11. Is it true that all things are produced by necessity, and by the
natural concatenation of causes and effects, and that, thus, they are
as good as possible? No! It is the Reason which, governing the world,
produces all things (in this sense that it contains all the "seminal
reasons"), and which decrees that they shall be what they are. It is
Reason that, in conformity with its rational nature, produces what
are called evils, because it does not wish everything to be equally
good. An artist would not cover the body of a pictured animal with
eyes.[57] Likewise, Reason did not limit itself to the creation of
divinities; it produced beneath them guardians, then men, then animals,
not by envy (as Plato remarks[58]); but because its rational essence
contains an intellectual variety (that is, contains the "seminal
reasons" of all different beings). We resemble such men as know little
of painting, and who would blame an artist for having put shadows in
his picture; nevertheless, he has only properly disposed the contrasts
of light. Likewise, well-regulated states are not composed of equal
orders. Further, one would not condemn a tragedy, because it presents
personages other than heroes, such as slaves or peasants who speak
incorrectly.[78] To cut out these inferior personages, and all the
parts in which they appear, would be to injure the beauty of the
composition.[59]
IT IS REASONABLE FOR THE REASON TO ASSIGN SOULS TO DIFFERENT RANKS IN
THE UNIVERSE.
12. Since it is the Reason (of the world) which produced all things
by an alliance with matter, and by preserving its peculiar nature,
which is to be composed of different parts, and to be determined by
the principle from which it proceeds (that is, by Intelligence), the
work produced by Reason under these conditions could not be improved
in beauty. Indeed, the Reason (of the world) could not be composed of
homogeneous and similar parts; it must, therefore, not be accused,
because it is all things, and because all its parts differ from others.
If it had introduced into the world things which it had not previously
contained, as for instance, souls, and had forced them to enter into
the order of the world without considering their nature, and if it
had made many become degraded, Reason would certainly be to blame.
Therefore, we must acknowledge that the souls are parts of Reason,
and that Reason harmonizes them with the world without causing their
degradation, assigning to each that station which is suitable to her.