“Master, we come to beg you to tell us why so strange an animal as man has been formed?” “Why do you trouble your head about it?” said the dervish; “is it any business of yours?” “But, reverend father,” said Candide, “there is a horrible amount of evil on the earth.” “What signifies it,” says the dervish, “whether there is evil or good? When His Highness sends a ship to Egypt does he trouble whether the rats aboard are comfortable or not?” “What is to be done, then?” says Pangloss. “Be silent,” answers the dervish. “I flattered myself,” replied Pangloss, “to have reasoned a little with you on causes and effects, the best of possible worlds, the origin of evil, the nature of the soul, and on pre-established harmony.” At these words the dervish shut the door in their faces.—_Candide_. Motives for Conduct _Countess_: Apropos, I have forgotten to ask your opinion upon a matter which I read yesterday in a story by these good Mohammedans, which much struck me. Hassan, son of Ali, being bathing, one of his slaves threw over him by accident some boiling water. His servants wished to impale the culprit. Hassan, instead, gave him twenty pieces of gold. “There is,” said he, “a degree of glory in Paradise for those who repay services, a greater one for those who forgive evil, and a still greater one for those who recompense involuntary evil.” What think you of his action and his speech? _The Count_: I recognise there my good Moslems of the first ages. _Abbé_: And I, my good Christians. _M. Fréret_: And I am sorry that the scalded Hassan, son of Ali, should have given twenty pieces of gold in order to have glory in Paradise. I do not like interested fine actions. I should have wished that Hassan had been sufficiently virtuous and humane to have consoled the despair of the slave without even dreaming of being placed in the third rank in Paradise.—_Le Diner du Comte de Boulainvilliers_. Self-Love Self-love and all its off-shoots are as necessary to man as the blood which flows in his veins. Those who would take away his passions because they are dangerous resemble those who would deplete a man of all his blood lest he should fall into apoplexy.—_Traité de Metaphysique._ Go From Your Village A stupid said: “I must think like my _bonze_ (priest), for all my village agrees with him.” Go from your village, poor man, and you will find ten thousand others who have each their _bonze_, and who all think differently. Religious Prejudices