The visions of the soul, before it comes into the body in several dialogues / written by a member of the Anthenian Society.

DIALOGUE VI.

Between Mercury, a Pre-existent Spirit, a Dead Man, Charon, and Hobbs.

Mercury

—STand back there, I'm in great haste; a poor VVretch that lies strugling under the pangs of Separation, can∣not be loos'd till I hand him to Charon's Ferry.

Spirit

—Pray good Mercury, hold a little, I have one request to beg of you.

Merc.

—Speak—Speak quickly, VVhat is't?

Sp.

—Only be my Guardian, and let me wait upon you into the other VVorld, thence to the Infernal Shades, and so back again.

Merc.

—Indeed your Order has been very civil to me always when I past these Regions, and tho' it will be some trouble to me, yet your Request is granted,—take hold of that end of my Wand, and keep close behind me.

Sp.

—VVhat strange—

Merc.

—Hush, not a word, we are now at our first Journeys end.—Ay, that's the Object; see how Death has fixt his Eyes, and sits triumphant upon his Lips: So, now I have eas'd him, his Corps must be left to be lament∣ed and buried by his Friends, but he marches with us.

Sp.

—VVhere is he?

Deadman••

—Here, VVhat do ye design to do with me?

Merc.

—That last Office I do to all Man∣kind—Conduct you to your last Aboad—Holo Charon, make haste, and take this Fare.

Charon

—VVhat is he? He smells of Parchment, Subpoena's Injunctions, &c. VVas he not towards the Law?

Dead.

—Yes, I have be••n a Barrister.

Ch.

—Mercury, I dare not take him with all that Luggage about him; he'll sink the Wherry. Take away that Forgery—Very well, and that double Mortgage—So, and that Parcel of Replications, Writs of Error, &c.—Ay, now we are light enough, we'll be over presently.

Dead.

VVhere am I now?

Merc.

—Amongst your Predecessors; you are welcome to Shoar, and so farewel; Come along Comrade.

Sp▪

—Tarry a little, he says something. I wou'd fain know what Thoughts I shall en∣tertain, when I have left my Body.

Dead.

—Amongst my Predecessors? Then I'll go seek out for Mr. H••bbs, to know the reason why I am thus cruelly treated, when I follow'd his Rules, so exactly.—Yonder he goes—Hobbs, Mr. Hobbs.

Hobs

—How I am continually plagu'd, with my new Proselytes, that lay all their Damnations at my door? But I believe some on 'em put upon me; I'll question this new Comers Principles—Do you know me?

Dead.

—Yes to my Sorrow:—VVhat think you now of your Doctrine of Fatality?

Hobs

—VVhat Doctrine do ye mean?

Dead.

—That every individual person is fated to all the Actions of his Life; yea, even the most minute and inconsiderable; as for instance, to get up at such a time of the Day, to feed himself precisely at such an Hour, and with such a certain number of bits, to go over the Streets at so many Steps, to VVhore and be Drunk at such a time, to go to Prayers and be Melancholy at such a time, to dispute against his Principles at such a time: In short, that all that we think, say, and act, are neces∣sarily predestin'd, and run as links in an inevi∣table Chain of Causes.—VVhat think ye of the Reasons of this Hypothesis now? That we are made up of two parts, a Soul, and a Body; and that when these are conjoyn'd we must live necessarily as long as we do live; and that so long as we do live, we must necessa∣rily have a mind which has its perception by the Senses: That as this perception is necessa∣ry, so is the choice that we make by it: As for instance, Something that is good, or at least appears so to the perception, offers it self, and as such, 'tis impossible to refuse it, as a proper Object to the mind, as 'tis also impossible af∣ter perception, to choose an Evil as such; and thus we are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to VVho••ing for those Arguments which our reason offers, that we should refrain, carry not along with 'em so great a good to our perception, as those other reasons that induce us to it, and as a great power necessarily commands a l••sser, so the

will necessarily chooses it as most agreeable to it, and thus I refrain VVhoring, when there appears a greater good to let it alone: Thus I am fated to make so many steps in walking the length of my Chamber, because to step so far at a step, appears more agreeable to my Constitution, Fancy, &c. than to step further or shorter, and therefore as most agreeable, it most inclines my will, which therefore is ne∣cessitated to act accordingly: As to the Body it depends necessarily upon the Mind, for my Hand cannot move of it self, unless I move it, and if I move it, it is necessitated to move; and can't help it; and thus, Mr. Hobbs, I'm ne∣cessitated to be Damn'd, because the way to it, had more appearance of good in it, than walking in another way, and therefore I cou'd not but choose it. Oh! what an Unhappy Wretch was I, that was not fated to examine this Doctrine by the same Measures that I did all others; truth is only known by falshood, and falshood by truth; black by white, and white by black, and every thing by its con∣trary: What a Mysterious Riddle then is this, Which is both, and all one? viz. Do, or do not do, 'tis fated. If I wou'd have done a thing, and examin'd it's contrary, viz. cou'd not do it, or vice versa, then there had been fate in the case, otherwise Hobbism, or a new Riddle, whose Solution had been Ruine in one World, and Damnation in another. What's the meaning of Laws, Rewards, and Punishments? For if I act what I must act, Why am I bid to do so, or forbid to do so? If I rob my Neighbour, Why shou'd a little

superinduc'd Law take hold of me, and not that great Law of Fatality preserve me since I act agreeable to it? What injustice can I do when eternal Fate stands by me, and warrants all my Actions? Fool that I am, was I to live my Life over again, I wou'd only believe, and warrantably too, that Fate, though it be like a Law, yet it speaks not in this manner; This Man shall do thus, and this thing shall be∣fal that Man, but rather thus, whatsoever a Soul chooseth, such and such things shall cer∣tainly follow; for 'tis not the Action, but the Consequence of the Action, that is Fate.—If Fate had design'd, that if Paris Ravish'd Helena, the Grecians shou'd contend with Troy about it: But this was once in Paris's power to do, or not to do without Compulsion or Necessity. Thus Apollo foretold Caius, That if he begat a Son, that Son would kill him, which was con∣ditional and not necessary, thus Plato; If it were not thus, the ill have a protection for their Vices, and the Good deserve no praise. To which I might add, That there are certain Moral In∣stincts, co essenti••l with Humanity, eternally ••ixt and unchangeable, such as Love, Iustice, Religion, &c. not fitted to a private temper, or a particular Nation, to these instincts we are all really chain'd by a Fatality and necessity of Act, more or less, not∣withstanding all our struggles to be rid of 'em, but to speak of Fatalities in opposition to these, is to charge the great eternal mind with Contradictions, Divisions, and at last with Non-Entity; which now I can too late think of: Oh that I cou'd, that I cou'd.—

Sp.

—Pray Mercury let's begone from this unhappy Subject of Fatality, and let's see something new among the Dead, I want to take a view of Alexander, Caesar, Hercules, Epi∣menondas, and the other brave Heroes, so much talkt of, or the great Philosopher M••nippus, I know not which to ask for first.

Merc.

—Men••ppus! He was the greatest Man the World ever bred, his life really Phi∣losophiz'd, whilst others Talk'd,—That is he there, you cannot vex him.

Sp.

Lend me your Wand, I'll hit him one dab on's Pate for Tryal.—

Merc.

No, no, you must be civil to Stran∣gers. —See that behind him is—Hercules.

Sp.

—But where's his Club? Methinks he looks so like a silly I'uny, that I durst venture a foil with him: But where's fair Hellen, and the ugly Thersites?

Merc.

—They stand together there.

Sp.

—Bless me! How the Dead equals all things? I have only one other Question to ask, and I have done; Pray Mercury, of what Quality or Calling are those generally, who are dignified for their Vertue.

Merc.

—Ignorant poor Labourers of both Sexes, that have been the greatest Enemies to their Sences, those Nurses of all Vice.

Sp.

—This will be s••range News for our Aetherial Inhabitants, who are all gaping to be Lords, Dukes, Princes, and Emperors.

Merc.

—Come, let's be gone, my business is never sleeping.

Sp.

—I can't press upon you any longer, —pray lead the way—Strange! Where are

we got already?—What fine Countries are yonder?—

Merc.

—Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithi∣nia, &c.—Well, Do you know where you are now?

Sp.

—In my own Region. Thanks, kind Mercury for this Kindness.

Mer.

I am glad I have gratify'd you. Fare well.

Sp.

—Farewell.