|
|
not esteem him; he is not able, therefore I will not fear
him."
333. Have you never seen people who, in order to complain of the little fuss
you make about them, parade before you the example of great men who esteem
them? In answer I reply to them, "Show me the merit whereby you have charmed
these persons, and I also will esteem you."
334. The reason of effects.--Lust and force are the source of all our
actions; lust causes voluntary actions, force involuntary ones.
335. The reason of effects.--It is, then, true to say that all the world is
under a delusion; for, although the opinions of the people are sound, they
are not so as conceived by them, since they think the truth to be where it
is not. Truth is indeed in their opinions, but not at the point where they
imagine it. Thus it is true that we must honour noblemen, but not because
noble birth is real superiority, etc.
336. The reason of effects.--We must keep our thought secret, and judge
everything by it, while talking like the people.
337. The reason of effects. Degrees. The people honour persons of high
birth. The semi-learned despise them, saying that birth is not a personal,
but a chance superiority. The learned honour them, not for popular reasons,
but for secret reasons. Devout persons, who have more zeal than knowledge,
despise them, in spite of that consideration which makes them honoured by
the learned, because they
|
|