It is the same with prophecies, miracles, divination by dreams, sorceries,
etc.

For if there had been nothing true in all this, men would have believed
nothing of them; and thus, instead of concluding that there are no true
miracles because there are so many false, we must, on the contrary, say that
there certainly are true miracles, since there are false, and that there are
false miracles only because some are true. We must reason in the same way
about religion; for it would not be possible that men should have imagined
so many false religions, if there had not been a true one. The objection to
this is that savages have a religion; but the answer is that they have heard
the true spoken of, as appears by the Deluge, circumcision, the cross of
Saint Andrew, etc.

818. Having considered how it comes that there are so many false miracles,
false revelations, sorceries, etc., it has seemed to me that the true cause
is that there are some true; for it would not be possible that there should
be so many false miracles, if there were none true, nor so many false
revelations, if there were none true, nor so many false religions, if there
were not one true. For if there had never been all this, it is almost
impossible that men should have imagined it, and still more impossible that
so many others should have believed it. But as there have been very great
things true, and as

321. Children are astonished to see their comrades respected.

322. To be of noble birth is a great advantage. In eighteen years it places
a man within the select circle, known and respected, as another have merited
in fifty years. It is a gain of thirty years without trouble.

323. What is the Ego?

Suppose a man puts himself at a window to see those who pass by. If I pass
by, can I say that he placed himself there to see me? No; for he does not
think of me in particular. But does he who loves someone on account of
beauty really love that person? No; for the small-pox, which will kill
beauty without killing the person, will cause him to love her no more.

And if one loves me for my judgement, memory, he does not love me, for I can
lose these qualities without losing myself. Where, then, is this Ego, if it
be neither in the body nor in the soul? And how love the body or the soul,
except for these qualities which do not constitute me, since they are
perishable? For it is impossible and would be unjust to love the soul of a
person in the abstract and whatever qualities might be therein. We never,
then, love a person, but only qualities.

Let us, then, jeer no more at those who are honoured on account of rank and
office; for we love a person only on account of borrowed qualities.

324. The people have very sound opinions, for example:

1. In having preferred diversion and hunting to poetry. The half-learned
laugh at it, and glory in being above the folly of the world; but the people
are right for a reason which these do not fathom.

2. In having distinguished men by external marks, as birth or wealth. The
world again exults in showing how unreasonable this is; but it is very
reasonable. Savages laugh at an infant king.

3. In being offended at a blow, or in desiring glory so much. But it is very
desirable on account of the other essential goods