, it is my Opinion, that, if by Vir- tue is meant Truth, Juftice, Gratitude, there is incomparably more Virtue, now at this Day in England^ than at any Time could be found in ancient Greece, Thus much will be allowed, that we know few Countries, if any, where Men of eminent Worth, and famous for deferving well of the Public, met with harder Fate, and were more ungratefully treated than in the moft polite and learned of the Grecian States. Though Socrates^ it muft be own- ed, would not allow, that thofe Statefmen, by adorning the City, augmenting the Fleet, or extending the Commerce of Athem^ deferved well of their Country j or could with Juftice complain of the un- grateful Returns made by their Fellow- Citizens, whom, while they were in Power, they had taken no Care to make better Men, by improving and cultivat- ing their Minds with the Principles of Virtue, which if they had done, they needed not to have feared their Ingrati- tude. If I were to declare my Opinion, what gave the chief Advantage to Greeks and Romam^ and other Nations, which have made the greateft Figure in the World, 504 The Minutb Dial. World, I ftiould be apt to think it was a V. peculiar Reverence for their refpedlive Laws and Inflitutions, which infpired them with Steadinefs and Courage, and that hearty generous Love of their Coun- try : by which they did not meerly un- derftand a certain Language or Tribe of Men, muchlefs a particular Spot of Earth, but included a certain Syftem of Manners, Cuftoms, NotionSj Rites, and Laws Ci- vil and Religious. ALC. Oh ! I perceive your Drift, you would have us reverence the Laws and Religious Inflitutions of our Country. But herein wc beg to be excufed, if we do not think fit to imitate the GreekSy or to be governed by any Authority whatfoever. CRI, So far from it. If Mahometanifm were eftablifhed by Authority, I make no doubt, thofe very Free-thinkers, who at prefent ap- plaud Turkifli Maxims and Manners to that Degree you'd think them ready to turn Turks, would then be the firft to exclaim againft them. ALC, But to re- turn : As for Wars and Faftions, I grant they ever were and ever will be in the World upon fome Pretext or other, as long as Men are Men. XIX. But Philosopher. 505 XlX. But there is a fort of War andDiAL. Warriors peculiar to Chriflendom, which V. the Heathens had no Notion of: I mean Difputes in Theology and Polemical Di- vines, which the World hath been won- derfully peftered with: thefe Teachers of Peace, Meeknefs, Concord, and what not! if you take their word for it : But, if you caft an Eye upon their Practice, you find them to have been in all Ages the moft contentious, quarrclfome, dif- agreeing Crew that ever appeared upon. Earth. To obfervd the Skill and Sophi- ftry, the Zeal and Eagernefs, with which thofe Barbarians , the School-Divines , fplit Hairs, and conteft about Chimae- ra's, gives me more Indignation, as being more abfurd and a greater Scandal to Hu- mane Reafon, than all the ambitious In- trigues, Cabals, and Politics of the Court of Ro??ie. CRI, If Divines are quarrcl- fome, that is not fo far forth as Divine, but as Undivine and Unchriftian. Juftice is a good thing; and the Art of Healing is excellent ; neverthelefs in the admini- ftring of Juftice or Phyfic Men may be wronged or poifonfed. But as Wrong can- not be Juftice, or the Effeft of Juftice, fo Poifon cannot be Medicine or the Effedt of Medicine, fo neither can Pride or Strife be Vol. L X Re- $o6 The Minut e Di AL. Religion or the Effe6t of Religion. Ha- V. ving premifed this, I acknowledge, you may often fee hot-headed Bigots engage themfelves in religious as well as civil Par- ties, without being of Credit or Service to cither. And as for the Schoolmen in par- ticular, I do not in the leaft think the Chriflian Religion concerned in the De- fence of them, their Tenets, or their Me- thod of handling them : but, whatever Futility there may be in their Notions, or Inelegancy in their Language, in pure Juftice to Truth one rhuft own : they nei- ther banter, nor rail, nor declaim in their Writings, and are fo far from fhewing Fury or Paffion, that perhaps an impartial Judge will think : the Minute Philolophers are by no means to be compared with them, for keeping clofe to the Point, or for Temper and good Manners. But after all, if Men are puzzled, wrangle, talk Nonfenfe, and quarrel about Religion : fo they do about Law, Phyiic, Politics, and every thing elfe of moment. I ask whe- ther in thefe Profeffions, or in any other, where Men have refined and abftraded, they do not run into Difputes, Chicane, Nonfenfe, and Contradid:ions, as well as in Divinity? And yet this doth not hinder but there may be many excellent Rules, and l^HILO SOPHER, JO7 and juft Notions, and ufeful Truths in all D i a l. thofe Profeflions. In all Difputes Humane V. Paffions too often mix themielves, in pro- portion as the Subjed: is conceived to be more or lefs important. But we ought not to confound the Caufe of Man with the Caufe of God, or make Humane Follies an Objecflion to Divine Truths. It is eafy to dillinguifli what looks like Wifdom from above, and what proceeds from the Paf- lion and Weaknefs of Men. This is fo clear a Point, that one would be tempted to think, the not doing it was an Effedl, not of Ignorance^ but, of fomething worfe. XX. The Condu6l we objeft to Minute Philofophers is a natural Confequence of their Principles, Whatfoever they can re- proach us with is an Effedt, not of our Principles, but of Humane Paffion and Frailty. ALC, This is admirable. So we muft no longer obje<5l to Chriflians the abfurd Contentions of Councils, the Cru- elty of Inquifitions, the Ambition and U- furpations of Churchmen. CRI, You may objedl them to Chriflians, but not to Chri- ftianity. If the Divine Author of our Reli- gion, and his Difciples, have fowed^a good Seedj and together with this good Seed, X 2 the }o8 The Minute D I AL.the Enemies of his Gofpel (among whom V. are to be reckoned the Minute Philofophers of all Ages) have fowed bad Seeds, whence fpring Tares and Thiflles; is it not evi- dent, thefe bad Weeds cannot be imputed to the good Seed, or to thofe who fowed 5t? Whatever you do or can objed againft Ecclefiaftical Tyranny, Ufurpation, or So- phiftry, may, without any Blemiih or D if- advantage to Rehgion, be acknowledged by all true Chriftians: provided ftill that you impute thofe wicked Effedls to their true Caufe, not blaming any Principles or Perfons for them, but thofe that really produce or juflify them. Certainly, as the Interefts of Chriftianity are not to be fupported by unchriftian Methods, when- ever thefe are made ufe of, it mull be fup- pofed there is fome other latent Principle which fets them at work. If the very Court of Rome hath been known, from Motives of Policy, to oppofe fettling the Inquifition in a Kingdom, where the fe- cular Power hath endeavoured to intro- duce it in fpite of that Court ^ : We may well fuppofe, that elfewhere Fadlions of State, and Political Views of Princes, have given birth to Tranfadlions feemingly religious, wherein at bottom neither Re- *■ P. Paolo illorla de!r Inquifizione, p. 42. ligion. Philosopher. 305) ligion, nor Church, nor Churchmen, wcrcDi al, at all confider'd. As no Man of common V. Senfe and Honefty will engage in a gene--' — ^ — ^ ral Defence of Ecclefiaftics, fo I think no Man of common Candour can condemn them in general. Would you think it rea- fonable to blame all Statefmen, Lawyers, or Soldiers, for the Faults committed by thofe of their Profeffion, though in other Times, or in other Countries, and influ- enced by other Maxims and other Difci- pline? And if not, why do you meafure with one Rule to the Clergy, and another to the Laity ? Surely the beft Reafon that can be given for this is Prejudice. Should any Man rake together all the Mifchiefs that have been committed in all Ages and Nations, by Soldiers and Lawyers, you would, I fuppofe, conclude from thence : not that the State fhould be deprived of thofe ufeful Profeffions, but only that their Exorbitances fhould be guarded againfl: and punifhed. If you took the fame equi- table Courfe with the Clergy, there would indeed be lefs to be fiid againfl: you : but then you would have much lefs to fay. This plain obvious Coniideration, if every one who read confidered, would leffen the Credit of your Declaimers. ALC. But when all is faid that can be faid;, it mup£ X 3 OlOYC 3 10 The Minute Di AL.move a Man's Indignation to fee reafona- V. ble Creatures, under the Notion of Study and Learning, employ'd in reading and writing fo many voluminous Trafts, de land caprind, CRT. I fhall not undertake the Vindication of Theological Writings, a general Defence being as needlefs as a general Charge is groundlefs. Only let them fpeak for themfelves: and let no Man condemn them upon the Word of a Mi- nute Philofopher. But we will imagine the very worft, and fuppofe a wrangling Pedant in Divinity difputes and ruminates and writes upon a refined Point, as ufelefs and unintelligible as you pleafe. Suppofe this fame Perfon bred a Layman, might he not have employ'd himfelf in tricking Bargains, vexatious Law-fuits, Fadlions, Seditions, and fuch like Amufements, with much more Prejudice to the Publick ? Suffer then curious Wits to fpin Cobwebs : \Vhere is the Hurt? ALC. The Mifchief is, what Men want in Light they common- ly make up in Heat : Zeal, and Ill-nature, being Weapons conftantly exerted by the Partifans, as well as Champions, on either Side : And thofe perhaps not mean Pedants or Book- worms. You fliall often fee even the learned and eminent Divine lay him- felf out in exnkiining Thines inexplica- ble. Philosopher. jii ble, or contend for a barren Point of The-D i A L» ory, as if his Life, Liberty, or Fortune V. were at ftake. CRI. No doubt all Points* in Divinity are not of equal Moment. Some may be too fine fpun, and others have more Strefs laid on them than they deferve. Be the Subjed: what it will, you (hall often obferve that a Point by being controverted, fingled out, examined, and nearly infpecfled, groweth confiderable to the fame Eye, that, perhaps, would have overlooked it in a large and comprehenfive View. Nor is it an uncommon thing, to behold Ignorance and Zeal united in Men, who are born with a Spirit of Party, though the Church or Religion have in Truth but fmall Share in it. Nothing is eafier than to make a Caricatiira (as the Painters call it) of any Profeffion upon Earth: But at bottom, there will be found nothing fo flrange in all this Charge upon the Clergy, as the Partiality of thofe who cenfure them, in fuppofing the common Defedts of Mankind peculiar to their Or- der, or the Effed: of religious Principles. ALC, Other Folks may difpute or fquab- ble as they pleafe, and no body mind them : but it feems, thefe venerable Squab- bles of the Clergy pafs for Learning, and intereft Mankind. 1 o ufe the Words of X 4 the 3 It The M i nute Dial. the moft ingenious Charadlerizer of our V. Times, '' A Ring is made, and Readers ga- ** ther in abundance. Every one takes *' Party and encourages his own Side. This ** ihall be my Champion ! This Man for *^ my Money! Well hit on our Side ! Again *^ a good Stroke! There he was even with " him! Have at him the next Bout! Ex- *' cellent Sport! *" CRL Methinks I trace the Man of Quality and Breeding in this delicate Satyr, which fo politely ridicules thofe Arguments, Anfwers, Defences, and Replications which the Prefs groans under. ^LC. To the infinite wafte of Time and Paper, and all the while no body is one whit the wifer. And who indeed can be the wifer for reading Books upon Subjeds quite out of the way, incomprehensible, and moft wretchedly written ? What Man of Senfe or Breeding wpuld not abhor the Infedion of prolix Pulpit Eloquence, or of that dry, formal, pedantic, ftiff, and clumfy Style, which fmells of the Lamp and the College. XXL They who have the Weaknefs to reverence the Univerfities as Seats of Learning, muft needs think this a ftrange Reproach; but it is a very juft onCo For * Charaaerillics, Vol. III. c 2. the Philosopher. 3x5 the moft ingenious Men are now agreed. Dial. that they are only Nurferies of Preju- V. dice, Corruption, Barbarifm, and Pedantry. LTS, For my part, I find no Fault with Univerfities. All I know is, that I had the fpending three hundred Pounds a Year in one of them, and think it the chearful- left time of my Life. As for their Books and Style I had not Leifure to mind them. CRT. Whoever hath a mind to weed, will never want Work: and he that fhall pick out bad Books on every Subjed: will fooa fill his Library. I do not know what Theological Writings Alciphron and his Friends may be converfant in : but I will venture to fay, one may find among our Englijh Divines many Writers, who for Compafs of Learning, Weight of Matter, Strength of Argument, and Purity of Style, are not inferior to any in our Language. It is not my Defign to apologize for the Univerfities : whatever is amifs in them (and what is there perfedt among Men?) I heartily wiih amended. But I dare af- firm, becaufe I know it to be true, that any impartial Obferver, although they fhould not come up to what in Theory he might wiih or imagine, will neverthelefc find them much fuperior to thofe that in Fadt are to be found in other Countries, and JI4 TheMinute Dial. and far beyond the mean Picture that is V. drawn of them by Minute Philofophers. It is natural for thofe to rail moft at Places of Education, who have profited leaft by them. Weak and fond Parents will alfo readily impute to a wrong Caufe, thofe Corruptions themfelves have occafion'd, by allowing their Children more Money than they knew how to fpend innocently. And too often a Gentleman, who has been idle at the College and kept idle Com- pany, will judge of a whole Univerfity from his own Cabal. ALC. Crito mi- ftakes the Point. I vouch the Authority, not of a Dunce, or a Rake, or abfurd Pa- rent, but of the moft confummate Critic this Age has produced. This great Man cha- raderizeth Men of the Church and Uni- verfities with the fineft Touches and moft mafterly Pencil. What do you think he calls them? £J7Pi7. What? yfiC Why, the black Tribe, Magicians, Formalifts, Pedants, bearded Boys : and, having fuf- ficiently derided and exploded them and their mean ungenteel Learning, he fets moft admirable Models of his own for good Writing: And it muft be acknow- ledged they are the iineft things in our Language; as I could eaiily convince you, for I am never without fomething of that noble Philosopher. 31^ noble Writer about me. EUPH, He isDial. then a noble Writer. j4LC. I tell you he V. is a Nobleman. EUPH. But a Nobleman who writes is one thing, and a noble Writer another. j^LC. Both Characters are coincident, as you may fee. XXII. Upon which Alciphron pulled a Treatife out of his Pocket, entitled, A Soliloquy, or Advice to an Author, Would you behold, faid he, looking round up- on the Company, a noble Specimen of fine Writing : do but dip into this Book: which Crito opening read verba- tim as follows *. \^promifes Where then are the Pkafures "which Ambition AndLove affords? How^s the gay World enjoy' d? Or are thofe to be efleem'd no Pkafures^ Which are loft by Dulnefs and Inadiion ? But Indolence is the high eft Pleafure, to live and not to feel! to feel no trouble. What Good then ? Life it felf And is this properly to live ? Is Sleeping Life ? Is this what I fhould ftudy to prolong? Here the Fantaftic tribe it felf feems fcandaliz'd.^ A Civil War begins : the major Part * Part. 3. Sea. 2. 'Of 3 16 Dial. V. The Minute Of the capricious Dames do range themfehes On ReaforCs Side^ jind declare againfi the languid Siren. Jmhition blujhes at the offered Sweet. Conceit and Vanity take fuperior Airs, Ev'n Luxury her felf in her polite And elegant Humour reproves th^ Apoftate Sifier. And marks her as an Alien to true Pleafure^ Aivay thou Drowfy Phantome I Haunt me no more^ for I Have learn' d^ from better than thy Sijlerhood, T'hat Life and Happinefs confifi in AEiion And Employment, But here a hufy Form folicits us^ A5live^ indujlrious^ watchful^ and defpijing Pains and Labour, She wears the ferious Countenance of Virtue^ but with Features Of Anxiety and D if quiet. What isUfhe mutters ? What looks fl)e on laith Such Admiration and AJioniJhment ? Bags ! Coffers ! Heaps of fhining Metal! What? For the Service of Luxury ? For her ? I'hefe Preparations ? Art thou then her Friend^ Grave Fancy I Is it for her thou toiPfi ? Noy hut for Provifton againfi Want, But Luxury apart I tell me nowy Haft thou not already a Competence ? '^Is good to be fecure againfi the Fear ^ Of Philosopher, 317 ^ Offtarvmg^ Is there then no Death hut this ?D i AL. ' No other Paffage out of Life ? Are other Doors V. * Secur*d if this he hafd? Say Avarice! ' iToou emptieji of PhantomeSj is it not vile . ' Cowardife thou ferv^Ji ? What further have I then ^ To do with thee (thou douhly vile Dependent) ' If hen once I have difmijl thy Patronefs^ ' And defpifedher Threats ? * Tims I contend with Fancy and Opinion, Eiiphranor^ having heard thus far, cried out: What! will you never have done with your Poetry? another time may ferve : But why fliould we break off our Conference to read a Play ? You are mif- taken, it is no Play nor Poetry, replied Alciphron, but a famous modern Critic moralizing in Profe. You mufl know this great Man hath (to ufe his own Words) re- vealed a Grand Arcanum to the World, having inftrudted Mankind in what he cdXhMirrour'Writing^Self'difcoiirJtngPrac^ ticCy and Author Pra^ice^ and ihew*d "That " by virtue of an intimate Recefs, we *' may difcover a certain Duplicity of ** Soul, and divide our Se/f into two Par- *' ties, or (as he varies the Phrafe) pra(3:i- 'J cally form the Dual Number." In con- 3 18 The Minute DiAL.confequence whereof he hath found out V. that a Man may argue with himfelf: and not only with himfelf, but alfo with No- tions, Sentiments, and Vices, which by a marvellous Profopopoeia he converts in- to fo many Ladies : and fo converted, he confutes and confounds them in a Divine Strain. Can any thing be finer, bolder, or more fublime ? EUPH, It is very won- drful I thought indeed you had been read- ing a Piece of a Tragedy. Is this he who defpifeth our Univerfities, and fets up for reforming the Style and Tafte of the Age ? ^LC. The very fame. This is the ad- mired Critic of our Times. Nothing can ftand the Teft of his corredl Judgment, which is equally fevere to Poets and Par- fons. " The Brkijh Mufes (faith this " great Man) lifp as in their Cradles: " and their ftammering Tongues, which " nothing but Youth and Rawnefs can " excufe, have hitherto fpoken in wretch- " ed Pun and Quibble. Our Dramatic *' Shake/pear^ our Fletcher^ Johnfon^ and " our Epique Milton preferve this Style. *' And, according to him, even our later *' Authors aiming at a falfe Sublime, en- *V tertain our raw Fancy and unpracSifed *' Ear, which has not yet had leifure to " form it felf, and become truly mufical." EVPH. Philosopher. jrr^ EUPH. Pray what EfFeft may the Lef-DiAL. fons of this great Man, in whofe Eyes V. our learned Profeffors are but bearded Boys, andourmoft celebrated Wits but wretched Punfters, have had upon the Public? Hath he rubbed off the College Ruft, cured the Rudenefs and Rawnefs of our Authors, and reduced them to his own Attic Standard? Do they afpire to his true Sublime, or imi- tate his chafte unaffeded Style ? ALC. Doubtlefs the Tafte of the Age is much mended: in proof whereof his Writings are univerfally admired. When our Author publiihed this Treatife, he forefaw the pub- lic Tafte would improve apace : that Arts and Letters would grow to great Perfedion : that there would be a happy Birth of Ge- nius : of all which things he fpoke, as he faith himfelf, in a prophetic Style. CRI. And yet notwithftanding the prophetical Predictions of this Critic, I do not find, any Science hath throve among us of late, fo much as the Minute Philofophy. In this kind, it muft be confeffed, we have had many notable Productions. But whether they are fuch Mafter-pieces for good Writing, I leave to be determined by their Readers. XXIII. In the mean time, I muft beg to be excufed, if I canaot believe your great 310 The Minute Dial. great Man on his bare Word; when he V. would have us think, that Ignorance and ill Tafte are owing to the Chriftian Re- ligion of the Clergy, it being my fin- cere Opinion, that whatever Learning or Knowledge we have among us, is derived from that Ofder. If thofcj who are fo fagacious at difcovering a Mote in other Eyes, would but purge their own, I be- lieve they might eafily fee this Truth. For what but Religion could kindle and preferve a Spirit towards Learning, in fuch a Northern rough People ? Greece pro- duced Men of adive and fubtile Genius.' The public Conventions and /Emulations of their Cities forwarded that Genius : And their natural Curiofity w-as amufed and excited by learned Converfations, in their public Walks, and Gardens, and Porticos. Our Genius leads to Amufe- ments of a grofler Kind : we breathe a groifer and a colder Air: and that Curio- fity which was general in the AtbenianSy and the gratifying of which was their chief Recreation, is among our People of Fafhion treated like Affedtation, and as fuch banifhed from polite Aflemblies and Places of Refort : and without doubt would in a little time be baniflied the Country : if it were not for the great Refervoifs of Learn- Philosopher. jii Learning, where thofeFormalifts, Pedants, D i al* and bearded Boys, as your profound Cri- V. tic calls them, are maintained by the Li- berality and Piety of our Predeceflbrs. For it is as evident that Religion was the Caufe of thofe Seminaries, as it is that they are the Caufe or Source of all the Learning and Tafte which is to be found, even in thofe very Men who are the declared Ene- mies of our Religion and publick Founda- tions. Everyone, who knows any things knows we are indebted for our Learning to the Greek and Latm Tongues, This thofe fevere Cenfors will readily grant. Perhaps they may not be fo ready to grants what all Men muft fee, that we are in- debted for thofe Tongues to our Religion^ What elfe could have made foreign and dead Languages in fuch Requeft among us ? What could have kept in being and handed them down to our Times, through fo many dark Ages in which the World was wafted and disfigured by Wars and Violence ? What, but a regard to the Holy Scriptures, and Theological Writ- ings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church ? And in faft, do we not find that the Learning of thofe Times was folely in the Hands of Ecclefiaftics ; that they alone lighted the Lamp in Succef- Y fioo ^iz The Minute DiAL.fion one from another, and tranfmltted V. it down to After-ages ; and that ancient Books were colledied and preferved in their Colleges and Seminaries, when all Love and Remembrance of polite Arts and Studies was extinguiflied among the Laity, whofe Ambition intirely turned to Arms ? XXIV. ALC There is, I mufl needs fay, one Sort of Learning undoubtedly of Chriftian Original, and peculiar to the Univerlitles ; where our Youth fpend fe- veral Years in acquiring that myfterious Jargon of Scholafticifm -, than which there could never have been contrived a more effedlual Method, to perplex and confound Humane Underftanding. It is true. Gentlemen are untaught by the World what they have been taught at the College : but then their Time is doub- ly loft. CRL But what if this Scholaftic Learning was not of Chriftian but of Ma- hometan Original, being derived from the Aralfs ? And what if this Grievance of Gentlemens fpending feveral Years in learning and unlearning this Jargon, be all Grimace and a Specimen only of the Truth and Candour of certain Minute Philofophers, who raife great Invedives from 8 Philosopher. j 23 from flight Occafions, and judge too often Dial. without inquiring. Surely it would be V. no fuch deplorable Lofs of Time, if a young Gentleman fpent a few Months upon that fo much defpifed and decried Art of Logic, a Surfeit of which is by no means the prevailing Nufance of this Age. It is one Thing to wafte one's Time in learning and unlearning the barbarous Terms, wiredrawn Diflincflions, and pro- lix Sophiflry of the Schoolmen : and a- nother to attain fome Exadtnefs in De- fining and Arguing : Things perhaps not altogether beneath the Dignity even of a Minute Philofopher. There was indeed a Time, when Logic was confidered as its own Objed: : And that Art of Rea- foning, inftead of being transferred to Things turned altogether upon Words and Abflracftions : which produced a fort of Leprofy in all Parts of Knowledge, cor- rupting and converting them into hollow verbal Difputations in a moft impure Di- aled:. But thofe Times are pafTed: and that which had been cultivated as the principal Learning for fome Ages, is now confidered in another Light : and by no Means makes that Fi2:ure in the Univer- fities, or bears that Part in the Studies of young Gentlemen educated there, which Y 2 is ji4 The Minut e Dial. IS pretended bv thofe admirable Refor- V. mers of Religion and Learning, the Mi- nute Philolbpliers. XXV. But who are they that encour- aged and produced the Reftoration of Arts and polite Learning? What Share had the Minute Philofophers in this Affair ? Matthias Corvinus King of Hungary^ Alphonfus King of Naples^ Cofmiis de Me^ dicisy Picus of Mirandida^ and other Prin- ces and great Men, famous for Learning themfelves, and for encouraging it in o- thers with a munificent Liberality, were neither Turks nor Gentiles nor Minute Philofophers. Who was it that tranf- planted and revived the Greek Language and Authors, and with them all polite Arts and Literature in the Weft ? Was it not chiefly BeJJ'arion a Cardinal, Marcus Mufurus an Archbifliop, T'heodore Gaza a private Clergyman ? Has there been a greater and more renowned Patron, and Reftorer of elegant Studies in every kind, fince the Days of Augujlus Cafar, than i^o the tenth Pope of Rome? Did any Writers approach the Purity of the ClaJ^ fics nearer than the Cardinals Bembus and SadoIetuSy or than the Bifhops Jovius and Vida ? not to mention an endlefs Number of Philosopher. 515 of ingenious Ecclefiaflics, who flourifhedDi al. on the other Side of the Alpes in the V. Golden Age (as the Italians call it) of' Leo the Tenth, and wrote, both in their own Language and the Latin^ after the bed Models of Antiquity. It is true, this firfl Recovery of Learning preceded the Reformation, and hghted the Way to it : But the Religious Controverfies, which enfued, did wonderfully propagate and improve it in all Parts of Chriftendom, And furely, the Church of England is, at leaft, as well calculated for the En- couragement of Learning, as that of Rome, Experience confirms this Obfervation : and I believe the Minute Philofophers will not be fo partial to Ro?ne as to deny it. ALC. It is impoffible your Account of Learning beyond the Alpes fhould be true. The noble Critic in my Hands, having complimented the French, to whom he allows fome good Authors, afferts of o- ther Foreigners, particularly the ItalianSy " That they may be reckoned no better '^ than the Corrupters of true Learning " and Erudition." CRL With fome Sorts of Critics, Dogmatical Ccnfures and Conclufions are not always the Refult of perfeft Knowledge or exaft Inquiry : And if they harangue upon Tafte, Truth Y 3 of ^tS Th £ M I N UT E Dial. of Art, a juft Piece, Grace of Style, At- V, tic Elegance, and fuch Topics, they are to be underflood only as thofe that would fain talk themfelves into Reputation for Courage. To hear ^hrafymachus fpeak of Refentment, Duels, and Point of Ho- nour, one would think him ready to burft with Valour. Z/11S'. Whatever Merit this Writer may have as a Demolijfher, I al- ways thought he had very little as a Builder. It is natural for carelefs Writers to run into Faults they never think of: But for an exadl and fevere Critic to ihoot his Bolt at Random, is unpardonable. If he, who profeffes at every Turn an high Eftcem for polite Writing, iliould yet defpife thofe who moft excel in it ; one would be tempted to fufpedl his Tafle, But if the very Man, who of all Men talks moft about Art and Tafte, and cri- tical Skill, and would be thought to have moft confidered thofe Points, Ihould often deviate from his own Rules, into the falfe Sublime or the mauvaij'e Plaifaiiterie ; What reafonable Man would follow the Tafte and Judgment of fuch a Guide, or be feduced to climb the fteep Afcent, or tread in the rugged Paths of Virtue on his Pvecommendation ? XXVI. ALC. Philosopher, 32,7 XXVI. ALC. But to return, methinksDi al, Crito makes no Compliment to the Ge- V. nius of his Country, in fuppoling that Englijlj-tnen might not have wrought out of themfeh^es, all Art and Science and good Tafte ; without being beholden to Church, or Univerfities, or ancient Lan- guages. CRT. What might have been is only Conjedlure. What has been, it is not difficult to know. That there is a Vein in Brita'm^ of as rich an Ore as ever was in any Country, I will not deny : but it lies deep, and will coft Pains to come at : And extraordinary Pains require an extraordi- nary Motive. As for what lies next the Surface, it feems but indifferent, being- neither fo good nor in fuch Plenty as in fome other Countries. It was the Com- parifon of an ingenious FloreJitine^ that the celebrated Poems of T^ajfo and Ariojio are like two Gardens, the one of Cucum- bers, the other of Melons. In the one you fliall find few bad, but the beft are not a very good Fruit : in the other much the greater Part are good for nothing, but thofe that are good, are excellent. Perhaps the fame Comparifon may hold, betweea the Ejiglifi and fome of their Neighbours, ALC. But fuppofe we fl^iould grant that the Chriilian Religion and its Seminaries Y 4 might }i8 The Minute Dial. might have been of Ufe, in preferving V. or retrieving polite Arts and Letters : what then ? Will you make this an Argu- ment of its Truth ? CRL I will make it an Argument of Prejudice and Ingratiude in thofe Minute Philofophers, who ob- ject Darknefs, Ignorance, and Rudenefs, as an Effedt of that very Thing, which above all others hath enlightened and ci- vilized and embellifhed their Country; which is as truly indebted to it for Arts and Sciences (which nothing but Religion was ever known to have planted in fuch a Latitude) as for that general Senfe of Virtue and Humanity, and the Belief of a Providence and Future State, which all the Augmentation of Minute Philofo- phers hath not yet been able to abolifli, XXVIL JLC. It is ftrange you fliouldi fWl perfift to argue, as if all the Gentle- men of our Sct\ were Enemies to Vir- tue, ^nd downright Atheifts: Though I have affured you of the contrary, and that we have among us feveral, who profefs themfelves in the Interefts of Vir- tue and Natural Religion, and have al- fo declared. That I my felf do now argue upon that Foot. CRI. How can you pretend, to be in the Intereft of Natural ' Religio;\ Philosopher. ' jz^ Religion, and yet be profeffed Enemies Dial, of the Chriftian, the only efl:ablifl:ied Re- V. ligion which includes whatever is excel- lent in the Natural, and which is the only means of making thofe Precepts, Duties, and Notions, fo called, become reverenced throughout the World ? Would not he be thought weak or in- fincere, who fhould go about to perfuade People, that he was much in the Interefts of an Earthly Monarch ; that he loved and admired his Government; when at the fame Time he {hewed himfelf on all Occafions, a moft bitter Enemy of thofe very Perfons and Methods, which above all others contributed moft to his Service, and to make his Dignity known and re- vered, his Laws obferved, or his Domi- nion extended? And is not this what Minute Philofophers do, while they fet up for Advocates of God and Religion, and yet do all they can to difcredit Chrif- tians and their Worfhip? It muft be owned, indeed, that you argue againft Chriftianity, as the Caufe of Evil and Wickednefs in the World : but with fuch Arguments, and in fuch a manner as might equally prove the fame Thing of civil Government, of Meat and Drink, of every Faculty and Profeffion, of Learn- 8 ing, 3 3o Th e Minute DiAL.ing, of Eloquence, and even of Humane V. Reafon it felf. After all, even thofe of ^^•V^ your Sed: who allow themfelves to be cal- led Deifls, if their Notions are thorough- ly examined, will, I fear, be found to include little of Religion in them. As for the Providence of God watching over the Conduft of Humane Agents and dif- penfing Bleflings or Chaftifements, the Immortality of the Soul, a final Judg- ment, and future State of Rewards and Punifhmenrs ; how few, if any, of your Free-thinkers have made it their Endea- vour to pofTefs Mens Minds with a ferious Senfe of thofe great Points of Natural Re- ligion ! How many, on the contrary, endeavour to render the Belief of them doubtful or ridiculous ! It muft be own- ed, there may be found Men that, with' out any regard to thefe Points, make fome Pretence to Religion: But who can think them in earneil ? You (hall fometim^ fee, the very Ringleaders of Vice and Profanenefs write like Men, that would be thought to have Virtue and Piety at Heart. This may perhaps prove them inconfiftent Writers, but can never prove them to be innocent. When a Man's declared Principles and peculiar Tenets are utterly fubverfive of thofe things ; what* ^ver fuch a one faith of Virtue, Piety, and Philosopher. 35.1 and Religion, will be underftood as nicer Dial. Difcretion and Compliance with com- V. mon Forms. LTS, To fpeak the Truth, I, for my part, had never any liking to Religion of any kind, either revealed or unrevealed: And I dare venture to lay the fame for thofe Gentlemen of our Sed: that I am acquainted with, having never obferved them guilty of fo much meannefs, as even to mention the Name of God with Reverence, or fpeak with the leaft Regard of Piety or any fort of Worfhip. There may, perhaps, be found one or two formal Pretenders to Enthufi- afm and Devotion, in the way of Natural Religion, who laughed at Chriftians for publifliing Hymns and Meditations, while they plagued the World with as bad of their own : But the fprightly Men make a Jeft of all this. It feems to us meer Pedantry. Sometimes, indeed, in good Company one may hear a Word dropt in Commendation of Honour and Good-nature : But the former of thefe, by ConnoiJJeiirs^ is always under- ftood to mean nothing but Fafhion: as the latter is nothing but Temper and Conftitution, which guides a Man juft as Appetite doth a Brute. XXVIU. And 332- The Minute Dial. XXVIII. And after all thefc Argu- V. mcnts and Notions, which beget one a- V-'^VN^ nother without End, to take the Mat- ter fhort : neither I nor my Friends for our Souls could ever comprehend, why- Man might not do very well, and go- vern himfelf without any Religion at all, as well as a Brute which is thought the fillier Creature of the two. Have Brutes Inftinds, Senfes, Appetites, andPaffions, to fteer and condud: them ? So have Men, and Reafon over and above to confult upon occafion. From thefe Pre- mifes we conclude, the Road of Humane Life is fufficiently lighted without Reli- gion. CRT. Brutes having but fmall Power, limited to Things prefent or par- ticular, are fufficiently oppofed and kept in Order, by the Force or Faculties of other Animals and the Skill of Man, without Confcience or Religion : But Confcience is a neceflary Balance to Humane Reafon, a Faculty of fuch mighty Extent and Power, efpecially to- ward Mifchief. Befides, other Animals are, by the Law of their Nature, deter- mined to one certain End or Kind of Being, without Inclination or Means ei- ther to deviate or go beyond it. But Man Jiath in him a Will and higher Principle ; Philosopher. jjj by virtue whereof he may purfue difFe-DiAL. rent or even contrary Ends j and either V. fall fhort of or exceed the Perfection natural to his Species in this World j as he is capable, either by giving up the Reins to his fenfual Appetites, of de- grading himfelf into the Condition of Brutes, or elfe, by well ordering and im- proving his Mind, of being transformed into the Similitude of Angels. Man a- lone of all Animals hath Underftanding to know his God. What availeth this Knowledge unlefs it be to ennoble Man, and raife him to an Imitation and Parti- cipation of the Divinity? Or what could fuch Ennoblement avail if to end with this Life ? Or how can thefe Things take ejflfed: without Religion ? But the Points of Vice and Virtue, ManandBeaft, Senfe and Intellect, have been already at large canvaffed. What ! Lyficles^ would you have us go back where we were three or four Days ago ? LTS, By no means : I had much rather go forward, and make an End as foon as poflible. But to fave Trouble, give me Leave to tell you once for all, that, fay what you can, you ihall never perfuade me fo many inge- nious agreeable Men are iu the wrong, and 554 The Minute Dial. and a Pack of fnarling four Bigots in the V. right. XXIX. O Ly fides, I neither look for Religion among Bigots, nor Reafon among Libertines; each Kind difgrace their feve- ral Pretenfions; the one owning no regard even to the plaineft and moft important Truths, while the others exert an angry Zeal for Points of leaft Concern. And fure- ly whatever there is of filly, narrow, and uncharitable in the Bigot, the fame is in great Meafure to be imputed to the con- ceited Ignorance, and petulant Profane- iiefs of the Libertine. And it is not at all unlikely that as Libertines make Bigots, fo Bigots fhould make Libertines, the Extreme of one Party being ever obferved to produce a contrary Extreme of another. And although, while thefc Adverfaries draw the Rope of Contention, Reafon and Religion arc often called upon: yet are they perhaps very little confidered or con- cerned in the Conteft. Lyjicles, inftead of anfwering Crito, turned fhort upon Alci- fhron. It was always my Opinion, faid he^ that nothing could be fiUier than to think of deftroying Chriftianity, by crying up natural Religion. Whoever thinks highly oftheonCj can never^ with any Gonliftenr Philosopher* 3 5j cy, think meanly of the other; it beingDiAL. very evident, that Natural Religion, with- V. out Revealed, never was nor never can be (>^V%f eftablifhed or received any where, but in the Brains of a few idle Speculative Men. I was aware what your Conceffions would come to. The Belief of God, Virtue, a Future State, and fuch fine Noti- ons are, as every one may fee with half an Eye, the very Bafis and Corner-Stone of the Chriflian Religion. Lay but this Foundation for them to build on, and you {hall foon fee what Superftrudures our Men of Divinity will raife from it. The Truth and Importance of thofe Points once admitted, a Man need be no Con- jurer to prove, upon that Principle, the Excellency and Ufefulnefs of the Chrifti- an Religion : And then to be fure, there muft be Priefts to teach and propagate this ufeful Religion. And if Priefts, a regular Subordination without doubt in this worthy Society, and a Provifion for their Maintenance : fuch as may enable them to perform all their Rites and Ce- remonies with Decency, and keep their facred Character above Contempt. And the plain Confequence of all this is a Confederacy between the Prince and the Priefthood to fubdue the People : So we have i j<^ Th e Mi nute Dial, have let in at once upon us, a long Train V. of Ecclcfiaflical Evils, Prieftcraft, Hie- rarchy, Inquifition. We have loft our Liberty and Property, and put the Na-* tion to vaft Expence, only to purchafe Bridles and Saddles for their own Backs. XXX. This being fpoke with fome Sharpnefs of Tone, and an upbraiding Air, touched Alciphron to the quick, who replied nothing, but fhewed Confufion in his Looks. Crito fmiling look'd at Eu^ phranor and me, then cafting an Eye on the two Philofophers, fpoke as follows. If I may be admitted to interpofe good Offices, for preventing a Rupture between old Friends and Brethren in Opinion, 1 would obfervcj that in this Charge of Lyficles there is fomething right and fomething wrong. It feems right to af- fert as he doth, that the real Belief of Natural Religion will lead a Man to ap- prove of Revealed : But it is as wrong to affert, that Inquifitions, Tyranny, and Ruin muft follow from thence. Your Free-thinkers, without Offence be it faid, feem to miftake their Talent. They imagine ftrongly, but reafon weakly ^ mighty at Exaggeration, and jejune in Ar- gument I PfilLOSOPHER. 537 gument! Can no Method be found, tore-DiAL. lieve them from the Terror of that fierce V. and bloody A nimal,an£;;^///7jParfon? Will" it not fuffice to pare hib Talodis without chopping off his Fingers? Then they are fuch wonderful Patriots for Liberty and Property ! When I hear thefe two Words in the Mouth of a Minute Philofopher, I am put in mind of the Tejie di Fei^ro at Rome, His Holinefs, it feems, not hav- ing Power to aflign Penfions on SpanijJj Benefices to any but Natives of SpaiJi^ aU ways keeps at Rome two Spaniards^ called T^ejle di FerrOy who have the Name of all fuch Penfions, but not the Profit, which goes to Italians, As we may fee every Day, both Things and Notions placed to the Account of Liberty and Property, which in reality neither have nor are meant to have any Share in them. What ! Is it impoffible for a Man to be a Chiiftianj but he muft be a Slave? Or a Clergyman, but he muft have the Principles of an In- quificor? I am far from fcreening and ju- ftifying Appetite of Domination or Ty- rannical Power in Ecclefiafdcs. . Souie, who have been guilty in that refpeft, have forely paid for it, and it is to be hoped they always will. But having laid the Fury and Folly of the ambitious Prelate, Vol. L Z is 5j8' The Minute Dial, is It not time to look about and fpy whe- V. thcr, on the other hand, fome Evil may not poffibly accrue to the State, from the overflowing Zeal of an Independent Whig? This I may affirm., without being at any pains to prove it, that the worft Tyranny this Nation ever felt was from the Hands of Patriots of that Stamp. XXXI. LrS. Idon'tknov/. Tyranny is a harfli Word, and fometimes mifapplied. When fpirited Men of independent Maxims create a Ferment, or make a Change in the State : He that lofeth is apt to confider things in one Light, and he that wins in another. In the mean time this is certain- ly good Policy, that we Ihould be frugal of our Money, and referve it for better Ufes, than to expend on the Church and Religion. CRL Surely the old Apologue of the Belly and Members need not be re- peated to fuch knowing Men. It fhould ifeem as necdlefs to obfervc, that all other States, which ever made any Figure in the World for Wifdom and Politenefs, have thought Learning deferved Encouragement as well as the Sword: that Grants for re- ligious Ufes were as fitting as for Knights Service : and Foundations for propagating' Piety, as neccllary to the publick Wei- fare^ Philosopher. jji? fare and Defence, as either Civil or Mili-D i a l, tary Eflablifhments. In former Times, V. when the Clergy were a Body much more' numerous, wealthy, and powerful : when in their State of Coelibacy they gave nd Pledges to the Public: when they enjoy 'd great Exemptions and Privileges above their Fellow-Subjeds: when they owned Obedience to a foreign Potentate : the Cafe was evidently and widely different front what it is in our Days. And the not dif- cernlng, or not c^wning this Difference is no Proof either of Sagacity or Honefly in the Minute Philofophers. But I ask who are at this Expence, and what is this Expence fo much complained of? LTS\ As if you had never heard of Church- Lands and Tithes! CRL But I would fain know, how they can be charged as ah Expence, either upon the Nation or private Mtn. Where nothing is exported the Nation lofeth nothing: and it is all one to the Publick, whether Money cir- culates at Horne through the Hands of a Vicar or a Squire. Then as for private Men, who, fof want of Thought, are full of Complaint about the Payment of Tithes; can any Man juftly complain of it as a Tax, that he pays what never be- longed to him ? The Tenant rents his Z 2 Farm 340 Th e Minu t e Dial. Farm with this Condition, and pays his V. Landlord proportionably lefs, than if his ^---N'^-r^ Farm had been exempt from it : So he lofeth nothing ; it being all one to him, whe- ther he pays his Paftor or his Landlord. The Landlord cannot complain that he has not what he hath no Right to, either by- Grant, Purchafe, or Inheritance. This is the Cafe of Tithes: and as for the Church-Lands, he furely can be no Free- thinker, nor any Thinker at all, who doth not fee that no Man, whether No- ble, Gentle, or Plebeian, hath any fort of Right or Claim to them, vv^hich he may not with equal Juflice pretend to all the Lands in the Kingdom. LTS. At pre- fent indeed we have no Right, and that is our Complaint. CRI, You would have then what you have no Right to. LTS, Not fo neither:, what we would have is firft a Right convey'd by Law, and in the next place, the Lands by virtue of fuch Right. CRL In order to this, it might be expedient in the firft place, to get an Adt paffed for excommunicating from all Civil Rights every Man, that is a Chri- ftian, a Scholar, and wears a black Coat, as guilty of three capital Offences againft the public Weal of this Realm. LTS, To deal frankly, I think it would be an excellent Philosopher. j^i excellent good Ad. It would provide at D i al. once for fevenil deferving Men, rare Ar- V. tiiicers in Wit, and Argument, and Ridi- '-'^W<^ cule! who have, too many of them, but fmall Fortunes, with a great Arrear of Merit towards their Country, which they have fo long enlightened and adorned gratis, EUPH. Pray tell me, Lyjicles^ are not the Clergy legally pollelted of their Lands and Emoluments ? L,TS, No body denies it. EUPH, Have they not been pofleffed of them from Time imme- morial ? Ll^S, This too I grant EUPH. They claim then by Law and ancient Pre- fcription. Lr^. They do. EUPH, Have the oldejft Families of the Nobility a bet- ter Title ? LTS, I believe not. It grieves me to fee fo many overgrown Eftates in the Hands of ancient Families, on account of no other Merit, but what they brought with them into the World. EUPH May you not then as well take their Lands too, and beftow them on the Minute Philofophers, as Perfons of more Merit? LTS. So much the better. This enlar- ges our View, and opens a new Scene : It is very delightful in the Contemplation of Truth, to behold how one Theory grows out of another. ylLC, Old Pa^us ufed to fay, that if the Clergy were deprived Z3 of _ 3 4^ The Minute PiAL.of tihclr Hire, we fhould loib the moil V. popular Argument againft them. f^TS. But fo long as Men live by Religion, there will never be wanting Teachers ^nd Writers in Defence of it. CRT. And how can you be fure they would be wanting, though they did not live by it, fince it is well known Chriftianity had its Defenders even when Men died by it? LTS. One thing I know: there is a rare Nurfery of young Plants growing up, who have been carefully guarded a- gainft every Air of Prejudice, and fprink- led with the Dew of our choiceft Princi- ples : mean while, Wiihes are wearifome : and to our ini&nite Regret nothing can be done, fo long as there remains any Pre- judice in favour of old Cuftoms and Laws and National Conflitutions, which, at bottom, we very well know and can demonftrate to be only Words and No- tions. XXXII. Bur, I can never hope, Crito^ to make you think my Schemes rea- fonable. ' We reafon each right upon his own Principles, and ihall never agree till we quit our Principles, which cannot be done by reafoning. We all talk of Juft, iind Right, and Wrong, and Public Good Philosopher. 5 45 land all thofe things. The Names may be D i a l. the fame, but the Notions and Gondii- V. fions very different, perhaps diametrically oppofite: and yet each may admit of clear Proofs, and be inferred by the fame way of reafoning. For Inftance, the Gentle- men of the Club which I frequent, de- fine Man to be a fociable Animal : Con- fequently, we exclude from this Defini- tion all thofe Humane Creatures, of whom it may be faid, we had rather have their Room than their Company. And fuch, though wearing the Shape of Man, are to be efteem'd in all account of Rea- fon, not as Men, but only as Humane Creatures. Hence it plainly follows, that Men of Pleafure, Men of Humour, and Men of Wit, are alone properly and tru- ly to be confidered as Men. Whatever therefore conduceth to the Emolument of fuch, is for the Good of Mankind, and confequently very juft and lawful, although feeming to be attended with Lofs er Damage to other Creatures : inafmuch as no real Injury can be done in Life or Property to thofe, who know not how to enjoy them. This we hold for clear and well connedled Reafoning. But others may view things in another Light, affiga different Definition?, draw other Infe- Z ^ rences, J44 The Minute Dial. fences, and perhaps confider, what wc V. fuppofe the Top and Flower of the Crea- tion, only as a Wart or Excrefcence of Humane Nature. From all which there muftenfuea very different Syftem ofMoi- rals, Politics, Rights, and Notions. CRL If you have a mind to argue, we will argue : if you have more mind to jeft, we will laugh with you. LTS. — Ridentem dicere verum ^id vctat .^ This Partition of our Kind into Men and Humane Creatures, puts me in mind of another Notion broached by one of our Club, whom we ufed to call the P)'- thagorean. XXXIII. He made a threefold Parti^ tion of the Humane Species, into Birds, Beafts, and Fiflies, being of Opinion that the Road of Life lies upwards, in a per- petual Afcent through the Scale of Ber- ing : In fuch fort, that the Souls of In- fects after Death make their fecond Ap- pearance in the Shape of perfecft Animals, Pirds, Beafts, or Fifties ; which upon their Death are preferred into Humane Bodies, ^nd in the next Stage into Beings of a higher and more perfecl: Kind. This Man we 8 Philosopher. 345 we confidered at firft as a fort of Heretic: D i al, becaufe his Scheme feemed not to confift V. v/ith our fundamental Tenet, the Morta- w^v^w^ lity of the Soul : But he juftified the No- tion to be innocent, inafmuch as it in- cluded nothing of Reward or Punifliment, and was not proved by any Argument, which fuppofed or implied either incorpo- real Spirit, or Providence, being only in- ferred, by way of Analogy, from what he had obferved in Humane Affairs, the Court, the Church, and the Army ; wherein the Tendency is always upwards from lower Pofls to higher. According to this Syf- tern, the Fifhes are thofe Men who fwim in Pleafure, fuch as petits maitres^ horn njhans^ and honeft Fellows. The Beafts are dry, drudging, covetous, rapacious Folk, and all thofe addidled to Care and Bufinefs like Oxen, and other dry Land Animals, which fpend their Lives in La- bour and Fatigue. The Birds are airy notional Men, Enthufialls, Projedors, Philofophers, and fuch like : in each Spe- cies every Individual retaining a Tincture of his former State, which conftitutes what is called Genius. If you ask me which Species of Humane Creatures I like beft, I anfwer, The flying Fifli: that is, a Man of animal Enjoyment, with The Minutb with a Mixture of Whim. Thus you fee we have our Creeds and our Syftems, as well as graver Folks : with this Diffe- rence, that they are not ftrait-laced, but fit eafy, to be flipped off or on, as Hu- mour or Occafion ferves. And now I can, with the greateft .Equanimity ima- ginable, hear my Opinions argued againft, or confuted. XXXIV. ALC, It were to be wifhed all Men were of that Mind. But you fliall find a fort of Men, whom I need not name, that cannot bear with the leafl Temper, to have their Opinions examined or their Faults cenfured. They are againft Reafon, becaufe Reafon is againft them. For our parts, we are all for Liberty of Confcience. If our Tenets are abfurd, we allow them to be freely argued and in- fpedled : and by parity of Reafon we might hope to be allowed the fame Privi- lege, with refpedt to the Opinions of other Men. CRI. O Akiphran ! Wares that will not bear the Light are juflly to be fufpeded. Whatever therefore moves you to make this Complaint, take my Word I never will : But as hitherto I have allowed your Reafon its full Scope, ip for the future I always fhalL And though Philosopher* j47 though I cannot approve of Railing orDiAL. Declaiming, not even in my felf, whene- V. vcr yoii have fhewed me the way to it : Yet this I will anfwer for, that you (hall ever be allowed to reafon as clofely and as ftrenuouily as you can. But for the Love of Truth, be candid, and do not fpend your Strength and our Time, in Points of no Significancy, or foreign to the Purpofe, or agreed between us. We allow that Tyranny and Slavery are bad things : but why fliould we apprehend them from the Clergy at this Time? Rites and Ceremonies we own are not Points of chief moment in Religion: but why fliould we ridicule things in their own Nature, at leaft, Innocent, and which bear the Stamp of fupremc Authority? That Men in Divinity, as well as other Subjedls, are perplexed with ufelefs Difputes, and are like to be fo as long as the World lafts, I freely acknow- ledge: But why mufl all the Humane Weaknefs and Miftakes of Clergymen be imputed to wicked Defigns? Why indifcriminately abufe their Charader and Tenets ? Is this like Candour, Love of Truth, and Free-thinking ? It is granted there may be found, now and then. Spleen gnd Ill-breeding in the Clergy : But are not 348 The Minute Dial. not the fame Faults incident to Englip V. Laymen, of a retired Education and Country Life ? I grant there is infinite Futility in the Schoolmen : But I deny that a Volume of that doth fo much Mifchief, as a Page of Minute Philofo- phy. That weak or wicked Men fhould, by favour of the World, creep into Power and high Stations in the Church, is nothing wonderful : and that in fuch Stations they fhould behave like them- felves, is natural to fuppofe. But all the while it is evident, that not the Gofpel but the World, not the Spirit but the Flefh, not God but the Devil, puts them upon their unworthy Atchieve- ments. We make no Difficulty to grant. That nothing is more infamous than Vice and Ignorance in a Clergyman 5 nothing more bafe than a Hypocrite, more frivolous than a Pedant, more cru- el than an Inquifitor. Bui it muft be alfo granted by you. Gentlemen, that nothing is more ridiculous and abfurd, than for pedantic, ignorant, and cor- rupt Men to caft the firft Stone, at every Shadow of their own Defefts and Vices m other Men. XXXV. ALC. Philosoph ER. j^P XXXV. ALC. When I confider theDiAL. deteftable State of Slavery and Super- V. ftition, I feel my Heart dilate and ex- pand it felf to grafp that ineftimable Blefllng of Independent Liberty. This is the facred and high Prerogative, the very Life and Health of our EnglifJj Con- ftitution. You mull not therefore think it ftrange, if with a vigilant and cu- rious Eye, we guard it againft the mi- nuteft Appearance of Evil. You muft even fuffer us to cut round about, and very deep, and make ufe of the magni- fying Glafs, the better to view and ex- tirpate every the leaft Speck, which fhall difcover it felf in what we are careful and jealous to preferve, as the Apple of our Eye. CRI, As for unbounded Liberty, I leave it to Savages, among whom alone I believe it is to be found: But, for the reafonable legal Liberty of our Conftitution, I m^ft heartily and fin- cerely wifh it may for ever fubfift and flourifli among us. You and all other Englipmen cannot be too vigilant, or too earneft, to preferve this goodly Frame, or to curb and difappoint the wicked Ambi- tion of whoever. Layman or Ecclefia- flic, fliall attempt to change our free and gentle Government into a flavilh or 55^ The Minute Dial, or fevere one. But what Preffcxt cairi V. this afford for your Attempts againff ^-'^'V^^ Religion, or indeed, how can it be con- liftent with them? Is not the Proteftant Religion a main Part of our Legal Con- ftitution? I remember to have heard a Foreigner remark, That we of this Ifland were very good Prdteftants, but no Chri- flians. But whatever Minute Philofo- phefs may wifh, or Foreigners fay, it is certain our Laws fpeak a different Language. ALC. This puts me in mind of the wife Reafoning of a certain fage Magiflrate, who, being preffed by the Raillery and Arguments of an ingenious Man, had nothing to fay for his Reli- gion but that, ten Millions of People inhabiting the fame Ifland might, whe- ther right or wrong, if they thought good, eftablifh Laws for the worfhip- ping of God in their Temples, and ap- pealing to him in their Courts of Ju- flice. And that in cafe ten thoufand in- genious Men {hould publickly deride and trample on thofe Laws, it might be juft and lawful for the faid ten Millions to expel the faid ten Thoufand ingenious Men out of their faid Ifland. EUPH, And pray, what Anfwer would you make to this Remark of the fage Magi- flrate J PHILOSOPHEil. 351 ftrate? y/ZC. The Anfwer is plain. By Dial, the Law of Nature, which is fupcrior to all V. pofitive Inftitutions, Wit and Knowledge' have a Right to command Folly and Igno- rance. I fay, ingenious Men have by natu- ral Right a Dombion over Fools. EUPH. What Dominion over the Laws and People oi Great Britain^ Minute Philofophers may be entitled to by Nature, I fhall not dif- pute, but leave to be confidered by the Public. JLC, This Docftrine, it muftbe owned, was never thoroughly under- ftood before our own Times. In the laft Age, Hobbes and his Followers, though otherwife very great Men, de- clared for the Religion of the Magi- ftrate: probably becaufe they were a- fraid of the Magiftrate ; but Times are changed, and the Magiftrate may now be afraid of us. CRI, I allow the Ma- giftrate may well be afraid of you in one Senie, I mean, afraid to truft you. This brings to my Thoughts a Paffage on the Trial of Leander for a capital Of- fence. That Gentleman having picked out and excluded from his Jury, by pe- remptory Exception, all but feme Men ©f Fafliion and Pleafure, humbly moved when Dorcofi was going to kifs the Book, that he might be required to declare upon Honour, 7 }|2. TheMinut£ Dial. Honour, whether he believed either God V. or Gofpel. Dorcon, rather than hazard his Reputation as a Man of Honour and Free-thinker, openly avow'd that he beheved in neither. Upon which the Court declared him unfit to ferve on a Jury. By the fame reafon, fo many were fet afide, as made it neceffary to put off the Trial. We are very eafy, replied Al- ciphron^ about being trufted to ferve on Juries, if we can be admitted to ferve in lucrative Employments. CRI, But what if the Government fhould injoin, that every one, before he was fworn into Of- fice, fhoiild make the fame Declaration which Dorcofi was required to make? j4LC, God forbid! I hope there is no fuch Defign on foot. CRI, Whatever Defigns may be on foot, thus much is certain: The Chriftian Reformed Religion is a principal Part and Corner-ftone of our free Conflitution; and I verily think, the only thing that makes us deferving of Freedom, or capable of enjoying it. Freedom is either a Bleiiing or a Curfe, as Men ufe it. And to me it feems, that if our Religion were once deftroy'd from among us, and thofe Notions, which pafs for Preiudices of a Chriftian Education, erafed from the Minds of Britons^ the beft i Philosopher. 3J5 beft thing that could befall us would be Dial. thh Lofs of our Freedom. Surely a Peo- V. pie wherein there is fuch reftlefs Ambiti- on, fuch high Spirits, fuch Animofity of Fadtion, fo great Interefls in Conteft, fuch unbounded Licence of Speech and Prefs, amidft fo much Wealth and Luxu- ry, nothing but thofe veteresavice^ which you pretend to extirpate, could have hi- thereto kept from ruin. XXXVL Under the Chriftian Religion this Nation hath been greatly improved. From a Sort of Savages, we have grown civil, polite, and learned. We have made a decent and noble Figure both at home and abroad. And, as our Religion de- creafeth, I am afraid we fhall be found to have declined. Why then (hould we per- fift in the dangerous Experiment ? ALC. One would think, Cr/Vd?, you had forgot the many Calamities occafioned by Church- men and Religion. CRL And one would think, you had forgot what was anfwered this very Day to that Objection. But not to repeat eternally the fame Things^ I fhall obferve in the firft Place, That if we refledl on the paft State of Chriften- dom, and of our own Country in parti- cular, with our Feuds and Factions fub- Vol. L A a fifting 554 The Minute Di AL.fiffing while we were all of the lame Re- V. ligion, for inftance, that of the White and Red Rofes, fo violent and bloody and of fuch long Continuance; we can have no Aflurance that thofe ill Humours, which have fince fhewn themfelves under the Mafque of Religion, would not have broke out with fome other Pretext, if this had been wanting. I obferve in the fe- cond Place, that it will not follow from any Obfervations you can make on our Hiftory, that the Evils, accidentally oc- cafioned by Religion, bear any Proportion either to the good Effeds it hath really produced, or the Evils it hath prevented. Laftly, I obferve, that the beft Things may, by Accident, be the Occafion of Evil ; which accidental EfFedt is not, to fpeak properly and truly, produced by the good Thing it felf, but by fome evil Thing, which, being neither Part, Pro- perty, nor EfFedl of it, happens to be joined with it. But I fhould be afhamed to infift and enlarge on fo plain a Point. Certainly whatever Evils this Nation might have formerly fuftained from Su- perflition, no Man of common Senfe will fay, the Evils felt or apprehended at pre- fent are from that Quarter. Prieftcraft is not the reigning Diftemper at this Day. And Philosopher. jjj^ And it will be owned, that a wife Man,Di al. who takes upon him to be vigilant for V. the publick Weal, fhould touch proper L/'VNJ Things at proper Times, and not pre- fcribe for a Surfeit when the Diftemper is a Confumption. ALC, I think we have fufficiently difcuffed the Subjed: of this Day's Conference. And now, let Lyficles take it as he will, I muft in re- gard to my own Charadier, as a fair im- partial Adverfary, acknowledge there is fomething in what Crito hath faid, upon the Ufefulnefs of the Chriftian Religion. I will even own to you that fome of our Sed: are for allowing it a Toleration. I remember, at a Meeting of feveral in- genious Men, after much Debate we came fucceffively to divers Refolutions. The firft was, that no Religion ought to be tolerated in the State : But this on more mature Thought was judged impracti- cable. The fecond was, that all Religi- ons fliould be tolerated, but none counte- nanced except Atheifm : But it was apprehended, that this might breed Con- tentions among the lower Sort of People. We came therefore to conclude in the third Place, that fome Religion or other fhould be eftabliftied for the Ufe of the Vulgar. And after a long Difpute what this 3 5^ Th E Mi NUTE, &c. Dial. this Religion fliould be, Lyfn a brisk V. young Man, perceiving no Signs of A- v^v^ greement, propofed that the prefent Re- ligion might be tolerated, till a better was found. But allowing it to be expedient, I can never think it true, fo long as there lie unanfwerable Objedions againft it, which, if you pleafe, I fhall take the Liberty to propofe at our next Meeting, To which we all agreed. T^he End of the Firji Voliimeo ^# .HI' ,'. '^M\..l: