Pascal's Pensées

[94] P. 72, l. 3. Vere tu es Deus absconditus.--Is. xiv, 15.

[95] P. 72, l. 22. Ne evacuetur crux Christi.--I Cor. i, 17. In the Vulgate we haveut non instead of ne.

[96] P. 72, l. 25. The machine.--A Cartesian expression. Descartes considered animals as mere automata. According to Pascal, whatever does not proceed in us from reflective thought is a product of a necessary mechanism, which has its root in the body, and which is continued into the mind in imagination and the passions. It is therefore necessary for man so to alter, and adjust this mechanism, that it will always follow, and not obstruct, the good will.

[97] P. 73, l. 3. Justus ex fide vivit.--Romans i, 17.

[98] P. 73, l. 5. Fides ex auditu.--Romans x, 17.

[99] P. 73, l. 12. The creature.--What is purely natural in us.

[100] P. 74, l. 15. Inclina cor meum, Deus.--Ps. cxix, 36.

[101] P. 75, l. 11. Unus quisque sibi Deum fingit.--See Book of Wisdom xv, 6, 16.

[102] P. 76, l. 34. Eighth beatitude.--Matthew v, 10. It is to the fourth beatitude that the thought directly refers.

[103] P. 77, l. 6. One thousand and twenty-eight.--The number of the stars according to Ptolemy's catalogue.

[104] P. 77, l. 29. Saint Augustine.--Epist. cxx, 3.

[105] P. 78, l. 1. Nisi efficiamini sicut parvuli.--Matthew xviii, 3.

[106] P. 80, l. 20. Inclina cor meum, Deus, in....--Ps. cxix, 36.

[107] P. 80, l. 22. Its establishment.--The constitution of the Christian Church.

[108] P. 81, l. 20. The youths and maidens and children of the Church would prophesy.--Joel ii, 28.

[109] P. 83, l. 11. On what, etc.--See Montaigne, Essais, ii, 12.

[110] P. 84, l. 16. Nihil amplius ... est.--Ibid. Cicero, De Finibus, v, 21.

[111] P. 84, l. 17. Ex senatus ... exercentur.--Montaigne, Essais, iii, 1. Seneca, Letters, 95.

[112] P. 84, l. 18. Ut olim ... laboramus.--Montaigne, Essais, iii, 13. Tacitus, Ann., iii, 25.

[113] P. 84, l. 20. The interest of the sovereign.--The view of Thrasymachus in Plato's Republic, i, 338.

[114] P. 84, l. 21. Another, present custom.--The doctrine of the Cyrenaics. Montaigne, Essais, iii, 13.

[115] P. 84, l. 24. The mystical foundation of its authority.*--Montaigne, *Essais, iii, 13. See also ii, 12.

[116] P. 85, l. 2. The wisest of legislators.--Plato. See Republic, ii, 389, and v, 459.

[117] P. 85, l. 4. Cum veritatem, etc.--An inexact quotation from St. Augustine, De Civ. Dei, iv, 27. Montaigne, Essais, ii, 12.

[118] P. 85, l. 17. Veri juris.--Cicero, De Officiis, iii, 17. Montaigne, Essais, iii, I.

[119] P. 86, l. 9. When a strong man, etc.--Luke xi, 21.

[120] P. 86, l. 26. Because he who will, etc.--See Epictetus, Diss., iii, 12.

[121] P. 88, l. 19. Civil wars are the greatest of evils.--Montaigne, Essais, iii, 11.

[122] P. 89, l. 5. Montaigne.--Essais, i, 42.

[123] P. 91, l. 8. Savages laugh at an infant king.--An allusion to a visit of some savages to Europe. They were greatly astonished to see grown men obey the child king, Charles IX. Montaigne, Essais, i, 30.

[124] P. 92, l. 8. Man's true state.--See Montaigne, Essais, i, 54.

[125] P. 95, l. 3. Omnis ... vanitati.--Eccles. iii, 19.

[126] P. 95, l. 4. Liberabitur.--Romans viii, 20-21.

[127] P. 95, l. 4. Saint Thomas.--In his Commentary on the Epistle of St. James. James ii, 1.

[128] P. 96, l. 9. The account of the pike and frog of Liancourt.--The story is unknown. The Duc de Liancourt led a vicious life in youth, but was converted by his wife. He became one of the firmest supporters of Port-Royal.

[129] P. 97, l. 18. Philosophers.--The Stoics.

[130] P. 97, l. 24. Epictetus.--Diss., iv, 7.

[131] P. 97, l. 26. Those great spiritual efforts, etc.--On this, and the following fragment, see Montaigne, Essais, ii, 29.

[132] P. 98, l. 3. Epaminondas.--Praised by Montaigne, Essais, ii, 36. See also iii, 1.