Mardi: and A Voyage Thither, Vol. II (of 2) by Herman Melville
page 136 of 437 (31%)
page 136 of 437 (31%)
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Philosophical Necessity."
"No. I establish nothing; I but answer your questions." "All one, my lord: you are a Necessitarian; in other words, you hold that every thing takes place through absolute necessity." "Do you take me, then, for a fool, and a Fatalist? Pardie! a bad creed for a monarch, the distributor of rewards and punishments." "Right there, my lord. But, for all that, your highness is a Necessitarian, yet no Fatalist. Confound not the distinct. Fatalism presumes express and irrevocable edicts of heaven concerning particular events. Whereas, Necessity holds that all events are naturally linked, and inevitably follow each other, without providential interposition, though by the eternal letting of Providence." "Well, well, Babbalanja, I grant it all. Go on." "On high authority, we are told that in times past the fall of certain nations in Mardi was prophesied of seers." "Most true, my lord," said Mohi; "it is all down in the chronicles." "Ha! ha!" cried Media. "Go on, philosopher." Continued Babbalanja, "Previous to the time assigned to their fulfillment, those prophecies were bruited through Mardi; hence, previous to the time assigned to their fulfillment, full knowledge of |
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