Ravvleigh his ghost. Or a feigned apparition of Syr VValter Rawleigh to a friend of his, for the translating into English, the booke of Leonard Lessius (that most learned man) entituled, De prouidentia numinis, & animi immortalitate: written against atheists, and polititians of these dayes. Translated by A. B.

THE EIGHT REASON FROM THE diuersity of Mens countenances and voices, and from the pouerty of Man. CHAP. X.

THESE two things (I meane the great diuersity of faces and voyces of Men, and the penury that Man is ordinarily borne vnto (may be no smal in∣ducements (if they be rightly considered) to proue the care of the diuine Prouidence. And touching the first; The diuersity of faces is so multiplicious and almost so infinit in Man, as it affordeth no final argumēt therof; for without this variety neither could iusti∣ce be obserued, neither could any forme of a common wealth consist. For suppose Men to be in countenance alyke, as sheepe, cro∣wes, sparrowes, and many other liuing Creatures of the same nature are, then most ineuitable perturbation and tumults a∣mong Men would ensue; for neither could maryed Men discerne their owne wyues frō other women, neither the Parents their children, neither the creditours their deb∣tours, the friends their enemies, nor the magistrate the delinquents, nor the subiects their Princes; and therfore each Common

wealth would be extremely in••ested with adulteries, incests, frauds, proditions, mur∣thers, and all other wickednes whatsoeuer; since such lewd miscariages might then be perpetrated with all impunity & freedome from punishment; for euery one might through a resemblance of face giue himself for whom he would, neither could the mi∣staking be easily discouered. This poynt is most euident to any that seriously weigheth the same, and diuers examples of those men do witnes no lesse, who cofyding & resting vpon likenes of face and fauour, haue at∣tempted to inuade other mens beds, patri∣monies, kingdomes; sometime with good euent, at other tymes in vayne, but euer with great trouble and tumults. Therefore it is euident, that the difference of faces is most necessary, that the lawes of iustice and of the Commonwealth may not be trans∣gressed, and peace and tranquility obser∣ued.

If it be here replyed that this difference of faces commeth only by chance & casually, and not from any Prouidence so disposing the same: I answere, that it is absurd to af∣firme that to haue its euent by chance and fortune, which preuayleth so much in pre∣uenting of iniures, & in cōseruing of iustice among Men; since, otherwise it would fol∣low,

that all iustice and true policy which is found among Men, should be grounded only vpon chance; and that fortune should be the foundation of all Commonwealthes. Furthermore what proceedeth from chance is not perpetuall, but rarely hapneth; and is not found in all, but in few only, (as Aristotle and other Philosophers do teach.) As for example, that a man is borne with fiue fingers, cānot be said to come by chāce, but it may be so said of him, who is borne with six fingers. And answerably hereto, we fynd, that difference of countenances & faces is not a thing strange and rare, but very ordinary and common; which almost al∣waies, and in all places is incident to Men. Therefore it is not a thing to be ascribed to chance, but to Prouidence, which hath or∣dained the same, the better to preserue iu∣stice and ciuill life betweene Men, which without this variety of faces could most hardly be obserued. But on the other part, if the nature of Man and the propagation of him were so disposed, that Men should bee commonly borne lyke in faces, and that no dissimilitude should be betweene them, thē might this diuersity of faces well be attribu∣ted to chance, but the contrary we see, fal∣leth out; for dissimilitude and vnliknes is ordinary, and likenes and resemblance of

faces but rare; Therefore, that Men are like, is to be imputed to chance; that they are vn∣like, to Prouidence. And here I vnderstād by the word, Chance, a rare and extraordi∣nary concourse of causes, which notwith∣standing is gouerned by the mighty hād of Gods prouidence: for in respect of his proui∣dence (which incompasseth all things within the largenes of it owne Orbes) no∣thing can be said to be casuall; but only in regard of secondary causes, whose know∣ledge and power of working is limited.

In irrationable Creatures there is for the most part so great a parity and likenes of the indiuidua and particulers of one kynd, as that with difficulty any difference can be obser∣ued: For seing it importeth not much, whe∣ther they be like or vnlike, nature follow∣eth that which is more easy; and therefore maketh them like, so as to the eye there ap∣peareth no markable & notorious differēce or vnlikenes: for it is more facile and better sorting to the course of nature, that bodyes which internally are of one and the same nature and substance, should also be indued with the same externall qualities, thē with diuers and different; And when occasion requires, that among these creatures, one should be knowne from another (as in sheepe, goates, horses &c. it is an easy mat∣ter

to set on them a marke for their better di∣stinguishing.

Neither among Men is there only this va∣riety of faces (for their better discerning of one from another) but also of voyces; so as there is no lesse difference among them in sound of voyce, then in Countenance. For seing a precise and distinct knowledge ne∣cessarily conduceth to the preseruing of iu∣stice; therefore the diuyne Prouidence hath so disposed, that there should be a disparity & vnlikenes not only in faces, but also in voyces; that so by a double sense (to wit by sight & hearing) as by a double witnes, one man should be made knowne from another. For if but one of these disparities were, then per∣haps some mistaking might be; but where both of them do ioyntly concurre and meet, it is almost impossible, that men heerein should be in both deceaued. Only difference of Countenances were not sufficient, becau∣se matters are often menaged in darknes; as also some mens eye sights are so weake and imperfect, as that they cannot exactly dis∣cerne the lineaments and portrature of the face; besides among some men (though but seldome) there is a great resemblance of vi∣sages; so as in distinguishing of them the eye may be deceaued. And therefore this want is heere fully supplied with the like dispari∣ty

of mens voyces; to the end that such mē, which could not be knowne one frō ano∣ther by their faces, might neuertheles be ea∣sily distinguished by the sound of their ton∣gues.

But to proceed further in this generall subiect, it is euident, that the consideratiō of Pouerty (wherwith the world laboureth) affordeth a strong argument of a diuyne Pro∣uidence; Since Pouerty is that, which pre∣serueth all entercourse among Men, as furni∣shing man withal ornaments and delicacyes of this life; as on the contrary side affluence and abundance of riches leadeth man to all dissolution and tutpitude of life. For suppo∣se, that all things, which are in any sort ne∣cessary to mans life, were fully and promis∣cuously giuen to al men without any labour and industry on their parts; then it is cleare, that two mayne inconueniences would in∣stantly follow: to wit, an ouerthrow and decay of all artes, and all other splendour now appearing in Mans life; and an vtter deprauation and corruption of manners & integrity of conuersation. For granting the former position, no man would learne any mechanicall arts, or learning would pra∣ctice them.

No man would vndertake any labori∣ous and painfull taske, nor be seruiceable to

any other; since no man would performe these things, were he not forced therunto through want & penury. And so we should want all rich attyre all fayre and stately e∣difices, all costly furniture for houses, all magnificent temples and Churches, all Cit∣tyes, Towers, Castels, and other such forti∣fications. In like sort, then would cease all agriculture and tilling, all nauigation, fi∣shing, fowling, & all trafficke for merchā∣dize; againe there would be no nobie and potent men, as being destitute of all seruāts and followers. Moreouer, all differences of degrees and orders (which are necessary in euery common wealth) would be taken a∣way, and consequently all reuerence and obedience••. Therefore whatsoeuer in the whole course of mans life is faire, gorgeous, magnificent, and to be desired, all the same would be wanting, if men were not poore: and nothing would remayne but rudenes, barbarisme, and sauagenesse.

To this former inconuenience may be ad∣ioyned another of greater importance, to wit, an extreme corruption of manners and an opening the sluce to all disorder & disso∣lution of life. For it is obserued, that such lasciuious courses do commonly accompany idlenes and abundance of wealth; an exam∣ple of this we may borrow from the men li∣uing.

before the deluge, (whom lasinesse, opulency and fulnes of temporalities did o∣uerthrow) as also from the inhabitantes of Brasile, who (by reason that the country af∣forded them abundantly without labour, through the natural temperature of the Cli∣mate, all things necessary) are altogeter be∣come mancipated and slaues to Epicurisme, lust, and all vicious sensuality.

Two things then there are, which chie∣fly hurt, & depraue all conuersation of life; to wit idlenes, and affluence of riches. This later ministreth matter to all vices; the first giueth opportunity and tyme for the practi∣zing of thē. But both these are taken away by pouerty, the one (to wit abundance) imme∣diatly, seing want is nothing els then the want and not hauing of riches; the other (I meane idlenes) in that whiles penury affli∣cteth and presseth men, they are (for the further preuenting thereof) willing to vn∣dergo any labour and paines. Therfore pe∣nury serueth to man, as a spur, wherby a flothfull nature is pricked and stirred vp to industry and toyle; which while it is who∣lely imployed▪ bent, and intent vpon its de∣signed worke and taske, is freed from dan∣gerous and vicious cogitations, and conse∣quently hath not leasure▪ and tyme, to spend the tyme in sensuality. From this then it is

euident, how healthfull and medicinable Pouerty is to mankynd; since it extinguisheth and cutteth away the nourisher of all vices, possesseth and forestalleth the mynd with hurtles thoughts, and filleth the world with all ornaments and commodityes. For what in humane things is to be accounted as fayre excellent, and to bee admyred, is the handy worke of pouerty, and is chiefly to be as∣cribed to it. Therefore it was truly said of one authour, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, Pe∣nury and want begetteth wisedome. This argu∣ment is handled copiously by Aristopahnes in Pluto; and we do euidently discouer in it Gods prouidence, by the which he so sweetly and moderatly gouerneth mankynd.

Notes

• The di∣uersity of faces.
• Of Po∣uerty.