MOTHE
695
MOTHER
clcaveth to harlots,' but the better reading is aijirv, ' rottenness.' Since the ' treasures' of the Orientals, in ancient times, consisted partly of 'garments, both new and old' (Matt, xiii, 52; and comp. Josh, vii, 21; Judg. xiv, 12), the ravages of the clothes-moth afforded them a lively emblem of destruction. . Their treasures also consisted partly of corn laid up in barns, etc. (Luke xii, 18, 2-1) ; and it has been supposed that the ftpwmg, translated ' rust,' joined with the rrZ/c i" Matt, vi, 19, 20, refers also to some species of moth, etc., probably in tlie larva state, which destroys corn, Kuincil says the 'ciir- cnlio, or corn-worm,' the larva of the Tinea granella, is injurious to corn. Compare the Eoman phrase hlatta et tinea. Moths, like fleas, etc., amid other more imme- diate purposes of their existence, incidentally serve as a stimidus to human industry and cleanliness; for, by a
The Clothes-moth (Tinea Pellionella).
a. Lnrva in a case constructed out ot the subhtince on which it is feeding. b. Case cut at the ends. c. Case cut open by the larva for enlarging it. d, e. The perfect insect.
remarkable discrimination in her instinct, the parent moth never deposits her eggs in garments frequently overlooked or kept clean. Indeed, the most remarkable of all proofs of animal intelligence is to be found in the larvre of the water-moth, which get into straws, and ad- just the weight of their case so that it can always float: when too heavy thej'^ add a piece of straw or wood, and when too light a bit of gravel (Transactions of the Royal Societij nfhlinhurgh, i, 42)" (Kitto). "The Tinea pel- lionella, the larva of which constructs a portable case out of the substance on which it feeds, and is very par- tial to feathers, certainly occurs in Asia Minor, and we may safelj'- conclude that it and biselliata (an abundant species often found in horse-hair linings of chairs) will be found in any old furniture-warehouse at Jerusalem" (Smith). A detailed account of the habits of these in- sects may be found in Rennie's Insect A rchitecture (Lond. 1857), p." 220 sq. See Wokji.
Mothe, PiERRK Lamekrt pe la. See Lamothe.
Mothe le Vayer, Francois pe la, a French sceptical philosopher, was born at Paris in 1586, was so well educated that he was a favorite of the great car- dinal ministers Richelieu and Mazarin, and was ap- pointed through their favor counsellor of the state and tutor to the duke of Anjou, brother of king Louis XIV. La Mothe was a moral and temperate man — hy no means a common case at the French court of that pe- riod. He became so interested in the study of history that he abandoned everything for it, and so generally esteemed was he that he was crowned with distinc- tions in all circles which he entered. In 1639 he was made a member of the Academy. La Clothe was nearlj' fifty years old before he published his first work : yet, once entered into the authors' lists, he contributed some- thing regularly every year until his death in 1672. He fought with wit and satirical humor against the life led by the court, and the licentiousness to which the people of that century gave their sanction. In his philosoph}' he inclined to scepticism, applying the arguments of the ancient sceptics especially to theology, limiting the lat- ter to the sphere of simple faith. He exemplified his views in his work Be la Vertu des Puiens, ou Cinq dia-
logues f aits a Vimitation des anciens par Horatius Tur- hero (Mons, 1671, 12mo; 1673, Svo; and a new edition, Augmentee d'une refutation de laphilos. scejitique ou jrre- servatif contre le Pyrrhonisme par Mr. J. If. Kahle [Berlin, 1704, 2 vols. 8vo]). In the first dialogue he de- fends scepticism in the style of Sextus with much show of learning. He treats of the variety and contradic- tions of human opinions, morals, and habits, wherefrom he comes to deduct the doctrine that there is nothing certain, and for the welfare in common not even a com- mon binding law of morals. In his second dialogue he speaks about the variety of nourishment and beverage, and the different customs at repasts ; of the conception of love, and takes ground in favor of what would now amount to the doctrine of free love, -(vhich he calls his sacred and divine philosophy. He recommends in his third dialogue a philosophic solitary life. The fourth dialogue contains a satirical praise of the ass, aiming thus sarcastically to reprimand the folly of his century. His fifth dialogue treats of the several religions, and he comes therein to the conclusion that there cannot be anything certain obtained by it; but he speaks here only in regard to the religion of reason, and says that positive religion possesses the principles of faith in rev- elation, which can be only gotten by God's grace, and must ever be above all reason. Mr. Arnauld, the learned theologian, answered La Mothe in a tract entitled De la, Necessite de la Foi en Jesus Christ, which ably re- futes the foolish reasonings of La INIothc, and yet treats the author with great consideration, as he deserved. La IMothe died in 1672. The rest of his works are of very little importance ; they were published by his son at Paris in 1653; 2d ed. 1669; 3d ed. (3 vols, fol.) in 1684. This last edition is the most complete. Yet the best edition was got up in Germany at Dresden (1756-59, 14 vols. Svo). See I^tienne, £ssai sur La Mothe le Vayer (1849) ; Bayle, IJisf. Diet. s. v. ; Hal- lam, Introd. to Lit. Hist, (see Index in vol, ii. Harper's edition), (J.H,\V.)