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The propounders of this philosophy say, that because 

 we cannot prove anything- to exist except our own 

 sensations, therefore, nothing- else does exist. But 

 this is no proof, it is only a possibility or probability 

 at most. On the other hand men are so made, that 

 in spite of logic and reasoning-, they must believe in 

 something- else. This makes it probable that there 

 is something- else. So the question comes to this. 

 Which of these probabilities is the greatest ? There 

 is no doubt, whatever, what every one in the world 

 would say about it, except an exceedingly small 

 minority. Now this minority may of course be 

 right and the majority wrong-. But now let us con- 

 sider what kind of people these are, who form this 

 minority ; or rather let us state this, for their habits 

 and peculiarities are well known. In the first place 

 then, they pass a large part of their lives* doubled 

 up in a crooked and grotesque posture, by the edg-e 

 of a table with a g'oose's feather in their hands. 

 Sometimes however they walk. But when they do 

 it is not like other people. For they shamble with 

 their heads bent down, and their eyes fixed in a 

 strangle vacant manner upon their own boots. And 

 this is the more extraordinary, inasmuch as their 

 boots are usually very ill made, and altog-ether with- 

 out beauty. Then they never laug-h, they never 

 cry, and they very rarely smile. Their muscles are 



* German philosophers have been known to sit at their desk 

 for three days and three nights without moving. 



