of Cherbury published two works, in which, if he did not absolutely deny the divine origin of the gospel, he maintained that it was not absolutely necessary to the salvation of mankind;-unhappily, he had a multitude of followers, and few imitated his reserve.

The deists profess to believe a God, but show no regard to Jesus Christ, and consider the doctrine of the apostles and evangelists as fables and dreams. They profess a regard for natural religion; some acknowledge, some deny a future state*.

In France, Julius Cæsar Vanini, in Holland, Benedict Spinosa, professed atheism. In England, it was professed by Toland, who would have disgraced any creed; and we are sorry to add, by one at least, whom science loves to name-an historian often cited in the preceding pages.

LXXVIII. 4.

The French Philosophers.

If we are to judge of the public mind in France by its appearances at the time of the revolution, atheism was much more common there than in England; and the attacks on revealed religion had been conducted in it with a degree of concert and co-operation, unknown in this country. The leaders acquired the appellation of the French Philosophers.

The reader will be pleased with the "Histoire critique "du Philosophisme Anglois, by the Abbé Tabaraud," 8vo.

Their objects and their labours are thus described by one of themselves *.

"There was a class of men, which soon formed "itself in Europe, with a view not so much to dis"cover and make deep research after truth, as to "diffuse it; whose chief object was to attack pre'judices, in the very asylums where the clergy, "the schools, the governments, and the ancient

66

corporations had received and protected them; " and who made their glory to consist rather in "destroying popular error, than extending the "limits of science: this, though an indirect "method of forwarding its progress, was not, on "that account, either less dangerous or less useful.

"Assuming every tone and every shape, from "the ludicrous to the pathetic, from the most "learned and extensive compilation to the novel,

or the petty pamphlet of the day, covering truth "with a veil, which sparing the eye, that was too "weak, incited the reader's curiosity by the plea"sure of letting him surmise what was meant, in"sidiously caressing prejudice in order to strike

it with more certainty and effect; seldom me"nacing more than one at a time, and then only "in part, sometimes flattering the enemies of rea

son, by seeming to ask but for a half toleration "in religion, or a half liberty in polity; respecting 'despotism, when they impugned religious absurdities, and religion when they attacked tyranny; combating these two pests in their principles,

64

* Condorcet.

66

though apparently inveighing against ridiculous. "and disgusting abuses;--striking at the root of "those pestiferous trees, whilst they appeared only "to wish to lop the straggling branches; at one "time marking out superstition, which covers despotism with its impenetrable shield, to the friends "of liberty, as the first victim which they were to "immolate, the first link to be cleft asunder; at "another, denouncing religion to despots as the "real enemy of their power, and frightening them "with its hypocritical plots and sanguinary rage; "but indefatigable when they claimed the inde"pendence of reason and the liberty of the press, "as the right and safeguard of mankind -inveighing with enthusiastic energy against the crimes "of fanaticism and tyranny, reprobating every "thing which bore the character of oppression, "harshness, or barbarity, whether in religion, ad"ministration, morals, or laws; commanding kings, "warriors, priests, and magistrates, in the name of "nature, to spare the blood of men; reproaching "them in the most energetic strain with that, which "their policy or indifference prodigally lavished "on the scaffold or in the field of battle; in fine, adopting reason, toleration, and humanity, as "their signal and watchword.

"Such was the modern philosophy, so much de"tested by those numerous classes, whose very "existence was drawn from prejudices ;-its chiefs "had the art of escaping vengeance, though exposed "to hatred; of hiding themselves from persecu

+

"tion, though sufficiently conspicuous to lose "nothing of their glory."

It, would, however, be a great injustice to confound together, all the writers, whose works have contributed to the French revolution. They may be divided into three classes :-under the first, may be ranked those, who were satisfied with pointing out to sovereigns, the duties, which they owe to their subjects, and the motives which religion and reason suggest to excite sovereigns to a faithful discharge of them. These writers, though by making subjects feel their rights, they co-operated remotely in producing the general ferment which led to the revolution, are not only free from blame, but are entitled to the thanks of mankind. Such were Fénélon and Massillon: the general duties of a sovereign, the wickedness and infamy of an oppressive, extravagant, and voluptuous reign, are nowhere more eloquently, more pathetically, or more forcibly exposed than in the Telemachus of the former, or the Petit Carême of the latter. So much was this the case, that, during the contests of Lewis the fifteenth with the parliaments, large editions of the Petit Carême of Massillon were repeatedly printed and circulated throughout the kingdom.

The same, (if allowance be made for some indiscreet expressions), may be said of Montesquieu ; and he had the additional merit of pointing out the general revolution of opinion which the diffusion of knowledge had produced, and was every day pro

ducing in France, and the necessity of appeasing it by the sacrifice of some abuses. Those, who are acquainted with that great man's writings, must be surprised to see him ranked among the conspirators against monarchy.

The general body of writers called the French Philosophers, then come for consideration; they may be divided into two classes, at the head of one we may place Voltaire, at the head of the other, Rousseau.

From a settled plan, and even a serious wish of overturning the monarchy, justice requires us to acquit the former: a slight limitation of the arbitrary power of the crown, and the privileges of the nobility, would have satisfied him: but the utmost he would have left to the church, was a decent maintenance for her ministers. On the other hand, Rousseau thought mankind could not be happy till every distinction, of rank was abolished, and property was held in common..

J

In the different assemblies each of these classes of writers had their disciples. The venerable bishop of Arles, the bishops of Clermont and Nancy, and a few more of the royalists, may be reckoned among the disciples of Fénélon and Massillon: M. Malouet, M. Mounier, M. Lally, and the general body of monarchists and constitutionalists, may be reckoned among the disciples of Voltaire : the abbé Sieyes, Danton, Marat, Robespierre, and the general body of jacobins, may be reckoned among the disciples of Rousseau.