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E D I T I O N D E L A P A C I F I C A T I O N

T H E W O R K S O F

VOLTAIRE A CONTEMPORARY VERSION

W ITH NOTES BY TOBIAS SMOLLETT, R EVISED AND MODERNIZED

NEW TRANSLATIONS BY W ILLIAM F. FLEMING, AND AN

INTRODUCTION BY OLIVER H. G. LEIGH

A CRITIQUE AND BIOGRAPHY

BY

T H E R T . H O N . J O H N M O R L E Y

F O R T Y - T H R E E V O L U M E S

ONE HUNDRED ANS SIXTY-EIGHT DESIGNS, COMPRISINGS REPRODUCTIONS

OF RARE OLD ENGRAVINGS, STEEL PLATES, PHOTOGRAVURES,

AND CURIOUS FAC-SIMILES

VOLUME XII

AKRON, OHIO

THE WERNER COMPANY

1!"



I am a heritage because I

brln you years cj thought



and tbe lore of time *-^

I Impart yet I can r>ot speak-

I have traveled amorxi tbe

peoples o^ tbe eartb

am a rover-^ Oft-tl

I strc^y jron? tbe tresufe-

of tbe or^ u!bo loves ar^"

cberlsbeo n#e-abo

rmooeo n?e uhep I an?

^oi?e ^-$hould you %nd

me varar?t please send

brothers -on tbe book-

sbelves of

&'O&(') O+

, . /0'1'(02($

)he ,O'3$ of 2O.)0I'(



(4I)IO5 4( .0 &06I+I60)IO5

.imited to one thousand sets

for 0merica and 1reat 7ritain

87et9een t9o servants of /umanity: 9ho appeared

eighteen hundred years apart: the rf *; a mysterious relation

* * * * .et us say it 9ith a sentiment of

profound respect< =($$ ,(&)< 2O.)0I'( $I.(4

Of that divine tear and of that human smile is composed the

s9eetness of the present civili@ation8

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O5(

0 ,O'4 made use of to express gold 8$ir: 9ill

you lend me a hundred louis d;or?8 8$ir: I 9ould

9ith all my heart: but I have no money ! I am out

of ready money8 )he Italian 9ill say to you<

8$ignore: non ha di danari8 8I have no deniers8

/arpagon asks aitre =acKues< 8,ilt thou

make a good entertainment?8 8es: if you 9ill

give me plenty of money8

,e continually inKuire 9hich of the countries of

(urope is the richest in money ? 7y that 9e mean:

9hich is the people 9ho circulate the most metals

representative of objects of commerce? In the

same manner 9e ask: 9hich is the poorest? and

thirty contending nations present themselves the

,estphalian: .imousin: 7asKue: )yrolese: 2alois:

1rison: Istrian: $cotch: and Irish: the $9iss of a

small canton: and above all the subjects of the pope

In deciding 9hich has most: 9e hesitate at pres-

ent bet9een +rance: $pain: and /olland: 9hich had

none in FHGG



+ormerly: in the thirteenth: fourteenth: and %f-

teenth centuries: the province of the papal treasury

had no doubt the most ready money: and therefore

L

H &hilosophical

the greatest trade /o9 do you sell that ? 9ould be

asked of a theological merchant: 9ho replied: +or

as much as the people are fools enough to give me

0ll (urope then sent its money to the 'oman

court: 9ho gave in change consecrated beads:

agnuses: indulgences plenary and limited: dispensa-

tions: con%rmations: exemptions: benedictions: and

even excommunications against those 9hom the

subscriber chose! and 9ho had not suMcient faith

in the court of 'ome

)he 2enetians sold nothing of all this: but they

traded 9ith all the ,est by 0lexandria: and it 9as

through them only that 9e had pepper and cinna-

mon )he money 9hich 9ent not to the papal



treasury came to them: excepting a little to the

)uscans and 1enoese 0ll the other kingdoms of

(urope 9ere so poor in ready money that 6harles

2III 9as obliged to borro9 the je9els of the

duchess of $avoy and put them in pa9n: to raise

funds to conKuer 5aples: 9hich he soon lost again

)he 2enetians supported stronger armies than his

0 noble 2enetian had more gold in his coCers: and

more vessels of silver on his table: than the emperor

aximilian surnamed 8&ochi danari8

)hings changed 9hen the &ortuguese tradeN

9ith India as conKuerors: and the $paniards sub-

jugated exico and &eru 9ith six or seven hundreH

men ,e kno9 that then the commerce of 2enice::

and the other to9ns of Italy all fell to the ground

&hilip II: the master of $pain: &ortugal: the .o9

4ictionary P

6ountries: the )9o $icilies: and the ilanese: of

%fteen hundred leagues of coast in 0sia: and mines

of gold and silver in 0merica: 9as the only rich:

and conseKuently the only po9erful prince in (u-



rope )he spies 9hom he gained in +rance kissed

on their knees the 6atholic doubloons: and the small

number of angels and caroluses 9hich circulated in

that country had not much credit It is pretended

that 0merica and 0sia brought him in nearly ten

million ducats of revenue /e 9ould have really

bought (urope 9ith his money: but for the iron of

/enry I2 and the Qeets of Bueen (li@abeth

)he 84ictionnaire (ncyclopediKue8 in the article

on 80rgent:8 Kuotes the 8$pirits of .a9s:8 in 9hich

it is said < 8I have heard deplored a thousand times:

the blindness of the council of +rancis I: 9ho re-

jected the proposal of 6hristopher 6olumbus for the

discovery of the Indies perhaps this imprudence

has turned out a very 9ise thing8

,e see by the enormous po9er of &hilip that the

pretended council of +rancis I could not have done

such a 9ise thing 7ut let us content ourselves

9ith remarking that +rancis I 9as not born 9hen

it is pretended that he refused the oCers of 6hris-

topher 6olumbus )he 1enoese captain landed in

0merica in F#J: and +rancis I 9as born in F#P:

and did not ascend the throne until FLFL .et us

here compare the revenues of /enry III: /enry



I2: and Bueen (li@abeth: 9ith those of &hilip II

)he ordinary income of (li@abeth 9as only one

R &hilosophical

hundred thousand pound sterling: and 9ith extras

it 9as: one year 9ith another: four hundred thou-

sand! but she reKuired this surplus to defend her-

self from &hilip II ,ithout extreme economy she

9ould have been lost: and (ngland 9ith her

)he revenue of /enry III indeed increased to

thirty millions of livres of his time ! this: to the sum

that &hilip dre9 from the Indies: 9as as three to

ten! but not more than a third of this money en-

tered into the coCers of /enry III: 9ho 9as very

prodigal: greatly robbed: and conseKuently very

poor ,e %ndthat &hilip II in one article 9as ten

times richer than /enry

0s to /enry I2: it is not 9orth 9hile to com-

pare his treasures 9ith those of &hilip II ntil

the &eace of 2ervins: he had only 9hat he could

borro9 or 9in at the point of his s9ord! and he



lived as a knight-errant: until the time in 9hich he

became the %rst king in (urope (ngland had al-

9ays been so poor that 3ing (d9ard III 9as the

%rst king 9ho coined money of gold

,ould 9e kno9 9hat became of the money

9hich Qo9ed continually from exico and &eru

into $pain? It entered the pockets of the +rench:

(nglish and 4utch: 9ho traded 9ith 6adi@ under

$panish names! and 9ho sent to 0merica the

productions of their manufactories 0 great part

of this money goes to the (ast Indies to pay for

spices: cotton: saltpetre: sugar: candy: tea: cloths:

diamonds: and monkeys

4ictionary: #

,e may after9ards demand: 9hat is become of

all the treasures of the Indies ? I ans9er that $hah

)hamas 3ouli-3han or $hah 5adir had carried

a9ay all those of the great ogul: together 9ith

his je9els ou 9ould kno9 9here those je9els

are: and this money that $hah 5adir carried 9ith

him into &ersia? 0 part 9as hidden in the earth



during the civil 9ars ! predatory leaders made use

of the rest to raise troops against one another!

for: as 6aesar very 9ell remarks < 8,ith money 9e

get soldiers: and 9ith soldiers 9e steal money8 0

our curiosity is not yet satis%ed ! you are

troubled to kno9 9hat have become of the treasures

of $esostris: of 6roesus: 6yrus: 5ebuchadne@@ar:

and above all of $olomon: 9ho: it is said: had to his

o9n share eKual to t9enty millions and more of our

pounds in his coCers

I 9ill tell you It is spread all over the 9orld

)hings %nd their level in time 7e sure: that in the

time of 6yrus: the 1auls: 1ermany: 4enmark:

&oland: and 'ussia: had not a cro9n 7esides: that

9hich is lost in gilding: 9hich is fooled a9ay upon

our .ady of .oretto: and other places: and 9hich

has been s9allo9ed up by the avaricious sea must

be counted

/o9 did the 'omans under their great 'omulus:

the son of ars: and a vestal: and under the devout

5uma &ompilius? )hey had a =upiter of oak!

rudely carved huts for palaces! a handful of hay

at the end of a stick for a standard ! and not a piece



io &hilosophical

of money of t9elve sous value in their pockets

Our coachmen have gold 9atches that the seven

kings of 'ome: the 6amilluses: anliuses: and

+abiuses: could not have paid for

If by chance the 9ife of a receiver-general of

%nances 9as to have this chapter read at her

toilette by the bel-esprit of the house: she 9ould

have a strange contempt for the 'omans of the

three %rst centuries: and 9ould not allo9 a anlius:

6urius: or +abius to enter her antechamber: should

he come on foot: and not have 9here9ithal to take

his part at play

)heir ready money 9as of brass It served at

once for arms and money )hey fought and reck-

oned 9ith brass )hree or four pounds of brass:

of t9elve ounces 9eight: paid for an ox )hey

bought necessaries at market: as 9e buy them at

present ! and men had: as in all times: food: cloth-

ing: and habitations )he 'omans: poorer than



their neighbors: conKuered them: and continually

augmented their territory for the space of %ve hun-

dred years: before they coined silver money

)he soldiers of 1ustavus 0dolphus in $9eden

had nothing but copper money for their pay: before

the time that they made conKuests out of their o9n

country

&rovided 9e have a pledge of exchange for the

necessary things of life: commerce 9ill continually

go on It signi%es not 9hether this pledge be of

shells or paper 1old and silver have prevailed

4ictionary F F

every9here: only because they have been the most

rare

It 9as in 0sia that the %rst manufactures of

money of these t9o metals commenced: because

0sia 9as the cradle of all the arts

)here certainly 9as no money in the )rojan



9ar 1old and silver passed by 9eight ! 0gamem-

non might have had a treasure: but certainly no

money

,hat has made several hardy scholars suspect

that the 8&entateuch8 9as not 9ritten until the

time in 9hich the /ebre9s began to procure coins

from their neighbors is that in more than one pas-

sage mention is made of shekels It is there said

that 0braham: 9ho 9as a stranger and had not an

inch of land in the country of 6anaan: bought there

a %eld and a cave in 9hich to bury his 9ife: for four

hundred shekels of silver current money )he

judicious 4om 6almet values this sum at four hun-

dred and forty-eight livres: six sous: nine deniers:

according to the ancient calculation adopted at ran-

dom: in 9hich the silver mark 9as of six-and-

t9enty livres value 0s the silver mark has: ho9-

ever: increased by half the sum: the present value

9ould be eight hundred and ninety-six livres

5o9: as in that time there 9as no coined money

ans9ering to the 9ord 8pecunia8 that 9ould make

a little diMculty: from 9hich it is not easy to extri-

cate ourselves



0nother diMculty is: that in one place it is said

F J &hilosophical

that 0braham bought this %eld in /ebron: and in

another at $ichem On that point consult the vener-

able 7ede: 'aban: aure: and (manuel $a

,e 9ill no9 speak of the riches 9hich 4avid

left to $olomon in coined money $ome make it

amount to t9enty-one or t9enty-t9o millions of

+rench livres: others to %ve-and-t9enty )here is

no keeper of the royal treasure: nor t-efterdan of the

grand )urk;s: 9ho can exactly compute the treasure

of 3ing $olomon ! but the young bachelors of Ox-

ford and the $orbonne make out the amount 9ith-

out diMculty

I 9ill not speak of the innumerable adventures

9hich have happened to money since it has been

stamped: marked: valued: altered: increased: buried:

and stolen: having through all its transformations

constantly remained the idol of mankind It is so

much loved that among all 6hristian princes there



still exists an old la9 9hich is not to allo9 gold

and silver to go out of their kingdoms )his la9

implies one of t9o things either that these princes

reign over fools 9ho lavish their money in a foreign

country for their pleasure: or that 9e must not pay

our debts to foreigners It is: ho9ever: clear that

no person is foolish enough to give his money

9ithout reason: and that: 9hen 9e are in debt to a

foreigner: 9e should pay him either in bills of ex-

change: commodities: or legitimate coin )hus this

la9 has not been executed since 9e began to open

our eyes 9hich is not long ago

4ictionary F"

)here are many things to be said on coined

money! as on the unjust and ridiculous augmenta-

tion of specie: 9hich suddenly loses considerable

sums to a state on the melting do9n again ! on the

re-stamping: 9ith an augmentation of ideal value:

9hich augmentation invites all your neighbors and

all your enemies to re-coin your money and gain at

your expense! in short: on t9enty other eKually

ruinous expedients $everal ne9 books are full of



judicious remarks upon this subject It is more easy

to 9rite on money than to obtain it ! and those 9ho

gain it: jest much at those 9ho only kno9 ho9 to

9rite about it

In general: the art of government consists in

taking as much money as possible from one part of

the citi@ens to give to the other

It is demanded: if it be possible radically to ruin

a kingdom of 9hich the soil in general is fertile

,e ans9er that the thing is not practicable: since

from the 9ar of FHR# till the end of FPH#: in 9hich

9e 9rite: everything has continually been done

9hich could ruin +rance and leave it 9ithout re-

source: and yet it never could be brought about It

is a sound body 9hich has had a fever of eighty

years 9ith relapses: and 9hich has been in the hands

of Kuacks: but 9hich 9ill survive

O5$)('$

)/( de%nition of monsters is more diMcult than

is generally imagined 0re 9e to apply the term



F &hilosophical

to animals of enormous si@e ! to a %sh: or a serpent

%fteen feet long: for instance? )here are some:

ho9ever: that are t9enty or even thirty feet long:

in comparison 9ith 9hich of course the others: in-

stead of enormous or monstrous: 9ould appear

small

)here are monsters through defect 7ut: if a

generally 9ell-made and handsome man 9ere desti-

tute from his birth of the little toes and little

%ngers: 9ould he be a monster? )eeth are more

necessary to a man ! I have seen a man 9ho never

had a tooth /e 9as in other respects pleasing in

his person 7eing destitute of the organs of genera-

tion: still more necessary in the system of nature:

9ould not constitute the person thus defective a

monster

)here are monsters by excess as 9ell as by de-

fect 7ut those 9ho have six %ngers: or three testi-

cles: or t9o perforations instead of one: or the spine

elongated in the form of a small tail: are not con-

sidered monsters



)he third kind consists of those 9hich have

members of other animals ! as: for example: a lion

9ith the 9ings of an ostrich: or a serpent 9ith the

9ings of an eagle: like the griMn and ixion of the

=e9s 7ut all bats have 9ings: and Qying %sh have

them: 9ithout being monsters

.et us: then: reserve the name for animals 9hose

deformities strike us 9ith horror

et the %rst negro: upon this idea: 9as a monster

4ictionary FL

to 9hite 9omen! and the most admirable of (u-

ropean beauties 9as a monster in the eyes of ne-

groes

If &olyphemus and the 6yclops had really ex-

isted: people 9ho carried an eye on each side of the

root of the nose: 9ould: in the island of .ipari: and

the neighborhood of ount ^tna: have been pro-

nounced monsters



I once sa9: at a fair: a young 9oman 9ith four

nipples: or rather dugs: and 9hat resembled the

tail of a co9 hanging do9n bet9een them $he

9as decidedly a monster 9hen she displayed her

neck: but 9as rather an agreeable 9oman in appear-

ance 9hen she concealed it

6entaurs and inotaurs 9ould have been mon-

sters: but beautiful monsters )he 9ell-propor-

tioned body of a horse serving as a base or support

to the upper part of a man 9ould have been a

masterpiece of nature;s 9orkmanship on earth ! just

as 9e dra9 the masterpieces of heaven those

spirits 9hich 9e call angels: and 9hich 9e paint and

sculpture in our churches adorned sometimes 9ith

t9o 9ings: sometimes 9ith four: and sometimes

even 9ith six

,e have already asked: 9ith the judicious .ocke:

9hat is the boundary of distinction bet9een the

human and merely animal %gure ! 9hat is the point

of monstrosity at 9hich it 9ould be proper to take

your stand against bapti@ing an infant: against ad-

mitting it as a member of the human species: against



F H &hilosophical

according to it the possession of a soul? ,e have

seen that this boundary is as diMcult to be settled

as it is diMcult to ascertain 9hat a soul is ! for there

certainly are none 9ho kno9 9hat it is but theo-

logians

,hy should the satyrs 9hich $t =erome sa9:

the oCspring of 9omen and baboons: have been re-

puted monsters? ight it not be thought: on the

contrary: that their lot 9as in reality happier than

ours ? ust they not have possessed more strength

and more agility ? and 9ould they not have laughed

at us as an unfortunate race: to 9hom nature had re-

fused both tails and clothing? 0 mule: the oC-

spring of t9o diCerent species ! a jumart: the oC-

spring of a bull and a mare ! a tarin: the oCspring:

9e are told: of a canary bird and hen linnet are

not monsters

7ut ho9 is it that mules: jumarts: and tarins:

9hich are thus produced in nature: do not them-

selves reproduce? 0nd ho9 do the seminists:



ovists: or animalculists: explain: upon their respec-

tive theories: the formation of these mongrel produc-

tions ?

I 9ill tell you plainly: that they do not explain

it at all )he seminists never discovered ho9 it

is that the ass communicates to his mule oCspring

a resemblance only in the ears and crupper! the

ovists neither inform us: nor understand ho9 a

mare should contain in her egg anything but an

animal of her o9n species 0nd the animalculists

4ictionary FP

cannot perceive ho9 a minute embryo of an ass

could introduce its ears into the matrix of a mare

)he theorist 9ho: in a 9ork entitled the 8&hi-

losophy of 2enus:8 maintained that all animals and

all monsters are formed by attraction: 9as still less

successful than those just mentioned: in accounting

for phenomena so common and yet so surprising

0las S my good friends S you none of you kno9



ho9 you originate your o9n oCspring! you are

ignorant of the secrets of nature in your o9n

species: and yet vainly attempt to develop them in

the mule S

It may: ho9ever: be con%dently presumed: in

reference to a monster by defect: that the 9hole

seminal matter did not reach its destined appropria-

tion! or: perhaps: that the small spermatic 9orm

had lost a portion of its substance ! or: perhaps that

the egg 9as cra@ed and injured ,ith respect to

a monster by excess: you may imagine that some

portions of the seminal matter superabounded ! that

of t9o spermatic 9orms united: one could only ani-

mate a single member of the animal: and that that

member remains in supererogation! that t9o eggs

have blended together: and that one of them has

produced but a single member: 9hich 9as joined to

the body of the other

7ut 9hat 9ould you say of so many monstrosi-

ties arising from the addition of parts of animals of

a totally diCerent species? /o9 9ould you ex-

plain a crab on the neck of a girl? or the tail of

2ol FJ J



F R &hilosophical

a rat upon the thigh? or: above all: the four dugs

and tail of a co9: 9hich 9as exhibited at the fair

at $t 1ermain? ou 9ould be reduced to the

supposition that the unfortunate 9oman;s mother

belonged to the very extraordinary family of &asi-

phce

.et each of us boldly and honestly say: /o9 little

is it that I really kno9

O'0.I)

7077.('$: preachers: extravagant controversial-

ists S endeavor to remember that your master never

announced that the sacrament 9as the visible

sign of an invisible thing! /e has no9here ad-

mitted four cardinal virtues: and three divine ones

/e has never decided 9hether /is mother came

into the 9orld maculate or immaculate 6ease:

therefore: to repeat things 9hich never entered into

/is mind /e has said: in conformity 9ith a truth

as ancient as the 9orld .ove 1od and your neigh-



bor 0bide by that precept: miserable cavillers S

&reach morality and nothing more Observe it: and

let the tribunals no longer echo 9ith your prosecu-

tions ! snatch no longer: by the cla9 of an attorney:

their morsel of bread from the 9ido9 and the or-

phan 4ispute not concerning some petty bene%ce

9ith the same fury as the papacy 9as disputed in

the great schism of the ,est onks S place not to

the utmost of your po9er: the universe under con-

4ictionary F#

tribution: and 9e may then be able to believe you

I have just read these 9ords in a piece of decla-

mation in fourteen volumes: entitled: 8)he /istory

of the .o9er (mpire8! 8)he 6hristians had a

morality: but the &agans had none8

Oh: .e 7eau S author of these fourteen

volumes: 9here did you pick up this absurdity?

,hat becomes of the morality of $ocrates: of Daleu-

cus: of 6harondas: of 6icero: of (pictetus: and of

arcus 0urelius ?



)here is but one morality: .e 7eau: as there

is but one geometry 7ut you 9ill tell me that the

greater part of mankind are ignorant of geometry

)rue ! but if they apply a little to the study of it: all

men dra9 the same conclusions 0griculturists:

manufacturers: artisans: do not go through a regu-

lar course of morality! they read neither the 84e

+inibus8 of 6icero: nor the 8(thics8 of 0ristotle!

but as soon as they reQect: they are: 9ithout kno9-

ing it: disciples of 6icero )he Indian dyer: the

)artarian shepherd: and the (nglish seaman: are

acKuainted 9ith justice and injustice 6onfucius

did not invent a system of morals: as men construct

physical systems /e found his in the hearts of all

mankind

)his morality existed in the bosom of the praetor

+estus: 9hen the =e9s pressed him to put &aul to

death for having taken strangers into their temple

8.earn:8 said he: 8that the 'omans never con-

demn any one unheard8

JG &hilosophical



If the =e9s 9ere de%cient in a moral sense: the

'omans 9ere not: and paid it homage

)here is no morality in superstition! it exists

not in ceremonies: and has nothing to do 9ith dog-

mas ,e cannot repeat too freKuently that dogmas

diCer: but that morality is the same among all men

9ho make use of their reason orality proceeds

from 1od: like light! our superstitions are only

darkness 'eQect: reader! pursue the truth: and

dra9 the conseKuences

O$($

$(6)IO5 I

&/I.O$O&/: of 9hich 9e sometimes pass the

boundaries: researches of antiKuity: and the spirit

of discussion and criticism: have been carried so

far that several learned men have %nally doubted

if there ever 9as a oses: and 9hether this man

9as not an imaginary being: such as 9ere &erseus:

7acchus: 0tlas: &enthesilea: 2esta: 'hea $ilvia:

Isis: $ammonocodom: +o: ercury: )rismegistus:

Odin: erlin: +rancus: 'obert the 4evil: and so

many other heroes of romance 9hose lives and



pro9ess have been recorded

It is not very likely: say the incredulous: that a

man ever existed 9hose life is a continual prodigy

It is not very likely that he 9orked so many

stupendous miracles in (gypt: 0rabia: and $yria:

9ithout their being kno9n throughout the 9orld

4ictionary JF

It is not likely that no (gyptian or 1reek 9riter

should have transmitted these miracles to posterity

)hey are mentioned by the =e9s alone ! and in the

time that this history 9as 9ritten by them: they

9ere not kno9n to any nation not indeed until to-

9ards the second century )he %rst author 9ho

expressly Kuotes the 7ook of oses is .onginus:

minister of Bueen Denobia: in the time of the em-

peror 0urelian

It is to be remarked that the author of the 8er-

cury )rismegistus8 9ho certainly 9as an (gyptian:

says not a single 9ord about this oses



If a single ancient author had related a single

one of these miracles: (usebius 9ould no doubt

have triumphed in this evidence: either in his 8/is-

tory8 or in his 8(vangelical &reparation8

It is true: he mentions authors 9ho have Kuoted

his name: but none 9ho have cited his prodigies

7efore him: the =e9s: =osephus and &hilo: Tvho

have so much celebrated their o9n nation: sought

all the 9riters in 9hich the name of oses is found:

but there 9as not a single one 9ho made the least

mention of the marvellous actions attributed to him

In this silence of the 9hole 9orld: the incredu-

lous reason 9ith a temerity 9hich refutes itself

)he =e9s are the only people 9ho possessed the

&entateuch: 9hich they attribute to oses It is

said: even in their books: that this &entateuch 9as

not kno9n until the reign of their king =osiah:

thirty-six years before the destruction and captivity

JJ &hilosophical



of =erusalem ! and they then only possessed a single

copy: 9hich the priest /ilkiah found at the bottom

of a strong box: 9hile counting money )he priest

sent it to the king by his scribe $haphan 0ll this:

say they: necessarily obscures the authenticity of

the &entateuch

In short: if the &entateuch 9as kno9n to all

the =e9s: 9ould $olomon the 9ise $olomon: in-

spired by 1od /imself to build a temple have orna-

mented this temple 9ith so many statues: contrary

to the express order of oses ?

0ll the =e9ish prophets: 9ho prophesied in the

name of the .ord from the time of oses till that

of 3ing =osiah: 9ould they not have been supported

in all their prophecies by the la9s of oses?

,ould they not a thousand times have Kuoted his

o9n 9ords ? ,ould they not have commented upon

them ? 5one of them: ho9ever: Kuote t9o lines no

one follo9s the text of oses they even oppose

them in several places

0ccording to these unbelievers: the books at-

tributed to oses 9ere only 9ritten among the



7abylonians during the captivity: or immediately

after9ards by (sdras Indeed: 9e see only &ersian

and 6haldsean terminations in the =e9ish 9ritings <

87abel:8 gate of 1od! 8&hegor-beel8 or 87cel-

phegor:8 god of the precipices! 8Debuth-beel:8 or

87eel-@ebuth:8 god of insects! 87ethel8 house of

1od! 84aniel8 judgment of 1od! 81abriel:8 man

of 1od! 8=ahel:8 aUicted of 1od! 8=ael:8 the life of

4ictionary J"

1od! 8Israel:8 seeing 1od! 8Ovid:8 strength of

1od ! 8'aphael:8 help of 1od ! 8riel:8 %re of 1od

)hus: all is foreign in the =e9ish nation: a

stranger itself in &alestine! circumcision: cere-

monies: sacri%ces: the ark: the cherubim: the goat

/a@a@el: baptism of justice: simple baptism: proofs:

divination: interpretation of dreams: enchantment

of serpents nothing originated among these peo-

ple: nothing 9as invented by them

)he celebrated .ord 7olingbroke believed not

that oses ever existed ! he thought he sa9 in the



&entateuch a cro9d of contradictions and pu@@ling

chronological and geographical faults ! names of

to9ns not then built: precepts given to kings at a

time 9hen not only the =e9s had no kings: but in

9hich it is probable there 9ere none: since they

lived in deserts: in tents: in the manner of the 7ed-

ouin 0rabs

,hat appears to him above all the most palpable

contradiction is the gift of forty-eight cities 9ith

their suburbs: made to the .evites in a country in

9hich there 9as not a single village ! and it is prin-

cipally on these forty-eight cities that he refutes 0b-

badie: and even has the cruelty to treat him 9ith

the aversion and contempt of a lord of the pper

6hamber: or a minister of state to9ards a petty

foreign priest 9ho 9ould be so impertinent as to

reason 9ith him

I 9ill take the liberty of representing to 2iscount

7olingbroke: and to all those 9ho think 9ith him:

J &hilosophical



not only that the =e9ish nation has al9ays believed

in the existence of oses: and in that of his books:

but that even =esus 6hrist has ackno9ledged him

)he four 1ospels: the 0cts of the 0postles: recog-

ni@e him $t atthe9 says expressly: that oses

and (lias appeared to =esus 6hrist on the mountain

during the night of the trans%guration: and $t

.uke says the same

=esus 6hrist declares in $t atthe9 that he is

not come to abolish this la9: but to accomplish it

In the 5e9 )estament: 9e are often referred to the

la9 of oses and to the prophets )he 9hole

6hurch has al9ays believed the &entateuch 9ritten

by oses ! and further: of %ve hundred diCerent so-

cieties: 9hich have been so long established in 6hris-

tendom: none have ever doubted the existence of this

great prophet ,e must: therefore: submit our rea-

son: as so many men have done before us

I kno9 very 9ell that I shall gain nothing in the

mind of the viscount: or of those of his opinion

)hey are too 9ell persuaded that the =e9ish books

9ere not 9ritten until very late: and during the

captivity of the t9o tribes 9hich remained 7ut 9e

shall possess the consolation of having the 6hurch



9ith us

$(6)IO5 II

If you 9ould be instructed and amused 9ith an-

tiKuity: read the life of oses in the article on

80pocrypha8

In vain have several scholars believed that the

4ictionary JL

&entateuch could not have been 9ritten by oses

)hey say that it is aMrmed even by the $cripture:

that the %rst kno9n copy 9as found in the time of

3ing =osiah: and that this single copy 9as brought

to the king by the secretary $haphan 5o9: be-

t9een the time of oses and this adventure of the

secretary $haphan: there 9ere one thousand one

hundred and sixty-seven years: by the /ebre9 com-

putation +or 1od appeared to oses in the burn-

ing bush: in the year of the 9orld JJF": and the

secretary $haphan published the book of the la9 in

the year of the 9orld ""RG )his book found under



=osiah: 9as unkno9n until the return from the 7aby-

lonish captivity! and it is said that it 9as (sdras:

inspired by 1od: 9ho brought the /oly $criptures

to light

7ut 9hether it 9as (sdras or another 9ho di-

gested this book is absolutely indiCerent: since it is

inspired It is not said in the &entateuch: that oses

9as the author! 9e might: therefore: be permitted

to attribute it to the declaration of some other divine

mind: if the 6hurch had not decided that the book is

by oses

$ome opposers add: that no prophet has Kuoted

the books of the &entateuch: that there is no mention

of it either in the &salms or in the books attributed

to $olomon: in =eremiah or Isaiah: or: in short: in

any canonical book of the =e9s ,ords ans9ering

to those of 1enesis: (xodus: 5umbers: .eviticus:

4euteronomy: are not found in any other language

JH &hilosophical

recogni@ed by them as authentic Others: still



more bold: have put the follo9ing Kuestions <

F In 9hat language could oses have 9ritten

in a savage desert? It could only be in (gyptian!

for by this same book 9e are told that oses and

all his people 9ere born in (gypt It is therefore

probable that they spoke no other language )he

(gyptians had yet made no use of papyrus ! they

engraved hieroglyphics on tables of 9ood or marble

It is even said: that the tables of the commandments

9ere engraved on polished stones: 9hich reKuired

prodigious time and labor

J Is it likely: that in a desert 9here the =e9ish

people had neither shoemaker nor tailor in 9hich

the 1od of the universe 9as obliged to 9ork a con-

tinual miracle to preserve the old dresses and shoes

of the =e9s men could be found clever enough to

engrave the %ve books of the &entateuch on marble

or 9ood? ou 9ill say: that they found laborers

9ho made a golden calf in one night: and 9ho after-

9ards reduced the gold into po9der an operation

impracticable to common chemistry: 9hich 9as not

yet discovered ,ho constructed the tabernacle?

,ho ornamented thirty columns of brass 9ith capi-

tals of silver? ,ho 9ove and embroidered veils



of linen 9ith hyacinth: purple: and scarlet ? 0n ac-

count that supports the opinion of the contradictors

)hey ans9er: that it 9as not possible that in a des-

ert: 9here they 9ere in 9ant of everything: for

them to perform 9orks so intricate ! that they must

4ictionary JP

have begun by making shoes and tunics ! that those

9ho 9anted necessaries could not indulge in luxu-

ries! and that it is an evident contradiction to say:

that they had founders: engravers: and embroider-

ers: 9hen they had neither clothes nor bread

" If oses had 9ritten the %rst chapter of

1enesis: 9ould all young people have been forbidden

to read the %rst chapter? ,ould so little respect

have been paid to the legislator? If it 9as oses

9ho said that 1od punished the iniKuity of the

fathers to the fourth generation: 9ould (@ekiel

have dared to say the contrary ?

If oses 9rote .eviticus: could he have con-

tradicted it in 4euteronomy? .eviticus forbids a



9oman to marry her brother: 4euteronomy com-

mands it

L 6ould oses have spoken of to9ns 9hich ex-

isted not in his time? ,ould he have said that

to9ns 9hich: in regard to him: 9ere on the east of

the =ordan 9ere on the 9est?

H ,ould he have assigned forty-eight cities to

the .evites: in a country in 9hich there 9ere never

ten: and in a desert in 9hich he had al9ays 9an-

dered 9ithout habitation?

P ,ould he have prescribed rules for the =e9-

ish kings: 9hen not only there 9ere no kings

among this people: but they 9ere held in horror: and

it 9as not probable they 9ould ever have any?

,hatS 9ould oses have given precepts for the

conduct of kings 9ho came not until %ve hundred

JR &hilosophical

years after him: and have said nothing in relation

to the judges and priests 9ho succeeded him? 4oes



not this religion lead us to believe that the &enta-

teuch 9as composed in the time of kings: and that

the ceremonies instituted by oses 9ere only tra^

ditional

R $uppose he had said to the =e9s< I have

made you depart to the number of six hundred thou;

sand combatants from the land of (gypt under the

protection of your 1od ? ,ould not the =e9s have

ans9ered him < ou must have been very timid not

to lead us against &haraoh of (gypt ! he could not

have opposed to us an army of t9o hundred thou-

sand men )here never 9as such an army on foot

in (gypt! 9e should have conKuered them easily!

9e should have been the masters of their country

,hatS has the 1od: 9ho talks to you: to please us

slain all the %rst-born of (gypt: 9hich: if there 9ere

in this country three hundred thousand families:

makes three hundred thousand men destroyed in one

night: simply to avenge us: and yet you have not

seconded your 1od and given us that fertile country

9hich nothing could 9ithhold from us On the

contrary you have made us depart from (gypt as

thieves and co9ards: to perish in deserts bet9een

mountains and precipices ou might: at least:

have conducted us by the direct road to this land of



6anaan: to 9hich 9e have no right: but 9hich you

have promised us: and on 9hich 9e have not yet

been able to enter

4ictionary J#

It 9as natural that: from the land of 1oshen:

9e should march to9ards )yre and $idon: along the

editerranean! but you made us entirely pass the

Isthmus of $ue@: and re-enter (gypt: proceed as far

as emphis: 9hen 9e %nd ourselves at 7eel-$ephor

on the borders of the 'ed $ea: turning our backs on

the land of 6anaan: having journeyed eighty leagues

in this (gypt 9hich 9e 9ished to avoid: so as at

last to nearly perish bet9een the sea and the army of

&haraoh S

If you had 9ished to deliver us to our enemies:

you could not have taken a diCerent route and other

measures 1od has saved us by a miracle: you say !

the sea opened to let us pass ! but after such a favor:

should /e let us die of hunger and fatigue in the

horrible deserts of 3adesh-barnea: ara: (lim:

/oreb: and $inai ? 0ll our fathers perished in these



frightful solitudes! and you tell us: at the end of

forty years: that 1od took particular care of them

)his is 9hat these murmuring =e9s: these unjust

children of the vagabonds 9ho died in the desert:

might have said to oses: if he had read (xodus

and 1enesis to them 0nd 9hat might they not

have said and done on the article of the golden calf ?

,hatS you dare to tell us that your brother made

a calf for our fathers: 9hen you 9ere 9ith 1od on

the mountain ? ou: 9ho sometimes tell us that you

have spoken to 1od face to face: and sometimes that

you could only see /is backS 7ut no matter: you

9ere 9ith this 1od: and your brother cast a golden

"G &hilosophical

calf in one day: and gave it to us to adore it! and

instead of punishing your un9orthy brother: you

make him our chief priest: and order your .evites to

slay t9enty-three thousand men of your people

,ould our fathers have suCered this ? ,ould they

have allo9ed themselves to be sacri%ced like so

many victims by sanguinary priests? ou tell us



that: not content 9ith this incredible butchery: you

have further massacred t9enty-four thousand of our

poor follo9ers because one of them slept 9ith a

idianitish 9 P oman: 9hilst you yourself espoused

a idianite ! and yet you add: that you are the mild-

est of men S 0 fe9 more instances of this mildness:

and not a soul 9ould have remained

5o! if you have been capable of all this cruelty:

if you can have exercised it: you 9ould be the most

barbarous of men: and no punishment 9ould suMce

to expiate so great a crime

)hese are nearly the objections 9hich all schol-

ars make to those 9ho think that oses is the au-

thor of the &entateuch 7ut 9e ans9er them: that

the 9ays of 1od are not those of men ! that 1od has

proved: conducted: and abandoned /is people by a

9isdom 9hich is unkno9n to us! that the =e9s

themselves: for more than t9o thousand years: have

believed that oses is the author of these books!

that the 6hurch: 9hich has succeeded the syna-

gogue: and 9hich is eKually infallible: has decided

this point of controversy ! and that scholars should

remain silent 9hen the 6hurch pronounces



4ictionary " F

$(6)IO5 III

,e cannot doubt that there 9as a oses: a legis-

lator of the =e9s ,e 9ill here examine his his-

tory: follo9ing merely the rules of criticism! the

4ivine is not submitted to similar examination ,e

must con%ne ourselves to the probable! men can

only judge as men It is very natural and very

probable that an 0rab nation d9elt on the con%nes

of (gypt: on the side of 0rabia 4eserta ! that it 9as

tributary or slave to the (gyptian kings: and that

after9ards it sought to establish itself else9here!

but that 9hich reason alone cannot admit is: that

this nation: composed of seventy persons at most in

the time of =oseph: increased in t9o hundred and

%fteen years: from =oseph to oses: to the number

of six hundred thousand combatants: according to

the 7ook of (xodus: 9hich six hundred thousand

men capable of bearing arms imply a multitude of

about t9o millions: counting old men: 9omen: and

children It is not certainly in the course of nature

for a colony of seventy persons: as many males as



females: to produce in t9o centuries t9o millions of

inhabitants )he calculations made on this progres-

sion by men very little versed in the things of this

9orld: are falsi%ed by the experience of all nations

and all times 6hildren are not made by a stroke of

the pen 'eQect 9ell that at this rate a population

of ten thousand persons in t9o hundred years 9ould

produce more inhabitants than the globe of the earth

could sustain

"J &hilosophical

Is it any more probable: that these six hundred

thousand combatants: favored by the 0uthor of na-

ture 9ho 9orked for them so many prodigies: 9ere

forced to 9ander in the deserts in 9hich they died:

instead of seeking to possess themselves of fertile

(gypt ?

7y these rules of an established and reasonable

human criticism: 9e must agree that it is very likely

that oses conducted a small people from the con-

%nes of (gypt )here 9as among the (gyptians

an ancient tradition: related by &lutarch in his



8)reatise on Isis and Osiris:8 that )iphon: the father

of =erosselaim and =uddecus: Qed from (gypt on an

ass It is clear from this passage that the ancestors

of the =e9s: the inhabitants of =erusalem: 9ere sup-

posed to have been fugitives from (gypt 0 tradi-

tion: no less ancient and more general is: that the

=e9s 9ere driven from (gypt: either as a troop of

unruly brigands: or a people infected 9ith leprosy

)his double accusation carries its probability even

from the land of 1oshen: 9hich they had inhabited:

a neighboring land of the vagabond 0rabs: and

9here the disease of leprosy: peculiar to the 0rabs:

might be common It appears even by the $cripture

that this people 9ent from (gypt against their 9ill

)he seventeenth chapter of 4euteronomy forbids

kings to think of leading the =e9s back to (gypt

)he conformity of several (gyptian and =e9ish

customs still more strengthens the opinion that this

people 9as an (gyptian colony: and 9hat 4rives it a

4ictionary ""

ne9 degree of probability is the feast of the &ass-



over! that is to say: of the Qight or passage insti-

tuted in memory of their evasion )his feast alone

9ould be no proof ! for among all peoples there are

solemnities established to celebrate fabulous and in-

credible events ! such 9ere most of the feasts of the

1reeks and 'omans ! but a Qight from one country

to another is nothing uncommon: and calls for belief

)he proof dra9n from this feast of the &assover re-

ceives a still greater force by that of the )aberna-

cles: in memory of the time in 9hich the =e9s in-

habited the desert on their departure from (gypt

)hese similitudes: united 9ith so many others: prove

that a colony really 9ent from (gypt: and %nally

established itself for some time at &alestine

0lmost all the rest is of a kind so marvellous that

human sagacity cannot digest it 0ll that 9e can do

is to seek the time in 9hich the history of this Qight

that is to say: the 7ook of (xodus can have

been 9ritten: and to examine the opinions 9hich

then prevailed! opinions: of 9hich the proof is in

the book itself: compared 9ith the ancient customs

of nations

,ith regard to the books attributed to oses: the

most common rules of criticism permit us not to be-



rounded 9ith high forti%ed 9alls: independent of

an in%nite number of open cities? Is it not much

more probable that these exaggerations 9ere after-

9ards 9ritten by a man 9ho 9ished to Qatter a

stupid nation?

H It is still less likely: that oses related the

miracles 9ith 9hich this history is %lled

It is easy to persuade a happy and victorious peo-

ple that 1od has fought for them ! but it is not in

human nature that a people should believe a hundred

miracles in their favor: 9hen all these prodigies

ended only in making them perish in a desert

.et us examine some of the miracles related in

(xodus

P It appears contradictory and injurious to the

divine essence to suppose that 1od: having formed a

people to be the sole depository of /is la9s: and to

reign over all nations: should send a man of this

people to demand of the king: their oppressor: per-

mission to go into the desert to sacri%ce to his 1od:

that this people might escape under the pretence of

this sacri%ce Our common ideas cannot forbear

attaching an idea of baseness and knavery to this



*

management: far from recogni@ing the majesty and

po9er of the $upreme 7eing

,hen: immediately after: 9e read that oses

changed his rod into a serpent: before the king: and

turned all the 9aters of the kingdom into blood!

that he caused frogs to be produced 9hich covered

the surface of the earth ! that he changed all the dust

"H &hilosophical

into lice: and %lled the air 9ith venomous 9inged

insects! that he aUicted all the men and animals

of the country 9ith frightful ulcers ! that he called

hail: tempests: and thunder: to ruin all the country !

that he covered it 9ith locusts! that he plunged

it in fearful darkness for three days! that: %nally:

an exterminating angel struck 9ith death all the

%rst-born of men and animals in (gypt: commencing

9ith the son of the king ! again: 9hen 9e after9ards

see his people 9alking across the 'ed $ea: the 9aves



suspended in mountains to the right and left: and

later falling on the army of &haraoh: 9hich they

s9allo9ed up 9hen: I say: 9e read all these mira-

cles: the %rst idea 9hich comes into our minds is r

that this people: for 9hom 1od performed such as-

tonishing things: no doubt became the masters of

the universe 7ut: noS the fruit of so many 9on-

ders 9as: that they suCered 9ant and hunger in arid

sands! and prodigy upon prodigy all died 9ith-

out seeing the little corner of earth in 9hich their

descendants after9ards: for some years: established

themselvesS It is no doubt pardonable if 9e disbe-

lieve this cro9d of prodigies: at the least of 9hich

reason so decidedly revolts

)his reason: left to itself: cannot be persuaded

that oses 9rote such strange things /o9 can 9e

make a generation believe so many miracles use-

lessly 9rought for it: and all of 9hich: it is said:

9ere performed in the desert? ,hat being: enjoy-

ing divine po9er: 9ould employ it in preserving the

4ictionary "P



clothes and shoes of these people: after having armed

all nature in their favor?

It is therefore very natural to think that all this

prodigious history 9as 9ritten a long time after

oses: as the romances of 6harlemagne 9ere forged

three centuries after him! and as the origins of all

nations have not been 9ritten until they 9ere out

of sight: the imagination has been left at liberty to

invent )he more coanse and unfortunate a people

are: the more they seek to exalt their ancient his-

tory! and 9hat people have been longer miserable:

or more barbarous: than the =e9s?

It is not to be believed that: 9hen they had not

9here9ithal to make shoes in their deserts: under

the government of oses: there 9ere any cunning

enough to 9rite ,e should presume: that the poor

creatures born in these deserts did not receive a very

brilliant education ! and that the nation only began

to read and 9rite 9hen it had some commerce 9ith

&hoenicia It 9as probably in the commencement of

monarchy that the =e9s: feeling they had some

genius: 9rote the &entateuch: and adjusted their

traditions ,ould they have made oses recom-

mend kings to read and 9rite his la9 in a time in



0sia

)he authors of the &entateuch give us to under-

stand that every nation has its gods: and that these

gods have all nearly an eKual po9er

If oses: in the name of 1od: changed his rod

into a serpent: the priests of &haraoh did as much !

if he changed all the 9aters of (gypt into blood:

even to that 9hich 9as in the vases: the priests im-

mediately performed the same prodigy: 9ithout our

being able to conceive on 9hat 9aters they per-

formed this metamorphosis ! at least: unless they ex-

pressly created ne9 9aters for the purpose )he

=e9ish 9riters prefer being reduced to this absurd-

ity: rather than allo9 us to suspect that the gods of

(gypt had not the po9er of changing 9ater into

blood as 9ell as the 1od of =acob

7ut 9hen the latter %lls the land of (gypt 9ith

4ictionary "#

lice: changing all the dust into them: /is entire su-



periority appears! the magi cannot imitate it: and

they make the 1od of the =e9s speak thus < 8&ha-

raoh shall kno9 that nothing is eKual to me8 )hese

9ords put into his mouth: merely mark a being 9ho

believes himself more po9erful than his rivals! he

9as eKualled in the metamorphosis of a rod into a

serpent: and in that of the 9aters into blood! but

he gains the victory in the article of the lice and the

follo9ing miracles

)his idea of the supernatural po9er of priests of

all countries is displayed in several places of $crip-

ture ,hen 7alaam: the priest of the little state

of a petty king: named 7alak: in the midst of deserts:

is near cursing the =e9s: their 1od appears to him to

prevent him It seems that the malediction of 7a-

laam 9as much to be feared )o restrain this priest:

it is not enough that 1od speaks to him: he sends be-

fore him an angel 9ith a s9ord: and speaks /imself

again by the mouth of his ass 0ll these precautions

certainly prove the opinion 9hich then prevailed:

that the malediction of a priest: 9hatever it 9as:

dre9 fatal conseKuences after it

)his idea of a 1od superior to other gods: though

/e made heaven and earth: 9as so rooted in all



minds: that $olomon in his last prayer cries < 8Oh:

my 1od S there is no other god like thee in earth or

heaven8 It is this opinion 9hich rendered the =e9s

so credulous respecting the sorceries and enchant-

ments of other nations

G &hilosophical

It is this 9hich gave rise to the story of the ,itch

of (ndor: 9ho had the po9er of invoking the shade

of $aul (very people had their prodigies and ora-

cles: and it never even came into the minds of any

nations to doubt the miracles and prophecies of

others )hey 9ere contented 9ith opposing similar

arms! it seems as if the priests: in denying the

prodigies of other nations: feared to discredit their

o9n )his kind of theology prevailed a long time

over all the earth

It is not for us to enter here on the detail of all

that is 9ritten on oses ,e speak of his la9s in

more than one place in this 9ork ,e 9ill here

con%ne ourselves to remarking ho9 much 9e are

astonished to see a legislator inspired by 1od ! a



prophet: through 9hom 1od /imself speaks: pro-

posing to us no future life )here is not a single

9ord in .eviticus: 9hich can lead us to suspect the

immortality of the soul )he reply to this over-

9helming diMculty is: that 1od proportioned /im-

self to the ignorance of the =e9s ,hat a miserable

ans9er S It 9as for 1od to elevate the =e9s to nec-

essary kno9ledge not to lo9er /imself to them

If the soul is immortal: if there are re9ards and

punishments in another life: it is necessary for men

to be informed of it If 1od spoke: /e must have

informed them of this fundamental dogma ,hat

legislator: 9hat god but this: proposes to his people

9ine: oil: and milk aloneS ,hat god but this al-

9ays encourages his believers: as a chief of robbers

4ictionary F

(ncourages his troops: 9ith the hope of plunder only S

Once more! it is very pardonable for mere human

reason simply to see: in such a history: the barbarous

stupidity of the %rst ages of a savage people an:

9hatever he does: cannot reason other9ise! but if

Tjod really is the author of the &entateuch: 9e must



ibmit 9ithout reasoning

O)IO5

0 &/I.O$O&/(': in the neighborhood of ount

3rapak: argued 9ith me that motion is essential to

matter

8(verything moves:8 says he! 8the sun contin-

ually revolves on its o9n axis ! the planets do the

same: and every planet has many diCerent motions !

everything is a sieve! everything passes through a

sieve! the hardest metal is pierced 9ith an in%nity

of pores: by 9hich escapes a constant torrent of

vapors that circulate in space )he universe is noth-

ing but motion! motion: therefore: is essential to

matter8

87ut: sir:8 said I to hinij 8might not any one

say: in ans9er to 9hat you have advanced< )his

block of marble: this cannon: this house: this motion:

are not in motion! therefore motion is not essen-

tial?8

8)hey do move:8 he replied ! 8they move in space

together 9ith the earth by the common motion: and



they move so incontestably although insensibly

by their o9n peculiar motion: that: at the expiration

J &hilosophical

of an inde%nite number of centuries: there 9ill re-

main not a single atom of the masses 9hich no9

constitute them: from 9hich particles are detaching

themselves every passing moment8

87ut: my good sir: I can conceive matter to be in

a state of rest! motion: therefore: cannot be con-

sidered essential to it8

8,hy: certainly: it must be of vast conseKuence

9hether you conceive it to be: or conceive it not to

be: in a state of rest I still repeat: that it is impos-

sible for it to be so8

8)his is a bold assertion! but 9hat: let me ask

you: 9ill you say to chaos?8

8Oh: chaosS If 9e 9ere inclined to talk about

chaos: I should tell you that all 9as necessarily in



motion: and that ;the breath of 1od moved upon the

9aters;! that the element of 9ater 9as recogni@ed

in existence: and that the other elements existed also !

that: conseKuently: %re existed ! that there cannot be

%re 9ithout motion: that motion is essential to %re

ou 9ill not succeed much 9ith chaos8

80lasS 9ho can succeed 9ith all these subjects

of dispute? 7ut: as you are so very fully ac-

Kuainted 9ith these things: I must reKuest you to

inform me 9hy one body impels another< 9hether

it is because matter is impenetrable: or because t9o

bodies cannot be together in one place ! or because:

in every case of every description: the 9eak is driven

before the strong?8

8our last reason is rather more facetious than

4ictionary "

philosophical 5o person has hitherto been able

to discover the cause of the communication of mo-

tion8



8)hat: ho9ever: does not prevent its being essen-

tial to matter 5o one has ever been able to discover

the cause of sensation in animals! yet this sensa-

tion is* so essential to them: that: if you exclude the

idea of it: you no longer have the idea of an ani-

mal8

8,ell: I 9ill concede to you: for a moment: that

motion is essential to matter just for a moment: let

it be remembered: for I am not much inclined to em-

broil myself 9ith the theologians and no9: after

this admission: tell me ho9 one ball produces motion

in another?8

8ou are very curious and inKuisitive ! you 9ish

me to inform you of 9hat no philosopher ever

kne98

8It appears rather curious: and even ludicrous:

that 9e should kno9 the la9s of motion: and yet be

profoundly ignorant of the principle of the commu-

nication of motion S8

8It is the same 9ith everything else ! 9e kno9 the

la9s of reasoning: but 9e kno9 not 9hat it is in us

that reasons )he ducts through 9hich our blood



and other animal Quids pass are very 9ell kno9n

to us: but 9e kno9 not 9hat forms that blood and

those Quids ,e are in life: but 9e kno9 not in

9hat the vital principle consists8

8Inform me: ho9ever: at least: 9hether: if mo-

&hilosophical

tion be essential to matter: there has not al9ays ex-

isted the same Kuantity of motion in the 9orld ?8

8)hat is an old chimera of (picurus revived by

4escartes I do not: for my o9n part: see that this

eKuality of motion in the 9orld is more necessary

than an eKuality of triangles It is essential that

a triangle should have three angles and three sides:

but it is not essential that the number of triangles on

this globe should be al9ays eKual8

87ut is there not al9ays an eKuality of forces:

as other philosophers express it?8

8)hat is a similar chimera ,e must: upon such



a principle: suppose that there is al9ays an eKual

number of men: and animals: and moving beings:

9hich is absurd8

7y the 9ay: 9hat: let me ask: is the force of a

body in motion ? It is the product of its Kuantity mul-

tiplied by its velocity in a given time 6alling the

Kuantity of a body four: and its velocity four: the

force of its impulse 9ill be eKual to sixteen 0n-

other Kuantity 9e 9ill assume to be t9o: and its ve-

locity t9o! the force 9ith 9hich that impels is as

four )his is the grand principle of mechanics

.eibnit@ decidedly and pompously pronounced the

principle defective /e maintained that it 9as nec-

essary to measure that force: that product: by the

Kuantity multiplied by the sKuare of the velocity

7ut this 9as mere captious sophistry and chicanery:

an ambiguity un9orthy of a philosopher: founded

on an abuse of the discovery of the great 1alileo:

4ictionary L

that the spaces traversed 9ith a motion uniformly

accelerated 9ere: to each other: as the sKuares of the



times and velocities

.eibnit@ did not consider the time 9hich he

should have considered 5o (nglish mathematician

adopted his system It 9as received for a 9hile by a

small number of geometricians in +rance It per-

vaded some books: and even the philosophical insti-

tutions of a person of great celebrity aupertuis

is very abusive of airan: in a little 9ork entitled

80: 7: 68 ! as if he thought it necessary to teach the

a: b: c: of science to any man 9ho follo9ed the old

and: in fact: the true system of calculation airan

9as: ho9ever: in the right /e adhered to the an-

cient measurement: that of the Kuantity multiplied

by the velocity /e gradually prevailed over his

antagonists: and his system recovered its former sta-

tion! the scandal of mathematics disappeared: and

the Kuackery of the sKuare of the velocity 9as dis-

missed at last to the extramundane spaces: to the

limbo of vanity: together 9ith the monads 9hich

.eibnit@ supposed to constitute the concentric mirror

of nature: and also 9ith his elaborate and fanciful

system of 8pre-established harmony8

O5)0I5



)/( fable of the mountain 9hich: after alarming

the 9hole neighborhood 9ith its outcries in labor:

9as ridiculed by all present 9hen it became deliv-

ered of a mouse: is at once ancient and universal

H &hilosophical

)he company: ho9ever: 9ho thus gave 9ay to ridi-

cule 9ere not a company of philosophers )hose

9ho mocked should in reality have admired 0

mountain;s being delivered of a mouse 9as an event

as extraordinary: and as 9orthy of admiration: as a

mouse;s being delivered of a mountain 0 rock;s

producing a rat is a case absolutely prodigious: and

the 9orld never beheld anything approaching to

such a miracle 0ll the 9orlds in the universe could

not originate a Qy )hus: in cases 9here the vulgar

mock: the philosopher admires ! and 9here the vul-

gar strain their eyes in stupid astonishment: he often

smiles

50I.

,( O5. ask here from the censors of books:



permission to transcribe from that 9hich the 4omin-

ican missionary .abat: proveditor of the holy oMce:

has 9ritten concerning the nails of the cross: into

9hich it is more than probable no nails 9ere ever

driven

8)he Italian priest 9ho conducted us had suM-

cient interest to get us: among other things: a sight

of the nails 9ith 9hich our $aviour 9as fastened

to the cross )hey appeared to me very diCerent

from those 9hich the 7enedictines sho9 at $t

4enis &ossibly those belonging to $t 4enis served

for the feet: and the others for the hands It 9as

necessary that those for the hands should be suM-

ciently large and strong to support all the 9eight of

4ictionary P

the body /o9ever: the =e9s must either have

made use of more than four nails: or some of those

9hich are sho9n to the faithful are not genuine

/istory relates that $t /elena thre9 one of them

into the sea: to appease a furious tempest 9hich as-

sailed the ship in 9hich she had embarked 6on-



stantine made use of another: to make a bit for the

bridle of his horse One is sho9n entire at $t 4enis

in +rance ! another also entire at the /oly 6ross of

=erusalem at 'ome 0 very celebrated 'oman au-

thor of our day asserts that the iron cro9n 9ith

9hich they cro9n the emperors in Italy 9as made

out of one of these nails ,e are sho9n at 'ome

and at 6arpentras t9o bridle bits also made of these

nails: not to mention more at other places )o be

sure:: several of them are discreet enough to say: that

it is the head or point only of these nails 9hich they

exhibit8

)he missionary speaks in the same tone of all the

relics /e observes in the same passage: that 9hen

the body of the %rst deacon: $t $tephen: 9as brought

from =erusalem to 'ome: in LLP: and placed in the

tomb of the deacon of $t .a9rence< 8$t .a9-

rence made 9ay of himself to give the right hand to

his predecessor! an action 9hich procured him the

name of the civil $paniard8

pon this passage 9e venture only one reQec-

tion: 9hich is: that if some philosopher had said as

much: in the 8(ncyclopaedia:8 as the 4ominican .a-

bat: a cro9d of &antouillets: 5onnottes: 6hiniacs:



R &hilosophical

6haumeix: and other knaves: 9ould have exclaimed

4eist: atheist: and geometricianS 0ccording to

circumstances things change their names

$elon ce Kue 2on peut etre

.es choses changent de nom

0mphytrion: &rologue

50)'(

4ialogue 7et9een the &hilosopher and 5ature

&/I.O$O&/('

,/0) are you: 5ature? I live in you? but I

have been searching for you for %fty years: and have

never yet been able to %nd you

50)'(



)he ancient (gyptians: 9hose lives it is said ex-

tended to t9elve hundred years: attached the same

reproach to me )hey called me Isis! they placed

a thick veil over my head ! and they said that no one

could ever raise it

&/I.O$O&/('

It is on that account that I apply directly to your-

self I have been able to measure some of your

globes: to ascertain their courses: and to point out

the la9s of motion! but I have never been able to

ascertain 9hat you are yourself

0re you al9ays active ? 0re you al9ays passive ?

4o your elements arrange themselves: as 9ater

places itself over sand: oil over 9ater: and air over

oil ? /ave you a mind 9hich directs all your oper-

4ictionary #

ations as councils are inspired as soon as they

meet: although the individual members composing

them are often ignorant? (xplain to me: I entreat:



the enigma in 9hich you are enveloped

50)'(

I am the great universal system I kno9 nothing

farther I am no mathematician: and yet everything

in and about me is arranged agreeably to mathemat-

ical la9s 6onjecture: if you can: ho9 all this is

eCected

&/I.O$O&/('

6ertainly: since your great universal system

kno9s nothing of mathematics: and yet the la9s by

9hich you are regulated are those of the most pro-

found geometry: there must necessarily be an eter-

nal geometrician: 9ho directs you: and presides over

your operations

50)'(

ou are perfectly right ! I am 9ater: earth: %re:

air: metal: mineral: stone: vegetable: and animal I

clearly perceive that there is an intelligence in me<

you possess an intelligence: although you see it not

5either do I see mine ! I feel this invisible po9er !



I am unable to kno9 it< 9hy should you: 9ho are

only a very minute portion of myself: be anxious

to kno9 9hat I myself am ignorant of?

&/I.O$O&/('

,e are curious I should be pleased to learn

ho9 it is: that 9hile so rough and coarse in your

2ol FJ

LG &hilosophical

mountains: and deserts: and seas: you are at the same

time so ingenious and %nished in your animals and

vegetables ?

50)'(

y poor child: shall I tell you the real truth?

I have had besto9ed upon me a name that does not

at all suit me < I am called nature: 9hile I am all art

&/I.O$O&/('



)hat 9ord deranges all my ideas ,hatS is it

possible that nature should be nothing but art

50)'(

It is undoubtedly the case 4o you not kno9 that

there is in%nite art in those seas and mountains

9hich you represent as so rough and so coarse ? 4o

you not kno9 that all those 9aters gravitate to9ards

the centre of the earth: and are raised only by immu-

table la9s! and that those mountains 9hich cro9n

the earth are immense reservoirs of eternal sno9s:

incessantly producing the fountains: lakes: and

rivers: 9ithout 9hich my animal and vegetable oC-

spring 9ould inevitably perish? 0nd: 9ith respect

to 9hat are denominated my animal: vegetable: and

mineral kingdoms: constituting thus only three king-

doms: be assured that I have in fact millions of them

7ut if you consider the formation of an insect: of an

ear of corn: of gold: or of copper: all 9ill exhibit to

you prodigies of art

&/I.O$O&/('

It is undoubtedly true )he more I reQect on



4ictionary L F

the subject: the more clearly I perceive that you are

only the art of some 1reat 7eing: extremely po9er-

ful and skilful: 9ho conceals /imself and exhibits

you 0ll the reasoners: from the time of )hales:

and probably long before him: have been playing at

hide and seek 9ith you )hey have said: 8I have

hold of you8 ! and they in fact held nothing ,e all

resemble Ixion < he thought he embraced =uno: 9hen

he embraced only a cloud

50)'(

$ince I am the 9hole that exists: ho9 is it possi-

ble for a being like you: so small a portion of myself:

to comprehend me ? 7e contented: my dear little ;

atomic children: 9ith seeing a fe9 particles that sur-

round you: 9ith drinking a fe9 drops of ;my milk:

9ith vegetating for a fe9 moments in my bosom:

and at last dying 9ithout any kno9ledge of your

mother and your nurse



&/I.O$O&/('

y beloved mother: pray tell me a little 9hy you

exist 9hy anything has existed ?

50)'(

I 9ill ans9er you in the language in 9hich I al-

9ays have ans9ered: for so long a series of ages:

those 9ho have interrogated me on the subject of

%rst principles< 8I kno9 nothing at all about the

matter8

&/I.O$O&/('

5othing itself: 9ould it not be preferable to that

LJ &hilosophical

multitude of existences formed to be continually dis-

solved ! those tribes of animals born and reproduced

to devour others: and devoured in their turn!

those numberless beings endued 9ith sensation: and

formed to experience so many sensations of pain !



and those other tribes of reasoning beings 9hich

never: or at least only rarely: listen to reason? +or

9hat purpose: 5ature: 9as all this?

50)'(

Oh S pray go and inKuire of /im 9ho made me

5(6($$0' 5(6($$I)

O$I5

4o O not assert that everything is necessary?

$(.I

If all be not necessary: it follo9s that 1od does

unnecessary things

O$I5

)hat is to say: it 9as necessary for the 4ivine

5ature to do 9hat it has done

$(.I

I believe: or at least I suspect so )here are men



9ho think diCerently I do not understand them !

but possibly they are right I fear to dispute on this

subject

O$I5

It is: ho9ever: necessary for me to talk to you

upon it

4ictionary L"

$(.I

In 9hat manner? ,ould you speak of 9hat is

necessary to sustain life: or the evil to 9hich people

are reduced 9ho cannot procure it?

O$I5

5o ! for that 9hich is necessary to one is not al-

9ays necessary to another It is necessary for an

Indian to possess rice: for an (nglishman to eat ani-

mal food: as 'ussians must 9ear furs: and 0fricans

gau@e One man believes that he has need of a



do@en coach-horses: another limits himself to a pair

of shoes: and a third 9alks gayly on his bare feet

I 9ish to speak to you of that 9hich is necessary to

all men

$(.I

It appears to me that 1od has given us all that is

necessary in this sense< eyes to see: feet to 9alk: a

mouth to eat: a gullet to s9allo9: a stomach to di-

gest: a brain to reason: and organs to produce our

kind

O$I5

/o9 happens it then that men are sometimes

born 9ho are deprived of a part of these necessary

faculties?

$(.I

7ecause the general la9s of nature are liable to

accidents 9hich produce monsters ! but in general

man is provided 9ith all things necessary to his ex-

istence in society



L &hilosophical

O$I5

0re there not notions common to all men neces-

sary to this purpose?

V

$(.I

es! I have travelled 9ith &aul .ucas: and

9herever I 9ent I sa9 that man respected his father

and mother ! that he thought himself bound to keep

his promise ! that he pitied oppressed innocence !

that he detested persecution ! that he regarded free-

dom of thinking as a right of nature: and the enemies

of that freedom as the enemies of the human race

)hey 9ho think diCerently appear to me to be badly

organi@ed: and monsters: like those 9ho are born

9ithout eyes or heads

O$I5



)hese necessary things are they necessary in all

times: and in all places ?

$(.I

es< other9ise they 9ould not be necessary to

human kind

O$I5

)herefore: a ne9 creed is not necessary to man-

kind en could live in society: and perform all

their duties to9ards 1od: before they believed that

ahomet had freKuent conversations 9ith the angel

1abriel

$(.I

5othing is more evident ! it 9ould be ridiculous

to think that man could not perform his duties until

ahomet came into the 9orld It 9as no 9ay

4ictionary LL



necessary for men to believe the 3oran )he 9orld

9ent on before the appearance of ahomet: pre-

cisely as at present If ahometanism 9as neces-

sary to the 9orld: it 9ould exist every9here 1od:

9ho has given us t9o eyes to see the sun: 9ould

have besto9ed upon us some means of discovering

the truths of the ahometan religion )hat sect

therefore resembles the arbitrary la9s 9hich change

according to times and places: like fashions or the

theories of physicians: 9hich displace and succeed

one another )he ahometan religion cannot there-

fore be essentially necessary to man

O$I5

7ut since it exists: 1od has permitted it

$(.I

es: as /e permits all the 9orld to abound in

absurdities: errors: and calamities )his is not say-

ing that men 9ere absolutely created in order to

be foolish and unhappy 1od permits some men

to be eaten by serpents: but 9e ought not to say that

1od made man to be eaten by serpents

O$I5



,hat do you mean by saying that 1od permits?

6an anything happen but by /is orders? )o per-

mit and to 9ill are they not 9ith /im the same

thing ?

$(.I

/e permits crime: but does not commit it

LH &hilosophical

O$I5

)o commit a crime is to act against 4ivine jus-

tice to disobey 1od )herefore: as 1od cannot

disobey /imself: /e cannot commit crime! but /e

has so made man that man commits it freKuently

/o9 does that arise?

$(.I

$ome men can tell: but I am not one of them

0ll that I kno9 is: that the 3oran is ridiculous:

although possessing here and there things 9hich are



passable )he 3oran: ho9ever: is certainly not

necessary to man that I maintain I perceive

clearly that 9hich is false: but kno9 very little of

that 9hich is true

O$I5

I thought that you 9ould instruct me: but you

teach me nothing

$(.I

Is it not something to kno9 the men 9ho deceive

you: and the gross and dangerous errors they pro-

mulgate ?

O$I5

I should have cause to complain of a physician

9ho made me acKuainted 9ith poisonous plants:

9ithout instructing me in regard to such as are sal-

utary

$(.I

I am no physician: nor are you a sick man ! and



it appears to me that I give you a very useful pre-

4ictionary LP

scription: 9hen I say to you< 4istrust the inven-

tions of charlatans! 9orship 1od! be an honest

man ! and believe that t9o and t9o make four

5(, 5O2(.)I($

I) $(($ as if the %rst 9ords of Ovid;s 8eta-

morphoses8 8In nova fert animus8 9ere the em-

blem of mankind 5o one is touched 9ith the ad-

mirable spectacle of the sun 9hich rises or seems

to rise every day ! but everybody runs at the small-

est meteor 9hich appears for a moment in the map

of vapors 9hich surround the earth: and 9hich 9e

call heaven ,e despise 9hatever is common: or

9hich has been long kno9n <

2illa sunt nobis KuacumKue prioribus annis

2idimus: et sordet KuidKuid spectavimus olim

0 ha9ker 9ill not burden himself 9ith a 82ir-



gil8 or a 8/orace:8 but 9ith a ne9 book: 9ere it

ever so detestable /e dra9s you aside and says to

you < 8$ir: 9ill you have some books from /ol-

land?8

+rom the commencement of the 9orld: 9omen

have complained of the in%delities done to them in

favor of the %rst ne9 object 9hich presents itself:

and 9hich has often this novelty for its only merit

$everal ladies 9e must confess it: not9ithstanding

the in%nite respect 9hich 9e have for them have

treated men as they complain that the men have

treated them ! and the story of =ocondo is much

more ancient than 0riosto

LR &hilosophical

&erhaps this universal taste for novelty is a bene-

%t of nature ,e are told< 6ontent yourselves

9ith 9hat you have! desire nothing beyond your

situation! subdue the restlessness of your mind

)hese are very good maxims! but if 9e had fol-

lo9ed them: 9e should still live upon acorns and

sleep under the stars: and 9e should have had



neither 6orneille: 'acine: oliere: &oussin: .e

7run: .emoine: nor &igal

54I)

,/ do 9e shut up a man or a 9oman 9hom 9e

%nd naked in the streets ? and 9hy is no one oCended

at entirely naked statues: and 9ith certain paintings

of =esus and of agdalen 9hich are to be seen in

some of the churches ? It is very likely that human

beings existed for a considerable time 9ithout cloth-

ing In more than one island and on the continent

of 0merica: people are still found 9ho are ignorant

of clothing

)he most civili@ed of them conceal the organs of

generation by leaves: by interlaced rushes or mats:

and by feathers ,hence this latter modesty ? Is it

the instinct of nature to provoke desire by the con-

cealment of that 9hich 9e are inclined to discover?

Is it true that among nations some9hat more pol-

ished than the =e9s and demi-=e9s: there are entire

sects 9ho: 9hen they 9orship 1od: deprive them-

selves of clothing $uch have been: it is said: the

0damites and the 0belians )hey assembled: nicked:



4ictionary L#

to sing the praises of 1od $t (piphanius and $t

0ugustine say this: 9ho: it is true: 9ere not contem-

poraries: and 9ho lived very distant from their coun-

try 7ut after all: this folly is possible: and is not

more extraordinary or insane than a hundred other

follies 9hich have made the tour of the 9orld: one

after another

,e have seen: in the article 8(mblem:8 that the

ahometans still possess saints 9ho are mad: and

9ho go about naked as apes It is very possible that

cra@y people have existed: 9ho thought that it 9as

more proper to present ourselves before the 4eity

in the state in 9hich /e has formed us: than under

any disguise of our o9n invention It is possible

that these persons exposed themselves out of pure

devotion )here are so fe9 9ell-made people of

either sex: that nudity may have inspired chastity:

or rather disgust: instead of augmenting desire

It is moreover asserted that the 0belians re-

nounced marriage If they abounded in youthful



gallants and amorous maidens: they 9ere the less

comparable 9ith $t 0dhelm and the happy 'obert

4;0rbriselle: 9ho lay 9ith the most beautiful

9omen: only in order to prove the strength of their

continence I confess: ho9ever: that it must be

pleasant to 9itness a hundred naked /elens and

&arises singing anthems: giving one another the kiss

of peace: and performing the ceremonies of the

agapae

0ll this proves that there is nothing so singular:

HG &hilosophical

so extravagant: or so superstitious: 9hich has not

been conceived by the head of man /appy it is:

9hen these follies do not trouble society: and make

of it a scene of hate: of discord: and of fury It is

doubtless better to pray to 1od stark naked: than to

soil /is altars and the public places 9ith human

blood

;57('



,0$ (uclid right in de%ning number to be a col-

lection of unities of the same kind? ,hen 5e9ton

says that number is an abstract relation of one

Kuantity to another of the same kind: does he not

understand by that the use of numbers in arithmetic

and geometry? ,olfe says: number is that 9hich

has the same relation 9ith unity as one right line has

9ith another Is not this rather a property attrib-

uted to a number: than a de%nition? If I dared: I

9ould simply de%ne numbers the idea of several

unities

I see 9hite I have a sensation: an idea of 9hite

It signi%es not 9hether these t9o things are or are

not of the same species ! I can reckon t9o ideas I

see four men and four horses I have the idea of

eight ! in like manner: three stones and six trees 9ill

give me the idea of nine

)hat I add: multiply: subtract: and divide these:

are operations of the faculty of thought 9hich I

have received from the master of nature! but they

are not properties inherent to number I can sKuare



4ictionary HF

three and cube it: but there is not certainly in nature

any number 9hich can be sKuared or cubed I very

9ell conceive 9hat an odd or even number is: but I

can never conceive either a perfect or an imperfect

one

5umbers can have nothing by themselves ,hat

properties: 9hat virtue: can ten Qints: ten trees: ten

ideas: possess because they are ten ? ,hat superior-

ity 9ill one number divisible in three even parts have

over another divisible in t9o?

&ythagoras 9as the %rst: it is said: 9ho discov-

ered divine virtue in numbers I doubt 9hether he

9as the %rst ! for he had travelled in (gypt: 7abylon:

and India: and must have related much of their arts

and kno9ledge )he Indians particularly: the in-

ventors of the combined and complicated game of

chess: and of ciphers: so convenient that the 0rabs

learned of them: through 9hom they have been com-

municated to us after so many ages these same

Indians: I say: joined strange chimeras to their

sciences )he 6haldaeans had still more: and the

(gyptians more still ,e kno9 that self-delusion



is in our nature /appy is he 9ho can preserve him-

self from itS /appy is he 9ho: after having some

access of this fever of the mind: can recover tolerable

health

&orphyrius: in the 8.ife of &ythagoras:8 says

that the number J is fatal ,e might say: on the

contrary: that it is the most favorable of all ,oe

to him that is al9ays single S ,oe to nature: if the

HJ &hilosophical

human species and that of animals 9ere not often

t9o and t9oS

If J: 9as of bad augury: ": by 9ay of recompense:

9as admirable: and 9as divine ! but the &ythag-

oreans and their imitators forgot that this myste-

rious : so divine: 9as composed of t9ice that dia-

bolical number J: T $ix had its merit: because the

%rst statuaries divided their %gures into six modules

,e have seen that: according to the 6haldaeans: 1od

created the 9orld in six gahambars! but P 9as the

most marvellous number ! for there 9ere at %rst but



seven planets: each planet had its heaven: and that

made seven heavens: 9ithout anyone kno9ing 9hat

9as meant by the 9ord heaven 0ll 0sia reckoned

seven days for a 9eek ,e divide the life of man

into seven ages /o9 many reasons have 9e in

favor of this number S

)he =e9s in time collected some scraps of this

philosophy It passed among the %rst 6hristians of

0lexandria 9ith the dogmas of &lato It is princi-

pally displayed in the 80pocalypse of 6erinthus:8

attributed to =ohn the 0postle

,e see a striking example of it in the number of

the beast < 8)hat no man might buy or sell: save he

that had the mark: or the name of the beast: or the

number of his name /ere is 9isdom .et him

that hath understanding count the number of the

beast < for it is the number of a man ! and his num-

ber is six hundred three score and six8

,e kno9 9hat great pains all the great scholars

4ictionary H"



have taken to divine the solution of this enigma

)his number: composed of three times t9o at each

%gure: does it signify three times fatal to the third

po9er? )here 9ere t9o beasts: and 9e kno9 not

yet of 9hich the author 9ould speak

,e have seen that 7ossuet: less happy in arith-

metic than in funeral orations: has demonstrated that

4iocletian is the beast: because 9e %nd the 'oman

%gures HHH in the letters of his name: by cutting oC

those 9hich 9ould spoil this operation 7ut in

making use of 'oman %gures: he does not remember

that the 0pocalypse 9as 9ritten in 1reek 0n

eloKuent man may fall into this mistake )he po9er

of numbers 9as much more respected among us

9hen 9e kne9 nothing about them

ou may observe: my dear reader: in the article

on 8+igure:8 some %ne allegories that 0ugustine:

bishop of /ippo: extracted from numbers

)his taste subsisted so long: that it triumphed at

the 6ouncil of )rent ,e preserve its mysteries:

called 8$acraments8 in the .atin church: because

the 4ominicans: 9ith $oto at their head: allege that



there are seven things 9hich contribute to life: seven

planets: seven virtues: seven mortal sins: six days of

creation and one of repose: 9hich make seven ! fur-

ther: seven plagues of (gypt: seven beatitudes ! but

unfortunately the fathers forget that (xodus reckons

ten plagues: and that the beatitudes are to the num-

ber of eight in $t atthe9 and four in $t .uke

7ut scholars have overcome this diMculty! by re-

H &hilosophical

trenching from $t atthe9 the four beatitudes of

$t .uke: there remain six: and add unity to these

six: and you 9ill have seven 6onsult +ra &aolo

$arpi: in the second book of his history of the

6ounty of )rent

57('I51

$(6)IO5 I

)/( most ancient numberings that history has

left us are those of the Israelites: 9hich are indubit-

able: since they are extracted from the =e9ish books



,e believe that 9e must not reckon as a numbering

the Qight of the Israelites to the number of six hun-

dred thousand men on foot: because the text speci%es

them not tribe by tribe ! it adds: that an innumerable

troop of people gathered together and joined them

)his is only a relation

)he %rst circumstantial numbering is that 9hich

9e see in the book of the 82iedaber:8 9hich 9e

call 5umbers 7y the reckoning 9hich oses and

0aron made of the people in the desert: 9e %nd: in

counting all the tribes except that of .evi: six hun-

dred and three thousand %ve hundred and %fty men

capable of bearing arms ! and if 9e add the tribe of

.evi: supposing it eKual in number to the others: the

strong 9ith the 9eak: 9e shall have six hundred and

%fty-three thousand nine hundred and thirty-%ve

men: to 9hich 9e must add an eKual number of old

9omen and children: 9hich 9ill compose t9o mil-

4ictionary HL

lions six hundred and %fteen thousand seven hun-

dred and forty-t9o persons: 9ho departed from



(gypt

,hen 4avid: after the example of oses: or-

dered the numbering of all the people: he found eight

hundred thousand 9arriors of the tribes of Israel:

and %ve hundred thousand of that of =udah: accord-

ing to the 7ook of 3ings ! but according to 6hron-

icles they reckoned eleven hundred thousand 9ar-

riors in Israel ! and less than %ve hundred thousand

in =udah

)he 7ook of 3ings formally excludes .evi and

7enjamin: and counts them not If therefore 9e

join these t9o tribes to the others in their propor-

tion: the total of the 9arriors 9ill amount to nine-

teen hundred and t9enty thousand )his is a great

number for the little country of =udaea: the half of

9hich is composed of frightful rocks and caverns<

but it 9as a miracle

It is not for us to enter Into the reasons for 9hich

the $overeign 0rbiter of kings and people punished

4avid for an operation 9hich he himself com-

manded to oses It still less becomes us to seek

9hy 1od: being irritated against 4avid: punished

the people for being numbered )he prophet 1ad



ordered the king on the patrt of 1od to choose 9ar:

famine: or pestilence 4avid accepted the pesti-

lence: and seventy thousand =e9s died of it in three

days

$t 0mbrosius: in his book of 8'epentance:8 and

2ol FJ L

HH &hilosophical

$t 0ugustine in his book against +austus: ackno9l-

edged that pride and ambition led 4avid to make

this calculation )heir opinion is of great 9eight:

and 9e can certainly submit to their decision by

extinguishing all the deceitful lights of our o9n

minds

$cripture relates a ne9 numbering in the time

of (sdras: 9hen the =e9ish nation returned from

captivity 80ll this multitude Nsay eKually (sdras

and 5ehemiah: being as one manW amounted to

forty-t9o thousand three hundred and sixty per-

sons8 )hey 9ere all named by families: and they

counted the number of =e9s of each family: and the



It is to be believed that the great neighboring

kings of &alestine made numberings of their people

as freKuently as possible /erodotus gives us the

amount of all those 9ho follo9ed Eerxes: 9ithout

including his naval forces /e reckons seventeen

hundred thousand men: and he pretends: that to ar-

rive at this computation: they 9ere sent in divisions

of ten thousand into a place 9hich 9ould only hold

this number of men closely cro9ded )his method

is very faulty: for by cro9ding a little less: each di-

vision of ten thousand might easily contain only

from eight to nine +urther: this method is not at

all soldier-like: and it 9ould have been much more

easy to have counted the 9hole by making the sol-

diers march in rank and %le

It should further be observed: ho9 diMcult it

9as to support seventeen hundred thousand men in

the country of 1reece: 9hich they 9ent to conKuer

,e may very 9ell doubt of this number: and the

manner of reckoning it! of the 9hipping given to

the /ellespont! and of the sacri%ce of a thousand

oxen made to inerva by a &ersian king: 9ho kne9

her not: and 9ho adored the sun alone as the only

emblem of the 4ivinity 7esides: the numbering of

seventeen hundred thousand men is not complete:



even by the confession of /erodotus: since Eerxes

further carried 9ith him all the people of )hrace and

acedonia: 9hom he forced: he says: to follo9 him:

HR &hilosophical

apparently the sooner to starve his army ,e

should therefore do here 9hat all 9ise men do in

reading ancient: and even modern histories sus-

pend our judgment and doubt much

)he %rst numbering 9hich 9e have of a profane

nation is that made by $ervius )ullius: the sixth

king of 'ome /e found: says )itus .ivius: eighty

thousand combatants: all 'oman citi@ens< that im-

plies three hundred and t9enty thousand citi@ens at

least: as many old people: 9omen and children: to

9hich 9e must add at least t9enty thousand do-

mestics: slaves and freemen

5o9 9e may reasonably doubt 9hether the little

'oman state contained this number 'omulus only

reigned Nif 9e may call him kingW over about three

thousand bandits: assembled in a little to9n bet9een



the mountains )his to9n 9as the 9orst land of

Italy )he circuit of all his country 9as not three

thousand paces $ervius 9as the sixth chief or king

of this rising people )he rule of 5e9ton: 9hich is

indubitable for elective kingdoms: gives t9enty-one

years; reign to each king: and by that contradicts all

the ancient historians: 9ho have never observed the

order of time: nor given any precise date )he %ve

kings of 'ome must have reigned about a hundred

years

It is certainly not in the order of nature that an

ungrateful soil: 9hich 9as not %ve leagues in length

or three in breadth: and 9hich must have lost many

of its inhabitants in its almost continual little 9ars:

4ictionary H#

could be peopled 9ith three hundred and forty thou-

sand souls )here is not half the number in the

same territory at present: 9hen 'ome is the metrop-

olis of the 6hristian 9orld! 9hen the aUuence of

foreigners and the ambassadors of so many nations

must serve to people the to9ns ! 9hen gold Qo9s



four millions one hundred and thirty-seven thousand

PG &hilosophical

men: in the year F of our era )he same (chard

speaks of a general numbering of the empire for

the %rst year of the same era! but he Kuotes no

'oman author: nor speci%es any calculation of the

number of citi@ens )illemont does not speak in

any 9ay of this numbering

,e have Kuoted )acitus and $uetonius: but to

very little purpose )he census of 9hich $uetonius

speaks is not a numbering of citi@ens ! it is only a

list of those to 9hom the public furnished corn

)acitus only speaks: in book ii: of a census estab-

lished among the 1auls: for the purpose of raising

more tribute on each head 0ugustus never made

a calculation of the other subjects of his empire: be-

cause they paid not the poll-tax: 9hich he 9ished

to establish in 1aul

)acitus says that 0ugustus had a memoir: 9rit-

ten in his o9n hand: 9hich contained the revenues



of the empire: the Qeets and contributary kingdoms

/e speaks not of any numbering 4ion 6assius

speaks of a census: but he speci%es no number

=osephus: in his 80ntiKuities:8 says that in the

year PL# of 'ome the time ans9ering to the elev-

enth year of our era 6yrenius: then constituted

governor of $yria: caused a list to be made of all

the property of the =e9s: 9hich caused a revolt

)his has no relation to a general numbering: and

merely proves that this 6yrenius 9as not governor

of =udaea 9hich 9as then a little province of $yria

4ictionary PF

until ten years after: and not at the birth of our

$aviour

)hese seem to me to be all the principal passages

that 9e can collect in profane histories: touching

the numberings attributed to 0ugustus If 9e refer

to them: =esus 6hrist 9ould be born under the gov-

ernment of 2arus: and not under that of 6yrenius !

and there could have been no universal numbering



7ut $t .uke: 9hose authority should prevail over

that of =osephus: $uetonius: )acitus: 4ion 6assius:

and all the 9riters of 'ome $t .uke aMrms posi-

tively that there 9as a universal numbering of all

the earth: and that 6yrenius 9as governor of =udaea

,e must therefore refer solely to him: 9ithout even

seeking to reconcile him 9ith +lavius =osephus: or

9ith any other historian 0s to the rest: neither the

5e9 nor the Old )estament has been given to us

to enlighten points of history: but to announce salu-

tary truths: before 9hich all events and opinions

should vanish It is thus that 9e al9ays reply to

the false calculations: contradictions: absurdities:

enormous faults of geography: chronology: physics:

and even common sense: 9ith 9hich philosophers

tell us the /oly $cripture is %lled ! 9e cease not to

reply that there is here no Kuestion of reason: but o;f

faith and piety

$(6)IO5 II

,ith regard to the numbers of the moderns:

kings fear not at present that a doctor 1ad should



0s to the capital to9ns: opinions are further

divided 0ccording to some calculators: &aris has

seven hundred thousand inhabitants: and according

to others %ve hundred thousand It is thus 9ith

.ondon: 6onstantinople: and 1rand 6airo

0s to the subjects of the pope: they 9ill make a

cro9d in paradise: but the multitude is moderate

on earth ,hy so? because they are subjects of

4ictionary P"

the pope ,ould 6ato the 6ensor have ever be-

lieved the 'omans 9ould come to that pass ?

O66.) B0.I)I($

O66.) Kualities have for a very long time been

much derided! it 9ould be more proper to deride

those 9ho do not believe in them .et us for the

hundredth time repeat that every principle: every

primitive source of any of the 9orks 9hich come

from the hand of the demiourgos: is occult: and



an enigma 9hich it is not in the po9er of man to

divine

)he furred ignoramus ought to have been a9are

of this truth 9hen he said that beasts possess a

vegetative and sensitive soul: and man a soul 9hich

is vegetative: sensitive: and intellectual &oor man:

kneaded up of pride: 9ho has pronounced only

9ords have you ever seen a soul ? 3no9 you ho9

it is made? ,e have spoken much of the soul in

these inKuiries: but have al9ays confessed our

ignorance I no9 repeat this confession still more

emphatically: since the more I read: the more I med-

itate: and the more I acKuire: the more am I enabled

to aMrm that I kno9 nothing

O++(56($ N.O60.W

I+ ,( travel throughout the 9hole earth: 9e still

%nd that theft: murder: adultery: calumny: etc: are

regarded as oCences 9hich society condemns and re-

presses ! but that 9hich is approved in (ngland and

condemned in Italy: ought it to be punished in Italy:

as if it 9ere one of the crimes against general

humanity ? )hat 9hich is a crime only in the pre-



cincts of some mountains: or bet9een t9o rivers:

demands it not from judges more indulgence than

those outrages 9hich are regarded 9ith horror in all

countries ? Ought not the judge to say to himself: I

should not dare to punish in 'agusa 9hat I punish

at .oretto? $hould not this reQection soften his

heart: and moderate the hardness 9hich it is too apt

4ictionary PL

to contract in the long exercise of his employment?

)he 83ermesses8 of +landers are 9ell kno9n! they

9ere carried in the last century to a degree of in-

decency: revolting to the eyes of all persons 9ho

9ere not accustomed to such spectacles

)he follo9ing is the manner in 9hich 6hristmas

is celebrated in some countries In the %rst place

appears a young man half-naked: 9ith 9ings on his

shoulders! he repeats the 0ve aria to a young

girl: 9ho replies 8%at:8 and the angel kisses her on

the mouth ! after 9hich a child: shut up in a great

cock of pasteboard: imitates the cro9ing of the cock

8&uer natus est nobis8 0 great ox bello9s out



8ubi8 ! a sheep baas out 87ethlehem8 ! an ass brays

8hihanus:8 to signify 8eamus8 ! and a long proces-

sion: preceded by four fools 9ith bells and baubles:

brings up the rear )here still remain some traces

of this popular devotion: 9hich among a civili@ed

and educated people 9ould be taken for profanation

0 $9iss: out of patience: and possibly more intox-

icated than the performers of the ox and the ass:

took the liberty of remonstrating 9ith them at .ou-

vain: and 9as re9arded 9ith no small number of

blo9s ! they 9ould indeed have hanged him: and he

escaped 9ith great diMculty

)he same man had a dangerous Kuarrel at )he

/ague for violently taking the part of 7arnevelt

against an outrageous 1omarist /e 9as impris-

oned at 0msterdam for saying that priests 9ere the

scourge of humanity: and the source of all our mis-

jH &hilosophical

fortunes 8/o9S8 said he: 8if 9e maintain that

good 9orks are necessary to salvation: 9e are sent

to a dungeon! and if 9e laugh at a cock and an



ass 9e risk hanging S8 'idiculous as this adventure

9as: it is suMcient to convince us that 9e may be

criminal in one or t9o points in our hemisphere: and

innocent in all the rest of the 9orld

O505

)/( race of Onan exhibits great singularities

)he patriarch =udah: his father: lay 9ith his daugh-

ter-in-la9: )amar the &hoenician: in the highroad!

=acob: the father of =udah: 9as at the same time

married to t9o sisters: the daughters of an idolater !

and deluded both his father and father-in-la9 .ot:

the granduncle of =acob: lay 9ith his t9o daugh-

ters $aleum: one of the descendants of =acob and

of =udah: espoused 'ahab the 6anaanite: a prosti-

tute 7oa@: son of $aleum and 'ahab: received into

his bed 'uth the idianite! and 9as great grand-

father of 4avid 4avid took a9ay 7athsheba from

the 9arrior riah: her husband: and caused him to

be slain: that he might be unrestrained in his amour

.astly: in the t9o genealogies of 6hrist: 9hich diCer

in so many points: but agree in this: 9e discover

that he descended from this tissue of fornication:

adultery: and incest



5othing is more proper to confound human pru-

dence! to humble our limited minds! and to con-

vince us that the 9ays of &rovidence are not like

4ictionary PP

our 9ays )he reverend father 4om 6almet makes

this reQection: in alluding to the incest of =udah

9ith )amar: and to the sin of Onan: spoken of in

the "Rth chapter of 81enesis8 < 8$cripture:8 he ob-

serves: 8gives us the details of a history: 9hich on

the %rst perusal strikes our minds as not of a nature

for edi%cation ! but the hidden sense 9%ich is shut

up in it is as elevated as that of the mere letter ap-

pears lo9 to carnal eyes It is not 9ithout good

reasons that the /oly $pirit has allo9ed the his-

tories of )amar: of 'ahab^ of 'uth: and of 7ath-

sheba: to form a part of the genealogy of =esus

6hrist8

It might have been 9ell if 4om 6almet had ex-

plained these sound reasons: by 9hich 9e might

have cleared up the doubts and appeased the scruples

of all the honest and timorous souls 9ho are anxious



to comprehend ho9 this $upreme 7eing: the 6reator

of 9orlds: could be born in a =e9ish village: of a

race of plunderers and of prostitutes )his mys-

tery: 9hich is not less inconceivable than other mys-

teries: 9as assuredly 9orthy the explanation of so

able a commentator but to return to our subject

,e perfectly understand the crime of the patri-

arch =udah: and of the patriarchs $imeon and .evi:

his brothers: at $ichem ! but it is more diMcult to un-

derstand the sin of Onan =udah had married his

eldest son (r to the &hoenician: )amar (r died in

conseKuence of his 9ickedness: and the patriarch

9ished his second son to espouse the 9ido9: accord-

PR &hilosophical

ing to an ancient la9 of the (gyptians and &hoeni-

cians: their neighbors: 9hich 9as called raising up

seed for his brother )he %rst child of this second

marriage bore the name of the deceased: and this

Onan objected to /e hated the memory of his

brother: or to produce a child to bear the name of

(r! and to avoid it took the means 9hich are de-



tailed in the chapter of 81enesis8 already men-

tioned: and 9hich are practised by no species of ani-

mals but apes and human beings

0n (nglish physician 9rote a small volume on

this vice: 9hich he called after the name of the patri-

arch 9ho 9as guilty of it )issot: the celebrated

physician of .ausanne: also 9rote on this subject: in

a 9ork much more profound and methodical than

the (nglish one )hese t9o 9orks detail the conse-

Kuences of this unhappy habit loss of strength: im-

potence: 9eakness of the stomach and intestines:

tremblings: vertigo: lethargy: and often premature

death

)issot: ho9ever: to console us for this evil: re-

lates as many examples of the mischiefs of repletion

in both sexes )here cannot be a stronger argument

against rash vo9s of chastity +rom the examples

aCorded: it is impossible to avoid being convinced

of the enormous folly of condemning ourselves to

these turpitudes in order to renounce a connection

9hich has been expressly commanded by 1od /im-

self In this manner think the &rotestants: the =e9s:

the ahometans: and many other nations ! the 6ath-



4ictionary P#

olics oCer other reasons in favor of converts I

shall merely say of the 6atholics 9hat 4om 6almet

says of the /oly 1host )hat their reasons are

doubtless good: could 9e understand them

O&I5IO5

,/0) is the opinion of all the nations of the

north of 0merica: and those 9hich border the

$traits of $unda: on the best of governments: and

best of religions ! on public ecclesiastical rights ! on

the manner of 9riting history! on the nature of

tragedy: comedy: opera: eclogue: epic poetry ! on in-

nate ideas: concomitant grace: and the miracles of

4eacon &aris ? It is clear that all these people have

no opinions on things of 9hich they have no ideas

)hey have a confused feeling of their customs:

and go not beyond this instinct $uch are the people

9ho inhabit the shores of the +ro@en $ea for the

space of %fteen hundred leagues $uch are the in-

habitants of the three parts of 0frica: and those of



nearly all the isles of 0sia! of t9enty hordes of

)artars: and almost all men solely occupied 9ith the

painful and continual care of providing their sub-

sistence $uch are: at t9o steps from us: most of

the orlachians: many of the $avoyards: and some

citi@ens of &aris

,hen a nation begins to be civili@ed: it has some

opinions 9hich are Kuite false It believes in spirits:

sorcerers: the enchantment of serpents and their im-

Ro &hilosophical

mortality! in possessions of the devil: exorcisms:

and soothsayers It is persuaded that seeds must

gro9 rotten in the earth to spring up again: and that

the Kuarters of the moon are the causes of accesses

of fever

0 )alapoin persuades his follo9ers that the god

$ammonocodom sojourned some time at $iam: and

that he cut do9n all the trees in a forest 9hich pre-

vented him from Qying his kite at his ease: 9hich

9as his favorite amusement )his idea takes root



in their heads! and %nally: an honest man 9ho

might doubt this adventure of $ammonocodom:

9ould run the risk of being stoned It reKuires ages

to destroy a popular opinion Opinion is called the

Kueen of the 9orld ! it is so ! for 9hen reason op-

poses it: it is condemned to death It must rise

t9enty times from its ashes to gradually drive a9ay

the usurper

O&)II$

I 7(1 of you: gentlemen: to explain to me ho9

everything is for the best ! for I do not understand

it 4oes it signify that everything is arranged and

ordered according to the la9s of the impelling

po9er? )hat I comprehend and ackno9ledge 4o

you mean that every one is 9ell and possesses the

means of living that nobody suCers? ou kno9

that such is not the case 0re you of the opinion

that the lamentable calamities 9hich aUict the earth

are good in reference to 1od ! and that /e takes

4ictionary R F



pleasure in them? I credit not this horrible doc-

trine! neither do you

/ave the goodness to explain ho9 all is for the

best &lato: the dialectician: condescended to allo9

to 1od the liberty of making %ve 9orlds ! because:

said he: there are %ve regular solids in geometry:

the tetrahedron: the cube: the hexahedron: the dodec-

ahedron: and the icosahedron 7ut 9hy thus re-

strict divine po9er? ,hy not permit the sphere:

9hich is still more regular: and even the cone: the

pyramid of many sides: the cylinder: etc ?

1od: according to &lato: necessarily chose the

best of all possible 9orlds ! and this system has been

embraced by many 6hristian philosophers: although

it appears repugnant to the doctrine of original sin

0fter this transgression: our globe 9as no more the

best of all possible 9orlds If it 9as ever so: it

might be so still ! but many people believe it to be

the 9orst of 9orlds instead of the best

.eibnit@ takes the part of &lato! more readers

than one complain of their inability to understand

either the one or the other ! and for ourselves: hav-

ing read both of them more than once: 9e avo9 our



ignorance according to custom ! and since the gospel

has revealed nothing on the subject: 9e remain in

darkness 9ithout remorse

.eibnit@: 9ho speaks of everything: has treated

of original sin ! and as every man of systems intro-

duces into his plan something contradictory: he im-

agined that the disobedience to9ards 1od: 9ith the

2ol FJH

RJ &hilosophical

frightful misfortunes 9hich follo9ed it: 9ere in-

tegral parts of the best of 9orlds: and necessary in-

gredients of all possible felicity < 86alla: calla: senor

don 6arlos! todo che se ha@e es por su ben8

,hat S to be chased from a delicious place: 9here

9e might have lived for ever only for the eating of

an apple ? ,hat S to produce in misery 9retched

children: 9ho 9ill suCer everything: and in return

produce others to suCer after them? ,hatS to ex-

perience all maladies: feel all vexations: die in the



midst of grief: and by 9ay of recompense be burned

to all eternity is this lot the best possible? It cer-

tainly is not good for us: and in 9hat manner can it

be so for 1od? .eibnit@ felt that nothing could be

said to these objections: but nevertheless made great

books: in 9hich he did not even understand him-

self

.ucullus: in good health: partaking of a good din-

ner 9ith his friends and his mistress in the hall of

0pollo: may jocosely deny the existence of evil !

but let him put his head out of the 9indo9 and he

9ill behold 9retches in abundance ! let him be sei@ed

9ith a fevc)j and he 9ill be one himself

I do not like to Kuote! it is ordinarily a thorny

proceeding ,hat precedes and 9hat follo9s the

passage Kuoted is too freKuently neglected ! and thus

a thousand objections may rise I must: not9ith-

standing: Kuote .actantius: one of the fathers: 9ho:

in the thirteenth chapter on the anger of 1od:

makes (picurus speak as follo9s< 81od can either

4ictionary R"



take a9ay evil from the 9orld and 9ill not ! or be-

ing 9illing to do so: cannot ! or /e neither can nor

9ill ! or: lastly: /e is both able and 9illing If /e

is 9illing to remove evil and cannot: then is /e not

omnipotent If /e can: but 9ill not remove it: then

is /e not benevolent ! if /e is neither able nor 9ill-

ing: then is /e neither po9erful nor benevolent!

lastly: if both able and 9illing to annihilate evil: ho9

does it exist?8

)he argument is 9eighty: and .actantius replies

to it very poorly by saying that 1od 9ills evil: but

has given us 9isdom to secure the good It must be

confessed that this ans9er is very 9eak in compari-

son 9ith the objection! for it implies that 1od could

besto9 9isdom only by allo9ing evil a pleasant

9isdom truly S )he origin of evil has al9ays been

an abyss: the depth of 9hich no one has been able

to sound It 9as this diMculty 9hich reduced so

many ancient philosophers and legislators to have re-

course to t9o principles the one good: the other

9icked )yphon 9as the evil principle among the

(gyptians: 0rimanes among the &ersians )he

anichseans: it is said: adopted this theory ! but as

these people have never spoken either of a good or



of a bad principle: 9e have nothing to prove it but

the assertion

0mong the absurdities abounding in this 9orld:

and 9hich may be placed among the number of our

evils: that is not the least 9hich presumes the ex-

istence of t9o all-po9erful beings: combating 9hich

R &hilosophical

shall prevail most in this 9orld: and making a treaty

like the t9o physicians in oliere < 80llo9 me the

emetic: and I resign to you the lancet8

7asilides pretended: 9ith the platonists of the

%rst century of the church: that 1od gave the

making of our 9orld to /is inferior angels: and

these: being inexpert: have constructed it as 9e per-

ceive )his theological fable is laid prostrate by the

over9helming objection that it is not in the nature

of a deity all-po9erful and all-9ise to intrust the

construction of a 9orld to incompetent architects

$imon: 9ho felt the force of this objection: ob-



food 0mbrosia exhaled by the pores! but after

eating cake: they 9ere obliged to relieve themselves

in the usual manner )he man and the 9oman re-

Kuested an angel to direct them to a 9ater-closet

7ehold: said the angel: that petty globe 9hich is al-

most of no si@e at all ! it is situated about sixty mil-

lions of leagues from this place: and is the privy of

the universe go there as Kuickly as you can )he

man and 9oman obeyed the angel and came here:

9here they have ever since remained! since 9hich

time the 9orld has been 9hat 9e no9 %nd it )he

$yrians 9ill eternally be asked 9hy 1od allo9ed

man to eat the cake and experience such a cro9d

of formidable ills?

I pass 9ith speed from the fourth heaven to .ord

7olingbroke )his 9riter: 9ho doubtless 9as a

great genius: gave to the celebrated &ope his plan

of 8all for the best:8 as it is found 9ord for 9ord in

the posthumous 9orks of .ord 7olingbroke: and

recorded by .ord $haftesbury in his 86haracter-

istics8 'ead in $haftesbury;s chapter of the

8oralists8 the follo9ing passage <

8uch may be replied to these complaints of the

defects of nature /o9 came it so po9erless and



defective from the hands of a perfect 7eing? 7ut

I deny that it is defective 7eauty is the result of

contrast: and universal concord springs out of a

perpetual conQict It is necessary that every-

thing be sacri%ced to other things vegetables to

RH &hilosophical

animals: and animals to the earth )he la9s

of the central po9er of gravitation: 9hich give to

the celestial bodies their 9eight and motion: are not

to be deranged in consideration of a pitiful animal: ;

9ho: protected as he is by the same la9s: 9ill soon

be reduced to dust8

7olingbroke: $haftesbury: and &ope: their 9ork-

ing artisan: resolve their general Kuestion no better

than the rest )heir 8all for the best8 says no more

than that all is governed by immutable la9s! and

9ho did not kno9 that? ,e learn nothing 9hen

9e remark: after the manner of little children: that

Qies are created to be eaten by spiders: spiders by

s9allo9s: s9allo9s by ha9ks: ha9ks by eagles:

eagles by men: men by one another: to aCord food



for 9orms : and at last: at the rate of about a thou-

sand to one: to be the prey of devils everlastingly

)here is a constant and regular order established

among animals of all kinds a universal order

,hen a stone is formed in my bladder: the mechan-

ical process is admirable! sandy particles pass by

small degrees into my blood! they are %ltered by

the veins! and passing the urethra: deposit them-

selves in my bladder! 9here: uniting agreeably to

the 5e9tonian attraction: a stone is formed: 9hich

gradually increases: and I suCer pains a thousand

times 9orse than death by the %nest arrangement in

the 9orld 0 surgeon: perfect in the art of )ubal-

6ain: thrusts into me a sharp instrument ! and cut-

ting into the perineum: sei@es the stone 9ith his

4ictionary RP

pincers: 9hich breaks during the endeavors: by the

necessary la9s of mechanism! and o9ing to the

same mechanism: I die in frightful torments 0ll

this is 8for the best:8 being the evident result of un-

alterable physical principles: agreeably to 9hich I



kno9 as 9ell as you that I perish

If 9e 9ere insensitive: there 9ould be nothing

to say against this system of physics! but this is

not the point on 9hich 9e treat ,e ask if there

are not physical evils: and 9hence do they originate ?

)here is no absolute evil: says &ope in his 8(ssay

on an8 ! or if there are particular evils: they com-

pose a general good It is a singular general good

9hich is composed of the stone and the gout of all

sorts of crime and suCerings: and of death and

damnation

)he fall of man is our plaister for all these partic-

ular maladies of body and soul: 9hich you call 8the

general health8! but $haftesbury and 7olingbroke

have attacked original sin &ope says nothing about

it ! but it is clear that their system saps the founda-

tions of the 6hristian religion: and explains nothing

at all

In the meantime: this system has been since ap-

proved by many theologians: 9ho 9illingly embrace

contradictions 7e it so ! 9e ought to leave to every-

body the privilege of reasoning in their o9n 9ay

upon the deluge of ills 9hich over9helm us It



more 9ho in conseKuence spend the rest of their

days in penury and tears: provided /e succeeds in

/is designs

+ar therefore from the doctrine that this is the

best of all possible 9orlds being consolatory: it is

a hopeless one to the philosophers 9ho embrace it

)he Kuestion of good and evil remains in irremedi-

able chaos for those 9ho seek to fathom it in reality

It is a mere mental sport to the disputants: 9ho are

captives that play 9ith their chains 0s to un-

reasoning people: they resemble the %sh 9hich are

transported from a river to a reservoir: 9ith no more

suspicion that they are to be eaten during the ap-

4ictionary R#

preaching .ent: than 9e have ourselves of the facts

9hich originate our destiny

.et us place at the end of every chapter of meta-

physics the t9o letters used by the 'oman judges

9hen they did not understand a pleading 5 .

non liKuet it is not clear .et us: above all: silence



the knaves 9ho: overloaded like ourselves 9ith the

9eight of human calamities: add the mischief of

their calumny! let us refute their execrable im-

posture by having recourse to faith and &rovidence

$ome reasoners are of opinion that it agrees not

9ith the nature of the 1reat 7eing of 7eings for

things to be other9ise than they are It is a rough

system: and I am too ignorant to venture to ex-

amine it

O'06.($

$(6)IO5 I

0+)(' the sect of the &harisees among the =e9s

had become acKuainted 9ith the devil: some rea-

soners among them began to entertain the idea that

the devil and his companions inspired: among all

other nations: the priests and statues that delivered

oracles )he $adducees had no belief in such beings

)hey admitted neither angels nor demons It ap-

pears that they 9ere more philosophic than the

&harisees: and conseKuently less calculated to obtain

inQuence and credit 9ith the people



)he devil 9as the great agent 9ith the =e9ish

populace in the time of 1amaliel: =ohn the 7aptist:

#G &hilosophical

=ames Oblia: and =esus his brother: 9ho 9as our

$aviour: =esus 6hrist 0ccordingly: 9e perceive

that the devil transports =esus sometimes into the

9ilderness: sometimes to the pinnacle of the temple:

and sometimes to a neighboring hill: from 9hich

might be discovered all the kingdoms of the 9orld !

the devil takes possession: 9hen he pleases: of the

persons of boys: girls: and animals

)he 6hristians: although mortal enemies of the

&harisees: adopted all that the &harisees had imag-

ined of the devil ! as the =e9s had long before in-

troduced among themselves the customs and cere-

monies of the (gyptians 5othing is so common

as to imitate the practices of enemies: and to use

their 9eapons

In a short time the fathers of the church ascribed

to the devil all the religions 9hich divided the earth:



6hild bent their heads in sign of grateful ackno9l-

edgment: but turned their backs on those 9ho pre-

sented themselves 9ith empty hands

In (ngland the case 9as much 9orse ,hen by

order of /enry 2III : a judicial visitation took place

of all the convents: half of the nuns 9ere found in

a state of pregnancy! and this: at least it may be

supposed: 9as not by the operation of the devil

7ishop 7urnet relates that in a hundred and forty-

four convents the depositions taken by the king;s

commissioners attested abominations 9hich those of

$odom and 1omorrah did not even approach In

fact: the (nglish monks might naturally be expected

to be more dissolute than the inhabitants of $odom:

as they 9ere richer )hey 9ere in possession of the

best lands in the kingdom )he territory of $odom

and 1omorrah: on the contrary: produced neither

grain: fruit: nor pulse! and being moreover de%-

cient even in 9ater %t to drink: could be neither

more nor less than a frightful desert: inhabited by

miserable 9retches too much occupied in satisfying

their absolute necessities to have much time to de-

vote to pleasures



#J &hilosophical

In short: these superb asylums of la@iness having

been suppressed by act of parliament: all the instru-

ments of their pious frauds 9ere exposed in the

public places! the famous cruci%x of 7rocksley:

9hich moved and marched like a puppet! phials of

a red liKuid 9hich 9as passed oC for blood shed by

the statues of saints 9hen they 9ere dissatis%ed

9ith the court ! candlesticks of tinned iron: in 9hich

the lighted candles 9ere carefully placed so as to

make the people believe they 9ere the same candles

that 9ere al9ays burning! speaking tubes sarba-

cans 9hich communicated bet9een the sacristy

and the roof of the church: and by 9hich celestial

voices 9ere occasionally heard by apparent devotees:

9ho 9ere paid for hearing them! in short: every-

thing that 9as ever invented by knavery to impose

upon imbecility

any sensible persons 9ho lived at this period:

being perfectly convinced that the monks: and not

the devils: had employed all these pious stratagems:

began to entertain the idea that the case had been

very similar 9ith the religions of antiKuity! that



all the oracles and all the miracles so highly vaunted

by ancient times had been merely the tricks of char-

latans ! that the devil had never had anything to do

9ith such matters! and that the simple fact 9as:

that the 1reek: 'oman: $yrian: and (gyptian

priests had been still more expert than our modern

monks

)he devil: therefore: thus lost much of his credit !

4ictionary #"

insomuch that at length the honest 7ekker: 9hose

article you may consult: 9rote his tiresome book

against the devil: and proved by a hundred argu-

ments that he had no existence )he devil himself

made no ans9er to him: but the ministers of the

holy gospel: as you have already seen: did ans9er

him! they punished the honest author for having

divulged their secret: and took a9ay his living! so

that 7ekker fell a victim to the nullity of 7eel@ebub

It 9as the lot of /olland to produce the most

formidable enemies of the devil )he physician

2an 4ale a humane philosopher: a man of pro-



found learning: a most charitable citi@en: and one

9hose naturally bold mind became proportionately

bolder: in conseKuence of his intrepidity being

founded on virtue undertook at length the task of

enlightening mankind: al9ays enslaved by ancient

errors: and al9ays spreading the bandage that

covers their eyes: until at last some po9erful Qash

of light discovers to them a corner of truth of 9hich

the greater number are completely un9orthy /e

proved: in a 9ork abounding in the most recondite

learning: that the devils had never delivered a single

oracle: had never performed a single prodigy: and

had never mingled in human aCairs at all ! and that

there never had in reality been any demons but those

impostors 9ho had deceived their fello9 men )he

devil should never ridicule or despise a sensible phy-

sician )hose 9ho kno9 something of nature are

very formidable enemies to all juggling performers

# &hilosophical

of prodigies If the devil 9ould be advised by me:

he 9ould al9ays address himself to the faculty oi

theology: and never to the faculty of medicine



service highly acceptable to 1od to take as much

care as possible of money! it 9as indeed expressly

enjoined in the gospel: as the negligent servant 9ho

had not put out his lord;s money to interest at %ve

hundred per cent 9as thro9n into outer darkness

In the conversations 9hich the hermit had 9ith

=acovello: he freKuently entertained him 9ith plausi-

ble discourses held by cruci%xes and by a Kuantity of

Italian 2irgin arys =acovello agreed that the

statues of saints sometimes spoke to men: and told

him that he should believe himself one of the elect

if ever he could have the happiness to hear the image

of a saint speak

)he friendly &asKuale replied that he had some

#H &hilosophical

hope he might be able to give him that satisfaction

in a very little time! that he expected every day

from 'ome a death;s head: 9hich the pope had pre-

sented to one of his brother hermits! and that this

head spoke Kuite as distinctly and sensibly as the



trees of 4odona: or even the ass of 7alaam /e

sho9ed him the identical head: in fact: four days

after this conversation /e reKuested of =acovello

the key of a small cave and an inner chamber: that no

person might possibly be a 9itness of the a9ful mys-

tery )he hermit: having introduced a tube from

this cave into the head: and made every other suita-

ble arrangement: 9ent to prayer 9ith his friend

=acovello: and the head at that moment uttered the

follo9ing 9ords < 8= acove > I 9 i/ recompense thy

@eal I announce to thee a treasure of a hundred

thousand cro9ns under a ye9 tree in thy garden

7ut thou shalt die by a sudden death if thou makest

any attempt to obtain this treasure until thou hast

produced before me a pot containing coin amount-

ing to ten gold marks8

=acovello ran speedily to his coCers and placed

before the oracle a pot containing the ten marks

)he good hermit had had the precaution to procure

a similar vessel 9hich he had %lled 9ith sand: and

he dexterously substituted that for the pot of =aco-

vello: on his turning his back: and then left the pious

miser 9ith one death;s head more: and ten gold

marks less: than he had before 5early such is the

9ay in 9hich all oracles have been delivered: begin-



O5( 054 .(02( ( 0.O5( ,I)/

V"GO8

4ictionary #P

ning 9ith those of =upiter 0mmon: and ending 9ith

that of )rophonius

One of the secrets of the priests of antiKuity: as

it is of our o9n: 9as confession in the mysteries It

9as by this that they gained correct and particular

information about the aCairs of families: and Kual-

i%ed themselves in a great measure to give pertinent

and suitable replies to those 9ho came to consult

them )o this subject applies the anecdote 9hich

&lutarch has rendered so celebrated 0 priest once

urging an initiated person to confession: that person

said< 8)o 9hom should I confess?8 ;)o 1od:8

replied the priest 87egone then: man:8 said the de-

sired penitent! 8begone: and leave me alone 9ith

1od8



It 9ould be almost endless to recount all the in-

teresting facts and narratives 9ith 9hich 2an 4ale

has enriched his book +ontenelle did not translate

it 7ut he extracted from it 9hat he thought 9ould

be most suitable to his countrymen: 9ho love

sprightly anecdote and observation better than pro-

found kno9ledge /e 9as eagerly read by 9hat in

+rance is called good company ! and 2an 4ale: 9ho

had 9ritten in .atin and 1reek: had been read only

by the learned )he rough diamond of 2an 4ale

shone 9ith exKuisite brilliancy after the cutting and

polish of +ontenelle < the success of the 9ork 9as

such that the fanatics became alarmed 5ot9ith-

standing all +ontenelle;s endeavors to soften do9n

the expressions of 2an 4ale: and his explaining

2ol FJ P

#R &hilosophical

himself sometimes 9ith the license of a 5orman: he

9as too 9ell understood by the monks: 9ho never

like to be told that their brethren have been impos-



tors

0 certain =esuit of the name of 7altus: born near

essina: one of that description of learned persons

9ho kno9 ho9 to consult old books: and to falsify

and cite them: although after all nothing to the pur-

pose: took the part of the devil against 2an 4ale

and +ontenelle )he devil could not have chosen

a more tiresome and 9retched advocate ! his name is

no9 kno9n solely from the honor he had of 9riting

against t9o celebrated men 9ho advocated a good

cause

7altus like9ise: in his capacity of =esuit: caballed

9ith no little perseverance and bitterness on the oc-

casion: in union 9ith his brethren: 9ho at that time

9ere as high in credit and inQuence as they have

since been plunged deep in ignominy )he =ansen-

ists: on their part: more impassionate and exasper-

ated than even the =esuits: clamored in a still louder

tone than they did In short: all the fanatics 9ere

convinced that it 9ould be all over 9ith the 6hristian

religion: if the devil 9ere not supported in his rights

In the course of time the books of =ansenists and

=esuits have all sunk into oblivion )hat of 2an



4ale still remains for men of learning: and that of

+ontenelle for men of 9it ,ith respect to the

devil: he resembles both =esuits and =ansenists: and

is losing credit from day to day

4ictionary ##

$(6)IO5 II

$ome curious and surprising histories of oracles:

9hich it 9as thought could be ascribed only to the

po9er of genii: made the 6hristians think they 9ere

delivered by demons: and that they had ceased at

the coming of 6hrist )hey 9ere thus enabled to

save the time and trouble that 9ould have been re-

Kuired by an investigation of the facts! and they

thought to strengthen the religion 9hich informed

them of the existence of demons by referring to

those beings such events

)he histories ho9ever that 9ere circulated on the

subject of oracles are exceedingly suspicious )hat

of )hamus: to 9hich (usebius gives credit: and

9hich &lutarch alone relates: is follo9ed in the same



history by another story so ridiculous: that that

9ould be suMcient to thro9 discredit upon it! but

it is: besides: incapable of any reasonable interpreta-

tion If this great &an 9ere a demon: can 9e sup-

pose the demons incapable of communicating the

event of his death to one another 9ithout employing

)hamus about it? If the great &an 9ere =esus

6hrist: ho9 came it that not a single &agan 9as un-

deceived 9ith respect to his religion: and converted

to the belief that this same &an 9as in fact =esus

6hrist 9ho died in =udaea: if 1od /imself compelled

the demons to announce this death to the pagans ?

)he history of )hulis: 9hose oracle is clear and

positive on the subject of the )rinity: is related only

by $uidas )his )hulis: king of (gypt: 9as not

ioo &hilosophical

certainly one of the &tolemies ,hat becomes of

the 9hole oracle of $erapis: 9hen it is ascertained

that /erodotus does not speak of that god: 9hile

)acitus relates at length ho9 and 9hy one of the

&tolemies brought the god $erapis from &ontus:



9here he had only until then been kno9n?

)he oracle delivered to 0ugustus about the /e-

bre9 infant 9ho should be obeyed by all the gods: is

absolutely inadmissible 6edrenus Kuotes it from

(usebius: but it is not no9 to be found in him It

certainly is not impossible that 6edrenus Kuotes it

from (usebius: but it is not no9 to be found in him

It certainly is not impossible that 6edrenus may

have made a false Kuotation: or have Kuoted a 9ork

falsely ascribed to (usebius! but ho9 is it to be

accounted for: that all the early apologists for 6hris-

tianity should have preserved complete silence 9ith

respect to an oracle so favorable to their religion ?

)he oracles 9hich (usebius relates from

&orphyry: 9ho 9as attached to paganism: are not of

a more embarrassing nature than those just noticed

/e gives them to us stripped of all the accompany-

ing circumstances that attended them in the 9ritings

of &orphyry /o9 do 9e kno9 9hether that pagan

did not refute them +or the interest of his cause

it 9ould naturally have been an object for him to do

so! and if he did not do it: most assuredly it 9as

from some concealed motive: such: for instance: as

presenting them to the 6hristians only for an occa-



sion to prove and deride their credulity: if they

4ictionary FGF

should really receive them as true and rest their re-

ligion on such 9eak foundations

7esides: some of the ancient 6hristians re-

proached the pagans 9ith being the dupes of their

priests Observe ho9 6lement of 0lexandria speaks

of them< 87oast as long as you please of your

childish and impertinent oracles: 9hether of 6laros

or the &ythian 0pollo: of 4indymus or 0mphilocus !

and add to these your augurs and interpreters of

dreams and prodigies 7ring for9ard also those

clever gentry 9ho: in the presence of the mighty

&ythian 0pollo: eCect their divinations through the

medium of meal or barley: and those also 9ho: by a

certain talent of ventriloKuism: have obtained such

high reputation .et the secrets of the (gyptian

temples: and the necromancy of the (truscans: re-

main in darkness ! all these things are most cer-

tainly nothing more than decided impostures: as

completely tricks as those of a juggler 9ith his cups



and balls )he goats carefully trained for the di-

vination: the ravens elaborately instructed to deliver

the oracles: are if 9e may use the expression

merely accomplices of the charlatans by 9hom the

9hole 9orld has thus been cheated8

(usebius: in his turn: displays a number of ex-

cellent reasons to prove that oracles could be nothing

but impostures ! and if he attributes them to demons:

it is the result of deplorable prejudices or of an

aCected respect for general opinion )he pagans

9ould never admit that their oracles 9ere merely

loi &hilosophical

the arti%ces of their priests ! it 9as imagined there-

fore: by rather an a9k9ard process of reasoning:

that a little 9as gained in the dispute by admitting

the possibility: that there might be something super-

natural in their oracles: and insisting at the same

time: that if there 9ere: it 9as the operation: not

of the deity: but of demons

It is no longer necessary no9: in order to expose



the %nesse and stratagems of priests: to resort to

means 9hich might themselves appear too strongly

marked by those Kualities 0 time has already been

9hen they 9ere completely exhibited to the eyes of

the 9hole 9orld the time: I mean 9hen the 6hris-

tian religion proudly triumphed over paganism un-

der 6hristian emperors

)heodoret says that )heophilus: bishop of 0lex-

andria: exhibited to the inhabitants of that city the

hollo9 statues into 9hich the priests entered: from

secret passages: to deliver the oracles ,hen: by

6onstantine;s order: the temple of =(sculapius at

^gea: in 6ilicia: 9as pulled do9n: there 9as driven

out of it: says (usebius in his life of that emperor:

not a god: nor a demon: but the human impostor 9ho

had so long duped the credulity of nations )o

this he adds the general observation that: in the stat-

ues of the gods that 9ere thro9n do9n: not the

slightest appearance 9as found of gods: or demons:

or even any 9retched and gloomy spectres: but only

hay: stra9: or the bones of the dead

)he greatest diMculty respecting oracles is sur-



4ictionary FG"

mounted: 9hen it is ascertained and admitted: that

demons had no concern 9ith them )here is no

longer any reason 9hy they should cease precisely

at the coming of =esus 6hrist 0nd moreover: there

are many proofs that oracles continued more than

four hundred years after =esus 6hrist: and that they

9ere not totally silenced but by the total destruction

of paganism

$uetonius: in the life of 5ero: says the oracle of

4elphi 9arned that emperor to be a9are of seventy-

three years: and that 5ero concluded he 9as to die

at that age: never thinking upon old 1alba: 9ho: at

the age of seventy-three: deprived him of the empire

&hilostratus: in his life of 0pollonius of )yana:

9ho sa9 4omitian: informs us that 0pollonius vis-

ited all the oracles of 1reece: and that of 4odona:

and that of 4elphos! and that of 0mphiaraus

&lutarch: 9ho lived under )rajan: tells us that the

oracles of 4elphos still subsisted: although there

9as then only one priestess: instead of t9o or three

nder 0drian: 4ion 6hrysostom relates that he con-



sulted the oracle of 4elphos! he obtained from it

an ans9er 9hich appeared to him not a little per-

plexed: and 9hich in fact 9as so

nder the 0ntonines: .ucian asserts that a priest

of )yana 9ent to inKuire of the false prophet 0lex-

ander: 9hether the oracles 9hich 9ere then delivered

at 4indymus: 6laros: and 4elphos: 9ere really an-

s9ers of 0pollo: or impostures? 0lexander had

some fello9-feeling for these oracles: 9hich 9ere of

IO &hilosophical

a similar description to his o9n: and replied to the

priest: that that 9as not permitted to be kno9n ! but

9hen the same 9ise inKuirer asked 9hat he should

be after his death: he 9as boldly ans9ered: 8ou

9ill be a camel: then a horse: after9ards a philos-

opher: and at length a prophet as great as 0lex-

ander8

0fter the 0ntonines: three emperors contended

for the empire )he oracle of 4elphos 9as con-

sulted: says $partian: to ascertain 9hich of the three



the republic might expect as its head )he oracle

ans9ered in a single verse to the follo9ing purport <

)he black is better ! the 0frican is good ! the 9hite

is the 9orst 7y the black 9as understood &escen-

nius 5iger ! by the 0frican: $everus $eptimus: 9ho

9as from 0frica! and by the 9hite: 6laudius 0l-

binus

4ion: 9ho did not conclude his history before the

eighth year of 0lexander $everus: that is: the year

J"G: relates that in his time 0mphilocus still de-

livered oracles in dreams /e informs us also: that

there 9as in the city of 0pollonia an oracle 9hich

declared future events by the manner in 9hich the

%re caught and consumed the incense thro9n upon

an altar

nder 0urelian: about the year JPJ: the people

of &almyra: having revolted: consulted an oracle of

$arpedonian 0pollo in 6ilicia ! they again consulted

that of the 0phacian 2enus .icinus: according to

the account of $o@omen: designing to rene9 the 9ar

4ictionary FGL



against 6onstantine: consulted the oracle of 0pollo

of 4indymus: and received from it in ans9er t9o

verses of /omer: of 9hich the sense is nhappy

old man: it becomes not you to combat 9ith the

young S you have no strength: and are sinking under

the 9eight of age

0 certain god: scarcely if at all kno9n: of the

name of 7esa: if 9e may credit 0mmianus arcelli-

nus: still delivered oracles on billets at 0bydos: in

the extremity of the )hebais: under the reign of

6onstantius +inally: acrobius: 9ho lived under

0rcadius and /onorius: sons of )heodosius: speaks

of the god of /eliopolis of $yria and his oracle: and

of the fortunes of 0ntium: in terms 9hich distinctly

imply that they all still subsisted in his time

,e may observe that it is not of the slightest

conseKuence 9hether these histories are true or

9hether the oracles in fact delivered the ans9ers

attributed to them ! it is completely suMcient for the

purpose that false ans9ers could be attributed only

to oracles 9hich 9ere in fact kno9n still to subsist !

and the histories 9hich so many authors have pub-

lished clearly prove that they did not cease but



9ith the cessation of paganism itself

6onstantine pulled do9n but fe9 temples: nor in-

deed could he venture to pull them do9n but on a

pretext of crimes committed in them It 9as on this

ground that he ordered the demolition of those of

the 0phacian 2enus: and of ^sculapius 9hich 9as

at =(gea in 6ilicia: both of them temples in 9hich

ioH &hilosophical

oracles 9ere delivered 7ut he forbade sacri%ces

to the gods: and by that edict began to render tem-

ples useless

any oracles still subsisted 9hen =ulian assumed

the reins of empire /e re-established some that

9ere in a state of ruin ! and he 9as even desirous of

being the prophet of that of 4indymus =ovian: his

successor: began his reign 9ith great @eal for the

destruction of paganism! but in the short space of

seven months: 9hich comprised the 9hole time he

reigned: he 9as unable to make any great progress

)heodosius: in order to attain the same object: or-



dered all the temples of the pagans to be shut up

0t last: the exercise of that religion 9as prohibited

under pain of death by an edict of the emperors 2al-

entinian and arcian: in the year LF of the vulgar

era! and the destruction of paganism necessarily

involved that of oracles

)his conclusion has nothing in it surprising or

extraordinary< it is the natural conseKuence of the

establishment of a ne9 9orship iraculous facts:

or rather 9hat it is desired should be considered

as such: diminish in a false religion: either in propor-

tion as it becomes %rmly established and has no

longer occasion for them: or in proportion as it

gradually becomes 9eaker and 9eaker: because they

no longer obtain credit )he ardent but useless

desire to pry into futurity gave birth to oracles !

imposture encouraged and sanctioned them! and

fanaticism set the seal! for an infallible method of

4ictionary FGP

making fanatics is to persuade before you instruct

)he poverty of the people: 9ho had no longer any-



thing left them to give! the imposture detected in

many oracles: and thence naturally concluded to

exist in all! and %nally the edicts of the 6hristian

emperors! such are the real causes of the estab-

lishment: and of the cessation: of this species of

imposture )he introduction of an opposite state

of circumstances into human aCairs made it com-

pletely disappear ! and oracles thus became involved

in the vicissitudes accompanying all human institu-

tions

$ome limit themselves to observing that the birth

of =esus 6hrist is the %rst epoch of the cessation of

oracles 7ut 9hy: on such an occasion: should some

demons have Qed: 9hile others remained? 7esides:

ancient history proves decidedly that many oracles

had been destroyed before this birth 0ll the distin-

guished oracles of 1reece no longer existed: or

scarcely existed: and the oracle 9as occasionally in-

terrupted by the silence of an honest priest 9ho

9ould not consent to deceive the people 8)he oracle

of 4elphi:8 says .ucian: 8remains dumb since princes

have become afraid of futurity ! they have prohibited

the gods from speaking: and the gods have obeyed

them8



O'4(0.

I) I1/) be imagined that all the absurdities

9hich degrade human nature 9ere destined to come

ioR &hilosophical

to us from 0sia: the source at the same time of all

the sciences and arts S It 9as in 0sia and in (gypt

that mankind %rst dared to make the life or death of

a person accused: dependent on the thro9 of a die: or

something eKually unconnected 9ith reason and de-

cided by chance on cold 9ater or hot 9ater: on red

hot iron: or a bit of barley bread $imilar super-

stition: 9e are assured by travellers: still exists in

the Indies: on the coast of alabar: and in =apan

)his superstition passed from (gypt into 1reece

)here 9as a very celebrated temple at )re@ene in

9hich every man 9ho perjured himself died in-

stantly of apoplexy /ippolytus: in the tragedy of

8&haedra:8 in the %rst scene of the %fth act: addresses

the follo9ing lines to his mistress 0ricia <



0ux &ortes de )re@ene: etparmi ces tombeaux:

4es princes de ma race antiKues sepultures:

(st un temple sac re F formidable aux parjures

6est la Kue les mortels riosentjurer en vain!

.e per%de y reXoit un chatiment soudain !

(t: craignant d;y trouver la mart inevitable:

.e mensonge ri a point defrem plus redoubtable

0t )re@ene;s gates: amidst the ancient tombs

In 9hich repose the princes of my race:

0 sacred temple stands: the perjurer;s dread

5o daring mortal there may falsely s9ear:

+or s9ift the vengeance 9hich pursues his crime:

Inevitable death his instant lot!

5o9here has falsehood a more a9ful curb

)he learned commentator of the great 'acine

makes the follo9ing remark on these )re@enian

proofs or ordeals <



8 de la otte has remarked that /ippolytus

should have proposed to his father to come and hear

4ictionary FG#

his justi%cation in this temple: 9here no one dared

venture on s9earing to a falsehood It is certain:

that in such a case )heseus could not have doubted

the innocence of that young prince ! but he had re-

ceived too convincing evidence against the virtue of

&haedra: and /ippolytus 9as not inclined to make

the experiment de la otte 9ould have done

9ell to have distrusted his o9n good taste: 9hen he

suspected that of 'acine: 9ho appears to have fore-

seen the objection here made In fact: )heseus is

so prejudiced against /ippolytus that he 9ill not

even permit him to justify himself by an oath8

I should observe that the criticism of .a otte

9as originally made by the deceased marKuis de

.assai /e delivered it at de la +aye;s: at a din-

ner party at 9hich I 9as present together 9ith the

late de la otte: 9ho promised to make use of it !

and: in fact: in his 84iscourses upon )ragedy:8 he



gives the honor of the criticism to the marKuis de

.assai )he remark appeared to me particularly

judicious: as 9ell as to de la +aye and to all the

guests present: 9ho of course excepting myself

9ere the most able critics in &aris 7ut 9e all

agreed that 0ricia 9as the person 9ho should have

called upon )heseus to try the accused by the ordeal

of the )re@enian temple ! and so much the more so:

as )heseus immediately after talks for a long time

together to that princess: 9ho forgets the only thing

that could clear up the doubts of the father and

vindicate the son: )he commentator in vain objects

no &hilosophical

that )heseus has declared to his son he 9ill not be-

lieve his oaths <

)oujours les scelerats ont recours au parjure

&hedra 0ct iv: scene J

)he 9icked al9ays have recourse to oaths



)here is a prodigious diCerence bet9een an oath

taken in a common apartment: and an oath taken in

a temple 9here the perjured are punished by sudden

death /ad 0ricia said but a single 9ord on the

subject: )heseus could have had no excuse for not

conducting /ippolytus to this temple! but: in that

case: 9hat 9ould have become of the catastrophe ?

/ippolytus: then: should not have mentioned at

all the appalling po9er of the temple of )re@ene

to his beloved 0ricia! he had no need 9hatever to

take an oath of his love to her: for of that she 9as

already most fully persuaded In short: his doing

so is an inadvertence: a small fault: 9hich escaped

the most ingenious: elegant: and impassioned tra-

gedian that 9e ever had

+rom this digression: I return to the barbarous

madness of ordeals )hey 9ere not admitted in the

'oman republic ,e cannot consider as of one of

these ordeals: the usage by 9hich the most impor-

tant enterprises 9ere made to depend upon the man-

ner in 9hich the sacred pullets ate their vetches

,e are here considering only ordeals applied to as-

certain the guilt or innocence of men It 9as never

proposed to the anliuses: 6amilluses: or $cipios: to



4ictionary F F F

prove their innocence by plunging their hands into

boiling 9ater 9ithout its scalding them

)hese suggestions of folly and barbarism 9ere

not admitted under the emperors 7ut the )artars

9ho came to destroy the empire for the greater

part of these plunderers issued originally from )ar-

tary %lled our Kuarter of the 9orld 9ith their

ridiculous and cruel jurisprudence: 9hich they de-

rived from the &ersians It 9as not kno9n in the

(astern (mpire till the time of =ustinian: not9ith-

standing the detestable superstition 9hich prevailed

in it 7ut from that time the ordeals 9e are speak-

ing of 9ere received )his manner of trying men is

so ancient that 9e %nd it established among the =e9s

in all periods of their history

3orah: 4athan: and 0biram dispute the ponti%-

cate 9ith the high priest 0aron in the 9ilderness !

oses commands them to bring him t9o hundred

and %fty censors: and says to them < .et 1od choose



bet9een their censors and that of 0aron $carcely

had the revolted made their appearance in order to

submit to this ordeal: before they 9ere s9allo9ed

up by the earth: and %re from heaven struck t9o

hundred and %fty of their principal adherents ! after

9hich: the .ord destroyed fourteen thousand seven

hundred more men of that party )he Kuarrel ho9-

ever for the priesthood still continued bet9een the

chiefs of Israel and 0aron )he ordeal of rods 9as

then employed! each man presented his rod: and

that of 0aron 9as the only one 9hich budded

FFJ &hilosophical

0lthough the people of 1od had levelled the

9alls of =ericho by the sound of trumpets: they 9ere

overcome by the inhabitants of 0i )his defeat did

not appear at all natural to =oshua ! he consulted the

.ord: 9ho ans9ered that Israel had sinned! that

some one had appropriated to his o9n use a part of

the plunder that had been taken at =ericho: and there

devoted as accursed In fact: all ought to have been

burned: together 9ith the men and 9omen: children

and cattle: and 9hoever had preserved and carried



oC any part 9as to be exterminated =oshua: in

order to discover the oCender: subjected all the

tribes to the trial by lot )he lot %rst fell on the

tribe of =udah: then on the family of Darah: then on

the house of Dabdi: and %nally on the grandson of

Dabdi: 9hose name 9as 0cham

$cripture does not explain ho9 it 9as that these

9andering tribes came to have houses ! neither does

it inform us 9hat kind of lots 9ere made use of on

the occasion! but it is clear from the text: that

0cham: being convicted of stealing a small 9edge

of gold: a scarlet mantle: and t9o hundred shekels of

silver: 9as burned to death in the valley of 0chor:

together 9ith his sons: his sheep: his oxen: and his

asses ! and even his very tent 9as burned 9ith him

)he promised land 9as divided by lot ! lots 9ere

dra9n respecting the t9o goats of expiation 9hich

should be sacri%ced to the .ord: and 9hich should

go for a scapegoat into the 9ilderness ,hen $aul

9as to be chosen king: lots 9ere consulted: and the

4ictionary FF"



lot fell on the tribe of 7enjamin: on the family of

etri belonging to that tribe: and %nally on $aul:

the son of 3ish: in the family of etri

)he lot fell on =onathan to be punished for hav-

ing eaten some honey at the end of a rod )he sail-

ors of =oppa dre9 lots to learn from 1od 9hat 9as

the cause of the tempest )he lot informed them

that it 9as =onah ! and they thre9 him into the sea

0ll these ordeals by lot: 9hich among other na-

tions 9ere merely profane superstitions: 9ere the

voice of 1od /imself 9hen employed by /is cher-

ished and beloved people ! and so completely and de-

cidedly the voice of 1od that even the apostles %lled

the place of the apostle =udas by lot )he t9o candi-

dates for the succession 9ere atthias and 7arna-

bas &rovidence declared in favor of $t atthias

&ope /onorius: the third of that name: forbade

by a decretal from that time for9ard the method of

choosing bishops by lot 4eciding by lots 9as a

very common practice: and 9as called by the pagans:

8sortilegium8 6ato: in the 8&harsalia:8 says: 8$orti-

legis egeant dubil



)here 9ere other ordeals among the =e9s in the

name of the .ord! as: for example: the 9aters of

jealousy 0 9oman suspected of adultery 9as

obliged to drink of that 9ater mixed 9ith ashes: and

consecrated by the high priest If she 9as guilty

she instantly s9elled and died It is upon the foun-

dation of this la9 that the 9hole 6hristian 9orld

in the ,est established oracles for persons under

2ol iJR

FF &hilosophical

juridical accusation: not considering that 9hat 9as

ordained even by 1od /imself in the Old )estament

9as nothing more or less than an absurd supersti-

tion in the 5e9

4uel by 9ager of battle 9as one of those ordeals:

and lasted do9n to the sixteenth century /e 9ho

killed his adversary 9as al9ays in the right )he

most dreadful of all these curious and barbarous

ordeals: 9as that of a man;s carrying a bar of red-



hot iron to the distance of nine paces 9ithout burn-

ing himself 0ccordingly: the history of the middle

ages: fabulous as it is: does not record any instance

of this ordeal: nor of that 9hich consisted in 9alking

over nine burning ploughshares 0ll the others

might be doubted: or the deceptions and tricks em-

ployed in relation to them to deceive the judges

might be easily explained It 9as very easy: for ex-

ample: to appear to pass through the trial of boiling

9ater 9ithout injury ! a vessel might be produced

half full of cold 9ater: into 9hich the judicial boil-

ing 9ater might be put! and the accused might

safely plunge his arm up to the elbo9 in the luke-

9arm mixture: and take up from the bottom the sa-

cred blessed ring that had been thro9n into it for

that purpose

Oil might be made to boil 9ith 9ater! the oil

begins to rise and appears to boil 9hen the 9ater

begins to simmer: and the oil at that time has ac-

Kuired but a small degree of heat In such circum-

stances: a man seems to plunge his hand into boiling

4ictionary FFL



9ater! but: in fact: moistens it 9ith the harmless

oil: 9hich preserves it from contact 9ith and injury

by the 9ater

0 champion may easily: by degrees: harden and

habituate himself to holding: for a fe9 seconds: a

ring that has been thro9n into the %re: 9ithout any

very striking or painful marks of burning )o pass

bet9een t9o %res 9ithout being scorched is no very

extraordinary proof of skill or address: 9hen the

movement is made 9ith great rapidity and the face

and hands are 9ell rubbed 9ith ointment It is thus

that the formidable &eter 0ldobrandin: or 8)he

+iery &eter:8 as he 9as called: used to manage if

there is any truth in his history 9hen he passed

bet9een t9o bla@ing %res at +lorence: in order to

demonstrate: 9ith 1od;s help: that his archbishop

9as a knave and debauchee O: charlatansS char-

latans S henceforth disappear forever from the pages

of history S

)here existed a rather ludicrous ordeal: 9hich

consisted in making an accused person try to s9al-

lo9 a piece of barley bread: 9hich it 9as believed

9ould certainly choke him if he 9ere guilty I am



not: ho9ever: so much diverted 9ith this case as

9ith the conduct of /arleKuin: 9hen the judge in-

terrogated him concerning a robbery of 9hich 4r

7alouard accused him )he judge 9as sitting at

table: and drinking some excellent 9ine at the time:

9hen /arleKuin 9as brought in ! perceiving 9hich:

the latter takes up the bottle: and: pouring the 9hole

F F H &hilosophical

of its contents into a glass: s9allo9s it at a draught:

saying to the doctor< 8If I am guilty of 9hat you

accuse me: sir: I hope this 9ine 9ill prove poison

to me8

O'4I50)IO5

I+ 0 $O.4I(': charged by the king of +rance 9ith

the honor of conferring the order of $t .ouis upon

another soldier: had not: 9hen presenting the latter

9ith the cross: the intention of making him a knight

of that order: 9ould the receiver of the badge be on

that account the less a member of the order than

if such intention had existed ? 6ertainly not



/o9 9as it: then: that many priests thought it

necessary to be re-ordained after the death of ;the

celebrated .avardin: bishop of ans? )hat singu-

lar prelate: 9ho had instituted the order of 81ood

+ello9s8 4es 6oteaux bethought himself on his

cleathbed of a singular trick: in the 9ay of revenge:

on a class of persons 9ho had much annoyed him

/e 9as 9ell kno9n as one of the most daring free-

thinkers of the age of .ouis EI2: and had been

publicly upbraided 9ith his in%del sentiments: by

many of those on 9hom he had conferred orders of

priesthood It is natural at the approach of death:

for a sensitive and apprehensive soul to revert to the

religion of its early years 4ecency alone 9ould

have reKuired of the bishop: that at least at his death

he should give an example of edi%cation to the Qock

to 9hich he had given so much scandal by his life

4ictionary FFP

7ut he 9as so deeply exasperated against his clergy:

as to declare: that not a single individual of those

9hom he had himself ordained 9as really and



truly a priest! that all their acts in the capacity

of priests 9ere null and void! and that he never

entertained the intention of conferring any sacra-

ment

$uch reasoning seems certainly characteristic:

and just such as might be expected from a drunken

man! the priests of ans might have replied to

him: 8It is not your intention that is of any conse-

Kuence: but ours ,e had an ardent and determined

desire to be priests ! 9e did all in our po9er to be-

come such ,e are perfectly ingenuous and sincere !

if you are not so: that is nothing at all to us8 )he

maxim applicable to the occasion is: 8Kuic Kuid ac-

cipitur ad modum recipients accipitur:8 and not 8ad

modum dantis8 8,hen our 9ine merchant has sold

us a half a hogshead of 9ine: 9e drink it: although

he might have a secret intention to hinder us from

drinking it ! 9e shall still be priests in spite of your

testament8

)hose reasons 9ere sound and satisfactory

/o9ever: the greater number of those 9ho had

been ordained by that bishop did not consider them-

selves as real and authori@ed priests: and subjected

themselves to ordination a second time ascaron:



a man of moderate talents: but of great celebrity as

a preacher: persuaded them: both by his discourses

and example: to have the ceremony repeated )he

F F R &hilosophical

aCair occasioned great scandal at ans: and &aris:

and 2ersailles! but like everything else 9as soon

forgotten

O'I1I50. $I5

$(6)IO5 I

)/I$ is a subject on 9hich the $ocinians or ni-

tarians take occasion to exult and triumph )hey

denominate this foundation of 6hristianity its 8orig-

inal sin8 It is an insult to 1od: they say ! it is ac-

cusing /im of the most absurd barbarity to have the

hardihood to assert: that /e formed all the succes-

sive generations of mankind to deliver them over to

eternal tortures: under the pretext of their original

ancestor having eaten of a particular fruit in a gar-

den )his sacrilegious imputation is so much the



more inexcusable among 6hristians: as there is not

a single 9ord respecting this same invention of

original sin: either in the &entateuch: or in the

prophets: or the gospels: 9hether apocryphal or

canonical: or in any of the 9riters 9ho are called

the 8%rst fathers of the 6hurch8

It is not even related in the 7ook of 1enesis that

1od condemned 0dam to death for eating an apple

1od says to him: indeed: 8in the day that thou eatest

thereof thou shalt surely die8 7ut the very same

7ook of 1enesis makes 0dam live nine hundred

and thirty years after indulging in this criminal re-

past )he animals: the plants: 9hich had not par-

taken of this fruit: died at the respective periods

4ictionary F F #

prescribed for them by nature an is evidently

born to die: like all the rest

oreover: the punishment of 0dam 9as never:

in any 9ay: introduced into the =e9ish la9 0dam

9as no more a =e9 than he 9as a &ersian or 6hal-



daean )he %rst chapters of 1enesis at 9hatever

period they 9ere composed 9ere regarded by all

the learned =e9s as an allegory: and even as a fable

not a little dangerous: since that book 9as forbid-

den to be read by any before they had attained the

age of t9enty-one

In a 9ord: the =e9s kne9 no more about original

sin than they did about the 6hinese ceremonies!

and: although divines generally discover in the

$cripture everything they 9ish to %nd there: either

8totidem verbis8 or 8totidem literis:8 9e may safely

assert that no reasonable divine 9ill ever discover

in it this surprising and over9helming mystery

,e admit that $t 0ugustine 9as the %rst 9ho

brought this strange notion into credit! a notion

9orthy of the 9arm and romantic brain of an 0fri-

can debauchee and penitent: anichaean and 6hris-

tian: tolerant and persecuting 9ho passed his life

in perpetual self-contradiction

,hat an abomination: exclaim the strict nita-

rians: so atrociously to calumniate the 0uthor of 5a-

ture as even to impute to /im perpetual miracles:

in order that /e may damn to all eternity the un-



happy race of mankind: 9hom he introduces into

the present life only for so short a span S (ither /e

F JG &hilosophical

created souls from all eternity: upon 9hich system:

as they must be in%nitely more ancient than the sin

of 0dam: they can have no possible connection 9ith

it! or these souls are formed 9henever man and

9oman sexually associate! in 9hich case the $u-

preme 7eing must be supposed continually 9atching

for all the various associations of this nature that

take place: to create spirits that /e 9ill render eter-

nally miserable! or: %nally: 1od is /imself the soul

of all mankind: and upon this system damns /im-

self ,hich of these three suppositions is the most

absurd and abominable? )here is no fourth +or

the opinion that 1od 9aits six 9eeks before /e

creates a damned soul in a foetus is: in fact: no other

than that 9hich creates it at the moment of sexual

connection < the diCerence of six 9eeks cannot be of

the slightest conseKuence in the argument I have

merely related the opinion of the nitarians! but

men have no9 attained such a degree of superstition



that I can scarcely relate it 9ithout trembling

$(6)IO5 II

It must be ackno9ledged that 9e are not ac-

Kuainted 9ith any father of the 6hurch before $t

0ugustine and $t =erome: 9ho taught the doctrine

of original sin $t 6lement of 0lexandria: not9ith-

standing his profound kno9ledge of antiKuity: far

from speaking in any one passage of his 9orks of

that corruption 9hich has infected the 9hole human

race: and rendered it guilty from its birth: says in

4ictionary FJF

express 9ords: 8,hat evil can a ne9-born infant

commit ? /o9 could it possibly prevaricate ? /o9

could such a being: 9hich has: in fact: as yet done

no one thing: fall under the curse of 0dam ?8

0nd it is 9orth observing that he does not em-

ploy this language in order to combat the rigid opin-

ion of original sin: 9hich 9as not at that time devel-

oped: but merely to sho9 that the passions: 9hich



are capable of corrupting all mankind: have: as yet:

taken no hold of this innocent infant /e does not

say< )his creature of a day 9ould not be damned

if it should no9 die: for no one had yet conjectured

that it 9ould be damned $t 6lement could not

combat a system absolutely unkno9n

)he great Origen is still more decisive than $t

6lement of 0lexandria /e admits: indeed: in his

exposition of the (pistle of &aul to the 'omans:

that sin entered into the 9orld by 0dam: but he

maintains that it is the inclination to sin that thus

entered ! that it is very easy to commit evil: but that

it is not on that account said: man 9ill al9ays com-

mit evil: and is guilty even as soon as he is born

In short: original sin: in the time of Origen: con-

sisted only in the misfortune of resembling the %rst

man by being liable to sin like him 7aptism 9as a

necessary ordinance ! it 9as the seal of 6hristianity !

it 9ashed a9ay all sins ! but no man had yet said:

that it 9ashed a9ay those 9hich the subject of it

had not committed 5o one yet asserted that an in-

fant 9ould be damned: and burned in everlasting



FJJ &hilosophical

Qames: in conseKuence of its dying 9ithin t9o min-

utes of its birth 0nd an unans9erable proof on this

point is: that a long period passed a9ay before the

practice of bapti@ing infants became prevalent )er-

tullian 9as averse to their being bapti@ed! but: on

the persuasion that original sin of 9hich these poor

innocents could not possibly be guilty 9ould aCect

their reprobation: and expose them to suCer bound-

less and endless torture: for a deed of 9hich it 9as

impossible for them to have the slightest kno9ledge <

to refuse them the consecrated bath of baptism:

9ould be 9ilfully consigning them to eternal damna-

tion )he souls of all the executioners in the 9orld:

condensed into the very essence of ingenious cruelty:

could not have suggested a more execrable abomina-

tion In a 9ord: it is an incontestable fact that

6hristians did not for a certain period bapti@e their

infants: and it is therefore eKually incontestable that

they 9ere very far from damning them

)his: ho9ever: is not all! =esus 6hrist never

said< 8)he infant that is not bapti@ed 9ill be

damned8 /e came on the contrary to expiate all



sins: to redeem mankind by /is blood! therefore:

infants could not be damned Infants 9ould: of

course: 8a fortiori8 and: preferably: enjoy this priv-

ilege Our divine $aviour never bapti@ed any per-

son &aul circumcised his disciple )imothy: but is

no9here said to have bapti@ed him

In a 9ord: during the t9o %rst centuries: the bap-

tism of infants 9as not customary! it 9as not be-

4ictionary FJ"

lieved: therefore: that infants 9ould become victims

of the fault of 0dam 0t the end of four hundred

years their salvation 9as considered in danger: and

great uncertainty and apprehension existed on the

subject

In the %fth century appears &elagius /e treated

the opinion of original sin as monstrous 0ccording

to him: this dogma: like all others: 9as founded

upon a mere ambiguity 1od had said to 0dam in

the garden< 8In the day in 9hich thou shalt eat

of the tree of kno9ledge: thou shalt die8 7ut:



he did not die ! and 1od pardoned him ,hy: then:

should /e not spare /is race to the thousandth

generation ? ,hy should /e consign to in%nite and

eternal torments the innocent infants 9hose father

/e received back into forgiveness and favor?

&elagius considered 1od: not merely as an abso-

lute master: but as a parent: 9ho left /is children

at perfect liberty: and re9arded them beyond their

merits: and punished them less than their faults de-

served )he language used by him and his disciples

9as< 8If all men are born objects of the eternal

9rath of that 7eing 9ho confers on them life! if

they can possibly be guilty before they can even

think: it is then a fearful and execrable oCence to

give them being: and marriage is the most atrocious

of crimes arriage: on this system: is nothing

more or less than an emanation from the anichaean

principle of evil ! and those 9ho engage in it: instead

of adoring 1od: adore the devil8

FJ &hilosophical

&elagius and his partisans propagated this doc-



trine in 0frica: 9here the reputation and inQuence

of $t 0ugustine 9ere unbounded /e had been a

anichaean: and seemed to think himself called upon

to enter the lists against &elagius )he latter 9as

ill able to resist either 0ugustine or =erome! va-

rious points: ho9ever: 9ere contested: and the dis-

pute proceeded so far that 0ugustine pronounced

his sentence of damnation upon all children born: or

to be born: throughout the 9orld: in the follo9ing

terms < ;;)he 6atholic faith teaches that all men are

born so guilty that even infants are certainly damned

9hen they die 9ithout having been regenerated in

=esus8

It 9ould be but a 9retched compliment of con-

dolence to oCer to a Kueen of 6hina: or =apan: or In-

dia: $cythia: or 1othia: 9ho had just lost her infant

son to say< 87e comforted: madam! his highness

the prince royal is no9 in the clutches of %ve hun-

dred devils: 9ho turn him round and round in a

great furnace to all eternity: 9hile his body rests

embalmed and in peace 9ithin the precincts of your

palace8

)he astonished and terri%ed Kueen inKuires 9hy

these devils should eternally roast her dear son: the



prince royal $he is ans9ered that the reason of it

is that his great-grandfather formerly ate of the

fruit of kno9ledge: in a garden +orm an idea: if

possible: of the looks and thoughts of the king: the

4ictionary FJL

Kueen: the 9hole council: and all the beautiful ladies

of the court S

)he sentence of the 0frican bishop appeared to

some divines for there are some good souls to be

found in every place and class rather severe: and

9as therefore mitigated by one &eter 6hrysologus:

or &eter 1olden-tongue: 9ho invented a suburb to

hell: called 8limbo:8 9here all the little boys and girls

that died before baptism might be disposed of It is a

place in 9hich these innocents vegetate 9ithout sen-

sation! the abode of apathy! the place that has

been called 8)he paradise of fools8 ,e %nd this

very expression in ilton /e places this paradise

some9here near the moon S

(xplication of Original $in



)he diMculty is the same 9ith respect to this sub-

stituted limbo as 9ith respect to hell ,hy should

these poor little 9retches be placed in this limbo?

9hat had they done? ho9 could their souls: 9hich

they had not in their possession a single day: be

guilty of a gormandi@ing that merited a punishment

of six thousand years?

$t 0ugustine: 9ho damns them: assigns as a rea-

son: that the souls of all men being comprised in that

of 0dam: it is probable that they 9ere all accom-

plices 7ut: as the 6hurch subseKuently decided

that souls are not made before the bodies 9hich they

are to inhabit are originated: that system falls to the

ground: not9ithstanding the celebrity of its author

FJH &hilosophical

Others said that original sin 9as transmitted

from soul to soul: in the 9ay of emanation: and that

one soul: derived from another: came into the 9orld

9ith all the corruption of the mother-soul )his

opinion 9as condemned



0fter the divines had done 9ith the Kuestion: the

philosophers tried at it .eibnit@: 9hile sporting

9ith his monads: amused himself 9ith collecting to-

gether in 0dam all the human monads 9ith their

little bodies of monads )his 9as going further

than $t 0ugustine 7ut this idea: 9hich 9as

9orthy of 6yrano de 7ergerac: met 9ith very fe9

to adopt and defend it alebranche explains the

matter by the inQuence of the imagination on

mothers (ve;s brain 9as so strongly inQamed 9ith

the desire of eating the fruit that her children had

the same desire! just like the irresistibly authenti-

cated case of the 9oman 9ho: after having seen a

man racked: 9as brought to bed of a dislocated in-

fant

5icole reduced the aCair to 8a certain inclination:

a certain tendency to concupiscence: 9hich 9e have

derived from our mothers )his inclination is not

an act ! but it 9ill one day become such8 ,ell said:

5icole! bravoS 7ut: in the meantime: 9hy am I

to be damned ? 5icole does not even touch the diM-

culty: 9hich consists in ascertaining ho9 our o9n

souls: 9hich have but recently been formed: can be

fairly made responsible for the fault of another soul



that lived some thousands of years ago

4ictionary FJP

,hat: my good friends: ought to be said upon

the subject? 5othing 0ccordingly: I do not give

my explication of the diMculty< I say not a single

9ord

O2I4

$6/O.0'$ have not failed to 9rite volumes to in-

form us exactly to 9hat corner of the earth Ovidius

5aso 9as banished by Octavius 6epias: surnamed

0ugustus 0ll that 9e kno9 of it is: that: born at

$ulmo and brought up at 'ome: he passed ten years

on the right shore of the 4anube: in the neighbor-

hood of the 7lack $ea )hough he calls this land

barbarous: 9e must not fancy that it 9as a land of

savages )here 9ere verses made there ! 6otis: the

petty king of a part of )hrace: made 1etic verses for

Ovid )he .atin poet learned 1etic: and also com-

posed lines in this language It seems as if 1reek

poetry should have been understood in the ancient



country of Orpheus: but this country 9as then peo-

pled by nations from the 5orth: 9ho probably spoke

a )artar dialect: a language approaching to the an-

cient $lavonian Ovid seemed not destined to make

)artar verses )he country of the )omites: to

9hich he 9as banished: 9as a part of ysia: a 'o-

man province: bet9een ount /emus and the 4an-

ube It is situated in forty-four and a half degrees

north latitude: like one of the %nest climates of

+rance! but the mountains 9hich are at the south:

and the 9inds of the north and east: 9hich blo9

FJR &hilosophical

from the (uxine: the cold and dampness of the

forests: and of the 4anube: rendered this country in-

supportable to a man born in Italy )hus Ovid did

not live long: but died there at the age of sixty /e

complains in his 8(legies8 of the climate: and not

of the inhabitants 8Buos ego: cum loca sim vestra

perosus: amo8

)hese people cro9ned him 9ith laurel: and gave

him privileges: 9hich prevented him not from re-



4ictionary FJ#

9hile pregnant by another ! 9hether he had seen the

said 0ugustus occupied 9ith his daughter or grand-

daughter! or: %nally: 9hether: he sa9 him doing

something still 9orse: 8torva tu entibus hircisf8 It

is most probable that Ovid detected an incestuous

correspondence: as an author: almost contemporary:

named inutionus 0puleius: says < 8&ulsum KuoKue

in exilium Kuod 0ugusti incestum vidisset8

Octavius made a pretext of the innocent book of

the 80rt of .ove:8 a book very decently 9ritten: and

in 9hich there is not an obscene 9ord: to send a 'o-

man knight to the 7lack $ea )he pretence 9as ri-

diculous /o9 could 0ugustus: of 9hom 9e have

still verses %lled 9ith obscenities: banish Ovid for

having several years before given to his friends

some copies of the 80rt of .ove8? /o9 could he

impudently reproach Ovid for a 9ork 9ritten 9ith

decorum: 9hile he approved of /orace: 9ho lav-

ishes allusions and phrases on the most infamous

prostitution: and 9ho proposed girls and boys: maid

servants and valets indiscriminately? It is nothing

less than impudence to blame Ovid and tolerate

/orace It is clear that Octavius alleged a very in-



suMcient reason: because he dared not allude to the

real one One proof that it related to some secret

adventure of the sacred imperial family is that the

goat of 6aprea )iberius: immortali@ed by medals

for his debaucheries ! )iberius: that monster of lust

and dissimulation did not recall Ovid: 9ho: rather

than demand the favor from the author of the pro-

2ol FJ #

F"G &hilosophical

scriptions and the poisoner of 1ermanicus: remained

on the shores of the 4anube

If a 4utch: &olish: $9edish: (nglish: or 2ene-

tian gentleman had by chance seen a stadtholder: or

a king of 1reat 7ritain: $9eden: or &oland: or a

doge of 2enice: commit some great sin: even if it

9as not by chance that he sa9 it! if he had even

sought the occasion: and 9as so indiscreet as to

speak of it: this stadtholder: king: or doge could not

legally banish him



,e can reproach Ovid almost as much as 0u-

gustus and )iberius for having praised them )he

eulogiums 9hich he lavishes on them are so extrav-

agant that at present they 9ould excite indignation

if he had even given them to legitimate princes: his

benefactors: instead of to tyrants: and to his tyrants

in particular ou may be pardoned for praising a

little too much a prince 9ho caresses you ! but not

for treating as a god one 9ho persecutes you It

9ould have been a hundred times better for him to

have embarked on the 7lack $ea and retired into

&ersia by the &alus aeotis: than to have 9ritten

his 8)ristia8 /e 9ould have learned &ersian as

easily as 1etic: and might have forgotten the master

of 'ome near the master of (cbatana $ome strong

minds 9ill say that there 9as still another part to

take: 9hich 9as to go secretly to 'ome: address him-

self to some relations of 7rutus and 6assius: and get

up a t9elfth conspiracy against Octavius ! but that

9as not in elegiac taste

4ictionary F"F

&oetical panegyrics are strange things S It is very



clear that Ovid 9ished 9ith all his heart: that some

7rutus 9ould deliver 'ome from that 0ugustus:

to 9hom in his verses he 9ished immortality I re-

proach Ovid 9ith his 8)ristia8 alone 7ayle forms

his system on the philosophy of chaos so ably ex-

hibited in the commencement of the 8etamor-

phoses8 <

0nte mare et terras: et Kuod tegit omnia cesium:

nus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe

7ayle thus translates these %rst lines< 87efore

there 9as a heaven: an earth: and a sea: nature 9as

all homogeneous8 In Ovid it is: 8)he face of na-

ture 9as the same throughout the universe:8 9hich

means not that all 9as homogeneous: but hetero-

geneous this assemblage of diCerent things ap-

peared the same! 8unus vultus8 7ayle criticises

chaos throughout Ovid: 9ho in his verses is only

the poet of the ancient philosophy: says that things

hard and soft: light and heavy: 9ere mixed to-

gether <

ollia cum dun;s: sine pondere habentia pondus

Ovi4;s et: b i: F JG



0nd this is the manner in 9hich 7ayle reasons

against him < 8)here is nothing more absurd than

to suppose a chaos 9hich had been homogeneous

from all eternity: though it had the elementary Kual-

ities: at least those 9hich 9e call alteratives: 9hich

are heat: cold: humidity: and dryness: as those 9hich

9e call matrices: 9hich are lightness and 9eight:

F"J &hilosophical

the former the cause of upper motion: the latter of

lo9er atter of this nature cannot be homoge-

neous: and must necessarily contain all sorts of het-

erogeneousness /eat and cold: humidity and dry-

ness: cannot exist together: unless their action and

reaction temper and convert them into other Kual-

ities 9hich assume the form of mixed bodies ! and as

this temperament can be made according to innum-

erable diversities of combinations: chaos must con-

tain an incredible number of compound species )he

only manner of conceiving matter homogeneous is

by saying that the alterative Kualities of the ele-

ments modify all the molecules of matter in the same



degree in such a 9ay: that throughout there is the

same 9armth: the same softness: the same odor: etc

7ut this 9ould be to destroy 9ith one hand that

9hich has been built up 9ith the other ! it 9ould be

by a contradiction in terms to call chaos the most

regular: the most marvellous for its symmetry: and

the most admirable in its proportions that it is possi-

ble to conceive I allo9 that the taste of man ap-

proves of a diversi%ed rather than of a regular 9ork !

but our reason teaches us that the harmony of con-

trary Kualities: uniformly preserved throughout the

universe: 9ould be as admirable a perfection as the

uneKual division of them 9hich has succeeded chaos

,hat kno9ledge and po9er 9ould not the diCusion

of this uniform harmony throughout nature de-

mandS It 9ould not be suMcient to place in any

compound an eKual Kuantity of all the four ingre-

4ictionary F""

dients! of one there must be more and of another

less: according as their force is greater or less for ac-

tion or resistance! for 9e kno9 that philosophers

besto9 action and reaction in a diCerent degree on



the elementary Kualities 0ll 9ould amount to an

opinion that the po9er 9hich metamorphosed chaos

has 9ithdra9n it: not from a state of strife and con-

fusion as is pretended: but from a state of the most

admirable harmony: 9hich by the adjustment of the

eKuilibrium of contrary forces: retained it in a repose

eKuivalent to peace It is certain: therefore: that if

the poets 9ill insist on the homogeneity of chaos:

they must erase all 9hich they have added concern-

ing the 9ild confusion of contrary seeds: of the undi-

gested mass: and of the perpetual combat of conQict-

ing-principles

8&assing over this contradiction 9e shall %nd

suMcient subject for opposing them in other partic-

ulars .et us recommence the attack on eternity

)here is nothing more absurd than to admit: for

an in%nite time: the mixture of the insensible par-

ticles of four elements ! for as soon as you suppose

in them the activity of heat: the action and reaction

of the four primary Kualities: and besides these:

motion to9ards the centre in the elements of earth

and 9ater: and to9ards the circumference in those

of %re and air: you establish a principle 9hich neces-

sarily separates these four kinds of bodies: the one

from the other: and for 9hich a de%nite period alone



is necessary 6onsider a little: that 9hich is denom-

F" &hilosophical

inated ;the vial of the four elements; )here are put

into it some small metallic particles: and then three

liKuids: the one much lighter than the other $hake

these 9ell together: and you no longer discern any

of these component parts singly! each is con-

founded 9ith the other 7ut leave your vial at rest

for a short time: and you 9ill %nd every one of them

resume its pristine situation )he metallic particles

9ill reassemble at the bottom of the vial: the lightest

liKuid 9ill rise to the top: and the others take their

stations according to their respective degrees of

gravity )hus a very short time 9ill suMce to re-

store them to the same relative situation 9hich they

occupied before the vial 9as shaken In this vial

you behold the la9s 9hich nature has given in this

9orld to the four elements: and: comparing the uni-

verse to this vial: 9e may conclude: that if the earth

reduced to po9der had been mingled 9ith the matter

of the stars: and 9ith that of air and of 9ater: in

such a 9ay as that the compound exhibited none of



the elements by themselves: all 9ould have imme-

diately operated to disengage themselves: and at the

end of a certain time: the particles of earth 9ould

form one mass: those of %re another! and thus of

the others in proportion to the lightness or heavi-

ness of each of them8

I deny to 7ayle: that the experiment of the vial

infers a de%nite period for the duration of chaos

I inform him: that by heavy and light things: Ovid

and the philosophers intended those 9hich became

4ictionary F"L

so after 1od had placed /is hand on them I say

to him < 8 ou take for granted that nature arranged

all: and besto9ed 9eight upon herself ou must

begin by proving to me that gravity is an essential

Kuality of matter: a position 9hich has never been

proved8 4escartes: in his romance has pretended

that body never became heavy until his vortices of

subtle matter began to push them from the centre

5e9ton: in his correct philosophy: never says that

gravitation or attraction is a Kuality essential to



matter If Ovid had been able to divine the 8&rin-

cipia8 of 5e9ton: he 9ould have said < 8atter 9as

neither heavy nor in motion in my chaos ! it 9as 1od

9ho endo9ed it 9ith these properties ! my chaos in-

cludes not the forces you imagine 8nee KuidKuam

nisi pondus iners8 ! it 9as a po9erless mass! 8pon-

dus8 here signi%es not 9eight but mass

5othing could possess 9eight: before 1od be-

sto9ed on matter the principle of gravitation In

9hatever degree one body is impelled to9ards the

centre of another: 9ould it be dra9n or impelled by

another: if the $upreme &o9er had not besto9ed

upon it this inexplicable virtue? )herefore Ovid

9ill not only turn out a good philosopher but a pass-

able theologian

ou say< 80 scholastic theologian 9ill admit

9ithout diMculty: that if the four elements had ex-

isted independently of 1od: 9ith all the properties

9hich they no9 possess: they 9ould have formed

of themselves the machine of the 9orld: and have

F"H &hilosophical



maintained it in the state 9hich 9e no9 behold

)here are therefore t9o great faults in the doctrine

of chaos! the %rst of 9hich is: that it takes a9ay

from 1od the creation of matter: and the production

of the Kualities proper to air: %re: earth: and 9ater !

the other: that after taking 1od a9ay: /e is made

to appear unnecessarily on the theatre of the 9orld:

in order to assign their places to the four elements

Our modern philosophers: 9ho have rejected the

faculties and the Kualities of the peripatetician phys-

ics: 9ill %nd the same defects in the description of

the chaos of Ovid ! for that 9hich they call general

la9s of motion: mechanical principles: modi%cations

of matter: the form: situation: and arrangement of

atoms: comprehends nothing beyond the active and

passive virtue of nature: 9hich the peripatetics un-

derstand by the alterative and formative Kualities of

the four elements $eeing: therefore: that: accord-

ing to the doctrine of this school: these four bodies:

separated according to their natural heaviness and

lightness: form a principle 9hich suMces for all

generation: the 6artesians: 1assendists: and other

modern philosophers: ought to maintain that the mo-

tion: situation: and form of the particles of matter:

are suMcient for the production of all natural ef-



fects: 9ithout excepting even the general arrange-

ment 9hich has placed the earth: the air: the 9ater:

and the stars 9here 9e see them )hus: the true

cause of the 9orld: and of the eCect 9hich it pro-

duces: is not diCerent from the cause 9hich has be-

4ictionary F"P

sto9ed motion on particles of matter 9hether at

the same time that it assigned to each atom a deter-

minate %gure: as the 1assendists assert: or that it

has only given to particles entirely cubic: an impul-

sion 9hich: by the duration of the motion: according

to certain la9s: makes it ultimately take all sorts of

forms 9hich is the hypothesis of the 6artesians

7oth the one and the other conseKuently agree: that

if matter had been: before the generation of the pres-

ent 9orld: as Ovid describes: it 9ould have been ca-

pable of 9ithdra9ing itself from chaos by its o9n

necessary operation: 9ithout the assistance of 1od

Ovid may therefore be accused of t9o oversights

having supposed: in the %rst place: that 9ithout the

assistance of the 4ivinity: matter possessed the seeds

of every compound: heat: motion: etc ! and in the



second: that 9ithout the same assistance it could

extricate itself from confusion )his is to give at

once too much and too little to both 1od and matter !

it is to pass over assistance 9hen most needed: and

to demand it 9hen no longer necessary8

Ovid may still reply< 8ou are 9rong in sup-

posing that my elements originally possessed all the

Kualities 9hich they possess at present )hey had

no Kualities! matter existed naked: unformed: and

po9erless! and 9hen I say: that in my chaos: heat

9as mingled 9ith cold: and dryness 9ith humidity:

I only employ these expressions to signify that there

9as neither cold: nor heat: nor 9et: nor dry: 9hich

are Kualities that 1od has placed in our sensations:

F"R &hilosophical

and not in matter I have not made the mistakes

of 9hich you accuse me our 6artesians and your

1assendists commit oversights 9ith their atoms and

their cubic particles! and their imaginations deal

as little in truth as my 8etamorphoses8 I prefer

4aphne changed into a laurel: and 5arcissus into



a Qo9er: to subtile matter changed into suns: and

denser matter transformed into earth and 9ater

I have given you fables for fables: and your philos-

ophers have given you fables for truth8

&0'04I$(

)/('( is no 9ord 9hose meaning is more remote

from its etymology It is 9ell kno9n that it origi-

nally meant a place planted 9ith fruit trees ! and

after9ards: the name 9as given to gardens planted

9ith trees for shade $uch: in distant antiKuity:

9ere those of $aana: near (den: in 0rabia +elix:

kno9n long before the hordes of the /ebre9s had

invaded a part of the territory of &alestine

)his 9ord 8paradise8 is not celebrated among the

=e9s: except in the 7ook of 1enesis $ome =e9ish

canonical 9riters speak of gardens ! but not one of

them has mentioned a 9ord about the garden de-

nominated the 8earthly paradise8 /o9 could it

happen that no =e9ish 9riter: no =e9ish prophet: or

=e9ish psalmodist: should have once cited that ter-

restrial paradise 9hich 9e are talking of every day

of our lives? )his is almost incomprehensible It



4ictionary F"#

has induced many daring critics to believe that 1en-

esis 9as not 9ritten till a very late period

)he =e9s never took this orchard or plantation

of trees this garden: 9hether of plants or Qo9ers

for heaven $t .uke is the %rst 9ho uses the 9ord

8paradise:8 as signifying heaven: 9hen =esus 6hrist

says to the good thief < 8)his day thou shalt be 9ith

e in paradise8

)he ancients gave the name of 8heaven8 to the

clouds )hat name 9ould not have been exactly ap-

propriate: as the clouds actually touch the earth by

the vapors of 9hich they are formed: and as heaven

is a vague 9ord signifying an immense space in

9hich exist innumerable suns: planets: and comets:

9hich has certainly but little resemblance to an or-

chard

$t )homas says that there are three paradises

the terrestrial: the celestial: and the spiritual I do

not: I ackno9ledge: perfectly understand the diCer-



ence bet9een the spiritual and celestial )he spirit-

ual orchard is according to him: the beati%c vision

7ut it is precisely that 9hich constitutes the celes-

tial paradise: it is the enjoyment of 1od /imself

I do not presume to dispute against the 8angel of the

schools8 I merely say /appy must he be 9ho al-

9ays resides in one of these three paradisesS

$ome curious critics have thought the paradise of

the /esperides: guarded by a dragon: 9as an imita-

tion of the garden of (den: kept by a 9inged ox or

a cherub Others: more rash: have ventured to as-

FG &hilosophical

sert that the ox 9as a bad copy of the dragon: and

that the =e9s 9ere al9ays gross plagiarists! but

this 9ill be admitted to be blasphemy: and that idea

is insupportable

,hy has the name of paradise been applied to

the sKuare courts in the front of a church ? ,hy has

the third ro9 of boxes at the theatre or opera house

been called paradise ? Is it because: as these places



are less dear than others: it 9as thought they 9ere

intended for the poor: and because it is pretended

that in the other paradise there are far more poor

persons than rich? Is it because these boxes are

so high that they have obtained a name 9hich also

signi%es heaven ? )here is: ho9ever: some diCerence

bet9een ascending to heaven: and ascending to the

third ro9 of boxes ,hat 9ould a stranger think

on his arrival at &aris: 9hen asked< 80re you in-

clined to go to paradise to see &ourceaugnac ?8

,hat incongruities and eKuivoKues are to be

found in all languagesS /o9 strongly is human

9eakness manifested in every object that is pre-

sented around us S $ee the article 8&aradise8 in the

great 8(ncyclopaedia8 It is certainly better than

this ,e conclude 9ith the 0bbe de $t &ierre;s

favorite sentiment 8&aradise to the bene%cent8

4ictionary FF

&0$$IO5$

)heir InQuence upon the 7ody: and that of the 7ody



upon )hem

&'0 inform me: doctor I do not mean a doctor

of medicine: 9ho really possesses some degree of

kno9ledge: 9ho has long examined the sinuosities

of the brain: 9ho has investigated 9hether there is

a circulating Quid in the nerves: 9ho has repeatedly

and assiduously dissected the human matrix in vain:

to discover something of the formation of thinking

beings: and 9ho: in short: kno9s all of our machine

that can be kno9n ! alas S I mean a very diCerent

person: a doctor of theology I adjure you: by that

reason at the very name of 9hich: you shudder: tell

me 9hy it is: that in conseKuence of your young and

handsome housekeeper saying a fe9 loving 9ords:

and giving herself a fe9 coKuettish airs: your blood

becomes instantly agitated: and your 9hole frame

thro9n into a tumult of desire: 9hich speedily leads

to pleasures: of 9hich neither herself nor you can

explain the cause: but 9hich terminate 9ith the

introduction into the 9orld of a thinking being en-

crusted all over 9ith original sin Inform me: I

entreat you: ho9 the action tends to or is connected

9ith the result ? ou may read and re-read $anche@

and )homas 0Kuinas: and $cot and 7onaventure:



but you 9ill never in conseKuence kno9 an iota the

more of that incomprehensible mechanism by 9hich

the eternal architect directs your ideas and your

FJ &hilosophical

actions: and originates the little bastard of a priest

predestined to damnation from all eternity

On the follo9ing morning: 9hen taking your

chocolate: your memory retraces the image of pleas-

ure 9hich you experienced the evening before: and

the scene and rapture are repeated /ave you any

idea: my great automaton friend: 9hat this same

memory: 9hich you possess in common 9ith every

species of animals: really is? 4o you kno9 9hat

%bres recall your ideas: and paint in your brain the

joys of the evening by a continuous sentiment: a con-

sciousness: a personal identity 9hich slept 9ith you:

and a9oke 9ith you? )he doctor replies: in the

language of )homas 0Kuinas: that all this is the

9ork of his vegetative soul: his sensitive soul: and

his intellectual soul: all three of 9hich compose a

soul 9hich: although 9ithout extension itself: evi-



dently acts on a body possessed of extension in

course

I perceived by his embarrassed manner: that he

has been stammering out 9ords 9ithout a single

idea ! and I at length say to him < If you feel: doc-

tor: that: ho9ever reluctantly: you must in your o9n

mind admit that you do not kno9 9hat a soul is:

and that you have been talking all your life 9ithout

any distinct meaning: 9hy not ackno9ledge it like

an honest man ? ,hy do you not conclude the same

as must be concluded from the physical promotion

of 4octor 7ourssier: and from certain passages of

alebranche: and: above all: from the acute and

4ictionary F"

judicious .ocke: so far superior to alebranche

9hy do you not: I say: conclude that your soul is a

faculty 9hich 1od has besto9ed on you 9ithout dis-

closing to you the secret of /is process: as /e has

besto9ed on you various others? 7e assured: that

many men of deep reQection maintain that: properly

speaking: the unkno9n po9er of the 4ivine 0rti%-



cer: and /is unkno9n la9s: alone perform every-

thing in us < and that: to speak more correctly still:

9e shall never kno9 in fact anything at all about the

matter

)he doctor at this becomes agitated and irritated !

the blood rushes into his face! if he had been

stronger than myself: and had not been restrained

by a sense of decency: he 9ould certainly have

struck me /is heart s9ells! the systole and dias-

tole are interrupted in their regular operation! his

brain is compressed! and he falls do9n in a %t of

apoplexy ,hat connection could there be bet9een

this blood: and heart: and brain: and an old opinion

of the doctor contrary to my o9n ? 4oes a pure in-

tellectual spirit fall into syncope 9hen another is of

a diCerent opinion ? I have uttered certain sounds !

he has uttered certain sounds ! and behold S he falls

do9n in apoplexy he drops dead S

I am sitting at table: 8prima mensis8 in the %rst

of the month: myself and my soul: at the $orbonne:

9ith %ve or six doctors: 8socii $orbonnici:8 fello9s

of the institution ,e are served 9ith bad and

adulterated 9ine ! at %rst our souls are elevated and



Of all those persons 9ho have undergone the op-

eration of trepanning: a great proportion al9ays re-

main imbecile Of course: therefore: the thinking

%bres of their brain have been injured ! but 9here

are these thinking %bres ? Oh: $anche@ S Oh: as-

ters de 1rillandis: )amponet: 'iballierS Oh: 6oge-

&ecus: second regent and rector of the university:

do give me a clear: decisive: and satisfactory explan-

ation of all this: if you possibly can S

,hile I 9as 9riting this article at ount 3rapak

4ictionary FL

for my o9n private improvement: a book 9as

brought to me called 8)he edicine of the ind:8

by 4octor 6amus: professor of medicine in the ni-

versity of &aris I 9as in hopes of %nding in this

book a solution of all my diMculties 7ut 9hat 9as

it that I found in fact? =ust nothing at all 0h:

aster 6amusS you have not displayed much mind

in preparing your 8edicine of the ind8 )his

person strongly recommends the blood of an ass:

dra9n from behind the ear: as a speci%c against mad-



ness 8)he virtue of the blood of an ass:8 he says:

8re-establishes the soul in its functions8 /e main-

tains: also: that madmen are cured by giving them

the itch /e asserts: like9ise: that in order to gain

or strengthen a memory: the meat of capons: lev-

erets: and larks: is of eminent service: and that

onions and butter ought to be avoided above all

things )his 9as printed in FPH# 9ith the king;s

approbation and privilege! and there really 9ere

people 9ho consigned their health to the keeping of

aster 6amus: professor of medicine S ,hy 9as he

not made %rst physician to the king?

&oor puppets of the (ternal 0rti%cer: 9ho kno9

neither 9hy nor ho9 an invisible hand moves all the

springs of our machine: and at length packs us a9ay

in our 9ooden boxS ,e constantly see more and

more reason for repeating: 9ith 0ristotle: 80ll is

occult: all is secret8

2ol FJ FG

FH &hilosophical



&0.

$(6)IO5 I

Buestions 6oncerning &aitl

,0$ &aul a 'oman citi@en: as he boasted? If

he 9as a native of )arsus in 6ilicia: )arsus 9as not

a 'oman colony until a hundred years after his

death! upon this point all antiKuaries are agreed

If he belonged to the little to9n or village of 1es-

cala: as $t =erome believed: this to9n 9as in 1alilee:

and certainly the 1alileans 9ere not 'oman citi@ens

Is it true: that $t &aul entered into the rising

society of 6hristians: 9ho at that time 9ere demi-

=e9s: only because 1amaliel: 9hose disciple he 9as:

refused him his daughter in marriage? It appears

that this accusation is to be found exclusively in the

0cts of the 0postles: 9hich are received by the

(bionites: and refuted by the 7ishop (piphanius in

his thirtieth chapter

Is it true: that $t )hecla sought $t &aul in the

disguise of a man: and are the acts of $t )hecla ad-

missible? )ertullian: in the thirteenth chapter of



his book on 87aptism:8 maintains that this history

9as composed by a priest attached to &aul =erome

and 6yprian: in refuting the story of the lion bap-

ti@ed by $t )hecla: aMrm the genuineness of these

acts: in 9hich 9e %nd that singular portrait of $t

&aul: 9hich 9e have already recorded 8/e 9as

fat: short: and broad shouldered ! his dark eyebro9s

united across his aKuiline nose! his legs 9ere

4ictionary FP

crooked: his head bald: and he 9as full of the grace

of the .ord8 )his is pretty nearly his portrait in

the 8&hilopatris8 of .ucian: 9ith the exception of

8the grace of 1od:8 9ith 9hich .ucian unfortu-

nately had no acKuaintance

Is &aul to be reprehended for his reproof of the

=udai@ing of $t &eter: 9ho himself =udai@ed for

eight days together in the temple of =erusalem?

,hen &aul 9as traduced before the governor of

=udaea for having introduced strangers into the

temple: 9as it proper for him to say to the governor:

that he 9as prosecuted on account of his teaching



the resurrection of the dead: 9hilst of the resurrec-

tion of the dead nothing 9as said at all

4id &aul do right in circumcising his disciple

)imothy: after having 9ritten to the 1alatians: that

if they 9ere circumcised =esus 9ould not pro%t

them? ,as it 9ell to 9rite to the 6orinthians:

chap ix < 8/ave 9e not po9er to eat and drink at

your expense ? /ave 9e not po9er to lead about a

sister: a 9ife?8 etc ,as it proper to 9rite in his

$econd (pistle to the 6orinthians: that he 9ill par-

don none of them: neither those 9ho have sinned nor

others ? ,hat should 9e think at present of a man

9ho pretended to live at our expense: himself: and

his 9ife ! and to judge and to punish us: confound-

ing the innocent 9ith the guilty? ,hat are 9e to

understand by the ascension of &aul into the third

heaven? 9hat is the third heaven? ,hich is the

most probable humanly speaking? 4id $t &aul

FR &hilosophical

become a 6hristian in conseKuence of being thro9n

from a horse by the appearance of a great light at



noon day: from 9hich a celestial voice exclaimed<

8$aul: $aul: 9hy persecutest thou e?8 or 9as it

in conseKuence of being irritated against the &hari-

sees: either by the refusal of 1amaliel to give him

his daughter: or by some other cause?

In all other history: the refusal of 1amaliel 9ould

appear more probable than the celestial voice! es-

pecially if: moreover: 9e 9ere not obliged to believe

in this miracle I only ask these Kuestions in order

to be instructed! and I reKuest all those 9ho are

9illing to instruct me to speak reasonably

$(6)IO5 II

)he (pistles of $t &aul are so sublime: it is

often diMcult to understand them any young

bachelors demand the precise signi%cation of the fol-

lo9ing 9ords < 8(very man praying or prophesying:

having his head covered: dishonoreth his head8

,hat does he mean by the 9ords < 8I have learned

from the .ord: that the .ord =esus: the same night

in 9hich /e 9as betrayed: took bread ?8

/o9 could he learn anything from that =esus

6hrist to ,hom he had never spoken: and to ,hom



he had been a most cruel enemy: 9ithout ever hav-

ing seen /im? ,as it by inspiration: or by the

recital of the apostles? or did he learn it 9hen the

celestial light caused him to fall from his horse ? /e

does not inform us on this point

4ictionary F#

)he follo9ing again < 8)he 9oman shall be saved

in child-bearing8 )his is certainly to encourage

population < it appears not that $t &aul founded

convents /e speaks of seducing spirits and doc-

trines of devils! of those 9hose consciences are

seared up 9ith a red-hot iron: 9ho forbid to marry:

and command to abstain from meats )his is very

strong It appears that he abjured monks: nuns:

and fast-days (xplain this contradiction! deliver

me from this cruel embarrassment

,hat is to be said of the passage in 9hich he

recommends the bishops to have one 9ife? 8nius

uxoris virum8 )his is positive /e permits the

bishops to have but one 9ife: 9hilst the =e9ish pon-

tiCs might have several /e says uneKuivocally:



that the last judgment 9ill happen during his o9n

time: that =esus 9ill descend from on high: as de-

scribed by $t .uke: and that $t &aul and the

righteous inhabitants of )hessalonica 9ill be caught

up to /im in the air: etc

/as this occurred? or is it an allegory: a %gure?

4id he actually believe that he should make this

journey: or that he had been caught up into the third

heaven? ,hich is the third heaven? /o9 9ill he

ascend into the air ? /as he been there ? 8)hat the

1od of our .ord =esus 6hrist: the +ather of 1lory:

may give you the spirit of 9isdom8 Is this ac-

kno9ledging =esus to be the same 1od as the

+ather? /e has manifested /is po9er over =esus

89hen /e raised /im from the dead: and set /im

F LG &hilosophical

at /is o9n right hand8 4oes this constitute the

divinity of =esus?

8)hou madest him N=esusW a little lo9er than

angels ! thou cro9nedst him 9ith glory8 If /e is



inferior to angels is /e 1od ?

8+or if by one man;s oCence death reigneth:

much more they 9ho receive of the abundance of

grace: and of the gift of righteousness: shall reign

in life by one =esus 6hrist8 0lmost man and never

1od: except in a single passage contested by (ras-

mus: 1rotius: .e 6lerc: etc

86hildren of 1od: and joint heirs 9ith =esus

6hrist8 Is not this constantly regarding =esus as

one of us: although superior by the grace of 1od?

8)o 1od: alone 9ise: honor and glory: through =esus

6hrist8 /o9 are 9e to understand these passages

literally: 9ithout fearing to oCend =esus 6hrist ! or:

in a more extended sense: 9ithout the risk of oCend-

ing 1od the +ather?

)here are many more passages of this kind:

9hich exercise the sagacity of the learned )he

commentators diCer: and 9e pretend not to possess

any light 9hich can remove the obscurity ,e sub-

mit 9ith heart and mouth to the decision of the

6hurch ,e have also taken some trouble to pene^

trate into the meaning of the follo9ing passages <



8+or circumcision verily pro%teth: if thou keepest

the la9! but if thou be a breaker of the la9: thy

circumcision is made uncircumcision8 85o9 9e

kno9: that 9hatever the la9 saith: it saith to then>

4ictionary FLF

9ho are under the la9! that every mouth may be

stopped: and all the 9orld may become guilty before

1od )herefore: by the deeds of the la9 shall no

Qesh be justi%ed ! for by the la9 is the kno9ledge of

sin $eeing that it is one 1od 9hich shall

justify the circumcision by faith: and uncircumcision

through faith 4o 9e then make void the la9:

through faith? 1od forbid! yea: 9e establish the

la98 8+or if 0braham 9as justi%ed by his 9orks:

he hath 9hereof to glory ! but not before 1od8

,e fear that even the ingenuous and profound

4om 6almet himself gives us not: upon these some-

9hat obscure passages: a light 9hich dissipates all

our darkness It is 9ithout doubt our o9n fault



that 9e do not understand the commentators: and

are deprived of that complete conception of the text:

9hich is given only to privileged souls 0s soon:

ho9ever: as an explanation shall come from the

chair of truth: 9e shall comprehend the 9hole per-

fectly

$(6)IO5 III

.et us add this little supplement to the article

8&aul8 It is better to edify ourselves 9ith the

(pistles of this apostle: than to 9eaken our piety

by calumniating the times and persons for 9hich

they 9ere 9ritten )he learned search in vain for

the year and the day in 9hich $t &aul assisted to

stone $t $tephen: and to guard the mantles of his

executioners

)hey dispute on the year in 9hich he 9as thro9n

FLJ &hilosophical

from his horse by a miraculous light at noonday:

and on the epoch of his being borne a9ay into the



third heaven )hey can agree neither upon the year

in 9hich he 9as conducted to 'ome: nor that in

9hich he died )hey are unacKuainted 9ith the date

of any of his letters $t =erome: in his commentary

on the 8(pistle to &hilemon8 says that &aul might

signify the embouchure of a Qute

)he letters of $t &aul to $eneca: and from $en-

eca to $t &aul: 9ere accounted as authentic in the

primitive ages of the 6hurch: as all the rest of the

6hristian 9ritings $t =erome asserts their authen-

ticity: and Kuotes passages from these letters in his

catalogue $t 0ugustine doubts them not in his

F L"d letter to acedonius ,e have thirty letters

of these t9o great men: &aul and $eneca: 9ho: it

is pretended: 9ere linked together by a strict friend-

ship in the court of 5ero )he seventh letter from

&aul to $eneca is very curious /e tells him that

the =e9s and the 6hristians 9ere often burned as

incendiaries at 'ome <

86hristian* et =udcei tanKuam machinatores in-

cendii supplicio aMci solent8 It is in fact probable:

that the =e9s and the 6hristians: 9hose mutual en-

mity 9as extremely violent: reciprocally accused

each other of setting the city on %re! and that the



scorn and horror felt to9ards the =e9s: 9ith 9hom

the 6hristians 9ere usually confounded: rendered

them eKually the objects of public suspicion and

vengeance

4ictionary F L"

,e are obliged to ackno9ledge: that the epistol-

ary correspondence of $eneca and &aul is in a ridic-

ulous and barbarous .atin! that the subjects of

these letters are as inconsistent as the style! and

that at present they are regarded as forgeries 7ut:

then: may 9e venture to contradict the testimony of

$t =erome and $t 0ugustine ? If 9ritings: attested

by them: are nothing but vile impostures: ho9 shall

9e be certain of the authenticity of others more re-

spectable? $uch is the important objection of many

learned persons If 9e are un9orthily deceived:

say they: in relation to the letters of &aul and $eneca

on the 0postolical Institutes: and the 0cts of $t

&eter: 9hy may 9e not be eKually imposed upon

by the 0cts of the 0postles? )he decision of the

6hurch and faith are uneKuivocal ans9ers to all

these researches of science and suggestions of the



understanding

It is not kno9n upon 9hat foundation 0bdias:

%rst bishop of 7abylon: says: in his 8/istory of the

0postles:8 that $t &aul caused $t =ames the .ess

to be stoned by the people 7efore he 9as con-

verted: ho9ever: he might as readily persecute $t

=ames as $t $tephen /e 9as certainly very vio-

lent: because it is said in the 0cts of the 0postles:

that he 8breathed threatenings and slaughter8 0b-

dias has also taken care to observe: that the mover of

the sedition in 9hich $t =ames 9as so cruelly

treated: 9as the same &aul 9hom 1od had since

called to the apostleship

F L &hilosophical

)his book: attributed to 0bdias: is not admitted

into the canon ! but =ulius 0f ricanus: 9ho has trans-

lated it into .atin: believes it to be authentic $ince:

ho9ever: the church has not admitted it: 9e must

not admit it .et us content ourselves 9ith adoring

&rovidence: and 9ishing that all persecutors 9ere

transformed into charitable and compassionate apos-



tles

&('$(6)IO5

I ,I.. not call 4iocletian a persecutor: for he

protected the 6hristians for eighteen years! and if:

during his latter days: he did not save them from

the resentment of 1alerius: he only furnished the

example of a prince seduced: like many others: by

intrigue and cabal: into a conduct un9orthy of his

character I 9ill still less give the name of perse-

cutor to )rajan or 0ntoninus I should regard my-

self as uttering blasphemy

,hat is a persecutor ? /e 9hose 9ounded pride

and fanaticism irritate princes and magistrates into

fury against innocent men: 9hose only crime is that

of being of a diCerent opinion Impudent man S you

have 9orshipped 1od ! you have preached and prac-

tised virtue! you have served and assisted man!

you have protected the orphan: have succored the

poor! you have changed deserts: in 9hich slaves

dragged on a miserable existence: into fertile dis-

tricts peopled 9ith happy families! but I have dis-

covered that you despise me: and have never read



4ictionary FLL

my controversial 9ork I 9ill: therefore: seek the

confessor of the prime minister: or the magistrate!

I 9ill sho9 them: 9ith outstretched neck and

t9isted mouth: that you hold an erroneous opinion

in relation to the cells in 9hich the $eptuagint 9as

studied! that you have even spoken disrespectfully

for these ten years past of )obit;s dog: 9hich you

assert to have been a spaniel: 9hilst I maintain that

it 9as a greyhound I 9ill denounce you as the

enemy of 1od and manS $uch is the language of

the persecutor! and if these 9ords do not precisely

issue from his lips: they are engraven on his heart

9ith the graver of fanaticism steeped in the gall of

envy

It 9as thus that the =esuit .etellier dared to

persecute 6ardinal de 5oailles: and that =urieu per-

secuted 7ayle ,hen the persecution of the &rotest-

ants commenced in +rance: it 9as not +rancis I:

nor /enry II: nor +rancis II: 9ho sought out these

unfortunate people: 9ho hardened themselves

against them 9ith reQective bitterness: and 9ho de-



livered them to the Qames in the spirit of vengeance

+rancis I 9as too much engaged 9ith the 4uchess

d;%tampes ! /enry II: 9ith his ancient 4iana: and

+rancis II 9as too much a child ,ho: then:

commenced these persecutions? =ealous priests:

9ho enlisted in their service the prejudices of magis-

trates and the policy of ministers

If these monarchs had not been deceived: if they

had foreseen that these persecutions 9ould produce

FLH &hilosophical

half a century of civil 9ar: and that the t9o parts of

the nation 9ould mutually exterminate each other:

they 9ould have extinguished 9ith their tears the

%rst piles 9hich they allo9ed to be lighted Oh:

1od of mercyS if any man can resemble that ma-

lignant being 9ho is described as actually employed

in the destruction of our 9orks: is it not the perse-

cutor ?

&()(' N$0I5)W



,/ have the successors of $t &eter possessed

so much po9er in the ,est and none in the (ast?

)his is just the same as to ask 9hy the bishops of

,iir@burg and $al@burg obtained for themselves

regal prerogatives in a period of anarchy: 9hile the

1reek bishops al9ays remained subjects )ime: op-

portunity: the ambition of some: and the 9eakness

of others: have done and 9ill do everything in the

9orld ,e al9ays except 9hat relates to religion

)o this anarchy: must be added opinion ! and opin-

ion is the Kueen of mankind 5ot that: in fact: they

have any very clear and de%nite opinion of their

o9n: but 9ords ans9er the same end 9ith them

8I 9ill give unto thee the keys of the kingdom

of heaven8 )he @ealous partisans of the bishop of

'ome contended: about the eleventh century: that

9hoever gives the greater gives the less ! that heaven

surrounded the earth! and that: as &eter had the

keys of the container: he had also the keys of 9hat

9as contained If by heaven 9e understand all the

4ictionary FLP



stars and planets: it is evident: according to )omas-

ius: that the keys given to $imon 7arjonas: sur-

named &eter: 9ere a universal passport If 9e

understand by heaven the clouds: the atmosphere:

the ether: and the space in 9hich the planets revolve:

no smith in the 9orld: as eursius observes: could

ever make a key for such gates as these 'ailleries:

ho9ever: are not reasons

3eys in &alestine 9ere 9ooden latches 9ith

strings to them =esus says to 7arjonas: 8,hatso-

ever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in

heaven8 )he pope;s clergy concluded from these

9ords: that the popes had received authority to bind

and unbind the people;s oath of %delity to their

kings: and to dispose of kingdoms at their pleasure

)his certainly 9as concluding magni%cently )he

6ommons in the states-general of +rance: in F"GJ:

say: in their memorial to the king: that 87oniface

2III 9as a b for believing that 1od bound and

imprisoned in heaven 9hat 7oniface bound on

earth8 0 famous 1erman .utheran the great

elancthon could not endure the idea of =esus

having said to $imon 7arjonas: 6epha or 6ephas:

8)hou art &eter: and upon this rock 9ill I build my

assembly: my church8 /e could not conceive that



1od 9ould use such a play of 9ords: and that the

po9er of the pope could have been established on a

pun $uch a doubt: ho9ever: can be indulged only

by a &rotestant

&eter has been considered as having been bishop

FLR &hilosophical

of 'ome ! but it is 9ell kno9n that: in the apostolic

age: and long after: there 9as no particular and ap-

propriate bishopric )he society of 6hristians did

not assume a regular form until about the middle of

the second century It may be true that &eter 9ent

to 'ome: and even that he 9as cruci%ed 9ith his

head do9n9ards: although that 9as not the usual

mode of cruci%xion ! but 9e have no proof 9hatever

of all this ,e have a letter under his name: in

9hich he says that he is at 7abylon< acute and

shre9d canonists have contended that: by 7abylon:

9e ought to understand 'ome! and on the same

principle: if he had dated at 'ome: 9e might have

concluded that the letter had been 9ritten at 7aby-

lon en have long been in the habit of dra9ing



such reasonable and judicious inferences as these!

and it is in this manner that the 9orld has been

governed

)here 9as once a clergyman 9ho: after having

been made to pay extortionately for a bene%ce at

'ome an oCence kno9n by the name of simony

happened to be asked: some time after9ards: 9hether

he thought $imon &eter had ever been in that city ?

/e replied: 8I do not think that &eter 9as ever

there: but I am sure $imon 9as8

,ith respect to the personal character and be-

havior of $t &eter: it must be ackno9ledged that

&aul is not the only one 9ho 9as scandali@ed at his

conduct /e 9as often 89ithstood to the face:8

as 9ell as his successors $t &aul vehemently re-

4ictionary FL#

preached him 9ith eating forbidden meats < that is:

pork: blood-pudding: hare: eels: the ixion: and the

griMn ! &eter vindicated himself by saying that he

had seen heaven opened about the sixth hour: and



as it 9ere a great sheet descending from the four

corners of it: 9hich 9as %lled 9ith creeping things:

Kuadrupeds: and birds: 9hile the voice of an angel

called out to him: saying: 83ill and eat8 )his: says

,oolston: seems to have been the same voice 9hich

has called out to so many pontiCs since: 83ill every-

thing! eat up the substance of the people8 7ut

this reproach is much too strong

6asaubon cannot by any means bring himself to

approve the manner in 9hich $t &eter treated 0na-

nias and $apphira: his 9ife 87y 9hat right:8 says

6asaubon: 8did a =e9 slave of the 'omans order or

permit that all those 9ho believed in =esus should

sell their inheritance: and lay do9n the price paid for

it at his feet ?8 If an 0nabaptist at .ondon 9as to

order all the money belonging to his brethren to be

brought and laid at his feet: 9ould he not be appre-

hended as a seditious seducer: as a thief 9ho 9ould

certainly be hanged at )yburn? ,as it not abom-

ir:able to kill 0nanias: because: after having sold his

pVoperty and delivered over the bulk of the produce

to &eter: he had retained for himself and his 9ife

a fe9 cro9ns for any case of necessity: 9ithout

mentioning it? $carcely: moreover: has 0nanias

expired: before his 9ife arrives &eter: instead of



9arning her charitably that he had just destroyed

F HG &hilosophical

her husband by apoplexy for having kept back a fe9

oboli: and cautioning her therefore to look 9ell to

herself: leads her as it 9ere intentionally into the

snare /e asks her if her husband has given all his

money to the saints ! the poor 9oman replies in the

aMrmative: and dies instantly )his is certainly

rather severe

6orringius asks: 9hy &eter: 9ho thus killed the

persons that had given him alms and sho9ed him

kindness: did not rather go and destroy all the

learned doctors 9ho had brought =esus 6hrist to the

cross: and 9ho more than once brought a scourging

on himself 8Oh: &eter S8 says 6orringius: 8you put

to death t9o 6hristians 9ho besto9ed alms on you:

and at the same time suCer those to live 9ho cruci-

%ed your 1od S8

In the reigns of /enry I2: and .ouis EIII : 9e

had an advocate-general of the parliament of &ro-



vence: a man of Kuality: called d;Oraison de )orame:

9ho: in a book respecting the church militant: dedi-

cated to /enry I2: has appropriated a 9hole chap-

ter to the sentences pronounced by $t &eter in crim-

inal causes /e says: that the sentence pronounced

by &eter on 0nanias and $apphira 9as executed by

1od /imself: 8in the very terms and forms of spiri-

tual jurisdiction8 /is 9hole book is in the same

strain ! but 6orringius: as 9e perceive: is of a diCer-

ent opinion from that of our sagacious and liberal

provincial advocate It is pretty evident that 6or-

4ictionary F H F

ringius 9as not in the country of the InKuisition

9hen he published his bold remarks

(rasmus: in relation to $t &eter: remarked a

some9hat curious circumstance: 9hich is: that the

chief of the 6hristian religion began his apostleship

9ith denying =esus 6hrist: and that the %rst pontiC

of the =e9s commenced his ministry by making a

golden calf and 9orshipping it



/o9ever that may be: &eter is described as a

poor man instructing the poor /e resembles those

founders of orders 9ho lived in indigence: and

9hose successors have become great lords and even

princes

)he pope: the successor of &eter: has sometimes

gained and sometimes lost ! but there are still about

%fty millions of persons in the 9orld submitting in

many points to his la9s: besides his o9n immediate

subjects

)o obtain a master three or four hundred leagues

from home ! to suspend your o9n opinion and 9ait

for 9hat he puts forth as his ! not to dare to give

a %nal decision on a cause relating to certain of

our fello9-citi@ens: but through commissioners ap-

pointed by this stranger ! not to dare to take posses-

sion of certain %elds and vineyards granted by our

o9n sovereign: 9ithout paying a considerable sum

to this foreign master! to violate the la9s of our

country: 9hich prohibit a man;s marriage 9ith his

niece: and marry her legitimately by giving this for-

eign master a sum still more consideiable than the

2ol FJ II



F H J &hil osophical

former one! not to dare to cultivate one;s %eld on

the day this stranger is inclined to celebrate the

memory of some unkno9n person 9hom he has

chosen to introduce into heaven by his o9n sole au-

thority! such are a part only of the conveniences

and comforts of admitting the jurisdiction of a pope !

such: if 9e may believe arsais: are the liberties of

the 1allican 6hurch

)here are some other nations that carry their sub-

mission further ,e have: in our o9n time: actually

kno9n a sovereign reKuest permission of the pope

to try in his o9n courts certain monks accused of

parricide: and able neither to obtain this permission

nor to venture on such trial 9ithout it S

It is 9ell kno9n that: formerly: the po9er of the

popes extended further )hey 9ere far above the

gods of antiKuity! for the latter 9ere merely sup-

posed to dispose of empires: but the popes disposed

of them in fact $turbinus says: that 9e may par-



don those 9ho entertain doubts of the divinity and

infallibility of the pope: 9hen 9e reQect < that forty

schisms have profaned the chair of $t &eter: t9enty-

seven of 9hich have been marked by blood! that

$tephen 2II: the son of a priest: disinterred the

corpse of +ormosus: his predecessor: and had the

head of it cut oC! that $ergius III: convicted of

assassinations: had a son by aro@ia: 9ho inherited

the popedom ! that =ohn E: the paramour of )heo-

dora: 9as strangled in her bed ! that =ohn EI: son

of $ergius III: 9as kno9n only by his gross in-

4ictionary FH"

temperance ! that =ohn EII 9as assassinated in the

apartments of his mistress ! that 7enedict IE both

bought and sold the ponti%cate ! that 1regory 2II

9as the author of %ve hundred years of civil 9ar:

carried on by his successors ! that: %nally: among so

many ambitious: sanguinary: and debauched popes:

there 9as an 0lexander 2I: 9hose name is pro-

nounced 9ith the same horror as those of 5ero and

6aligula



It is: 9e are told: a proof of the divinity of their

character: that it has subsisted in connection 9ith

so many crimes ! but according to this: if the caliphs

had displayed still more atrocious and abominable

conduct: they 9ould have been still more divine

)his argument: inferring their divinity from their

9ickedness: is urged by 4ermius /e has been

properly ans9ered ! but the best reply is to be found

in the mitigated authority 9hich the bishops of

'ome at present exercise 9ith discretion! in the

long possession 9hich the emperors permit them to

enjoy: because in fact they are unable to deprive

them of it! and in the system of the balance of

po9er: 9hich is 9atched 9ith jealousy by every

court in (urope

It has been contended: and very lately: that there

are only t9o nations 9hich could invade Italy and

crush 'ome )hese are the )urks and 'ussians!

but they are necessarily enemies! and: besides: I

cannot distinctly anticipate misfortunes so distant

=e ne sais point prcvoir les malheurs de si loin

'06I5(: 0ndromache: act i: scene J



F H &hilosophical

&()(' )/( 1'(0) 054 = = 'O$$(0

8)/( 6@ar &eter had not true genius

that 9hich creates and makes all of nothing $ome

things 9hich he did 9ere good! the greater part

9ere misplaced /e sa9 that his people 9ere bar-

barous! he has not seen that they 9ere not pre-

pared for polishing! he 9ould civili@e them 9hen

they only 9anted training /e 9ished at once to

make 1ermans and (nglish 9hen he should have

commenced by making 'ussians /e prevented his

subjects from becoming 9hat they might be: by

persuading them that they 9ere 9hat they are not

It is thus that a +rench preceptor forms his pupil to

shine for a moment in his childhood: and never

after9ards to be anything )he empire of 'ussia

9ould subjugate (urope: and 9ill be subjugated it-

self )he )artars: its subjects or neighbors: 9ill

become its masters and ours )his revolution ap-

pears to me unavoidable< all the kings of (urope

labor together to accelerate it8 N6ontrat $ocial:

livre ii chap: viiiW )hese 9ords are extracted from



trouble (urope =ean =acKues: 9ho possesses: as he

himself believes: true genius: %nds that &eter the

1reat had it not

0 'ussian lord: a man of much 9it: 9ho some-

times amuses himself 9ith reading pamphlets: 9hile

reading this: remembered some lines of oliere:

implying: that three miserable authors took it into

their heads: that it 9as only necessary to be printed

and bound in calf: to become important personages

and dispose of empires <

semble a trots gredins: dans leur petit cerveau:

Bue pour tre imprimcs et relits en veau:

.es voila dans retat d;importantes personnes:

Bu;avec leur plume s font le destin des couronnes

)he 'ussians: says =ean =acKues: 9ere never

polished I have seen some at least very polite: and

9ho had just: delicate: agreeable: cultivated: and

even logical minds: 9hich =ean =acKues 9ill %nd

very extraordinary 0s he is very gallant: he 9ill

not fail to say: that they are formed at the court of

the empress of 'ussia: that her example has inQu-

enced them < but that prevents not the correctness of



F HH &hilosophical

his prophecy that this empire 9ill soon be de-

stroyed

)his good little man assures us: in one of his

modest 9orks: that a statue should be erected to him

It 9ill not probably be either at osco9 or $t

&etersburg: that anyone 9ill trouble himself to

sculpture =ean =acKues

I 9ish: in general: that 9hen people judge of

nations from their garrets: they 9ould be more

honest and circumspect (very poor devil can say

9hat he pleases of the 'omans: 0thenians: and an-

cient &ersians /e can deceive himself 9ith im-

punity on the tribunes: comitia: and dictatorships

/e can govern in idea t9o or three thousand leagues

of country: 9hilst he is incapable of governing his

servant girl In a romance: he can receive 8an acrid

kiss8 from his =ulia: and advise a prince to espouse

the daughter of a hangman )hese are follies 9ith-

out conseKuence there are others 9hich may have

disastrous eCects



6ourt fools 9ere very discreet ! they insulted the

9eak alone by their buCooneries: and respected the

po9erful < country fools are at present more bold

It 9ill be ans9ered: that 4iogenes and 0retin 9ere

tolerated 1ranted! but a Qy one day seeing a

s9allo9 9ing a9ay 9ith a spider;s 9eb: 9ould do

the same thing: and 9as taken

$(6)IO5 II

ay 9e not say of these legislators 9ho govern

the universe at t9o sous the sheet: and 9ho from

4ictionary FHP

their garrets give orders to all kings: 9hat /omer

said to 6alchas?<

Os ede ta conta: taere essomena: pro theonta

/e kne9 the past: present: and future

It is a pity that the author of the little paragraph

9hich 9e are going to Kuote: kne9 nothing of the



three times of 9hich /omer speaks 8&eter the

1reat:8 says he: 8had not the genius 9hich makes

all of nothing8 )ruly: =ean =acKues: I can easily

believe it ! for it is said that 1od alone has this pre-

rogative 8/e has not seen that his people 9ere not

prepared for polishing8

In this case: it 9as admirable of the c@ar to pre-

pare them It appears to me: that it is =ean =acKues

9ho had not seen that he must make use of the

1ermans and (nglish to form 'ussians

8/e has prevented his subjects from ever be-

coming 9hat they might be:8 etc et these same

'ussians have become the conKuerors of the )urks

and )artars: the conKuerors and legislators of the

6rimea: and t9enty diCerent nations )heir sov-

ereign has given la9s to nations of 9hich even the

names 9ere unkno9n in (urope

0s to the prophecy of =ean =acKues: he may have

exalted his soul suMciently to read the future /e

has all the reKuisites of a prophet ! but as to the past

and the present: it must be confessed that he kno9s

nothing about them I doubt 9hether antiKuity has

anything comparable to the boldness of sending four



sKuadrons from the extremity of the 7altic into

F HR &hilosophical

the seas of 1reece of reigning at once over the

^(gean and the (uxine $eas of carrying terror into

6olchis: and to the 4ardanelles of subjugating

)aurida: and forcing the vi@ier 0@em to Qy from

the shores of the 4anube to the gates of 0drianople

If =ean =acKues considers so many great actions

9hich astonished the attentive 9orld as nothing: he

must at least confess: that there 9as some generosity

in one 6ount OrloC: 9ho having taken a vessel

9hich contained all the family and treasures of a

pasha: sent him back both his family and treasures

If the 'ussians 9ere not prepared for polishing in

the time of &eter the 1reat: let us agree that they

are no9 prepared for greatness of soul! and that

=ean =acKues is not Kuite prepared for truth and

reasoning ,ith regard to the future: 9e shall

kno9 it 9hen 9e have (@ekiels: Isaiahs: /abakkuks:

and icahs ! but their time has passed a9ay ! and if

9e dare say so much: it is to be feared that it 9ill



never return

I confess that these lies: printed in relation to

present times: al9ays astonish me If these liberties

are allo9ed in an age in 9hich a thousand volumes:

a thousand ne9spapers and journals: are constantly

correcting each other: 9hat faith can 9e have in

those histories of ancient times: 9hich collected all

vague rumors 9ithout consulting any archives:

9hich put into 9riting all that they had heard told

by their grandmothers in their childhood: very sure

that no critic 9ould discover their errors?

4ictionary FH#

,e had for a long time nine muses < 9holesome

6riticism is the tenth: 9hich has appeared very lately

$he existed not in the time of 6ecrops: of the %rst

7acchus: or of $anchoniathon: )haut: 7ramah: etc

&eople then 9rote all they liked 9ith impunity 0t

present 9e must be a little more careful

&/I.O$O&/('



$(6)IO5 I

&/I.O$O&/(': 8lover of 9isdom:8 that is: 8of

truth8 0ll philosophers have possessed this t9o-

fold character ! there is not one among those of an-

tiKuity 9ho did not give examples of virtue to man-

kind: and lessons of moral truth )hey might be

mistaken: and undoubtedly 9ere so: on subjects of

natural philosophy! but that is of comparatively so

little importance to the conduct of life: that philos-

ophers had then no need of it 0ges 9ere reKuired

to discover a part of the la9s of nature 0 single

day is suMcient to enable a sage to become ac-

Kuainted 9ith the duties of man

)he philosopher is no enthusiast ! he does not set

himself up for a prophet ! he does not represent

himself as inspired by the gods I shall not there-

fore place in the rank of philosophers the ancient

Doroaster: or /ermes: or Orpheus: or any of those

legislators in 9hom the countries of 6haldsea: &ersia:

$yria: (gypt: and 1reece made their boast )hose

9ho called themselves the sons of gods 9ere the



FPG &hilosophical

fathers of imposture! and if they employed false-

hood to inculcate truths: they 9ere un9orthy of in-

culcating them! they 9ere not philosophers! they

9ere at best only prudent liars

7y 9hat fatality: disgraceful perhaps to the na-

tions of the ,est: has it happened that 9e are obliged

to travel to the extremity of the (ast: in order to

%nd a sage of simple manners and character: 9ith-

out arrogance and 9ithout imposture: 9ho taught

men ho9 to live happy six hundred years before our

era: at a period 9hen the 9hole of the 5orth 9as

ignorant of the use of letters: and 9hen the 1reeks

had scarcely begun to distinguish themselves by 9is-

dom? )hat sage is 6onfucius: 9ho deemed too

highly of his character as a legislator for mankind:

to stoop to deceive them ,hat %ner rule of con-

duct has ever been given since his time: throughout

the earth?

8'ule a state as you rule a family ! a man cannot

govern his family 9ell 9ithout giving a good ex-



- ample ! virtue should be common to the laborer and

the monarch ! be active in preventing crimes: that

you may lessen the trouble of punishing them

8nder the good kings ao and Eu: the 6hinese

9ere good ! under the bad kings 3ie and 6hu: they

9ere 9icked

84o to another as to thyself! love mankind in

general: but cherish those 9ho are good! forget

injuries: but never bene%ts8

I have seen men incapable of the sciences: but

4ictionary FPF

never any incapable of virtue .et us ackno9ledge

that no legislator ever announced to the 9orld more

useful truths

0 multitude of 1reek philosophers taught after-

9ards a morality eKually pure /ad they distin-



guished themselves only by their vain systems of

natural philosophy: their names 9ould be mentioned

at the present day only in derision If they are still

respected: it is because they 9ere just: and because

they taught mankind to be so

It is impossible to read certain passages of &lato:

and particularly the admirable exordium of the la9s

of Daleucus: 9ithout experiencing an ardent love of

honorable and generous actions )he 'omans have

their 6icero 9ho alone is perhaps more valuable than

all the philosophers of 1reece 0fter him come men

more respectable still: but 9hom 9e may almost de-

spair of imitating! these are (pictetus in slavery:

and the 0ntonines and =ulian upon a throne

,here is the citi@en to be found among us 9ho

9ould deprive himself: like =ulian: 0ntoninus: and

arcus 0urelius: of all the re%ned accommodations

of our delicate and luxurious modes of living? ,ho

9ould: like them: sleep on the bare ground? ,ho

9ould restrict himself to their frugal habits ? ,ho

9ould: like them: march bareheaded and barefooted

at the head of the armies: exposed sometimes to

the burning sun: and at other times to the free@ing

blast ? ,ho 9ould: like them: keep perfect mastery



that 1assendi should have been often compelled to

retire to 4igne: far distant from the calumnies of

&aris: are events that load a nation 9ith eternal

opprobrium

One of the philosophers 9ho 9ere most perse-

cuted: 9as the immortal 7ayle: the honor of human

nature I shall be told that the name of =urieu: his

slanderer and persecutor: is become execrable ! I

ackno9ledge that it is so ! that of the =esuit .etel-

lier is become so like9ise! but is it the less true

that the great men 9hom he oppressed ended their

days in exile and penury?

4ictionary FP"

One of the pretexts made use of for reducing

7ayle to poverty: 9as his article on 4avid: in his

valuable dictionary /e 9as reproached 9ith not

praising actions 9hich 9ere in themselves unjust:

sanguinary: atrocious: contrary to good faith: or

grossly oCensive to decency

7ayle certainly has not praised 4avid for having:



according to the /ebre9 historian: collected six

hundred vagabonds over9helmed 9ith debts and

crimes! for having pillaged his countrymen at the

head of these banditti! for having resolved to de-

stroy 5abal and his 9hole family: because he re-

fused paying contributions to him ! for having hired

out his services to 3ing 0chish: the enemy of his

country! for having after9ards betrayed 0chish:

not9ithstanding his kindness to him! for having

sacked the villages in alliance 9ith that king! for

having massacred in these villages every human be-

ing: including even infants at the breast: that no one

might be found on a future day to give testimony

of his depredations: as if an infant could have pos-

sibly disclosed his villainy ! for having destroyed all

the inhabitants of some other villages under sa9s:

and harro9s: and axes: and in brick-kilns ! for hav-

ing 9rested the throne from Ishbosheth: the son of

$aul: by an act of per%dy ! for having despoiled of

his property and after9ards put to death ephibo-

sheth: the grandson of $aul: and son of his o9n pe-

culiar friend and generous protector: =onathan! or

for having delivered up to the 1ibeonites t9o other



F P &hilosophical

sons of $aul: and %ve of his grandsons 9ho perished

by the gallo9s

I do not notice the extreme incontinence of 4avid:

his numerous concubines: his adultery 9ith 7ath-

sheba: or his murder of riah

,hat thenS is it possible that the enemies of

7ayle should have expected or 9ished him to eulo-

gi@e all these cruelties and crimes? Ought he to

have said < 1o: ye princes of the earth: and imitate

the man after 1od;s o9n heart! massacre 9ithout

pity the allies of your benefactor ! destroy or deliver

over to destruction the 9hole family of your king!

appropriate to your o9n pleasures all the 9omen:

9hile you are pouring out the blood of the men!

and you 9ill thus exhibit models of human virtue:

especially if: in addition to all the rest: you do but

compose a book of psalms ?

,as not 7ayle perfectly correct in his observa-

tion: that if 4avid 9as the man after 1od;s o9n

heart: it must have been by his penitence: and not

by his crimes? 4id not 7ayle perform a service to



the learned 2an 4ale;s 8)reatise on Oracles:8 in

9hich he had taken particular care to retrench and

modify the original 9ork: so as to give no unneces-

sary oCence to fanaticism 0 =esuit had 9ritten

against +ontenelle: and he had not deigned to make

him any reply ! and that 9as enough to induce the

=esuit .etellier: confessor to .ouis EI2: to accuse

+ontenelle to the king of atheism

7ut for the fortunate mediation of d;0rgen-

son: the son of a forging solicitor of 2ire a son

9orthy of such a father: as he 9as detected in forg-

ery himself 9ould have proscribed: in his old age:

the nephe9 of the great 6orneille

It is so easy for a confessor to seduce his penitent:

that 9e ought to bless 1od that .etellier did no

more harm than is justly imputed to him )here are

t9o situations in 9hich seduction and calumny can-

not easily be resisted the bed and the confessional

,e have al9ays seen philosophers persecuted by

fanatics 7ut can it be really possible: that men of

letters should be seen mixed up in a business so



FPH &hilosophical

odious! and that they should often be o2 served

sharpening the 9eapons against their brethren: by

9hich they are themselves almost universally de-

stroyed or 9ounded in their turn nhappy men of

letters: does it become you to turn informers? 4id

the 'omans ever %nd a 1arasse: a 6haumieux: or a

/ayet: to accuse a .ucretius: a &osidonius: a 2arro:

or a &liny?

/o9 inexpressible is the meanness of being a

hypocrite S ho9 horrible is it to be a mischievous and

malignant hypocriteS )here 9ere no hypocrites in

ancient 'ome: 9hich reckoned us a small portion

of its innumerable subjects )here 9ere impostors:

I admit: but not religious hypocrites: 9hich are the

most proQigate and cruel species of all ,hy is it

that 9e see none such in (ngland: and 9hence does

it arise that there still are such in +rance? &hilos-

ophers: you 9ill solve this problem 9ith ease

$(6)IO5 II

)his brilliant and beautiful name has been some-



times honored: and sometimes disgraced! like that

of poet: mathematician: monk: priest: and everything

dependent on opinion 4omitian banished the phi-

losophers: and .ucian derided them 7ut 9hat sort

of philosophers and mathematicians 9ere they

9hom the monster 4omitian exiled? )hey 9ere

jugglers 9ith their cups and balls ! the calculators of

horoscopes: fortune-tellers: miserable peddling =e9s:

9ho composed philtres and talismans! gentry 9ho

4ictionary FPP

had special and sovereign po9er over evil spirits:

9ho evoked them from their infernal habitations:

made them take possession of the bodies of men and

9omen by certain 9ords or signs: and dislodged

them by other 9ords or signs

0nd 9hat 9ere the philosophers that .ucian held

up to public ridicule? )hey 9ere the dregs of the

human race )hey 9ere a set of proQigate beggars

incapable of applying to any useful profession or oc-

cupation! men perfectly resembling the 8&oor

4evil:8 9ho has been described to us 9ith so much



0 victorious empress: at 9hose name the Otto-

mans tremble: and 9ho so gloriously rules an em-

pire more extensive than that of 'ome: 9ould never

have been a great legistratrix: had she not been a

philosopher (very northern prince is so: and the

5orth puts the $outh to absolute shame If the con-

federates of &oland had only a very small share of

philosophy: they 9ould not expose their country:

their estates: and their houses: to pillage ! they 9ould

not drench their territory in blood ! they 9ould not

obstinately and 9antonly reduce themselves to being

the most miserable of mankind! they 9ould listen

to the voice of their philosophic king: 9ho has given

so many noble proofs and so many admirable lessons

of moderation and prudence in vain

)he great =ulian 9as a philosopher 9hen he

9rote to his ministers and pontiCs his exKuisite let-

ters abounding in clemency and 9isdom: 9hich all

men of judgment and feeling highly admire: even

at the present day: ho9ever sincerely they may con-

demn his errors

6onstantine 9as not a philosopher 9hen he assas-

sinated his relations: his son and his 9ife: and 9hen:



reeking 9ith the blood of his family: he s9ore that

1od had sent to him the 8.abarum8 in the clouds

It is a long bound that carries us from 6onstantine

to 6harles IE: and /enry III: kings of one of the

%fty great provinces of the 'oman (mpire 7ut if

these kings had been philosophers: one 9ould not

have been guilty of the massacre of $t 7artholo-

4ictionary FP#

me9: and the other 9ould not have made scandalous

processions: nor have been reduced to the necessity

of assassinating the duke of 1uise and the cardinal:

his brother: and at length have been assassinated

himself by a young =acobin: for the love of 1od and

of the holy church

If .ouis the =ust: the thirteenth monarch of that

name: had been a philosopher: he 9ould not have

permitted the virtuous de )hou and the innocent

arshal de arillac to have been dragged to the

scaCold ! he 9ould not have suCered his mother to

perish 9ith hunger at 6ologne ! and his reign 9ould

not have been an uninterrupted succession of intes-



tine discords and calamities

6ompare 9ith those princes: thus ignorant: super-

stitious: cruel: and enslaved by their o9n passions

or those of their ministers: such a man as ontaigne:

or 6harron: or the 6hancellor de F;/opital: or the

historian de )hou: or la othe .e 2ayer: or a

.ocke: a $haftesbury: a $idney: or a /erbert ! and

say 9hether you 9ould rather be governed by those

sovereigns or by these sages

,hen I speak of philosophers I do not mean

the coarse and brutal cynics 9ho appear desirous of

being apes of 4iogenes: but the men 9ho imitate

&lato and 6icero 0s for you: voluptuous courtiers:

and you also: men of petty minds: invested 9ith a

petty employment 9hich confers on you a petty au-

thority in a petty country: 9ho uniformly exclaim

against and abuse philosophy: proceed as long as

F RG &hilosophical

you please 9ith your invective railing I consider

you as the 5omentanuses inveighing against /or-



ace ! and the 6otins attempting to cry do9n 7oileau

$(6)IO5 III

)he stiC .utheran: the savage 6alvinist: the

proud 0nglican high churchman: the fanatical =an-

senist: the =esuit al9ays aiming at dominion: even

in exile and at the very gallo9s: the $orbonnist 9ho

deems himself one of the fathers of a council ! these:

and some imbecile beings under their respective

guidance: inveigh incessantly and bitterly against

philosophy )hey are all diCerent species of the

canine race: snarling and ho9ling in their peculiar

9ays against a beautiful horse that is pasturing in

a verdant meado9: and 9ho never enters into con-

test 9ith them about any of the carrion carcasses

upon 9hich they feed: and for 9hich they are per-

petually %ghting 9ith one another

)hey every day produce from the press their

trash of philosophic theology: their philosophico-

theological dictionaries! their old and battered ar-

guments: as common as the streets: 9hich they de-

nominate 8demonstrations8 ! and their ten thousand

tines repeated and ridiculous assertions 9hich they

call 8lemmas:8 and 8corollaries8! as false coiners



cover a lead cro9n 9ith a plating of silver

)hey perceive that they are despised by all per-

sons of reQection: and that they can no longer de-

ceive any but a fe9 9eak old 9omen )his state

I

4ictionary F R F

is far more humiliating and mortifying than even

being expelled from +rance and $pain and 5aples

(verything can be supported except contempt ,e

are told that 9hen the devil 9as conKuered by 'a-

phael as it is clearly proved he 9as that haughty

compound of body and spirit at %rst easily consoled

himself 9ith the idea of the chances of 9ar 7ut

9hen he understood that 'aphael laughed at him:

he roundly s9ore that he 9ould never forgive him

0ccordingly: the =esuits never forgave &ascal ! ac-

cordingly: =erieu 9ent on calumniating 7ayle even

to the grave! and just in the same manner all the



)artuCes: all the hypocrites: in oliere;s time: in-

veighed against that author to his dying day In

their rage they resort to calumnies: as in their folly

they publish arguments

One of the most determined slanderers: as 9ell

as one of the most contemptible reasoners that 9e

have among us: is an ex-=esuit of the name of

&aulian: 9ho published a theologico-philosophical

rhapsody in the city of 0vignon: formerly a papal

city: and perhaps destined to be so again )his

person accuses the authors of the 8(ncyclopaedia8 of

having said<

8)hat as man is by his nature open only to the

pleasures of the senses: these pleasures are conse-

Kuently the sole objects of his desires! that man

in himself has neither vice nor virtue: neither good

nor bad morals: neither justice nor injustice! that

the pleasures of the senses produce all the virtues!

F RJ &hilosophical

that in order to be happy: men must extinguish re-



morse: etc8

In 9hat articles of the 8(ncyclopaedia:8 of 9hich

%ve ne9 editions have lately commenced: are these

horrible propositions to be found? ou are bound

actually to produce them /ave you carried the

insolence of your pride and the madness of your

character to such an extent as to imagine that you

9ill be believed on your bare 9ord? )hese ridicu-

lous absurdities may be found perhaps in the 9orks

of your o9n casuists: or those of the &orter of the

6hartreux: but they are certainly not to be found

in the articles of the 8(ncyclopaedia8 composed by

4iderot: d;0lembert: the chevalier =aucourt:

or de 2oltaire ou have never seen them in the

articles of the 6ount de )ressan: nor in those of

essrs 7londel: 7oucher-d;0rgis: armontel:

2enel: )ronchin: d;0ubenton: d;0rgenville: and

various others: 9ho generously devoted their time

and labors to enrich the 8(ncyclopaedic 4ictionary:8

and thereby conferred an everlasting bene%t on (u-

rope ost assuredly: not one of them is chargeable

9ith the abominations you impute to them Only

yourself: and 0braham 6haumieux: the vinegar

merchant and cruci%ed convulsionary: could be

capable of broaching so infamous a calumny



ou confound error 9ith truth: because you have

not sense suMcient to distinguish bet9een them

ou 9ish to stigmati@e as impious the maxim

4ictionary F R"

adopted by all publicists: 8)hat every man is free

to choose his country8

,hatS you contemptible preacher of slavery:

9as not Bueen 6hristina free to travel to +rance

and reside at 'ome? ,ere not 6asimir and $tan-

islaus authori@ed to end their days in +rance ? ,as

it necessary: because they 9ere &oles: that they

should die in &oland? 4id 1oldoni: 2anloo: and

6assini give oCense to 1od by settling at &aris?

/ave all the Irish: 9ho have established themselves

in fame and fortune in +rance: committed by so

doing a mortal sin?

0nd you have the stupidity to print such ex-

travagance and absurdity as this: and 'iballier has

stupidity enough to approve and sanction you ! and



you range in one and the same class 7ayle: ontes-

Kuieu: and the madman de .a etric! and it may

be added: you have found the +rench nation too

humane and indulgent: not9ithstanding all your

slander and malignity: to deliver you over to any-

thing but scorn S

,hat S do you dare to calumniate your country

if indeed a =esuit can be said to have a country?

4o you dare to assert 8that philosophers alone

in +rance attribute to chance the union and dis-

union of the atoms 9hich constitute the soul of

man?8 8entiris impudentissime S8 I defy you to

produce a single book: published 9ithin the last

thirty years: in 9hich anything at all is attributed

to chance: 9hich is merely a 9ord 9ithout a meaning

F R &hilosophical

4o you dare to accuse the sagacious and judicious

.ocke of having said 8that it is possible the soul

may be a spirit: but that he is not perfectly sure

it is so! and that 9e are unable to decide 9hat

it may be able or unable to acKuire?8



8entiris impudentissime I8 .ocke: the truly

respectable and venerable .ocke: says expressly: in

his ans9er to the cavilling and sophistical $tilling-

Qeet: 8I am strongly persuaded: although it cannot

be sho9n: by mere reason: that the soul is immaterial:

because the veracity of 1od is a demonstration of

the truth of all that /e has revealed: and the absence

of another demonstration can never thro9 any doubt

upon 9hat is already demonstrated8

$ee: moreover: under the article 8$oul:8 ho9

.ocke expresses himself on the bounds of human

kno9ledge: and the immensity of the po9er of the

$upreme 7eing )he great philosopher 7oling-

broke declares that the opinion opposite to .ocke;s

is blasphemy 0ll the fathers: during the %rst three

ages of the church: regarded the soul as a light: at-

tenuated species of matter: but did not the less: in

conseKuence: regard it as immortal 7ut no9: for-

sooth: even your college drudges conseKuentially put

themselves for9ard and denounce as 8atheists8

those 9ho: 9ith the fathers of the 6hristian church:

think that 1od is able to besto9 and to preserve the

immortality of the soul: 9hatever may be the sub-

stance it consists of



ou carry your audacity so far as to discover

4ictionary FRL

atheism in the follo9ing 9ords: 8,ho produces

motion in nature? 1od ,ho produces vegeta-

tion in plants? 1od ,ho produces motion in

animals? 1od ,ho produces thought in man?

1od8

,e cannot so properly say on this occasion:

8entlris impudentissime8 ! but 9e should rather

say you impudently blaspheme the truth ,e con-

clude 9ith observing that the hero of the ex- =esuit

&aulian is the ex- =esuit &atouillet: the author of a

bishop;s mandate in 9hich all the parliaments of the

kingdom are insulted )his mandate 9as burned

by the hands of the executioner 5othing after this

9as 9anting but for the ex-=esuit &aulian to elevate

the ex-=esuit 5onnotte to be a father of the church:

and to canoni@e the =esuits alagrida: 1uignard:

1arnet: and Oldham: and all other =esuits to 9hom

1od has granted the grace of being hanged or Kuar-



stupidity 5ationsS it humani@es your manners

3ings: it gives you instruction S

$(6)IO5 v

)he philosopher is the lover of 9isdom and truth !

to be a sage is to avoid the senseless and the de-

praved )he philosopher: therefore: should live only

among philosophers

I 9ill suppose that there are still some sages

among the =e9s! if one of these: 9hen dining in

company 9ith some rabbis: should help himself to

a plate of eels or hare: or if he cannot refrain from a

hearty laugh at some superstitious and ridiculous

observations made by them in the course of conver-

sation: he is forever ruined in the synagogue ! the

like remark may be made of a ussulman: a 1ueber:

or a 7anian

I kno9 it is contended by many that the sage

should never develop his opinions to the vulgar ! that

he should be a madman 9ith the mad: and foolish

among fools ! no one: ho9ever: has yet ventured to

say that he should be a knave among knaves 7ut

if it be reKuired that a sage should al9ays join in



4ictionary FRP

opinion 9ith the deluders of mankind: is not this

clearly the same as reKuiring that he should not be

an honest man? ,ould any one reKuire that a re-

spectable physician should al9ays be of the same

opinion as charlatans?

)he sage is a physician of souls /e ought to

besto9 his remedies on those 9ho ask them of him:

and avoid the company of Kuacks: 9ho 9ill infallibly

persecute him If: therefore: a madman of 0sia

inor: or a madman of India: says to the sage < y

good friend: I think you do not believe in the mare

7orac: or in the metamorphoses of 2ishnu! I 9ill

denounce you: I 9ill hinder you from being bos-

tanji: I 9ill destroy your credit! I 9ill persecute

you the sage ought to pity him and be silent

If ignorant persons: but at the same time per-

sons of good understanding and dispositions: and

9illing to receive instruction: should ask him < 0re

9e bound to believe that the distance bet9een the



moon and 2enus is only %ve hundred leagues: and

that bet9een ercury and the sun the same: as the

principal fathers of the ussulman religion insist:

in opposition to all the most learned astronomers?

the sage may reply to them that the fathers may

possibly be mistaken /e should at all times incul-

cate upon them that a hundred abstract dogmas are

not of the value of a single good action: and that it

is better to relieve one individual in distress than to

be profoundly acKuainted 9ith the abolishing and

abolished ,hen a rustic sees a serpent ready to

F RR &hilosophical

dart at him: he 9ill kill it ! 9hen a sage perceives a

bigot and a fanatic: 9hat 9ill he do? /e 9ill pre-

vent them from biting

&/I.O$O&/

$(6)IO5 I

,'I)( %losophy or philosophy as you please: but

agree that as soon as it appears it is persecuted



4ogs to 9hom you present an aliment for 9hich

they have no taste: bite you ou 9ill say that I re-

peat myself! but 9e must a hundred times remind

mankind that the holy conclave condemned 1alileo !

and that the pedants 9ho declared all the good citi-

@ens excommunicated 9ho should submit to the

great /enry I2: 9ere the same 9ho condemned the

only truths 9hich could be found in the 9orks of

4escartes

0ll the spaniels of the theological kennel bark at

one another: and all together at de )hou: la othe:

.e 2ayer: and 7ayle ,hat nonsense has been

9ritten by little 6eltic scholars against the 9ise

.ockeS

)hese 6elts say that 6sesar: 6icero: $eneca:

&liny: and arcus 0urelius: might be philosophers:

but that philosophy is not permitted among the

6elts ,e ans9er that it is permitted and very use-

ful among the +rench ! that nothing has done more

good to the (nglish ! and that it is time to extermi-

nate barbarity ou reply that that 9ill never come



4ictionary FR#

to pass 5o! 9ith the uninformed and foolish it

9ill not! but 9ith honest people the aCair is soon

concluded

$(6)IO5 II

One of the great misfortunes: as also one of the

great follies: of mankind: is that in all countries

9hich 9e call polished: except: perhaps: 6hina:

priests concern themselves 9ith 9hat belongs only

to philosophers )hese priests interfered 9ith reg-

ulating the year ! it 9as: they say: their right ! for it

9as necessary that the people should kno9 their

holy days )hus the 6haldaean: (gyptian: 1reek:

and 'oman priests: believed themselves mathemati-

cians and astronomers! but 9hat mathematics and

astronomyS ,hoever makes a trade of Kuackery

cannot have a just and enlightened mind )hey

9ere astrologers: and never astronomers

)he 1reek priests themselves %rst made the year

to consist only of three hundred and sixty days

)heir geometricians must have informed them that

they 9ere deceived by %ve days and more )hey:



versal 6aesar: 9as obliged to bring the philosopher

$osigenes from 0lexandria to repair the enormou?

errors of the pontiCs ,hen it 9as necessary to

correct the calendar of =ulius 6aesar: under the pon-

ti%cate of 1regory EIII: to 9hom did they address

themselves? ,as it to some inKuisitor? It 9as to

a philosopher and physician named .ilio

,hen the almanac 9as given to &rofessor 6oge:

rector of the university: to compose: he kne9 not

even the subject )hey 9ere obliged to apply to

de .alande: of the 0cademy of $ciences: 9ho 9as

burdened 9ith this very painful task: too poorly

recompensed )he rhetorician 6oge: therefore:

made a great mistake 9hen he proposed for the pri@e

of the university this subject so strangely expressed <

85on magis 4eo Kuam re gibus infensa est ista

Kua vocatur hodie philosophia8 8)hat 9hich 9e

no9 call philosophy: is not more the enemy of 1od

than of kings8 /e 9ould say less the enemy /e

has taken magis for minus 0nd the poor man ought

4ictionary F#F



to kno9 that our academies are not enemies either to

the king or 1od

$(6)IO5 III

If philosophy has done so much honor to +rance

in the 8(ncyclopaedia:8 it must also be confessed

that the ignorance and envy 9hich have dared to

condemn this 9ork 9ould have covered +rance 9ith

opprobrium: if t9elve or %fteen convulsionaries: 9ho

formed a cabal: could be regarded as the organs of

+rance! they 9ere really only the ministers of

fanaticism and sedition ! those 9ho forced the king

to dissolve the body 9hich they had seduced )heir

fanatical credulity for convulsions and the miserable

impostures of $t edard: 9as so strong: that they

obliged a magistrate: else9here 9ise and respect-

able: to say in full parliament that the miracles of

the 6atholic church al9ays existed 7y these mira-

cles: 9e can only understand those of convulsions:

for assuredly it never performed any others! at

least: if 9e believe not in the little children resus-

citated by $t Ovid )he time of miracles is passed !

the triumphant church has no longer occasion for

them $eriously: 9as there one of the persecutors



of the 8(ncyclopaedia8 9ho understood one 9ord of

the articles 0stronomy: 4ynamics: 1eometry: eta-

physics: 7otany: edicine: or 0natomy: of 9hich

this book: become so necessary: treats in every vol-

ume ,hat a cro9d of absurd imputations and

gross calumnies have they accumulated against this

treasure of all the sciencesS )hey should be re-

F#J &hilosophical

printed at the end of the 8(ncyclopaedia:8 to eterni@e

their shame $ee 9hat it is to judge a 9ork 9hich

they 9ere not even %t to study )he foolsS they

have exclaimed that philosophy ruined 6atholicism

,hat: then: in t9enty millions of people: has one

been found 9ho has vexed the least oMcer of the

parishS one 9ho has failed in respect to the

churchesS one 9ho has publicly proCered against

our ceremonies a single 9ord 9hich approached the

virulence 9ith 9hich these railers have expressed

themselves against the regal authorityS .et us re-

peat that philosophy never did evil to the state: and

that fanaticism: joined to the esprit du corps: has

done much in all times



$(6)IO5 I2

$ubstance of 0ncient &hilosophy

I have consumed about forty years of my pil-

grimage in t9o or three corners of the 9orld: seek-

8ing the philosopher;s stone called truth I have con-

sulted all the adepts of antiKuity: (picurus and 0u-

gustine: &lato and alebranche: and I still remain

in ignorance In all the crucibles of philosophers:

there are perhaps t9o or three ounces of gold: but

all the rest is caput mortuum: insipid mire: from

9hich nothing can be extracted

It seems to me that the 1reeks: our masters:

9rote much more to sho9 their intellect: than they

made use of their intellect to instruct themselves I

see not a single author of antiKuity 9ho has a con-

4ictionary F#"

sistent: methodical: clear system: going from con-

seKuence to conseKuence



0ll that I have been able to obtain by comparing

and combining the systems of &lato: of the tutor of

0lexander: &ythagoras: and the Orientals: is this <

6hance is a 9ord void of sense ! nothing can exist

9ithout a cause )he 9orld is arranged according

to mathematical la9s! therefore: it is arranged by

an intelligence

It is not an intelligent being like myself 9ho pre-

sided at the formation of the 9orld! for I cannot

form a miserable 9orm ! therefore: the 9orld is the

9ork of an intelligence prodigiously superior 4oes

this being: 9ho possesses intelligence and po9er in

so high a degree: necessarily exist? It must be so:

for he must either have received being from another:

or through his o9n nature If he has received his

being from another: 9hich is very diMcult to con-

ceive: I must look up to this other: 9hich 9ill in that

case be the %rst cause On 9hichever side I turn: I

must admit a %rst cause: po9erful and intelligent:

9ho by his o9n nature is necessarily so

/as this %rst cause created things out of nothing ?

,e cannot conceive that to create out of nothing is

to change nothing into something I cannot admit



such a creation: at least until I %nd invincible rea-

sons 9hich force me to admit 9hat my mind can

never comprehend 0ll that exists appears to exist

necessarily: since it exists ! for if to-day there is a

reason for the existence of things: there 9as one

2ol FJ F"

F # &hilosophical

yesterday ! there has been one in all times ! and this

cause must al9ays have had its eCect: 9ithout 9hich

it 9ould have been a useless cause during eternity

7ut ho9 can things have al9ays existed: being

visibly under the hand of the %rst cause? )his

po9er must al9ays have acted in like manner

)here is no sun 9ithout light: there is no motion

9ithout a being passing from one point of space to

another

)here is: therefore: a po9erful and intelligent

being 9ho has al9ays acted! and if this being had

not acted: of 9hat use to him 9ould have been his



existence? 0ll things are: therefore: emanations

from this %rst cause 7ut ho9 can 9e imagine that

stone and clay may be emanations of the eternal: in-

telligent: and puissant being? Of t9o things: one

must be! either that the matter of this stone and

mine necessarily exists of itself: or that it exists nec-

essarily by this %rst cause ! there is no medium

)hus: therefore: there are but t9o parts to take !

either to admit matter eternal of itself: or matter

eternally proceeding from a po9erful: intelligent:

eternal being 7ut existing of its o9n nature: or

emanating from a producing being: it exists from all

eternity: because it exists! and there is no reason

that it might not have al9ays existed

If matter is eternally necessary: it is in conse-

Kuence impossible it is contradictory: that it should

not exist ! but 9hat man can assure you that it is im-

possible: that it is contradictory: that this Qy and

4ictionary F#L

this Qint have not al9ays existed? ,e are: ho9-



ever: obliged to s9allo9 this diMculty: 9hich more

astonishes the imagination than contradicts the prin-

ciples of reasoning

Indeed: as soon as 9e have conceived that all has

emanated from the supreme and intelligent being!

that nothing has emanated from him 9ithout rea-

son! that this being: al9ays existing: must al9ays

have acted ! that: conseKuently: all things must have

eternally proceeded from the bosom of his existence

9e should no more be deterred from believing

the matter of 9hich this Qy and Qint are formed

is eternal: than 9e are deterred from conceiving

light to be an emanation of the all-po9erful being

$ince I am an extended and thinking being: my

extent and thought are the necessary productions of

this being It is evident to me that I cannot give

myself extent or thought I have: therefore: re-

ceived both from this necessary being

6an he have given me 9hat he has not? I have

intelligence! I am in space! therefore: he is in-

telligent and is in space )o say that the (ternal

7eing: the 0il-&o9erful 1od: has from all time

necessarily %lled the universe 9ith /is productions:



9hose corpuscular philosophy has combated these

dogmas 7ut let us remark that the (picureans

9ere founded on an entirely erroneous philosophy:

and that the metaphysical system of all the other phi-

losophy subsisted 9ith all the physical systems 0ll

nature: except the void: contradicts (picurus: and

no phenomenon contradicts the philosophy 9hich I

explain 5o9: a philosophy 9hich agrees 9ith all

9hich passes in nature: and 9hich contents the most

attentive mind: is it not superior to all other unre-

vealed systems?

0fter the assertions of the most ancient philoso-

phers: 9hich I have approached as nearly as possi-

ble: 9hat remains to us ? 0 chaos of doubts and chi-

meras I believe that there never 9as a philosopher

of a system 9ho did not confess at the end of his life

that he had lost his time It must be confessed that

4ictionary F#P

the inventors of the mechanical arts have been much

more useful to men than the inventors of syllogisms

/e 9ho imagined a ship: to9ers much above him



9ho imagined innate ideas

&/$I6I05$

'(1I(5 is superior to medicine: especially as:

from time immemorial: out of every hundred physi-

cians: ninety-eight are charlatans oliere 9as right

in laughing at them ! for nothing is more ridiculous

than to 9itness an in%nite number of silly 9omen:

and men no less than 9omen: 9hen they have eaten:

drunk: sported: or abstained from repose too much:

call in a physician for the headache: invoke him like

a god: and reKuest him to 9ork the miracle of pro-

ducing an alliance bet9een health and intemperance:

not omitting to fee the said god: 9ho laughs at their

folly

It is not: ho9ever: the less true that an able physi-

cian may preserve life on a hundred occasions: and

restore to us the use of our limbs ,hen a man

falls into an apoplexy: it is neither a captain of in-

fantry nor a sergeant at la9 9ho 9ill cure him If

cataracts are formed on my eyes: it is not my neigh-

bor 9ho 9ill relieve me I distinguish not bet9een

physicians and surgeons: these professions being so

intimately connected



en 9ho are occupied in the restoration of

health to other men: by the joint exertion of skill

and humanity: are above all the great of the earth

F#R &hilosophical

)hey even partake of divinity: since to preserve and

rene9 is almost as noble as to create )he 'oman

people had no physicians for more than %ve hundred

years )his people: 9hose sole occupation 9as

slaughter: in particular cultivated not the art of pro-

longing life ,hat: therefore: happened at 'ome

to those 9ho had a putrid fever: a %stula: a gan-

grene: or an inQammation of the stomach? )hey

died )he small number of great physicians intro-

duced into 'ome 9ere only slaves 0 physician

among the great 'oman patricians 9as a species of

luxury: like a cook (very rich man had his per-

fumers: his bathers: his harpers: and his physician

)he celebrated usa: the physician of 0ugustus:

9as a slave! he 9as freed and made a 'oman

knight! after 9hich physicians became persons of

consideration



,hen 6hristianity 9as so fully established as to

besto9 on us the felicity of possessing monks: they

9ere expressly forbidden: by many councils: from

practising medicine )hey should have prescribed

a precisely contrary line of conduct: if it 9ere de-

sirable to render them useful to mankind

/o9 bene%cial to society 9ere monks obliged to

study medicine and to cure our ailments for 1od;s

sakeS /aving nothing to gain but heaven: they

9ould never be charlatans! they 9ould eKually in-

struct themselves in our diseases and their reme-

dies: one of the %nest of occupations: and the only

one forbidden them It has been objected that they

4ictionary F##

9ould poison the impious ! but even that 9ould be

advantageous to the church /ad this been the case:

.uther 9ould never have stolen one-half of 6atholic

(urope from our holy father: the pope! for in the

%rst fever 9hich might have sei@ed the 0ugustine

.uther: a 4ominican 9ould have prepared his pills



ou 9ill tell me that he 9ould not have taken them !

but 9ith a little address this might have been man-

aged 7ut to proceed <

)o9ards the year FLFP lived a citi@en: animated

9ith a 6hristian @eal: named =ohn ! I do not mean

=ohn 6alvin: but =ohn: surnamed of 1od: 9ho insti-

tuted the 7rothers of 6harity )his body: instituted

for the redemption of captives: is composed of the

only useful monks: although not accounted among

the orders )he 4ominicans: 7ernardines: 5or-

bertins: and 7enedictines: ackno9ledge not the

7rothers of 6harity )hey are simply adverted to

in the continuation of the 8(cclesiastical /istory8

of +leury ,hy? 7ecause they have performed

cures instead of miracles have been useful and not

caballed cured poor 9omen 9ithout either direct-

ing or seducing them .astly: their institution being

charitable: it is proper that other monks should de-

spise them

edicine: having then become a mercenary pro-

fession in the 9orld: as the administration of justice

is in many places: it has become liable to strange

abuses 7ut nothing is more estimable than a phy-

sician 9ho: having studied nature from his youth:



JOO &hilosophical

kno9s the properties of the human body: the dis-

eases 9hich assail it: the remedies 9hich 9ill bene%t

it: exercises his art 9ith caution: and pays eKual

attention to the rich and the poor $uch a man is

very superior to the general of the 6apuchins: ho9-

ever respectable this general may be

&I'0)($ O' 76605(('$

I5 )/( time of 6ardinal 'ichelieu: 9hen the

$paniards and +rench detested each other: because

+erdinand the 6atholic laughed at .ouis EI.: and

+rancis I 9as taken at the battle of &avia by an

army of 6harles 2 9hile this hatred 9as so strong

that the false author of the political romance: and

political piece of tediousness: called the 8&olitical

)estament of 6ardinal 'ichelieu:8 feared not to call

the $paniards 8an insatiable nation: 9ho rendered

the Indies tributaries of hell8! 9hen: in short: 9e

9ere leagued in FH"L 9ith /olland against $pain !

9=ien +rance had nothing in 0merica: and the $pan-



iards covered the seas 9ith their galleys then buc-

caneers began to appear )hey 9ere at %rst +rench

adventurers: 9hose Kuality 9as at most that of cor-

sairs

One of them: named .egrande: a native of

4ieppe: associated himself 9ith %fty determined

men: and 9ent to tempt fortune in a bark 9hich had

not even a cannon )o9ards the Isle of /ispaniola

N$t 4omingoW: he perceived a galley strayed from

the great $panish Qeet! he approached it as a cap-

4ictionary JGF

tain 9ishing to sell provisions! he mounted: at-

tended by his people ! he entered the chamber of the

captain: 9ho 9as playing at cards: thre9 him do9n:

made him prisoner 9ith his cargo: and returned to

4ieppe 9ith his vessel laden 9ith immense riches

)his adventure 9as the signal for forty years; un-

heard-of exploits

+rench: (nglish: and 4utch buccaneers associated

together in the caverns of $t 4omingo: of the little



JGJ &hilosophical

only /aving after9ards retired into his boat: the

governor sent against him a ship of 9ar 9ith sol-

diers and an executioner Olonois rendered himself

master of the vessel: cut oC the heads of the $panish

soldiers: 9hom he had taken himself: and sent back

the executioner to the governor $uch astonishing

actions 9ere never performed by the 'omans: or by

other robbers )he 9arlike voyage of 0dmiral

0nson round the 9orld is only an agreeable prome-

nade in comparison 9ith the passage of the buc-

caneers in the $outh $ea: and 9ith 9hat they en-

dured on terra %rma

/ad their policy been eKual to their invincible

courage: they 9ould have founded a great empire in

0merica )hey 9anted females ! but instead of

ravishing and marrying $abines: like the 'omans:

they procured them from the brothels of &aris:

9hich suMced not to produce a second generation

)hey 9ere more cruel to9ards the $paniards

than the Israelites ever 9ere to the 6anaanites 0

4utchman is spoken of: named 'oc: 9ho put several

$paniards on a spit and caused them to be eaten by



his comrades )heir expeditions 9ere tours of

thieves: and never campaigns of conKuerors! thus:

in all the ,est Indies: they 9ere never called any-

thing but los ladrones ,hen they surprised and

entered the house of a father of a family: they put

him to the torture to discover his treasures )hat

suMciently proves 9hat 9e say in the article 8Bues-

tion:8 that torture 9as invented by robbers

4ictionary JG"

,hat rendered their exploits useless 9as: that

they lavished in debauches: as foolish as monstrous:

all that they acKuired by rapine and murder +inally:

there remains nothing more of them than their name:

and scarcely that $uch 9ere the buccaneers

7ut 9hat people in (urope have not been pirates ?

)he 1oths: 0lans: 2andals: and /uns: 9ere they

anything else? ,hat 9ere 'ollo: 9ho established

himself in 5ormandy: and ,illiam +ier-a-bras: but

the most able pirates ? ,as not 6lovis a pirate: 9ho

came from the borders of the 'hine into 1aul ?



&.01I0'I$

I) is said that this 9ord is derived from the

.atin 9ord plaga: and that it signi%es the condemna-

tion to the scourge of those 9ho sold freemen for

slaves )his has nothing in common 9ith the

plagiarism of authors: 9ho sell not men either en-

slaved or free )hey only for a little money occa-

sionally sell themselves

,hen an author sells the thoughts of another

man for his o9n: the larceny is called plagiarism

0ll the makers of dictionaries: all compilers 9ho do

nothing else than repeat back9ards and for9ards

the opinions: the errors: the impostures: and the

truths already printed: 9e may term plagiarists: but

honest plagiarists: 9ho arrogate not the merit of in-

vention )hey pretend not even to have collected

from the ancients the materials 9hich they get to-

gether! they only copy the laborious compilers of

JG &hilosophical

the sixteenth century )hey 9ill sell you in Kuarto



that 9hich already exists in folio 6all them if you

please bookmakers: not authors ! range them rather

among second-hand dealers than plagiarists

)he true plagiarist is he 9ho gives the 9orks

of another for his o9n: 9ho inserts in his rhapsodies

long passages from a good book a little modi%ed

)he enlightened reader: seeing this patch of cloth

of gold upon a blanket: soon detects the bungling

purloiner

'amsay: 9ho after having been a &resbyterian in

his native $cotland: an 0nglican in .ondon: then a

Buaker: and 9ho %nally persuaded +enelon that he

9as a 6atholic: and even pretended a penchant for

celestial love 'amsay: I say: compiled the 8)ravels

of 6yrus:8 because his master made his )elemachus

travel $o far he only imitated ! but in these travels

he copies from an old (nglish author: 9ho intro-

duces a young solitary dissecting his dead: goat: and

arriving at a kno9ledge of the 4eity by the process:

9hich is very much like plagiarism On conducting

6yrus into (gypt: in describing that singular coun-

try: he employs the same expressions as 7ossuet:

9hom he copies 9ord for 9ord 9ithout citing ! this

is plagiarism complete One of my friends re-



proached him 9ith this one day! 'amsay replied

that he 9as not a9are of it: and that it 9as not sur-

prising he should think like +enelon and 9rite like

7ossuet )his 9as making out the adage: 8&roud

as a $cotsman8

4ictionary JGL

)he most singular of all plagiarism is possibly

that of +ather 7arre: author of a large history of

1ermany in ten volumes )he history of 6harles

EII had just been printed: and he inserted more

than t9o hundred pages of it in his 9ork ! making

a duke of .orraine say precisely that 9hich 9as said

by 6harles EII

/e attributes to the emperor 0rnold that 9hich

happened to the $9edish monarch /e relates of

the emperor 'udolph that 9hich 9as said of 3ing

$tanislaus ,aldemar: king of 4enmark: acts pre-

cisely like 6harles at 7ender: etc

)he most pleasant part of the story is: that a

journalist: perceiving this extraordinary resem-



blance bet9een the t9o 9orks: failed not to impute

the plagiarism to the author of the history of 6harles

EII: 9ho had composed his 9ork t9enty years be-

fore the appearance of that of +ather 7arre It is

chieQy in poetry that plagiarism is allo9ed to pass !

and certainly: of all larcenies: it is that 9hich is

least dangerous to society

&.0)O

$(6)IO5 I

Of the 8)imaus8 of &lato and $ome Other )hings

)/( fathers of the 6hurch: of the %rst four cen-

turies: 9ere all 1reeks and &latomsts < you %nd not

one 'oman 9ho 9rote for 6hristianity: or 9ho had

the slightest tincture of philosophy I 9ill here

JGH &hilosophical

observe: by the 9ay: that it is strange enough: the

great 6hurch of 'ome: 9hich contributed in noth-

ing to this establishment: has alone reaped all the

advantage It has been 9ith this revolution: as 9ith



all those produced by civil 9ars < the %rst 9ho trou-

ble a state: al9ays unkno9ingly labor for others

rather than for themselves

)he school of 0lexandria: founded by one named

ark: to 9hom succeeded 0thenagoras: 6lement:

and Origen: 9as the centre of the 6hristian philos-

ophy &lato 9as regarded by all the 1reeks of

0lexandria as the master of 9isdom: the interpreter

of the divinity If the %rst 6hristians had not em-

braced the dogmas of &lato: they 9ould never have

had any philosophers: any man of mind in their

party I set aside inspiration and grace 9hich are

above all philosophy: and speak only of the ordinary

course of human events

It is said that it 9as principally in the 8)imseus8

cjf &lato that the 1reek fathers 9ere instructed )his

8)im@eus8 passes for the most sublime 9ork of all

ancient philosophy It is almost the only one 9hich

4acier has not translated: and I think the reason is:

because he did not understand it: and that he feared

to discover to clear-sighted readers the face of this

1reek divinity: 9ho is only adored because he is

veiled



&lato: in this ;%ne dialogue: commences by intro-

ducing an (gyptian priest: 9ho teaches $olon the

ancient history of the city of 0thens: 9hich 9as

4ictionary JGP

preserved faithfully for nine thousand years in the

archives of (gypt

0thens: says the priest: 9as once the %nest city of

1reece: and the most reno9ned in the 9orld for the

arts of 9ar and peace $he alone resisted the 9ar-

riors of the famous island 0tlantis: 9ho came in

innumerable vessels to subjugate a great part of

(urope and 0sia 0thens had the glory of freeing

so many vanKuished people: and of preserving (gypt

from the servitude 9hich menaced us 7ut after

this illustrious victory and service rendered to man-

kind: a frightful earthKuake in t9enty-four hours

s9allo9ed the territory of 0thens: and all the great

island of 0tlantis )his island is no9 only a vast

sea: 9hich the ruins of this ancient 9orld and the

slime mixed 9ith its 9aters rendered unnavigable



)his is 9hat the priest relates to $olon < and such

is the manner in 9hich &lato prepares to explain

to us subseKuently: the formation of the soul: the

operations of the 8,ord:8 and his trinity It is not

physically impossible that there might be an island

0tlantis: 9hich had not existed for nine thousand

years: and 9hich perished by an earthKuake: like

/erculaneum and so many other cities! but our

priest: in adding that the sea 9hich 9ashes ount

0tlas is inaccessible to vessels: renders the history

a little suspicious

It may be: after all: that since $olon that is to

say: in the course of three thousand years vessels

have dispersed the slime of the ancient island 0tlan-

JGR &hilosophical

tis and rendered the sea navigable! but it is still

surprising that he should prepare by this island to

speak of the 8,ord8

&erhaps in telling this priest;s or old 9oman;s

story: &lato 9ished to insinuate something contrary



to the vicissitudes 9hich have so often changed the

face of the globe &erhaps he 9ould merely say

9hat &ythagoras and )imaeus of .ocris have said so

long before him: and 9hat our eyes tell us every

day that everything in nature perishes and is re-

ne9ed )he history of 4eucalion and &yrrha: the

fall of &haethon: are fables < but inundations and

conQagrations are truths

&lato departs from his imaginary island: to speak

of things 9hich the best of philosophers of our days

9ould not disavo9 8)hat 9hich is produced has

necessarily a cause: an author It is diMcult to dis-

cover the author of this 9orld! and 9hen he is

found it is dangerous to speak of him to the people8

- 5othing is more true: even no9: than that if a

sage: in passing by our .ady of .oretto: said to an-

other sage: his friend: that our .ady of .oretto:

9ith her little black face: governs not the entire

universe: and a good 9oman overheard these 9ords:

and related them to other good 9omen of the march

of 0ncona: the sage 9ould be stoned like Orpheus

)his is precisely the situation in 9hich the %rst

6hristians 9ere believed to be: 9ho spoke not 9ell

of 6ybele and 4iana: 9hich alone should attach

them to &lato )he unintelligible things 9hich he



4ictionary JG#

after9ards treats of: ought not to disgust us 9ith

him

I 9ill not reproach &lato 9ith saying: in his

8)imaeus:8 that the 9orld is an animal! for he no

doubt understands that the elements in motion ani-

mate the 9orld ! and he means not: by animal: a dog

or a man: 9ho 9alks: feels: eats: sleeps: and engen-

ders 0n author should al9ays be explained in the

most favorable sense! and it is not 9hile 9e ac-

cuse people: or 9hen 9e denounce their books: that

it is right to interpret malignantly and poison all

their 9ords ! nor is it thus that I shall treat &lato

0ccording to him there is a kind of trinity 9hich

is the soul of matter )hese are his 9ords < 8+rom

the indivisible substance: al9ays similar to itself:

and the divisible substance: a third substance is

composed: 9hich partakes of the same and of

others8



0fter9ards came the &ythagorean number:

9hich renders the thing still more unintelligible:

and conseKuently more respectable ,hat ammu-

nition for people commencing a paper 9ar S +riend

reader: a little patience and attention: if you please <

8,hen 1od had formed the soul of the 9orld of

these three substances: the soul shot itself into the

midst of the universe: to the extremities of being!

spreading itself every9here: and reacting upon it-

self: it formed at all times a divine origin of eternal

9isdom8

0nd some lines after9ards < 8)hus the nature of

2ol FJ F

J F o &hilosophical

the immense animal 9hich 9e call the 9orld: is

eternal8 &lato: follo9ing the example of his pred-

ecessors: then introduces the $upreme 7eing: the

6reator of the 9orld: forming this 9orld before

time ! so that 1od could not exist 9ithout the 9orld:

nor the 9orld 9ithout 1od ! as the sun cannot exist



9ithout shedding light into space: nor this light

steal into space 9ithout the sun

I pass in silence many 1reek: or rather Oriental

ideas ! as for example that there are four sorts of

animals celestial gods: birds of the air: %shes: and

terrestrial animals: to 9hich last 9e have the honor

to belong

I hasten to arrive at a second trinity < 8the being

engendered: the being 9ho engenders: and the be-

ing 9hich resembles the engendered and the engen-

derer8 )his trinity is formal enough: and the

fathers have found their account in it

)his trinity is follo9ed by a rather singular

theory of the four elements )he earth is founded

on an eKuilateral triangle: 9ater on a right-angled

triangle: air on a scalene: and %re on an isosceles tri-

angle 0fter 9hich he demonstratively proves that

there can be but %ve 9orlds: because there are but

%ve regular solid bodies: and yet that there is but

one 9orld 9hich is round

I confess that no philosopher in 7edlam has ever

reasoned so po9erfully 'ouse yourself: friend



reader: to hear me speak of the other famous trin-

ity of &lato: 9hich his commentators have so much

4ictionary JFF

vaunted < it is the (ternal 7eing: the (ternal 6rea-

tor of the 9orld! /is 9ord: intelligence: or idea!

and the good 9hich results from it I assure you

that I have sought for it diligently in this8)imaeus:8

and I have never found it there! it may be there

totidem literis: but it is not totidem verbis: or I

am much mistaken

0fter reading all &lato 9ith great reluctance: I

perceived some shado9 of the trinity for 9hich he

is so much honored It is in the sixth book of his

86himerical 'epublic:8 in 9hich he says< 8.et us

speak of the $on: the 9onderful production of good:

and /is perfect image8 7ut unfortunately he dis-

covers this perfect image of 1od to be the sun It

9as therefore the physical sun: 9hich 9ith the ,ord

and the +ather composed the platonic trinity In

the 8(pinomis8 of &lato there are very curious ab-

surdities: one of 9hich I translate as reasonably as



I can: for the convenience of the reader<

83no9 that there are eight virtues in heaven< I

have observed them: 9hich is easy to all the 9orld

)he sun is one of its virtues: the moon another ! the

third is the assemblage of stars ! and the %ve plan-

ets: 9ith these three virtues: make the number eight

7e careful of thinking that these virtues: or those

9hich they contain: and 9hich animate them: either

move of themselves or are carried in vehicles! be

careful: I say: of believing that some may be gods

and others not! that some may be adorable: and

others such as 9e should neither adore or invoke

JFJ &hilosophical

)hey are all brothers ! each has his share ! 9e o9e

them all the same honors ! they %ll all the situations

9hich the ,ord assigned to them: 9hen it formed

the visible universe8

/ere is the ,ord already found < 9e must no9

%nd the three persons )hey are in the second let-

ter from &lato to 4ionysius: 9hich letters assuredly



are not forged! the style is the same as that of his

dialogues /e often says to 4ionysius and 4ion

things very diMcult to comprehend: and 9hich 9e

might believe to be 9ritten in numbers: but he also

tells us very clear ones: 9hich have been found true

a long time after him +or example: he expresses

himself thus in his seventh letter to 4ion <

8I have been convinced that all states are very

badly governed ! there is scarcely any good institu-

tion or administration ,e see: as it 9ere: day after

day: that all follo9 the path of fortune rather than

that of 9isdom8 0fter this short digression on

temporal aCairs: let us return to spiritual ones: to

the )rinity &lato says to 4ionysius <

8)he 3ing of the universe is surrounded by /is

9orks < all is the eCect of /is grace )he %nest of

things have their %rst cause in /im ! the second in

perfection have in /im their second cause: and /e

is further the third cause of 9orks of the third de-

gree8

)he )rinity: such as 9e ackno9ledge: could not

be recogni@ed in this letter! but it 9as a great

point to have in a 1reek author a guaranty of the



4ictionary: JF"

dogmas of the da9ning 6hurch (very 1reek

church 9as therefore &latonic: as every .atin

church 9as peripatetic: from the commencement of

the third century )hus t9o 1reeks 9hom 9e have

never understood: 9ere the masters of our opinions

until the time in 9hich men at the end of t9o thou-

sand years 9ere obliged to think for themselves

$(6)IO5 II

Buestions on &lato and $ome Other )riQes

&lato: in saying to the 1reeks 9hat so many phi-

losophers of other nations have said before him:

in assuring them that there is a $upreme Intelli-

gence 9hich arranged the universe did he think

that this $upreme Intelligence resided in a single

place: like a king of the (ast in his seraglio? Or

rather did he believe that this &o9erful Intelligence

spread itself every9here like light: or a being still

more delicate: prompt: active: and penetrating than



light ? )he 1od of &lato: in a 9ord: is he in matter:

or is he separated from it ? Oh: you 9ho have read

&lato attentively: that is to say: seven or eight fan-

tastical dreams hidden in some garret in (urope:

if ever these Kuestions reach you: I implore you to

ans9er them

)he barbarous island of 6assiterides: in 9hich

men lived in the 9oods in the time of &lato: has

%nally produced philosophers 9ho are as much be-

yond him as &lato 9as beyond those of his contem-

poraries 9ho reasoned not at all 0mong these phi-

JF &hilosophical

losophers: 6larke is perhaps altogether the clearest:

the most profound: the most methodical: and the

strongest of all those 9ho have spoken of the $u-

preme 7eing

,hen he gave his excellent book to the public he

found a young gentleman of the county of 1louces-

ter 9ho candidly advanced objections as strong as

his demonstrations ,e can see them at the end



of the %rst volume of 6larke! it 9as not on the

necessary existence of the $upreme 7eing that he

reasoned ! it 9as on /is in%nity and immensity

It appears not indeed: that 6larke has proved that

there is a being 9ho penetrates intimately all 9hich

exists: and that this being 9hose properties 9e

cannot conceive has the property of extending /im-

self to the greatest imaginable distance

)he great 5e9ton has demonstrated that there is

a void in nature! but 9hat philosopher could dem-

onstrate to me that 1od is in this void! that /e

touches it! that /e %lls it? /o9: bounded as 9e

are: can 9e attain to the kno9ledge of these mys-

teries? 4oes it not suMce: that it proves to us that

a $upreme aster exists? It is not given to us to

kno9 9hat /e is nor ho9 /e is

It seems as if .ocke and 6larke had the keys of

the intelligible 9orld .ocke has opened all the

apartments 9hich can be entered! but has not

6larke 9ished to penetrate a little above the edi%ce ?

/o9 could a philosopher like $amuel 6larke: after



4ictionary JFL

so admirable a 9ork on the existence of 1od: 9rite

so pitiable a one on matters of fact ?

/o9 could 7enedict $pino@a: 9ho had as much

profundity of mind as $amuel 6larke: after raising

himself to the most sublime metaphysics: ho9 could

he not perceive that a $upreme Intelligence presides

over 9orks visibly arranged 9ith a supreme intelli-

gence if it is true after all that such is the system

of $pino@a?

/o9 could 5e9ton: the greatest of men: com-

ment upon the 0pocalypse: as 9e have already re-

marked? /o9 could .ocke: after having so 9ell

developed the human understanding: degrade his

o9n in another 9ork? I fancy I see eagles: 9ho

after darting into a cloud go to rest on a dunghill

&O()$

0 O51 man on leaving college deliberates

9hether he shall be an advocate: a physician: a the-

ologian: or a poet 9hether he shall take care of our



body: our soul: or our entertainment ,e have al-

ready spoken of advocates and physicians ! 9e 9ill

no9 speak of the prodigious fortune 9hich is some-

times made by the theologian

)he theologian becomes pope: and has not only

his theological valets: cooks: singers: chamberlains:

physicians: surgeons: s9eepers: agnus del makers:

confectioners: and preachers: but also his poet I

kno9 not 9hat inspired personage 9as the poet of

JFH &hilosophical

.eo E: as 4avid 9as for some time the poet of

$aul

It is surely of all the employments in a great

house: that 9hich is the most useless )he kings of

(ngland: 9ho have preserved in their island many

of the ancient usages 9hich are lost on the conti-

nent: have their oMcial poet /e is obliged once a

year to make an ode in praise of $t 6ecilia: 9ho

played so marvellously on the organ or psalterium

that an angel descended from the ninth heaven to



listen to her more conveniently the harmony of the

psaltery: in ascending from this place to the land of

angels: necessarily losing a small portion of its vol-

ume

oses is the %rst poet that 9e kno9 of! but it

is thought that before him the 6haldaeans: the $y-

rians: and the Indians practised poetry: since they

possessed music 5evertheless: the %ne canticle

9hich oses chanted 9ith his sister iriam: 9hen

they came out of the 'ed $ea: is the most ancient

poetical monument in hexameter verse that 9e pos-

sess I am not of the opinion of those impious

and ignorant rogues: 5e9ton: .e 6lerc: and others:

9ho prove that all this 9as 9ritten about eight hun-

dred years after the event: and 9ho insolently main-

tain that oses could not 9rite in /ebre9: since

/ebre9 is only a comparatively modern dialect of

the &hoenician: of 9hich oses could kno9 nothing

at all I examine not 9ith the learned /uet ho9

4ictionary JFP

oses 9as able to sing so 9ell: 9ho stammered and



could not speak

If 9e listened to many of these authors: oses

9ould be less ancient than Orpheus: usaeus:

/omer: and /esiod ,e perceive at the %rst glance

the absurdity of this opinion ! as if a 1reek could be

as ancient as a =e9 S

5either 9ill I reply to those impertinent persons

9ho suspect that oses is only an imaginary per-

sonage: a fabulous imitation of the fable of the

ancient 7acchus ! and that all the prodigies of 7ac-

chus: since attributed to oses: 9ere sung in orgies

before it 9as kno9n that =e9s existed in the 9orld

)his idea refutes itself! it is obvious to good sense

that it is impossible that 7acchus could have existed

before oses

,e have still: ho9ever: an excellent =e9ish poet

undeniably anterior to /orace 3ing 4avid! and

9e kno9 9ell ho9 in%nitely superior the 8is-

erere:8 is to the 8=ustum ac tenacem propositi vi-

rum8 7ut 9hat is most astonishing: legislators and

kings have been our earliest poets ,e %nd even at

present people so good as to become poets for kings

2irgil indeed had not the oMce of poet to 0ugustus:



nor .ucan that of poet to 5ero ! but I confess that

it 9ould have debased the profession not a little to

make gods of either the one or the other

It is asked: 9hy poetry: being so unnecessary to

the 9orld: occupies so high a rank among the %ne

arts? )he same Kuestion may be put 9ith regard

J F R &hilosophical

to music &oetry is the music of the soul: and above

all of great and of feeling souls One merit of

poetry fe9 persons 9ill deny! it says more and in

fe9er 9ords than prose ,ho 9as ever able to

translate the follo9ing .atin 9ords 9ith the brevity

9ith 9hich they came from the brain of the poet<

82ive memor lethi: fugit hora: hoc Kuod loKuor

inde est?8

I speak not of the other charms of poetry: as they

are 9ell kno9n ! but I insist upon the grand precept

of /orace: 8$apere est principium et fons8 )here

can be no great poetry 9ithout great 9isdom! but

ho9 connect this 9isdom 9ith enthusiasm: like



6aesar: 9ho formed his plan of battle 9ith circum-

spection: and fought 9ith all possible ardor ?

)here have no doubt been ignorant poets: but

then they have been bad poets 0 man acKuainted

only 9ith dactyls and spondees: and 9ith a head

full of rhymes: is rarely a man of sense ! but 2irgil

is endo9ed 9ith superior reason

8.ucretius: in common 9ith all the ancients: 9as

miserably ignorant of physical la9s: a kno9ledge of

9hich is not to be acKuired by 9it It is a kno9l-

edge 9hich is only to be obtained by instruments:

9hich in his time had not been invented 1lasses

are necessary microscopes: pneumatic machines:

barometers: etc: to have even a distant idea of the

operations of nature

4escartes kne9 little more than .ucretius: 9hen

his keys opened the sanctuary! and an hundred

4ictionary JF#

times more of the path has been trodden from the



time of 1alileo: 9ho 9as better instructed physically

than 4escartes: to the present day: than from the

%rst /ermes to .ucretius

0ll ancient physics are absurd< it 9as not thus

9ith the philosophy of mind: and that good sense

9hich: assisted by strength of intellect: can acutely

balance bet9een doubts and appearances )his is

the chief merit of .ucretius! his third book is a

masterpiece of reasoning /e argues like 6icero:

and expresses himself like 2irgil ! and it must be

confessed that 9hen our illustrious &olignac at-

tacked his third book: he refuted it only like a cardi-

nal

,hen I say: that .ucretius reasons in his third

book like an able metaphysician: I do not say that he

9as right ,e may argue very soundly: and de-

ceive ourselves: if not instructed by revelation .u-

cretius 9as not a =e9: and 9e kno9 that =e9s alone

9ere in the right in the days of 6icero: of &osi-

donius: of 6aesar: and of 6ato .astly: under )ibe-

rius: the =e9s 9ere no longer in the right: and com-

mon sense 9as possessed by the 6hristians exclu-

sively



)hus it 9as impossible that .ucretius: 6icero:

and 6aesar could be anything but imbecile: in com-

parison 9ith the =e9s and ourselves ! but it must be

allo9ed that in the eyes of the rest of the 9orld they

9ere very great men I allo9 that .ucretius killed

himself: as also did 6ato: 6assius: and 7rutus: but

JJO &hilosophical

they might very 9ell kill themselves: and still reason

like men of intellect during their lives

In every author let us distinguish the man from

his 9orks 'acine 9rote like 2irgil: but he became

=ansenist through 9eakness: and he died in conse-

Kuence of 9eakness eKually great because a man

in passing through a gallery did not besto9 a look

upon him I am very sorry for all this ! but the part

of &haedra is not therefore the less admirable

&OI$O5I51$

.() us often repeat useful truths )here have

al9ays been fe9er poisonings than have been spoken



of< it is almost 9ith them as 9ith parricides! the

accusations have been very common: and the crimes

very rare One proof is: that 9e have a long time

taken for poison that 9hich is not so /o9 many

princes have got rid of those 9ho 9ere suspected

by them by making them drink bullock;s bloodS

/o9 many other princes have s9allo9ed it them-

selves to avoid falling into the hands of their ene-

miesS 0ll ancient historians: and even &lutarch:

attest it

I 9as so infatuated 9ith these tales in my child-

hood that I bled one of my bulls: in the idea that his

blood belonged to me: since he 9as born in my

stable an ancient pretension of 9hich I 9ill not

here dispute the validity I drank this blood: like

0treus and ademoiselle de 2ergi: and it did me no

more harm than horse;s blood does to the )artars:

4ictionary JJF

or pudding does to us every day: if it be not too

rich



,hy should the blood of a bull be a poison: 9hen

that of a goat is considered a remedy? )he peas-

ants of my province s9allo9 the blood of a co9:

9hich they call fricas*ee: every day ! that of a bull

is not more dangerou* 7e sure: dear reader: that

)hemistocles died not of it

$ome speculators cf the court of .ouis EI2 be-

lieved they discove r ^d that his sister-in-la9: /en-

rietta of (ngland: 9as poisoned 9ith po9der of

diamonds: 9hich 9as put into a bo9l of stra9ber-

ries: instead of grated sugar ! but neither the impal-

pable po9der of glass or diamonds: nor that of any

production of nature 9hich 9as not in itself venom-

ous: could bf hurtful

)hey are only sharp-cutting active points 9hich

can become violent )he exact observer: ead: a

celebrated (nglish physician: sa9 through a micro-

scope the liKuor shot from the gums of irritated

vipers /e pretends that he has al9ays found them

stre9n 9ith these cutting: pointed blades: the im-

mense number of 9hich tear and pierce the internal

membranes

)he cantarella: of 9hich it is pretended that &ope



0lexander 2I and his bastard: the duke of 7orgia:

made great use: 9as: it is said: the foam of a hog

rendered furious by suspending him by the feet

9ith his head do9n9ards: in 9hich situation he 9as

beaten to death ! it 9as a poison as prompt and vio-

JJJ &hilosophical

lent as that of the viper 0 great apothecary assures

me that adame la )ofana: that celebrated poisoner

of 5aples: principally made use of this receipt ! all

9hich is perhaps untrue )his science is one of

those of 9hich 9e should be ignorant

&oisons 9hich coagulate the blood: instead of

tearing the membranes: are opium: hemlock: hen-

bane: aconite: and several others )he 0thenians

became so re%ned as to cause their countrymen:

condemned to death: to die by poisons reputed cold !

an apothecary 9as the executioner of the republic

It is said that $ocrates died very peacefully: and as

if he slept < I can scarcely believe it

I made one remark on the =e9ish books: 9hich is:



that among this people 9e see no one 9ho 9as

poisoned 0 cro9d of kings and priests perished

by assassination! the history of the nation is the

history of murders and robberies! but a single in-

stance only is mentioned of a man 9ho 9as poi-

soned: and this man 9as not a =e9 he 9as a $y-

rian named .ysias: general of the armies of 0nti-

ochus (piphanes )he second 7ook of accabees

says that he poisoned himself 8veneno vitam %ni-

vit8 ! but these 7ooks of accabees are very sus-

picious y dear reader: I have already desired you

to believe nothing lightly

,hat astonishes me most in the history of the

manners of the ancient 'omans is the conspiracy

of the 'oman 9omen to cause to perish by poison:

not only their husbands: but the principal citi@ens

4ictionary JJ"

in general 8It 9as:8 says )itus .ivius: 8in the year

J" from the foundation of 'ome: and therefore

in the time of the most austere virtue! it 9as be-

fore there 9as any mention of divorce: though di-



vorce 9as authori@ed! it 9as 9hen 9omen drank

no 9ine: and scarcely ever 9ent out of their houses:

except to the temples8 /o9 can 9e imagine: that

they suddenly applied themselves to the kno9ledge

of poisons! that they assembled to compose them!

and: 9ithout any apparent interest: thus adminis-

tered death to the %rst men in 'ome?

.a9rence (chard: in his abridged compilation:

contents himself 9ith saying: that 8the virtue of the

'oman ladies 9as strangely belied ! that one hun-

dred and seventy 9ho meddled 9ith the art of mak-

ing poisons: and of reducing this art into precepts:

9ere all at once accused: convicted: and punished8

)itus .ivius assuredly does not say that they re-

duced this art into rules )hat 9ould signify that

they held a school of poisons: that they professed

it as a science ! 9hich is ridiculous /e says noth-

ing about a hundred and seventy professors in cor-

rosive sublimate and verdigris +inally: he does

not aMrm that there 9ere poisoners among the 9ives

of the senators and knights

)he people 9ere extremely foolish: and reasoned

at 'ome as else9here )hese are the 9ords of

)itus .ivius < 8)he year J" 9as of the number



of unfortunate ones ! there 9as a mortality caused

by the temperature of the air or by human malice

JJ &hilosophical

I 9ish that 9e could aMrm 9ith some author that

the corruption of the air caused this epidemic: rather

than attribute the death of so many 'omans to poi-

son: as many historians have falsely 9ritten: to de-

cry this year8

)hey have therefore 9ritten falsely: according to

)itus .ivius: 9ho believes not that the ladies of

'ome 9ere poisoners < but 9hat interest had authors

in decrying this year? I kno9 not

8I relate the fact:8 continues he: 8as it 9as re-

lated before me8 )his is not the speech of a sat-

is%ed man ! besides: the alleged fact much resembles

a fable 0 slave accuses about seventy 9omen:

among 9hom are several of the patrician rank: of

causing the plague in 'ome by preparing poisons

$ome of the accused demand permission to s9allo9

their drugs: and expire on the spot! and their ac-



complices are condemned to death 9ithout the man-

ner s of their punishment being speci%ed

I suspect that this story to 9hich )itus .ivius

gives no credit: deserves to be banished to the place

in 9hich the vessel is preserved 9hich a vestal dre9

to shore 9ith a girdle! 9here =upiter in person

stopped the Qight of the 'omans ! 9here 6astor and

&ollux came to combat on horseback in their be-

half ! 9here a Qint 9as cut 9ith a ra@or ! and 9here

$imon 7arjonas: surnamed &eter: disputed miracles

9ith $imon the magician

)here is scarcely any poison of 9hich 9e cannot

prevent the conseKuences by combating it immedi-

4ictionary JJL

ately )here is no medicine 9hich is not a poison

9hen taken in too strong a dose 0ll indigestion

is a poison 0n ignorant physician: and even a

learned but inattentive one: is often a poisoner 0

good cook is a certain slo9 poisoner: if you are not

temperate



One day the marKuis d;0rgenson: minister of

state for the foreign department: 9hilst his brother

9as minister of 9ar: received from .ondon a letter

from a fool as ministers do by every post! this

fool proposed an infallible means of poisoning all

the inhabitants of the capital of (ngland 8)his

does not concern me:8 said the marKuis d;0rgenson

to us ! 8it is a packet to my brother8

&O.I6

)/( policy of man consists: at %rst: in endeavor-

ing to arrive at a state eKual to that of animals:

9hom nature has furnished 9ith food: clothing: and

shelter )o attain this state is a matter of no little

time and diMculty /o9 to procure for himself

subsistence and accommodation: and protect him-

self from evil: comprises the 9hole object and busi-

ness of man

)his evil exists every9here! the four elements

of nature conspire to form it )he barrenness of

one-Kuarter part of the 9orld: the numberless dis-

eases to 9hich 9e are subject: the multitude of

strong and hostile animals by 9hich 9e are sur-



rounded: oblige us to be constantly on the alert

2ol FJ FL

JJH &hilosophical

in body and in mind: to guard against the various

forms of evil

5o man: by his o9n individual care and exertion:

can secure himself from evil ! he reKuires assistance

$ociety therefore is as ancient as the 9orld )his

society consists sometimes of too many: and some-

times of too fe9 )he vicissitudes of the 9orld have

often destroyed 9hole races of men and other ani-

mals: in many countries: and have multiplied them

in others

)o enable a species to multiply: a tolerable cli-

mate and soil are necessary! and even 9ith these

advantages: men may be under the necessity of go-

ing unclothed: of suCering hunger: of being desti-

tute of everything: and of perishing in misery

en a;re not like beavers: or bees: or silk-9orms !



they have no sure and infallible instinct 9hich pro-

cures for them necessaries 0mong a hundred men:

theje is scarcely one that possesses genius ! and

among 9omen: scarcely one among %ve hundred

It is only by means of genius that those arts are

invented: 9hich eventually furnish something of

that accommodation 9hich is the great object of all

policy

)o attempt these arts 9ith success: the assistance

of others is reKuisite ! hands to aid you: and minds

suMciently acute and unprejudiced to comprehend

you: and suMciently docile to obey you 7efore:

ho9ever: all this can be discovered and brought to-

gether: thousands of years roll on in ignorance and

4ictionary JJP

barbarism! thousands of eCorts for improvement

terminate only in abortion 0t length: the outlines

of an art are formed: but thousands of ages are still

reKuisite to carry it to perfection



+oreign &olicy

,hen any one nation has become acKuainted 9ith

metallurgy: it 9ill certainly beat its neighbors and

make slaves of them ou possess arro9s and

sabres: and 9ere born in a climate that has rendered

you robust ,e are 9eak: and have only clubs and

stones ou kill us: or if you permit us to live: it

is that 9e may till your %elds and build your houses

,e sing some rustic ditty to dissipate your spleen

or animate your languor: if 9e have any voice ! or

9e blo9 on some pipes: in order to obtain from you

clothing and bread If our 9ives and daughters are

handsome: you appropriate them 9ithout scruple to

yourselves )he young gentleman: your son: not

only takes advantage of the established policy: but

adds ne9 discoveries to this gro9ing art /is serv-

ants proceed: by his orders: to emasculate my un-

fortunate boys: 9hom he then honors 9ith the guar-

dianship of his 9ives and mistresses $uch has been

policy: the great art of making mankind contribute

to individual advantage and enjoyment ! and such

is still policy throughout the largest portion of 0sia

$ome nations: or rather hordes: having thus by

superior strength and skill brought into subjection



others: begin after9ards to %ght 9ith one another

JJR &hilosophical

for the division of the spoil (ach petty nation

maintains and pays soldiers )o encourage: and at

the same time to control these soldiers: each pos-

sesses its gods: its oracles: and prophecies! each

maintains and pays its soothsayers and slaughtering

priests )hese soothsayers or augurs begin 9ith

prophesying in favor of the heads of the nation!

they after9ards prophesy for themselves and obtain

a share in the government )he most po9erful and

shre9d prevail at last over the others: after ages of

carnage 9hich excite our horror: and of impostures

9hich excite our laughter $uch is the regular

course and completion of policy

,hile these scenes of ravage and fraud are car-

ried on in one portion of the globe: other nations:

or rather clans: retire to mountain caverns: or dis-

tricts surrounded by inaccessible s9amps: marshes:

or some verdant and solitary spot in the midst of

vast deserts of burning sand: or some peninsular



and conseKuently easily protected territory: to se-

cure themselves against the tyrants of the continent

0t length all become armed 9ith nearly the same de-

scription of 9eapons ! and blood Qo9s from one ex-

tremity of the 9orld to the other

en: ho9ever: cannot forever go on killing one

another! and peace is conseKuently made: till either

party thinks itself suMciently strong to recommence

the 9ar )hose 9ho can 9rite dra9 up these treaties

of peace! and the chiefs of every nation: 9ith a

vie9 more successfully to impose upon their ene-

4ictionary JJ#

mies: invoke the gods to attest 9ith 9hat sincerity

they bind themselves to the observance of these

compacts Oaths of the most solemn character are

invented and employed: and one party engages in

the name of the great $omonocodom: and the other

in that of =upiter the 0venger: to live forever in

peace and amity! 9hile in the same names of $om-

onocodom and =upiter: they take the %rst opportu-

nity of cutting one another;s throats



In times of the greatest civili@ation and re%ne-

ment: the lion of ^sop made a treaty 9ith three ani-

mals: 9ho 9ere his neighbors )he object 9as to

divide the common spoil into four eKual parts )he

lion: for certain incontestable and satisfactory rea-

sons 9hich he did not then deem it necessary to de-

tail: but 9hich he 9ould be al9-ays ready to give in

due time and place: %rst takes three parts out of the

four for himself: and then threatens instant strangu-

lation to 9hoever shall dare to touch the fourth

)his is the true sublime of policy

Internal &olicy

)he object here is to accumulate for our o9n

country the greatest Kuantity of po9er: honor: and

enjoyment possible )o attain these in any extraor-

dinary degree: much money is indispensable In a

democracy it is very diMcult to accomplish this ob-

ject (very citi@en is your rival ! a democracy can

never subsist but in a small territory ou may

have 9ealth almost eKual to your 9ishes through

your o9n mercantile dealings: or transmitted in



J"G &hilosophical

patrimony from your industrious and opulent grand-

father! your fortune 9ill excite jealousy and envy:

but 9ill purchase little real co-operation and service

If an aUuent family ever bears s9ay in a democ-

racy: it is not for a long time

In an aristocracy: honors: pleasures: po9er: and

money: are more easily obtainable 1reat discretion:

ho9ever: is necessary If abuse is Qagrant: revolu-

tion 9ill be the conseKuence )hus in a democracy

all the citi@ens are eKual )his species of govern-

ment is at present rare: and appears to but little ad-

vantage: although it is in itself natural and 9ise

In aristocracy: ineKuality or superiority makes it-

self sensibly felt ! but the less arrogant its demeanor:

the more secure and successful 9ill be its course

onarchy remains to be mentioned In this: all

mankind are made for one individual< he accumu-

lates all honors 9ith 9hich he chooses to decorate

himself: tastes all pleasures to 9hich he feels an in-

clination: and exercises a po9er absolutely 9ithout

control! provided: let it be remembered: that he

has plenty of money If he is de%cient in that: he



9ill be unsuccessful at home as 9ell as abroad: and

9ill soon be left destitute of po9er: pleasures: hon-

ors: and perhaps even of life

,hile this personage has money: not only is he

successful and happy himself: but his relations and

principal servants are Qourishing in full enjoyment

also! and an immense multitude of hirelings labor

for them the 9hole year round: in the vain hope that

4ictionary J" F

they shall themselves: some time or other: enjoy in

their cottages the leisure and comfort 9hich their

sultans and pashas enjoy in their harems Observe:

ho9ever: 9hat 9ill probably happen

0 jolly: full-fed farmer 9as formerly in posses-

sion of a vast estate: consisting of %elds: meado9s:

vineyards: orchards: and forests 0 hundred la-

borers 9orked for him: 9hile he dined 9ith his fam-

ily: drank his 9ine: and 9ent to sleep /is princi-

pal domestics: 9ho plundered him: dined next: and

ate up nearly everything )hen came the laborers:



for 9hom there 9as left only a very meagre and

insuMcient meal )hey at %rst murmured: then

openly complained: speedily lost all patience: and

at last ate up the dinner prepared for their master:

and turned him out of his house )he master said

they 9ere a set of scoundrels: a pack of undutiful

and rebellious children 9ho assaulted and abused

their o9n father )he laborers replied that they

had only obeyed the sacred la9 of nature: 9hich he

had violated )he dispute 9as %nally referred to

a soothsayer in the neighborhood: 9ho 9as thought

to be actually inspired )he holy man takes the

farm into his o9n hands: and nearly famishes both

the laborers and the master ! till at length their feel-

ings counteract their superstition: and the saint is

in the end expelled in his turn )his is domestic

policy

)here have been more examples than one of this

description ! and some conseKuences of this species

J"J &hilosophical

of policy still subsist in all their strength ,e may



hope that in the course of ten or t9elve thousand

ages: 9hen mankind become more enlightened: the

great proprietors of estates: gro9n also more 9ise:

9ill on the one hand treat their laborers rather bet-

ter: and on the other take care not to be duped by

soothsayers

&O.&$

I5 B0.I) of a doubter: I have a long time

%lled my vocation I have doubted 9hen they 9ould

persuade me: that the glossopetres 9hich I have

seen formed in my %elds: 9ere originally the tongues

of sea-dogs: that the lime used in my barn 9as com-

posed of shells only: that corals 9ere the production

of the excrement of certain little %shes: that the sea

by its currents has formed ount 6enis and ount

)aurus: and that 5iobe 9as formerly changed into

marble

It is not that I love not the extraordinary: the

marvellous: as 9ell as any traveller or man of sys-

tem! but to believe %rmly: I 9ould see 9ith my

o9n eyes: touch 9ith my o9n hands: and that sev-

eral times (ven that is not enough! I 9ould still

be aided by the eyes and hands of others



)9o of my companions: 9ho: like myself: form

Kuestions on the 8(ncyclopaedia:8 have for some

time amused themselves 9ith me in studying the

nature of several of the little %lms 9hich gro9 in

ditches by the side of 9ater lentils )hese light

4ictionary J""

herbs: 9hich 9e call polypi of soft 9ater: have sev-

eral roots: from 9hich circumstance 9e have given

them the name of polypi )hese little parasite plants

9ere merely plants: until the commencement of the

age in 9hich 9e live .euenhoeck raises them to

the rank of animals ,e kno9 not if they have

gained much by it

,e think that: to be considered as an animal: it

i^$ necessary to be endo9ed 9ith sensation )hey

therefore commence by sho9ing us: that these soft

9ater polypi have feeling: in order that 9e should

present them 9ith our right of citi@enship

,e have not dared to grant it the dignity of



sensation: though it appeared to have the greatest

pretensions to it ,hy should 9e give it to a species

of small rush? Is it because it appears to bud?

)his property is common to all trees gro9ing by

the 9ater-side ! to 9illo9s: poplars: aspens: etc It

is so light: that it changes place at the least motion

of the drop of 9ater 9hich bears it ! thence it has

been concluded that it 9alked In like manner: 9e

may suppose that the little: Qoating: marshy islands

of $t Omer are animals: for they often change their

place

It is said its roots are its feet: its stalk its body: its

branches are its arms ! the pipe 9hich composes its

stalk is pierced at the top it is its mouth In this

pipe there is a light 9hite pith: of 9hich some al-

most imperceptible animalcules are very greedy!

they enter the hollo9 of this little pipe by making

J" &hilosophical

it bend: and eat this light paste ! it is the polypus

9hc captures these animals 9ith his snout: though

it has not the least appearance of head: mouth: or



stomach

,e have examined this sport of nature 9ith all

the attention of 9hich 9e are capable It appeared

to us that the production called polypus resembled

an animal much less than a carrot or asparagus In

vain 9e have opposed to our eyes all the reasonings

9hich 9e formerly read! the evidence of our eyes

has overthro9n them It is a pity to lose an illu-

sion ,e kno9 ho9 pleasant it 9ould be to have

an animal 9hich could reproduce itself by oCshoots:

and 9hich: having all the appearances of a plant:

could join the animal to the vegetable kingdom

It 9ould be much more natural to give the rank

of an animal to the ne9ly-discovered plant of 0n-

glo-0merica: to 9hich the pleasant name of 2enus;

Qy-trap has been given It is a kind of prickly

sensitive-plant: the leaves of 9hich fold of them-

selves ! the Qies are taken in these leaves and perish

there more certainly than in the 9eb of a spider

If any of our physicians 9ould call this plant an

animal: he 9ould have partisans

7ut if you 9ould have something more extraor-

dinary: more 9orthy of the observation of philos-



ophers: observe the snail: 9hich lives one and t9o

9hole months after its head is cut oC: and 9hich

after9ards has a second head: containing all the

organs possessed by the %rst )his truth: to 9hich

4ictionary J"L

all children can be 9itnesses: is more 9orthy than

the illusion of polypi of soft 9ater ,hat becomes

of its sensorium: its maga@ine of ideas: and soul:

9hen its head is cut oC ? /o9 do all these return ?

0 soul 9hich is rene9ed is a very curious phenome-

non! not that it is more strange than a soul be-

gotten: a soul 9hich sleeps and a9akes: or a con-

demned soul

&O.)/(I$

)/( plurality of gods is the great reproach at

present cast upon the 1reeks and 'omans < but let

any man sho9 me: if he can: a single fact in the

9hole of their histories: or a single 9ord in the

9hole of their books: from 9hich it may be fairly

inferred that they believed in many supreme gods !



and if neither that fact nor 9ord can be found: if:

on the contrary: all antiKuity is full of monuments

and records 9hich attest one sovereign 1od: su-

perior to all other gods: let us candidly admit that

9e have judged the ancients as harshly as 9e too

often judge our contemporaries

,e read in numberless passages that Deus: =upi-

ter: is the master of gods and men 8=ovis omnia

plena8 80ll things are full of =upiter8 0nd $t

&aul gives this testimony in favor of the ancients <

8In ipso vivimus: movemur: et sumns: ut Kuidam

vestrorum poetarum dlxlt:8 8In 1od 9e live: and

move: and have our being: as one of your o9n poets

has said8 0fter such an ackno9ledgment as this:

J"H &hilosophical

ho9 can 9e dare to accuse our instructors of not

having recogni@ed a supreme 1od?

,e have no occasion 9hatever to examine upon

this subject: 9hether there 9as formerly a =upiter

9ho 9as king of 6rete: and 9ho may possibly have



been considered and ranked as a god! or 9hether

the (gyptians had t9elve superior gods: or eight:

among 9hom the deity called =upiter by the .atins

might be one )he single point to be investigated

and ascertained here is: 9hether the 1reeks and 'o-

mans ackno9ledged one celestial being as the mas-

ter or sovereign of other celestial beings )hey

constantly tell us that they do ! and 9e ought there-

fore to believe them

)he admirable letter of the philosopher aximus

of adaura to $t 0ugustine is completely to our

purpose< 8)here is a 1od:8 says he: 89ithout any

beginning: the common +ather of all: but 9ho never

produced a being like /imself ,hat man is so

stupid and besotted as to doubt it?8 $uch is the

testimony of a pagan of the fourth century on be-

half of all antiKuity

,ere I inclined to lift the veil that conceals the

mysteries of (gypt: I should %nd the deity adored

under the name of 3nef: 9ho produced all things

and presides over all the other deities ! I should

discover also a ithra among the &ersians: and a

7rahma among the Indians: and could perhaps

sho9: that every civili@ed nation admitted one su-



preme being: together 9ith a multitude of dependent

4ictionary J"P

divinities I do not speak of the 6hinese: 9hose

government: more respectable than all the rest: has

ackno9ledged one 1od only for a period of more

than four thousand years .et us here con%ne our-

selves to the 1reeks and 'omans: 9ho are the ob-

jects of our immediate researches )hey had among

them innumerable superstitions it is impossible to

doubt it! they adopted fables absolutely ridiculous

everybody kno9s it! and I may safely add: that

they 9ere themselves suMciently disposed to ridi-

cule them 0fter all: ho9ever: the foundation of

their theology 9as conformable to reason

In the %rst place: 9ith respect to the 1reeks

placing heroes in heaven as a re9ard for their vir-

tues: it 9as one of the most 9ise and useful of relig-

ious institutions ,hat nobler recompense could

possibly be besto9ed upon them! 9hat more ani-

mating and inspiring hope could be held out to

them? Is it becoming that 9e: above all others:



should censure such a practice 9e 9ho: enlight-

ened by the truth: have piously consecrated the very

usage 9hich the ancients imagined ? ,e have a far

greater number of the blessed in honor of 9hom 9e

have created altars: than the 1reeks and 'omans

had of heroes and demi-gods ! the diCerence is: that

they granted the apotheosis to the most illustrious

and resplendent actions: and 9e grant it to the most

meek and retired virtues 7ut their dei%ed heroes

never shared the throne of =upiter: the great archi-

tect: the eternal sovereign of the universe! they

J" R &hilosophical

9ere admitted to his court and enjoyed his favors

,hat is there unreasonable in this ? Is it not a faint

shado9 and resemblance of the celestial hierarchy

presented to us by our religion ? 5othing can be of

a more salutary moral tendency than such an idea !

and the reality is not physically impossible in itself

,e have surely: upon this subject: no fair ground

for ridiculing nations to 9hom 9e are indebted

even for our alphabet



)he second object of our reproaches: is the mul-

titude of gods admitted to the government of the

9orld! 5eptune presiding over the sea: =uno over

the air: ^(olus over the 9inds: and &luto or 2esta

over the earth: and ars over armies ,e set aside

the genealogies of all these divinities: 9hich are as

false as those 9hich are every day fabricated and

printed respecting individuals among ourselves ! 9e

pass sentence of condemnation on all their light and

loose adventures: 9orthy of being recorded in the

pages; of the 8)housand and One 5ights:8 and

9hich never constituted the foundation or essence

of the 1reek and 'oman faith! but let us at the

same time candidly ask: 9here is the folly and stu-

pidity of having adopted beings of a secondary or-

der: 9ho: 9hatever they may be in relation to the

great supreme: /ave at least some po9er over our

very diCerently-constituted race: 9hich: instead of

belonging to the second: belongs perhaps to the

hundred thousandth order of existence? 4oes this

doctrine necessarily imply either bad metaphysics or

4ictionary J"#



bad natural philosophy? /ave 9e not ourselves

nine choirs of celestial spirits: more ancient than

mankind? /as not each of these choirs a peculiar

name? 4id not the =e9s take the greater number

of these names from the &ersians ? /ave not many

angels their peculiar functions assigned them?

)here 9as an exterminating angel: 9ho fought for

the =e9s: and the angel of travellers: 9ho conducted

)obit ichael 9as the particular angel of the

/ebre9s! and: according to 4aniel: he %ghts

against the angel of the &ersians: and speaks to the

angel of the 1reeks 0n angel of inferior rank

gives an account to ichael: in the book of Dacha-

riah: of the state in 9hich he had found the coun-

try (very nation possessed its angel ! the version

of the $eventy 4ays: in 4euteronomy: that the

.ord allotted the nations according to the number

of angels $t &aul: in the 0cts of the 0postles:

talks to the angel of acedonia )hese celestial

spirits are freKuently called gods in $cripture:

8(loim8 +or among all nations: the 9ord that

corresponds 9ith that of 8)heos:8 84eus:8 84ieu:8

8;1od:8 by no means universally signi%es the $ov-

ereign .ord of heaven and earth ! it freKuently sig-

ni%es a celestial being: a being superior to man: but

dependent upon the great $overeign of 5ature ! and



it is sometimes besto9ed even on princes and

judges

$ince to us it is a matter of truth and reality:

that celestial substances actually exist: 9ho are in-

JG : &hilosophical

trusted 9ith the care of men and empires: the people

9ho have admitted this truth 9ithout the light of

revelation are more 9orthy of our esteem than our

contempt

)he ridicule: therefore: does not attach to poly-

; theism itself: but to the abuse of it! to the popular

fables of superstition! to the multitude of absurd

divinities 9hich have been supposed to exist and to

the number of 9hich every individual might add at

his pleasure

)he goddess of nipples: 8dea 'umilia8 ! the god-

dess of conjugal union: 8dea &ertunda8 ! the god of

the 9ater-closet: 8deus $tercutius8 ! the god of Qat-

ulence: 8deus 6repitus8 ! are certainly not calcu-



lated to attract the highest degree of veneration

)hese ridiculous absurdities: the amusement of the

old 9omen and children of 'ome: merely prove that

the 9ord 8deus8 had acceptations of a 9idely dif-

ferent nature 5othing can be more certain or ob-

vious: than that the god of Qatulence: 8deus 6repi-

tus8 could never excite the same idea as 8deus di-

vum et hominum sator:8 the source of gods and

men )he 'oman pontiCs did not admit the little

burlesKue and baboon-looking deities 9hich silly

9omen introduced into their cabinets )he 'oman

religion 9as in fact: in its intrinsic character: both

serious and austere Oaths 9ere inviolable! 9ar

could not be commenced before the college of her-

alds had declared it just! and a vestal convicted of

4ictionary JF

having violated her vo9 of virginity: 9as con-

demned to death )hese circumstances announce

a people inclined to austerities: rather than a people

volatile: frivolous: and addicted to ridicule

I con%ne myself here to sho9ing that the senate



did not reason absurdly in adopting polytheism It

is asked: ho9 that senate: to t9o or three deputies

from 9hich 9e 9ere indebted both for chains and

la9s: could permit so many extravagances among

the people: and authori@e so many fables among the

pontiCs? It 9ould be by no means diMcult to

ans9er this Kuestion )he 9ise have in every age

made use of fools )hey freely leave to the people

their lupercals and their saturnalia: if they only

continue loyal and obedient ! and the sacred pullets

that promised victory to the armies: are judiciously

secured against the sacrilege of being slaughtered

for the table .et us never be surprised at seeing:

that the most enlightened governments have per-

mitted customs and fables of the most senseless

character )hese customs and fables existed before

government 9as formed ! and no one 9ould pull

do9n an immense city: ho9ever irregular in its

buildings: to erect it precisely according to line and

level

/o9 can it arise: 9e are asked: that on one side

9e see so much philosophy and science: and on the

other so much fanaticism? )he reason is: that

science and philosophy 9ere scarcely born before



2ol FJ FH

JJ &hilosophical

6icero: and that fanaticism reigned for centuries

&olicy: in such circumstances: says to philosophy

and fanaticism < .et us all three live together as

9ell as 9e can

&O&('

&0&I$) /is highness has 9ithin his principal-

ity .utherans: 6alvinists: Buakers: 0nabaptists: and

even =e9s ! and you 9ish that he 9ould admit ni-

tarians ?

)'(0$'(' 6ertainly: if these nitarians bring

9ith them 9ealth and industry ou 9ill only be

the better paid your 9ages

&0&I$) I must confess that a diminution of my

9ages 9ould be more disagreeable to me than the

admission of these persons! but: then: they do not

believe that =esus 6hrist is the $on of 1od



)'(0$'(' ,hat does that signify to you: pro-

vided that you are permitted to believe it: and are

9ell lodged: 9ell clothed: and 9ell fed? )he =e9s

are far from believing that /e is the $on of 1od:

and yet you are very easy 9ith the =e9s: 9ith 9hom

you deposit your money at six per cent $t &aul

himself has never spoken of the divinity of =esus

6hrist: 9ho is undisguisedly called a man 84eath:8

says he: 8entered into the 9orld by the sin of one

man and by one man: =esus 6hrist: the gift

of grace hath abounded unto many:8 etc 0ll the

early fathers of the 6hurch thought like &aul It is

evident that: for three hundred years: =esus 9as con-

4ictionary J"

tent 9ith /is humanity ! imagine yourself a 6hris-

tian of one of the %rst three centuries

&0&I$) es: sir ! but neither do they believe in

eternal punishments

)'(0$'(' 5or I either! be you damned



eternally if you please! for my o9n part: I do not

look for that advantage

&0&I$) 0h: sirS it is very hard not to be able

to damn at pleasure all the heretics in the 9orld !

but the rage 9hich the nitarian displays for ren-

dering everybody %nally happy is not my only com-

plaint 3no9: that these monsters believe the res-

urrection of the body no more than the $adducees

)hey say: that 9e are all anthropophagi: and that

the particles 9hich compose our grandfathers and

great-grandfathers: having been necessarily dis-

persed in the atmosphere: become carrots and aspar-

agus: and that it is possible 9e may have devoured a

portion of our ancestors

)'(0$'(' 7e it so! our children 9ill do as

much by us ! it is but repayment: and &apists 9ill

be as much bene%ted as others )his is no reason

for driving you from the states of his highness ! and

9hy any more so for ejecting the nitarians? 'ise

again: if you are able ! it matters little 9hether the

nitarians rise again or no: provided they are use-

ful during their lives

&0&I$) 0nd 9hat: sir: do you say to original



sin: 9hich they boldly deny? 0re you not scan-

dali@ed by their assertion: that the &entateuch

J &hilosophical

says not a 9ord about it: that the bishop of /ippo:

$t 0ugustine: is the %rst 9ho decidedly taught this

dogma: although it is evidently indicated by $t

&aul?

)'(0$'(' )ruly: if the &entateuch does not

mention it: that is not my fault ,hy not add a

text or t9o about original sin to the Old )esta-

ment: as it is said you have added on other sub-

jects? I kno9 nothing of these subtleties! it is my

business only to pay you your stipend: 9hen I have

the money to do so

&O&.0)IO5

$(6)IO5 I

)/('( 9ere very fe9 caterpillars in my canton

last year: and 9e killed nearly the 9hole of them



1od has rendered them this year more numerous

than the leaves Is it not nearly thus 9ith other

animals: and above all 9ith mankind ? +amine: pes-

tilence* death: and the t9o sister diseases 9hich

have visited us from 0rabia and 0merica: destroy

the inhabitants of a province: and 9 v e are surprised

at %nding it abound 9ith people a hundred years

after9ards

I admit that it is a sacred duty to people this

9orld: and that all animals are stimulated by pleas-

ure to ful%l this intention of the great 4emiourgos

,hy this inhabiting of the earth ? and to 9hat pur-

pose form so many beings to devour one another:

and the animal man to cut the throat of his fello9:

4ictionary JL

from one end of the earth to the other? I am as-

sured that I shall one day be in the possession of

this secret: and in my character of an inKuisitive

man I exceedingly desire it

It is clear that 9e ought to people the earth as



much as 9e are able! even our health renders it

necessary )he 9ise 0rabians: the robbers of the

desert: in the treaties 9hich they made 9ith travel-

lers: al9ays stipulated for girls ,hen they con-

Kuered $pain: they imposed a tribute of girls )he

country of edia pays the )urks in girls )he

buccaneers brought girls from &aris to the little

island of 9hich they took possession! and it is re-

lated that: at the %ne spectacle 9ith 9hich 'omulus

entertained the $abines: he stole from them three

hundred girls

I cannot conceive 9hy the =e9s: 9hom more-

over I revere: killed everybody in =ericho: even to

the girls ! and 9hy they say in the &salms: that it

9ill be s9eet to massacre the infants at the mother;s

breast: 9ithout excepting even girls 0ll other peo-

ple: 9hether )artars: 6annibals: )eutons: or 6elts:

have al9ays held girls in great reKuest

O9ing to this happy instinct: it seems that the

earth may one day be covered 9ith animals of our

o9n kind +ather &etau makes the inhabitants of

the earth seven hundred millions: t9o hundred and

eighty years after the deluge It is not: ho9ever: at

the end of the 80rabian 5ights8 that he has printed



this pleasant enumeration

JH &hilosophical

I reckon at present on our globe about nine hun-

dred millions of contemporaries: and an eKual num-

ber of each sex ,allace makes them a thousand

millions 0m I in error: or is he? &ossibly both

of us ! but a tenth is a small matter ! the arithmetic

of historians is usually much more erroneous

I am some9hat surprised that the arithmetician

,allace: 9ho extends the number of people at pres-

ent existing to a thousand millions: should pretend

in the same page: that in the year #HH: after the

creation: our forefathers amounted to sixteen hun-

dred and ten millions

In the %rst place: I 9ish the epoch of the creation

to be clearly established! and as: in our 9estern

9orld: 9e have no less than eighty theories of this

event: there 9ill be some diMculty to hit on the cor-

rect one In the second place: the (gyptians: the

6haldaeans: the &ersians: the Indians: and the 6hi-



nese: have all diCerent calculations ! and it is still

more diMcult to agree 9ith them )hirdly: 9hy:

in the nine hundred and sixty-sixth year of the

9orld: should there be more people than there are

at present?

)o explain this absurdity: 9e are told that mat-

ters occurred other9ise than at present! that na-

ture: being more vigorous: 9as better concocted and

more proli%c! and: moreover: that people lived

longer ,hy do they not add: tha2 the sun 9as

9armer: and the moon more beautiful

,e are toldj: that in the time of 6aesar: although

4ictionary JP

men had begun to greatly degenerate: the 9orld

9as like an ant;s nest of bipeds ! but that at present

it is a desert ontesKuieu: 9ho al9ays exagger-

ates: and 9ho sacri%ces anything to an itching desire

of displaying his 9it: ventures to believe: and in his

8&ersian .etters8 9ould have others believe: that

there 9ere thirty times as many people in the 9orld



in the days of 6aesar as at present

,allace ackno9ledges that this calculation made

at random is too much ! but for 9hat reason ? 7e-

cause: before the days of 6aesar: the 9orld possessed

more inhabitants than during the most brilliant pe-

riod of the 'oman republic /e then ascends to

the time of $emiramis: and if possible exaggerates

more than ontesKuieu

.astly: in conformity 9ith the taste 9hich is al-

9ays attributed to the /oly $pirit for hyperbole:

they fail not to instance the eleven hundred and sixty

thousand men: 9ho marched so %ercely under the

standards of the great monarch: =osophat: or =ehoso-

phat: king of the province of =udah (nough:

enough: r ,allace! the /oly $pirit cannot de-

ceive! but its agents and copyists have badly cal-

culated and numbered 0ll your $cotland 9ould

not furnish eleven hundred thousand men to attend

your sermons: and the kingdom of =udah 9as not a

t9entieth part of $cotland $ee: again: 9hat $t

=erome says of this poor /oly .and: in 9hich he so

long resided /ave you 9ell calculated the Kuan-

tity of money the great 3ing =ehosophat must have



JR &hilosophical

possessed: to pay: feed: clothe: and arm eleven hun-

dred thousand chosen men? 7ut thus is history

9ritten

r ,allace returns from =ehosophat to 6aesar:

and concludes: that since the time of this dictator of

short duration: the 9orld has visibly decreased in

the number of its inhabitants 7ehold: said he: the

$9iss< according to the relation of 6aesar: they

amounted to three hundred and sixty-eight thou-

sand: 9hen they so 9isely Kuitted their country to

seek their fortunes: like the 6imbri

I 9ish by this example to recall those partisans

into a little due consideration: 9ho gift the ancients

9ith such 9onders in the 9ay of generation: at the

expense of the moderns )he canton of 7erne alone:

according to an accurate census: possesses a greater

number of inhabitants than Kuitted the 9hole of

/elvetia in the time of 6aesar )he human species

is: therefore: doubled in /elvetia since that expe-

dition



I like9ise believe: that 1ermany: +rance: and

(ngland are much better peopled no9 than at that

time ! and for this reason < I adduce the vast clear-

ance of forests: the number of great to9ns built and

increased during the last eight hundred years: and

the number of arts 9hich have originated in propor-

tion )his I regard as a suMcient ans9er to the

bra@en declamation: repeated every day in books:

in 9hich truth is sacri%ced to sallies: and 9hich are

rendered useless by their abundant 9it

4ictionary J#

8.;0mi des /ommes8 says: that in the time of

6aesar %fty-t9o millions of men 9ere assigned to

$pain: 9hich $trabo observes has al9ays been badly

peopled: o9ing to the interior being so de%cient in

9ater $trabo is apparently right: and 8.;0mi des

/ommes8 erroneous 7ut they scare us by asking

9hat has become of the prodigious Kuantity of

/uns: 0lans: Ostrogoths: 2isigoths: 2andals: and

.ombards: 9ho spread like a torrent over (urope

in the %fth century



I distrust these multitudes: and suspect that

t9enty or thirty thousand ferocious animals: more

or less: 9ere suMcient to over9helm 9ith fright the

9hole 'oman (mpire: governed by a &ulcheria: by

eunuchs: and by monks It 9as enough for ten

thousand barbarians to pass the 4anube ! for every

parish rumor: or homily: to make them more numer-

ous than the locusts in the plains of (gypt! and

call them a scourge from 1od: in order to inspire

penitence: and produce gifts of money to the con-

vents +ear sei@ed all the inhabitants: and they Qed

in cro9ds 7ehold precisely the fright 9hich a 9olf

caused in the district of 1evanden in the year FPHH

andarin the robber: at the head of %fty vaga-

bonds: put an entire to9n under contribution 0s

soon as he entered at one gate: it 9as said at the

other: that he brought 9ith him four thousand men

and artillery If 0ttila: follo9ed by %fty thousand

hungry assassins: ravaged province after province:

report 9ould call them %ve hundred thousand

JLG &hilosophical



)he millions of men 9ho follo9ed Eerxes: 6y-

rus: )omyris: the thirty or forty-four millions of

(gyptians: )hebes 9ith her hundred gates 8(t

KuicKuid 1recia mendax audet in historic:8 re-

semble the %ve hundred thousand men of 0ttila:

9hich company of pleasant travellers it 9ould have

been diMcult to %nd on the journey

)hese /uns came from $iberia: and thence I

conclude that they came in very small numbers $i-

beria 9as certainly not more fertile than in our o9n

days I doubt 9hether in the reign of )omyris a

to9n existed eKual to )obolsk: or that these fright-

ful deserts can feed a great number of inhabitants

India: 6hina: &ersia: and 0sia inor 9ere

thickly peopled ! this I can credit 9ithout diMculty !

and possibly they are not less so at present: not-

9ithstanding the destructive prevalence of invasions

and 9ars )hroughout: 5ature has clothed them

9ith pasturage! the bull freely unites 9ith the

heifer: the ram 9ith the sheep: and man 9ith

9oman8

)he deserts of 7arca: of 0rabia: and of Oreb: of



$inai: of =erusalem: of 1obi: etc: 9ere never

peopled: are not peopled at present: and never 9ill

be peopled! at least: until some natural revolution

happens to transform these plains of sand and Qint

into fertile land

)he land of +rance is tolerably good: and it is

suMciently inhabited by consumers: since of all

kinds there are more than are 9ell supplied! since

4ictionary JLF

there are t9o hundred thousand impostors: 9ho beg

from one end of the country to the other: and sus-

tain their despicable lives at the expense of the rich !

and lastly: since +rance supports more than eighty

thousand monks: of 9hich not a single one assists

to produce an ear of corn

$(6)IO5 II

I believe that (ngland: &rotestant 1ermany: and

/olland are better peopled in proportion than

+rance )he reason is evident! those countries



harbor not monks 9ho vo9 to 1od to be useless to

man In these countries: the clergy: having little

else to do: occupy themselves 9ith study and propa-

gation )hey give birth to robust children: and give

them a better education than that 9hich is besto9ed

on the oCspring of +rench and Italian marKuises

'ome: on the contrary: 9ould be a desert 9ithout

cardinals: ambassadors: and travellers It 9ould be

only an illustrious monument: like the temple of

=upiter 0mmon In the time of the %rst 6aesar: it

9as computed that this sterile territory: rendered

fertile by manure and the labor of slaves: contained

some millions of men It 9as an exception to the

general la9: that population is ordinarily in propor-

tion to fertility of soil

6onKuest rendered this barren country fertile and

populous 0 form of government as strange and

contradictory as any 9hich ever astonished man-

kind: has restored to the territory of 'omulus its

JLJ &hilosophical



primitive character )he 9hole country is depopu-

lated from Orvieto to )erracina 'ome: reduced to

its o9n citi@ens: 9ould be to .ondon only as one

to t9elve ! and in respect to money and commerce:

9ould be to the to9ns of 0msterdam and .ondon

as one to a thousand

)hat 9hich 'ome has lost: (urope has not only

regained: but the population has almost tripled since

the days of 6harlemagne I say tripled: 9hich is

much! for propagation is not in geometrical pro-

gression 0ll the calculations made on the idea of

this pretended multiplication: amount only to absurd

chimeras

If a family of human beings or of apes multiplied

in this manner: at the end of t9o hundred years the

earth 9ould not be able to contain them 5ature

has taken care at once to preserve and restrain the

various species $he resembles the fates: 9ho spin

and cut threads continually $he is occupied 9ith

birth and destruction alone

If she has given to man more ideas and memory

than to other animals ! if she has rendered him

capable of generali@ing his ideas and combining



them! if he has the advantage of the gift of speech:

she has not besto9ed on him that of multiplication

eKual to insects )here are more ants in a sKuare

league of heath: than of men in the 9orld: counting

all that have ever existed

,hen a country possesses a great number of

idlers: be sure that it is 9ell peopled! since these

4ictionary JL"

Idlers are lodged: clothed: fed: amused: and re-

spected by those 9ho labor )he principal object:

ho9ever: is not to possess a superQuity of men: but

to render such as 9e have as little unhappy as pos-

sible

.et us thank nature for placing us in the tem-

perate @one: peopled almost throughout by a more

than suMcient number of inhabitants: 9ho cultivate

all the arts ! and let us endeavor not to lessen this

advantage by our absurdities

$(6)IO5 III



It must be confessed: that 9e ordinarily people

and depopulate the 9orld a little at random! and

everybody acts in this manner ,e are little adapted

to obtain an accurate notion of things! the nearly

is our only guide: and it often leads us astray

It is still 9orse 9hen 9e 9ish to calculate pre-

cisely ,e go and see farces and laugh at them !

but should 9e laugh less in our closets 9hen 9e

read grave authors deciding exactly ho9 many men

existed on the earth t9o hundred and eighty-%ve

years after the general deluge ,e %nd: according

to +ather &etau: that the family of 5oah had pro-

duced one thousand t9o hundred and t9enty-four

millions seven hundred and seventeen thousand in-

habitants: in three hundred years )he good priest

&etau evidently kne9 little about getting children

and rearing them: if 9e are to judge by this state-

ment

JL &hilosophical

0ccording to 6umberland: this family increased



to three thousand three hundred and thirty millions:

in three hundred and forty years ! and according to

,histon: about three hundred years after the 4el-

uge: they amounted only to sixty-%ve millions four

hundred and thirty-six

It is diMcult to reconcile and to estimate these

accounts: such is the extravagance 9hen people seek

to make things accord 9hich are repugnant: and to

explain 9hat is inexplicable )his unhappy en-

deavor has deranged heads 9hich in other pur-

suits might have made discoveries bene%cial to

society

)he authors of the (nglish 8niversal /istory8

observe: it is generally agreed that the present in-

habitants of the earth amount to about four thou-

sand millions It is to be remarked: that these gen-

tlemen do not include in this number the natives of

0merica: 9hich comprehends nearly half of the

globe * +or my o9n part: if: instead of a common

romance: I 9ished to amuse myself by reckoning up

the number of brethren I have on this unhappy little

planet: I 9ould proceed as follo9s< I 9ould %rst

endeavor to estimate pretty nearly the number of

inhabited sKuare leagues this earth contains on its



surface! I should then say< )he surface of the

globe contains t9enty-seven millions of sKuare

leagues! take a9ay t9o-thirds at least for seas:

rivers: lakes: deserts: mountains: and all that is

uninhabited! this calculation: 9hich is very moder-

4ictionary JLL

ate: leaves us nine millions of sKuare leagues to ac-

count for

In +rance and 1ermany: there are said to be six

hundred persons to a sKuare league ! in $pain: one

hundred and %fty ! in 'ussia: %fteen ! and )artary:

ten )ake the mean number at a hundred: and you

9ill have about nine hundred millions of brethren:

including mulattoes: negroes: the bro9n: the copper-

colored: the fair: the bearded: and the unbearded

It is not thought: indeed: that the number is so

great as this ! and if eunuchs continue to be made:

monks to multiply: and 9ars to be 9aged on the

most triQing pretexts: it is easy to perceive that 9e

shall not very soon be able to muster the four thou-

sand millions: 9ith 9hich the (nglish authors of



the 8niversal /istory8 have so liberally favored

us ! but: then: of 9hat conseKuence is it: 9hether the

number of men on the earth be great or small ? )he

chief thing is to discover the means of rendering

ottr miserable species as little unhappy as possible

$(6)IO5 I2

Of the &opulation of 0merica

)he discovery of 0merica that %eld of so much

avarice and so much ambition has also become an

object of philosophical curiosity 0 great number

of 9riters have endeavored to prove that 0merica

9as a colony of the ancient 9orld $ome modest

mathematicians: on the contrary: have said: that the

same po9er 9hich has caused the grass to gro9 in

JLH &hilosophical

0merican soil: 9as able to place man there! but

this simple and naked system has not been attended

to

,hen the great 6olumbus suspected the exist-



ence of this ne9 9orld: it 9as held to be impossible !

and 6olumbus 9as taken for a visionary ,hen it

9as really discovered: it 9as then found out that it

had been kno9n long before

It 9as pretended that artin 7ehem: a native

of 5uremberg: Kuitted +landers about the year

FHG: in search of this unkno9n 9orld! that he

made his 9ay even to the $traits of agellan: of

9hich he left unkno9n charts 0s: ho9ever: it is

certain that artin 7ehem did not people 0merica:

it must certainly have been one of the later grand-

children of 5oah: 9ho took this trouble 0ll antiK-

uity is then ransacked for accounts of long voyages:

to 9hich they apply the discovery of this fourth

Kuarter of the globe )hey make the ships of $olo-

mon proceed to exico: and it is thence that he

dre9 the gold of Ophir: to procure 9hich he bor-

ro9ed them from 3ing /iram )hey %nd out

0merica in &lato: give the honor of it to the 6artha-

ginians: and Kuote this anecdote from a book of

0ristotle 9hich he never 9rote

/ornius pretends to discover some conformity

bet9een the /ebre9 language and that of the

6aribs +ather .a%teau: the =esuit: has not failed



to follo9 up so %ne an opening )he exicans:

9hen greatly aUicted: tore their garments ! certain

4ictionary JLP

people of 0sia formerly did the same: and of course

they are the ancestors of the exicans It might be

added: that the natives of .anguedoc are very fond

of dancing! and that: as in their rejoicings the

/urons dance also: the .anguedocians are de-

scended %om the /urons: or the /urons from the

.anguedocians

)he authors of a tremendous 8niversal /is-

tory8 pretend that all the 0mericans are descended

from the )artars )hey assure us that this opinion

is general among the learned: but they do not say

9hether it is so among the learned 9ho reQect 0c-

cording to them: some descendants of 5oah could

%nd nothing better to do: than to go and settle in

the delicious country of 3amchatka: in the north

of $iberia )his family being destitute of occupa-

tion: resolved to visit 6anada either by means of

ships: or by marching pleasantly across some slip



of connecting land: 9hich has not been discovered

in our o9n times )hey then began to busy them-

selves in propagation: until the %ne country of 6an-

ada soon becoming inadeKuate to the support of so

numerous a population: they 9ent to people exico:

&eru: 6hile! 9hile certain of their great-grand-

daughters 9ere in due time brought to bed of giants

in the $traits of agellan

0s ferocious animals are found in some of the

9arm countries of 0merica: these authors pretend:

that the 6hristopher 6olumbuses of 3amchatka

took them into 6anada for their amusement: and

2ol FJFP

JLR &hilosophical

carefully con%ned themselves to those kinds 9hich

are no longer to be found in the ancient hemisphere

7ut the 3amchatkans have not alone peopled

the ne9 9orld! they have been charitably assisted

by the antchou )artars: by the /uns: by the 6hi-



nese: and by the inhabitants of =apan )he ant-

chou )artars are incontestably the ancestors of the

&eruvians: for ango 6apac 9as the %rst inca of

&eru ango resembles anco! anco sounds

like ancu! ancu approaches antchu: and

antchou is very close to the latter 5othing can be

better; demonstrated 0s for the /uns: they built in

/ungary a to9n called 6unadi 5o9: changing

6u into 6a: 9e have 6anadi: from 9hich 6anada

manifestly derives its name

0 plant resembling the ginseng of the 6hinese:

gro9s in 6anada: 9hich the 6hinese transplanted

into the latter even before they 9ere masters of the

part of )artary 9here it is indigenous oreover:

the 6hinese are such great navigators: they formerly

sent Qeets to 0merica 9ithout maintaining the least

correspondence 9ith their colonies

,ith respect to the =apanese: they are the near-

est neighbors of 0merica: 9hich: as they are distant

only about t9elve hundred leagues: they have doubt-

less visited in their time: although latterly they have

neglected repeating the voyage )hus is history

9ritten in our o9n days ,hat shall 9e say to

these: and many other systems 9hich resemble



them ? 5othing

4ictionary JL#

&O$$($$(4

O+ 0.. those 9ho boast of having leagues 9ith

the devil: to the possessed alone it is of no use to

reply If a man says to you: 8I am possessed:8 you

should believe it on his 9ord )hey are not obliged

to do very extraordinary things ! and 9hen they do

them: it is more than can fairly be demanded ,hat

can 9e ans9er to a man 9ho rolls his eyes: t9ists

his mouth: and tells you that he has the devil 9ithin

him ? (veryone feels 9hat he feels ! and as the

9orld 9as formerly full of possessed persons: 9e

may still meet 9ith them If they take measures to

conKuer the 9orld: 9e give them property and they

become more moderate! but for a poor demoniac:

9ho is content 9ith a fe9 convulsions: and does no

harm to anyone: it is not right to make him inju-

rious If you dispute 9ith him: you 9ill infallibly

have the 9orst of it /e 9ill tell you: 8)he devil

entered me to-day under such a form! from that



time I have had a supernatural colic: 9hich all the

apothecaries in the 9orld cannot assuage8 )here

is certainly no other plan to be taken 9ith this man:

than to exorcise or abandon him to the devil

It is a great pity that there are no longer pos-

sessed magicians or astrologers ,e can conceive

the cause of all these mysteries 0 hundred years

ago all the nobility lived in their castles ! the 9inter

evenings are long: and they 9ould have died of

ennui 9ithout these noble amusements )here 9as

JHG &hilosophical

scarcely a castle 9hich a fairy did not visit on cer-

tain marked days: like the fairy elusina at the

castle of .usignan )he great hunter: a tall black

man: hunted 9ith a pack of black dogs in the ;forest

of +ontainebleau )he devil t9isted arshal +a-

bert;s neck (very village had its sorcerer or sor-

ceress! every prince had his astrologer! all the

ladies had their fortunes told! the possessed ran

about the %elds! it 9as 9ho had seen the devil or

could see him! all these things 9ere inexhaustible



subjects of conversation 9hich kept minds in exer-

cise In the present day 9e insipidly play at cards:

and 9e have lost by being undeceived

&O$)

+O'('.: if you had one friend at 6onstanti-

nople and another at osco9: you 9ould have been

obliged to 9ait for their return before you could

obtain any intelligence concerning them 0t pres-

ent: 9ithout either of you leaving your apartments:

you may familiarly converse through the medium of

a sheet of paper ou may even despatch to them

by the post: one of 0rnault;s sovereign remedies for

apoplexy: 9hich 9ould be received much more in-

fallibly: probably: than it 9ould cure

If one of your friends has occasion for a supply

of money at $t &etersburg: and the other at

$myrna: the post 9ill completely and rapidly eCect

your business our mistress is at 7ordeaux: 9hile

4ictionary JHF



you are 9ith your regiment before &rague! she

gives you regular accounts of the constancy of her

aCections ! you kno9 from her all the ne9s of the

city: except her o9n in%delities In short: the post

is the grand connecting link of all transactions: of

all negotiations )hose 9ho are absent: by its

means become present ! it is the consolation of life

+rance: 9here this beautiful invention 9as re-

vived: even in our period of barbarism: has hereby

conferred the most important service on all (urope

$he has also never in any instance herself marred

and tainted so valuable a bene%t: and never has any

minister 9ho superintended the department of the

post opened the letters of any individual: except

9hen it 9as absolutely necessary that he should

kno9 their contents It is not thus: 9e are told: in

other countries It is asserted: that in 1ermany

private letters: passing through the territories of %ve

or six diCerent governments: have been read just

that number of times: and that at last the seal has

been so nearly destroyed that it became necessary to

substitute a ne9 one

r 6raggs: secretary of state in (ngland: 9ould

never permit any person in his oMce to open private



letters ! he said that to do so 9as a breach of public

faith: and that no man ought to possess himself of a

secret that 9as not voluntarily con%ded to him ! that

it is often a greater crime to steal a man;s thoughts

than his gold! and that such treachery is propor-

tionally more disgraceful: as it may be committed

JHJ &hilosophical

9ithout danger: and 9ithout even the possibility of

conviction

)o be9ilder the eagerness of curiosity and defeat

the vigilance of malice: a method 9as at %rst in-

vented of 9riting a part of the contents of letters in

ciphers! but the part 9ritten ill the ordinary hand

in this case sometimes served as a key to the rest

)his inconvenience led to perfecting the art of ci-

phers: 9hich is called 8stenography8

0gainst these enigmatical productions 9as

brought the art of deciphering ! but this art 9as ex-

ceedingly defective and ineMcient )he only ad-

vantage derived from it 9as exciting the belief in



9eak and ill-formed minds: that their letters had

been deciphered: and all the pleasure it aCorded con-

sisted in giving such persons pain 0ccording to

the la9 of probabilities: in a 9ell-constructed cipher

there 9ould be t9o: three: or even four hundred

chances against one: that in each mark the decipherer

9ould not discover the syllable of 9hich it 9as the

representative

)he number of chances increases in proportion

to the complication of the ciphers ! and deciphering

is utterly impossible 9hen the system is arranged

9ith any ingenuity )hose 9ho boast that they can

decipher a letter: 9ithout being at all acKuainted

9ith the subject of 9hich it treats: and 9ithout any

preliminary assistance: are greater charlatans than

those 9ho boast: if any such are to be found: of

understanding a language 9hich they never learned

4ictionary JH"

,ith respect to those 9ho in a free and easy 9ay

send you by post a tragedy: in good round hand:

9ith blank leaves: on 9hich you are reKuested



kindly to make your observations: or 9ho in the

same 9ay regale you 9ith a %rst volume of meta-

physical researches: to be speedily follo9ed by a

second: 9e may just 9hisper in their ear that a little

more discretion 9ould do no harm: and even that

there are some countries 9here they 9ould run

some risk by thus informing the administration of

the day that there are such things in the 9orld as

bad poets and bad metaphysicians

&O,(' O5I&O)(56(

I &'($( every reader of this article to be con-

vinced that the 9orld is formed 9ith intelligence:

and that a slight kno9ledge of astronomy and an-

atomy is suMcient to produce admiration of that

universal and supreme intelligence Once more I

repeat 8mens agitat molem8

6an the reader of himself ascertain that this in-

telligence is omnipotent: that is to say: in%nitely

po9erful? /as he the slightest notion of in%nity:

to enable him to comprehend the meaning and ex-

tent of almighty po9er?

)he celebrated philosophic historian: 4avid



therefore: that you should kno9 9hether his nature

may not have compelled him to do only the very

things 9hich he has done

)he globe on 9hich 9e live is one vast %eld of

destruction and carnage (ither the $upreme 7eing

9as able to make of it an eternal mode of enjoy-

ment for all beings possessed of sensation: or /e

9as not If /e 9as able and yet did not do it: you

9ill undoubtedly tremble to pronounce or consider

/im a male%cent being! but if /e 9as unable to

do so: do not tremble to regard /im as a po9er of

very great extent indeed: but nevertheless circum-

scribed by /is nature 9ithin certain limits

,hether it be in%nite or not: is not of any conse-

4ictionary JHL

Kuence to you It is perfectly indiCerent to a sub-

ject 9hether his sovereign possesses %ve hundred

leagues of territory or %ve thousand ! he is in either

case neither more nor less a subject ,hich 9ould

reQect most strongly on this great and ineCable



7eing< to say /e made miserable beings because it

9as indispensable to do so ! or that /e made them

merely because it 9as /is 9ill and pleasure?

any sects represent /im as cruel ! others:

through fear of admitting the existence of a 9icked

4eity: are daring enough to deny /is existence at

all ,ould it not be far preferable to say that prob-

ably the necessity of /is o9n nature and that of

things have determined everything?

)he 9orld is the theatre of moral and natural

evil ! this is too decidedly found and felt to be the

case! and the 8all is for the best8 of $haftesbury:

7olingbroke: and &ope: is nothing but the eCusion

of a mind devoted to eccentricity and paradox! in

short: nothing but a dull jest

)he t9o principles of Doroaster and anes: so

minutely investigated by 7ayle: are a duller jest

still )hey are: as 9e have already observed: the

t9o physicians of oliere: one of 9hom says to the

other < 8ou excuse my emetics: and I 9ill excuse

your bleedings8 anichaeism is absurd ! and that

circumstance 9ill account for its having had so

many partisans



I ackno9ledge that I have not had my mind en-

lightened by all that 7ayle has said about the an-

JHH &hilosophical

ichaeans and &aulicians It is all controversy ! 9hat

I 9anted 9as pure philosophy ,hy speak about

our mysteries to Doroaster? 0s soon as ever 9e

have the temerity to discuss the critical subject of

our mysteries: 9e open to our vie9 the most tre-

mendous precipices

)he trash of our o9n scholastic theology has

nothing to do 9ith the trash of Doroaster;s reveries

,hy discuss 9ith Doroaster the subject of original

sin? )hat subject did not become a matter of dis-

pute until the time of $t 0ugustine 5either

Doroaster nor any other legislator of antiKuity ever

heard it mentioned If you dispute 9ith Doroaster:

lock up your Old and 5e9 )estament: 9ith 9hich

he had not the slightest acKuaintance: and 9hich

it is our duty to revere 9ithout attempting to ex-

plain



,hat I should myself have said to Doroaster

9ould have been this< y reason opposes the

admission of t9o gods in conQict 9ith each other!

such an idea is allo9able only in a poem in 9hich

inerva Kuarrels 9ith ars y 9eak understand-

ing much more readily acKuiesces in the notion of

only one 1reat 7eing: than in that of t9o great

beings: of 9hom one is constantly counteracting

and spoiling the operations of the other our evil

principle: 0rimanes: has not been able to derange

a single astronomical and physical la9 established

by the good principle of Oroma@es ! everything pro-

ceeds: among the numberless 9orlds 9hich consti-

4ictionary JHP

tute 9hat 9e call the heavens: 9ith perfect regu-

larity and harmony! ho9 comes it that the ma-

lignant 0rimanes has po9er only over this little

globe of earth?

/ad I been 0rimanes: I should have assailed

Oroma@es in his immense and noble provinces: com-



prehending numbers of suns and stars I should

never have been content to con%ne the 9ar to an in-

signi%cant and miserable village )here certainly

is a great deal of misery in this same village ! but

ho9 can 9e possibly ascertain that it is not abso-

lutely inevitable?

ou are compelled to admit an intelligence dif-

fused through the universe 7ut in the %rst place:

do you absolutely kno9 that this intelligence com-

prises a kno9ledge of the future? ou have as-

serted a thousand times that it does ! but you have

never been able to prove it to me: or to comprehend

it yourself ou cannot have any idea ho9 any

being can see 9hat does not exist ! 9ell: the future

does not exist: therefore no being can see it ou

are reduced to the necessity of saying that he fore-

sees it ! but to foresee is only to conjecture

5o9 a god 9ho: according to your system: con-

jectures may be mistaken /e is: on your prin-

ciples: really mistaken ! for if he had foreseen that

his enemy 9ould poison all his 9orks in this lo9er

9orld: he 9ould never have produced them ! he

9ould not have been accessory to the disgrace he

sustains in being perpetually vanKuished



JHR &hilosophical

$econdly: is he not much more honored upon

my hypothesis: 9hich maintains that he does every-

thing by the necessity of his o9n nature: than upon

yours: 9hich raises up against him an enemy: dis-

%guring: polluting: and destroying all his 9orks

of 9isdom and kindness throughout the 9orld S

In the third place: it by no means implies a mean

and un9orthy idea of 1od to say that: after forming

millions of 9orlds: in 9hich death and evil may

have no residence: it might be necessary that death

and evil should reside in this

+ourth: it is not deprecating 1od to say that /e

could not form man 9ithout besto9ing on him self-

love ! that this self-love could not be his guide 9ith-

out almost al9ays leading him astray ! that his pas-

sions are necessary: but at the same time noxious !

that the continuation of the species cannot be ac-

complished 9ithout desires! that these desires can-

not operate 9ithout exciting Kuarrels! and that



these Kuarrels necessarily bring on 9ars: etc

+ifth: on observing a part of the combinations

of the vegetable: animal: and mineral kingdoms:

and the porous nature of the earth: in every part

so minutely pierced and drilled like a sieve: and

from 9hich exhalations constantly rise in immense

profusion: 9hat philosopher 9ill be bold enough:

9hat schoolman 9ill be 9eak enough: decidedly

to maintain that nature could possibly prevent the

ravages of volcanoes: the intemperature of seasons:

the rage of tempests: the poison of pestilence: or: in

4ictionary JH#

short: any of those scourges 9hich aUict the

9orld ?

$ixth: a very great degree of po9er and skill

are reKuired to form lions 9ho devour bulls: and

to produce men 9ho invent arms 9hich destroy: by

a single blo9: not merely the life of bulls and lions:

but melancholy as the idea is the life of one an-

other 1reat po9er is necessary to produce the



spiders 9hich spread their exKuisitely %ne threads

and net-9ork to catch Qies ! but this po9er amounts

not to omnipotence it is not boundless po9er

In the seventh place: if the $upreme 7eing had

been in%nitely po9erful: no reason can be assigned

9hy /e should not have made creatures endo9ed

9ith sensation in%nitely happy ! /e has not in fact

done so! therefore 9e ought to conclude that /e

could not do so

(ighth: all the diCerent sects of philosophers

have struck on the rock of physical and moral evil

)he only conclusion that can be securely reached

is: that 1od: acting al9ays for the best: has done

the best that /e 9as able to do

5inth: this necessity cuts oC all diMculties and

terminates all disputes ,e have not the hardihood

to say < 80ll is good8 ! 9e say < 8)here is no more

evil than 9as absolutely inevitable8

)enth: 9hy do some infants die at the mother;s

breast ? ,hy are others: after experiencing the %rst

misfortune of being born: reserved for torments as

lasting as their lives: 9hich are at length ended by an



JPG &hilosophical

appalling death? ,hy has the source of life been

poisoned throughout the 9orld since the discovery

of 0merica ? ,hy: since the seventh century of the

6hristian era: has the smallpox s9ept a9ay an

eighth portion of the human species ? ,hy: in every

age of the 9orld: have human bladders been liable

to be converted into stone Kuarries? ,hy pesti-

lence: and 9ar: and famine: and the InKuisition?

6onsider the subject as carefully: as profoundly:

as the po9ers of the mind 9ill absolutely permit:

you 9ill %nd no other possible solution than that all

is necessary

I address myself here solely to philosophers: and

not to divines ,e kno9 that faith is the clue

to guide us through the labyrinth ,e kno9 full

9ell that the fall of 0dam and (ve: original sin: the

vast po9er communicated to devils: the predilection

entertained by the $upreme 7eing for the =e9ish

people: and the ceremony of baptism substituted

for that of circumcision: are ans9ers that clear up



every diMculty ,e have been here arguing only

against Doroaster: and not against the niversity

of 6oimbra: to 9hose decisions and doctrines: in all

the articles of our 9ork: 9e submit 9ith all possible

deference and faith $ee the letters of emmius

to 6icero! and ans9er them if you can

4ictionary JPF

&O,('

)he )9o &o9ers

$(6)IO5 I

,/O(2(' holds both the sceptre and the censer

has his hands completely occupied If he governs

a people possessed of common sense he may be con-

sidered as a very able man ! but if his subjects have

no more mind than children or savages: he may be

compared to 7ernier;s coachman: 9ho 9as one day

suddenly surprised by his master in one of the pub-

lic places of 4elhi: haranguing the populace: and

distributing among them his Kuack medicines

8,hatS .apierre:8 says 7ernier to him: 8have you



turned physician?8 8es: sir:8 replied the coach-

man ! 8like people: like doctor8

)he dairo of the =apanese: or the grand lama of

)hibet: might make just the same remark (ven

5uma &ompilius: 9ith his (geria: 9ould have an-

s9ered 7ernier in the same manner elchi@edek

9as probably in a similar situation: as 9ell as the

0nius 9hom 2irgil introduces in the follo9ing t9o

lines of the third book of his 8^(neid8 <

'ex 0nius: rex idem: hominum &hoebiKue sacerdos:

2ittis et sacra redimitus tempera lauro 2I'1I.

0nius: the priest and king: 9ith laurel cro9ned

/is hoary locks 9ith purple %llets bound 4'4(5

)his charlatan 0nius 9as merely king of the isle

of 4elos: a very paltry kingdom: 9hich: next to

those of elchi@edek and vetot: 9as one of the

least considerable in the 9orld ! but the 9orship of

JPJ &hilosophical

0pollo had conferred on it a high reputation! a



single saint is enough to raise any country into

credit and conseKuence

)hree of the 1erman electors are more po9erful

than 0nius! and: like him: unite the rights of the

mitre 9ith those of the cro9n! although in sub-

ordination: at least apparently so: to the 'oman

emperor: 9ho is no other than the emperor of 1er-

many 7ut of all the countries in 9hich the pleni-

tude of ecclesiastical and the plenitude of royal

claims combine to form the most full and complete

po9er fhat can be imagined: modern 'ome is the

chief

)he pope is regarded in the 6atholic part of (u-

rope as the %rst of kings and the %rst of priests It

9as the same in 9hat 9as called 8pagan8 'ome!

=ulius 6aesar 9as at once chief pontiC: dictator:

9arrior: and conKueror ! distinguished also both for

eloKuence and gallantry! in every respect the %rst

of mankind! and 9ith 9hom no modern: except in

a dedication: could ever be compared

)he king of (ngland: being the head also of the

6hurch: possesses nearly the same dignities as the

pope )he empress of 'ussia is like9ise absolute



mistress over her clergy: in the largest empire exist-

ing upon earth )he notion that t9o po9ers may

exist: in opposition to each other: in the same state:

is there regarded even by the clergy themselves as a

chimera eKually absurd and pernicious

In this connection I cannot help introducing a

4ictionary JP"

letter 9hich the empress of 'ussia: 6atherine II:

did me the honor to 9rite to me at ount 3rapak:

on 0ug JJ: FPHL: and 9hich she permitted me to

make use of as I might see occasion <

8)he 6apuchins 9ho are tolerated at osco9

Nfor toleration is general throughout the 'ussian

empire: and the =esuits alone are not suCered to re-

main in itW: having: in the course of the last 9inter:

obstinately refused to inter a +renchman 9ho died

suddenly: under a pretence that he had not received

the sacraments: 0braham 6haumeix dre9 up a fac-

tum: or statement: against them: in order to prove

to them that it 9as obligatory upon them to bury the



dead 7ut neither this factum: nor t9o reKuisitions

of the governor: could prevail on these fathers to

obey 0t last they 9ere authoritatively told that

they must either bury the +renchman or remove be-

yond the frontiers )hey actually removed accord-

ingly! and I sent some 0ugustins from this place:

9ho 9ere some9hat more tractable: and 9ho: per-

ceiving that no triQing or delay 9ould be permitted:

did all that 9as desired on the occasion )hus

0braham 6haumeix has in 'ussia become a rea-

sonable man ! he absolutely is an enemy to persecu-

tion ! 9ere he also to become a man of 9it and in-

tellect: he 9ould make the most incredulous believe

in miracles! but all the miracles in the 9orld 9ill

not blot out the disgrace of having been the de-

nouncer of the ;(ncyclopedia;

8)he subjects of the 6hurch: having suCered

2ol FJ FR

JP &hilosophical

many: and freKuently tyrannical: grievances: 9hich

the freKuent change of masters very considerably in-



creased: to9ards the end of the reign of the em-

press (li@abeth: rose in actual rebellion ! and at my

accession to the throne there 9ere more than a hun-

dred thousand men in arms )his occasioned me: in

FPHJ: to execute the project of changing entirely

the administration of the property of the clergy: and

to settle on them %xed revenues 0rsenius: bishop

of 'osto9: strenuously opposed this: urged on by

some of his brother clergy: 9ho did not feel it per-

fectly convenient to put themselves for9ard by

name /e sent in t9o memorials: in 9hich he at-

tempted to establish the absurd principle of t9o

po9ers /e had made the like attempt before: in

the time of the empress (li@abeth: 9hen he had

been simply enjoined silence ! but his insolence and

folly redoubling: he 9as no9 tried by the metro-

politan of 5ovgorod and the 9hole synod: con-

demned as a fanatic: found guilty of attempts con-

trary to the orthodox faith: as 9ell as to the supreme

po9er: deprived of his dignity and priesthood: and

delivered over to the secular arm I acted leniently

to9ards him ! and after reducing him to the situa-

tion of a monk: extended his punishment no farther8

$uch are the very 9ords of the empress ! and the

inference from the 9hole case is that she 9ell kno9s

both ho9 to support the 6hurch and ho9 to restrain



it! that she respects humanity as 9ell as religion!

that she protects the laborer as 9ell as the priest!

4ictionary JPL

and that all orders in the state ought both to admire

and bless her

I shall hope to be excused for the further indis-

cretion of transcribing here a passage contained in

another of her letters: 9ritten on 5ovember JR:

FPHL<

8)oleration is established among us! it consti-

tutes a la9 of the state! persecution is prohibited

,e have indeed fanatics 9ho: as they are not perse-

cuted by others: burn themselves! but if those of

other countries also did the same: no great harm

could result! the 9orld: in conseKuence of such a

system: 9ould have been more tranKuil: and 1alas

9ould not have been racked to death8

4o not imagine that she 9rites in this style from

a feeling of transient and vain enthusiasm: contra-



dicted after9ards in her practice: nor even from a

laudable desire of obtaining throughout (urope the

suCrages and applause of those 9ho think: and teach

others the 9ay to think $he lays do9n these prin-

ciples as the basis of her government $he 9rote

9ith her o9n hand: in the 86ouncil of .egislations:8

the follo9ing 9ords: 9hich should be engraved on

the gates of every city in the 9orld <

8In a great empire: extending its s9ay over as

many diCerent nations as there are diCerent creeds

among mankind: the most pernicious fault 9ould be

intolerance8

It is to be observed that she does not hesitate

to put intolerance in the rank of faults I had nearly

ijH &hilosophical

said oCences )hus does an absolute empress: in

the depths of the 5orth: put an end to persecution

and slavery 9hile in the $outh

=udge for yourself: sir: after this: 9hether there



9ill be found a man in (urope 9ho 9ill not be ready

to sign the eulogium you propose 5ot only is this

princess tolerant: but she is desirous that her neigh-

bors should be so like9ise )his is the %rst instance

in 9hich supreme po9er has been exercised in estab-

lishing liberty of conscience It constitutes the

grandest epoch 9ith 9hich I am acKuainted in mod-

ern histofy

)he case of the ancient &ersians forbidding the

6arthaginians to oCer human sacri%ces is a some-

9hat similar instance ,ould to 1od: that instead

of the barbarians 9ho formerly poured from the

plains of $cythia: and the mountains of Imaus and

6aucasus: to9ards the 0lps and &yrenees: carry-

ing 9ith them ravage and desolation: armies might

be seen at the present day descending to subvert

the tribunal of the InKuisition a tribunal more hor-

rible than even the sacri%ces of human beings 9hich

constitute the eternal reproach of our forefathers:

In short: this superior genius 9ishes to convince

her neighbors of 9hat (urope is no9 beginning to

comprehend: that metaphysical unintelligible opin-

ions: 9hich are the daughters of absurdity: are the

mothers of discord ! and that the 6hurch: instead of



saying < 8I come to bring: not peace: but the s9ord:8

should exclaim aloud< 8I bring peace: and not the

4ictionary JPP

s9ord8 0ccordingly the empress is un9illing to

dra9 the s9ord against any but those 9ho 9ish

to crush the dissidents

$(6)IO5 II

6onversation 7et9een the 'everend +ather 7ouvet:

issionary of the 6ompany of =esus: and the

(mperor 6amhi: in the &resence of 7rother 0t-

tiret: a =esuit! (xtracted from the &rivate e-

moirs of the ission: in

+0)/(' 7O2()

es: may it please your sacred majesty: as soon

as you 9ill have had the happiness of being bapti@ed

by me: 9hich I hope 9ill be the case: you 9ill be re-



lieved of one-half of the immense burden 9hich no9

oppresses you I have mentioned to you the fable

of 0tlas: 9ho supported the heavens on his shoul-

ders /ercules relieved him and carried a9ay the

heavens ou are 0tlas: and /ercules is the pope

)here 9ill be t9o po9ers in your empire Our ex-

cellent 6lement 9ill be the %rst pon this plan

you 9ill enjoy the greatest of all advantages ! those

of being at leisure 9hile you live: and of being saved

9hen you die

)/( (&('O'

I am exceedingly obliged to my dear friend: the

pope: for condescending to take so much trouble!

but ho9 9ill he be able to govern my empire at the

distance of six thousand leagues ?

JPR &hilosophical

+0)/(' 7O2()

5othing: may it please your Imperial ajesty:

can be more easy ,e are his vicars apostolic: and



he is the vicar of 1od! you 9ill therefore be gov-

erned by 1od /imself

)/( (&('O'

/o9 delightful that 9ill be S I am not: ho9ever:

Kuite easy on the subject ,ill your vice-god share

the imperial revenues 9ith myself? +or all labor

ought to be paid for

+0)/(' 7O2()

Our vice-god is so kind and good that in general

he 9ill not take: at most: more than a Kuarter: ex-

cept in cases of disobedience Our emoluments 9ill

not exceed %fty million ounces of pure silver: 9hich

is surely a triQing object in comparison 9ith

heavenly advantages

)/( (&('O'

es: it is certainly: as you say: giving them al-

most for nothing I suppose your celebrated and

benevolent city derives just about the same sum

from each of my three neighbors the 1reat ogul:

the (mperor of =apan: and the (mpress of 'ussia !



and also from the &ersian and the )urkish em-

pires ?

+0)/(' 7O2()

I cannot exactly say that is yet the case! but:

9ith 1od;s help and our o9n: I have no doubt it 9ill

be so

4ictionary JP#

)/( (&('O'

0nd ho9 are you: 9ho are the vicars apostolic: to

be paid?

+0)/(' 7O2()

,e have no regular 9ages ! but 9e are some-

9hat like the principal female character in a comedy

9ritten by one 6ount 6aylus: a countryman of mine !

all that I is for myself

)/( (&('O'



7ut pray inform me 9hether your 6hristian

princes in (urope pay your Italian friend or patron

in proportion to the assessment laid on me

+0)/(' 7O2()

5o: they do not S One-half of (urope has sepa-

rated from him and pays him nothing! and the

other pays him no more than it is obliged to pay

)/( (&('O'

ou told me some time since that he 9as sover-

eign of a very %ne and fertile territory

+0)/(' 7O2()

es! but it produces very little to him! it lies

mostly uncultivated

)/( (&('O'

&oor manS he does not kno9 ho9 to cultivate

his o9n territory: and yet pretends to govern mine



+0)/(' 7O2()

+ormerly: in one of our councils that is: in one

of our assemblies of priests: 9hich 9as held in a city

JRG &hilosophical

called 6onstance our holy father caused a proposi-

tion to be made for a ne9 tax for the support of his

dignity )he assembly replied that any necessity

for that 9ould be perfectly precluded by his attend-

ing to the cultivation of his o9n lands )his: ho9-

ever: he took eCectual care not to do /e preferred

living on the produce of those 9ho labor in other

kingdoms /e appeared to think that this manner

of living had an air of greater grandeur

)/( (&('O'

,ell: go and tell him from me: that I not only

make those8 about me labor: but that I also labor my-

self ! and I doubt much 9hether it 9ill be for him

+0)/(' 7O2()



/oly 2irgin S I am absolutely taken for a fool S

)/( (&('O'

7egone: this instant S I have been too indulgent

7'O)/(' 0))I'() )O +0)/(' 7O2()

I 9as right: you see: 9hen I told you that the em-

peror: 9ith all his excellence of heart: had also

more understanding than both of us together

&'0(' N&7.I6W: )/053$1I2I51: ()6

2(' fe9 forms of public prayers used by the

ancients still remain ,e have only /orace;s beau-

tiful hymn for the secular games of the ancient

'omans )his prayer is in the rhythm and measure

4ictionary J:RF

9hich the other 'omans long after imitated in the

hymn: 8t Kueat laxis resonare %bris8



)he 8&ervigilium 2eneris8 is 9ritten in a Kuaint

and aCected taste: and seems un9orthy of the noble

simplicity of the reign of 0ugustus It is possible

that this hymn to 2enus may have been chanted

in the festivals celebrated in honor of that goddess !

but it cannot be doubted that the poem of /orace

9as chanted 9ith much greater solemnity

It must be allo9ed that this secular poem of

/orace is one of the %nest productions of antiKuity !

and that the hymn: 8t Kueat laxis:8 is one of the

most Qat and vapid pieces that appeared during the

barbarous period of the decline of the .atin lan-

guage )he 6atholic 6hurch in those times paid

little attention to eloKuence and poetry ,e all

kno9 very 9ell that 1od prefers bad verses recited

9ith a pure heart: to the %nest verses possible

chanted by the 9icked 1ood verses: ho9ever:

never yet did any harm: and all other things being

eKual must deserve a preference

5othing among us ever approached the secular

games: 9hich 9ere celebrated at the expiration of

every hundred and ten years Our jubilee is only

a faint and feeble copy of it )hree magni%cent



altars 9ere erected on the banks of the )iber 0ll

'ome 9as illuminated for three successive nights !

and %fteen priests distributed the lustral 9ater and

9ax tapers among the men and 9omen of the city

9ho 9ere appointed to chant the prayers 0 sacri-

JRJ &hilosophical

%ce 9as %rst oCered to =upiter as the great god: the

sovereign master of the gods! and after9ards to

=uno: 0pollo: .atona: 4iana: &luto: &roserpine: and

the +ates: as to inferior po9ers 0ll these divinities

had their o9n peculiar hymns and ceremonies

)here 9ere t9o choirs: one of t9enty-seven boys:

and the other of t9enty-seven girls: for each of the

divinities +inally: on the last day: the boys and

girls: cro9ned 9ith Qo9ers: chanted the ode of

/orace

It is true that in private houses his other odes:

for .igurinus and .iciscus and other contemptible

characters: 9ere heard at table! performances

9hich undoubtedly 9ere not calculated to excite the

%nest feelings of devotion ! but there is a time for all



things: 8pictoribus atKue poetis8 6araccio: 9ho

dre9 the %gures of 0retin: painted saints also ! and

in all our colleges 9e have excused in /orace 9hat

the masters of the 'oman (mpire excused in him

9ithout any diMculty

0s to forms of prayer: 9e have only a fe9 slight

fragments of that 9hich 9as recited at the mysteries

of Isis ,e have Kuoted it else9here: but 9e 9ill

repeat it here: because it is at once short and beau-

tiful <

8)he celestial po9ers obey thee! hell is in sub-

jection to thee! the universe revolves under thy

moving hand! thy feet tread on )artarus! the

stars are responsive to thy voice! the seasons re-

4ictionary JR"

turn at thy command ! the elements are obedient to

thy 9ill8

,e repeat also the form supposed to have been

used in the 9orship of the ancient Orpheus: 9hich



9e think superior even to the above respecting Isis <

8,alk in the path of justice ! adore the sole

aster of the niverse ! /e is One 0lone: and

self-existent! all other beings o9e their existence

to /im! /e acts both in them and by them! /e

sees all: but has never been /imself seen by mortal

eyes8

It is not a little extraordinary that in the .e-

viticus and 4euteronomy of the =e9s: there is not a

single public prayer: not one single formula of pub-

lic 9orship It seems as if the .evites 9ere fully em-

ployed in dividing among themselves the viands that

9ere oCered to them ,e do not even see a single

prayer instituted for their great festivals of the

&assover: the &entecost: the trumpets: the taber-

nacles: the general expiation: or the ne9 moon

)he learned are almost unanimously agreed that

there 9ere no regular prayers among the =e9s: ex-

cept 9hen: during their captivity at 7abylon: they

adopted some9hat of the manners: and acKuired

something of the sciences: of that civili@ed and

po9erful people )hey borro9ed all from the 6hal-

daic &ersians: even to their very language: char-



acters: and numerals! and joining some ne9 cus-

toms to their old (gyptian rites: they became a ne9

JR &hilosophical

people: so much the more superstitious than be-

fore: in conseKuence of their being: after the con-

clusion of a long captivity: still al9ays dependent

upon their neighbors

In rebus acerbis

0rcius advertunt animos ad religionem

.6'()I$: book iii: LJ: L"

)he common rout:

,hen cares and dangers press: gro9 more devout

6'((6/

,ith respect to the ten other tribes 9ho had been

previously dispersed: 9e may reasonably believe



that they 9ere as destitute of public forms of prayer

as the t9o others: and that they had not: even up to

the period of their dispersion: any %xed and 9ell-de-

%ned religion: as they abandoned that 9hich they

professed 9ith so much facility: and forgot even

their o9n name: 9hich cannot be said of the small

number of unfortunate beings 9ho returned to re-

build =erusalem

It is: therefore: at that period that the t9o tribes:

or rather the t9o tribes and a half: seemed to have

%rst attached themselves to certain invariable rites:

to have 9ritten books: and used regular prayers It

is not before that time that 9e begin to see among

them forms of prayer (sdras ordained t9o prayers

for every day: and added a third for the $abbath!

it is even said that he instituted eighteen prayers:

that there might be room for selection: and also to

aCord variety in the service )he %rst of these

begins in the follo9ing manner <

4ictionary JRL

87lessed be )hou: O .ord 1od of our fathers:



9ith regard to many prayers: 9hich is: that every

nation has prayed for the direct contrary events to

those prayed for by their neighbors

)he =e9s: for example: prayed that 1od 9ould

exterminate the $yrians: 7abylonians: and (gyp-

tians! and these prayed that 1od 9ould extermi-

JRH &hilosophical

nate the =e9s! and: accordingly: they may be said

to have been so: 9ith respect to the ten tribes: 9ho

have been confounded and mixed up 9ith so many

nations! and the remaining t9o tribes 9ere more

unfortunate still ! for: as they obstinately persevered

in remaining separate from all other nations in the

midst of 9hom they d9elt: they 9ere deprived of

the grand advantages of human society

In our o9n times: in the course of the 9ars that

9e so freKuently undertake for the sake of partic-

ular cities: or even perhaps villages: the 1ermans

and $paniards: 9hen they happened to be the ene-

mies of the +rench: prayed to the /oly 2irgin: from



they sang their canticles in their synagogues: 9hich

did not take place until a late period

)he people of all nations: 9hether actuated by

desires or fears: have invoked the assistance of the

4ivinity &hilosophers: ho9ever: more respectful

to the $upreme 7eing: and rising more above hu-

man 9eakness: have been habituated to substitute:

for prayer: resignation )his: in fact: is all that ap-

pears proper and suitable bet9een creature and

6reator 7ut philosophy is not adapted to the great

mass of mankind ! it soars too high above the vul-

gar! it speaks a language they are unable to com-

prehend )o propose philosophy to them 9ould be

just as 9eak as to propose the study of conic sec-

tions to peasants or %sh-9omen

0mong the philosophers themselves: I kno9 of

no one besides aximus )yrius 9ho has treated of

this subject )he follo9ing is the substance of his

ideas upon it< 8)he designs of 1od exist from all

eternity If the object prayed for be conformable

to /is immutable 9ill: it must be perfectly useless

to reKuest of /im the very thing 9hich /e has de-

termined to do If /e is prayed to for the reverse

of 9hat /e has determined to do: /e is prayed to



be 9eak: %ckle: and inconstant ! such a prayer im-

plies that this is thought to be /is character: and is

nothing better than ridicule or mockery of /im

ou either reKuest of /im 9hat is just and right:

in 9hich case /e ought to do it: and it 9ill be

JRR &hilosophical

actually done 9ithout any solicitation: 9hich in fact

sho9s distrust of /is rectitude! or 9hat you re-

Kuest is unjust: and then you insult /im ou are

either 9orthy or un9orthy of the favor you implore <

if 9orthy: /e kno9s it better than you do yourself !

if un9orthy: you commit an additional crime in re-

Kuesting that 9hich you do not merit8

In a 9ord: 9e oCer up prayers to 1od only be-

cause 9e have made /im after our o9n image ,e

treat /im like a pasha: or a sultan: 9ho is capable

of being exasperated and appeased In short: all

nations pray to 1od < the sage is resigned: and

obeys /im .et us pray 9ith the people: and let

us be resigned to /im 9ith the sage



,e have already spoken of the public prayers of

many nations: and of those of the =e9s )hat people

have had one from time immemorial: 9hich deserves

all our attention: from its resemblance to the prayer

taught us by =esus 6hrist /imself )his =e9ish

prayer is called the 3adish: and begins 9ith these

9ords< 8O: 1odS let )hy name be magni%ed and

sancti%ed! make )hy kingdom to prevail! let re-

demption Qourish: and the essiah come KuicklyS8

0s this 3adish is recited in 6haldee it has in-

duced the belief that it is as ancient as the captivity:

and that it 9as at that period that the =e9s began

to hope for a essiah: a .iberator: or 'edeemer:

9hom they have since prayed for in the seasons of

their calamities

)he circumstance of this 9ord 8essiah8 being

4ictionary JR#

found in this ancient prayer has occasioned much

controversy on the subject of the history of this

people If the prayer originated during the 7aby-



lonish captivity: it is evident that the =e9s at that

time must have hoped for and expected a 'edeemer

7ut 9hence does it arise: that in times more dread-

fully calamitous still: after the destruction of =eru-

salem by )itus: neither =osephus nor &hilo ever

mentioned any expectation of a essiah? )here

are obscurities in the history of every people! but

those of the =e9s form an absolute and perpetual

chaos It is unfortunate for those 9ho are desirous

of information: that the 6haldseans and (gyptians

have lost their archives: 9hile the =e9s have pre-

served theirs

&'(=4I6(

&'(=4I6( is an opinion 9ithout judgment

)hus: throughout the 9orld: children are inspired

9ith opinions before they can judge )here are

universal and necessary prejudices: and these even

constitute virtue In all countries: children are

taught to ackno9ledge a re9arding and punishing

1od ! to respect and love their fathers and mothers !

to regard theft as a crime: and interested lying as a

vice: before they can tell 9hat is a virtue or a vice

&rejudice may: therefore: be very useful: and such

as judgment 9ill ratify 9hen 9e reason



$entiment is not simply prejudice: it is something

much stronger 0 mother loves not her son because

2ol FJ F#

J#G &hilosophical

she is told that she must love him ! she fortunately

cherishes him in spite of herself It is not through

prejudice that you run to the aid of an unkno9n

child nearly falling do9n a precipice: or being de-

voured by a beast

7ut it is through prejudice that you 9ill respect

a man dressed in certain clothes: 9alking gravely:

and talking at the same time our parents have

told you that you must bend to this man! you re-

spect him before you kno9 9hether he merits your

respect ! you gro9 in age and kno9ledge ! you per-

ceive that this man is a Kuack: made up of pride: in-

terest: and arti%ce! you despise that 9hich you re-

vered: and prejudice yields to judgment )hrough

prejudice: you have believed the fables 9ith 9hich



your infancy 9as lulled < you are told that the )itans

made 9ar against the gods: that 2enus 9as amor-

ous of 0donis! at t9elve years of age you take

these fables for truth ! at t9enty: you regard them

as ingenious allegories

.et us examine: in a fe9 9ords: the diCerent

kinds of prejudices: in order to arrange our ideas

,e shall perhaps be like those 9ho: in the time of

the scheme of .a9: perceived that they had calcu-

lated upon imaginary riches

&rejudices of the $enses

Is it not an amusing thing: that our eyes al9ays

deceive us: even 9hen 9e see very 9ell: and that

on the contrary our ears do not ? ,hen your prop-

4ictionary J#F

erly-formed ear hears < 8ou are beautiful ! I love

you:8 it is very certain that the 9ords are not<

8I hate you ! you are ugly !8 but you see a smooth

mirror it is demonstrated that you are deceived!



it is a very rough surface ou see the sun about

t9o feet in diameter! it is demonstrated that it is a

million times larger than the earth

It seems that 1od has put truth into your ears:

and error into your eyes ! but study optics: and you

9ill perceive that 1od has not deceived you: and

that it 9as impossible for objects to appear to you

other9ise than you see them in the present state of

things

&hysical &rejudices

)he sun rises: the moon also: the earth is im-

movable ! these are natural physical prejudices 7ut

that crabs are good for the blood: because 9hen

boiled they are of the same color! that eels cure

paralysis: because they frisk about! that the moon

inQuences our diseases: because an invalid 9as one

day observed to have an increase of fever during the

9ane of the moon < these ideas and a thousand others

9ere the errors of ancient charlatans: 9ho judged

9ithout reason: and 9ho: being themselves deceived:

deceived others

/istorical &rejudices



)he greater part of historians have believed 9ith-

out examining: and this con%dence is a prejudice

+abius &ictor relates: that: several ages before him:

J#J &hilosophical

a vestal of the to9n of 0lba: going to dra9 9ater

in her pitcher: 9as violated: that she 9as delivered

of 'omulus and 'emus: that they 9ere nourished

by a she-9olf )he 'oman people believed this

fable ! they examined not 9hether at that time there

9ere vestals in .atium! 9hether it 9as likely that

the daughter of a king should go out of her con-

vent 9ith a pitcher: or 9hether it 9as probable that

a she-9olf should suckle t9o children: instead of

eating them< prejudice established it

0 monk 9rites that 6lovis: being in great danger

at the battle of )olbiac: made a vo9 to become a

6hristian if he escaped! but is it natural that he

should address a strange god on such an occasion?

,ould not the religion in 9hich he 9as born have

acted the most po9erfully ? ,here is the 6hristian



9ho: in a battle against the )urks: 9ould not rather

address himself to the holy 2irgin ary: than to

ahomet ? /e adds: that a pigeon brought the vial

in his beak to anoint 6lovis: and that an angel

brought the oriQamme to conduct him< the preju-

diced believed all the stories of this kind )hose

9ho are acKuainted 9ith human nature 9ell kno9:

that the usurper 6lovis: and the usurper 'ollo: or

'ol: became 6hristians to govern the 6hristians

more securely! as the )urkish usurpers became

ussulmans to govern the ussulmans more se-

curely

'eligious &rejudices

If your nurse has told you: that 6eres presides

4ictionary J#"

over corn: or that 2ishnu and Eaca became men

several times: or that $ammonocodom cut do9n a

forest: or that Odin expects you in his hall near

=utland: or that ahomet: or some other: made a

journey to heaven ! %nally: if your preceptor after-



9ards thrusts into your brain 9hat your nurse has

engraven on it: you 9ill possess it for life If your

judgment 9ould rise above these prejudices: your

neighbors: and above all^ the ladies: exclaim 8im-

piety S8 and frighten you ! your dervish: fearing to

see his revenue diminished: accuses you before the

cadi ! and this cadi: if he can: causes you to be im-

paled: because he 9ould command fools: and he be-

lieves that fools obey better than others ! 9hich state

of things 9ill last until your neighbors and the der-

vish and cadi begin to comprehend that folly is good

for nothing: and that persecution is abominable

&'($7)('I05

)/( 0nglican religion is predominant only in

(ngland and Ireland! &resbyterianism is the estab-

lished religion of $cotland )his &resbyterianism

is nothing more than pure 6alvinism: such as once

existed in +rance: and still exists at 1eneva

In comparison 9ith a young and lively +rench

bachelor in divinity: bra9ling during the morning

in the schools of theology: and singing 9ith the

ladies in the evening: a 6hurch-of-(ngland divine is

a 6ato ! but this 6ato is himself a gallant in presence



of the $cottish &resbyterians )he latter aCect a

J# &hilosophical

solemn 9alk: a serious demeanor: a large hat: a

long robe beneath a short one: and preach through

the nose 0ll churches in 9hich the ecclesiastics

are so happy as to receive an annual income of %fty

thousand livres: and to be addressed by the people

as 8my lord:8 8your grace:8 or 8your eminence:8

they denominate the 9hore of 7abylon )hese gen-

tlemen have also several churches in (ngland: 9here

they maintain the same manners and gravity as in

$cotland It is to them chieQy that the (nglish

are indebted for the strict sancti%cation of $unday

throughout the three kingdoms )hey are forbid-

den either to labor or to amuse themselves 5o

opera: no concert: no comedy: in .ondon on a $un-

day (ven cards are expressly forbidden ! and there

are only certain people of Kuality: 9ho are deemed

open souls: 9ho play on that day )he rest of the

nation attend sermons: taverns: and their small af-

fairs of love



0lthough (piscopacy and &resbyterianism pre-

dominate in 1reat 7ritain: all other opinions are

9elcome and live tolerably 9ell together: although

the various preachers reciprocally detest one another

9ith nearly the same cordiality as a =ansenist damns

a =esuit

(nter into the 'oyal (xchange of .ondon: a

place more respectable than many courts: in 9hich

deputies from all nations assemble for the advantage

of mankind )here the =e9: the ahometan: and

the 6hristian bargain 9ith one another as if they

=O/5 60.2I5

4ictionary J#L

9ere of the same religion: and besto9 the name of

in%del on bankrupts only )here the &resbyterian

gives credit to the 0nabaptist: and the votary of the

establishment accepts the promise of the Buaker

On the separation of these free and paci%c assem-



blies: some visit the synagogue: others repair to the

tavern /ere one proceeds to bapti@e his son in a

great tub: in the name of the +ather: $on: and /oly

1host! there another deprives his boy of a small

portion of his foreskin: and mutters over the child

some /ebre9 9ords 9hich he cannot understand ! a

third kind hasten to their chapels to 9ait for the in-

spiration of the .ord 9ith their hats on! and all

are content

,as there in .ondon but one religion: despotism

might be apprehended ! if t9o only: they 9ould seek

to cut each other;s throats ! but as there are at least

thirty: they live together in peace and happiness

&'()(5$IO5$

)/('( is not a single prince in (urope 9ho does

not assume the title of sovereign of a country pos-

sessed by his neighbor )his political madness is

unkno9n in the rest of the 9orld )he king of

7outan never called himself emperor of 6hina ! nor

did the sovereign of )artary ever assume the title

of king of (gypt

)he most splendid and comprehensive preten-



sions have al9ays been those of the popes ! t9o keys:

saltier: gave them clear and decided possession of

J#H : &hilosophical

the kingdom of heaven )hey bound and unbound

everything on earth )his ligature made them mas-

ters of the continent ! and $t &eter;s nets gave them

the dominion of the seas

any learned theologians thought: that 9hen

these gods 9ere assailed by the )itans: called .uth-

erans: 0nglicans: and 6alvinists: etc: they them-

selves reduced some articles of their pretensions

It is certain that many of them became more mod-

est: and that their celestial court attended more to

propriety and decency! but their pretensions 9ere

rene9ed on every opportunity that oCered 5o

other proof is necessary than the conduct of 0ldo-

brandini: 6lement 2III: to the great /enry I2:

9hen it 9as deemed necessary to give him an abso-

lution that he had no occasion for: on account of his

being already absolved by the bishops of his o9n

kingdom: and also on account of his being victorious



his kingdom! 9hich 9ould have been neither hon-

orable nor possible It 9ould not have been honor-

able: because the &rotestants had profusely shed

their blood to establish him as king of +rance ! and

it 9ould not have been possible: as the number of

these dissidents amounted to t9o millions

L )hat he should immediately make 9ar on

the 1rand )urk: 9hich 9ould not have been more

honorable or possible than the last condition: as the

1rand )urk had recogni@ed him as king of +rance

at a time 9hen 'ome refused to do so: and as /enry

had neither troops: nor money: nor ships: to engage

in such an insane 9ar 9ith his faithful ally

H )hat he should receive in an attitude of com-

plete prostration the absolution of the pope;s legate:

according to the usual form in 9hich it is adminis-

tered! that is in fact: that he should be actually

scourged by the legate

P )hat he should recall the =esuits: 9ho had

been expelled from his kingdom by the parliament

for the attempt made to assassinate him by =ean

6hatel: their scholar



I omit many other minor pretensions /enry

obtained a mitigation of a number of them In

particular: he obtained the concession: although 9ith

J#R &hilosophical

a great deal of diMculty: that the scourging should

be inQicted only by proxy: and by the hand of 0ldo-

brandini himself

ou 9ill perhaps tell me: that his holiness 9as

obliged to reKuire those extravagant conditions by

that old and inveterate demon of the $outh: &hilip

II: 9ho 9as more po9erful at 'ome than the pope

himself ou compare 0ldobrandini to a contempt-

ible poltroon of a soldier 9hom his colonel forces

for9ard to the trenches by caning him

)o this I ans9er: that 6lement 2III 9as indeed

afraid of &hilip II: but that he 9as not less at-

tached to the rights of the tiara ! and that it 9as so

exKuisite a grati%cation for the grandson of a banker

to scourge a king of +rance: that 0ldobrandini

9ould not altogether have conceded this point for



the 9orld

ou 9ill reply: that should a pope at present re-

ne9 such pretensions: should he no9 attempt to ap-

ply the scourge to a king of +rance: or $pain: or

5aples: or to a duke of &arma: for having driven

the reverend fathers: the =esuits: from their domin-

ions: he 9ould be in imminent danger of incurring

the same treatment as 6lement 2II did from

6harles 2: and even of experiencing still greater

humiliations ! that it is necessary to sacri%ce pre-

tensions to interests! that men must yield to times

and circumstances! and that the sheriC of ecca

must proclaim 0li 7ey king of (gypt: if he is sue-

4ictionary J##

cessful and %rm upon the throne )o this I ans9er:

that you are perfectly right

&retensions of the (mpire! extracted from 1lafey

and $ch9edar

pon 'ome NnoneW (ven 6harles 2: after he



had taken 'ome: claimed no right of actual domain

pon the patrimony of $t &eter: from 2iterbo

to 6ivita 6astellana: the estates of the countess a-

thilda: but solemnly ceded by 'udolph of /apsburg

pon &arma and &lacentia: the supreme domin-

ion as part of .ombardy: invaded by =ulius II:

granted by &aul III: to his bastard +arnese < hom-

age al9ays paid for them to the pope from that time !

the sovereignty al9ays claimed by the seigneurs of

.ombardy! the right of sovereignty completely

ceded to the emperor by the treaties of 6ambray and

of .ondon: at the peace of FP"P

pon )uscany: right of sovereignty exercised by

6harles 2 ! an estate of the empire: belonging no9

to the emperor;s brother

pon the republic of .ucca: erected into a duchy

by .ouis of 7avaria: in F"JR! the senators declared

after9ards vicars of the empire by 6harles I2 )he

(mperor 6harles 2I: ho9ever: in the 9ar of FPGF:

exercised in it his right of sovereignty by levying

upon it a large contribution



pon the duchy of ilan: ceded by the (mperor

,incenslaus to 1aleas 2isconti: but considered as a

%ef of the empire

"GG &hilosophical

pon the duchy of irandola: reunited to the

house of 0ustria in FPFF by =oseph I

pon the duchy of antua: erected into a duchy

by 6harles 2! reunited in like manner in FPGR

pon 1uastalla: 5ovellara: 7o@@olo: and 6as-

tiglione: also %efs of the empire: detached from the

duchy of antua

pon the 9hole of ontferrat: of 9hich the duke

of $avoy received the investiture at 2ienna in

FPGR

pon &iedmont: the investiture of 9hich 9as be-

sto9ed by the emp;eror $igismund on the duke of

$avoy: 0madeus 2III



pon the county of 0sti: besto9ed by 6harles 2:

on the house of $avoy < the dukes of $avoy al9ays

vicars in Italy from the time of the emperor $igis-

mund

pon 1enoa: formerly part of the domain of the

.ombard kings +rederick 7arbarossa granted to

it in %ef the coast from onaco to &ortovenere!

it is free under 6harles 2: in FLJ#! but the 9ords

of the instrument are 8In civitate nostra 1enoa: et

salvis 'omani imperii juribus8

pon the %efs of .angues: of 9hich the dukes

of $avoy have the direct domain

pon &adua: 2icen@a: and 2erona: rights fallen

into neglect

pon 5aples and $icily: rights still more fallen

into neglect 0lmost all the states of Italy are or

have been in vassalage to the empire

4ictionary "GF



pon &omerania and ecklenburg: the %efs of

9hich 9ere granted by +rederick 7arbarossa

pon 4enmark: formerly a %ef of the empire!

Otho I granted the investiture of it

pon &oland: for the territory on the banks of

the 2istula

pon 7ohemia and $ilesia: united to the empire

by 6harles I2: in F"LL

pon &russia: from the time of /enry 2II !

the grand master of &russia ackno9ledged a mem-

ber of the empire in FLGG

pon .ivonia: from the time of the knights of

the s9ord

pon /ungary: from the time of /enry II

pon .orraine: by the treaty of FLJ! ackno9l-

edged an estate of the empire: paying taxes to sup-

port the 9ar against the )urks

pon the duchy of 7ar do9n to the year F"FF:



9hen &hilip the +air: 9ho conKuered it: did homage

for it

pon the duchy of 7urgundy: by virtue of the

rights of ary of 7urgundy

pon the kingdom of 0ries and 7urgundy on the

other side of the =ura: 9hich 6onrad the $alian:

possessed in chief by his 9ife

pon 4auphiny: as part of the kingdom of 0ries !

the emperor 6harles I2 having caused himself to

be cro9ned at 0ries in F"HL: and created the dau-

phin of +rance his ;viceroy

pon &rovence: as a member of the kingdom of

"GJ &hilosophical

0ries: for 9hich 6harles of 0njou did homage to

the empire

pon the principality of Orange: as an arriere-

%ef of the empire



pon 0vignon: for the same reason

pon $ardinia: 9hich +rederick II erected into

a kingdom

pon $9it@erland: as a member of the kingdoms

of 0ries and 7urgundy

pon 4almatia: a great part of 9hich belongs at

present 9holly to the 2enetians: and the rest to

/ungary

&'I4(

6I6('O: in one of his letters: says familiarly to

his friend < 8$end to me the persons to 9hom you

9ish me to give the 1auls8 In another: he com-

plains of being fatigued 9ith letters from I kno9

not 9hat princes: 9ho thank him for causing their

provinces to be erected into kingdoms ! and he adds

that he does not even kno9 9here these kingdoms

are situated

It is probable that 6icero: 9ho often sa9 the 'o-

man people: the sovereign people: applaud and obey



him: and 9ho 9as thanked by kings 9hom he kne9

not: had some emotions of pride and vanity

)hough the sentiment is not at all consistent in

so pitiful an animal as man: yet 9e can pardon it in

a 6icero: a 6aesar: or a $cipio ! but 9hen in the ex-

tremity of one of our half barbarous provinces: a

4ictionary "G"

man 9ho may have bought a small situation: and

printed poor verses: takes it into his head to be

proud: it is very laughable

&'I($)$

&'I($)$ in a state approach nearly to 9hat pre-

ceptors are in private families< it is their province

to teach: pray: and supply example )hey ought to

have no authority over the masters of the house ! at

least until it can be proved that he 9ho gives the

9ages ought to obey him 9ho receives them Of

all religions the one 9hich most positively excludes

the priesthood from civil authority: is that of =esus



81ive unto 6aesar the things 9hich are 6aesar;s8

80mong you there is neither %rst nor last8 8y

kingdom is not of this 9orld8

)he Kuarrels bet9een the empires and the priest-

hood: 9hich have bede9ed (urope 9ith blood for

more than six centuries: have therefore been: on the

part of the priests: nothing but rebellion at once

against 1od and man: and a continual sin against

the /oly 1host

+rom the time of 6alchas: 9ho assassinated the

daughter of 0gamemnon: until 1regory EII: and

$ixtus 2: t9o bishops 9ho 9ould have deprived

/enry I2: of the kingdom of +rance: sacerdotal

po9er has been injurious to the 9orld

&rayer is not dominion: nor exhortation despot-

ism 0 good priest ought to be a physician to the

soul If /ippocrates had ordered his patients to

"G &hilosophical

take hellebore under pain of being hanged: he 9ould



have been more insane and barbarous than &halaris:

and 9ould have had little practice ,hen a priest

says< ,orship 1od! be just: indulgent: and com-

passionate! he is then a good physician! 9hen he

says < 7elieve me: or you shall be burned ! he is an

assassin

)he magistrate ought to support and restrain the

priest in the same manner as the father of a family

insures respect to the preceptor: and prevents him

from abusing it )he agreement of 6hurch and

$tate is of all systems the most monstrous: for it

necessarily implies division: and the existence of t9o

contracting parties ,e ought to say the protection

given by government to the priesthood or church

7ut 9hat is to be said and done in respect to

countries in 9hich the priesthood have obtained do-

minion: as in $alem: 9here elchisedek 9as priest

and king ! in =apan: 9here the dairo has been for a

long time emperor? I ans9er: that the successors

of elchisedek and the dairos have been set aside

)he )urks are 9ise in this ! they religiously make

a pilgrimage to ecca ! but they 9ill not permit the

xerif of ecca to excommunicate the sultan



5either 9ill they purchase from ecca permission

not to observe the ramadan: or the liberty of espous-

ing their cousins or their nieces )hey are not

judged by imans: 9hom the xerif delegates ! nor do

they pay the %rst year;s revenue to the xerif ,hat

is to be said of all that? 'eader: speak for yourself

4ictionary "GL

&'I($)$ O+ )/( &0105$

+0)/(' 5020'())(: in one of his letters to 4on

=ohn of 0ustria: relates the follo9ing speech of the

dalai-lama to his privy council < 8y venerable

brothers: you and I kno9 very 9ell that I am not

immortal! but it is proper that the people should

think so )he )artars of great and little )hibet are

people 9ith stiC necks and little information: 9ho

reKuire a heavy yoke and gross inventions 6on-

vince them of my immortality: and the glory 9ill re-

Qect on you: and you 9ill procure honors and riches

8,hen the time shall come in 9hich the )artars

9ill be more enlightened: 9e may then confess that



the grand lamas are not no9 immortal: but that their

predecessors 9ere so! and that 9hat is necessary

for the erection of a grand edi%ce: is no longer so

9hen it is established on an immovable founda-

tion

8I hesitated at %rst to distribute the agremens of

my 9ater-closet: properly inclosed in crystals orna-

mented 9ith gilded copper: to the vassals of my em-

pire! but these relics have been received 9ith so

much respect: that the usage must be continued:

9hich after all exhibits nothing repugnant to sound

morals: and brings much money into our sacred

treasury

8If any impious reasoner should ever endeavor

to persuade the people that one end of our sacred

person is not so divine as the other should they

2ol FJ JG

"GH &hilosophical

protest against our relics: you 9ill maintain their



value and importance to the utmost of your po9er

80nd if you are %nally obliged to give up the

sanctity of our nether end: you must take care to

preserve in the minds of the reasoners the most pro-

found respect for our understanding: just as in a

treaty 9ith the oguls: 9e have ceded a poor pro-

vince: in order to secure our peaceable possession of

the remainder

8$o long as our )artars of great and little )hibet

are unable to read and 9rite: they 9ill remain ignor-

ant and devout ! you may therefore boldly take their

money: intrigue 9ith their 9ives and their daugh-

ters: and threaten them 9ith the anger of the god

+o if they complain

8,hen the time of correct reasoning shall arrive

for it 9ill arrive some day or other you 9ill then

take a totally opposite course: and say directly the

contrary of 9hat your predecessors have said: for

you ought to change the nature of your curb in pro-

portion as the horses become more diMcult to gov-

ern our exterior must be more grave: your in-

trigues more mysterious: your secrets better

guarded: your sophistry more da@@ling: and your



policy more re%ned ou 9ill then be the pilots of

a vessel 9hich is leaky on all sides /ave under you

subalterns continually employed at the pumps: and

as caulkers to stop all the holes ou 9ill navigate

9ith diMculty: but you 9ill still proceed: and be

enabled to cast into the %re or the 9ater: as may be

4ictionary "GP

most convenient: all those 9ho 9ould examine

9hether you have properly re%tted the vessel

8If among the unbelievers is a prince of 6alkas:

a chief of the 3almucks: a prince of 3asan: or any

other po9erful prince: 9ho has unhappily too much

9it: take great care not to Kuarrel 9ith him 'espect

him: and continually observe that you hope he 9ill

return to the holy path 0s to simple citi@ens: spare

them not: and the better men they are: the more you

ought to labor to exterminate them ! for being men

of honor they are the most dangerous of all to you

ou 9ill exhibit the simplicity of the dove: the pru-

dence of the serpent: and the pa9 of the lion: ac-

cording to circumstances8



)he dalai-lama had scarcely pronounced these

9ords 9hen the earth trembled ! lightnings sparkled

in the %rmament from one pole to the other! thun-

ders rolled: and a celestial voice 9as heard to ex-

claim: 80dore 1od and not the grand lama8

0ll the inferior lamas insisted that the voice said:

80dore 1od and the grand lama!8 and they 9ere

believed for a long time in the kingdom of )hibet !

but they are no9 believed no longer

&'IO': 7).(': 054 $,I+)

I) ,0$ not kno9n to +rance that &rior: 9ho 9as

deputed by Bueen 0nne to adjust the treaty of

trecht 9ith .ouis EI2: 9as a poet +rance has

since repaid (ngland in the same coin: for 6ardinal

4ubois sent our 4estouches to ^.ondon: 9here he

"GR &hilosophical

passed as little for a poet as &rior in +rance &rior

9as originally an attendant at a tavern kept by his



uncle: 9hen the earl of 4orset: a good poet him-

self and a lover of the bottle: one day surprised him

reading /orace ! in the same manner as .ord 0ilsa

found his gardener reading 5e9ton 0ilsa made

his gardener a good geometrician: and 4orset made

a very agreeable poet of his vintner

It 9as &rior 9ho 9rote the history of the soul

under the title of 80lma:8 and it is the most natural

9hich has hitherto been composed on an existence

so much felt: and so little kno9n )he soul: accord-

ing to 80lma:8 resides at %rst: in the extremities !

in the feet and hands of children: and from thence

gradually ascends to the centre of the body at the

age of puberty Its next step is to the heart: in

9hich it engenders sentiments of love and heroism !

thence it mounts to the head at a mature age: 9here

it reasons as 9ell as it is able ! and in old age it is

not kno9n 9hat becomes of it ! it is the sap of an

aged tree 9hich evaporates: and is not rene9ed

again )his 9ork is probably too long: for all pleas-

antry should be short ! and it might even be as 9ell

9ere the serious short also

&rior made a small poem on the battle of /och-

stadt It is not eKual to his 80lma8 ! there is: ho9-



ever: one good apostrophe to 7oileau: 9ho is called

a satirical Qatterer for taking so much pains to sing

that .ouis did not pass the 'hine Our plenipoten-

tiary %nished by paraphrasing: in %fteen hundred

4ictionary "G#

verses: the 9ords attributed to $olomon: that 8all is

vanity8 +ifteen thousand verses might be 9ritten

on this subject ! but 9oe to him 9ho says all 9hich

can be said upon itS

0t length Bueen 0nne dying: the ministry

changed: and the peace adjusted by &rior being al-

together unpopular: he had nothing to depend upon

except an edition of his 9orks! 9hich 9ere sub-

scribed for by his party < after 9hich he died like a

philosopher: 9hich is the usual mode of dying of all

respectable (nglishmen

/udibras

)here is an (nglish poem 9hich it is very diM-

cult to make foreigners understand: entitled 8/udi-



bras8 It is a very humorous 9ork: although the

subject is the civil 9ar of the time of 6rom9ell 0

struggle 9hich cost so much blood and so many

tears: originated a poem 9hich obliges the most

serious reader to smile 0n example of this con-

trast is found in our 8$atire of enippus8 6er-

tainly the 'omans 9ould not have made a burlesKue

poem on the 9ars of &ompey and 6aesar: or the

proscription of 0ntony and Octavius /o9 then is

it that the frightful evils of the .eague in +rance:

and of the 9ars bet9een the king and parliament in

(ngland: have proved sources of pleasantry? be-

cause at bottom there is something ridiculous hid

beneath these fatal Kuarrels )he citi@ens of &aris:

at the head of the faction of $ixteen: mingled im-

"FG &hilosophical

pertinence 9ith the miseries of faction )he in-

trigues of 9omen: of the legates and of the monks:

presented a comic aspect: not9ithstanding the cal-

amities 9hich they produced )he theological dis-

putes and enthusiasm of the &uritans in (ngland:

9ere also very open to raillery! and this fund of



the ridiculous: 9ell managed: might pleasantly

enough aid in dispersing the tragical horrors 9hich

abound on the surface If the bull nigenitus

caused the shedding of blood: the little poem 8&hil-

otanus8 9as no less suitable to the subject! and it is

only to be complained 8of for not being so gay: so

pleasant: and so various as it might have been ! and

for not ful%lling in the course of the 9ork the

promise held out by its commencement

)he poem of 8/udibras8 of 9hich I speak: seems

to be a composition of the satire of 8enippus8 and

of 84on Buixote8 It surpasses them in the ad-

vantage of verse and also in 9it ! the former indeed

does not come near it ! being a very middling pro-

duction ! but not9ithstanding his 9it: the author of

8/udibras8 is much beneath 84on Buixote8 )aste:

vivacity: the art of narrating and of introducing ad-

ventures: 9ith the faculty of never being tedious: go

farther than 9it! and moreover: 84on Buixote8 is

read by all nations: and 8/udibras8 by the (nglish

alone

7utler: the author of this extraordinary poem:

9as contemporary 9ith ilton: and enjoyed in-

%nitely more temporary popularity than the latter:



4ictionary "FF

because his 9ork 9as humorous: and that of ilton

melancholy 7utler turned the enemies of 3ing

6harles II into ridicule: and all the recompense he

received 9as the freKuent Kuotation of his verses by

that monarch )he combats of the knight /udibras

9ere much better kno9n than the battles bet9een

the good and bad angels in 8&aradise .ost8 ! but the

court of (ngland treated 7utler no better than the

celestial court treated ilton ! both the one and the

other died in 9ant: or very near it

0 man 9hose imagination 9as impregnated 9ith

a tenth part of the comic spirit: good or bad: 9hich

pervades this 9ork: could not but be very pleasant !

but he must take care ho9 he translates 8/udibras8

It is diMcult to make foreign readers laugh at pleas-

antries 9hich are almost forgotten by the nation

9hich has produced them 4ante is little read in

(urope: because 9e are ignorant of so much of his

allusion ! and it is the same 9ith 8/udibras8 )he

greater part of the humor of this poem being ex-



pended on the theology and theologians of its o9n

time: a commentary is eternally necessary &leas-

antry reKuiring explanation ceases to be pleasantry !

and a commentator on bon mots is seldom capable of

conveying them

Of 4ean $9ift

/o9 is it that in +rance so little is understood

of the 9orks of the ingenious 4octor $9ift: 9ho is

called the 'abelais of (ngland ? /e has the honor:

like the latter: of being a churchman and an univer-

"FJ &hilosophical

sal joker! but 'abelais 9as not above his age: and

$9ift is much above 'abelais

Our curate of eudon: in his extravagant and

unintelligible book: has exhibited extreme gayety

and eKually great impertinence /e has lavished

at once erudition: coarseness and ennui 0 good

story of t9o pages is purchased by a volume of ab-

surdities )here are only some persons of an eccen-



tric taste 9ho piKue themselves upon understanding

and valuing the 9hole of this 9ork )he rest of

the nation laugh at the humor of 'abelais: and

despise the 9ork! regarding him only as the %rst

of buCoons ,e regret that a man 9ho possessed

so much 9it: should have made so miserable a use

of it %e is a drunken philosopher: 9ho 9rote only

in the moments of his intoxication

4r $9ift is 'abelais sober: and living in good

company /e has not indeed the gayety of the

former: but he has all the %nesse: sense: discrimina-

tion: 9hich is 9anted by our curate of eudon

/is verse is in a singular taste: and almost inimit-

able /e exhibits a %ne vein of humor: both in

prose and in verse ! but in order to understand it: it

is necessary to visit his country

In this country: 9hich appears so extraordinary

to other parts of (urope: it has excited little sur-

prise that 4octor $9ift: dean of a cathedral: should

make merry in his 8)ale of a )ub8 9ith 6atholicism:

.utheranism: and 6alvinism! his o9n defence is

that he has not meddled 9ith 6hristianity /e



4ictionary "F"

pretends to respect the parent: 9hile he scourges

the children 6ertain fastidious persons are of opin-

ion that his lashes are so long they have even

reached the father

)his famous 8)ale of a )ub8 is the ancient story

of the three invisible rings 9hich a father be-

Kueathed to his three children )hese three rings

9ere the =e9ish: the 6hristian: and the ahometan

religions It is still more an imitation of the his-

tory of ero and (negu by +ontenelle ero is

the anagram of 'ome ! (negu of 1eneva: and they

are t9o sisters 9ho aspire to the succession of the

kingdom of their father ero reigns the %rst: and

+ontenelle represents her as a sorceress: 9ho plays

tricks 9ith bread and eCects conjuration 9ith dead

bodies )his is precisely the .ord &eter of $9ift:

9ho presents a piece of bread to his t9o brothers:

and says to them: 8/ere is some excellent 7ur-

gundy: my friends! this partridge is of a delicious

Qavor8 .ord &eter in $9ift performs the same

part 9ith the ero of +ontenelle



)hus almost all is imitation )he idea of the

8&ersian .etters8 9as taken from that of the

8)urkish $py8 7oyardo imitated &uki! 0riosto:

7oyardo! the most original 9its borro9 from one

another 6ervantes makes a madman of his 4on

Buixote: but is Orlando anything else? It 9ould

be diMcult to decide by 9hich of the t9o knight-

errantry is more ridiculed: the grotesKue portraiture

of 6ervantes: or the fertile imagination of 0riosta

"F &hilosophical

etastasia has borro9ed the greater part of his

operas from our +rench tragedies! and many

(nglish authors have copied us and said nothing

about it It is 9ith books as 9ith the %res in our

grates ! everybody borro9s a light from his neigh-

bor to kindle his o9n: 9hich in its turn is communi-

cated to others: and each partakes of all

&'I2I.(1( &'I2I.(1(4 60$($

6$)O: 9hich almost al9ays prevails against

reason: 9ould have the oCences of ecclesiastics and



monks against civil orders: 9hich are very freKuent:

called privileged oCences ! and those oCences com-

mon 9hich regard only ecclesiastical discipline: cases

that are abandoned to the sacerdotal hierarchy: and

9ith 9hich the civil po9er does not interfere

)he 6hurch having no jurisdiction but that 9hich

sovereigns have granted it: and the judges of the

6hurch being thus only judges privileged by the

sovereign: those cases should be called privileged

9hich it is their province to judge: and those com-

mon oCences 9hich are punishable by the prince;s

oMcers 7ut the canonists: 9ho are very rarely

exact in their expressions: particularly 9hen treat-

ing of regal jurisprudence: having regarded a priest

called the oMcial: as being of right the sole judge

of the clergy: they have entitled that privilege: 9hich

in common la9 belongs to lay tribunals: and the

ordinances of the monarch have adopted this ex-

pression in +rance

4ictionary "FL

)o conform himself to this custom: the judge



of the 6hurch takes cogni@ance only of common

crime ! in respect to privileged cases he can act only

concurrently 9ith the regal judge: 9ho repairs to

the episcopal court: 9here: ho9ever: he is but the as-

sessor of the judge of the 6hurch 7oth are as-

sisted by their register! each separately: but in one

another;s presence: takes notes of the course of the

proceedings )he oMcial 9ho presides alone inter-

rogates the accused! and if the royal judge has

Kuestions to put to him: he must have permission of

the ecclesiastical judge to propose them

)his procedure is composed of formalities: and

produces delays 9hich should not be admitted in

criminal jurisprudence =udges of the 6hurch 9ho

have not made a study of la9s and formalities are

seldom able to conduct criminal proceedings 9ithout

giving place to appeals: 9hich ruin the accused in

expense: make him languish in chains: or retard his

punishment if he is guilty

7esides: the +rench have no precise la9 to de-

termine 9hich are privileged cases 0 criminal

often groans in a dungeon for a 9hole year: 9ithout

kno9ing 9hat tribunal 9ill judge him &riests and

monks are in the state and subjects of it It is very



strange that 9hen they trouble society they are not

to be judged: like other citi@ens: by the oMcers of

the sovereign

0mong the =e9s: even the high priest had not the

privilege 9hich our la9s grant to simple parish

"FH &hilosophical

priests $olomon deposed the high priest 0biathar:

9ithout referring him to the synagogue to take his

trial =esus 6hrist: accused before a secular and

pagan judge: challenged not his jurisdiction $t

&aul: translated to the tribunal of +elix and +estus:

declined not their judgment )he (mperor 6on-

stantine %rst granted this privilege to bishops

/onorius and )heodosius the younger extended it

to all the clergy: and =ustinian con%rmed it

In digesting the criminal code of FHPG: the coun-

sellor of state: &ussort: and the president of 5ovion:

9ished to abolish the conjoint proceeding: and to

give to royal judges alone the right of judging the

clergy accused of privileged cases ! but this so rea-



sonable desire 9as combated by the %rst president

4e .amoignon: and the advocate-general )alon:

and a la9 9hich 9as made to reform our abuses

con%rmed the most ridiculous of them

0 declaration of the king on 0pril JH: FHLP: for-

bids the &arliament of &aris to continue the pro-

ceeding commenced against 6ardinal 'et@: accused

of high treason )he same declaration desires that

the suits of cardinals: archbishops: and bishops of

the kingdom: accused of the crime of high treason:

are to be conducted and judged by ecclesiastical

judges: as ordered by the canons

7ut this declaration: contrary to the customs of

the kingdoms: has not been registered in any parlia-

ment: and 9ould not be follo9ed Our books relate

several sentences 9hich have doomed cardinals:

4ictionary "FP

archbishops: and bishops to imprisonment: deposi-

tion: con%scation: and other punishments )hese

punishments 9ere pronounced against the bishop of



5antes: by sentence of =une JL: FLL ! against =ean

de la 7alue: cardinal and bishop of 0ngers: by sen-

tence dated =uly J#: FH#! =ean /ebert: bishop of

6onstance: in FRG ! .ouis de 'ochechouart: bishop

of 5antes: in FRF ! 1eoC roi de &ompadour: bishop

of &erigueux: and 1eorge d;0mboise: bishop of

ontauban: in FRR! 1eoCroi 4intiville: bishop of

0uxerre: in FL"F ! 7ernard .ordat: bishop of &u-

miers: in FL"P! 6ardinal de 6hatillon: bishop of

7eauvais: the I#th of arch: FLH#! 1eoCroi de .a

artonie: bishop of 0miens: the #th of =uly: FL#!

1ilbert 1enebrard: archbishop of 0ix: the JHth of

=anuary: FL#H! ,illiam 'ose: bishop of $enlis: $ep-

tember L: FL#R! 6ardinal de $ourdis: archbishop of

7ordeaux: 5ovember FP: FHFL

)he parliament sentenced 6ardinal de 7ouillon to

be imprisoned: and sei@ed his property on =une JG:

FPFG

6ardinal de ailly: archbishop of 'heims: in

FPFP: made a la9 tending to destroy the ecclesi-

astical peace established by the government )he

hangman publicly burned the la9 by sentence of

parliament



)he sieur .anguet: bishop of $oissons: having

maintained that he could not be judged by the

justice of the king even for the crime of high

"FR &hilosophical 4ictionary

treason: 9as condemned to pay a %ne of ten thou-

sand livres

In the shameful troubles excited by the refusal

of sacraments: the simple presidial of 5antes con-

demned the bishop of that city to pay a %ne of six

thousand francs for having refused the communion