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found the dregs, the canaille of the republic of letters, or who, if other wife of any reputation, are noted for fuch irregularities as manifeft how much it concerns them, that religion fhould not be true; or for chimeras and extravagancies, and illogical deductions in other points on which they were for difplaying the imaginary profundity of their judgment; I take upon me to aver, that there never was an argument more easy to retort than that now before me. So far from being difcouraged or carried away by the cloud of adverfaries who have attacked Christianity, it is but viewing them fixedly, and getting a juft idea of the character of these vaunted champions, to be the more confirmed in the faith. You cannot but be convinced, that it is the nobleft, the best of fciences, fince, to go about to fap the foundations of it, one must be of a caft with persons whofe minds are ignorant, and whofe manners recoil upon themselves. It were greatly to wished, that young perfons ftepping into the world, were upon their guard against their first impresions, and could perceive that the books and men moft in vogue, are those which often the leaft deserve to be fo, the most futile, the most shallow, and moft flagitious; but fuch a difcernment, as a fenfible French author obferves, is fcarce to be hoped for from an age in whofe eyes all that glitters is gold, when infolence is fpirit, levity amiablenefs, and reason is abforbed in paffion. So that it is no more than natural, that when once the word is given out, the fervile herd of imitators fhould adopt it.

But if the officers be fuch, and fuch they are, what are we to expect of the foldiery? There is nothing more difguftful to good fenfe than the confident rattle of a raw libertine; infulting the moft facred things, and imagining he carries all before him by dint of a jeft or two, which he has retained from his fagacious teachers: fuch examples may indeed excite a Concern at the fpread and daringness

of licentioufness, but the nature of things is not affected by them; they fhould create no difcouragement in the defence of, much lefs any prejudice against the inviolable rights of truth; the beauty of divine truth never appears more lovely, its fuperiority more refplendent, than when compared with the extravagancies and turpitude of its wretched oppofers. Thus, in certain cafes, poifons are antidotes to themselves.

But to omit nothing which may leave a fufpicion on the best of causes, and totally to destroy the affertion, that infidelity and knowledge go hand in hand, and their increafe is proportionable, let us a little examine this proportion. If we may believe fome philofophers, ours is the age of wonders, every thing has affumed a new face, and every day brings forth fome rare difcovery; but this is ftretching beyond fact. The perfection to which fome inftruments have been brought, is acknowledged greatly to verify obfervations and complete experiments on feveral minute particulars, of which before fome were unknown and others undetermined; but what new sciences have been ftruck out? What new fyftems, elucidating the elementary questions, without which all theories are defective, illuftrate this researching age? Since Defcartes, Newton and Leibnitz, who, from the date of their works, may be claffed in the former century, what has been done (a few exceptions admitted) but fifting, and generally vitiating, the principles of thefe great men? Should things continue on this footing for any time, there must be a declenfion inftead of any improvement, and the century preceding may then justly be styled, the ne plus ultra -Epocha, the term of the laft efforts of human genius. But whence does our age derive this appearance of knowledge? From a mere ignis fatuus. Readers and writers fwarm beyond any thing ever known; to be, or feem acquainted, not with the sciences, those are left to pedantic gownfmen, but

with the literature in vogue, is the fashionable defire. Now this literature is a filthy ftream, the furface rolling along all manner of trash and ribaldry, the pitiful productions of men equally unacquainted with reflexion and virtue; yet fome draughts of these waters are faid to convey fuch an extraordinary light into the foul, that the truths in which our poor infancy was trained up, it clearly difcerns to be only fo many fairy tales, and that to believe in the fon of God, is a weakness like that of giving credit to conjurors and apparitions.

Such is this proportionate increafe of knowledge and incredulity; it is quite in the order of things, follies, like truths, have their connexions, and while one of these kinds of folly prevail, the other will conftantly be at its fide. Reclaim men to folid think ing, to attention and meditation; require of them only that they should have principles, and by this you will recover them to religion. Thus things are very far from being so defperate as is given out; were the infidels double or treble the number, ftill would their scale be light, weight being to determine the question and not number.

Whoever has feen or read one infidel author, may, generally speaking, be faid to have seen or read them all; a like carriage, a like procedure, from the highest to the lowest; all the difference lies in the greater or smaller portion of that talent, which they dignify with the appellation of wit, and which indeed might have led them to folid acquifitions, but which they now most perniciously abufe. Wit, with them, is the art of palliating impiety, and giving a feductive air to abfurdity; and though in every other refpe&t very flightly armed, with this they very confidently enter the lifts, and furiously deal about their blows, but always in the air; though foiled, wounded and unhorfed, and the derifion of impartial fpectators, they have no fenfe of their ignominy, and celebrate the action with Io paans,

the giddy crowd bellowing it as a chorus. Yet fo powerful is truth, that it is not often an infidel arrogates to himself a decifive triumph; they deal only in ambufcades, fallies, and fkirmishes; there is no drawing them into a pitched battle; loofe thoughts, ftolen fragments of philofophy, vague jefts, and profane poefies, are as it were their fhot, which when they have fired, they make off without returning to the charge.

Whether fuch writings fhould not be prohibited, and the civil arm be made ufe of to extirpate them, is a question of fuch nicety, that a contrast of the inconveniencies of the affirmative and negative cannot be misplaced in an effay of this kind. The two most weighty pleas against the inter diction of dangerous books are, first, that their authors triumph in it as an effect of terror in their adverfaries, and of inability fairly to cope with their victorious reafons. The other is ftill worfe, which is, the public fondness for what is forbidden; that bookfellers have fometimes procured the interdiction of a book, in order to get it off their hands; the virtuofi who deal in fuch rarities by them up; no ornament to a closet like a fuppreffed book; it is lent from hand to hand, and read with the fatisfaction of being intrufted with what the legiflature has cenfured; and thus infection fpreads more than it would by allowing a free course to trash, and many pieces which naturally seem condemned to grocery, by being prohibited, have run through an edition or two.

However, in order to a right judgment of this question, let us place ourselves in the proper point of view, in the legislative ftation. Either government has no end, dignities are an unmeaning caprice, without any tye, and the mighty of the earth may act at pleasure; or, if divine eftablishments, they who are invested with them are bound to confult the honour of the Deity, and the welfare of society. This is the true end of power;

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derived from God, to him it is to be referred. So far then from being a question, whether rulers may employ their power to fupprefs writings, by which vice and impiety are promoted, and the king of king infulted, the point is not in their choice; it is the plan duty of their station. How would they like fich remifnefs in their ge nerals or ambaffadors: would they think fuch officers had acted up to their characters, if they heard any reflection upon them without a declared relentment?

Further, although refpect to the Creator fhould properly be the creature's leading motive, it ought to be confidered, that were the honour of the Deity no more than a theoretic idea, an inconfequential duty, ftill would it be infinitely criminal, though not fo furprifing, that it should be laid afide, and our attention confined to other views, imagining them to be more important, and more immediately relive to the welfare of fociety. But far be fuch a millake from us. The honour of the deity is clofely connected with the felicity of mankind; the fun and moon are not more infeparable. Men cannot be any farther happy than as they know and reverence the Deity, than as they model their conduct by his precepts. Void of this principle, every fociety carries death in its botom; adfcititious caufes may give it a fplendid appearance, but how fhort will fuch luftre be. Infidelity naturally begets licentiouf nels, and thefe two evils muft fpread a fatal gangrene through every part of the conflitut on.

This is a truth which is not unknown to the indel orators, and fain would they elude its force. Turn the deaf ear,' fay they, to thofe faits, thofe enthusiafls, thofe fenfeleis bigots, with whom religion, forfooth, is the bafis of fociety, and the fource of thofe advantages, which are much better procured by the refources of policy, by luxury circulating the wealth of a nation, by military difcipline, and fuch rational methods. They are

preachers, and fo even let them follow their trade, though if they could be filenced, it would be much the best.' This, clofed with a fmart wittic fm, which is already ftudied, finks to the bottom all doctrines in defence of religion. But whence do thefe fages know that we are for governing states without policy, that we are for fuppreffing commerce, that we make no account of fciences, execrate military dicipl ne, and decry the prudent arrangements and inftitutions of human wifdom? We difclaim the reveries of a few fanatics; let them show any thing which looks that way in the gofpel, or the books written on that model.

Religion is the love of the deity and of our neighbour; duties of a natural obligation, but enforced with new motives from God; fo that take religion away, the love of God and the love of our neighbour fink of courfe; felf will be the leading principle of our actions, and reconcile us to the moft flagitious courfes, where infamy or punishment may be prevented. Now, let us fet out on this fcheme, form a fociety, ftrike out other ties to connect the feveral parts, make what laws you pleafe, take every meafure which human fagacity may fuggeft, and fee what a happy fociety will arite from fuch materials. But happy it cannot be; not in the individuals, they being lot to that only pure and lively joy arifing from the thought, that the eyes of the rewarder of virtue and avenger of guilt, are over us; nor in the different bodies fubordinate to the fyftem of the ftate; interest and fear being now the only motives to duty; no mutual complacency between the colleagues in office, no real fidelity to the fovereign who has promoted them; nor in the general fyllem, which being now like thofe figures in which wires fupply the place of nerves and finews, muit be upheld by art.

Let it now be determined, whether a well modelled government can allow of the fale of infidel or corrupt books

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of any fort. Is it poffible, that with fuch contrivances and precautions against all infection from the air, food or clothes, that perfons or goods must perform a strict quarantine, and yet all avenues left open to a mental peftilence?refs and regrefs are allowed to those who vitiate the mind and heart, difleminate principles which dry up the springs of private joy, and fap the foundations of national profperity and glory, and who, without exaggeration, may be charged with destroying generations yet in the womb of nature.

The number of fubjects born to obey being greater, beyond all comparifen, than of those who are ra fed to government, it is worth while to confider what is the duty of individuals in op polition to the progrefs of infidelity.

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The first duty, and which lies within the verge of the most abject condition, is example; we owe it to our felves, and fociety requires it from A found and upright mind will not be brought by any exigency to wear two faces, to create a fufpicion that it fides ever fo little with a depravity of mind and heart. The trite common-place of falfe honour I omit, as a difpofition which does more mifchief than the delufive caufes which infpire it. The lead would not be in bad hands, if many perfons who are defirous of being good men, and who fee all the ridicule and turpitude of the other fide of the question, had a firmnefs anfwerable to their difpofitions; but their weakness draws out the cold remains of virtue and religion in the heart. Things here are quite reverfed: a man, who would be irreproachable did he dare to appear what he is, is out of countenance, and faulters before a volatile adverfary, for fear of a banter, or is awed by title and rank; whereas he who flands highest in thefe merely externals, fhould blush and drop his eyes before

a well-principled artifan. We fail in fetting the example, and juft at the moft feasonable juncture, and when, I perfuade myself, it would not be entirely loft.

The fecond duty of private perfons is, with their whole force to keep off the approaches of this evil from their doors; and if it has infinuated itf:lf, to hinder its taking root. Unable, and perhaps having no call to be auxiliaries every where, watch over your own little fate, ye friends to truth and virtue: let your light fhine through your family: tenderly fortify your off pring to the utmoft, that they may not be carried away by the torrent, of which, even after a careful education, and provided with all helps, they will be extremely in danger, when, left to themselves, they step into the world. This, of all branches of education, is the most important; but is the leaft attended to.

Thefe are the duties of the generality of private perfons; but there are of this clafs, perfons invefted with public functions; appointed, and not without a recompence, to confirm and proclaim the facred truths. Thefe, as guides to others, it is to be hoped, are penetrated with a fenfe of the duties of their office; that they are not to violate the refpect due to the fupreme powers, to intrude where they are not called, belye their preaching of peace and mutual love by factious and turbulent practices; but, at least, to preach firft by example, exerting all the efforts of which human nature is capable, against vice and error; never to difguife truth, nor weaken any of the proofs on which it is founded, and whenever they are called to it, fleadily to adhere to that maxim, than which there never was one more juft, It is better to obey God than man.'

F. Y.

HOR

HORTENSIA, or the WISDOM of EXPLANATION; a New Moral Tale, by M. de Marmontel: Concluded from Page 280.

IT is my wifh, my dear daughter,' faid Hortenfia, in the paper which he had entrusted to her care, to give you a very important leffon at my death. I die difhonoured, but I die innocent. I have been accufed of a crime, while I have only been guilty of errors, which I think deserve of pardon. But thefe errors, trifling in themselves, were serious in appearance, and deceived your father. Do not cenfure him his mistake was inevitable: my firft fault was the not taking of proper measures to guard him against it. I thought I might defpife these dangerous appearances: I attached an empty importance to what was of none at all, and flighted that which was of the utmoft confequence. Proud of the virtuous fentiments I cherished in my heart, I was certain that the esteem of the public, and that of a worthy husband, would never for fake me. Free from reproach in my own eyes, I flattered myself I was even above fufpicion; and without doing any thing to render me really contemptible, I incurred the contempt both of my husband and the world. This contempt, my dear daughter, is the flow poifon which confumes, and will foon bring me to the grave. Lift en, meditate, and never forget what was the ruin of your mother.

At nineteen, I married the man, whom I thought, of all his fex the moft amiable and eftimable. Unfortunately, I could boast of some beauty. In my prefent fituation, I may fay this, alas without vanity. This dangerous gift of Nature, feconded the care I took to please the husband I loved, whom I have ever loved alone, and whom I fhall ftill love when I breathe my latest figh. But though this fentiment would have been alone fufficient for my happiness, I had not good fenfe enough to fee that it was fufficient for my glory. My vanity made me look for other triumphs in the ac

complishments natural to my age. I allowed myself to aim at pleafing, and while I referved for my husband all the affection of my heart, I let my tranfient beauty innocently enjoy the homage that was paid to it. Not that I was credulous enough to lay much ftrefs upon this homage; for I knew it was frivolous, and often infincere : my mother had taken care to teach me its true value, and all this admiration was, in reality, of little importance to me. But feeing that the young women of my own age, without efteeming it any more than I, took a pleafure in it, notwithflanding, as in the only triumph, they fometimes faid, that nature and opinion had afforded them, I fuffered myself to be flattered like them. Your father was neither furprised nor jealous. Our mutual tenderness had affumed a character we thought unalterable; your birth had made the union of our hearts more virtuous and more intimate; and a fentiment which, though of a peaceful kind, was not deficient in ftrength, had fubftituted the ferenity of content to the intoxication of love.

• Thus was I in full poffeffion of my husband's esteem. I made no fecret to him of the attentions paid me by the gay and agreeable part of the youthful circles; and they were received at his own houfe without fufpicion. My mother alone took the alarm: not that he had any doubt of the virtuous fentiments of my mind; but a prudent forefight made her apprehenfive of her daughter's fuffering both from the doubtful light of appearances, and the falfe colouring of malignity.'

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You are well fatisfied, my dear daughter,' faid fhe, of the tranquillity of your husband's heart: like me, he fees into your foul. But are you equally fecure of the juftice of the world? Do you think that envious vanity, and that inconfiderate malice

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