for he
gave as his reason for the permission, that man is an arithmetical,
geometrical, and mechanical _animal_, as well as a rational _soul_.

The _Tablet_ was founded by an old pupil of mine, Mr. Frederic Lucas,[57]
who availed himself of his knowledge of me to write some severe
articles--even abusive, I was told, but I never saw them--against me, for
contributing to the _Dublin Review_, and poking my heretic nose into
orthodox places. Dr. Wiseman, the editor, came in for his share, and ought
to have got all. Who ever blamed the pig for intruding himself into the
cabin when the door was left open? When Mr. Lucas was my pupil, he was of
the Society of Friends--in any article but this I should say _Quaker_--and
was quiet and gentlemanly, as members of that Church--in any article but
this I should, from mere habit, say _sect_--usually are. This is due to his
memory; for, by all I heard, when he changed his religion he ceased to be
Lucas couchant, and became Lucas rampant, fanged and langued gules. (I
looked into Guillim[58] to see if my terms were right: I could not find
them; but to prove I have been there, I notice that he calls a violin a
_violent_. How comes the word to take this form?) I met with several Roman
Christians, born and bred, who were very much annoyed at Mr. Lucas and his
doings; and said some severe things about new converts needing
kicking-straps.

{29}

The mention of Dr. Wiseman reminds me of another word, appropriated by
Christians to themselves: _fides_;[59] the Roman faith is _fides_, and
nothing else; and the adherents are _fideles_.[60] Hereby hangs a retort.
When Dr. Wiseman was first in England, he gave a course of lectures in
defence of his creed, which were thought very convincing by those who were
already convinced. They determined to give him a medal, and there was a
very serious discussion about the legend. Dr. Wiseman told me himself that
he had answered to his subscribers that he would not have the medal at all
unless--(naming some Italian authority, whom I forget) approved of the
legend. At last _pro fide vindicata_[61] was chosen: this may be read
either in a Popish or heretical sense. The feminine substantive _fides_
means confidence, trust, (it is made to mean _belief_), but _fidis_, with
the same ablative, _fide_, and also feminine, is a _fiddle-string_.[62] If
a Latin writer had had to make a legend signifying "For the defence of the
fiddle-string," he could not have done it oth