God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature. It destroy likewise magnanimity, and the raising of human nature; for take an example of a dog, and mark what a generosity and courage he will put on when he finds himself maintained by a man; who to him is instead of a God, or melior natura;[1] which courage is manifestly such as that creature, without that confidence of a better nature than his own, could never attain. So man, when he resteth and assureth himself upon divine protection and favour, gathereth a force and faith which human nature in itself could not obtain. Therefore, as atheism is in all respects hateful, so in this, that it depriveth human nature of the means to exalt itself above human frailty.[2] As it is in particular persons, so it is in nations. Never was there such a state for magnanimity as Rome. Of this state hear what Cicero[3] saith: Quam volumus licet patres conscripti, nos amemus, tamen nec numero Hispanos, nec robore Gallos, nec calliditate Pœnos, nec artibus Græcos, nec denique hoc ipso hujus gentis et terræ domestico nativoque sensu Italos ipsos et Latinos; sed pietate ac religione, atque hac una sapientia, quod Deorum immortalium numine omnia regi gubernarique perspeximus, omnes gentes nationesque superavimus.
- ↑ Better, or higher, nature. P. Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon Liber I. Fabula I. 21.
- ↑ "If it is a dream ["the prospect of a future state"], let me enjoy it, since it makes me the happier and better man." Joseph Addison. The Spectator. No. 186.
- ↑ Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106–43 B.C., Roman orator, philosopher, and statesman.
- ↑ We may have as good an opinion of ourselves as we will, conscript fathers, yet we do not surpass the Spaniards in number, nor the Gauls in strength, nor the Carthaginians in cunning, nor the Greeks in arts, nor finally the Italians and Latins themselves in
