Discourses - Book II   

these bestial and cursed opinions.

CHAPTER 23

On the power of speaking

Every man will read a book with more pleasure or even with more
case, if it is written in fairer characters. Therefore every man
will also listen more readily to what is spoken, if it is signified by
appropriate and becoming words. We must not say, then, that there is
no faculty of expression: for this affirmation is the characteristic
of an impious and also of a timid man. Of an impious man, because he
undervalues the gifts which come from God, just as if he would take
away the commodity of the power of vision, or of hearing, or of
seeing. Has, then, God given you eyes to no purpose? and to no purpose
has he infused into them a spirit so strong and of such skillful
contrivance as to reach a long way and to fashion the forms of
things which are seen? What messenger is so swift and vigilant? And to
no purpose has he made the interjacent atmosphere so efficacious and
elastic that the vision penetrates through the atmosphere which is
in a manner moved? And to no purpose has he made light, without the
presence of which there would be no use in any other thing?
Man, be neither ungrateful for these gifts nor yet forget the things
which are superior to them. But indeed for the power of seeing and
hearing, and indeed for life itself, and for the things which
contribute to support it, for the fruits which are dry, and for wine
and oil give thanks to God: but remember that he has given you
something else better than all these, I mean the power of using
them, proving them and estimating the value of each. For what is
that which gives information about each of these powers, what each
of them is worth? Is it each faculty itself? Did you ever hear the
faculty of vision saying anything about itself? or the faculty of
hearing? or wheat, or barley, or a horse or a dog? No; but they are
appointed as ministers and slaves to serve the faculty which has the
power of making use of the appearances of things. And if you inquire
what is the value of each thing, of whom do you inquire? who answers
you? How then can any other faculty be more powerful than this,
which uses the rest as ministers and itself proves each and pronounces
about them? for which of them knows what itself is, and what is its
own value? which of them knows when it ought to employ itself and when
not? what faculty is it which opens and closes the eyes, and turns
them away from objects to which it ought not to apply them and does
apply them to other objects? Is it the faculty of vision? No; but it
is the faculty of the will. What is that faculty which closes and
opens the ears? what is that by which they are curious and
inquisitive, or, on the contrary, unmoved by what is said? is it the
faculty of hearing? It is no other than the faculty of the will.
Will this faculty then, seeing that it is amid all the other faculties
which are blind and dumb and unable to see anything else except the
very acts for which they are appointed in order to minister to this