MINUCIUS FELIX. 471 tinuallydeceivedby theirtemerity. They transferthe blame of the judge to the complaintof uncertainty; so that,every thing being condemned, they would rather that allthings shouldbe leftin suspense,than thatthey shoulddecideabout mattersof doubt. Thereforewe must take carethatwe do not in such sortsufferfrom the hatred at once of all dis courses,even as very many of the more simple kind are led to execrationand hatredof men in general. For thosewho are carelesslycredulousare deceived by those whom they thought worthy ; and by and by, by a kindred error,they begin to suspectevery one as wicked,and dread even those whom they might have regarded as excellent.Now there fore we are anxious— because in everythingthere may be argument on both sides; and on the one hand, the truthis for the most part obscure; and on the other sidethereisa marvelloussubtlety,which sometimes by itsabundance of words imitatesthe confidenceof acknowledged proof— as carefullyas possibleto weigh each particular,thatwe may, while ready to applaud acuteness,yet elect,approve,and adopt thosethingswhich are right." CHAPTER XV. ABGuMENT. — Caeciliusretortsupon Minucius,withsome little appearanceof beinghurt,thathe isforegoingtheofficeof a religiousumpire, when he is weakeningtheforceof his argument. He says thatit should be leftto Octaviusto confuteallthathe had advanced. ''You are withdrawing,"saysCaecilius," from theofficeof a religiousjudge ; foritisvery unfair for you to weaken the forceof my pleadingby the interpolationof a very important argument, sinceOctaviushasbeforehim eachthingthatI have said,sound and unimpaired,ifhe can refuteit." " What you are reproving,"saidI, " unlessI am mistaken,I have brought forward forthe common advantage,so that by a scrupulous examination we might weigh our decision,not by the pom