the rules they ought to
keep in drinking, and which we shall see here prescribed by and by. For
where do we find that any one, of so many grave philosophers that used
to get drunk, made any disorders? It was for this reason that
Chrisippus's maid said, That her master was drunk in the hams. And it
was on this very account, perhaps, that the Stoics said of their sage,
"That he was, indeed, to be overcome with wine, but would not, however,
be drunk, _Vino obrutum iri non ebrium tamen futurum_."

On the other hand, without being willing to excuse those disorders which
drunkenness has been the cause of, one may say, nevertheless, that some
of these disorders have produced effects highly advantageous. "Suppose,
for example, that Lot had not got drunk, and his two daughters had not
been possessed with the furious desire of having children, and the fear
of dying maids, you ruin, by this means, whole families, who bore a
great part in the wonderful events of the children of Israel[1]."

Their high mightinesses the States of Holland, have eternal obligations
to drunkenness, since to this they owe, in some sort, the establishment
of their republic, which was after this manner, according to Strada:--
[2]The same day that Brederode, accompanied by above two hundred
gentlemen, had presented that famous petition to Margaret of Parma, who
then governed the Netherlands, he gave a magnificent entertainment in
the house of the Count of Culenbourg, there was no want of drinking;
and as they saw the Count of Hoocstrate, who by chance passed that way,
they began, with a great deal of joy, to give one another the name of
Gueux[3]; upon which taking each of them all together great glasses in
their hands, they made vows and oaths to each other by the name of
Gueux, and cried out with one voice and general applause, Long live the
Gueux! After which they promised mutual fidelity; and the Prince of
Orange and the Counts of Egmont and Horn coming to them, they began to
drink again, and with great acclamation renewed vows and wishes with
these new comers, as they had already done, for the Gueux. At last, in
the heat of wine, they took those vigorous resolutions, the effects of
which were afterwards seen, which was the liberty of the United
Provinces.

[Footnote 1: Lett. xvi. sur la Crit. du Calvin.]

[Footnote 2: Strada de Bello Belgico, part i. lib. 5.]

[Footnote 3: The French word for beggars.]

CHAP. XXI.

AN ANSWER