The Thoughts of Blaise Pascal

e to feel all that we poss

true source of all things you are lost. "But," say you, "had he willed that I should adore him, he would have

ot necessary to fathom the op

orth to know if the sou

passion may do no hurt, we should ac

a week we ought to

ove spent in trying hard to please without success, besides th

in the sight of the others, while those who remain see their own condition in that of their fellows, an

rve to discover truth, it at least serves to re

found him, diligently seek him; those who not having found him, live without seeking him. The firs

are we happy, and that the ultimate good is to know him certainly; that we are unhappy in propo

t. "Do not reflect on those passages about the Messiah," said the Jew to his son. So our peo

, and who think the more the more we forbid them. These get rid of fa

hing at all, for nothing is certain, and that there is more certainty in Religion than that we shall see another day, for it is not certain that we shall see to-morrow, but it is certainly possible that we shall not see i

uncertain by the doctrine o

clare, the general uncertainty of our knowledge. For our knowledge of first principles, as space, time, motion, number, is as distinct as any principle derived from reason. And reason must lean necessarily on this instinctive knowledge of the heart, and must found on it every process. We know instinctively that there are three dimensions in space, and that numbers are infinite, and reason then show

were able to instruct us. Would to God, on the contrary, that we never needed reason, and that we knew every thing by instinct and feeling! But n

ly convinced. But to those who have it not we can give it only by reasoning, waiting for the time wh

ced. But as for those who have it not, we can give it them only by reasoning, waiting for the tim

see if she knows whereof is made the very body which she animates, and those others which she contemplates

senten

ver found anything stable, but she does not yet despair of reaching it; on the contrary, she is as arden

owers in their effects, recognise what they are in themselves, a

y. For to will and to be powerless is to be miserable. Now he wills to be happy, and to be

in faith. But seeing too much to deny, and too little to affirm, my state is pitiful, and I have a hundred times wished that if God upheld nature, he would mark the fact unequivocally, but that if the signs which she gives of a God are fallacious, she would wholly suppress them, that she would either say all o

HILOS

so far as we naturally perceive them in ourselves. Now this natural perception is no convincing evidence of their truth, since, having no certainty apart from faith, whethe

of the lapse and measure of time; in a word we act as though we were awake. So that half of our life being passed in sleep, we have by our own avowal, no idea of truth, whatever we may suppose. Since then all ou

rd, as we often dream that we dream, and heap vision upon vision, it may well be that this life itself is but a dream, on which the others are grafted, from which we wake at death; having in our lifetime as

tom, education, manners, climate, and the like; and these though they influence the majority of ordinary men, who dogmatise only on vain foundations, are upset by t

ists, namely, that speaking sincerely and in g

our origin, which includes that of our nature. Which the dogm

he wise, is the oldest dogma of the sceptical sect. Whoever thinks to remain neutral is before all things a sceptic. This neutrality is the essence of the sect;

doubt whether he doubts, doubt whether he is? We cannot go so far as that, and I therefore state as a fact that there ne

sion of truth, when if we press him never so little, h

a prodigy. Judge of all things, yet a weak earth-worm; depositary of truth, yet

o the sceptics what they have so loudly asserted, that truth is not within our reach nor to our taste, that her home is not on earth but in heaven, that she dwells

ll become of you, O men! who by your natural reason search out your tr

k reason; be silent, thou foolish nature; learn that man is altogether incomprehensi

essedness. But wretched as we are, and even more than if there were no greatness in our condition, we have an idea of happiness and cannot attain it, we feel an image of truth and p

e, seem incapable of participation in it. This transfusion does not only seem to us impossible, but even most unjust, for there is nothing so repugnant to the rules of our miserable justice as to damn eternally an infant incapable of will, for a sin in which he seems to have so scanty a share, that it was committed six thousand years before

concealed the knot so high, or rather so low, that we cannot reach it; so that it is not by the arro

d and sharer of his divinity-the other, that in the state of corruption and sin he has fallen from his former state and is made like unto the brutes. These two propositions are equally fixed and certain. The Scripture declares this plainly to us when it says in some p

de like unto God, and a sharer in his divinity, and

yet not perhaps in undesigned confusion, that is true orde

t if I treated it with order, because I

ng by that pure truth. You will say it is true that homicide is an evil, yes, for we know well what is evil and false. But what can be named as good? Chastity? I say no, for then the world would come to an end. Marriage? No, a celibate

were an artisan sure to dream every night, for twelve hours at a stretch, that he was a king, I think he would

n various occupations, as in travelling, we should suffer almost as much as if the dream were real, and should fear to sleep, as now we fea

ee when awake, because that is continuous, not indeed so continuous and level as never to change, but the change is less abrupt,

f which no dogmatism can overcome. We have an i

than that some are not sceptics; wer

rom their friends, for the weakness of man appears much more

at every time two men see a body change its place, they both express their view of the same object by the same word, both saying that it has moved, and from this sameness of application we have a strong conviction of

emicians would have won, but this obscures it, and troubles the dogmatists to the glory of the sceptical cabal, which consists in this ambiguous

n humiliated and suppliant. For this is not the language of a man whose right is disputed, and who defends it with the mailed p

ot certain. Thus this proves nothing but that it is not c

is et plebiscitis

aliquo philosophorum. Quibusdam destinatis sentent

litterarum quoque in

decet quod est cuj

modos pri

st litteris a

amen non est non turpe quu

st, tibi ut opu

not discuss the immortality of the soul.

make an entire difference in morals; yet philosophers have treated m

pose towards

ophers have subdued their pass

perfectly clear, but it is not perf

trength of mind, but o

d if they find therein their chief joy, let them think themselves good, and welcome! But if they find themselves averse from him, if they have no inclination but the wish to establish themselves in the esteem of men, and if their whole perfection consists not in constraining, but yet i

, etc. are true; but their conclusions are false

er powers. If there be anything to which her own interest must have made her apply herself most seriously, it is the search

another in total ignorance, another in indolence, others in neglect of appearances, another in the lack of wonder, nihil mirari prope res una qu? possit facere et servare

so lengthy and so wide, at least perhaps the soul has learned to know herself. We wil

more happy in f

red about her origin,

and external goods, or at least in amusement. Philosophers have sho

wo hundred and eighty

t ex te nascentibus bonis. There is a contradiction, for finally they advise suici

e useless search after the true good, tha

reat words: Rel

-Scepticism a

ull of matters which t

te them. The objects outside us tempt and call us, even when we do not think of them. And thus it is in vain for philosophers to say, "Enter

of those who would renounce their reason and become brute beasts.-Des Barreaux.-But neither has succeeded, and reason still exists, to condemn the baseness and injusti

e always, and that because the desire of glory gives some degree

nts of fever, which

e there are consistent Christ

ects, and philosophers have done no other

ropose is so diff

hest degree of wisdom are equally frivolous and vic

know himself, that of himself he should come to God. A

MAHOMET AN

a foundation by the voice of the oracles, but what are the books which certify this? Are they worthy of credence on accoun

foretold? What mark has he that every other man has not who chooses to call himself prophet? What miracles does he himself tell us th

irable in that of their saints. The foundation is admirable, it is the most ancient book in the world, and the most authentic, and whereas Mahomet, in order to ensure the lasting existence of his book fo

at another divine religion i

st and Mahomet.-Mahomet was not f

esus Christ that he cau

reading; the apo

took, humanly speaking, the way to perish. And instead of concluding from Mahomet's success that Jesus Christ m

hanted throughou

elf. Jesus Christ wills that his testi

at they should exist always and eve

no authority. His reasons ought to be most

hen in order to ma

ght no miracles, he was confirmed by no prop

is of Saint Matthew, for it is cited by many authors from age to a

ore Mahomet was a false prophet for calling honest men wick

ld have him judged, but in what he speaks clearly, as of his paradise, and the rest, he is ridicul

admirably clear, and prophecies are manifestly fulfilled. The cases are not the same. We must not confound and compare things w

speak in this manner, would pass on them a like judgment. But if afterwards in the rest of their conversation one speak with the tongue of angels, and the other mere wearisome common-places, he will judge that the

stament is

e histories only, whose witnesse

bulk. I say there is in it a somethin

t China obscures," you say, and I answer, "China o

hese designs, and not at all against the

s in detail, the papers

ians of Mexico. The five suns, of which

JEWISH

ed on an earlier Religion, and thi

ere to adduce in evidence all those foundations of the Christian Religion which are beyond a doubt, and on which doubt cannot be cast by any person soever.

fs. Thus I should equally have refused the religion of Mahomet and of China, of the ancient Romans and of the Egyptians, for the sole reason, t

I find in one corner of the world a peculiar people, separated from all other nations upon earth, th

the wrath of God, are all abandoned to their senses and imagination, whence arise the strange errors and continual changes among them, both of religions and of manners, whereas this nation remains unshaken in its conduct: but that God will not leave other nations in darkn

ish people at first attracts my attention by a number o

of an infinity of families, this, though so prodigiously fruitful, has sprung from one man only, and being thus al

h a peculiar veneration, especially in regard to our present enquiry, because if God has du

hers who came after, have long been extinct, these still remain, and in spite of the endeavours of many powerful princes who have a hundred times striven to destroy them, as their historians testify, and as we can easily und

hat it is so ancient that the very name of law was only known by the men of old more than a thousand years afterwards, so that Homer, who has treated the history of so many States, has not once used the word. And it is easy to judge of the perfection of the Law by simply reading it, for it

in their duty, to a thousand peculiar and painful observances, on pain of death. Whence it is a most astonishing fact, that it has been constantly preserved

elf the most ancient book in the world, those of Homer, Hes

; this people has them. God challenges other relig

od has revealed to them the truth, that they will abide always on the earth. In fact, all other sects come to an end, this one still endures, and has done so for four thousand years. They assert that

en hundred years they have had people whom they belie

here in order that Jesus Christ should be everywhere ann

scattered abroad under a curse

it anew, nor to give any such great proofs of himself, he began to establish a people on the earth, forme

kings were slaves of sin, and the Christians whose callin

before Jesus Christ, because he would

of the Gentiles, the Ch

ish Republic has only had God for master

ope was in God alone, they considered their towns as belon

e carrying away into Babylon, because

their language were ambiguous, and left it doubtful whether they were philosophers or Christians, one single sentence of this kind would determine

the people were negligent, but since there have b

or the law, especially since th

no more prophets. The M

CITY OF THE

he ruled himself by his reason, he should say no

the two genealogies in Saint Matthew and Saint Luke. W

s make the lives of men so long

ears, but the number of generatio

wo things, the most memorable that can be imagined, that is to say the

lived much with them, and because they are often dead before we have ourselves attained the age of reason. But when men lived so long, children lived long with their parents, and long conversed with them. Now, their conversation could only be

who saw Moses; therefore the deluge and the creation are true. T

als the shame

conceal his o

et ut omnes

red of th

pointed a whole people as the guardians of this book, in order that the history might be the most authentic in all

e is Holy Scripture. For this story is founded only on the authority of th

Thus those who would ruin the truth of our Religion, founded on Moses, establish it b

nt with the temple shown to be false by The

ead the book. Baronius, Ann. 180. Nullus penitus Hebr?orum antiquorum reperitur

at he change

c charactere quo antiquitus scripta

s in Hebrew when it was

no prophet, they could not do so. And under the Babylonians when there had been no pers

the Greeks who wo

ormare, quemadmodum et Hierosolymis Babylonia expugnatione deletis, omne instrumentum

irit the book of Enoch, destroyed by the deluge, as Esdra

π?ντα? ?ναταξ?σθαι λ?γου?, κα? ?ποκαταστ?σαι τ? λα? τ?ν δι? Μωσ?ω? νομοθησ?αν. He alleges this to prove that it is not incredible that the Seventy sh

o the Psalms says that Esdras

tradition comes fro

m Dei interpretat? sunt Scriptur?, et non esset mirabile Deum hoc in eis operatum, quando in ea captivitate populi qu? facta est a Nabuchodonosor corruptis Scripturis et post septuaginta annos Jud?is descendentibus

took occasion from the prophecy of Isaiah to release the people. The Jews held p

sdras, says not a single word of th

es of consolation and warning

or we shall always have those who are higher and lower, who are more and less able,

d too has its own, which is by premisses and demonstrations, that of the heart is wholly different

ish to warm, not to teach; the same with Saint Augustine. This order consists mainly i

nd not wishing to give them occasion to arise by defining them, have placed in the Scriptur

charity to produce f

nowledge. Qui justus est justificetur adhuc, because of the power which he has by justice. From him who ha

al difference between the actions

h we view them. The will which chooses one side rather than the other turns away the mind from considering the qualities of all that it

honour because of what is divinely clear. And all things work together for evil to the reproba

ophers of old. Men have roundly taken holy Scripture to task in regard to the great

ress it. The meaning receives its dignity from words

rent meanings, and meanings different

ROPHE

prophets during sixteen hundred years, and during four hundred years afterwards he dispersed all these prophecies with all the Jews, who bore them into all regions of the world. Such was the preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ, wh

rist, both as to the time and the manner of his coming, and if Jesus Christ had

ne another in foretelling the same event. Here is a whole people announcing it, existing for four thousand years, to testify in a body their certainty

rough all places, and preservation through all time. And in order that this agreeme

should be spectators and even instruments of his

ecy with acc

, and that which fo

ning other matters, so that neither the prophecies of the Messiah

t was the Messiah, because they had no longer any kin

n., by all the prophecies, and with an oath. And i

ords to the Gentiles, that all

servant David shall be

.-"Israel is

to flatter the people, and that their prophecy was proved false by Herod. But to show that this was not their meaning, and that on the contrary th

l sit on the right hand till God

ill not subjec

be secret, the second must be glorious, and so manifest that even his enemies will recognise it. But

wicked, Daniel xii. 10, Hosea xiv. 9, but i

or, represent him master of the natio

e Gentiles and suffering, and not as in the clouds nor as judge. And tho

n the Gospel were reported to make you b

he Jewish people, by the state of the heathen world

e four idolatrous or pagan monarchies, the end of the kingdom of Judah, and the s

ause of the terms of the prophecy, and in the term of conclusion because of the differ

occur, thus the proofs of retreat, discretion, silence, e

erior in a la

to interior, as humiliatio

, both the synagogue which was foretold, and the wretches who adhere to it, and who, being our enemies, are a

authority, in its duration, in its perpetuity, in its

. Eris palpans in meridie. Dabitur liber sc

" when you are multiplied after the dispersion. "In the places whe

nd in the seventieth week of Daniel, while the second temple was still standing, the Gentiles should be instructed, and brought to the know

lived an angelic life. Maidens dedicated their virginity and their life to God, men gave up their pleasures, what Plato was only able to effect

his was foretold long ages ago. For two thousand years no Gentile had worshipped the God of the Jews, and at the time foretold, the crowd of Gentiles worshipp

was now ablaze with love. Princes quitted their state, maidens suffered martyrdom. This pow

the coming out from Egypt, Jer. xxiii. 5, Is. xliii. 16, that he would put his Law not in externals, but in the heart, that Jesus C

ly wild grapes; that the chosen people should be disloyal, ungrateful, incredulous, populum non credentem et contradicentem; that God

e is the Lord, for God will make himself felt by all, your sons

is to speak of God, not by outward proof

ransfixerunt,

isedek, that the Christ should be glorious, powerful, mighty, and yet so miserable that he would not be recognised, nor taken for what he is, but be rejected and slain, that his people which denied him should be no more his people, th

his beginnings, and afterwards would

teach men th

nor after him any man who has taug

the Messiah would cast down all idols, and wo

among all nations and in all places of the world men

conspiring his death, we see him bear rule over both, destroying the worship established by Moses in Jerusalem its centre,

The crowd of the Gentiles after Jesus Christ believed in the books of Mose

versi et baptisabantur.-Because of all

become the chil

good into evil and

qui condunt l

la tua, claude ostia tua super te, abscondere mo

1. V? coro

t, et elanguit terra: confusus

Dominus: nunc exalta

mnes gentes q

ab exordio ut sciamus: et a pr

Operabor, et qu

s in nomine Domini, et non

h?c dici

dicit Dominus: Qui ad mortem, ad mortem: et qui ad gladium, ad gladi

et illud? that is to say, who can know all its evil, for it is alr

Jeremiam cogitationes, non enim peribit

u mihi formidini, spes m

exterior

nomen meum, et in qua vos habetis fiduciam: et loco,

ice is not the

i orare pro

tris, et non pr?cepi eis in die, qua eduxi eos de T

vobis Deus, et vos eritis mihi populus: et ambulate in omni

ice is not the

t dii tui Juda: et secundum numerum viarum Jerusalem pos

ude of d

dicet: Forte mendaci

rael, quoniam servus meus es tu. Formavi te,

et quasi nebulam peccata tua: re

s Jacob, et Israel gloriabitur. H?c dicit Dominus redemptor tuus, et formator tuus ex utero

em meam parumper a te, et in misericordia sempiter

n brachio majestatis su?, qui scidit aquas