An enquiry whether a general practice of virtue tends to the wealth or poverty, benefit or disadvantage of a people? : In which the pleas offered by the author of The fable of bees, or private vices publick benefits, for the usefulness of vice and roguery are considered. With some thoughts concerning a toleration of publick stews.

  • Blewitt, George.
Date:
1725
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry whether a general practice of virtue tends to the wealth or poverty, benefit or disadvantage of a people? : In which the pleas offered by the author of The fable of bees, or private vices publick benefits, for the usefulness of vice and roguery are considered. With some thoughts concerning a toleration of publick stews. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Phyfician and his Pulfe, I prefume, this could not be hi$ Authority b. There is yet room for the candid Reader to think, the Author may poffibly have met with fuch an Ac¬ count of Vanin?s Behaviour. It Teems this infamous Vanini, who died with a Sentence in his Mouth too ex~ enable to be mentioned, has had however an Apology writ for him a few Years ago. The Name of the Au¬ thor^ and Place where it was printed, are both conceal¬ ed ; and I believe the Book itfelf is not to be met with in England, but in the Studies of thofe who fet a Va¬ lue upon that Jilly Piece of Blafphemy calledc, Spac'do della Beftia triumfante d. It was probably writ by Tome Jefuit, of whofe Society he had always (hewn himfelf a mod egregious Flatterer. Mr. Phillips in his Philo- fophical Hijlory of Atheifm has given us Tome Paf- fages out of this Book , which he met with A- broad. Mr. Phillips's Treatife was printed in 1716, who fays the Book was lately printed6. Now the ffrft Edition of the Fable was printed 1714; To that we mud fuppofe this Apology to be writ before the Fable of the Bees, and that the Author has read it ; befides which it mud be taken for granted, that it gives the fame un¬ faithful Account of Vanin?s Behaviour that we fee in the Fable. With the Suppofition then of all thefe doubtful Fa6ls in his Favour, let us fee what Ufe the Author has * 1 vpifb after all the Author did not meet with this Dcfcriptim in Beau¬ mont and Fletcher, and taking a Fancy to it, bejlow it upon his Hero Vanini. Philaster fays. Not the calm Sea, when z/Eolus locksup his windy Brood, is lefs difturbed than I.- —Sirs, feel my Pulfe: Whether have you known a Man in a more equal Tune to die? If this be the Cafe, he ought to have given us what was fold o’tether Side. Bellario anfmrs» Alas ! my Lord* your Pulfe keeps Madman’s Time, fo does your Tongue. c Fable of the Bees, p. 2.38. J Writ by Jordanus Bruno. * Vo 1051, Cofmopoli nuftr imprejfa» made