“And first for its noblest faculty, the understanding.  It was then sublime, clear, and aspiring, and as it were the soul’s upper region, lofty and serene, free from the vapours and disturbances of the inferior affections. . . .  Like the sun it had both light and agility; it knew no rest but in motion; no quiet but in activity. . . .  It did arbitrate upon the several reports of sense, and all the varieties of imagination; not like a drowsy judge, only hearing, but also directing their verdict.  In sum, it was vegete quick and lively; open as the day, untainted as the morning, full of the innocence and sprightliness of youth; it gave the soul a bright and a full view into all things.”

“A fine piece of prose,” remarked Mr. Fett as Mr. Badcock drew breath.

“A fine fiddlestick, sir!” quoth my father.  “The man is talking largely on matters of which he can know nothing; and in five minutes (I bet you) he will come a cropper.”

Mr. Badcock resumed—­

     “For the understanding speculative there are some general maxims
      and notions in the mind of man, which are the rules of
      discourse and the basis of all philosophy.”

“As, for instance, never to beg the question,” snapped my father, who from this point let scarce a sentence pass without pishing and pshawing.

     “Now it was Adam’s happiness in the state of innocence to have
     these clear and unsullied.  He came into the world a
     philosopher—­”

("Instead of which he went and ate an apple.”)

     “He could see consequents yet dormant in their principles, and
      effects yet unborn and in the womb of their causes.”

("’Tis a pity, then, he took not the trouble to warn Eve.”)

     “His understanding could almost pierce to future contingencies.
      . . .”

("Ay, ‘almost.’  The fellow begins to scent mischief, and thinks to set himself right with a saving clause.  Why ’almost’?” )

“his conjectures improving even to prophecy, or to certainties of prediction.  Till his fall he was ignorant of nothing but sin; or, at least, it rested in the notion without the smart of the experiment.”

My father stamped the butt of his musket upon deck. “’Rested in the notion,’ did it?  Nothing of the sort, sir!  It rested in the apple, which he was told not to eat; but, nevertheless, ate.  Born a philosopher, was he?  And knew the effect of every cause without knowing the difference between good and evil?  Why, man, ’twas precisely against becoming a philosopher that the Almighty took pains to warn him!”

Mr. Badcock hastily turned a page.

     “The image of God was no less resplendent in that which we call
      man’s practical understanding—­namely, that storehouse of the
      soul in which are treasured up the rules of action and the
      seeds of morality.  Now of this sort are these maxims:  ’That
      God is to be worshipped,’ ‘That parents are to be honoured,’
     ‘That a man’s word is to be kept.’  It was the privilege of Adam
      innocent to have these notions also firm and untainted—­”