mands Reverence and Awe. 'Tis of admirable ufe to keep Underflandings at a diftance, and out of reach. The other Manner, on the con- trary, gives the fairefl hold, and furfers an An- tagonift to ufe his full Strength hand to hand, upon even ground.
'Tis not to be imagin'd what advantage the Reader has, when he can thus cope with his Author, who is willing to come on a fair Stage with him, and exchange the Tragick Bufkin for an eafier and more natural Gate and Habit. Grimace and Tone are mighty Helps to Impofture. And many a formal Piece of Sophiftry holds Proof under a fevere Brow, which wou'd not pafs under an eafy one. 'Twas the Saying of * an antient Sage, 11 That Humour was the only Teft of Gravity; et and Gravity, of Humour. For a Subject " which wou'd not bear Raillery, was fufpi- M cious; and a Jell; which wou'd not bear a iL ferious Examination, was certainly falfe Wit."
But fome Gentlemen there are fo full of the Spirit of Bigotry, and falfe %eal, that when they hear Principles examin'd, Sciences arid Arts inquir'd into, and Matters of Importance *Gorgias Leontinus, apud Arift. Rhetor, lib. 3. cap. 18. Ti?» j*» orw«&j» &a^0«gny ytXurt, tov $e yeXura. <r7ra£»ii; which the Translator j-aiders, Seria Rifu, Rij'um Seriis difcukre.
treated of WIT and HUMOUR. 75 treated with this franknefs of Humour, they imagine prefently that all Profeftions muft fall to the ground, all Eftablifhments come to ruin, and nothing orderly or decent be left (landing in the world. They fear, or pretend to fear, that Religion it-felf will be endanger'd by this free way; and are therefore as much alarm'd at this Liberty in private Converfation, and under prudent Management, as if it were grofly us'd in publick Company, or before the folemn- eft AfTembly. But the Cafe, as I apprehend it, is far different. For you are to remember (my Friend!) that I am writing to you in de- fence only of the Liberty of the Club, and of that fort of Freedom which is taken amongft Gen- tlemen and Friends, who know one another per- fectly well. And that 'tis natural for me to de- fend Liberty with this renriclion, you may in- fer from the very Notion I have of Liberty it- felf.
'Tis furely a Violation of the Freedom of publick AiTemblys, for any one to take the Chair, who is neither calld nor invited to it. To (tart Queftions, or manage Debates, which offend the publick Ear, is to be wanting in that Refpect which is due to common Society. Such Subjects fhou'd either not be treated at all in publick, or in fuch a manner as to occafion no Scandal or Difturbance. The Publick is not, Vol. I. F on on any account, to be laugh'd at, to its face; or fo reprehended for its Follys, as to make it think it-felf contemn'd. And what is contra- ry to good Breeding, is in this refpecl as con- trary to Liberty. It belongs to Men of flavifh Principles, to affect a Superiority over the Vul- gar, and to defpife the Multitude. The Lovers of Mankind refpecl and honour Conventions and Societys of Men. And in mix'd Compa- ny, and Places where Men are met promifcu- oufly on account of Diverfion or Affairs, 'tis an Impofition and Hardihip to force 'em to hear what they diflike, and to treat of Matters in a Dialed, which many who are prefent have perhaps been never usd to. Tis a breach of the Harmony of publick Converfation, to take things in fuch a Key, as is above the common Reach, puts others to filence, and robs them of their Privilege of Tarn. But as to private Society, and what palfes in felecl Companys, where Friends meet knowingly, and with that very defign of exercifing their Wit, and look- ing freely into all Subjecls; I fee no pretence for any one to be offended at the way of Rail- lery and Humour, which is the very Life of fuch Conversations; the only thing which makes good Company, and frees it from the Forma- lity of Bufinefs, and the Tutorage and Dogmaticalnefs of the Schools.
SECT.
of WIT and HUMOUR. 77 SECT. VI.
TO return therefore to our Argument. If the bed of our modern Converfations are apt to run chiefly upon Trifles; if rational Dif- courfes (efpecially thofe of a deeper Speculati- on) have loft their credit, and are in difgrace becaufe of their Formality; there is reafon for more allowance in the way of Humour and Gaiety. An eafier Method of treating thefe Subjects, will make em more agreeable and familiar. To difpute about 'em, will be the fame as about other Matters. They need not fpoil good Company, or take from the Eafe or Pleafure of a polite Converfation. And the oftner thefe Converfations are renew'd, the better will be their Effecl:. We fhall grow better Reafoners, by reafoning pleafantly, and at our eafe; taking up, or laying down thefe Subjects, as we fancy. So that, upon the whole, I mud own to you, I cannot be fcandaliz'd at the Raillery you took notice of, nor at the Effecl; it had upon our Company. The Hu- mour was agreeable, and the pleafant Con- fufion which the Converfation ended in, is at this time as pleafant to me upon Reflection; when I confider, that inftead of being difcou- rag'd from refuming the Debate, we were fo much the readier to meet again at any time, F 2 and jS An ESSAY on the Freedom and difpute upon the fame Subjects, even with more eafe and fatisfa&ion than before.
We had been a long time entertain'd, you know, upon the Subjecl of Morality and Reli- gion. And amidft the different Opinions dart- ed and maintain'd by feveral of the Partys with great Life and Ingenuity; one or other wou'd every now and then take the liberty to appeal to Common Sense. Every-one allow'd the Appeal, and was willing to (land the trial. No-one but was affur'd Common Senfe wou'd juftify him. But when Iffue was join'd, and the Caufe examin'd at the Bar, there cou'd be no Judgment given. The Partys however were not lefs forward in renewing their Appeal, on the very next occafion which prefented. No-one wou'd offer to call the Authority of the Court in queftion; till a Gentleman, vvhofe good Underuanding was never yet brought in doubt, defir'd the Company, very gravely, that they wou'd tell him what Common Senfe was.
41 If by the word Senfe we were to under- ftand Opinion and Judgment, and by the word common the Generality or any consi- derable part of Mankind; 'twou'd be hard, he faid, to difcover where the Subject of common Senfe cou'd lie. For that which was M t t of WIT and HUMOUR. 79 ct was according to the Senfe of one Part of " Mankind, was againfi the Senfe of another. Cl And if the Majority were to determine com- " mon Senfe, it wou'd change as often as Men ,L chang'd. That which was according to com- '* mon Senfe to day, wou'd be the contrary c' to morrow, or foon after."
But notwithftanding the different Judg- ments of Mankind in moll Subj eels, there were fome however in which 'twas fuppos'd they all agreed, and had the fame Thoughts in com- mon. The Queflion was afk'd ftill, Where?
\' For whatever was of any moment, 'twas 41 fuppos'd might be redue'd under the head " of Religion, Policy, or Morals.
44 Of the Differences in Religion there ' was no occafion to fpeak; the Cafe was fo 1 fully known to all, and fo feelingly under- 4 flood by Chriftians, in particular, among 1 themfelves. They had made found Experi- 4 ment upon one another; each Party in ' their turn. No Endeavours had been want- 4 ing on the fide of any particular Seel. Which- 1 ever chane'd to have the Power, fail'd not c of putting all means in execution, to make 1 their private Senfe the publick one. But all 1 in vain. Common Senfe was as hard ftill to 1 determine as Catholick or Orthodox. What F 3 with F 3 with 8o An E S SA T on the Freedom 41 with one was inconceivable Myftery, to a- " nother was of eafy Comprehenfion. What '■* to one was Abfurdity, to another was De- 44 monflration.
44 As for Po l i c y; What Senfe or whofe cou'd 1 be call'd common, was equally a queflion. ' If plain Britijh or Dutch Senfe were right, 4 Turkifh and French Senfe muft certainly be ve- * ry wrong. And as mere Nonfenfe as Paflive- 4 Obedience feemd; we found it to be. the 1 common Senfe of a great Party amongft ' our-felves, a greater Party in Europe, and ' perhaps the greateft Part of all the' World * beiides.
ct As for Morals; The difference if pof- '• fible, was dill wider. For without confider- c ing the Opinions and Cufloms of the many 1 barbarous and illiterate Nations; we faw 1 that even the few who had attain'd to riper 1 Letters, and to Philofophy, cou'd never as ' yet agree on one and the fame Synem, or 1 acknowledge the fame moral Principles. And 1 fome even of our moll admir'd modern Phi- ' lofophers had fairly told us, that Virtue and c Vice had, after all, no other Law or Meafure, 1 than mere Fajhion and Vogue" It of WIT and HUMOUR. 81 It might have appear'd perhaps unfair in our Friends, had they treated only the graver Subjects in this manner; and fuffer'd the lighter to efcape. For in the gayer Part of Life, our Follys are as folemn as in the moft ferious. The fault is, we carry the Laugh but half-way. The falfe Earned is ridicul'd, but the falfe Jejl pafles fecure, and becomes as errant Deceit as the other. Our Diverfions, our Plays, our A- mufements become folemn. We dream of Hap- pineffes and PofTefTions, and Enjoyments in which we have no Underflanding, no Cer- tainty; and -yet we purfue thefe as the befl known and moft certain things in the World. There is nothing fo foolifh and deluding as a * partial Scepticifm. For whilfl the Doubt is call only on one fide, the Certainty grows fo much llronger on the other. Whilfl only one Face of Folly appears ridiculous, the other grows more folemn and deceiving.
But 'twas not thus with our Friends. They feem'd better Criticks, and more ingenious, and fair in their way of queftioning receiv'd Opinions, and expofing the Ridicule of Things. And if you will allow me to carry on their Humour, I will venture to make the Experi- F 4 ment ment throughout; and try what certain Know- ledge or Alfurance of things may be recover'd, in that very way, by which all Certainty, you thought, was loft, and an endlefs Scepticijm in- troduc'd.
IF a Native of Ethiopia were on a fud- den tranfported into Europe, and placed either at Paris or Venice at a time of Car- nival, when the general Face of Mankind was difguis'd, and almoil every Creature wore a Mads.; 'tis probable he wou'd for fome time be at a (land, before he difcoverd the Cheat: not imagining that a whole People cou'd be fo fantauical, as upon Agreement, at an ap- pointed time, to transform themfelves by a Variety of Habits, and make it a folemn Prac- tice to impofe on one another, by this uni- verfal Confufion of Characters and Perfons. Tho he might at firft perhaps have look'd on this with a ferious eye, it wou'd be hardly pofhble for him to hold his Countenance, when of W/ rand HUMOUR. 83 when he had perceiv'd what was carrying on. The Europeans, on their fide, might laugh perhaps at this Simplicity. But our Ethio- pian wou'd certainly laugh with better rea- fon. Tis eafy to fee which of the two wou'd be ridiculous. For he who laughs, and is him- felf ridiculous, bears a double (hare of Ridi- cule. However, fliou'd it fo happen, that in the Tranfport of Ridicule, our Ethiopian, having his Head ftill running upon Mqfks, and knowing nothing of the fair Complexion and common Drefs of the Europeans, fliou'd up- on the fight of a natural Face and Habit, laugh juft as heartily as before; wou'd not he in his turn become ridiculous, by carrying thejefltoo far; when by a filly Prefumptionhe took Nature for mere Art, and miftook perhaps a Man of Sobriety and Senfe for one of thofe ridiculous Mummers?
There was a time when Men were ac- countable only for their Actions and Behavi- our. Their Opinions were left to themfelves. They had liberty to differ in thefe, as in their Faces. Every one took the Air and Look which was natural to him. But in procefs of time, it was thought decent to mend Mens Countenances, and render their intellectual Complexions uniform and of a fort. Thus the Magiurate became a Dreffer, and in his turn was was was drefsd too, as he deferv'd; when he had given up his Power to a new Order of Tire- Men. But tho in this extraordinary con- juncture 'twas agreed that there was only one certain and true Drefs, one Jingle pecu- liar Air, to which it was necefTary all People ihou'd conform; yet the mifery was, that nei- ther the Maoiftrate nor the Tire-Men them- • felves, cou'd refolve, which of the various Modes was the exacl true-one. Imagine now, what the Effecl of this mud needs be; when Men became perfecuted thus on every fide about their Air and Feature, and were put to their fliifts how to adjuft and compofe their Mein, according to the right Mode; when a thoufand Models, a thoufand Patterns of Drefs were current, and alter'd every now and then, upon occafion, according to Fafldon and the Humour of the Times. Judge whether Mens Countenances were not like to grow con- ftrain'd, and the natural Vifage of Mankind, by this Habit, diftorted, convuls'd, and ren- der'd hardly knowable.
But as unnatural or artificial as the gene- ral Face of things may have been render d by this unhappy Care of Drefs, and Over-Tender- nefs for the Safety of Complexions; we muft not therefore imagine that all Faces are alike be- fmear'd or plaifterd. All is not Fucus, or mere Varnifh, Varnifh. Nor is the Face of Truth lefs fair and beautiful, for all the counterfeit Vizards which have been put upon her. We muft remember the Carnival, and what the Occafion has been of this wild Concourfe and Medly; who were the inftitutors of it; and to what purpofe Men were thus fet a-work and amus'd. We may laugh fufficiently at the original Cheat; and, if pity will fuffer us, may make our-felves di- verfion enough with the Folly and Madnefs of thofe wrho are thus caught, and practis'd on, by thefe Impoftures. But we muft remem- ber withal our Ethiopian, and beware, left by taking plain Nature for a Vizard, we be- come more ridiculous than the People whom we ridicule. Now if a Jeft or Ridicule thus ftrain'd, be capable of leading the Judgment fo far aftray; 'tis probable that an Excefs of Fear or Horror may work the fame Effect.
Had it been your fortune (my Friend!) to have liv'd in A s 1 A at the time when the * Ma- gi by an egregious Impofture got pofleilion of the Empire; no doubt you wou'd have had a deteftation of the Acl: And perhaps the very Perfons of the Men might have grown fo odi- ous to you, that after all the Cheats and A- bufes they had committed, you might have feen 'em difpatch'd with as relentlefs an. eye as as our later European Anceflors faw the De- ftruction of a like politick Body of Conjurers, the Knights Templars; who were almoft become an Over-Match for the civil Sovereign. Your Indignation perhaps might have carry'd you to propofe the raziiig all Monuments and Memorials of thefe Magicians. You might have refolvd not to leave fo much as their Houfes (landing. But if it had happen'd that thefe Magicians, in the time of their Dominion, had made any Collection of Books, or compii'd any themfelves, in which they had treated of Phi- lofophy, or Morals, or any other Science, or Part of Learning; wou'd you have carry'd your Refentment fo far as to have extirpated thefe alfo, and condemn'd every Opinion or Doclrine they had efpous'd, for no other rea- fon than merely becaufe they had efpous'd it? Hardly a Scythian, aTARTAR, or a Goth, wou'd act or reafon fo abfurdly. Much lefs wou'd you (my Friend!) have carry'd on this Ma go phony, or Priefl-Majjacre, with fuch a barbarous Zeal. For, in good earned, to de- ftroy a Philofophy in hatred to a Man, implies as errant a 7m tar-Notion, as to deitroy or mur- der a Man in order to plunder him of his Wit, and" get the inheritance of his Underftanding.
I Must confers indeed, that had all the In- ftitutions, Statutes, and Regulations of this antient of WIT and HUMOUR. 87 antient Hierarchy, refembled the fundamental *one, of the Order it-ielf, they might with a great deal of Juftice have been fupprefs'd: For one can't without fome abhorrence read that Law of theirs; f Nam Magus ex Matre et Gnalo gignatur oportet.
But the Conjurers (as we'll rather fuppofe) having confider'd that they ought in their Principle to appear as fair as poffible to the World, the better to conceal their Practice, found it highly for their Intereft to efpoufe fome excellent moral Rules, and eftablifh the very beft Maxims of this kind. They thought it for their advantage perhaps, on their firft fetting out, to recommend the greateft Purity of Religion, the greateft Integrity of Life and Manners. They may perhaps too, in general, have preach'd up Charity and Good-will. They may have fet to view the faireft Face of human Nature; and together with their By- Laws, and political Inftitutions, have inter- wove the honefteft Morals and beft Doctrine in the World.
How therefore fhou'd we have behav'd our- felves in this Affair; How fhou'd we have carry'd carry'd our-felves towards this Order of Men, at the time of Difcovery of their Cheat, and Ruin of their Empire? Shou'd we have fall'n to work inflantly with their Syfiems, (truck at their Opinions and Doctrines without diftinc- tion, and erected a contrary Philofophy in their teeth? Shou'd we have flown at every re- ligious and moral Principle, deny'd every na- tural and focial Affeclion, and renderd Men as much * Wolves as was poflible to one ano- ther, whilft we defcrib'd 'em fuch; and endea- vour'd to make them fee themfelves by far more monftrous and corrupt, than with the worft Intentions it was ever polfible for the worft of 'em to become? This, you'll fay, doubtlefs wou'd have been a very prepoflerous Part, and cou'd never have been acted by other than mean Spirits, fuch as had been held in awe, and over-frighted f by the Magi.
And yet an J able and witty Philofo- pher of our Nation was, we know, of late t VOL. III. p. 64,65. in the Notes.
J Mr. H o b b e s, who thus expreffes himfelf: By reading oflhefe Greek and Latin Authors, Men from their Childhood have gotten a Habit (under a falfefhew of Liberty) offavouring Tumults and of licentious controlling the Actions of their Sovereigns. Leviathan, Part 2. ch. qi. p. hi. Bv this Rea- foning of Mr. Hobbis it fhou'd follow, that there can never be any Tumults or depofing of Sovereigns at Conflautinople, or in Mogol. See again, p. 171, and 377. and what he intimates to his Prince (p. 193.) concerning this Extirpation of antient Literature, in favour of his Levi- suhan-Hypothefis, and new Philofophy.
Years, of WIT and HUMOUR. 89 Years, fo poflefs'd with a Horror of this kind, that both with refpecl; to Politicks and Morals, he directly acled in the Spirit of Maffacre. The Fright he took upon the Sight of the then go- verning Powers, who unjuftly alTum'd the Au- thority of the People, gave him fuch an Ab- horrence of all popular Government, and of the very Notion of Liberty it-felf; that to ex- tinguifli it for ever, he recommends the very extinguifhing of Letters, and exhorts Princes not to fpare fo much as an antient Roman or Greek Hiftorian. — Is not this in truth fome- what Gothick? And has not our Philofopher, in appearance, fomething of the Savage, that he fhou'd ufe Philofophy and Learning as the Scythians are faid to have us'd Ana- char sis and others, for having vifited the Wife of Greece, and learnt the Manners of a polite People?
H 1 s Quarrel with Religion was the fame as with Liberty. The fame Times,gave him the fame Terror in this other kind. He had no- thing before his Eyes befide the Ravage of En- thujiafm, and the Artifice of thofe who rais'd and conducted that Spirit. And the good fo- ciable Man, as favage and unfociable as he wou'd make himfelf and all Mankind appear by his Philofophy, expos'd himfelf during his Life, and took the utmofl pains, that after his Death go An ESSAY on the Freedom Death we might be deliver'd from the occa-* fion of thefe Terrors. He did his utmofl to fhew us, ut That both in Religion and Morals u we were impose! on by our Governors; 11 that there was nothing which by nature in- cc clin'd us either way; nothing which natu- 64 rally drew us to the Love of what was with- " out, or beyond * ourf elves:" Tho the Love of fuch great Truths and fovereign Maxims as he imagin'd thefe to be, made him the mod laborious of all Men in compofing Syftems of this kind for our Ufe; and fore'd him, not- withflanding his natural Fear, to run con- tinually the higheft rifk of being a Martyr for our Deliverance.
Give me leave therefore (my Friend!) on this occafion, to prevent your Serioufnefs, and allure you, that there is no fuch mighty Danger as we are apt to imagine from thefe fierce Profecutors of Superilition, who are fo jealous of every religious or moral Principle. Whatever Savages they may appear in Philofo- phy, they are in their common Capacity as Civil Perfons, as one can wifli. Their free commu- nicating of their Principles may witnefs for them. 'Tis the height of Sociablenefs to be thus friendlv and communicative.
If of WIT and HUMOUR. 91 If the Principles, indeed, were concealed from us, and made a Myftery; they might be- come confiderable. Things are often made fo, by being kept as Secrets of a Seel: or Party; and nothing helps this more than the Antipathy and Shynefs of a contrary Party. If we fall prefent- ly into Horrors, and Confternation, upon the hearing Maxims which are thought poifonous; we are in no difpofition to ufe that familiar and eafy part of Reafon, which is the bed An- tidote. The only Poifon to Reafon, is Pajjwn. For falfe Reafoning is foon redrefs'd, where Paffion is removd. But if the very hearing certain Proportions of Philofophy be fufficient to move our Paffion; 'tis plain, the Poifon has already gain'd on us, and we are effectually prevented in the ufe of our reafoning Facul- ty- Were it not for the Prejudices of this kind; what fhou'd hinder us from diverting our-felves with the Fancy of one of thefe modern Reformers we have been fpeaking of? What fhou'd we fay to one of thefe Anti-zealots, who, in the Zeal of fuch a cool Philofophy, fhou'd affure us faith- fully, tl That we were the molt miftaken Men " in the world, to imagine there was any fuch 41 thing as natural Faith or Juftice? For that t c (I 11 tC t c it was only Force and Power which conftitu- ted Right. That there was no fuch thing in reality as Virtue; no Principle of Order in things above, or below; no fecret Charm or Force of Nature, by which every-one was made to operate willingly or unwillingly to- wards publick Good, and punihVd and tor- ■' mented if he did otherwife." Is not this the very Charm it-felf? Is not the Gentle- man at this inftant under the power of it?
Sir! The Philofophy you have condefcended to reveal to us, is mod extraordinary. We are beholden to you for your Inftruclion. But, pray, whence is this Zeal in our behalf? What are We to You? Are You our Father? Or if You were, why this Concern for Us? Is there then fuch a thing as natural Affecti- on? If not; why all this Pains, why all this Danger on our account? Why not keep this Secret to Your-felf? Of what advantage is it to You, to deliver us from the Cheat? The more are taken in it, the better. 'Tis directly againft your Inte- reft to undeceive Us, and let us know that only private Interefl governs You; and that nothing nobler, or of a larger kind, fhou'd govern us, whom you converfe with. Leave us to our-felves, and to that notable Art by which we are happily tam'd, and renderd " thus It u ti a of WIT and HUMO U R. 93 thus mild d.ndjheepifli. Tis not fit we fhou'd know that by Nature we are all Wolves. Is it poffible that one who has really difcoverd himfelf fuch, fhou d take pains to commu- nicate fuch a Difcovery?"
SECT. II.
IN reality (my Friend!) a fevere Brow may well be fpar'd on this occafion; when we are put thus upon the Defence of common Ho- nejly, by fuch fair honeft Gentlemen, who are in Practice fo different from what they wou'd appear in Speculation. Knaves I know there are in Motion and Principle, as well as in Practice: who think all Honefty as well as Religion a mere Cheat; and by a very confluent reafon- ing, have refolvd deliberately to do whatever by Power or Art they are able, for their private Advantage. But fuch as thefe never open themfelves in Friendfnip to others. They have no fuch Paffion for Truth, or Love for Man- kind. They have no Quarrel with Religion or Morals; but know what ufe to make of both, upon occafion. If they ever difcover their Principles, 'tis only at unawares. They are fure to preach Honefly, and go to Church.
On the other fide, the Gentlemen for whom I am apologizing, cannot however be call'd Hypocrites. They fpeak as ill of themfelves as they poftibly can. If they have hard Thoughts of human Nature; 'tis a Proof flill of their Hu- manity, that they give fuch Warning to the World. If they reprefent Men by Nature trea- cherous and wild, 'tis out of care for Mankind; left by being too tame and trii/ling, they ihou'd eafily be caught.
Impostors naturally fpeak the beft of hu- man Nature, that they may the eafier abufe it. Thefe Gentlemen, on the contrary, fpeak the worft; and had rather they themfelves fhou'd be cenfur'd with the reft, than that a Few fhou'd by impofture prevail over the Many. For 'tis Opinion of Gcodnefs * which creates Eafinefs of Truft: and by Trujl we are betray'd to Pow - er; our very Reajon being thus captivated by thofe in whom we come infenfibly to have an implicit Faith. But fuppofing one another to be by Nature fuch very Savages, we fhall take care to come lefs in one another's Power: and ap- prehending Power to be infatiably coveted by all, we (hall the better fence againft the Evil; not by giving all into one Hand (as the Champion * VOL. II. /' 334. and VOL. III. f. 114.
of of Wl rand HUMOUR. 95 of this Caufe wou'd have us) but, on the con- trary, by a right Divifion and Balance of Pow- er, and by the Reftraint of good Laws and Li- mitations, which may fecure the publick Li- berty.
Shou'd you therefore afk me, whether I re- ally thought thefe Gentlemen were fully per- fuaded of the Principles they fo often advance in Company? I fhou'd tell you, That tho I wou'd not abfolutely arraign the Gentlemens Sincerity; yet there was fomething of Myflery in the Cafe, more than was imagin'd. The Reafon, perhaps, why Men of Wit delight fo much to efpoufe thefe paradoxical Syitems, is not in truth that they are fo fully fatisfy'd with 'em; but in a view the better to oppofe fome other Syftems, which by their fair appearance have help'd, they think, to bring Mankind un- der Subjection. They imagine that by this ge- neral Sceptiafm, which they wou'd introduce, they fhall better deal with the dogmatical Spi- rit which prevails in fome particular Subjects. And when they have accuftom'd Men to bear Contradiction in the main, and hear the Nature of Things difputed, at large; it may be fafer (they conclude) to argue fcparately, upon certain nice Points in which they are not altogether fo well fatisfy'd. So that from hence, perhaps, G 3 you G 3 you you may ftill better apprehend why, in Con- verfation, the Spirit of Raillery prevails fo much, and Notions are taken up for no reafon befides their being odd, and out of the way.
SECT. III.
BUT let who will condemn the Humour thus defcrib'd; for my part, I am in no fuch apprehenfion from this fceptical kind of Wit. Men indeed may, in a ferious way, be fo wrought on, and confounded, by different Modes of Opi- nion, different Syftems and Schemes imposd by Authority, that they may wholly lofe all Notion or Comprehenfion of Truth. I can eafily ap- prehend what Effed Awe has over Mens Under- ftandings. I can very well fuppofe Men may be frighted out of their Wits: But I have no apprehenfion they fhou'd be laugh'd out of 'em. I can hardly imagine that in a plea- fant way they fhou'd ever be talked out of their Love for Society, or reafon'd out of Hu- manity and common Senfe. A mannerly Wit can hurt no Caufe or Interefl for which I am in the leaft concern'd: And Philofophical Speculati- ons, politely manag'd, can never furely render Mankind more un-fociable or un-civiliz'd. This is not the Quarter from whence I can pofTibly expecl an Inroad of Savagenefs and Barbarity. And by the ben" of my Obfervation, I have learnt,