into any
distinct expression; neither did they know the food suitable for them as
the beasts do, but put greedily into their mouths whatever they found in
the forest, whether it was clean or unclean; besides many other
particulars of a like nature: from which some of the learned among us
have formed several conjectures and conclusions concerning the relative
state of men and beasts." On hearing this account, some of the ancient
_sophi_ asked, "What were the conjectures and conclusions formed from
the circumstances you have related?" The two strangers replied, "There
were several: but they may all be comprised under the following: 1. That
a man by nature, and also by birth, is more stupid and consequently
viler than any beast; and that he remains so, unless he is instructed.
2. That he is capable of being instructed, because he has learnt to
frame articulate sounds, and thence to speak, and thereby has begun to
express his thoughts, and this successively more and more perfectly
until he has been able to express the laws of civil society; several of
which are nevertheless impressed on beasts from their birth. 3. That
beasts have rationality like men. 4. Therefore, that if beasts could
speak, they would reason on any subject as acutely as men; a proof of
which is, that they think from reason and prudence just as men do. 5.
That the understanding is only a modification of light from the sun; the
heat co-operating by means of ether, so that it is only an activity of
interior nature; and that this activity may be so exalted as to appear
like wisdom. 6. That therefore it is ridiculous to believe that a man
lives after death any more than a beast; unless perchance, for some days
after his decease, in consequence of an exhalation of the life of the
body, he may appear as a mist under the form of a spectre, before he is
dissipated into nature; just as a shrub raised up from its ashes,
appears in the likeness of its own form. 7. Consequently that religion,
which teaches a life after death, is a mere device, in order to keep the
simple inwardly in bonds by its laws, as they are kept outwardly in
bonds by the laws of the state." To this they added, that "people of
mere ingenuity reason in this manner, but not so the intelligent:" and
they were asked, "How do the intelligent reason?" They said they had not
been informed; but they supposed that they must reason differently.

152.* On hearing this relation, all those who were sitting at