In order to clear up this point, he turn’d his ring on a novice between fifteen and sixteen years of age. “Flora,” said her Toy, “has more than once ogled a young officer through the grate. I am certain that she had an inclination for him. Her little finger told me so.” This was a mortifying stroke for Flora. The ancient ladies condemned her to two months silence and discipline; and ordered prayers, that the Toys of the community might remain mute.
IX
The State of the Academy of Sciences at Banza
Mangogul had scarcely quitted the recluses, among whom I left him, when a report was spread through Banza, that the virgins of the congregation of Brama’s Coccyx, spoke by their Toys. This report, to which Husseim’s violent proceedings had given credit, roused the curiosity of the learned. The phenomenon was thoroughly examined and allowed: and the freethinkers began to seek in the properties of matter, the reasons of a fact, which they had at first deemed impossible. The tattle of the Toys gave birth to a great number of excellent works; and this important subject swell’d the collections of the academies with several memoirs, which may be esteemed the utmost efforts of human understanding.
In order to model and perpetuate that of Banza, invitations with suitable encouragement had been, and still continued to be, given to all persons of the brightest parts in Congo, Monoémugi, Beleguanza, and the circumjacent kingdoms. It took in, under different titles, all those who had distinguished themselves in natural history, natural philosophy, mathematics, and the greatest part of those, who promised to make a figure in them one time or other. This swarm of indefatigable bees labour’d incessantly in the research of truth, and every year the public reaped the fruits of their labours in a volume full of discoveries.
It was at that time divided into two factions, the one composed of Vorticists, and the other of Attractionists. Olibrio, an able geometrician and great natural philosopher, founded the sect of the Vorticists. Circino, an able natural philosopher and great geometrician, was the first Attractionist. Both Olibrio and Circino proposed to explain nature. Olibrio’s principles have at first sight a certain air of simplicity, which seduces: in the gross they account for the principal phenomena, but they contradict themselves in the detail. As for Circino, he seems to set out upon an absurdity; but ’tis the first step alone that is expensive. The minute details, which ruin Olibrio’s system, establish his. He follows a road, dark at entrance, but which grows more lightsome according as a person advances. On the contrary, that of Olibrio, lightsome at entrance, grows darker and darker. The philosophy of the latter requires less study than understanding. One cannot be a disciple of the former, without a large share of understanding and study. One enters without preparation into Olibrio’s school; everybody has the key of it. That of Circino is open to none but geometricians of the first class. Olibrio’s Vortices are within the reach of all capacities. Circino’s central powers are made for first rate Algebraists only. Wherefore there will always be an hundred Vorticists for one Attractionist; and one Attractionist will always be worth an hundred Vorticists. Such was the state of the academy of sciences at Banza, when it handled the subject of the indiscreet Toys.
This phenomenon was very slippery: it dodged the attraction, and the subtle matter could not come within reach of it. In vain did the president summon all those who had any notions, to communicate them: a profound silence reigned in the assembly. At length Persiflo the Vorticist, who had published treatises on many subjects, which he did not understand, rose up and said: “The fact, gentlemen, might well agree with the system of the world. I should suspect that it has in general the same cause with the tides. For pray take notice, that this day is the equinoctial full moon. But before I can depend on my conjecture, I must wait to hear what the Toys will say next month.”
The company shrug’d their shoulders: they dared not remonstrate to him, that he reasoned like a Toy; but as he is a man of penetration he perceived in an instant that they thought as much.
The Attractionist Reciproco opened, and said: “Gentlemen, I have tables calculated by a theory on the height of the tides in every port of the kingdom. True it is, that observations somewhat bely my calculations: but I flatter myself that this small inconvenience will be repaired by the advantage that will result from them, if the tattle of Toys continues to square with the phenomena of the ebb and flow.”
A third person started up, went to the board, traced his figure, and said “let a Toy be A B, and—”
Here the ignorance of the translators has deprived us of a demonstration, which without doubt the African author had preserv’d. After a blank of about two pages, we read: Reciproco’s reasoning was thought demonstrative; and it was unanimously agreed, from the essays he had given on dialectics, that he would be able one day or other to make this deduction: women have from time immemorial heard with their ears: therefore they ought at this day to speak by their Toys.
Doctor Orcotomus, of the tribe of Anatomists, spoke next, and said: “Gentlemen, I am of opinion, that it would be properer to drop a phenomenon, than to seek its cause in vapory hypotheses. For my part, I would not have open’d my mouth, if I had nought but trifling conjectures to offer: but I have examined, studied, meditated. I have seen Toys in the paroxysm, and I am got so far, by means of my knowledge of the parts, and experience, as to be convinced, that that which in Greek we call Delphys, has all
