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De quadratura circuli2/28/2023 ![]() Some of this correspondence is very recent it is much blotted, and we are not quite sure of its meaning: it is full of figurative allusions to driving something illegible down a steep into the sea. This explains the whole succession of cyclometers, and all the heroes of the Budget. He commanded each of them to transmigrate from one human body into another, until their tasks were done. Michael, thoroughly disconcerted, hit upon the plan of setting some to square the circle, others to find the perpetual motion, etc. The demons easily conquered the rope difficulty, by the simple process of making the sand into glass, and spinning the glass into thread, which they twisted. It appears that the story, true as far as it goes, was never finished. We much regret that we did not receive it in time for the British Association. We have obtained a very curious correspondence between the wizard Michael and his demon-slaves but we do not feel at liberty to say how it came into our hands. "The recorded story is that Michael Scott, being bound by contract to produce perpetual employment for a number of young demons, was worried out of his life in inventing jobs for them, until at last he set them to make ropes out of sea sand, which they never could do. But when one sheep leaps the ditch, another will follow: so I gave the following account in the Athenæum of October 5, 1867: A little after the time when the famous Pascal papers were produced, I came into possession of a correspondence which, but for these papers, I should have held too incredible to be put before the world. But all this is conjecture: who knows that I have not hit on the very plan he adopted? Perhaps the whole race of paradoxers on hopeless subjects are Michael's subordinates, condemned to transmigration after transmigration, until their task is done. Had Michael set them to square the circle or to find a perpetual motion, he would have done his work much better. Stupid devils much of our glass is sea sand, and it makes beautiful thread. The wizard knew nothing about squaring the circle, etc., so he set them to make ropes out of sea sand, which puzzled them. The following question is more difficult, and involves free-will to all who answer-"Which you please." If the northern hemisphere were land, and all the southern hemisphere water, ought we to call the northern hemisphere an island, or the southern hemisphere a lake? Both the questions would be good exercises for paradoxers who must be kept employed, like Michael Scott's devils. The problem became famous in the schools some allowed the poor donkey to die of indecision some denied the possibility of the balance, which was no answer at all. Surely, you will say, he will not be ass enough to die for want of food or drink he will then make a choice-that is, will choose between alternatives of equal force. An ass is equally pressed by hunger and by thirst a bundle of hay is on one side, a pail of water on the other. Buridan was for free-will-that is, will which determines conduct, let motives be ever so evenly balanced. The argument is as follows, and is seldom told in full. ![]() Assuredly qui facit per alium facit per se will convict Buridan of prating. What it has to do with the matter has never been explained. Buridan was exempted, and, in gratitude, invented the sophism. The Queen of France, Joanna or Jeanne, was in the habit of sewing her lovers up in sacks, and throwing them into the Seine not for blabbing, but that they might not blab-certainly the safer plan. The story told about the famous paradox is very curious. ![]() ![]() Spinoza says it was a jenny ass, and that a man would not have been so foolish but whether the compliment is paid to human or to masculine character does not appear-perhaps to both in one. Buridan (died about 1358) is the creator of the famous ass which, as Burdin's ass, was current in Burgundy, perhaps is, as a vulgar proverb. I suppose it is what is elsewhere called the "Commentary on the Ethics of Aristotle," printed in 1489. This is the title from the Hartwell Catalogue of Law Books. 134522 A Budget of Paradoxes - 1489-1599 Augustus De Morgan
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