Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais Francois;

Author:Rabelais, Francois;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dover Publications
Published: 2017-06-05T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XXIX

How Pantagruel Convocated together a Theologian, Physitian, Lawyer, and Philosopher, for extricating Panurge out of the perplexity wherein he was.

NO sooner were they come into the Royal Palace, but they, to the full, made Report unto Pantagruel of the Success of their Expedition; they shew him the Response of Raminagrobis. When Pantagruel had read it over and over again, the oftner he perused it, being the better pleased therewith; he said, in addressing his Speech to Panurge, I have not as yet seen any Answer framed to your Demand, which affordeth me more Contentment: For in this his succinct Copy of Verses, he summarily, and briefly, yet fully enough expresseth, how he would have us to understand, that every one in the Project and Enterprize of Marriage, ought to be his own Carver, sole Arbitrator of his proper Thoughts, and from himself alone take Counsel in the main and peremptory closure of what his Determination should be, in either his assent to, or dissent from it. Such always hath been my Opinion to you; and when at first you spoke thereof to me, I truly told you this very same thing: but tacitly you scorned my Advice, and would not harbour it within your mind. I know for certain, and therefore may I with the greater confidence utter my conception of it, that Philauty, or Self-love, is that which blinds your Judgment, and deceiveth you.

Let us do otherways, and that is this: Whatever we are, or have, consisteth in Three Things; the Soul, the Body, and the Goods: Now for the preservation of these Three, there are Three sorts of Learned Men ordained, each respectively to have care of that one which is recommended to his charge. Theologues are appointed for the soul, Physitians for the Welfare of the Body, and Lawyers for the Safety of our Goods: Hence it is, that it is my Resolution to have on Sunday next with me at Dinner, a Divine, a Physitian, and a Lawyer, that with those Three assembled thus together, we may in every Point and Particle confer at large of your Perplexity. By St. Picot (answered Panurge) we never shall do any good that way: I see it already, and you see your self, how the World is vilely abused, as when with a Foxtayl one claps another’s Breech, to cajole him. We give our Souls to keep to the Theologues, who for the greater part are Hereticks: Our Bodies we commit to the Physitians, who never themselves take any Physick: And then we intrust our Goods to Lawyers, who never go to Law against one another. You speak like a Courtier, (quoth Pantagruel) but the first Point of your Assertion is to be denied: For we daily see how good Theologues make it their chief Business, their whole and sole Employment, by their Deeds, their Words, and Writings, to extirpate Errors and Heresies out of the Hearts of Men; and in their stead profoundly plant the true and lively Faith.

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