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all the laws of God and nature, have made laws for
themselves which they strictly obey, as, for instance, the soldiers of
Mahomet, robbers, heretics, etc. It is the same with logicians. It seems
that their license must be without any limits or barriers, since they have
broken through so many that are so just and sacred.
394. All the principles of sceptics, stoics, atheists, etc., are true. But
their conclusions are false, because the opposite principles are also true.
395. Instinct, reason.--We have an incapacity of proof, insurmountable by
all dogmatism. We have an idea of truth, invincible to all scepticism.
396. Two things instruct man about his whole nature; instinct and
experience.
397. The greatness of man is great in that he knows himself to be miserable.
A tree does not know itself to be miserable. It is then being miserable to
know oneself to be miserable; but it is also being great to know that one is
miserable.
398. All these same miseries prove man's greatness. They are the miseries of
a great lord, of a deposed king.
399. We are not miserable without feeling it. A ruined house is not
miserable. Man only is miserable. Ego vir videns.63
400. The greatness of man.--We have so great an idea of the soul of man that
we cannot endure being despised, or not being esteemed by any soul; and all
the happiness of men consists in this esteem.
401. Glory.--The brutes do not admire ea
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