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302 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
Others have staid the soule in the deceased bodies,
therewith to animate serpents, wormes, and other
beasts, which are said to engender from the corruption
of our members, yea, and from our ashes: others
divide it in two parts, one mortall, another immortall:
others make it corporeal!, and yet notwithstanding
immortall: others make it immortall, without any
science or knowledge. Nay, there are some of ours
who have deemed that of condemned mens souls divels
were made: as Plutarke thinks, that Gods are made
of those soules which are saved: for there be few
things that this author doth more resolutely averre
then this ; holding every where else an ambiguous and
doubtfull kind of speech. It is to be imagined and
firmlie believed (saith he) that the soules of men,
vertuous both according unto nature and divine justice,
become of Men, Saints, and of Saints, Demi-Gods, and
after they are once perfectly, as in sacrifices of purgation,
cleansed and purified, being delivered from all
passibility and mortalitie, they become of Demi-Gods
(not by any civill ordinance, but in good truth, and
according to manifest reason) perfect and very very
Gods; receiving a most blessed and thrice glorious end.
But whosoever shall see him who is notwithstanding
one of the most sparing and moderate of that faction,
so undantedly to skirmish, and will heare him relate
his wonders upon this subject, him I refer to his discourse
of the Moone, and of Socrates his Daemon ;
where as evidently as in any other place, may be
averred that the mysteries of Philosophv have many
strange conceits, common with those of Poesie; mans
understanding losing it selfe once goes about to sound
and controule all things to the utmost ende; as, tired
and troubled by a long and wearisome course of our
life, we returne to a kind of doting child-hood. Note
here the goodly and certaine instructions which concerning
our soules-subject we drawe from humane
knowledge. There is no lesse rashnesse in that which
shee teacheth us touching our corporall parts. Let us
make choyce but of one or two examples, else should