Now the steeple of Strasburg being the biggest and the tallest church-steeple to be seen in the whole world, the Antinosarians denied that a nose of 575 geometrical feet in length could be worn, at least by a middle-siz’d man⸺The Popish doctors swore it could—The Lutheran doctors said No;—it could not.
This at once started a new dispute, which they pursued a great way, upon the extent and limitation of the moral and natural attributes of God—That controversy led them naturally into Thomas Aquinas , and Thomas Aquinas to the devil.
The stranger’s nose was no more heard of in the dispute—it just served as a frigate to launch them into the gulf of school-divinity⸺and then they all sailed before the wind.
Heat is in proportion to the want of true knowledge.
The controversy about the attributes, etc. , instead of cooling, on the contrary had inflamed the Strasburgers’ imaginations to a most inordinate degree⸺The less they understood of the matter, the greater was their wonder about it—they were left in all the distresses of desire unsatisfied⸺saw their doctors, the Parchmentarians , the Brassarians , the Turpentarians , on one side—the Popish doctors on the other, like Pantagruel and his companions in quest of the oracle of the bottle, all embarked out of sight.
⸺The poor Strasburgers left upon the beach!
⸺What was to be done?—No delay—the uproar increased⸺everyone in disorder⸺the city gates set open.⸺
Unfortunate Strasburgers! was there in the storehouse of nature⸻was there in the lumber-rooms of learning⸻was there in the great arsenal of chance, one single engine left undrawn forth