Let us be well assured of the matter of fact, before we trouble ourselves with enquiring into the cause. It is true, that this method is too slow for the greatest part of mankind, who run naturally to the cause, and pass over the truth of the matter of fact; but for my part, I will not be too ridiculous as to find out a cause for what is not. This kind of misfortune happened so pleasantly, at the end of the last age, to some learned Germans, that I cannot forbear speaking of it.
“In the year 1593, there was a report that the teeth of a child of Silesia of seven years old dropped out, and that one of gold came in the place of one of his great teeth. Horatius, a professor of physic in the university of Helmstad, wrote in the year 1595, the history of this tooth, and pretended that it was partly natural, and partly miraculous, and that it was sent from God to this child, to comfort the Christians who were then afflicted by the Turks.”
Now fancy to yourself what a consolation this was, and what this tooth could signify, either to the Christians or to the Turks. In the same year (that this tooth of gold might not want for historians) one Rullandus wrote the history of it: two years after, Ingolsteterus, another learned man, wrote against the opinion of Rullandus concerning this golden tooth; and Rullandus presently makes a fine learned reply. Libavius, another great man, collected all that had been laid of this tooth, to which he added his own opinion.
After all, there wanted nothing to so many famous works, but the truth of its being a tooth of gold. When a Goldsmith had examined it, he found, that it was only a leaf of gold laid on the tooth with a great deal of art. Thus they first compiled books, and they consulted the Goldsmith.
Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, (1657-1757). The History of Oracles. Translated from the best edition of the original French.
Submitted by Olivier Nardi, consultant, Raymond Poinaré Hospital-Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, Garches, France
