Part 21

Upon this he turn'd the Discourse, and said, What Notion can you have of God, who according to you is the Sovereign Lord of the whole Universe, and can dispose of all its Parts as he pleaseth; if you believe that in order to explain his Will to Mankind, he was under a Necessity of imploying obscure, ignorant, or enthusiastical Persons to write Books, or prophesy, or preach in a remote Corner of the Earth, and to a Herd of ignorant People, without making it known to the learned and polite Nations? Do you think that was the right Method to make all Mankind sensible of so necessary a Thing as the Will of God? Has not he who created and dispos'd of every thing according to his good Pleasure, and without any Possibility of being hinder'd in it, has he not put all Things in the Condition he at first design'd them? And is not that his Will which we call the Order, Course, or Voice of Nature? To support any other particular Will in that infinitely perfect Being, is to suppose Alteration and Imperfection which is contrary to his Nature. And to imagine that he communicates to some Persons, and conceals from many others the Rules to which he wou'd have all Men conform, is to suppose him guilty of an unjust Partiality unworthy of his divine Nature. Therefore it may surely be concluded, that whatever is call'd divine Revelation in one Country or another, is really nothing but an Imposture founded upon the Weakness of Mankind in general, and invented by such as seek to impose upon them from certain Views and Designs.

I made him answer, that if Man had continued in that State of Perfection wherein the Creator at first plac'd him, he wou'd not perhaps have needed a Revelation to serve as a Rule to his Actions, but since he lost that Happiness by his Fault, he is so corrupted and so prone to Wickedness, that he not only requires Revelation, but the special Grace of his Creator for--

Hold there, said he, I find you are going to tell me of the Fall of Man and all its Consequences, such as the Corruption of his Nature, Original Sin, the Redemption of Mankind, _&c_. This, if you please, shall be the Subject of our Conversation for the remainder of this Evening. Your Divines, said he, are much in the right to call those Mysteries the stumbling Block of humane Reason, for surely they are incomprehensible by Reason and good Sense. But before I enter into the particular Examination of these Articles, give me Leave to entertain you with a Fable which I had from an _Arabian_ Philosopher, who had been a great Traveller, and said he made it to give his Friends an Idea of the Mythology of a certain Nation that he had seen.

The Fable of the BEES.

There was formerly, said he, a great and potent King, Sovereign of one of the Islands in the Ocean, whose Power was such that no other King equall'd it, and all his Subjects were so submissive to him that they did whatever he requir'd, and his Will was so far the Rule of all their Actions that they cou'd not do otherwise. His Goodness was as great as his Power, and his Wisdom as great as both. In a word, he possess'd all Perfections in the highest Degree. This King found the said Island Desert, but he planted it, fill'd it with Inhabitants and Animals of all sorts, and caus'd it to be cultivated, so that it produc'd all Necessaries not only for the Sustenance, but for the Conveniency and Pleasure of all the Inhabitants.

The King's Palace was the greatest and most magnificent that can be imagin'd, and situate in the middle of the finest Gardens that were ever seen. This Monarch who perfectly understood every thing, form'd a Plan to himself of the finest Production of which Nature was capable, and then gave Orders it shou'd be executed, which was done upon the Spot; for such was the Extent of his Power, that all Things both animate and inanimate conform'd exactly to his Will and immediately submitted to his Law. There were also Parks, Meadows, and Woods all admirably fine, and full of all sorts of Animals, Birds, and Insects that cou'd be desir'd either for Use or Pleasure. I shou'd have a great many strange things to tell you, were I to enter into the Detail of every thing relating to all those Animals, _&c._ For this Reason I shall only tell you what I heard most remarkable concerning one single Species of Insects, _viz._ The Bees.

In this Island there was a multitude of Bees, and as the King's care was extended to every thing, he so order'd it that there were abundance of Flowers every where to nourish them. But in a Nook of one of the King's Flower-Gardens there was a particular sort of Flower, which he forbad the Bees to touch: Not that those Flowers were hurtful to the Bees, or that the Monarch valu'd them more than any of the other Flowers, but, as I was told, because he had a mind to try their Obedience. It happen'd not long after, that some of the Bees forgetting the Order, or not much regarding it, went and suck'd those Flowers. The King immediately perceiv'd it, and was so incens'd at it that; he resolv'd to drive all the Bees out of the Island, and even swore, so great was his Wrath, that he wou'd not spare one Bee. But some time after, when the Heat of his Indignation was abated, he regretted that he had pass'd so severe a Sentence and some remains of Pity for those poor Bees engag'd the Monarch, who was Goodness and Mercy it self, to find out some Expedient to bring them off.

The King had an only Son whom he lov'd infinitely more than all things in the World, and it was his Pleasure that this Son shou'd be the Mediator to make Peace between him and the Bees. But to the end that this Peace might be made in a manner consistent with the King's Dignity, and without wounding his Honour and his Justice, which were concern'd to maintain the Oath that he had sworn, there was a Necessity for this welbeloved Son to bear all the Pains due to the Bees, and that for this purpose he shou'd become a Bee himself. When this Metamorphosis was made, the Son went in the form of a Bee to one of the worst Hives in the whole Island, where he found it Labour in vain to advise the other Bees to be more circumspect and more observant of the King's Orders, for they laugh'd him to Scorn, abus'd him, and at last stung him to Death. And what was worse than all, at the same time he must bear the whole Weight of his Father's Wrath and Indignation, who was resolv'd to revenge the Fault of the Bees upon him. As soon as this Son was dead, he returned to his Father, and fell to interceding for the poor Bees, whose Debt he had paid, and for whose Crime he had suffer'd; which Mediation he still continues with so much Success, that the King has taken Companion of several of those Bees and forgiven them their Faults, provided they adhere strictly to his Son as many intire Bee-hives have already done. It does not appear that these Bees so favour'd make more Honey, or are more at Ease than the others, but the Reason of it is (as they are taught by certain Hornets who have introduc'd themselves in great numbers into all those Hives) that they will be more sensible of the Benefit that results to them from it after they are dead.

'Tis these Hornets that teach the Bees, which are inclin'd to hearken to them, all this Story, together with a multitude of Circumstances that are not so much as touch'd here. And in the several Hives, both the Story and Circumstances are so vary'd that some receive it one way, and others another, and some believe nothing at all of the matter. These latter are threaten'd by the Hornets with very severe Punishment after Death, whereas the Bees which follow their Advice will be sure then to receive great Rewards. When they are told, that 'tis plain that all Bees when they die, fall to the Ground and rot away either in Dust or Dirt, they gravely answer that 'tis only their Bodies that perish, but that their buzzing Part which is somewhat different from their Bodies, is to enjoy the Rewards or suffer the Punishments with which they have threaten'd 'em. For they make them believe that when a Bee which has follow'd the Advice of the Hornets, and given them the greatest part of his Honey, comes to die, his Buzz goes directly to the King's Palace and contributes to fill his great Hall of Audience with Musick, with which they say that Monarch is very much delighted. Whereas the buzzing Part of a Bee that acts after another manner, goes after its Death to a great Cave under Ground, where 'tis benumm'd with the Cold, and makes a very disagreeable Noise by reason of the infinite Torture it there suffers. There's a prodigious number of other such Chimeras, with which these Hornets are continually filling the Heads of the poor Bees; for as they are excus'd from working and live upon the Labour of the Bees, all they have to do is to invent something to terrify the Bees and keep them in a State of Dependance, in which they have succeeded so well, that we see abundance of these poor Insects so full of Apprehension of what may happen to their bulging Part after Death, that they cannot with Pleasure eat the Honey they have made, nor do any things as they shou'd for the support of their Lives. And when there happen to be any Bees which in Contempt of such Chimeras apply to their Work and turn a deaf Ear to the Hornets, they incense the other Bees against them, and generally kill them, or at least turn them out of their Hives as dangerous and seditious Creatures. It often happens that when the Hornets are at Variance with one another, all the Bees of a Hive take part with one Side or other, and being animated by the Hornets they fall upon one another with so much Fury, that we generally find half of the Bees of a Hive kill'd, because they had not the same Conception of the Chimeras of the Hornets as the others had. Sometimes too those Hornets engage whole Bee-hives to make War against other Bee-hives, so that frequently we see several thousands kill'd on both Sides, only for supporting the Chimeras of the Hornets of their own Sect against those of others. The Bees also expose themselves generally very cheerfully to this Slaughter, upon the Assurance given them by the Hornets of one Party as well as another, that they thereby do very great Service to the King who will take it well at their Hands, and admit their buzzing Part into his great Hall preferably to those of many others. For they pretend to know the Orders and Will of the King much better than the other Bees, because certain Hornets, say they, who liv'd several Ages before them, heard 'em from the King's own Lips, and transmitted 'em down to them, partly impress'd upon Wax, and partly by the Reports of their Predecessors. 'Tis upon this Foundation that the Hornets usurp so much Authority over the Bees throughout the whole Island (for there are Hornets which have insinuated themselves into almost all the Hives) and extend their Tyranny so far as to render those poor Insects perfectly miserable. They forbid them on certain Days to suck the Flowers, which they are permitted to do on others, and likewise prohibit their making Wax and Honey on certain other Days, because, say they, 'tis the King's Will and Pleasure.

After he had finish'd his impertinent Fable, I told him, that I saw the End of it very plainly, but that it only prov'd how Men of Wit could turn any thing into Ridicule: I shew'd him that the Comparison fail'd in almost every Circumstance; particularly I observ'd, That tho' the eating of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden to _Adam_ upon a severe Penalty, yet when he had eaten of it, God is represented in Scripture as so far from being in Wrath, and from Swearing not to spare any of the Human Race; (as the Fable wou'd insinuate), that the Sentence pronounced was softned with the Promise of a Saviour, under the Title of the _Seed of the Woman_: I told him, that the buzzing Part of the Bee does by no means answer to the Soul of Man: that if Christians maintained, that the speaking Part of Man had gone to Heaven or Hell after his Decease, there would have been some Justness in the Fable: but that the Fact (as he well knew) was quite otherwise. I shew'd him, that the Distinction of Soul and Body was not peculiar to the Christian Religion, but common to all other Religions, and was believ'd in Countries where no Revelation had reach'd. I was going on in this Strain, but it was then too late, and it was high time to part and go to bed: and I had no other Opportunity of talking with him again on these important Subjects; for some time after, this poor Man and another carrying along a great Beam upon their Shoulders, he fell down, by which his Head was so bruis'd that he dy'd before he had time for Repentance, which I look'd upon as a just Punishment from Heaven, because he had made such an ill Use of his Wit and Learning.

I had been fourteen or fifteen Years at _Sercelli_, when it happen'd, one Day as I was at work in refitting a Ship, I discover'd a Hole towards the Middle, two Foot from the Keel: I was oblig'd in order to make my Work good and lasting, to go down into the Ship's Hold, where, as I was removing the great Flints and Gravel, which serve to ballast the Ship, I discover'd a Bundle bigger than my two Fists. The out-side Wrapper was a Callico Handkerchief, in which there was a Boot Hose of Silk, and in that Boot Hose, a blue Sock, in which there was a Purse with three hundred eighty five good Guineas. My first Care was to conceal my Treasure in a sure Place, where no Body wou'd go and look for it, and notwithstanding my Heart was full of Joy, I took great care not to make the least Discovery that I was a Penny richer than before.

About six Months after this, the _English_ Consul at _Algier_, having Business at our Town, and caming with two other young Gentlemen to see if we had any Ships upon the Stocks, one of my Comrades happen'd just at that time to call out to me to lend him a helping Hand to remove a Mast he was then at work upon, when Mr. _Elliot_, who heard me call'd by the Name of _Massey_, came up to me and ask'd me _What Countryman I was_? I told him. There's a good Friend of mine, said he, a Silkman at _London_, who is your Countryman, and his Name is _John Massey_. I know very well, said I, that I left a Brother of that Name behind me, six Years younger than me, but it being now fifty Years ago, and having not heard from my Family ever since, nor they probably from me, 'tis impossible I can be certain whether that's the Man. What you now say, reply'd the Consul, makes me believe you are Brothers, for my Friend can't be less than sixty Years of Age, and he has often talk'd to me of a Brother that he very much lamented, who he suppos'd had been a long time dead. Thereupon I was forc'd to tell him in a few Words, by what Misfortune I became a Slave in _Africa_, and he made an Offer to write to my Brother, to desire him to find out some Expedient to procure my Deliverance in my old Age. I then declar'd to him in Confidence that I had Money. If so, said he, I'll find Ways and Means to set you at Liberty, but you must not make any shew of your Substance; Leave every thing; to my Management, and don't you meddle or make. Farewel. I kiss'd his Hand, and recommended myself to his Favour.

About a Month after, my Master, to my very great Surprize, call'd me to him, and taking me by the Hand, said, I am overjoy'd, Friend, that you are going to return to your own Country. Mr. _Elliot_ has bargain'd with me for your Ransom. Go to _Algier_ and meet him. I wish you a good Voyage. At these Words I embrac'd him, and thank'd him for his Civilities, and the Regard he had always shewn to me from the very first Day of my Arrival. We both shed Tears at parting as if we had been Brothers. From thence I went to take Leave of my Comrades, and then set out for _Algier_, where the Consul receiv'd me with extraordinary Courtesy. I told him down thirty five Guineas, which, he said; he was to pay for my Liberty, but had it not been for his Credit and my Age, such a trifling Sum wou'd not have, set me free.

CHAP. XVI.

_Continuation of the Adventures of_ Peter Hudde _who is mention'd in the second Chapter; and the Author's Arrival at_ London.

I stay'd above a Month at _Algier_ before I embark'd for _London_, during which it happen'd that a _Turkish_ Pirate brought a _French_ Galley into _Algier_. Mr. _Elliot_ immediately obtain'd a List of her Crew in order to see whether there was not the Name of some Person that he knew, or of some Countryman of his in the Number of her Slaves. He caus'd it to be read in my Presence, and seem'd astonish'd to find the Name of a Man there whom he was very intimate with at _London_. I was as much surpriz'd at the Name of _Peter Hudde_, which he observ'd, and ask'd me the Reason. To satisfy his Curiosity, I gave him an Account of him, after which we went together to the Place where the Galley-Slaves were confin'd. As soon as we arriv'd there, we both inquir'd for our Men. His Friend had been wounded in Battle, and expir'd not above a Quarter of an Hour before we came: The other came in an Instant. Is your Name _Peter Hudde_? said I, Yes, said he; Did I never see you at _Lisbon_, continued I; That might be, said he, but it must have been a great while ago then. That's true, said I, for it was, if I am not mistaken, so long ago as 1643 or 1644. There was one _Van Dyke_ at that Time, a Factor, did you know him? You turn pale, but you are in no Danger here; tho' indeed it must be confess'd that you play'd him a scurvy Trick. I cannot deny it, said the Galley-Slave, I was the Man that robb'd him of the Sum of 300 Ducats; for which enormous Sin and others that I have committed, I beg God to forgive me. I have smarted sufficiently for it in this World, but I hope he will be merciful to me in the next. That's speaking like a Christian, _said I_, and 'tis a Happiness for you that Providence does you the Favour to put you upon Repentance of your Crimes. But pray tell me, why and when you were condemn'd to the Gallies. The Remembrance of it, Sir, _said he_, makes me tremble, and I wish you would excuse me from so unpleasant a Narrative which can only tend to renew my Sorrow. We commended him for the good Disposition of his Mind, and then I insisted upon my Demand, in which I was seconded by the Consul. Well then, Gentlemen, _said he_, I will satisfy you, as well to give you Proofs of my Obedience, as to acknowledge the just Punishment of my Crimes.

After I had robb'd Mr. _Van Dyke_, I embark'd for _Nantes,_ where by the Name of _Vander Stel_, and pretending to be Nephew to a famous Wine-Merchant at _Rotterdam_, I soon contracted an Acquaintance with all the _Dutch_ Merchants there. The Caresses which I received from those honest People are inexpressible; for there was scarce a Day but I was invited to magnificent Entertainments at one or other of their Houses. During this an Intendant arriv'd from _Languedoc_ who was well known to several of those Gentlemen whose Houses I frequented. This gave me an Opportunity to scrape an Acquaintance with him. He was glad to see me, and as he delighted in Gaming he was rejoyc'd to find me in the same Disposition. Sometimes we play'd a Game at Chess, and we spent many Afternoons at Picquet, but never so as to win much of either. At length as I went one Day to see him, I had the Happiness to find him alone in his Room uneasy for want of some Company to pass the Time with. He call'd for the Cards, and we play'd at Ombre. He was a Dab at that Game, but I was too cunning for him. Whatever was his Design, 'tis certain that he encourag'd me to drink more than usual, at which I was not a little pleas'd because I imagin'd that when he had drank his Skin full of Wine, it would prevent him from discovering my foul Play. In short, I won 50 Pistoles of him in less than four Hours Time, at which he seem'd astonish'd, and desir'd I would give him Revenge at Lansquenet; which was the very Thing I wanted. However, I pretended not to understand that Game very well, and told him, that unless Fortune favour'd me as she had done before, it was impossible but I should lose my Money and my Breeches too. Now my Adversary began to lose Patience. We play'd high, and tho' I let him win now and then in order to keep him in Temper, yet about Midnight when we left off, I had won above 3000 Crowns of him, which he told me down two Days after in ready Cash. This Luck made me wonderful rich. I sew'd 500 Ducats in a Piece of Shammy Leather of which I made a Belt and wore if under my Shirt, and then I set out for _Avignon_, the Intendant going out of the Town at the same Time another Way. Upon the Road I hir'd a Footman, and resum'd my old Name of _Heudde_.

My expensive Way of living at this new Stage made every body believe that I was a Person of the first Rank, I made no Scruple to introduce myself into the best of Companies, and they took a Pride in mine. After I had been there about Fortnight or three Weeks, I happened to meet a Wench in the Street of about twenty Years of Age the finest Beauty I had ever seen in all my Life. I let her pass me, and when she was fifty Paces behind me I turn'd back and follow'd her at a Distance 'till she went into a House. Upon this I order'd my Footman to inquire privately if she dwelt there, and what her Parents were. He brought me an Account of every particular, and told me that her Father was a Jew Merchant who dealt largely in jewels. I went next Day to his House on Pretence that I wanted a small Diamond of 25 or 30 Pistoles, and in order to settle a closer Correspondence with him, I told him my Name and Country. To this I added that I knew several _Jews_ at Amsterdam, and mention'd some to him whom he knew. In fine, I left no Stone unturn'd to induce him to give me Admittance to his House, without speaking a Word to him either of Wife or Daughter. This first Visit succeeded so well that I attempted to make a second. I actually bought a Ring by which the Usurer could not get less than one third, but that was no great Matter. The Hopes of more considerable Gain tempted: him to invite me often to his House. I did not fail to improve his Civility, and made Preparation to treat him now and then at my Quarters.

Every thing went swimmingly, but I did not see that it advanc'd my Design, so that I concluded I must take another Course. As I was musing what to do, it luckily happen'd that at our very first Interview he was accompany'd with another _Jew_. I drew them by degrees to talk of the Difference of Religions, which engag'd us in a Dispute. I pretended that 'till then I did not know the Force of their Arguments, and the Weakness of ours, with regard to the _Messiah_. The Hopes of making a Proselyte, induc'd them to desire that we might meet as often as possible in order to have an Opportunity to treat the matter thoroughly. Thereupon I deny'd that I might be present at their public Worship. They open'd the Doors of their Synagogue to me with Joy, I caus'd myself to be instructed in their Religion, and at last being convinc'd of my Errors by the Truth of their Principles, they circumcis'd me, and I became a _Jew_. As soon as this was done, I was solemnly initiated into all their Mysteries, I ran thro' all their Ceremonies, and the Fair Sex who thought me a Saint, caress'd and honour'd me as well as the Men. As for my part there was no Complaisance which I did not put in Practice to them, especially I carry'd it with such a Respect to the fair Jewels as was not disagreeable to her. Besides, I often made her small Presents which she receiv'd with Pleasure, and which her Mother did not dislike, but the Father who was covetous, tho' he had a vast Fortune to give with this only Daughter, frown'd at this little Intercourse of Civilities.