Chapter LXXVIII

HERE IS TOLD OF A PHILOSOPHER MUCH GIVEN TO THE VULGARISATION OF SCIENCE

There was once a philosopher, who was much given to vulgarising science, to please some lords and other persons.

One night he saw in a vision the Goddesses of science, in the form of beautiful women, in a bawdy-house. And seeing this, he wondered much, and said: What is this? Are you not the Goddesses of Science? And they replied: Of a surety we are. How is this that you are in a bawdy-house? And they rejoined: Indeed it is true, for you are he who makes us to be here.

He awoke, and considered that to vulgarise science is to lower the divinity. He ceased to do so, and repented sorely.

So know that not all things are adapted to all persons.