A Curious Man

Non-Specific Humans Fanatics others An Alderman

Proper Names Homer Alexander Epictetus

Mythological Figures the twelve Apostles St. Peter Christ Judas

Animal Flea Cattle


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Center A
Center CURIOUS MAN

[V]ALUES things not by their Use or
[V]Worth, but Scarcity. He is very tender
and s
crupulous of his Humour, as [i] Fantatics [i]
are of their Consciences, and both for the most
part in Trifles. He cares not how unuseful
any Thing be, s
o it be but unusual and rare.
He collects all the Curious
ities he can light upon
in Art or Nature, not to inform his own
Judgement, but to catch the Admiration of o-
thers, which he believes he has a Right to, be-
cause the Rarities are his own. That which
other Men neglect he believes they overs
ee,
and stores up Trifles as rare Discoveries, at least
of his own Wit and Sagacity. He admires
subtleties above all Things, becaus
e the more
subtle they are, the nearer they are to nothing;
and values no Art but that which is s
pun s*o


Center A CURIOUS MAN. 151
thin, that it is of no Use at all. He had rather
have an iron Chain hung about the Neck of a
Flea, than an Alderman's of Gold, and [i] Ho-
mer's [i] Iliads in a Nuts
hel than [i] Alexander's [i] Ca-
binet. He had rather have the twelve Apostles
on a Cherry-Stone, than thos
e on St. [i] Peter's [i]
Portico, and would willingly sell [i] Christ [i] again
for the numerical Piece of Coin, that [i] Judas [i]
took for him. His perpetual Dotage upon
Curious
ities at length renders him one of them,
and he shews himself as none fo the meanest
of his Rarities. He s
o much affects Singula-
rity, that rather than follow the Fashion, that
is us
ed by the rest of the World, he will wear
dis
senting Cloaths with odd fantastic Devices
to distinguish himself from others, like Marks
set upon Cattle. He cares not what Pains he
throws away upon the meanes
t Trifle, so it be
but s
trange, while some pity, and others laugh
at his ill-employed Indus
try. He is one of
those, that valued [i] Epictetus's [i] Lamp above the
excellent Book he writ by it. If he be a Book-
man he s
pends all his Time and Study upon
Things that are never to be known. The
[i] Philosopher's Stone [i] and [i] universal Medicine cannot
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152 A CURIOUS MAN.
possibly miss him, though he is sure to do them.
He is wonderfully taken with abstruse Know-
ledge, and had rather hand to Truth with a
Pair of Tongs wrapt up in Mysteries and Hiero-
glyphics, than touch it with his Hands, or s
ee
it plainly demonstrated to his Senses.