thout offence under the
mask of commendation: in short, it makes every man fond and indulgent of
himself, which is indeed no small part of each man's happiness, and at
the same time renders him obliging and complaisant in all company, where
it is pleasant to see how the asses rub and scratch one another.

[Illustration: Asses Scratch One Another 210]

This again is a great accomplishment to an orator, a greater to a
physician, and the only one to a poet: in fine, it is the best sweetener
to all afflictions, and gives a true relish to the otherwise insipid
enjoyments of our whole life. Ay, but (say you) to flatter is to
deceive; and to deceive is very harsh and hurtful: no, rather just
contrary; nothing is more welcome and bewitching than the being
deceived. They are much to be blamed for an undistinguishing head, that
make a judgment of things according to what they are in themselves, when
their whole nature consists barely in the opinions that are had of them.
For all sublunary matters are enveloped in such a cloud of obscurity,
that the short-sightedness of human understanding, cannot pry through
and arrive to any comprehensive knowledge of them: hence the sect of
academic philosophers have modestly resolved, that all things being no
more than probable, nothing can be known as certain; or if there could,
yet would it but interrupt and abate from the pleasure of a more happy
ignorance. Finally, our souls are so fashioned and moulded, that they
are sooner captivated by appearances, than by real truths; of which,
if any one would demand an example, he may find a very familiar one in
churches, where, if what is delivered from the pulpit be a grave, solid,
rational discourse, all the congregation grow weary, and fall asleep,
till their patience be released; whereas if the preacher (pardon the
impropriety of the word, the prater I would have said) be zealous, in
his thumps of the cushion, antic gestures, and spend his glass in the
telling of pleasant stories, his beloved shall then stand up, tuck their
hair behind their ears, and be very devoutly attentive. So among the
saints, those are most resorted to who are most romantic and fabulous:
as for instance, a poetic St. George, a St. Christopher, or a St.
Barbara, shall be oftener prayed to than St. Peter, St. Paul, nay,
perhaps than Christ himself; but this, it is possible, may more properly
be referred to another place.

[Illustration: 215]

In the mean while observe w