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YOU are become more unsociable than you were, your Meditations have taken away your Pleasant Humour; Study has something of dullness in it, which spoils the good Grace, which one should have in Conversation. You say that those Agreements, which proceed from the easiness of the Genius, scarce af∣fect you any more; but withal, take care that you lose not with your Friends, what you think to gain with your self.
I know very well that your Employ∣ment is serious and important; you desire to be satisfied from whence you come, what you are, and what you shall be else∣where, when you exist no more here. 'Tis a design that appears very reasonable, it is even necessary; but you ought to ap∣ply your self to it with more Moderation, and by a better Motive than you do. Our small Improvement causes your Compassi∣on, whilst you are employed in an Affair, which, according to your sense, ought to be our continual business.
But tell me, I entreat you, can you imagine that those Philosophers, whose Works you read with so much Applicati∣on, have found what you enquire after? They have searcht it as you do, Sir, but they have searcht it in vain.
Don't suppose that the Ingenuous Per∣sons of the past Ages lived at Random; your Curiosity has been of all Ages; the most stupid Men at this time have en∣quired with the same Desire as you have; the most Passionate return sometimes to these Thoughts, the Libertines themselves can't be prevented from making some Re∣flections therein; no Man is insensible of an Interest so general, and of so much
Consequence; every one meditates there∣on, but with little advantage: Inso∣much that after having dreamt to no pur∣pose, one finds that it is Wisdom to dream no longer, and to submit to the Orders of Providence.
The Author of Nature was not pleased to let us be perfectly acquainted with our selves; and amongst desires too curious of knowing all, he has reduced us to the ne∣cessity of knowing scarce any thing, and of being ignorant of our selves.
He gives Life to the Springs of our Soul, but he conceals from us the admi∣rable Secret that makes them move; and this Knowing Maker reserves to him∣self the sole intelligence of his Work.
He hath placed us in the midst of an Infinity of Objects, with Senses capable of being affected therewith: He has given us Spirits that make continual Efforts to be acquainted with them. Our Curiosity is raised to the very Heavens; we observe the Course of the Stars almost with as much exactness, as the Motions of a Clock. Astronomers have certain Rules to fore∣tel Eclipses Two Thousand Years before they happen; and by the means of great Perspectives, which Invention becomes
more perfect every Day, they discover new Planets, and determine the different Mo∣tions thereof. In a word, they remark Spots in the Sun, and Irregularities in what God hath made most Regular in the World.
Although these things are much beyond us, they are not beyond our Spirit; but our Spirit is above it self, and after it has comprehended the whole Universe, it can∣not comprehend it self, but in adoring him that hath made it; and as soon as it Would know it self, it intrenches upon the Rights of its Creator.
I have an Opinion, that you will not approve of. I believe it notwithstanding to be true enough: It is, That no Person has ever well apprehended, by the sole Lights of Humane Reason, whether the Soul be Immortal, or subject to Corrup∣tion.
It is our Interest to believe its Immor∣tality, but it is not easie to conceive it: my Intention is not to go far into a regu∣lar Dispute; it were necessary to be of another Humour than I am, and to be better prepared. Let us leave M ... and M ... to make whole Volumes by their Frivolous Reasonings upon the Immorta∣lity
of the Soul. The Examples of those, whose precepts you study, are to me in∣stead of Proofs, and perswade me more than all the Arguments of our Doctors.
'Tis not to be disputed, but that Socra∣tes believed the Soul Immortal; we see it in what remains of the History of his Life; and even the Thoughts which Plato attributes to him, seem to confirm it. If so be you are curious, notwithstanding you will see that Socrates is a Jesting Per∣son that diverts himself with all things, and makes use of reasoning to shew that one cannot even know, what Reason is. He takes every Party you'll have him, whether it be to defend or attack. With the Evasions of his Arguments, and the Sophistry of Logick, he puts probability in the place of truth, and dazles his Audi∣tors in such a manner, by the various colours he gives to things, that he reduces them to the being no longer able to distinguish the Shadow from the Body: but in spite of his nice Ralleries, and all his Subterfuges, he perplexes himself very often in the Conclusions he infers, and is so much dissatisfied with himself, that he tears off his very Hair and Eye-lids for Vexation, because he could not find what
he sought after. If you urge him to speak sincerely, he will tell you, That the God, who hath named him the Wisest of Men, gives him an Encomium that doth not be∣long to him, unless he deserves the name of the Wisest, that confesses he knows no∣thing; and that 'tis impossible to know any thing.
He will tell you, That the Daemon, who inspires him, is not enough informed of the news of the other World, to decide the Question of the Immortality of the Soul. He disputes of it before his Judges, like a Person that desires it, and handles Annihilation as a Philosopher that fears it not.
After having endeavoured to perswade his Friends in the Prison, 'tis plainly seen that he could not assure himself there∣of. He ends his Discourse with Doubts, and all his Arguments tend to avert from his Mind the Image of Death.
From whence, do you think, proceed the Contradictions which appear upon that Subject, in the Writings of Aristotle and Seneca?
As for Aristotle, I have no design to cry down his Doctrine, and to use him as a Poisoner. I believe, as well as you, that
it is a Calumny, and that the Roman Emperor, whom you speak of, was foolish enough in causing the Books of this Phi∣losopher to be burnt, to revenge Alexander above Three Hundred Years after his Death. But amongst us, one is not cautious of saying that he is a Sophister, that seldom speaks like an honest Man: He Bites and Flings; he is Ungrateful to his Master, and Captious with his Disci∣ples. He is a Dreamer, that fences with his own Shadow, and makes Monsters for himself to engage with. It may be he is accused with Reason, that when he explains his idle fancies, he doth like the Fish, that disturbs the Water for fear of being taken: he intangles himself in Ar∣guments, which he cannot unravel. He plays the Mysterious to hide his Doubts. In a word, he speaks like the Oracles to puzzle the World, and is puzzled himself with his own Arguments. I say nothing here, but what others have said before me. How many Fortunes do you think his Writings have run through to come to us? If you appeal to his best Friends, the greatest part of the Works, that are at∣tributed to him, is not his own: but allowing all that has been said of him
not to be true, you must not believe, that at those Privileged Hours when Aristotle permitted none to come to him, but some particular Persons, he taught the same things he delivered in publick. His Morning Thoughts did not resemble those of the Evening. So soon as the Gates of the Lycaeum were shut, and that he thought himself at Liberty, he spoke another Language. 'Tis there he acknow∣ledged much more clearly, than he doth in his Treatise of the Soul, that nothing is more impenetrable than its Nature, its Original, and its Duration. Thus, when Alexander was angry that he had published some Works, that he had com∣posed for him alone: Don't afflict your self, answered this cunning Tutor; I have taken good order to prevent their being comprehended; they are not made to in∣struct the present Age, but to exercise Posterity.
As for what relates to Seneca, you will agree that he is a Braggadocio, that shakes for fear at the prospect of Death; that he collects all his forces to assure his Countenance, in the cutting of his Veins; and that he speaks as a Man, who is not altogether perswaded of what he says.
Sometimes these Philosophers tell us wonders of the Residence of the Gods, and the Ultimate Bliss: sometimes they know not where to harbour them, and say, That all things annihilate in Death, as far as Death it self. Now they promise themselves Immortality, and promise it to others. Now they turn it into Ridicule. This is so true, that Aristotle is expell'd Athens for an Atheist, and Seneca laughs at a Divinity in the Deifying of Claudius.
From whence, do you think, proceeds this Diversity in their Opinions? It is, that they are troubled with different Idea's of present Death, and future Life; their Soul unc••rtain upon the knowledge of it self, establisheth or overthrows its Opi∣nions, according as it is seduced by the dif∣ferent appearances of truth. If you hearken to these Talkers, they'll do their utmost to make you believe them. Assure your self, Sir, that the most resolute a∣mongst them are no more than Quacks, that swallow down the Poison with a b••t∣ter Grace than others, to the end of sel∣ling off their Drugs with more applause.
Epicurus makes an open Profession of putting the Sovereign good in the Senses, and teaches that all things conclude with
them: notwithstanding, doth he not seem in dying to contradict the Maxims, which he made Profession of during his Life? He makes his Will with all the Cautions of a Man, that's concerned at what will happen after him. Posterity has an influence upon him, his Memory be∣comes dear to him, he cannot wean him∣self from the Delights of his Garden, he flatters himself with the Reputation of his Writings, and recommends them to his Disciple Hermachus. His Mind, which was so far engaged in the Opinion of An∣nihilation, is affected with some tender∣ness for himself, and lays up Honours and Pleasures in another State, besides that he goes to leave.
Solomon, who was the greatest of all Kings, and the wisest of all Men, seems to furnish the Impious wherewith to su∣stain their Errors, at a time when he ad∣vises the good Men to remain firm in the love of truth.
When he makes the Libertines speak in Ecclesiastes, is it not plain that he appro∣priates to Wisdom alone the knowledge of our selves? He forms all the Doubts, wherein for the most part Humane Rea∣son is perplexed; he makes a downright
Description of his Irresolution, his De∣sires, his Distastes, his Knowledge, his Ig∣norance; and at length concludes that Eter∣nal Wisdom alone can disentangle this La∣byrinth; that we must adore the Profun∣dity of its Mysteries, and that the silence of a Wise Man, is of more value than the Arguments of a Philosopher.
If any one ought to have been exempt from Error, Doubt, Inconstancy, it was Solomon: Notwithstanding we see in the inequality of his Conduct, that he was weary of his Wisdom, that he was weary of his Folly, and that his Vertues and his Vices turn by turn gave him new Disgusts. Sometimes he enjoy'd his Life, as if all things went at random; sometimes he brought back all things to Providence, and never spoke with a firm tone, but when Eternal Wisdom made him speak.
Let the Philosophers, let the Learned study, they will oftentimes find an Alte∣ration, and now and then an absolute con∣trariety in their Judgments. Unless Faith subjects our Reason, we pass our Lives in Belief and Unbelief; in endeavouring to perswade our selves, and unable to con∣vince us: the activity of our Spirit gives
us Motion enough, but its Lights are too dim to conduct us.
The one amorous of themselves help their Imagination to flatter them∣selves, they think to have found what they seek for, they triumph some time in their Error, but are undeceived in the end.
The others are vexed at their Ignorance, every thing stops them, nothing satisfies them; they debate upon all Questions that are put to them: more unhappy in this than the former, in as much as they have not the Wit to deceive them∣selves.
This is it, Sir, in my Judgment, where∣in consists the purest Wisdom; provided that one is always deceived, provided that one is puzzled with every thing that's dif∣ficult, and that one thinks of the future only to reap the more advantage of the present, provided at length that one has reduced his Reason to dispute no more upon things that God was not pleased to submit to reasoning, is all that one can desire.
I not only believe with Solomon, that the silence of a Wise Man, in this case, is of more account, than the Discourse of a
Philosopher, but I esteem the Faith of a stupid Peasant, more than all the Lessons of Socrates.
I know very well, that Examples might be brought, which seem contrary to what I say. There are Pagans perswaded of the other Opinion; and affected to their own Sentiments. A Discourse upon the Immortality of the Soul, hath push'd on some even to brave the horrors of Death, the better to enjoy those Pleasures of Life, which were promised to them.
But not to displease the Partisans of the Vertue of the Pagans, I believe, with some great Saints, that Vain-glory made more than half of those Heroick Actions, which cause our Admiration. When one comes to these terms, 'tis no more reason that conducts us, 'tis Passion that draws us along; 'tis no more the Discourse that has an effect upon us, 'tis a desire to be better, 'tis a vanity to die with courage, which we love more than Life it self; 'tis a weari∣ness of present Misfortunes, 'tis a hope of future Rewards, a blind Love of Glo∣ry; in a word, a Distemper, a Fury that doth violence to natural Instinct, and transports us beyond our selves.
But a peaceable Mind, that examines in cold Blood this terrible Alteration, is not at all disturbed by the reading of Plato, or Seneca. They may preach up, That Death is not an evil; if Grace doth not come to its relief, they don't deter∣mine it to us. It belongs only to the So∣vereign Master of Reason, to make Mar∣tyrs, to inspire a courageous Contempt for false advantages, and to perswade upon his word that he prepares real ones for us.
I repeat it the last time, Sir; study as much as you please to know your self, con∣sult all your Books, consume your finest days in reflecting upon the Immortality of the Soul, you will find that it belongs only to Religion to decide it. As for me, I confess to you, That without that, the thoughts of Eternity would never take up the most useless Moments of my Life.