First, The Vanity of the World appears in this, that all its glory and splendour depends merely upon opinion and fancy. It is not so much what things are, as what we account them, that makes them good or evil: And what can be vainer than that which borrows its worth from so vain and fickle a thing as our estimation? And therefore we find the things of the world rated diversly,1 according to the esteem that men have of them. What were Gold and Silver, had not mens fancy stamped upon them an excellency far beyond their natural usefulness? This great Idol of the world, was of no value among those barbarous Nations, where abundance made it vile. They preferred ⟨p. 23⟩Glass and Beads before it, and made that their treasure, which we make our scorn. They despise our riches, and we theirs; and true reason will tell us that both the one and the other are in themselves alike despicable, and it is only fancy that puts such an immodest and extravagant price upon them, far above their natural worth. Should the whole world conspire together to depose Gold and Silver from that sovereignty they have usurped over us, they might for ever lie hid in the bowels of the Earth, ere their true usefulness would entice any to the pains and hazard of digging them out into the light. Indeed the whole use of what we so much dote upon is merely ⟨p. 24⟩fantastical, and to make our selves needy, we have invented an artificial kind of riches, which are no more necessary to the service of sober Nature, than Jewels and Bracelets were to that Plane-tree, which aXerxes so ridiculous adorned. And although we eagerly pursue these things, and count our selves poor and indigent without them; yet possibly right reason will dictate, that they are no more needful to us, than to brute or senseless Creatures; and that it would be altogether as ridiculous for a man to be decked with them, as for a Beast or Plant, were it but as uncommon. These precious trifles when they are hung about us, make no more either to the warmth or defence of the ⟨p. 25⟩Body, than if they were hung upon a tree they could make its leaves more verdant, or its shade more refreshing. bDoth any man lie the softer, because his bed posts are gilt? Doth his Meat and Drink relish the better, because served up in Gold? Is his House more convenient, because better carved or painted? Or are his Clothes more fit, because more fashionable than another's?
First, The Vanity of the World appears in this, that all its glory and splendor depends merely upon opinion and phancy. It is not so much what things are, as what we account them, that makes them good or evil: And what can be vainer than that which borrows its worth from so vain and fickle a thing as our estimation? And therefore we find the things of the world rated diversly,1 according to the esteem that men have of them. What were Gold and Silver, had not mens phancy stampt upon them an excellency far beyond their natural usefulness? This great Idol of the world, was of no value among those barbarous Nations, where abundance made it vile. They preferred ⟨p. 23⟩Glass and Beads before it, and made that their treasure, which we make our scorn. They despise our riches, and we theirs; and true reason will tell us that both the one and the other are in themselves alike despicable, and it is onely phancy that puts such an immodest and extravagant price upon them, far above their natural worth. Should the whole world conspire together to depose Gold and Silver from that soveraignty they have usurped over us, they might for ever lie hid in the bowels of the Earth, ere their true usefulness would entice any to the pains and hazard of digging them out into the light. Indeed the whole use of what we so much dote upon is meerly ⟨p. 24⟩phantastical, and to make our selves needy, we have invented an artificial kind of riches, which are no more necessary to the service of sober Nature, than Jewels and Bracelets were to that Plane-tree, which aXerxes so ridiculous adorned. And although we eagerly pursue these things, and count our selves poor and indigent without them; yet possibly right reason will dictate, that they are no more needful to us, than to bruit or sensless Creatures; and that it would be altogether as ridiculous for a man to be deckt with them, as for a Beast or Plant, were it but as uncommon. These pretious trifles when they are hung about us, make no more either to the warmth or defence of the ⟨p. 25⟩Body, than if they were hung upon a tree they could make its leaves more verdant, or its shade more refreshing. bDoth any man lie the softer, because his bed posts are gilt? Doth his Meat and Drink relish the better, because serv'd up in Gold? Is his House more convenient, because better carv'd or painted? Or are his Cloaths more fit, because more fashionable than anothers?
- 1Quantum apud nos indicis marg• ritis pretium est, tantum apud Indos in curalia. Namque ista persuasion gentium constant. Plia. lib. 32. de Gen. Benzoai del mundo nuovo, lib. 1.Quantum apud nos indicis marg• ritis pretium est, tantum apud Indos in curalia. Namque ista persuasione gentium constant. Plia. lib. 32. de Gen. Benzoai del mundo nuovo, lib. 1.
- aAelian. l. 2. c. 14.
- b[Greek or Hebrew] Lucian. Cynicus.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 L•cian. Cynicus.
