Oil, and Crowned, but Stones however still they are; for you cannot but be fenfible that your permitting fo foul an Error in your Friend, redounds no lefs to your difgrace than his. This Difcourfe of his held us thro' half the City, and now we began to find our felves upon the free and open Shore. There the gently washing Waves had spread the extremeft Sands into the Order of an artificial Walk. And as the Sea always expreffes fome Roughnefs in his Looks, even when the Winds are still, altho' he did not roll in Foam and angry Surges to Land, yet were we much delighted as we walk'd upon the Edges of the Water, to fee the crifping friezly Waves glide in Snaky Folds, one while playing against our Feet, and then again retiring and loft in the devouring Ocean. Softly then and calmly, as the Sea about us, we travell'd on, and kept upon the Brim of the gently-declining Shore, beguiling the way with our Stories. These Stories were Difcourfes of Octavius concerning Navigation. But when we had thus walk'd and talk'd as long as we thought good, we return'd back the fame way we came; and being got to the Dock, where the fmaller Veffels are laid up to be careen'd, we faw a parcel of Boys wondrous bufie at making Ducks and Drakes upon the Sea. The Nature of that Play, is, to take Is Lufus eft teftam teretem, de littore legere, &c.] This Boyith Play is called by the Greeks έποςρακισμός. And Suidas tells us, that έποςρακίζειν, is Παιδιά τις ἣν παίξεσιν οἱ παῖδες, ὅςρακα «Dievles eis dúnuoq." And Julius Pollux after a particular De fcription take the smootheft Shell they can find upon the Shore, and holding it between their Fingers, with the flat fide downwards, or in a Pofition parallel to the Horizon, to whirl it low upon the Water as far as they are able; so that the Shell may but juft graze upon the Back of the Sea, and keep dancing upon the Waves all the time the trajectory Force continues; or in other words, twinkle upon the Surface, cutting Capers fheer along it fails. And that Boy comes off Victor, whofe Shell skims the farthest, and jumps the oftenest in skiming. IV. Whil'ft we therefore were taken up with this Sight, Cacilius was nothing mov'd, nor vouchfaf'd one fmile at the Boyish Contention, but mute, and in the Dumps, and moping by himself, his doleful Looks feem'd to witnefs huge Affliction, What's the matter, faid I, Cacilius? What's become of the wonted Gaiety that fat upon those Cheeks, and that Air of Pleasantry which perpetually sparkled in those Eyes, even when you was most in the Serious? I must tell you, reply'd he, the late Difcourfe of our Odavius nettles me extremely, fcription of this Sport concludes juft like our Author, en 28 πλήθος 7 ἁλμάτων ἡ νίκη τη βάλλονζι, lib. 9. c. 7. This was, ic feems, an ancient and celebrated Sport, and treated of by many Jearned Criticks, as the Reader, if he thinks it worth while, may fee in the Edition of this Author by Mr. Davies, 'tis what we, 1 think, call Ducks and Drakes, upon which Minutius has beftow'd abundance of very fine words, and entertain'd us nobly upon a very little Subject. And fince the Author has fhew'd fo much good Humour, as well as Eloquence, in this pretty and furprising Defcription, I was obliged to attempt to do juftice to his Ducks and Drakes, to fet 'em off with all the Majefty and Pomp of Expreffon, to make it the more diverting and confiderable Trifle. in in which Invective he took occafion to chastise your Negligence feverely, for a handle only to lafh my Ignorance the more unmercifully. I am refolv'd therefore to push my Refentments farther, and to argue this whole matter with Octavius from top to bottom. If he accepts the Challenge, I dare promise that as contemptibly as he thinks of me, and my Religion, he shall foon find the difference between rallying with thofe of his own Tribe, and difputing closely with Philofophers. Let us retire then to yon lofty Pile of Stone thrown up for the shelter of the Bath, and there fit down to refresh our selves after walking, and to compofe us the better for the debate in Hand. The Motion was no fooner made, but down we fate, I in the middle, and they on each fide; nor stood we upon Ceremony, or confider'd our Rank or Quality in thus placing our felves; for Friendfhip always finds, or makes Men equal. But I fat middlemoft in the Quality of an Arbitrator only, that being next to both I might have an Ear for each, and the more conveniently moderate between the two Difputants. Cacilius then thus began. V. Brother Mark, tho' I am fully fatisfy'd that you are very well appointed to moderate between us, as having diligently examin'd 1 both Religions your felf, and upon mature Deli Ut pote cum diligenter in utroq; vivendi genere verfatus, repudiaris alterum, alterum comprobaris.] From hence it appears, that at this Conference Minucius was well advanced in Years, for he had thorowly been vers'd in both Religions, he had diligently examin'd the Pretences 44 Deliberation quitted ours, and gone over to the Christian way of Worship; yet I must remind you at prefent, that you are to act like an impartial Judge, to hold the Ballance even, and incline to neither Party; that your Sentence may plainly appear, not to be the Effect of your Inclination, but purely the Iffue of your Judgement. If therefore you'll fit and hear as a perfect Stranger, and no ways prejudg'd on either fide, 'tis the eafieft thing imaginable to make it appear, that in human Affairs, all things are doubtfal, uncertain, difputable; and that our Knowledge of 'em is not Science, but Opinion. And this makes me the lefs wonder, to see fome tir'd in the queft of Truth, and in defpair of tracing it home, without more ado furrender to the next Opinion in their way, rather than obftinately maintain the Chase, Pretences and Principles of both, and upon full Conviction went over to the Chriftian. And nothing certainly but the ftrongest Conviction cou'd have engaged the Lawyer to quit his Paffions, Intereft, and the establish'd Religion, and to go over to the fuffering fide without a Fee, without any Hopes of Reward but in another World. k Omnia in rebus humanis dubia, incerta, fufpenfa; magifq; omnia verifimilia, quam vera.] Cacilius at his firft fetting out reels to and fro Hike a Man drunk in his Intellectuals, he triumphs before he has ftruck one ftroke, and with all the Air of Affurance and Self-fufficiency pronounces himself certain that there is nothing certain, he makes flight of the Gods, and fwaggers against a Providence, and can make and govern a World without 'em; he thunders and lightens throughout his Difcourfe with Flashes of Wit, and ratling Eloquence, and is inconfiftent with himself from beginning to end; in a word, he acts the Part of Velleius the Academick to the Life, of whom Cicero writes thus, Tum Velleius, fidenter fane, ut ifti folent, nihil tam verens quam ne dubitare aliquâ de re videretur, tanquam modo ex Deorum Concilio, & ex Epicuri Intermundiis defcendiffet, &c. de Nat. Deor. lib. 1. c. 8 and and put themselves to more Pain about it. 45 Studiorum rudes, Literarum profanos, &c.] Thus in the Alts of the Apoftles, chap. 4. v. 13. When they faw the Boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant Men, a segumatori idi, they marvelled, &c. This for three Centuries was the Objection against the Profeffors of Chriftianity, these were the Names given them by Lucian, avgwo idi. Lucian. Peregr. p. 338. by Afclepiades, Chriftiani funt turba imperita, illiterata frequentia. Afclep. apud Prudent. in R. Mart. p. 208. By Hierocles, apud Eufeb. 512. Petrus & Paulus &ça, àñàísα701, onles. By Tertullian App. cap. 49. Illi prudentes, nos inepti, &c. And Celfus in his jeering way, fpeaks thus, Let no Man of Learning and Sence be admitted into the Chriftian Myfteries, for these are wicked and profane things; but let the Fools, Infants, and Ideots come and welcome, for fuch are the most agreeable Difciples for the God they worship. Orig. contr. Celf. 1. 3. p. 137. where you may read Origen's Anfwer to this Charge. And tho' this Objection. is not wholly true, (as we may find from Arnob. lib. 1. and 2. where he fays that Orators, Grammarians, Rhetoricians, Lawyers, Phyficians and Philofophers, have renounced their worldly Wisdom for the Gospel, yet it is a mighty Argument for the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. For the Foolishness of God (as the World term'd it) was wiler than Men; and had not the Apoftolical Simplicity been arm'd with divine wisdom and Power, it had been as impoffible to have prevail'd, as for Twelve Cripples to have conquer'd the World; and as nothing but Almighty Power cou'd make 'em attempt it, fo nothing but the fame Power cou'd make it fucceed. So true is that of Tully, Opinionum commenta delet Dies, Natura judicia confirmat. |