Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.

CONFERENCE CXXIX. Which Animal is happiest, according to Nature. (Book 129)

WHereas a man cannot so well speak of others as of him∣self, it were to be wished that every thing, which is na∣turally capable of felicity, came hither to give its suffrage. I believe the Birds would not be the last to testifie to us by their singing and agreeable warbling, the most certain indication of joy and contentment; as cries are of the contrary, grief and sad∣ness. Indeed, if there be any pleasure in the World, I think Birds have it; for they go not only to seek their food in the bottom of the water, as Water-fowl do (to whom that Element is com∣mon with Fishes); they have not only the same share in the be∣nefits of the land with four-footed Animals, and both together with amphibious creatures; but moreover they fly in the Air, approaching Heaven nearer then we can, and cleaving that Ele∣ment with an innocent pleasure not to be understood but by the action it self; whence Angels are painted with wings. And as of all Animals the most imperfect and least capable of felicity are the Reptile, such as Earth-worms, little differing from this very Element; so those are the happiest which remove them∣selves furthest from it, as Birds do. Amongst which I shall leave it to the Voluptuous to say, whether it be the Cock, the Sparrow, or the amorous Dove; those that love Musick, to de∣termine whether 'tis the Nightingal, and to those that esteem the sight the most ravishing of all the Senses, whether it be the Eagle, whose eye discovers the remotest objects and turns not aside even from the beams of the Sun.

The Second said, That since nothing is intirely happy in the World, the Question should rather be put, Which is the least unhappy of all Animals. Man, the only competent judge, ac∣knowledges 'tis not himself, for he seems to be the Butt of all

the miseries in the World; of which also he is so much more sen∣sible then Beasts by how much he hath a mind more qualified to apprehend and resent them. For whereas they say, he alone is capable of felicity; 'tis true indeed in reference to the future not the present life, no age whereof is capable of relishing an intire contentment: and if one drop of Gall mingled with a good quantity of Milk denominates the same bitter, certainly we cannot term mans life pleasant whilst it hath abundantly more pain then delight. He comes into the World weeping, and naked without any Arms or defence; wherein he is more unhappy then Beasts whom nature hath guarded with cover∣tures against the injuries of the air. His first Child-hood is not yet capable of any sort of pleasure. Adolescence would taste thereof indeed, but is denied liberty by its Pe∣dagogues. Youth precipitates it self into more kind of evils then it tastes of good: besides that, it sees most pleasures for∣bidden by Divines, Physicians, and Civilians, who seem to have endeavoured to take from us all contentment in this World; which if old age makes us the less loth to part with, yet there is no so great resignation of spirit but is thwarted by temptati∣ons of the flesh, nor security so carnal but is startled with the records of conscience. Moreover, the true mark of felicity being the satisfaction and contentment of him that possesses it, no person can be happy in this world since none is contented. For man being design'd to a more perfect life then this, natural∣ly desires the Supream Good, and all that is below it displeases him, as uncapable to satisfie him; and because he cannot find it here, therefore neither can he find contentment, which con∣sists in satisfying the Appetite. Beasts, on the contrary, having no other knowledg but that of Sensual and Delectable Good, desire no other, but are fully satisfi'd and contented therewith, and consequently more happy in this World then men.

The Third said, If Felicity consist in action, that Animal must be most happy which acts most perfectly. So doth man, whether you consider him as to the Body or the Soul. For to say nothing of the divine functions of his Understanding and Will; the sole structure of his Body, which was made erect that he might behold Heaven (whereof he is capable) and which alone is indu'd with beauty, one of the effects of Health, sufficiently proves it: For though some Animals possibly surpass him in some one sense, yet he alone excells equally in all, and knows the differences of colours, sounds, odours, sapours, and tactile qualities, in the participation of which he finds pleasure whereof beasts are incapable.

The Fourth said, That to believe Man can be happy here, is to contradict the opinion of all the Sages of Antiquity, who have acknowledg'd Man the weakest and pitifullest of all Crea∣tures; and the Scripture it self, which terms his life full of sor∣rows, and this World his banishment. And indeed if we place

Felicity in the knowledg of possessing it, Misery must also con∣sist in the knowledg or opinion we have of being miserable; of which reflection Man alone being capable, he must be also more too of unhappiness then felicity; and the more, inasmuch as there are more things that can afflict then content him; some always bringing present inconvenience with them, others leaving some∣what to be desir'd after them, and never satiating our Appetite. For the Reasonable Soul, which is held the subject of Mans hap∣piness, is the principal obstacle to attaining it: since having for its object a more perfect and absolute Good then it can possess in this life, it cannot establish a true Felicity (which of its own nature must be as lasting as the Existence of him who enjoys it) upon things acknowledg'd frail and perishing, as Natural and Sensible goods are; which being sutable to the duration and ap∣petite of other Animals, their enjoyment thereof fills them with perfect happiness. But amongst these, Fishes seem to me most happy; whether you measure their happiness by the largeness of their habitation which is the vast Ocean, of far greater extent then the Earth, from which being more severed then Birds, who are forced to descend thither for their food and rest, they are also less subject to the ambushes of men, and in this regard more happy; or whether you consider corporal health (the foundation of all felicity) of which Fishes are so well provided that it hath occasion'd the Proverb, As sound as a Fish; or last∣ly, whether you place felicity in the privation of pain, which resides chiefly in the sense of Touching; which being more dull in them then in other Animals, they are also less sensible of in∣conveniences; and for this reason were made mute by nature which hath given a voice to Animals chiefly to testifie thereby the grief which they resent.

The Fifth said, If there be so great a number of opinions wherein the felicity of one single Animal, Man, consists; there may justly be great variety of judgments, concerning which is the happiest of all Animals. To determine which, we must imitate Painters, who before they couch their Colours propose a perfect Idea of their work; which the nearer it approaches, the more excellent it is reputed. In like manner, we must first form an Idea of this felicity, and then see which Animal comes nearest it; whether the Servant or the Master, the brute Beast or Man; whose mind, whereby he infinitely surpasses all the rest of the Creatures, seems to be ingenious to its own loss; not imploying it self, but to find out reasons to prove him unhappy: since in favour of other Animals we lay aside that ambition which is so natural to us, and are willing to yield to the vilest of them, what we would dispute with the most perfect of men. Now that which makes most people mistaken in their judgment, is, that being no person injoys an intire felicity, they imagine that all happiness lyes in that thing which is wanting, and so esteem him alone happy that possesses it. Thus a poor spirit

perswaded that all happiness consists in strength and courage, will say that the Lyon is the happiest of all Animals, since his courage gives him empire over all those of his condition. The sick person accounting health (the most desirable of all goods, prefers Beasts before Man, whom his exact tempers renders more obnoxious to external causes which produce diseases. On the other side, if Animals are happy, 'tis as Fools are, whose minds are quiet, by reason of their ignorance and insensibility. But as it is better to be sensible then insensible even upon the condition of enduring pain sometimes; so it is more happy to have a rati∣onal mind, though it causes troubles to us sometimes, then to have none. Moreover we cannot avoid the stroaks of fortune, otherwise then those of Thunder, namely by being very high or very low; but 'tis better to be above tempests then below them, and to be incapable of them by reason as a wise man, then by stupidity as a beast.