The Equinox (Volume I, Number IX)

THE KEY OF THE MYSTERIES a God in the body of a beast: there are in him the friends of the angel and the flatterers of the animal. The angel attracts us; but if we are not on our guard, it is the beast that carries us away: it will even drag us fatally with it when it is a question of beastliness; that is to say, of the satisfactions of that life the nourisher of death, which, in the language of beasts, is called “real life.” In religion, the Gospel is a sure guide; it is not so in business, and there are a great many people who, if they had to settle the temporal succession of Jesus Christ, would more willingly come to an agreement with Judas Iscariot than with St. Peter. One admires probity, said Juvenal, and one leaves it to freeze to death. If such and such a celebrated man, for example, had not scandalously solicited wealth, would one ever have thought of endowing his old muse? Who would have left him legacies? Virtue has our admiration, our purse owes it nothing, that great lady is rich enough without us. One would rather give to vice, it is so poor! “T do not like beggars, and I only give to the poor who are ashamed to beg,” said one day a man of wit. ‘ But what do you give them since you do not know them?” “TI give them my admiration and my esteem, and I have no need to know them to do that.” ‘ How is it that you need so much money ?” they asked another, “ you have no children and no calls on you.” “I have my poor folk, and I cannot prevent myself from giving them a great deal of money.” ‘ Make me acquainted with them, perhaps I will give them something too.” “Oh! you know some of them already, I have no doubt. I have seven who cost me an enormous amount, and 247