The French are able paradoxers in their spelling of foreign names. The Abbe
Sabatier de Castres,[423] in 1772, gives an account of an imaginary
dialogue between Swif, Adisson, Otwai, and Bolingbrocke. I had hoped that
this was a thing of former days, like the literal roasting of heretics; but
the charity which hopeth all things must hope for disappointments. Looking
at a recent work on the history of the popes, I found referred to, in the
matter of Urban VIII[424] and Galileo, references to the works of two
Englishmen, the Rev. Win Worewel and the Rev. Raden Powen. [Wm. Whewell and
Baden Powell].[425]
I must not forget the "moderate computation" paradox. This is the way by
which large figures are usually obtained. Anything surprisingly great is
got by the "lowest computation," anything as surprisingly small by the
"utmost computation"; and these are the two great subdivisions of "moderate
computation." In this way we learn that 70,000 persons were executed in one
reign, and 150,000 persons {268} burned for witchcraft in one century.
Sometimes this computation is very close. By a card before me it appears
that all the Christians, including those dispersed in heathen countries,
those of Great Britain and Ireland excepted, are 198,728,000 people, and
pay their clergy 8,852,000l. But 6,400,000 people pay the clergy of the
Anglo-Irish Establishment 8,896,000l.; and 14,600,000 of other
denominations pay 1,024,000l. When I read moderate computations, I always
think of Voltaire and the "memoires du fameux eveque de Chiapa, par
lesquels il parait qu'il avait egorge, ou brule, ou noye dix millions
d'infideles en Amerique pour les convertir. Je crus que cet eveque
exaggerait; mais quand on reduisait ces sacrifices a cinq millions de
victimes, cela serait encore admirable."[426]