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Book IV, Chapter 11

1. Some doubt whether Sociableness be comprehended in the Nature of Man: and yet these very Persons do not seem to me to doubt, but that Purity is by all means comprehended in it; and that by this, if by any thing, it is distinguished from brute Animals. When therefore we see any Animal cleaning itself, we are apt to cry, with Wonder, It is like a human Creature. On the contrary, if an Animal is accused [of Dirtiness], we are presently apt to say, by way of Excuse, that it is not a human Creature. Such Excellence do we suppose to be in Man, which we first received from the Gods. For, as they are by Nature pure and uncorrupt, in proportion as Men approach to them by Reason, they are tenacious of Purity and Incorruption. But, since it is impracticable that their Essence, composed of such Materials, should be absolutely pure, it is the Office of Reason to endeavour to render it as pure as possible.

2. The first and highest Purity, or Impurity, then, is that which is formed in the Soul But you will not find the Impurity of the Soul and Body to be alike. For what else [of Impurity] can you find in the Soul, than that which renders it filthy with regard to its Operations? Now the Operations of the Soul are its Pursuits and Avoidances, its Desires, Aversions, Preparations, Intentions, Assents. What then is that which renders it defiled and impure in these Operations? Nothing else than its perverse Judgments. So that the Impurity of the Soul consists in wicked Principles; and its Purification in the forming right Principles; and that is pure which hath right Principles; for that alone is unmixed and undefiled in its Operations.

3. Now we should, as far as possible, endeavour after something like this in the Body too. It is impossible but, in such a Composition as Man, there must be a Defluxion of Rheum. For this Reason, Nature hath made Hands, and the Nostrils themselves as Channels to let out the Moisture. If any one therefore snuffs it up again, I say, that he performs not the Operation of a Man. It was impossible, but that the Feet must be bemired and soiled from what they pass through. Therefore Nature hath prepared Water and Hands. It was impossible, but that some Filth must cleave to the Teeth from Eating. Therefore, she says, wash your Teeth. Why? That you may be a Man, and not a wild Beast, or a Swine. It was impossible, but, from Perspiration, and the Pressure of the Clothes, something dirty, and necessary to be cleaned, should remain upon the Body. For this, there is Water, Oil, Hands, Towels, Brushes, Sope, and other necessary Apparatus, for its Purification. —— No: a Smith indeed will get the Rust off his Iron, and have proper Instruments for that Purpose: and you yourself will have your Plates washed before you eat; unless you are quite dirty and slovenly: but you will not wash nor purify your Body. —— "Why should I?" (say you.) —— I tell you again, in the first place, that you may be like a Man; and, in the next, that you may not offend those with whom you converse. * * * Without being sensible of it, you do something like this. Do you think you deserve to stink? Be it so. But do those deserve [to suffer by] it who sit near you? who are placed at a Table with you? Who salute you? Either go into a Desert, as you deserve, or live solitary at Home, and smell yourself: for it is fit you should enjoy your Nastiness alone. But, to what Sort of Character doth it belong, to live in a City, and behave so carelessly and inconsiderately? If Nature had trusted even a Horse to your Care, would you have overlooked and neglected him? Now consider your Body as committed to you, instead of a Horse. Wash it, rub it, take care that it may not be any one's Aversion, nor disgust any one. Who is not more disgusted at a stinking, unwholesome-looking Sloven, than at a Person who hath been rolled in Filth? The Stench of the one is adventitious from without; but that which arises from Want of Care, is a Kind of inward Putrefaction. —— "But Socrates bathed but seldom." —— But his Person looked clean, and was so agreeable and pleasing, that the most beautiful and noble Youths were fond of him, and desired rather to sit by him, than by those who had the finest Persons. He might have omitted both Bathing and Washing, if he had pleased; and yet Bathing, though seldom, had its Effect. —— "But Aristophanes calls him, one of the squalid slip-shod Philosophers." —— Why, so he says too, that he walked in the Air, and stole Clothes from the Palæstra. Besides, all who have written of Socrates, affirm quite the contrary; that he was not only agreeable in his Conversation, but in his Person too. And, again, they write the same of Diogenes. For we ought not to fright the World from Philosophy, by the Appearance of our Person; but to show ourselves chearful and easy, by the Care of our Persons, as well as by other Marks. "See, all of you, that I have nothing; that I want nothing. Without House, without City, and an Exile, (if that happens to be the Case,) and without a Home, I live more easily and prosperously than the Noble and Rich. Look upon my Person too, that it is not injured by coarse Fare." —— But, if any one should tell me this, with the Habit and the Visage of a condemned Criminal, what God should persuade me to come near Philosophy, while it renders Men such Figures? Heaven forbid! I would not do it, even if I was sure to become a wise Man for my Pains. I declare, for my own Part, I would rather that a young Man, on his first Inclination to Philosophy, should come to me finically dressed, than with his Hair spoiled and dirty. For there appears in him some Idea of Beauty, and Desire of Decency: and where he imagines it to be, there he applies his Endeavours. One hath nothing more to do, but to point it out to him, and say, "You seek Beauty, young Man; and you do well. Be assured then, that it springs from the rational Part of you. Seek it there, where the Pursuits and Avoidances, the Desires and Aversions, are concerned. Herein consists your Excellence: but the paultry Body is by Nature Clay. Why do you trouble yourself, to no Purpose, about it? You will be convinced by Time, if not otherwise, that it is nothing." But, if he should come to me bemired, dirty, with Whiskers down to his Knees, what can I say to him? By what Si militude allure him? For what hath he studied, which hath any Resemblance to Beauty, that I may transfer his Attention, and say, that Beauty is not there, but here? Would you have me tell him, that Beauty doth not consist in Filth, but in Reason? For hath he any Desire of Beauty? Hath he any Appearance of it? Go, and argue with a Hog, not to roll in the Mire.

4. It was in the Quality of a young Man that loved Beauty, that Polemo was touched by the Discourses of Xenocrates. For he entered with some Incentives to the Study of Beauty, though he sought in the wrong Place. And indeed Nature hath not made the very Brutes dirty, which live with Man. Doth a Horse wallow in the Mire? Or a good Dog? But Swine, and filthy Geese, and Worms, and Spiders, which are banished to the greatest Distance from human Society. Will you then, who are a Man, chuse not to be even one of the Animals, that are conversant with Man; but rather a Worm, or a Spider? Will you not bathe sometimes, be it in whatever Manner you please? Will you never use Water to wash yourself? Will you not come clean, that they who converse with you may have some Pleasure in you? But will you accompany us, a mere Lump of Nastiness, even to the Temples; where it is not lawful for any one so much as to spit, or blow his Nose?

5. What then, would any body have you dress yourself out to the utmost? By no means; except in those Things where our Nature requires it; in Reason, Principles, Actions: but, in our Persons, only as far as Neatness, as far as not to give Offence. But if you hear, that it is not right to wear Purple, you must go, I suppose, and roll your Cloke in the Mud, or tear it. —— "But where should I have a fine Cloke?" —— You have Water, Man; wash it. —— "What an amiable Youth is here? How worthy this old Man, to love, and be loved!" —— A fit Person to be trusted with the Instruction of our Sons and Daughters, and attended by young People, as Occasion may require, —— to read them Lectures on a Dung-hill! Every Deviation proceeds from something human: but this approaches very nearly towards being not human.