curred at an earlier period, presents abundant proof of the evils which result from the union of kingcraft and priestcraft. The privileges

own son, who was discovered hanging in the house of his unfortunate parent. This young man had betrayed evident signs of lunacy, and in a moment of mental depression, had committed suicide. But the clergy of Thoulouse satisfied the judges, that an old man of sixty years of age, had forcibly suspended a strong and active youth; and the argument employed to produce this conviction, was neither more nor less than the fact of the family being protestant. Old Calas was broken on a wheel, and his wife and children stripped of their property and banished.

The punishment of La Barre was, if it be possible, still more atrocious. A wooden crucifix, placed on the bridge of Abbeville, was broken during the night: the inhabitants of the town were apprehensive of the vengeance of heaven, unless the perpetrators of this sacrilege were discovered, and brought to punishment. The Bishop ordered acts of expiation to be performed, and every exertion was made to detect the criminal. Suspicion attached to two young officers, the Chevaliers La Barre and D'Etallonde, who were distinguished for the laxity of their morals, and the unguarded freedom of their language. They were accused of having in their collection of books, the Odes of Piron, and the Philosophical Dictionary of Voltaire. This was quite sufficient evidence of their having broken the crucifix. D'Etallonde escaped, but La Barre was condemned by the Parliament of Paris. This youth was under the age of seventeen no proof of the fact was adduced, for the words of the decree of the Parliament are, "vehementement soupçonné d'avoir brisé le crucifix." The sentence was worthy of the Church. His right hand was amputated; he

enjoyed by the clergy under the old regime, were in their nature so essentially aristocratic, that instead of being the protectors of the poor, they identified themselves with the nobility, and thus the lower orders groaned under the triple scourge of a heathen sovereign, a profligate aristocracy, and an avaricious Church. The best apology for the French Revolution, is the history of the reign of Louis the Fifteenth. Whoever, after having perused that portion of the French annals, can join in the cry of abuse which certain politicians lavish upon that event, must either be destitute of understanding or humanity. Most certainly he cannot be a Christian; even though he should give tithes of all that he pos. sesses, go to church on a Sunday, take the Sacrament, and subscribe to the Vice and Bridge-street Associations.

was then stretched on the rack, and afterwards decapitated. Such was the proceeding in the Court of Louis the Fifteenth, in which there was neither liberty of speech, liberty of press, or a representative assembly. And yet there are people who consider that the Revolution was not called for by any urgent reasons.

The humane and liberal reader will be gratified at being told, that D'Etallonde escaped to Prussia, where he was cordially received by the tolerant Frederic, who gave him a commission in his army.

It will not be necessary to enter into any lengthened details of Italian History, to prove that her moral and intellectual debasement is owing to the ascendancy of the priests, and the prohibition of free inquiry. Let any stickler for "things as they are" contrast the condition. of ancient and modern Rome, and then ask himself, how it happens that the people, who formerly were the rulers of the world, are now the most abject among the nations of the earth! What can have produced this extraordinary revolution, but bigotry and intolerance? The climate is as genial as formerly: the seasons as regular: the soil as fertile: but man is degenerated. His energies are paralized his mind brutalized his genius cramped. Better, far better would it be for the happiness of mankind, if paganism and polytheism were re-established in place of superstition!! The Romish clergy held the printing press in as great horror as the members of the Vice and Constitutional Associations; but instead of pursuing the publisher of an obnoxious book by a trial in a court of law, they exercised a more summary jurisdiction. An index expurgatorius * was

* Among the books prohibited, were all translations of the Scriptures, and the History of France, by the President de Thou. The Abbé Millot gives an instance of the inconconsistencies which this censorship produced, which is somewhat curious. "En Espagne même, on jugeat quel

drawn up, containing the names of such works as were forbidden; and it must be confessed, that this method has at least the merit of being more humane than the law of libel. In this country, the general rule is, that a man may print whatever he pleases, provided he does not trespass beyond the boundaries of fair discussion; but as has been shown in the preceding chapter, the persons who judge the intentions of the writer, are always opposed to him in religious opinions: the consequence of which undue partiality is, that he is sure to be convicted. Now at Rome, no latitude is given; so that by an absolute prohibition, it is impossible that any one can place himself in jeopardy.

quefois autrement qu'a Rome; on y condamna les Annales Ecclesiastiques du Cardinal Baronius, parce qu'elles decriaient la monarchie de Sicilé, ce droit de legation accordé aux Rois Normands. Ce qui était condamné à Rome par un motif, l'était ailleurs par un motif tout contraire. Là, on proscrivit la doctrine du Cardinal Bellarmin, parce qu'elle refusait au Pape la puissance directe sur le temporel des Rois; ici, le Parlement la flétrit, parce qu'elle attribuait au Pape une puissance indirecte, qui au fond avait les mêmes conséquences. Enfer, le tribune de Rome, toujours pret à condamner les auteurs jùdicieux, sur de frivoles soupçons d'heresie, approuvait ces theologiens seditieusement fanatiques, dont les ecrits tendaient au regi cide, et au boulversement des etats. Les approbations et les condemnations de livres meritent une place dans l'histoire de l'esprit humain. Histoire Moderne, tom, 3, p. 196.

In the regular histories of Papal Italy, the reader may find an ample fund of amusement in laughing at the vain and idle theological quarrels which divided the different orders of this orthodox clergy. But he will regret the suffering occasioned by these nonsensical disputes, which were followed by the most revolting persecutions. One of the most serious controversies arose between the Cordeliers and Dominicans, concerning the immaculate conception. The former contended that the Virgin was tainted by the fall of Adam: the latter that she was born unpolluted by the sin of her progenitor. Baius, a doctor of Louvain, attacked the immaculate conception, for which profane temerity, Pius V. condemned his book in seventy-three articles; but it does not appear that he pointed out any specific blasphemy, but satisfied himself, as most other men in power do, by general abuse. One of the debated expressions depended on the position of a comma, in deciding which, the University of Louvain were occupied nearly five years. It cannot excite surprise, that the astronomical discoveries of Galileo should have been suppressed by the Romish Church. He was denounced to the Inquisition by a monk. In 1633, the members of that tribunal pronounced the following decree: "To declare that the sun is in the centre, and motionless,