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justice to his essays _sur la Nature_ … his thoughts sur _l'Ame_ … his
observations _sur l'Esprit ?_ If his _omelettes_ … if his _fricandeaux_
were inestimable; what _litt閞ateur_ of that day would not have given
twice as much for an 〃_Id閑 de Bon…Bon_〃 as for all the trash of 〃_Id閑s_〃
of all the rest of the _savants ?_ Bon…Bon had ransacked libraries which
no other man had ransacked … had more than any other would have
entertained a notion of reading… had understood more than any other would
have conceived the possibility of understanding; and although; while he
flourished; there were not wanting some authors at Rouen to assert 〃that
his _dicta_ evinced neither the purity of the Academy; nor the depth of
the Lyceum〃 … although; mark me; his doctrines were by no means very
generally comprehended; still it did not follow that they were difficult
of comprehension。 It was; I think; on account of their self…evidency that
many persons were led to consider them abstruse。 It is to Bon…Bon … but
let this go no farther … it is to Bon…Bon that Kant himself is mainly
indebted for his metaphysics。 The former was indeed not a Platonist; nor
strictly speaking an Aristotelian … nor did he; like the modern Leibnitz;
waste those precious hours which might be employed in the invention of a
_fricas閑_ or; _facili gradu_; the analysis of a sensation; in frivolous
attempts at reconciling the obstinate oils and waters of ethical
discussion。 Not at all。 Bon…Bon was Ionic … Bon…Bon was equally Italic。 He
reasoned _?priori_ … He reasoned also _?posteriori_。 His ideas were
innate … or otherwise。 He believed in George of Trebizonde … He believed
in Bossarion 'Bessarion'。 Bon…Bon was emphatically a … Bon…Bonist。

    I have spoken of the philosopher in his capacity of _restaurateur_。 I
would not; however; have any friend of mine imagine that; in fulfilling
his hereditary duties in that line; our hero wanted a proper estimation of
their dignity and importance。 Far from it。 It was impossible to say in
which branch of his profession he took the greater pride。 In his opinion
the powers of the intellect held intimate connection with the capabilities
of the stomach。 I am not sure; indeed; that he greatly disagreed with the
Chinese; who held that the soul lies in the abdomen。 The Greeks at all
events were right; he thought; who employed the same words for the mind
and the diaphragm。 {*1) By this I do not mean to insinuate a charge of
gluttony; or indeed any other serious charge to the prejudice of the
metaphysician。 If Pierre Bon…Bon had his failings … and what great man has
not a thousand? … if Pierre Bon…Bon; I say; had his failings; they were
failings of very little importance … faults indeed which; in other
tempers; have often been looked upon rather in the light of virtues。 As
regards one of these foibles; I should not even have mentioned it in this
history but for the remarkable prominency … the extreme _alto relievo_ …
in which it jutted out from the plane of his general disposition。 He could
never let slip an opportunity of making a bargain。

{*1} MD;

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