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Article WISDOM AND FOLLY. A VISION. ← Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Wisdom And Folly. A Vision.
a subject , set an enquiry on foot ; but found that there was not the smallest truth in the report . Brainless had been once or twice in company with Gruff , but had retained , and indeed comprehended , no part of what he said , except HIS SWEARING . Gentlemen in black next paid their court to her Majesty . 1 observed their salutations were more hearty , not to her only , but to all her courtiers , than those of any others . After this ceremony was their services in
over , they proceeded to recount , especially diffusing nonsense " : e . gr . that men are estimable , not according to their conduct , which is in their own power ; but their belief which is not : that this belief was to be regulated by the sole will and pleasure of the said black gentlemen , the faithful anil successful ministers of FOLLY : that the greater the absurdity asserted , the greater the wickedness of disbelief : and that the most efficacious means for producing the requisite belief are fines , confiscations , dungeons , racks , and furnaces . The DOCTRINES and MEANS OE PROPAGATION were greatly admired
by FOOLS . A little swarthy man in black , with a very austere , countenance , born , I afterwards understood , far from FOLLY ' territories , but who OFTEN visited her court , spoke much in praise of these means ; and declared that it was the prerogative of the Sovereign to make what regulations appeared rig ht in the eyes of her Majesty , and that subjects had nothing to do with the laws but to obey them ; an inion delihtful to FOLLY . This manI was told , was a
op very g , native of Wisdom , and had been nurtured on the farms of Knowledge ; but had bowed at the court of Folly , in hopes of speedy advancement : that having made a very poor hand of his attendance , there was an ' idea entertained that he would soon retire in disgust , and perhaps revisit his native country . Some of the Black-boys produced large books , which they had
been writing for or against points of no earthly consequence , or sc obvious as to admit of no reasoning : e . g . Whether , if a man robbed an orchard , his great grandson should be hanged for it ? Whether a loaf of bread was a shoulder of mutton , or small beer was porl wine ? The books were received with much pleasure by Folly , anc ordered to be deposited in the public library , of which there were several rooms , full of similar productions , called by Fools DIVINITY by the Wise , BALDERDASH .
Another set recounted their periodical services , in either-expounding subjects , in themselves useless , or in an useless manner ; and also in substituting shew for substance , a change most grateful to the hearts of Fools . One , the most brazen dog 1 ever beheld , boasted of a discourse of his own on- the Nature , Progress , and Effects of the Leprosy , particularizing its devastations on the several members of the human bod : another told the Queen of a discourse he made on
y tlie dimensions of the Tower ' of Babel : a third , on the episode of Joseph and Potip har ' s wife : a fourth , that black gentlemen were ambassadors from heaven ; and that all Fools were bound to respect them as such , without enquiring into iheir CREDENTIALS .. They agreed in valuing ; themselves on . the meat number of words , especi-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Wisdom And Folly. A Vision.
a subject , set an enquiry on foot ; but found that there was not the smallest truth in the report . Brainless had been once or twice in company with Gruff , but had retained , and indeed comprehended , no part of what he said , except HIS SWEARING . Gentlemen in black next paid their court to her Majesty . 1 observed their salutations were more hearty , not to her only , but to all her courtiers , than those of any others . After this ceremony was their services in
over , they proceeded to recount , especially diffusing nonsense " : e . gr . that men are estimable , not according to their conduct , which is in their own power ; but their belief which is not : that this belief was to be regulated by the sole will and pleasure of the said black gentlemen , the faithful anil successful ministers of FOLLY : that the greater the absurdity asserted , the greater the wickedness of disbelief : and that the most efficacious means for producing the requisite belief are fines , confiscations , dungeons , racks , and furnaces . The DOCTRINES and MEANS OE PROPAGATION were greatly admired
by FOOLS . A little swarthy man in black , with a very austere , countenance , born , I afterwards understood , far from FOLLY ' territories , but who OFTEN visited her court , spoke much in praise of these means ; and declared that it was the prerogative of the Sovereign to make what regulations appeared rig ht in the eyes of her Majesty , and that subjects had nothing to do with the laws but to obey them ; an inion delihtful to FOLLY . This manI was told , was a
op very g , native of Wisdom , and had been nurtured on the farms of Knowledge ; but had bowed at the court of Folly , in hopes of speedy advancement : that having made a very poor hand of his attendance , there was an ' idea entertained that he would soon retire in disgust , and perhaps revisit his native country . Some of the Black-boys produced large books , which they had
been writing for or against points of no earthly consequence , or sc obvious as to admit of no reasoning : e . g . Whether , if a man robbed an orchard , his great grandson should be hanged for it ? Whether a loaf of bread was a shoulder of mutton , or small beer was porl wine ? The books were received with much pleasure by Folly , anc ordered to be deposited in the public library , of which there were several rooms , full of similar productions , called by Fools DIVINITY by the Wise , BALDERDASH .
Another set recounted their periodical services , in either-expounding subjects , in themselves useless , or in an useless manner ; and also in substituting shew for substance , a change most grateful to the hearts of Fools . One , the most brazen dog 1 ever beheld , boasted of a discourse of his own on- the Nature , Progress , and Effects of the Leprosy , particularizing its devastations on the several members of the human bod : another told the Queen of a discourse he made on
y tlie dimensions of the Tower ' of Babel : a third , on the episode of Joseph and Potip har ' s wife : a fourth , that black gentlemen were ambassadors from heaven ; and that all Fools were bound to respect them as such , without enquiring into iheir CREDENTIALS .. They agreed in valuing ; themselves on . the meat number of words , especi-