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Queft. What is Demoniac Di-
vination?

Anfw. 'Tis a declaring of hid-
den things, by means of a Ta-
cit or exprefs Compact made
with the Devil.
Queft. Can the Devil declare
and reveal all things?

Anfw. No, he knows only the things that have appeared by fome exteriour Act, as the Authors of a Theft, and things to come when they depend on natural and neceffary Causes. But he knoweth not those that depend on free Caufes, as our Thoughts, Wills, Defires, and fuch like.

Queft. What is Natural Divi

nation?

Anfw.'Tis a Conjecture which is drawn, either from the Stars, or from the Air and its different difpofitions, or from the Sea, or Trees. For example, we predict a Plague when we fee Roses or Violets bloffom at the end of Harvest.

Queft. Is there an Art of Divining?

Anfw. I think not; for an Art is a Heap of many Precepts which tend to fome end; now Precepts can only be of thofe things which neceffarily come to pafs, which is not to be found in the Art of Divining; for that which we do not know by its Cause, cannot be known by Precepts; fo that all that fort of People that meddle with Divining, are meer Impoftors.

Whether Travelling be neceffa

ry for an honest Man? Queft. Is Travelling Profitable? Anfw. Some think it profita

ble and neceffary, others think

that 'tis not.

Quest. What are their Sentiments and Reasons that approve of it?

Anfw. Man's Happiness in this Life confifts in knowing and being Learned; now viewing of places furnishes our Understanding with more Knowledge than any thing else, fo that there is no more certain means to acquire this than Travelling, which every day prefents us with new Objects and Subjects to learn.

Queft. To whom are they compared who are not curious of Travelling?

Anfw. To the Earth, the moft bafe Element, which continues immoveable, and is an Emblem of Souls that are no lefs clogged than Plants to a piece of Earth, where they had their Birth.

Queft. What fay the Ancient Philofophers?

Anfw. The Stoicks fay, that a Wife Man is a Citizen of the World. And Seneca faith, I am not for confining my felf to a Corner of the Earth, the whole World is my Country.

Quest. What may we learn by Travelling.

Anfw. We may learn Prudence and Wifdom; for by Travelling we know the Manners, Inftitutions and Fashions, the Laws, Religion, and other things whereon Wisdom is founded.

Queft. Does the Scripture approve of Travelling?

Anfw. Yes, God faith, That we have no continuing City in this World. God has many times recommended Strangers and Sojourners to us, and enjoin'd

join'd us to love them as our felves, Exod. 22. Lev. 19. And the Church ranketh that of receiving Pilgrims among the Works of Mercy.

Queft. Tell me therefore whereupon they found their opinion who do not approve of Travelling?

Anfw. They fay, That if Travelling be neceffary, it must either be because it may make Men more knowing, or more Virtuous. But it very seldom acquires either the one or the other As to the former, the Life of Man being very short, 'tis very hard to learn things of places. As to the latter, moving and change of place is contrary to Virtue and Moral Prudence, which has given ground to that Proverb, that the Spirit of a fitting Man is moft Prudent. Befides, thofe that always change Countries, contract different Manners and Habits; fo that they become unconftant, giddy-headed, and imprudent. Queft. Has Travelling been farbidden?

Anfw. Yes, Lycurgus forbad his Citizens to Travel, and to fuffer Strangers to ftay in their City above 24 Hours, for fear left the Society of the Vicious might corrupt the good Manners of the Lacedemonians.

Queft. These are quite different Sentiments, what your particular Opinion?

tute of Judgment and Prudence; become greater Fools by their Travelling, it being_impoffible for him who is a Fool in his own Country, to become Wife by running up and down: Which made Socrates fay, he muft change his Spirit, and not his Climate, to become wife.

Who are the most happy in this
World, the Wife or the Fools?

Queft. Is the Fool happier than the Wife?

Anfw. Every Body is Judge and Party in the Refolution of this Queftion. And as there is but one Wisdom, and one only means to come by it, viz. Right Reafon; but there are Follies of all forts, as many as there are different Spirits, it seems that there are more Fools than Wife, fo it is to be feared the Wife do lofe their Cause.

Queft. Wherein do you place the good Luck of Fools?

Anfw. I place it in the privation of Grief, and the poffeffion of Good, which are two Points wherein Felicity of Life in this World confists.

Queft. Are Fools deprived of Grief?

Anfw. No, Wife Men are not at all more exempted, with this difference, that the Wife are more capable than Fools, who in this are lefs unhappy.

Queft. Why are wife Men more capable of Grief than Fools?

Anfw. We muft diftinguish Perfons, Places, Times, and other Circumftances requifite for Anfw. Becaufe wife Men Travelling. For thofe that Tra- reafon upon their Evil, and fo vel fhould be Young, Robuft befides the external Evil which and Sagacious, to reap Fruit by they have always before their their Travelling; otherwife, Eyes, they have alfo an interthose who are naturally deftinal Pain, which lays hold on

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all

all the Paffions of the Soul, Defire, Fear, or if you will, Scruples, Cafes of Confcience, and others.

Queft. As to the fecond Point, which conftitutes profperity in this Life, to wit, Goods, have Fools the advantage of the Wife? Anfw. Yes, for one is not really happy except he believe he is fo. Whence it follows, that more Fools are found happy as to Goods than wife Men. For wife Men, if they are truly fo, confidering the Inconfiderableness and Vanity of this World's Good, do not think they are happy in poffeffing them, but in feeking other durable things, which are never found in this World; when Fools live content and happy in the enjoyment of the prefent Good, fmall or great, beyond which they defire no other: and often their Imagination perfuadeth them that they are Kings, Emperors, and God himself, whence they draw greater Pleasures than others have. Timon the Athenian, believing that all the Ships belonged to him, was overjoyed when any arrived at the Port of Pireum, as at a great Gain, and bound over his Parents to Juftice because they would have cured him of this pleafant Folly; if they do no harm, they are call'd Innocent Fools.

Quelt. But is it not a very fad cafe to fee a Man that should be reasonable become a Fool?

Anfw. On the contrary, there is nothing fo fad as a Tragedy or a Comedy without a Farce, or an Entertainment of Philofophers, during which nothing is to be heard but Queftions which

perplex the Learned, and tire the Ignorant: But a Fool coming amongst them will raise up an Universal Joy, and this Fool will fhare the greateft part of the Pleasure himself; and if he fpeak Truths which would be odious in the Mouth of the Wife, they are supportable in that of Fools.

Queft. I think that all your Anfwers in favour of Fools, are rather a witty Conceit than a Truth. Tell me truly, can Fools be happy in this World?

Anfw. Folly being a Læfion of the Reasonable Faculty, Fools cannot be happy, because they cannot live according to right Reafon; wherein the Ef fence of Felicity in this Life confifts. And as they are exempt from Vices, fo they are uncapable of Virtues in this Life. And if it be ftill true, that Happiness and Contentment confift in the Satisfaction that is had in the enjoyment of fome Good, Fools cannot be happy, fince Satisfaction proceedeth from the Reflection that our Minds make on the goodnefs of the thing we enjoy. Now Reflection is a very perfect Act of the Understanding. For which Reason Fools cannot be happy, being uncapable of Reflection, becaufe Folly is a Læfion of the Faculties.

Of Tobacco.

Queft. Has Tobacco no other Name? whence comes it?

Anfw. Tobacco is call'd fo by the Spaniards from an Island of the Weft Indies, where it grew in great plenty. The In

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dians call it Petun. They call it Holy Herb by reafon of its great Virtue. One John Nicot, Ambaffador of Francis II. having first brought fome of the Seed from Portugal and France to Queen Katherine of Medici, called it in French Nicotian, or an Herb for the Queen. In Italy they call it the Herb of Holy Cross, because a Cardinal of this Name carried it first to Rome. It is otherwise called Jufquiame de Peru.

Queft. What are the Virtues of an Herb that is fo common? Anfw. Some value Tobacco, others defpife it. Those that have it in efteem, fay that its Leaves applied hot to the Head cure the Megrim, and old Pains of the Head proceeding from Cold or Wind. If the Pain be obftinate, it must first be rubb'd with the Oy! of the Flowers of Orange. It is good against the Tooth-ach caufed by Fluxion. Its Decoction in common Water cures the Diseases of the Breaft, the Afthma, and old Cough. Its Leaves put under Afhes and applied hot with their Ashes to the Navel, are good for a Wind-cholick, and Crudities of the Stomach; it likewife kills Worms, if you put a little of its Juice in a Glifter. Blowing a little of the Smoak into the Noftrils of a Woman that is in a Swoon, it recovers her; Kibed Heels are cured by being rubb'd with it. Wounds, venomous Bitings; it likewife preventeth Gangrene. These are fome of its Virtues.

Queft. Why is Tobacco abhor red by fome?

Anfm. Becaufe by its sharp and biting Vapours it disturbeth the Head, inebriates, by drying the Brain; it ftupifies, caufes Vertigo's, Lethargies, Drowfinefs; it hebetates the Animal Spirits,

Quelt. These two Sentiments are very different; tell me yours.

Anfw. My Opinion is, that Tobacco Leaf is very useful, especially when it is taken as a Mafticatory at the Mouth or Nose. But I think that its Smoak is an Enemy to the Brain and the Spirits.

Of Knowledge in Women.

Queft. Is it expedient that Women should be learned?

Anfw Knowledge puffeth up the Mind; therefore if Women were Learned, they would be prouder and more unfupportable than before. Befides, a good Opinion of themselves is inconfiftent with the Obedience they are defign'd for. Therefore God gave Knowledge to Adam, and not to Eve, who by the bare defire of Knowledge destroyed all.

Queft. Why are they not Learned as Men? are they not capable to become fuch?

Anfw. They are too delicate to acquire Knowledge, which is not obtain'd but with great Fatigue. Befides the moisture of their Brain hindreth folidity of Judgment, which is fo neceffary for the Sciences.

Quest. Why have they not folidity of Fudgment.

Anfw. Because the Judgment is an Act of the Understanding, which reflecteth upon its KnowY 4

ledge

ledge, and this Reflection dependeth on a dry Temperature, which is contrary to that of the Brain of Women.

Queft. Have none of them been Learned?

Anjw. Yes, but 'tis extraordinary. Befides, if we confider their Works, they are always accompanied with lack of Judgment: They acquit themfelves pretty well in their firft Effays, but not in their fecond Thoughts, which are always meaner than the firft: On the contrary, Mens fecond Thoughts furpass their firft, by reafon of a stronger Judgment that is in Men than is in Women.

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Queft. Is Reading more proper to Teach, or the Voice?

Anfw. Some are for the Voice, others maintain Reading. Those that fay Reading is moft proper, fay that the quickness of Speech does not give our Minds fufficient time for making Reflection on it; and therefore that 'tis not fo proper as Reading. Befides, Books do not flatter fo well, and counterfeit Truth. All that are Learned have learned more from Books than by the Voice of Mafters. What is writ is much better digefted than what is fpoke. Therefore Writing infructeth us much better than Word of Mouth.

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Queft. Give me their Reafons ho are for vital inftruction. Anfw. They fay that the Voice being animated by the Gefures, makes a much greater

Impreffion than Writing, which is a dumb Word. Befides, we cannot ask the Scripture about Doubts, as we may do a Master, therefore Writing leaves far more Difficulties in the Mind. Some have been born Blind, and yet have become very Learned; and there are fome that Read much, and have many Books, and yet make but fmall Improvement in Knowledge.

Queft. These two different Sentiments have good Reasons on both fides; tell me therefore your Opinion on this Difficulty?

Anfw. The decifion of this Queftion depends on the diverfity of the Genius of those that teach, and those that are taught, and the Sciences one would learn. For the Disciplines that confift principally in Contemplation, as Theology, Phyfick, pure Mathematicks, Law, have more need of Reading in order to their being learned. But thofe that confift in Action are learned better by Word, tho' Books may likewise be useful thereto.

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Anfw. If we can love any Body better than another by Inclination only, and without any Knowledge, this may proceed from the force of Imagination, which reprefenteth any thing amiable, even tho' it be not; or from the fole action of the

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