Part 7

While I was taken up with viewing, all these Curiosities, our People were busy in landing their Goods, bartering them, and taking in their Ladings of such Goods as they had Orders to bring away in exchange, which were carry'd off by Sledges, or little flat long Carts, drawn by two, three, four, and even ten Goats at a time, or on the Backs of Porters, and in which so many People were imploy'd, that they made quick Work, tho' the Way was pretty long, so that we were not there two whole Days. We carry'd our Guide to our Barks, where we treated him in the best manner we could, and made him so drunk, that as he got up to go away, he fell all along and hurt his Shoulder, insomuch that the exquisite Pain he felt made him call out upon the Name of Christ. I was startled at the Expression, and should have been glad to have known how he came to hear of the Saviour of Mankind, but for want of knowing the Language, I contented my self with having raised him on his Legs again, and glad I was to see that he had not hurt himself dangerously.

Just as we were unmooring in order to return, it came into my Head, that if instead of going back by the same Canal, we struck into another two or three Cantons off, perhaps we should see Novelties that would divert us, and make us amends for all our Time and Labour. I communicated my Mind to _La Foret_, and he join'd with me in persuading the others, who were so complaisant that they consented to our Proposal, without any Scruple. Thereupon we went Westward but when the Goats were to be harness'd which were to draw our Boat, the oldest of 'em, which, according to the Report of the Driver, was Forty-two Years of Age, and had been that way I know not how often, finding that they did not keep in the usual Track, was so unruly, that it was impossible for the Guide to hold him in. He made so many Leaps and Capers, that he broke the Rope with which he was harness'd, and run away. Twenty People immediately pursu'd him, and call'd out to others to stop him, which, as one was attempting to do, the mad Creature leap'd fairly into the middle of the Water, at a Place where the Banks are very high and sleep, so that he could not possibly climb out. Our Guide getting a little before him, stoop'd till he came by, and then throwing in a Rope with a Noose, caught him by the Horns. At the same time the Goat being affrighted, darted towards the other Shore, and whether the Rope was twin'd round the Body of our Guide, or whether he chose to be dragg'd into the Water, rather than let go his Hold, I know not, but so it was that he fell in. The Company were immediately so alarm'd that they all hurry'd to his Assistance; and while they were busy in helping him out, the Creature made up to one of the Steps of the next Bridge, by which he recover'd Land, and got quite out of our Sight, so that we knew not what was become of him. For my own part, I was heartily vex'd to lose him, and wish'd almost that I had been Tongue-ty'd, ere I propos'd to come this way, for I was afraid that my Patron would look upon us with an evil Eye, and revenge himself upon those who had been so complaisant as to hearken to us. We pursued our Purpose, however, tho' some of the other Goats were resty for a little while, but as soon as the foremost were in the Humour to go, the others follow'd as gently as Lambs. Yet we were never the better for this Voyage, for the Country is so uniform, that when you have seen a Part of it, 'tis as well as if you had seen the whole, there being really no remarkable Difference but in the People's Faces, the same that you observe every where else; and indeed, if there had been any Pleasure to have tasted, we were at that time too uneasy to have partaken of it. But we were most agreeably surpriz'd at our Arrival, to hear that the Goat had been a Week in the Stables; so that this nimble Creature had ran home in Thirty-five Hours. This welcome News banish'd all melancholy, and made every one of us laugh very heartily.

The next Day the Boats were unladen, in Presence of all the Inhabitants of the Canto. The Judge having call'd for the Bill of Lading, and examin'd it, caus'd the Goods to be deliver'd to the respective Proprietors, with so much Order, that it was impossible for the least Thing to be lost. To make him amends for this Trouble, every Family sends him next Day a Dish of the best Fish they can catch in their Rivers, half of which is dress'd at his own House, and the other half at the Priest's Apartment, whither the Parents of the Family go to take part of it. This is reckoned an Honour for these Gentlemen, but they pay dearly for it, because all that they can save of the Fish, is not worth one half of the Sauce, which they are oblig'd in Generosity to add to it.

When all was over, the next thing to be thought of was, to return to our Occupation; not that any Body gave us the least Hint of it; for we perceiv'd on the contrary, that they did not care whether we meddled with any thing or not; but because we hated sauntering, tho' we had much rather have been imploy'd in any thing else. _La Foret_, who was even more tir'd than I with the Woollen Manufacture, did all he could to make our Landlord understand, that as he was by Profession a Clockmaker, if he would furnish him with the Metals and the necessary Tools, he would make a Machine for him to shew the Time of the Day, and to strike the Hour so as to be heard by all the Inhabitants of the Village. As for me, who could be of no Service to them in the Article of Surgery, because the Herbs of that Country differ for most part from ours, and because there are few Minerals, and that they mortally hate Bleeding, all that I had to do, was to applaud what my Comrade said, in Hopes of being employed with him on the same Work.

This proposition seem'd very miraculous to the Judge, who immediately sent for the Priest to impart it to him. They had heard Talk indeed of our Clocks, but not a Man of 'em had ever seen one, and the Idea they had form'd of 'em was very confus'd; so that they were very pressing with us, to set about one as soon as we pleas'd, and to spare no Cost, the rather because their way of dividing the Time was extremely troublesome; for, they tie a Piece of Packthread to the Cieling, and at the End of it hang a Ball of Pewter three Foot and two Inches in length, which serves as a Pendulum, and putting it in Motion, they tell the Vibrations to the Number of 7200, which by reason of the length of the Cord, make just as many Seconds, and by consequence the 12th part of a natural Day, or two of our Hours. I shall give an Account by and by, who they make use of to count these Vibrations, and to go and cry the Hour through the Village, as the Watchmen do by Night, in many Parts of _Europe_, and particularly in _England_ and _Holland_, where they hire Men for the Purpose. They furnish'd us therefore with the necessary Materials for our Work. _La Foret_ bespoke some of the Tool that we had need of, and himself made the others. At length we went to work, but we did not hurry ourselves, for 'twas above a Year and half before we finish'd our Clock.

When it was done, you can't imagine with what Admiration every Body star'd at us. They could not conceive how it was possible for this Machine to go by itself, and to sound all the Hours of the Day. Being by this time so perfect in the Language of the Country, that we explain'd ourselves with as much Ease as in the _French_; we told them, that they ought to have a Tower built over the House of the Priest or Judge, after the manner of the Europeans, and so put up the Clock in it that every Body might hear it strike. No sooner said, but done, and all Hands were set to work to follow our Directions, till the Clock was hung up in the Place which we appointed for it.

But to return to the Persons they make use of to take care of the Pendulums, and to give. Notice to the People of the Time of the Day. You must know, that hitherto no Person in this Country was ever sentenc'd to die. Crimes indeed are prohibited, and the Criminals punish'd, but not with Death; for they imagine, that as the Life of Man is in the Power only of God who gave it, 'tis not in Man's Power to take it away for any Cause whatsoever, not even for the Murder of a Father or Mother. It was in vain to preach to them, that the putting of Criminals to Death for such Capital Offences, was a Maxim, observ'd by almost all Mankind, and expresly commanded by our Law, of which we believe God himself was the Dictator; all this tended only to exasperate them, and to give them an Abhorrence for People whom they knew not, and whom they thought unworthy to see the Light. 'Tis not likely, said they, that a Man who kills another, is in his right Senses, and it would be an Affront to the rest of his Species to suppose it. But when we meet with Persons so extravagant and cruel, as to deprive their Neighbour of a Life which they never gave him, we ought to leave the Revenge to the _Universal Spirit_ (which is the Name they call God by) and not to incroach upon his Prerogatives by imitating their Barbarity, under the specious Pretext of observing the Divine Laws, which in the main, say they, are but the Ordonnances of an unnatural Tyrant. In the Formation of Society, every Man may transfer the Right and Authority which Nature has given him over himself to another, as to his Prince or Sovereign, but he cannot give him any Power over his own Life. 'Tis God who thro' the Means of our Parents has made us without our Participation, and since we have not contributed to our own Existence in any Manner whatsoever, 'tis but just and lawful to leave it to that same God to unmake us, and to content our selves with laying our Hands upon the other Creatures which he seems to have left to our Disposal.

In conformity to these Principles, they only impose upon every Criminal that Punishment which they think most adequate to his Offence. Blasphemy against God is with them the most enormous Sin, and those who commit it, are without Mercy condemned to hard Labour as long as they live, in the Bottom of a dark Mine where the Light of the Sun cannot enter. Murderers, Adulterers, Fornicators and great Robbers are treated much after the same manner: Some work at the Bottom, others at the Top; some are condemn'd for 10 Years, others for more or less Time according as the Crime is aggravated, and to the Age and Understanding of the Offender. Peccadillos are not punish'd so severely, those who commit them being generally confin'd to the Village. Some are employ'd in fishing, and in making and mending of Nets, in which they have full Employment, because their Rivers abound with Fish, and they eat great Quantities of them. Some take care of the Trees, and the Walks, and others cleanse the Canals. The Women and Girls look after the Pendulums, being reliev'd every six Hours, and the Boys go about constantly to cry the Hour of the Day from the Time that the Sun comes to their Meridian to the Time it returns. And when they have done this for a certain Term, they are restor'd to their Liberty.

I said a while ago, that Blasphemy is the Crime they punish with the greatest Severity, which gives me Occasion now to say two Words concerning the poor Man, our Guide to the Mines, who when he fell down, call'd out on the Name of _Christ_, as it were for Help. When I found myself able to speak their Language, I let no Opportunity slip of informing my self of the Things which I desir'd to know. I told our Patron one Day the Circumstances of the Journey we made to the Mountains, and when I mention'd the venerable Personage, and what he said, I ask'd him, if they knew a _Christ_ among them. He made me Answer, that about 300 or 400 Years ago, there came several People into their Country for much the same Reasons that had brought us thither, that the last who came, was a grave Man dress'd in a long Robe in such a manner, that it was natural for me to think he was a Monk of some mendicant Order. This Man, continued he, had Wit and Learning too; he came to a Canton not far from this, but did not stay here long. As soon as he understood a little of our Language, he often shifted his Village. My Grandfather, as I have heard my Father say, had lodg'd him here several times, and took a great deal of Pleasure in hearing him talk. He was continually preaching up Morality, and discoursing of a Resurrection, and happy Immortality after this Life. Moreover, he affirmed, that God had a Son ingender'd of his own Substance long before the World had a Being, who manifested himself to Mankind several Ages past, as born from a Virgin, or one who, if you please, had never known Man: That this God-Man convers'd with Mankind that he suffer'd the Death of a Robber to procure eternal Life for the rest of Men who should be willing to embrace his Religion; and that this Person who was call'd _Christ_, rose from the Dead, and fitteth in Heaven at the Right Hand of God his Father, with him to govern Heaven and Earth till the End of the World. As this was very soothing Doctrine, the Monk found a great many People who were hugely delighted with what he said, and others took Offence at it, which coming to the King's Ears, he was sent for to Court, and after having been strictly examin'd, was condemned like the worst of Blasphemers, to spend the rest of his Days in the Bottom of a Mine, where, not long after, he died. And as he had the Name of _Christ_ in his Mouth at every Turn, some that work'd with him, imitated him; and what you have now told me of your Guide, added he, is a certain Proof that the Doctrine has found its way to us.

Tho' this Discourse alarm'd me, I could not help telling him, that I was of the same Belief as that Man; that the Maxims of the Religion I profess'd, led me to it, and that I was surpriz'd to think that Persons of their Wisdom and Humanity could find in their Hearts to be so barbarous to a poor Friar, who no doubt was sent to them by Heaven for their Salvation. Perhaps, said my Landlord, it was owing in a great measure to State Policy. Princes don't love great Alterations in Worship, for fear their Persons should suffer by it, or that it should be prejudicial to the Government. And then 'tis as sure on the other hand, that your Sentiments are in many Respects contradictory, and that this _Christ_ above all Things excites to Rebellion, and prodigiously embarrasses humane Reason. I own, said I, 'tis an incomprehensible Mystery, but we believe it; and we believe it with the more Confidence and Steadiness, because we see it is for our Advantage to believe it, and that 'tis interwoven with the Oeconomy of Salvation; besides its being a Truth of which a thousand Eye-Witnesses have given Evidence, and which has been reveal'd to us by God himself.

To be sure, said the Judge, you were born in very happy Climates, since the Divinity communicates himself there in such a manner to the Inhabitants; or rather, the People of your Country must be very vain and presumptuous to have the Impudence to give it out in publick, that the universal Spirit condescends to become a private Man, and to a Familiarity with a Worm of this Earth. To me it seems intolerable, and if this same God was the least concern'd for his own Honour, he would not fail to punish your Arrogance with Severity. But, before I engage farther with you in this Discourse, pray tell me, said he, how does this Revelation come? Does God speak to you directly himself, does he employ Heaven, Earth, or any other Creature in revealing it to you, in what manner doth he do it?

I question, said I, whether 'tis worth while to talk with you on this Subject; I perceive you are so wide from our Sentiments, and so little dispos'd to give the least Credit to our Doctrines, that I fear your Incredulity will stir up your Indignation, and bring me into some Trouble. You need fear nothing, reply'd he, I am your Friend, and a Man of Honour, and will allow you to say what you please, only I will not give up the Right of judging for myself. Upon this Condition, said I, I am willing to tell you as much as my Age, Education, and Business have suffer'd me to know of the Matter. But, for fear of rambling too far from the main Point, or lest I should entertain you with what you know better perhaps than I do, tell me if you please, first of all, what are your Sentiments of God, of the World, of Man, and of his Origin, as well as of his Dependance, and of what he ought to expect after this Life.

You say well, reply'd the old Gentleman, I am ready to satisfy you, as to my own particular, it being impossible that my Confession should be general, because perhaps there are as many Minds as there are Men. I for my part believe an increated Substance, an universal Spirit, sovereignly wise, and perfectly good and just, an independant and unchangeable Being, who made Heaven and Earth, and all Things that are therein, who governs and animates them, but in a Manner so secret, and so far above my Nothingness, that I have but a very imperfect Idea of it. And while we perceive the Necessity of his Existence and our Dependance upon him, we think ourselves under an indispensable Obligation to pay him our Homage and Adoration, never to speak of him but with Respect, nor so much as to think of him but with Trembling, which is one principal Part of our Worship; the other is continually to render him Thanks for all the Favours he has done us, without any Petition for Futurity, and much less for any thing beyond the Grave, because then as our Existence will be at an End, we shall have no more need of any thing whatsoever. And 'tis for this Purpose that we meet every Morning at the House of our Priest, which you have been Witness of many times since you came among us.

'Tis true, reply'd I, that you are very punctual in giving an Hour of your Devotion every Day in the Year to God, for which you are certainly very much to be commended; but I think it strange, that you entirely reject Prayer, and make no Distinction of Days; for we employ six Days in our domestick Affairs, and devote the seventh to God, and the Exercises of our Religion.

We don't think, reply'd he, that one Day is a Jot better than another. They are undoubtedly all alike, and though we are but one Hour in the Morning in our Churches, yet we don't fail to devote the rest of the Day to God, to meditate every Moment upon his Greatness, and to admire his Goodness to all his Creatures. But as to Prayer, 'tis absolutely needless, besides the offering Violence as it were to his Nature, which being immutable, 'tis evident that he cannot suffer any Shadow of Change.

Here Word was brought to the Judge, that the _Tιμηɤ_, that is to say, the Intendant or Governor was come to receive the Tribute of the Canton. We have already observ'd, that each Village consists of 22 Families govern'd by a Bailiff. Ten of the Cantons form one Government, the eldest of whose Bailiffs is _Tιμηɤ_, and President of the nine others in the Assemblies which are held for exercising Justice, and regulating the Police in those ten Villages. Besides this, there's the Sovereign Court to which out of the ten Governors one is deputed once a Year to the Assembly which is held for at least twenty Days. The King presides in this illustrious and numerous Body, which takes care of the Rights of the Regale, and to which an Appeal may be made from all the other Tribunals, when the Punishment of any capital Crime is the chief thing in question.

The Intendant, who was come to receive the Gift of the People, was perfectly well receiv'd by our Landlord, and a magnificent Entertainment was made for him, to which the Priest and the two Assessors of the Village were also invited. During the Conversation, they did not forget to talk of Messieurs the Clockmakers. The Governor who had the Curiosity to see our Machine, admir'd the Invention of it, and said a thousand fine Things in praise of us; but it had been better for us that he had known nothing of the Matter, because in the Sequel it did not turn out at all to our Advantage, as will be seen in its Place.

CHAP. VII.

_A curious Conversation between the Author, the Judge, and the Priest of the Village concerning Religion._

After the Governor was gone, the Judge who had not forgot our Conversation, was impatient to hear me talk of my Religion, and that he might have the fairer Opportunity, he invited the Priest next Day to Dinner for the Purpose, and sent for me and my Comrade to be of the Party.

The first thing that gave occasion to the Priest to open the Discourse, was our saying Grace before Meat. As I knew his Opinion, and had before talk'd of it to my Landlord, I only told him, that the Notion I had of God as a Being sovereignly powerful, and perfectly good, inclin'd me to implore his Blessing on the Food which he gave me for the Nourishment of my Body, being convinced both from Reason and Experience, that his Word was infinitely more satisfying than Bread. He talk'd on this Subject much after the same Manner as the Judge did, and pretended to evade the Stress of my Argument by instancing in his Countrymen, and even most Animals who are as much nourish'd with what they eat, as we who perform this Ceremony: So that the Drift of what he said was the absolute abolishing of Prayer. Let us not trouble our Heads to dispute about it, said I, 'tis a Question that will resolve itself soon, and only depends on some other Truths which I shall clearly demonstrate to you.

In the Conversation I had t'other Day with the Judge, he himself own'd to me, that you unanimously confess the Existence of a God of all Perfection, which is a Truth that might be very easily prov'd to you by several undeniable Arguments, and especially by that ascrib'd to one St. _Thomas_, which he calls _causalitas causæ efficientis_, because by it we infallibly trace Effects to one first, intelligent, and necessary Cause of the Production of all Things.

I know it, said the Priest, and a Man must be quite devoid of Reason so much as to doubt of it. Well then, reply'd I, 'tis clear that 'twas this same God, and no other who has created the Universe, that is to say, Heaven, Earth, and in general every thing that exists, out of nothing. As for that, said the Judge, I don't well understand it, out of Nothing there comes Nothing. You are right, said I, with regard to us; but as to God the Case is quite otherwise; there is no supposing of Matter coexistent with God, without a direct Contradiction; for then there would be two Infinite, two independent Beings, which 'tis presum'd cannot be reconcil'd. But to have done with infinite Things which are out of our Reach, I think it sufficient in the main to know that God has made all Things and not puzzle ourselves as to the Matter, Manner, and Time.