f the murder, denouncing the criminal mob. A
somewhat similar crisis recurred shortly afterwards when Spinoza
returned from a visit to the hostile French camp. The object of his
mission is not unequivocally known. Some think it was to meet the Prince
of Conde solely in his private capacity of philosopher. It is certain
Spinoza was advised the French King would acknowledge a dedicated book
by means of a pension--an advice Spinoza did not act upon. Others think
his mission was political. His reputation as a distinguished man would
have made him a very likely ambassador. This conjecture would seem more
probable, however, if the de Witts, his intimate friends, had been still
in political power, instead of in their graves. But whatever Spinoza's
mission was, when he returned to the Hague, the populace branded him a
French spy. Spinoza's landlord feared his house would be wrecked, by an
infuriated mob. This time Spinoza exerted the calming influence. He
assured Van der Spijck that if any attempt were made on the house he
would leave it and face the mob, even if they should deal with him as
they did with the unfortunate de Witts. He was a good republican as all
knew. And those in high political authority knew the purpose of his
journey. Fortunately, popular suspicion and anger dissipated this time
without a sacrifice. Still, the incident showed quite clearly that
though Spinoza did not desire to be a martyr, he was no more afraid to
die than he was to live for the principles he had at heart.

Spinoza's character, manifested in his life, has won the high admiration
of every one not bitterly hostile to him. And even his enemies
maintained and justified their hatred only by inventing calumnious
falsehoods about him. Unfounded rumors of an evil nature began to
circulate during his lifetime, and naturally increased in virulence and
volume after his death. At that period in human history, it was
popularly recognized that nothing good could be true, and nothing vile
could be false of an atheist--which was what Spinoza, of course, was
reputed to be. Oldenburg even, for years unflaggingly profuse in
expressions of devoted friendship and humble discipleship, an eager and
fearless advocate (supposedly) of the truth, a friend who lamented the
fact that the world was being denied the invaluable products of
Spinoza's unsurpassed intellect, and who, therefore, constantly urged
Spinoza, by all the advice of friendship, to publish his work with