beings, destroying thereby all those exquisite and climate of Hindostan for their production. The delicate sensibilities whose existence cold-hearted researches of M. Bailly‡ establish the existence of a worldlings have denied; annihilating all genuine people who inhabited a tract in Tartary, 49° north passion, and debasing that to a selfish feeling which latitude, of greater antiquity than either the Indians. is the excess of generosity and devotedness. Their the Chinese, or the Chaldeans, from whom these body and mind alike crumble into a hideous wreck nations derived their sciences and theology. We find, of humanity; idiocy and disease become perpetu- from the testimony of ancient writers, that Britain, ated in their miserable offspring, and distant genera- Germany and France were much colder than at tions suffer for the bigoted morality of their fore- present, and that their great rivers were annually fathers. Chastity is a monkish and evangelical frozen over. Astronomy teaches us also, that since superstition, a greater foe to natural temperance even this period, the obliquity of the earth's position has than unintellectual sensuality; it strikes at the root been considerably diminished.

of all domestic happiness, and consigns more than half of the human race to misery, that some few may monopolize according to law. A system could not well have been devised more studiously hostile to human happiness than marriage.

Note 11, page 116, col. 1. No atom of this turbulence fulfils A vague and unnecessitated task, Or acts but as it must and ought to act. Deux exemples serviront à nous rendre plus senI conceive that, from the abolition of marriage, the sible le principe qui vient d'être posé; nous emprunfit and natural arrangement of sexual connexion terons l'un du physique et l'autre du moral. Dans would result. I by no means assert that the inter- un tourbillon de poussière qu'élève un vent impétucourse would be promiscuous: on the contrary; it eux, quelque confus qu'il paroisse à nos yeux; dans appears, from the relation of parent to child, that la plus affreuse tempête excitée par des vents opposés this union is generally of long duration, and marked qui soulèvent les flots, il n'y a pas une seule moléabove all others with generosity and self-devotion. cule de poussière ou d'eau qui soit placée au hasard, But this is a subject which it is perhaps premature qui n'ait sa cause suffisante pour occuper le lieu où to discuss. That which will result from the abolition elle se trouve, et qui n'agisse rigoureusement de la of marriage, will be natural and right, because choice manière dont elle doit agir. Un géomètre qui conand change will be exempted from restraint. naîtroit exactement les différentes forces qui agissent In fact, religion and morality, as they now stand, dans ces deux cas, et les propriétés des molécules compose a practical code of misery and servitude: qui sont mues, démontreroit que d'après des causes the genius of human happiness must tear every leaf données, chaque molécule agit précisément comme from the accursed book of God, ere man can read elle doit agir, et ne peut agir autrement qu'elle ne the inscription on his heart. How would morality, fait dressed up in stiff stays and finery, start from her own disgusting image, should she look in the mirror of nature!

Note 10, page 115, col. 1.

To the red and baleful sun
That faintly twinkles there.

Dans les convulsions terribles qui agitent quelquefois les sociétés politiques, et qui produisent souvent le renversement d'un empire, il n'y a pas une seule action, une seule parole, une seule pensée, une seule volonté, une seule passion dans les agens qui concourent à la révolution comme destructeurs ou comme

agens

victimes, qui ne soit nécessaire, qui n'agisse comme elle doit agir, qui n'opère infailliblement les effets qu'elle doit opérer suivant la place qu'occupent ces dent pour une intelligence qui sera en état de saisir dans ce tourbillon moral. Cela paroîtroit éviet d'apprécier toutes les actions et réactions des esprits et des corps de ceux qui contribuent à cette révolution.-Système de la Nature, vol. I. page 44. Note 12, page 116, col. 2.

Necessity, thou mother of the world!

The north polar star, to which the axis of the earth, in its present state of obliquity, points. It is exceed ingly probable, from many considerations, that this obliquity will gradually diminish, until the equator coincides with the ecliptic: the nights and days will then become equal on the earth throughout the year, and probably the seasons also. There is no great extravagance in presuming that the progress of the perpendicularity of the poles may be as rapid as the progress of intellect; or that there should be a perfect identity between the moral and physical im- He who asserts the doctrine of Necessity, means provement of the human species. It is certain that that, contemplating the events which compose the wisdom is not compatible with disease, and that, in moral and material universe, he beholds only an imthe present state of the climates of the earth, health, mense and uninterrupted chain of causes and effects, in the true and comprehensive sense of the word, is no one of which could occupy any other place than out of the reach of civilized man. Astronomy it does occupy, or act in any other way than it does teaches us that the earth is now in its progress, and act. The idea of necessity is obtained by our exthat the poles are every year becoming more and perience of the connexion between objects, the more perpendicular to the ecliptic. The strong evi-uniformity of the operations of nature, the constant dence afforded by the history of mythology, and geo- conjunction of similar events, and the consequent logical researches, that some event of this nature has inference of one from the other. Mankind are taken place already, affords a strong presumption, therefore agreed in the admission of necessity, if that this progress is not merely an oscillation, as has they admit that these two circumstances take place been surmised by some late astronomers.* Bones of in voluntary action. Motive is, to voluntary action animals peculiar to the torrid zone have been found in the human mind, what cause is to effect in the in the north of Siberia, and on the banks of the river material universe. The word liberty, as applied to Ohio. Plants have been found in the fossil state in the interior of Germany, which demand the present

*Laplace, Systême du Monde.

† Cabanis, Rapports du Physique et du Moral de l'Homme, vol. ii. page 406.

Lettres sur les Sciences, à Voltaire.-Bailly.

mind, is analogous to the word chance, as applied with circumstances and characters; motive is, to to matter: they spring from an ignorance of the voluntary action, what cause is to effect. But the certainty of the conjunction of antecedents and con- only idea we can form of causation is a constant sequents.

conjunction of similar objects, and the consequent inference of one from the other: wherever this is the case, necessity is clearly established.

Every human being is irresistibly impelled to act precisely as he does act: in the eternity which preceded his birth a chain of causes was generated, The idea of liberty, applied metaphorically to the which, operating under the name of motives, make will, has sprung from a misconception of the meanit impossible that any thought of his mind, or any ing of the word power. What is power?-id quod action of his life, should be otherwise than it is. potest, that which can produce any given effect. To Were the doctrine of Necessity false, the human deny power, is to say that nothing can or has the mind would no longer be a legitimate object of power to be or act In the only true sense of the science; from like causes it would be in vain that word power, it applies with equal force to the loadwe should expect like effects; the strongest motive stone as to the human will. Do you think these would no longer be paramount over the conduct; all motives, which I shall present, are powerful enough knowledge would be vague and undeterminate; we to rouse him? is a question just as common as, Do could not predict with any certainty that we might you think this lever has the power of raising this not meet as an enemy to-morrow him with whom we weight? The advocates of free-will assert that the have parted in friendship to-night; the most probable will has the power of refusing to be determined by inducements and the clearest reasonings would lose the strongest motive: but the strongest motive is that the invariable influence they possess. The contrary which, overcoming all others, ultimately prevails; of this is demonstrably the fact. Similar circum- this assertion therefore amounts to a denial of the stances produce the same unvariable effects. The will being ultimately determined by that motive precise character and motives of any man on any which does determine it, which is absurd. But it is occasion being given, the moral philosopher could equally certain that a man cannot resist the strongest predict his actions with as much certainty as the motive, as that he cannot overcome a physical im natural philosopher could predict the effects of the possibility. mixture of any particular chemical substances. Why The doctrine of Necessity tends to introduce a is the aged husbandman more experienced than the great change into the established notions of morality, young beginner? Because there is a uniform, unde- and utterly to destroy religion. Reward and punishniable necessity in the operations of the material ment must be considered, by the Necessarian, merely universe. Why is the old statesman more skilful as motives which he would employ in order to prothan the raw politician? Because, relying on the cure the adoption or abandonment of any given line necessary conjunction of motive and action, he pro- of conduct. Desert, in the present sense of the word, ceeds to produce moral effects, by the application of would no longer have any meaning; and he, who those moral causes which experience has shown to should inflict pain upon another for no better reason be effectual. Some actions may be found to which than that he deserved it, would only gratify his rewe can attach no motives, but these are the effects venge under pretence of satisfying justice. It is not of causes with which we are unacquainted. Hence enough, says the advocate of free-will, that a crimthe relation which motive bears to voluntary action inal should be prevented from a repetition of his is that of cause to effect; nor, placed in this point crimes: he should feel pain, and his torments, when of view, is it, or ever has it been the subject of justly inflicted, ought precisely to be proportioned to popular or philosophical dispute. None but the few his fault. But utility is morality; that which is m fanatics who are engaged in the herculean task of capable of producing happiness is useless; and though reconciling the justice of their God with the misery the crime of Damiens must be condemned, yet the of man, will longer outrage common sense by the frightful torments which revenge, under the name supposition of an event without a cause, a voluntary of justice, inflicted on this unhappy man, cannot be action without a motive. History, politics, morals, supposed to have augmented, even at the long-run, criticism, all grounds of reasonings, all principles of the stock of pleasurable sensation in the world. At science, alike assume the truth of the doctrine of the same time, the doctrine of Necessity does not in Necessity. No farmer carrying his corn to market the least diminish our disapprobation of vice. The doubts the sale of it at the market price. The master conviction which all feel, that a viper is a poisonous of a manufactory no more doubts that he can pur- animal, and that a tiger is constrained, by the inevi chase the human labor necessary for his purposes, table condition of his existence, to devour men, does than that his machinery will act as it has been ac- not induce us to avoid them less sedulously, or, even customed to act. more, to hesitate in destroying them: but he would But, whilst none have scrupled to admit necessity surely be of a hard heart, who, meeting with a ser as influencing matter, many have disputed its do- pent on a desert island, or in a situation where it minion over mind. Independently of its militating was incapable of injury, should wantonly deprive it with the received ideas of the justice of God, it is of existence. A Necessarian is inconsequent to his by no means obvious to a superficial inquiry. When own principles, if he indulges in hatred or contempt; the mind observes its own operations, it feels no con- the compassion which he feels for the criminal, nexion of motive and action: but as we know "no- unmixed with a desire of injuring him; he looks thing more of causation than the constant conjunc- with an elevated and dreadless composure upon the tion of objects and the consequent inference of one from the other, as we find that these two circumstances are universally allowed to have place in voluntary action, we may be easily led to own that they are subjected to the necessity common to all causes." The actions of the will have a regular conjunction

links of the universal chain as they pass before his eyes; whilst cowardice, curiosity and inconsistency only assail him in proportion to the feebleness and indistinctness with which he has perceived and rejected the delusions of free-will.

Religion is the perception of the relation in which

Note 13, page 117, col. 1.

There is no God!

This negation must be understood solely to affect a creative Deity. The hypothesis of a pervading Spirit coeternal with the universe, remains unshaken.

we stand to the principle of the universe. But if the principle of the universe be not an organic being, the model and prototype of man, the relation between it and human beings is absolutely none. Without some insight into its will respecting our actions, religion is nugatory and vain. But will is only a mode of animal A close examination of the validity of the proofs mind; moral qualities also are such as only a human adduced to support my proposition, is the only secure being can possess; to attribute them to the principle way of attaining truth, on the advantages of which of the universe, is to annex to it properties incom- it is unnecessary to descant: our knowledge of the patible with any possible definition of its nature. It existence of a Deity is a subject of such importance, is probable that the word God was originally only an that it cannot be too minutely investigated; in conexpression denoting the unknown cause of the known sequence of this conviction, we proceed briefly and events which men perceived in the universe. By the impartially to examine the proofs which have been vulgar mistake of a metaphor for a real being, of a adduced. It is necessary first to consider the nature word for a thing, it became a man, endowed with of belief. human qualities and governing the universe as an earthly monarch governs his kingdom. Their addresses to this imaginary being, indeed, are much in the same style as those of subjects to a king. They acknowledge his benevolence, deprecate his anger, and supplicate his favor.

When a proposition is offered to the mind, it perceives the agreement or disagreement of the ideas of which it is composed. A perception of their agreement is termed belief. Many obstacles frequently prevent this perception from being immediate; these the mind attempts to remove, in order that the perBut the doctrine of Necessity teaches us, that in ception may be distinct. The mind is active in the no case could any event have happened otherwise investigation, in order to perfect the state of percep than it did happen, and that, if God is the author of tion of the relation which the component ideas of good, he is also the author of evil; that, if he is en- the proposition bear to each, which is passive: the titled to our gratitude for the one, he is entitled to investigation being confused with the perception, has our hatred for the other; that, admitting the existence induced many falsely to imagine that the mind is of this hypothetic being, he is also subjected to the active in belief,-that belief is an act of volition,→→→ dominion of an immutable necessity. It is plain that in consequence of which it may be regulated by the the same arguments which prove that God is the mind. Pursuing, continuing this mistake, they have author of food, light, and life, prove him also to be attached a degree of criminality to disbelief; of the author of poison, darkness, and death. The wide-which, in its nature, it is incapable: it is equally inwasting earthquake, the storm, the battle, and the capable of merit. tyranny, are attributable to this hypothetic being, in the same degree as the fairest forms of nature, sunshine, liberty, and peace.

But we are taught, by the doctrine of Necessity, that there is neither good nor evil in the universe, otherwise than as the events to which we apply these epithets have relation to our own peculiar mode of being. Still less than with the hypothesis of a God, will the doctrine of Necessity accord with the belief of a future state of punishment. God made man such as he is, and then damned him for being so: for to say that God was the author of all good, and man the author of all evil, is to say that one man made a straight line and a crooked one, and another man made the incongruity.

Belief, then, is a passion, the strength of which, like every other passion, is in precise proportion to the degrees of excitement.

The degrees of excitement are three.

The senses are the sources of all knowledge to the mind; consequently their evidence claims the strongest assent.

The decision of the mind, founded upon our own experience, derived from these sources, claims the next degree.

The experience of others, which addresses itself to the former one, occupies the lowest degree.

(A graduated scale, on which should be marked the capabilities of propositions to approach to the test of the senses, would be a just barometer of the belief which ought to be attached to them.)

Consequently no testimony can be admitted which is contrary to reason; reason is founded on the evidence of our senses.

Every proof may be referred to one of these three divisions: it is to be considered what arguments we receive from each of them, which should convince us of the existence of a Deity.

A Mahometan story, much to the present purpose, is recorded, wherein Adam and Moses are introduced disputing before God in the following manner. Thou, says Moses, art Adam, whom God created and animated with the breath of life, and caused to be worshipped by the angels, and placed in Paradise, from whence mankind have been expelled for thy fault. Whereto Adam answered, Thou art Moses, whom God chose for his apostle, and intrusted with his 1st. The evidence of the senses. If the Deity should word, by giving thee the tables of the law, and whom appear to us, if he should convince our senses of his he vouchsafed to admit to discourse with himself. existence, this revelation would necessarily command How many years dost thou find the law was written belief. Those to whom the Deity has thus appeared before I was created? Says Moses, Forty. And dost have the strongest possible conviction of his existence. thon not find, replied Adam, these words therein, But the God of Theologians is incapable of local visiAnd Adam rebelled against his Lord and transgress- bility.

ed? Which Moses confessing, Dost thou therefore 2d. Reason. It is urged that man knows that whatblame me, continued he, for doing that which God ever is, must either have had a beginning, or have wrote of me that I should do, forty years before I existed from all eternity: he also knows, that whatwas created; nay, for what was decreed concerning ever is not eternal must have had a cause. When me fifty thousand years before the creation of heaven this reasoning is applied to the universe, it is necessary and earth?-SALE'S Prelim. Disc. to the Koran, page to prove that it was created until that is clearly demonstrated, we may reasonably suppose that it has

164.

endured from all eternity. We must prove design powers: we merely know their effects; we are ma before we can infer a designer. The only idea which state of ignorance with respect to their essences and we can form of causation is derivable from the causes. These Newton calls the phenomena of things; constant conjunction of objects, and the consequent but the pride of philosophy is unwilling to admit its inference of one from the other. In a case where two ignorance of their causes. From the phenomena, propositions are diametrically opposite, the mind which are the objects of our senses, we attempt to believes that which is least incomprehensible;-it infer a cause, which we call God, and gratuitously is easier to suppose that the universe has existed from endow it with all negative and contradictory qualities. all eternity, than to conceive a being beyond its limits From this hypothesis we invent this general name, to capable of creating it: if the mind sinks beneath the conceal our ignorance of causes and essences. The weight of one, is it an alleviation to increase the in- being called God by no means answers with the contolerability of the burthen? ditions prescribed by Newton; it bears every mark The other argument, which is founded on a man's of a veil woven by philosophical conceit, to hide the knowledge of his own existence, stands thus. A man ignorance of philosophers even from themselves. knows not only that he now is, but that once he was They borrow the threads of its texture from the annot; consequently there must have been a cause. But thropomorphism of the vulgar. Words have been our idea of causation is alone derivable from the con- used by sophists for the same purposes, from the stant conjunction of objects and the consequent infer- occult qualities of the peripatetics to the effluvium of ence of one from the other; and, reasoning experi- Boyle and the crinities or nebula of Herschel. God is mentally, we can only infer from effects, causes ex- represented as infinite, eternal, incomprehensible; he actly adequate to those effects. But there certainly is contained under every prædicate in non that the is a generative power which is effected by certain logic of ignorance could fabricate. Even his wor instruments: we cannot prove that it is inherent in shippers allow that it is impossible to form any idea these instruments; nor is the contrary hypothesis ca- of him: they exclaim with the French poet, pable of demonstration: we admit that the generative power is incomprehensible; but to suppose that the same effect is produced by an eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, being, leaves the cause in the same obscurity, but renders it more incomprehensible.

Pour dire ce qu'il est, il faut être lui-même. Lord Bacon says, that "atheism leaves to man reason, philosophy, natural piety, laws, reputation, and every thing that can serve to conduct him to virtue; but superstition destroys all these, and erects itself into a tyranny over the understandings of men: hence atheism never disturbs the government, but renders man more clear-sighted, since he sees nothing beyond the boundaries of the present life."-BACON'S Moral Essays.

3d. Testimony. It is required that testimony should not be contrary to reason. The testimony that the Deity convinces the senses of men of his existence can only be admitted by us, if our mind considers it less probable that these men should have been deceived, than that the Deity should have appeared to them. Our reason can never admit the testimony of La première théologie de l'homme lui fit d'abord men, who not only declare that they were eye-wit- craindre et adorer les éléments même, des objets mate nesses of miracles, but that the Deity was irrational; riels et grossiers ; il rendit ensuite ses hommages à des for he commanded that he should be believed, he agents présidents aux éléments, à des génies inférieurs, proposed the highest rewards for faith, eternal punish- à des héros, ou à des hommes doués de grandes qua ments for disbelief. We can only command vol- lités. A force de réfléchir, il crut simplifier les choses untary actions; belief is not an act of volition; the en soumettant la nature entière à un seul agent, à un mind is even passive, or involuntarily active: from this it is evident that we have no sufficient testimony, or rather that testimony is insufficient to prove the being of a God. It has been before shown that it cannot be deduced from reason. They alone, then, who have been convinced by the evidence of the senses, can believe it.

esprit, à une ame universelle, qui mettoit cette nature et ses parties en mouvement. En remontant des causes en causes, les mortels ont fini par ne rien voir; et c'est dans cette obscurité qu'ils ont placé leur Dieu; c'est dans cet abyme ténébreux que leur imagination inquiète travaille toujours à se fabriquer des chimères, qui les affligeront jusqu'à ce que la connoissance de la nature les détrompe des fantômes qu'ils ont toujours si vainement adorés.

Hence it is evident that, having no proofs from either of the three sources of conviction, the mind cannot believe the existence of a creative God: it is also Si nous voulons nous rendre compte de nos idées sur evident, that, as belief is a passion of the mind, no la Divinité, nous serons obligés de convenir que, par le degree of criminality is attachable to disbelief; and mot Dieu, les hommes n'ont jamais pu désigner que that they only are reprehensible who neglect to re- la cause la plus cachée, la plus éloignée, la plus inconmove the false medium through which their mind views any subject of discussion. Every reflecting mind must acknowledge that there is no proof of the existence of a Deity.

nue des effets qu'ils voyoient : ils ne font usage de ce mot, que lorsque le jeu des causes naturelles et connues cesse d'être visible pour eux; dès qu'ils perdent le fil de ces causes, ou dès que leur esprit ne peut God is an hypothesis, and, as such, stands in need plus en suivre la chaîne, ils tranchent leur difficulté, of proof: the onus probandi rests on the theist. Sir et terminent leur recherches en appellant Dieu la Isaac Newton says: "Hypotheses non fingo, quicquid dernière des causes, c'est-à-dire celle qui est au-delà enim ex phænomenis non deducitur, hypothesis vo- de toutes les causes qu'ils connoissent; ainsi ils ne font canda est, et hypothesis vel meta physicæ, vel physicæ, qu'assigner une dénomination vague à une cause vel qualitatum occultarum, seu mechanicæ, in philo- ignorée, à laquelle leur paresse ou les bornes de leurs sophia locum non habent." To all proofs of the connoissances les forcent de s'arrêter. Toutes les fois existence of a creative God apply this valuable rule. qu'on nous dit que Dieu est l'auteur de quelque phé We see a variety of bodies possessing a variety of nomène, cela signifie qu'on ignore comment un tel

phénoméne a pu s'opérer par le secours des forces ou de grace; cette foule de distinctions subtiles dont la des causes que nous connoissons dans la nature. C'est théologie s'est partout remplie dans quelques pays, ainsi que le commun des hommes, dont l'ignorance ces inventions si ingénieuses, imaginées par des penest le partage, attribue à la Divinité non seulement seurs qui se sont succédés depuis tant de siècles, les effets inusités qui les frappent, mais encore les n'ont fait, hélas! qu'embrouiller les choses, et jamais événemens les plus simples, dont les causes sont les la science la plus nécessaire aux hommes n'a jusplus faciles à connoître pour quiconque a pu les mé- qu'ici pu acquérir la moindre fixité. Depuis des mil diter. En un mot, l'homme a toujours respecté les liers d'années, ces réveurs oisifs se sont perpétuellecauses inconnues des effets surprenans, que son igno- ment relayés pour méditer la Divinité, pour deviner ses rance l'empêchoit de démêler. Ce fut sur les débuts voies cachées, pour inventer des hypothèses propres de la nature que les hommes élevèrent le colosse à développer cette énigme importante. Leur peu de imaginaire de la Divinité. succès n'a point découragé la vanité théologique; toujours on a parlé de Dieu: on s'est égorgé pour lui, et cet être sublime demeure toujours le plus ignoré et le plus discuté.

Si l'ignorance de la nature donna la naissance aux dieux, la connoissance de la nature est faite pour les détruire. A mesure que l'homme s'instruit, ses forces et ses ressources augmentent avec ses lumières; les Les hommes auroient été trop heureux, si, se borsciences, les arts conservateurs, l'industrie, lui four- nant aux objets visibles qui les intéressent, ils eus nissent des secours; l'expérience le rassure ou lui sent employé à perfectionner leurs sciences réelles, procure des moyens de résister aux efforts de bien leurs lois, leur morale, leur éducation, la moitié des des causes qui cessent de l'alarmer dès qu'il les a efforts qu'ils ont mis dans leurs recherches sur la Diconnues. En un mot, ses terreurs se dissipent dans vinité. Ils auroient été bien plus sages encore, et la même proportion que son esprit s'éclaire. L'homme plus fortunés, s'ils eussent pu consentir à laisser leurs instruit cesse d'être superstitieux. guides désœuvrés se quéreller entre eux, et sonder Ce n'est jamais que sur parole que des peuples des profondeurs capables de les étourdir, sans se mêentiers adorent le Dieu de leurs pères et de leurs ler de leurs disputes insensées. Mais il est de l'esprêtres; l'autorité, la confiance, la soumission, et sence de l'ignorance d'attacher de l'importance à ce l'habitude, leur tiennent lieu de conviction et de preu- qu'elle ne comprends pas. La vanité humaine fait que ves; ils se prosternent et prient, parce que leurs pères l'esprit se roidit contre les difficultés. Plus un obleur ont appris à se prosterner et prier: mais pourquoi jet se dérobe à nos yeux, plus nous faisons d'efforts ceux-ci se sont-ils mis à genoux? C'est que dans les pour le saisir, parceque des-lors il aiguillonne notre temps éloignés leurs législateurs et leurs guides leur orgueil, il excite notre curiosité, il nous paroît intéren ont fait un devoir. "Adorez et croyez," ont-ils essant. En combattant pour son Dieu chacun ne dit," des dieux que vous ne pouvez comprendre; rap-combattit en effet que pour les intérêts de sa propre portez-vous en à notre sagesse profonde; nous en sa- vanité, qui de toutes les passions produits par la mal vons plus que vous sur la Divinité." Mais pourquoi organisation de la société, est la plus prompte à s'alarm en rapporterois-je à vous? C'est que Dieu le veut mer, et la plus propre à produire de très grandes folies. ainsi, c'est que Dieu vous punira si vous osez résister. Mais ce Dieu n'est-il donc pas la chose en question? Cependant les hommes se sont toujours payés de ce cercle vicieux; la paresse de leur esprit leur fit trouver plus court de s'en rapporter au jugement des autres. Toutes les notions religieuses sont fondées uniquement sur l'autorité; toutes les religions du monde défendent l'examen et ne veulent pas que l'on raisonne; c'est l'autorité qui veut qu'on croye en Dieu; ce Dieu n'est lui-même fondé que sur l'autorité, de quelques hommes qui prétendent le connoître, et venir de sa part pour l'annoncer à la terre. Un Dieu fait par les hommes, a sans doute besoin des hommes pour se faire connoître aux hommes.

Si écartant pour un moment les idées fàcheuses que la théologie nous donne d'un Dieu capricieux, dont les décrets partiaux et despotiques décident du sort des humains, nous ne voulons fixer nos yeux que sur la bonté prétendue, que tous les hommes, même en tremblant devant ce Dieu, s'accordent à lui donner; si nous lui supposons le projet qu'on lui prête, de n'avoir travaillé que pour sa propre gloire ; d'exiger les hommages des êtres intelligens; de ne chercher dans ses œuvres que le bien-être du genre humain; comment concilier ses vues et ses dispositions avec l'ignorance vraiment invincible dans laquelle ce Dieu, si glorieux et si bon, laisse la plupart des hommes sur son compte? Si Dieu veut être connu, Ne seroit-ce donc que pour des prêtres, des inspirés, chéri, remercié, que ne se montre-t-il sous des traits des métaphysiciens que seroit réservée la conviction favorables á tous ces êtres intelligens dont il veut de l'existence d'un Dieu, que l'on dit néanmoins si être aimé et adoré ? Pourquoi ne point se manifester nécessaire à tout le genre humain? Mais trouvons à toute la terre d'une façon non équivoque, bien plus nous de l'harmonie entre les opinions théologiques capable de nous convaincre, que ces révélations pardes différens inspirés, ou des penseurs répandus sur ticulières qui semblent accuser la Divinité d'une parla terre? Ceux mêmes qui font profession d'adorer le tialité fâcheuse pour quelques unes de ses créatures? même Dieu, sont-ils d'accord sur son compte? Sont- Le Tout-Puissant n'auroit-il donc pas des moyens ils contents des preuves que leurs collègues apportent plus convainquans de se montrer aux hommes que de son existence? Souscrivent-ils unanimement aux ces métamorphoses ridicules, ces incarnations préidées qui'ils présentent sur sa nature, sur sa conduite, tendues, qui nous sont attestées par des écrivains si sur la façon d'entendre ses prétendus oracles? Est-il peu d'accord entre eux dans les récits qu'ils en font? une contrée sur la terre, où la science de Dieu se Au lieu de tant de miracles inventés pour prouver soit réellement perfectionnée? A-t-elle pris quelque la mission divine de tant de législateurs révérés par part la consistance et l'uniformité que nous voyons les différens peuples du monde, le souverain des esprendre aux connoissances humaines, aux arts les plus prits ne pouvoit-il pas convaincre tout d'un coup l'esfutiles, aux métiers les plus méprisés ? Des mots d'es- prit humain des choses qu'il a voulu lui faire connoîprit. d'immatérialité, de création, de prédestination, tre? Au lieu de suspendre un soleil dans la voûte du