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# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXX

Chapter LXX.
Celsus has made a statement regarding evils of the following nature, viz., that “although a thing may seem to you to be evil, it is by no means certain that it is so; for you do not know what is of advantage to yourself, or to another, or to the whole world.” Now this assertion is made with a certain degree of caution; and it hints that the nature of evil is not wholly wicked, because that which may be considered so in individual cases, may contain something which is of advantage to the whole community. However, lest any one should mistake my words, and find a pretence of wrongdoing, as if his wickedness were profitable to the world, or at least might be so, we have to say, that although God, who preserves the free-will of each individual, may make use of the evil of the wicked for the administration of the world, so disposing them as to conduce to the benefit of the whole; yet, notwithstanding, such an individual is deserving of censure, and as such has been appointed for a use, which is a subject of loathing to each separate individual, although of advantage to the whole community. It is as if one were to say that in the case of a city, a man who had committed certain crimes, and on account of these had been condemned to serve in public works that were useful to the community, did something that was of advantage to the entire city, while he himself was engaged in an abominable task, in which no one possessed of moderate understanding would wish to be engaged.  Paul also, the apostle of Jesus, teaches us that even the very wicked will contribute to the good of the whole, while in themselves they will be amongst the vile, but that the most virtuous men, too, will be of the greatest advantage to the world, and will therefore on that account occupy the noblest position. His words are: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use, prepared unto every good work.” These remarks I have thought it necessary to make in reply to the assertion, that “although a thing may seem to you to be evil, it is by no means certain that it is so, for you do not know what is of advantage either to yourself or to another,” in order that no one may take occasion from what has been said on the subject to commit sin, on the pretext that he will thus be useful to the world.
* ↑ ἔχει τὶ εὐλαβές.
* ↑ καὶ ὡς ψεκτὸς κατατέτακται εἰς χρείαν ἀπευκταίαν μὲν ἑκάστῳ, χρήσιμον δὲ τῷ παντί.
* ↑ ἐν ἀπευκταίῳ πράματι.
* ↑ Cf. 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXIV

Chapter LXIV.
And now, after these arguments, and others of a similar kind, how can Celsus escape appearing in a ridiculous light, when he imagines that there never has been in the past, nor will be in the future, a greater or less number of evils? For although the nature of all things is one and the same, it does not at all follow that the production of evils is a constant quantity. For although the nature of a certain individual is one and the same, yet his mind, and his reason, and his actions, are not always alike: there being a time when he had not yet attained to reason; and another, when, with the possession of reason, he had become stained with wickedness, and when this increased to a greater or less degree; and again, a time when he devoted himself to virtue, and made greater or less progress therein, attaining sometimes the very summit of perfection, through longer or shorter periods of contemplation. In like manner, we may make the same assertion in a higher degree of the nature of the universe, that although it is one and the same in kind, yet neither do exactly the same things, nor yet things that are similar, occur in it; for we neither have invariably productive nor unproductive seasons, nor yet periods of continuous rain or of drought. And so in the same way, with regard to virtuous souls, there are neither appointed periods of fertility nor of barrenness; and the same is the case with the greater or less spread of evil. And those who desire to investigate all things to the best of their ability, must keep in view this estimate of evils, that their amount is not always the same, owing to the working of a Providence which either preserves earthly things, or purges them by means of floods and conflagrations; and effects this, perhaps, not merely with reference to things on earth, but also to the whole universe of things which stands in need of purification, when the wickedness that is in it has become great.
* ↑ οὗ πάντως καὶ ἡ τῶν κακῶν γένεσις ἀεὶ ἡ αὐτή.
* ↑ οὐκ ἀεὶ τὰ αὐτά ἐστι περὶ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς πράξεις.
* ↑ θεωρίαις.
* ↑ τῶν ὅλων.
* ↑ τὰ ἐν ὁλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXV

Chapter LXV.
After this Celsus continues: “It is not easy, indeed, for one who is not a philosopher to ascertain the origin of evils, though it is sufficient for the multitude to say that they do not proceed from God, but cleave to matter, and have their abode among mortal things; while the course of mortal things being the same from beginning to end, the same things must always, agreeably to the appointed cycles, recur in the past, present, and future.” Celsus here observes that it is not easy for one who is not a philosopher to ascertain the origin of evils, as if it were an easy matter for a philosopher to gain this knowledge, while for one who is not a philosopher it was difficult, though still possible, for such an one, although with great labour, to attain it. Now, to this we say, that the origin of evils is a subject which is not easy even for a philosopher to master, and that perhaps it is impossible even for such to attain a clear understanding of it, unless it be revealed to them by divine inspiration, both what evils are, and how they originated, and how they shall be made to disappear. But although ignorance of God is an evil, and one of the greatest of these is not to know how God is to be served and worshipped, yet, as even Celsus would admit, there are undoubtedly some philosophers who have been ignorant of this, as is evident from the views of the different philosophical sects; whereas, according to our judgment, no one is capable of ascertaining the origin of evils who does not know that it is wicked to suppose that piety is preserved uninjured amid the laws that are established in different states, in conformity with the generally prevailing ideas of government. No one, moreover, who has not heard what is related of him who is called “devil,” and of his “angels,” and what he was before he became a devil, and how he became such, and what was the cause of the simultaneous apostasy of those who are termed his angels, will be able to ascertain the origin of evils. But he who would attain to this knowledge must learn more accurately the nature of demons, and know that they are not the work of God so far as respects their demoniacal nature, but only in so far as they are possessed of reason; and also what their origin was, so that they became beings of such a nature, that while converted into demons, the powers of their mind remain. And if there be any topic of human investigation which is difficult for our nature to grasp, certainly the origin of evils may be considered to be such.
* ↑ περίοδος.
* ↑ κατὰ τὰς τεταγμένας ἀνακυκλήσεις.
* ↑ μὴ ἐγνωκὼς κακὸν εἶναι τὸ νομίζειν εὐσέβειαν σώζεσθαι ἐν τοῖς καθεστηκόσι κατὰ τὰς κοινότερον νοουμένας πολιτείας νόμοις.
* ↑ τὸ ἡγεμονικόν.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXIII

Chapter LXIII.
I do not understand how Celsus, while admitting the existence of Providence, at least so far as appears from the language of this book, can say that there never existed (at any time) either more or fewer evils, but, as it were, a fixed number; thus annihilating the beautiful doctrine regarding the indefinite nature of evil, and asserting that evil, even in its own nature, is infinite.  Now it appears to follow from the position, that there never have been, nor are now, nor ever will be, more or fewer evils in the world; that as, according to the view of those who hold the indestructibility of the world, the equipoise of the elements is maintained by a Providence (which does not permit one to gain the preponderance over the others, in order to prevent the destruction of the world), so a kind of Providence presides, as it were, over evils (the number of which is fixed), to prevent their being either increased or diminished! In other ways, too, are the arguments of Celsus concerning evil confuted, by those philosophers who have investigated the subjects of good and evil, and who have proved also from history that in former times it was without the city, and with their faces concealed by masks, that loose women hired themselves to those who wanted them; that subsequently, becoming more impudent, they laid aside their masks, though not being permitted by the laws to enter the cities, they (still) remained without them, until, as the dissoluteness of manners daily increased, they dared even to enter the cities.  Such accounts are given by Chrysippus in the introduction to his work on Good and Evil. From this also it may be seen that evils both increase and decrease, viz., that those individuals who were called “Ambiguous” used formerly to present themselves openly to view, suffering and committing all shameful things, while subserving the passions of those who frequented their society; but recently they have been expelled by the authorities. And of countless evils which, owing to the spread of wickedness, have made their appearance in human life, we may say that formerly they did not exist. For the most ancient histories, which bring innumerable other accusations against sinful men, know nothing of the perpetrators of abominable crimes.
* ↑ ἀόριστον.
* ↑ καὶ τῷ ἰδίῳ λόγῳ.
* ↑ τοσοῖσδε τυγχάνουσιν.
* ↑ ᾽Αμφίβολοι.
* ↑ ᾽Αγορανόμοι.
* ↑ ἁῤῥητοποιους οὐκ ἴσασι.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXIX

Chapter LXIX.
He continues to say that “neither have visible things been given to man (by God), but each individual thing comes into existence and perishes for the sake of the safety of the whole passing agreeably to the change, which I have already mentioned, from one thing to another.” It is unnecessary, however, to linger over the refutation of these statements, which have been already refuted to the best of my ability. And the following, too, has been answered, viz., that “there will neither be more nor less good and evil among mortals.” This point also has been referred to, viz., that “God does not need to amend His work afresh.” But it is not as a man who has imperfectly designed some piece of workmanship, and executed it unskilfully, that God administers correction to the world, in purifying it by a flood or by a conflagration, but in order to prevent the tide of evil from rising to a greater height; and, moreover, I am of opinion that it is at periods which are precisely determined beforehand that He sweeps wickedness away, so as to contribute to the good of the whole world. If, however, he should assert that, after the disappearance of evil, it again comes into existence, such questions will have to be examined in a special treatise. It is, then, always in order to repair what has become faulty that God desires to amend His work afresh. For although, in the creation of the world, all things had been arranged by Him in the most beautiful and stable manner, He nevertheless needed to exercise some healing power upon those who were labouring under the disease of wickedness, and upon a whole world, which was polluted as it were thereby. But nothing has been neglected by God, or will be neglected by Him; for He does at each particular juncture what it becomes Him to do in a perverted and changed world. And as a husbandman performs different acts of husbandry upon the soil and its productions, according to the varying seasons of the year, so God administers entire ages of time, as if they were, so to speak, so many individual years, performing during each one of them what is requisite with a reasonable regard to the care of the world; and this, as it is truly understood by God alone, so also is it accomplished by Him.
* ↑ τὰ ὁρώμενα.
* ↑ οὔτε τῷ Θεῷ καινοτέρας δεῖ διορθώσεως.
* ↑ ὅτι καὶ πάντη τεταγμένως αὐτὴν ἀφανίζων συμφερόντως τῷ παντί.
* ↑ [See note supra, p. 524. S.]
* ↑ τὰ σφάλματα ἀναλαμβάνειν.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXVI

Chapter LXVI.
Celsus in the next place, as if he were able to tell certain secrets regarding the origin of evils, but chose rather to keep silence, and say only what was suitable to the multitude, continues as follows: “It is sufficient to say to the multitude regarding the origin of evils, that they do not proceed from God, but cleave to matter, and dwell among mortal things.”  It is true, certainly, that evils do not proceed from God; for according to Jeremiah, one of our prophets, it is certain that “out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good.” But to maintain that matter, dwelling among mortal things, is the cause of evils, is in our opinion not true. For it is the mind of each individual which is the cause of the evil which arises in him, and this is evil (in the abstract); while the actions which proceed from it are wicked, and there is, to speak with accuracy, nothing else in our view that is evil. I am aware, however, that this topic requires very elaborate treatment, which (by the grace of God enlightening the mind) may be successfully attempted by him who is deemed by God worthy to attain the necessary knowledge on this subject.
* ↑ Cf. Lam. iii. 38. [In the Authorized Version and in the Vulgate the passage is interrogative. S.]
* ↑ ἥτις ἐστὶ τὸ κακόν.
# Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Origen/Origen Against Celsus/Book IV/Chapter LXXI

Chapter LXXI.
But as, in what follows, Celsus, not understanding that the language of Scripture regarding God is adapted to an anthropopathic point of view, ridicules those passages which speak of words of anger addressed to the ungodly, and of threatenings directed against sinners, we have to say that, as we ourselves, when talking with very young children, do not aim at exerting our own power of eloquence, but, adapting ourselves to the weakness of our charge, both say and do those things which may appear to us useful for the correction and improvement of the children as children, so the word of God appears to have dealt with the history, making the capacity of the hearers, and the benefit which they were to receive, the standard of the appropriateness of its announcements (regarding Him). And, generally, with regard to such a style of speaking about God, we find in the book of Deuteronomy the following: “The Lord thy God bare with your manners, as a man would bear with the manners of his son.” It is, as it were, assuming the manners of a man in order to secure the advantage of men that the Scripture makes use of such expressions; for it would not have been suitable to the condition of the multitude, that what God had to say to them should be spoken by Him in a manner more befitting the majesty of His own person. And yet he who is anxious to attain a true understanding of holy Scripture, will discover the spiritual truths which are spoken by it to those who are called “spiritual,” by comparing the meaning of what is addressed to those of weaker mind with what is announced to such as are of acuter understanding, both meanings being frequently found in the same passage by him who is capable of comprehending it.
* ↑ [See note, p. 502, supra.]
* ↑ οὐ τοῦ ἑαυτῶν ἐν τῷ λέγειν στοχαζόμεθα δυνατοῦ.
* ↑ Cf. Deut. i. 31. Origen appears to have read, not ἐτροφόρησεν, the common reading (Heb. אשָֹנָ), but ἐτροποφόρησεν, the reading of the Codex Alex.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 226

226.—PAGANINI IN COURT DRESS.
Musicians are like the rest of mankind. Some are sensible, others foolish; some liberal, others stingy; some foppish, others careless; some have much general education, others have none; some are broad in their views, others narrow; some are egotistical, others modest; some regular in habit, others unreliable; some just, others unjust; some prompt in meeting obligations, others never meet them if they can help it; some are respected, others forfeit respect; some pay attention to the conventionalities of life, others by their capricious actions make themselves ridiculous.
However great the musician, back of the musical skill there is but frail humanity, so why should the world expect from the musician as a man, aught save the actions, ideas, and peculiarities of the average man?
Among the great musicians who succeeded in making themselves ridiculous, not many were so successful as Paganini, the king of violinists. Several instances of his caprice might be cited, but one will suffice. The ​grand duchess, Marie Louise, once gave a grand fête at Paruna, and Paganini offered his services. They were accepted. Later he wished to withdraw from the programme, but was not permitted to do so. On the evening of the concert the artist was late in arriving, and when he did come, one authority tells us he wore the following costume:—
"A French coat of sky blue velvet with orange colored buttons: a long, flowery waistcoat which was longer than was fashionable, hiding the slenderness of his body; a pair of white satin knee breeches (hired, as was all the rest, from some second-hand shop) showing the bony state of his legs; his white silk stockings made hundreds of creases on his scraggy legs; and his enormous shoes ornamented with immense silver buckles, contrasted with such thin shanks.
"This ridiculous personage created great hilarity, which doubled when the strange ornaments covering his breast were observed. There was quite a variety. Decorations conferred by sovereigns, presents given by others, crosses of every description, emblems of all sorts, rings, pins, buckles, pendants, birds, fish, violins, lyres, hoops, miniature bows, all in gold, silver, and platinum. All these objects tinkled at every movement and the public continually laughed. As soon as possible silence was established and the supreme artist preluded a little and then played divinely."
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 22

22.—AN UNTALENTED ROYAL PUPIL.
Louis XII was endowed with more love for music than talent or voice for singing. On his attempting to sing, it was only courtesy or policy that caused the unfortunates who happened to be present to remain. In his attempts to read music he succeeded no better. At last, in despair of singing the ordinary music of the day, he ordered the conductor of his chapel music, the Maitre de Chapelle, Josquin by name, to write a piece of music that he could succeed in singing. So in a few days the king was presented with a piece for four voices, two of which were in canon form; the other two accompanied, simply furnishing the harmony.
Of these latter voices, the upper had but one pitch to sing throughout the whole piece, and the lower but two, the tonic and dominant, sung alternately. After careful drill the king was able to take his, the upper part, and later acquired sufficient skill to sing the lower part with tolerable accuracy.
This may illustrate to the non-musical public one, at least, of the difficulties that beset the path of a singing teacher; for some people that the Lord never intended to sing, will persist in singing, and are not content to sing music fitted to their capacity.
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 219

219.—CHOLERIC HÄNDEL.
The possession of genius seems to give a man the right to set at defiance the conventionalities of life. Beethoven was somewhat rough and unmannerly, and acted in a way, when in polite society, that, were it not for his genius, would have entitled him to the appellation, "a boor."
Händel was also in a position where he could snap his fingers at some of the senseless doings of the society of his day as well as at the wilfulness of his singers.
Together with all musicians who ever took part in any concert or musical entertainment, Händel greatly desired that the performance be not interrupted by the late or noisy entrance of careless patrons. Even when conducting performances at the residences of royalty, if the young Prince and Princess of Wales were late in their coming he would give them a good scolding. And if, after the rehearsal had begun, the maids of honor or other attendants made any disturbance it so irritated the master that he would not confine himself to rebukes, but would swear at the offenders and call them names; and then the good princess would calm them with, "Hush, hush, Händel is in a passion."
# Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 221

221.—THE WORLD'S REWARD TO GENIUS.
Wealth and great musical genius do not seem to go hand in hand. Some few of the greater composers have achieved wealth. Some were born to riches, and a few have had riches thrust upon them.
There are some plants that flourish on the bleak mountain side, amid storm and wind. Musical genius seems of such a nature. Adverse circumstances have surrounded nearly all who have been in the highest degree possessed of this gift. It would seem that such adversity were necessary to the development of genius.
Beethoven was the son of an impecunious singer of ​irregular habits; Mozart had a continual struggle with poverty; Schubert was frequently on the verge of starvation; Bach was known to go barefooted for want of shoes; Rossini was set to earning his own living when but seven years old; Haydn, the son of a poor wheelwright, acted as a servant and valet in order to obtain instruction; Weber, Spohr, Glück, Wagner—but why go on? All went through the "storm and stress" period and all came out conquerors; not in a financial, but in an intellectual sense.
This would seem to prove that poverty is an impetus to great works. Affluence and ease have produced little in this field of labor. They seem to enervate the mind and to stifle genius. Doubtless, there have been many talented men among the wealthy classes of different countries, perhaps some with the genius of Haydn or Weber; but the motive power was lacking. They were born under the same condition that Rossini secured for himself—a condition that was fatal to even his energy.
Rossini achieved wealth and fame in the first half of his life. Nearly everything he produced was greeted with the acclamations of the musical world. Wealth poured in upon him. Then, when "William Tell" did not receive the customary amount of applause, Rossini retired from active composition, and for the last forty years of his life he did nothing but enjoy the fruits of his early talents and industry. This was the only instance, as far as we know, where a really great composer has allowed the productivity of the best years of his life to be blighted by the influence of wealth.
But Rossini was an exception. Poverty followed some of the great geniuses, even in their latest day. Others accumulated only a tithe of what would have been the reward of equal genius in other walks of life.
Mozart left to his family but sixty gulden in money and personal property to the amount of four hundred gulden.
The inventory of Schubert's effects, which consisted ​entirely of wearing apparel and a little music, showed sixty-three gulden. Yet Schubert left as a legacy to the world six hundred songs, ten symphonies and numerous other compositions, from which the publishers reaped a golden harvest.
Beethoven fared better. After his death his furniture and music were sold; and when the expenses of his last sickness had been paid the residue amounted to nine thousand gulden, i.e., something over eight hundred pounds. Well did the trustee of his estate remark, "He was only a master; he knew but his art, leaving to others the gain."
Truly, success is posthumous.