BOOK III PART II
among philosophers. For my part I find the
dispute impossible to be decided, and that be-
cause the whole question hangs upon the fancy,
which in this case is not possessed of any pre-
cise or determinate standard, upon which it can
give sentence. To make this evident, let us con-
sider, that if these two persons had been simply
members of the colonies, and not messengers
or deputies, their actions would not have been
of any consequence; since in that case their rela-
tion to the colonies would have been but feeble
and imperfect. Add to this, that nothing de-
termined them to run to the gates rather than
the walls, or any other part of the city, but that
the gates, being the most obvious and remark-
able part, satisfy the fancy best in taking them
for the whole; as we find by the poets, who fre-
quently draw their images and metaphors from
them. Besides we may consider, that the touch