In chapter the fourth, is difcuffed the question, " Whether Toleration is politically dangerous to a State, and among what people it hath been adopted." On this head he obferve, that there are fome perfons abfurd enough to pretend, that to behave with a paternal indulgence to our mistaken brethren, who pray to God in bad French, would be to put arms into their hands, and to excite them to renew the civil wars that have fo often.defolated this country. I will not, continues he, take upon me to fay, that no fuch thing will ever happen, becaufe I do not pretend to be a Prophet; but it appears to me very bad logic to infer, that because those people have rifen up in arms, when they have been oppreffed and ufed ill, therefore they will rife up in arms when they are treated with humanity and ufed well.

The Huguenots have, without doubt, been intoxicated with fanaticism, and have dipt their hands in blood, as well as we: but is the prefent generation fo barbarous as their ancestors? Hath not time, good fenfe, well-written books, and focial complacence, reached those who have the direction of the minds of these people? Nay, do we not perceive a change over the face of all Europe, within these fifty years paft? The hands of government are every where ftrengthened, while manners are become univerfally more gentle and humane. Add to this, that the general police of nations is, at prefent, maintained by numerous armies conftantly kept up, which remove all apprehenfion of feeing again thofe times of anarchy and confufion, wherein Calvinist fought against Catholic, with raw and undisciplined peasants, trained only to war between feed-time and harvest.

New times, new manners. It would be most abfurd now to decimate the Sorbonne, becaufe that college once preferred a petition for burning the Maid of Orleans, or becaufe it declared Henry the third had forfeited his right to the Crown, or because it excommunicated and profcribed Henry the fourth. As little ought it, doubtlefs, to be enquired what other Societies in. the kingdom committed the like exceffes in the fame times of fanatic phrenzy: this would not only be unjuft, but would be

certain congregations of Artifans and Gentlefolks, who had acquired the habit, and taught the knack, (as one of our learned and eloquent Magiftrates expreffes it) of dreaming dreams, and feeing vifions! What muft not be the natural confequences of their fetting apart gloomy chambers for meditation, on the walls of which are painted devils with horns and hoofs, fulphurous flames, croffes, and poinards, with the facred name of JESUS placed over the horrid picture! What a fight is this to be prefented to the eyes of perfons aiready fafcinated, and whofe imaginations are as much inflamed as they are fubfervient to their fpiritual Directors!

quite as abfurd as it would be, to lay all the inhabitants of Marfeilles under a course of phyfic, because that city was visited with the plague in the year 1720.

Shall we now go and fack the city of Rome, as the troops of Charles the fifth once did, because Sixtus Quintus, in the year 1585, granted a nine years indulgence to all the Frenchmen who took up arms against their Sovereign? Is it not amply fufficient, that Rome is prevented from proceeding to the like extremities for the future?

That fury, which hath been infpired by the dogmatical spirit and abuse of the Chriftian religion misunderstood, hath been the occafion of fpilling as much blood, and productive of as many difafters, in Germany, England, and Holland, as in France: at prefent, however, different religions caufe no difturbance in thofe countries; Jews, Catholics, Greeks, Lutherans, Calvinifts, Anabaptifts, Socinians, Memnonifts, Moravians, and many others, all live together as brethren, and contribute equally to the good of fociety.

In the fifth chapter, Mr. de Voltaire confiders the means of introducing and establishing religious Toleration in France. Germany, fays he, would have been to this day a defert, beftrewed with the bones of Roman Catholics, Remonftrants, Lutherans, and Anabaptifts, maffacred by each other, had not the Peace of Weftphalia at length established a general liberty of confcience.

We have in France feveral Jews, particularly at Bourdeaux, at Metz, and at Alface; we have alfo in other places, Lutherans, Molinifts, and Janfenifts; wherefore cannot we then permit and bear with Calvinifts on nearly the fame conditions as the Roman Catholics are tolerated at London? The greater variety of Sectaries there are, the lefs each becomes dangerous; their multiplicity diminishes their power, while all are confined within the prudent boundaries of the laws, which prohibit tumultuous affemblies, riots, and fedition, by the conftant and due exertion of their restrictive force.

Time has been, when it was judged expedient to enact laws against those who fhould teach any doctrine contrary to the Categories of Ariftotle, to Nature's abhorrence of a Vacuum, to logical Quiddities, and the whole of a part of the thing. We have ftill in different parts of Europe, above a hundred volumes of Jurifprudence, on the fubject of Sorcery, and on the methods of diftinguishing true Conjurers from falfe. The custom of excommunicating grafshoppers, and other infects hurtful to the grain, was once very common, the form of it fubfifting at

this day in feveral Rituals; the practice itself, however, is now totally abolished, and Ariftotle refts in peace, together with the wizards and grafshoppers. Inftances of thefe grave and heretofore important abfurdities are innumerable: others again, from time to time, have arifen, have had their day, and been annihilated. Hence should any one now take it into his head to be a Carpocratian, an Eutichian, a Monothelite, Monophifite, Neftorian, or Manichean, what would be the confequence? He would be laughed at, as equally ridiculous, with a modern fine Lady, who fhould go to Court in the antique garb of a ruff and fardingale.

Chapter the fixth, contains an enquiry, whether Perfecution be authorised by the laws of nature and humanity? The Author determines in the negative.

In the feventh and eighth chapters, Mr. de Voltaire fhews, that Perfecution on a religious account, was practised neither among the Greeks nor the Romans.

Chapter the ninth treats of the Martyrs; of which our Author endeavours to fhew there never was any confiderable

number.

Chapter the tenth treats of the fame fubject, as alfo of the danger of falfe Legends, and of religious Perfecution. On th head Mr. Voltaire employs fuccefsfully thofe talents of ridicule, for which he is fo juftly celebrated, against the many romante abfurdities advanced in the Romish Martyrology.

In the eleventh chapter, the Author expatiates on the 1s abuses of Intolerance, which he declares to be proári e thing but Rebels or Hypocrites.

In chapter the twelfth, he confiders, whether alerte dictated by the divine laws under the Jewish Liraise

he determines in the negative; and in the sa

patiates on the extreme Toleration of the

chapters have given great offence,

Divines; it behoves them, howe

ly to exclaim against, what ou
join in the laugh with him, when e
dities of the Roman Catuir-

fore, to display equal arm
wrong place, wher be

of Proteftants.

se

treating this part of his fubject, is entirely of opinion with the learned Author of the Divine Legation of Mofes, with refpec to the Jews having no idea of the immortality of the foul under the Mofaic Difpenfation: a tenet that is now esteemed fo effential to all religion, that it is generally thought none can fubfift without it. Our Author, however, conceives that this tenet took its rife among the Jews about the time of the Babylonifh captivity; after which period, he remarks, that the Jews carried their ancient fpirit of Toleration fo far, as not to molest such as difbelieved this important doctrine.

The fect of Sadducees, continues he, ftill perfifted in believ ing, that there were no rewards nor punishments after death; and that the faculty of perceiving and thinking, perished with us, as well as the mechanic powers of corporeal motion. They denied alfo, the existence of angels; and differed in opinions much more from the other Jews, than the Protestants at this day differ from the Catholics: and yet they were not, therefore, thrust out from the communion of their brethren: on the contrary, we find there were even High-priefts of that very fect. Ágain,

The Pharifees believed in Fate and the Metempsichofis. The Effenes conceived, that the fouls of the juft went to inhabit the Fortunate iflands, and thofe of the wicked into a kind of Tartarus. They offered up no facrifices, but afflembled together in a fynagogue peculiar to themfelves. In a word, if we examine narrowly into Judaifm, we shall be astonished to find the most unlimited Toleration amidst the horrors of the greateft barbarity. This is a contradiction, it is true; but almost all the people in the world have been governed by contradictions. Happy is that people whofe manners are candid and humane, tho' living under perfecuting and fanguinary laws.'

In the fourteenth chapter, the Author demonftrates, that religious perfecution is not, in any degree, authorised by the precepts or example of Jefus Chrift: whom if we are defirous to refemble, we should rather be Martyrs than Executioners.

The fifteenth chapter contains a collection of authorities against Perfecution; moft of them taken from the Fathers, the Councils, and the beft modern Writers. Here Mr. Voltaire takes notice of the ftrange inconfiftency of people acting fo diametrically oppofite to their principles; the beft of the French Divines and Moralifts conftantly inculcating, in their Tracts, Sermons, and Catechifms, the doctrine of Candour and Toleration.

In the fixteenth chapter, we have a dialogue between a dying

man

man and his Confeffor; apparently written with a view to the refufal of the Sacraments to the Janfenifts, on account of their prior refufal to abjure the pretended herefies contained in the Bull Unigenitus.

Chapter the feventeenth, contains a very extraordinary, and evidently fictitious, Letter, faid to have been written to the Jefuit Le Tellier, and comprehending a scheme for blowing up, cutting the throats, or poifoning, about fix millions of Huguenots and Jefuits. It is problematical with us, whether the Author faw fully into the impropriety of inserting this letter or not: his fubfequent apology for it, rather perplexing than clearing up the point.

In chapter the eighteenth, Mr. Voltaire mentions the only cafe in which he conceives Intolerance juftifiable by human laws. When the errors of people become criminal, fays he, Government hath then a right to punish them; but they become criminal only by disturbing the peace of society, and inspiring fanaticifm. Hence no Fanatics of any religion can lay claim to Toleration.

Chapter the nineteenth, contains the relation of a difpute, faid to have happened in China, between three or four Chriftian Miffionaries; whofe intolerating spirit could not forbear breaking out into the most extravagant exceffes, even in a country where they themselves were only tolerated.

In the twentieth chapter, the Author examines into the pretended neceffity of educating mankind in the principles of fuperftition.

Chapter the twenty-firft, treats of the fuperiority of Virtue to Science. The twenty-fecond, of univerfal Toleration. The twenty-third, contains a Prayer to God, against Perfecution. The twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth contain a Poftfcript, wherein the Author retouches fome parts of his fubject, and declares, that his motives for engaging in this work, were those of universal philanthropy, and not fuch as might be fuppofed to arife from any perfonal knowlege, partial connection, or application of the Parties; to all which Mr. de Voltaire declares himself an utter ftranger.

Theatre de Pierre Corneille, avec des Commentaires, &c. &c. The Works of Peter Corneille, with Commentaries and Ie ftrations, by M. de Voltaire. 12 vols. 8vo. Genev.. 1764. Imported by Becket and de Hondt.

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