io 4 GIORDANO BRUNO PART 



given eyes to the moles, enlightened the blind . . . 

 loosened the tongue of the mute, that could not and 

 dared not express their inmost feelings." 1 It was not 

 to the many that he spoke, however ; there was little 

 in his heart of that love for his fellowman that was so 

 charming a trait in Spinoza, with all the latter's desire 

 for solitude, and under all his persecutions. Bruno, 

 whether a son of the people or not, had never the 

 slightest respect for that body. We have already seen 

 what opinion he formed of the English populace, 

 and he held a similar view of the plebs in general 

 " Rogatus tumet, Pulsatus rogat^ Pugnis concisus 

 adorat" he quotes (or misquotes) 2 concerning it. 

 Distrust of the natural man he had imbibed along 

 with the teaching of the Church, and doubt as to his 

 capacity for receiving or understanding the truth. 

 Those who have acquired the truth that he has to 

 teach need not, he writes, communicate it to all, 

 " unless they will see what swine can do with pearls, 

 and will gather those fruits of their zeal and labour 

 which usually spring from rash and foolish ignorance, 

 together with presumption and incivility, its constant 

 and trusty companions." 3 Speaking of the doctrine of 

 the necessity of all human events, as determined and 

 foreseen by God, and its coincidence with true liberty, 

 he shows how theologians and philosophers have held it, 

 but have refrained from communicating it to the vulgar, 

 by whom it could not be understood, who would use it 

 as an excuse for giving rein to their passions. " Faith 

 is required for the instruction of the plebs, that must 

 be governed ; demonstration (truth) for the wise, the 

 contemplative, that know how to govern themselves 

 'and others." 4 So speculation as to the future life must 



1 Cena, Lag. 125. 12 ff. 2 Juvenal, i. 3. 300. 3 Lag. 129. 7. 4 Lag. 318. 5. 



