,,the ,,heavenly ,,father4  ,lectures on
 ,modern ,atheism4  ,,by  ,,ernest      
,,naville1  ,,corresponding ,,member    
,,of ,,the ,,institute ,,of ,,france    
7,,academy ,,of ,,the ,,moral ,,and     
,,political ,,sciences71 ,,late         
,,professor ,,of ,,philosophy ,,in ,,the
 ,,university ,,of ,,geneva4            
,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,french  ,,by
 ,,henry ,,downton1 ,m4,a41  ,,english  
,,chaplain ,,at ,,geneva4        --,to  
this deplorable error ,i desire to      
oppose faith in ,,god as it      has    
been given to the world by the          
,gospel--faith in the ,,heavenly        
,,father4                 ,author's     
,letter to ,professor ,faraday 7v4 p4   
#aic74   ,,boston3  ,,william ,v4       
,,spencer  #ahfg4  ,,cambridge3  ,,press
 ,,of ,,john ,,wilson ,,and ,,son4      
,,preface4   ,these ,lectures1 in their 
original form1 were delivered at        
,geneva1 and afterwards at ,lausanne1   
before two auditories which together    
numbered about two thousand five hundred

 men4 ,a ,swiss ,review published       
considerable portions of them1 which had
 been taken down in short-hand1 and on  
reading these portions1 several persons1
 belonging to different countries1      
conceived the idea of translating the   
work when completed by the ,author1 and 
corrected for publication4 ,proof-sheets
 were accordingly sent to the           
translators as they came from the press3
 and thus this volume will appear pretty
 nearly at the same time in several of  
the languages of ,europe4  ,the hearty  
kindness with which my fellow-countrymen
 received my words has been to me both a
 delight and an encouragement4 ,the     
expressions of sympathy which have      
reached me from abroad allow me to hope 
that these pages1 notwithstanding the   
deficiencies and imperfections of which 
,i am keenly sensible1 reflect some few 
of the rays of the truth which ,god has 
deposited on the earth1 thereby to unite
 in the same faith and hope men of every
 tongue and every nation4               

,,ernest ,,naville4  ,,geneva1 ,may1    
#ahfe4     ,,note ,,by ,,the            
,,translator4   ,the appearance of this 
translation so long after that of the   
original work is in contradiction to the
 foregoing statement of the ,author1    
that it would appear at nearly the same 
time with it4 ,the delay has been due to
 causes beyond the translator's         
control--in part to the difficulty of   
revising the press at so great a        
distance from the place of publication1 
the translator being resident at        
,geneva4 ,this latter circumstance      
causes an exception in another          
particular as regards this translation1 
the proposal to translate the ,lectures 
having been made to the ,author1 and    
kindly accepted by him1 during the      
course of their delivery at ,geneva4    
,the mere statement by the ,author of   
the numbers1 large as they were1 of     
those who formed the auditories1 can    
give but a small idea of the enthusiasm 
with which they were received by the    

crowds which thronged to hear them1 and 
which were composed of all classes of   
persons1 from the most distinguished    
savant to the intelligent artisan4  ,it 
is not to be expected that the ,lectures
 when read1 even in the original1 and   
still less in a translation1 can produce
 the vivid impression which they made on
 those1 who1 with the translator1 had   
the privilege of hearing them           
delivered1--the ,author having few      
rivals1 on the ,continent or elsewhere1 
in the graces of polished eloquence2 but
 the subjects treated are1 it is to be  
feared1 of increasing importance1 not   
abroad only1 but in ,england2 and in    
fact one ,lecture1 the fourth1 is in a  
large measure occupied with forms of    
atheism which owe their chief support to
 ,english authors4 ,in that ,lecture the
 ,author shows that the spiritual origin
 of man cannot be put out of sight      
beneath details of physiology and       
researches of natural history1 and that 
these not only cannot settle1 but cannot

 so much as touch the question4  ,the   
same ,lecture is occupied in part by a  
practical refutation of the prejudice   
against religion drawn from the         
irreligious character of many men of    
science4 ,the ,author's subject has led 
him in the present work to confine his  
illustrations on this head to the       
question of natural religion3 but the   
translator will avow that a main motive 
with him to undertake the labor of this 
translation has been the wish to prove1 
in the instance of the distinguished    
,author himself1 that men of            
incontestable eminence as metaphysical  
philosophers may hold and profess boldly
 their faith in doctrines1 which many   
who affect to guide the religious       
opinions of our youth would teach them  
to despise as the heritage of narrow    
minds1 and to cast away as incompatible 
with the highest intellectual           
cultivation4 ,such doctrines are those  
of the fall and ruin of man by nature1  
the necessity for ,divine agency in his 

recovery1 his need of propitiation by   
the sacrifice of the                    
,god-,man--l',homme-,dieu4 ,these truths
 are explicitly stated by the ,author in
 his former course of lectures--,la ,vie
 ,eternelle1#a in which1 while          
discoursing eloquently on that eternal  
life which is the portion of the        
righteous1 he does not shrink from      
declaring his belief in its awful       
counterpart1 the eternal condemnation of
 the wicked4  ,the offence of the ,cross
 has not ceased1 and many finding that  
these are the opinions of this ,author1 
will perhaps lay down his book as       
unworthy of their attention3 yet the    
editor1 biographer1 and expositor of the
 great ,french thinker1 ,maine de       
,biran1 will not need introduction to   
the intellectual magnates of our own or 
of any country4 ,the translator will be 
thankful1 if some of those1--the youth  
more especially1--of his own country1   
who have been dazzled by the glare of   
false science1 shall find in this work a

 help to the reassuring of their faith1 
while they learn in a fresh example that
 there are men quite competent to deal  
with the profoundest problems which can 
exercise our thoughts1 who at the same  
time have come to a                     
conviction1--compatible as they believe 
with principles of the clearest         
reason1--of the truth of those very     
doctrines which form the substance of   
evangelical ,christianity4 ,in saying   
this1 the translator is far from        
claiming the ,author as belonging to the
 same school of theology with himself3  
but differing with him on some important
 points1 he has yet believed that this  
volume is calculated to be of much use  
in the present condition of religious   
thought in ,england1 and in this hope   
and prayer he commends it to the        
blessing of ,him1 whose being and       
attributes1 as our ,god and ,father in  
,jesus ,christ1 are therein asserted and
 defended4  ,,geneva1 ,november1 #ahfe4 
,,footnote3  #a ,a translation of this  

work1 by an ,english lady1 has been     
published by ,mr4 ,dalton1 #bh1         
,cockspur street4     ,,contents4       
,,lecture ,i4                           
,,page ,,our ,,idea ,,of ,,god          
#a   ,,lecture ,,ii4  ,,life ,,without  
,,god               #dc   ,,part        
,i4--,,the ,,individual      #de        
,,part ,,ii4--,,society            #gb  
,,lecture ,,iii4  ,,the ,,revival ,,of  
,,atheism        #aag   ,,lecture ,,iv4 
,,nature                        #age    
,,lecture ,v4  ,,humanity               
#bde   ,,lecture ,,vi4  ,,the ,,creator 
#big   ,,lecture ,,vii4  ,,the ,,father 
#cdj     ,,lecture ,i4  ,,our ,,idea    
,,of ,,god4  7,at ,geneva1 #agth ,nov4  
#ahfc4--;,at ,lausanne1 #aath ,jan4     
#ahfd47   ,,gentlemen1  ,some           
five-and-twenty or thirty years ago1 a  
,german writer published a piece of     
verse which began in this way3 ,our     
hearts are oppressed with the emotions  
of a pious sadness1 at the thought of   
the ancient ,jehovah who is preparing to

 die4 ,the verses were a dirge upon the 
death of the living ,god2 and the       
author1 like a well educated son of the 
nineteenth century1 bestowed a few      
poetic tears upon the obsequies of the  
,eternal4  ,i was young when these      
strange words met my eyes1 and they     
produced in me a kind of painful        
bewilderment1 which has1 ,i think1 for  
ever engraven them in my memory4 ,since 
then1 ,i have had occasion to learn by  
many tokens that this fact was not at   
all an exceptional one1 but that men of 
influence1 famous schools1 important    
tendencies of the modern mind1 are      
agreed in proclaiming that the time of  
religion is over1 of religion in all its
 forms1 of religion in the largest sense
 of the word4 ,beneath the social       
disturbances of the day1 beneath the    
discussions of science1 beneath the     
anxiety of some and the sadness of      
others1 beneath the ironical and more or
 less insulting joy of a few1 we read at
 the foundation of many intellectual    

manifestations of our time these gloomy 
words3 ,henceforth no more ,god for     
humanity6 ,what may well send a shudder 
of fright through society--more than    
threatening war1 more than possible     
revolution1 more than the plots which   
may be hatching in the dark against the 
security of persons or of property--is1 
the number1 the importance1 and the     
extent of the efforts which are making  
in our days to extinguish in men's souls
 their faith in the living ,god4  ,this 
fear1 ,gentlemen1 ,i should wish to     
communicate to you1 but ,i should wish  
also to confine it within its just      
limits4 ,religion 7,i take this term in 
its most general acceptation7 is not1 as
 many say that it is1 either dead or    
dying4 ,i want no other proof of this   
than the pains which so many people are 
taking to kill it4 ,it is often those   
who say that it is dead1 or falling     
rapidly into dissolution1 who apply     
themselves to this work4 ,they are too  
generous1 no doubt1 to make a violent   

attack upon a corpse2 and it is easy to 
understand1 judging by the intensity of 
their exertions1 that in their own      
opinion they have something else to do  
than to give a finishing stroke to the  
dying4  ,present circumstances are      
serious1 not for religion itself1 which 
cannot be imperilled1 but for minds     
which run the risk of losing their      
balance and their support4 ,let it be   
observed1 however1 that when it is said 
that we are living in extraordinary     
times1 that we are passing through an   
unequalled crisis1 that the like of what
 we see was never seen before1 and so   
on1 we must always regard conclusions of
 this nature with distrust4 ,our        
personal interest in the circumstances  
which immediately surround us produces  
on them for us the magnifying effect of 
a microscope3 and our principal reason  
for thinking that our epoch is more     
extraordinary than others1 is for the   
most part that we are living in our own 
epoch1 and have not lived in others4 ,a 

mind attentive to this fact1 and so     
placed upon its guard against all       
tendency to exaggeration1 will easily   
perceive that religious thought has in  
former times passed through shocks as   
profound and as dangerous as those of   
which we are witnesses4 ,still the      
crisis is a real one4 ,taking into      
account its extent in our days1 we may  
say that it is new for the generation to
 which we belong2 and it is worthy of   
close consideration4 ,to-day1 as an     
introduction to this grave subject1 ,i  
should wish first to determine as       
precisely as possible what is our idea  
of ,god2 to inquire next from what      
sources we derive it2 and lastly to     
point out1 as clearly as ,i may1 the    
limits and the nature of the discussion 
to which ,i invite you4  ,in asking what
 sense we must give to the word ,god1 ,i
 am not going to propose to you a       
metaphysical definition1 or any system  
of my own3 ,i am inquiring what is in   
fact the idea of ,god in the bosom of   

modern society1 in the souls which live 
by this idea1 in the hearts of which it 
constitutes the joy1 in the consciences 
of which it is the support4  ,when our  
thoughts rise above nature and humanity 
to that invisible ,being whom we speak  
of as ,god1 what is it which passes in  
our souls8 ,they fear1 they hope1 they  
pray1 they offer thanksgiving4 ,if a man
 finds himself in one of those desperate
 positions in which all human help      
fails1 he turns towards ,heaven1 and    
says1 ,my ,god6 ,if we are witnesses of 
one of those instances of revolting     
injustice which stir the conscience in  
its profoundest depths1 and which could 
not on earth meet with adequate         
punishment1 we think within             
ourselves1--,there is a ,judge on high6 
,if we are reproved by our own          
conscience1 the voice of that           
conscience1 which disturbs and sometimes
 torments us1 reminds us that though we 
may be shut out from all human view1    
there is no less an ,eye which sees us1 

and a just award awaiting us4 ,thus it  
is 7,i am seeking to establish facts7   
that the thought of ,god operates1 so to
 speak1 in the souls of those who       
believe in ,him4 ,if you look for the   
meaning common to all these             
manifestations of man's heart1 what do  
you find8 ,fear1 hope1 thanksgiving1    
prayer4 ,to whom is all this addressed8 
,to a ,power intelligent and free1 which
 knows us1 and is able to act upon our  
destinies4 ,this is the idea which is   
found at the basis of all religions2 not
 only of the religion of the only ,god1 
but of the most degraded forms of       
idolatrous worship4 ,all religion rests 
upon the sentiment of one or more       
invisible ,powers1 superior to nature   
and to humanity4  ,when philosophical   
curiosity is awakened1 it disengages    
from the general sentiment of power the 
definite idea of the cause which becomes
 the explanation of the phenomena4 ,the 
reason of man1 by virtue of its very    
constitution1 finds a need of conceiving

 of an absolute cause which escapes by  
its eternity the lapse of time1 and by  
its infinite character the bounds of    
limited existences2 a principle1 the    
necessary being of which depends on no  
other2 in a word a unique cause1        
establishing by its unity the universal 
harmony4 ,so1 when reason meets with the
 idea of the sole and ,almighty         
,creator1 it attaches itself to it as   
the only thought which accounts to it   
for the world and for itself4  ,the     
,creator is1 first of all1 ,he whose    
glory the heavens declare1 while the    
earth makes known the work of ,his      
hands4 ,he is the ,mighty ,one and the  
,wise1 whose will has given being to    
nature1 and who directs at once the     
chorus of stars in the depths of the    
heavens1 and the drop of vital moisture 
in the herb which we tread under foot4  
,if1 after having looked around1 we turn
 our regard in upon ourselves1 we then  
discover other heavens1 spiritual       
heavens1 in which shine1 like stars of  

the first magnitude1 those objects which
 cause the heart of man to beat1 so long
 as he is not self-degraded3 truth1     
goodness1 beauty4 ,now we feel that we  
are made for this higher world4         
,material enjoyments may enchain our    
will2 we may1 in the indulgence of      
unworthy passions1 pursue what in its   
essence is only evil1 error1 and        
deformity2 but1 if all the rays of our  
true nature are not extinguished1 a     
voice issues from the depth of our souls
 and protests against our debasement4   
,our aspirations toward these spiritual 
excellences are unlimited4 ,our thought 
sets out on its course3 have we solved  
one question8 immediately new questions 
arise1 which press1 no less than the    
former1 for an answer4 ,our conscience  
speaks3 have we come in a certain degree
 to realize what is right and good8     
immediately conscience demands of us    
still more4 ,is our feeling for beauty  
awakened8 ,well1 sirs1 when an artist is
 satisfied with the work of his hands1  

do you not know at once what to think of
 him8 ,do you not know that that man    
will never do any thing great1 who does 
not see shining in his horizon an ideal 
which stamps as imperfect all that he   
has been able to realize8 ,the voice    
which urges us on through life from the 
cradle to the grave1 and which1 without 
allowing us a moment's pause1 is ever   
crying--,forward6 forward6 this voice is
 not more imperious than the noble      
instinct which1 in the view of beauty1  
of truth1 of good1 is also saying to    
us--,forward6 forward6 and1 with the    
,american poet1 ,excelsior6 higher1 ever
 higher6 ,many of you know that instinct
 familiar to the climbers of the        
,alps1#b as they are called1 who1       
arrived at one summit1 have no rest so  
long as there remains a loftier height  
in view4 ,such is our destiny2 but the  
last peak is veiled in shining clouds   
which conceal it from our sight4        
,perfection1--this is the point to which
 our nature aspires2 but it is the      

ladder of ,jacob3 we see the foot which 
rests upon the earth2 the summit hides  
itself from our feeble view amidst the  
splendors of the infinite4  ,these      
objects of our highest desires--beauty  
in its supreme manifestation1 absolute  
holiness1 infinite truth--are united in 
one and the same thought--,god6 ,the    
attributes of the spiritual are never in
 us but as borrowed attributes2 they    
dwell naturally in ,him who is their    
source4 ,god is the truth1 not only     
because ,he knows all things1 but       
because ,he is the very object of our   
thoughts2 because1 when we study the    
universe1 we do but spell out some few  
of the laws which ,he has imposed on    
things2 because1 to know truth is never 
any thing else than to know the creation
 or the ,creator1 the world or its      
eternal ,cause4 ,god it is who must be  
,himself the satisfaction of that       
craving of the conscience which urges us
 towards holiness4 ,if we had arrived at
 the highest degree of virtue1 what     

should we have done8 ,we should have    
realized the plan which ,he has proposed
 to spiritual creatures in their        
freedom1 at the same time that ,he is   
directing the stars in their courses by 
that other word which they accomplish   
without having heard it4 ,god is the    
eternal source of beauty4 ,he it is who 
has shed grace upon our valleys1 and    
majesty upon our mountains2 and ,he1    
again1 it is 7,i quote ,st4 ,augustine7 
who acts within the souls of artists1   
those great artists1 who1 urged         
unceasingly towards the regions of the  
ideal1 feel themselves drawn onwards    
towards a divine world4  ,god then above
 all is ,he who is1--the ,absolute1 the 
,infinite1 the ,eternal1--in the ever   
mysterious depths of ,his own essence4  
,in ,his relation to the world1 ,he is  
the cause2 in ,his relation to the lofty
 aspirations of the soul1 ,he is the    
ideal4 ,he is the ideal1 because being  
the absolute cause1 ,he is the unique   
source1 at the same time that ,he is the

 object1 of our aspirations3 ,he is the 
absolute cause1 because being ,he who   
is1 in ,his supreme unity1 nothing could
 have existence except by the act of    
,his power4 ,we are able already to     
recognize here1 in passing1 the source  
at which are fed the most serious       
aberrations of religious thought4 ,are  
truth1 holiness1 beauty considered      
separately from the real and infinite   
,spirit in which is found their reason  
for existing8 ,we see thus appear       
philosophies noble in their             
commencement1 but which soon descend a  
fatal slope4 ,the divine1 so-called1 is 
spoken of still2 but the divine is an   
abstraction1 and apart from ,god has no 
real existence4 ,if truth1 beauty1      
holiness are not the attributes of an   
eternal mind1 but the simple expression 
of the tendencies of our soul1 man may  
render at first a sort of worship to    
these lofty manifestations of his own   
nature2 but logic1 inexorable logic1    
forces him soon to dismiss the divine to

 the region of chimeras4 ,these rays are
 extinguished together with their       
luminous centre2 the soul loses the     
secret of its destinies1 and1 in the    
measureless grief which possesses it1 it
 proclaims at length that all is vanity4
 ,we shall have1 in the sequel1 to be   
witnesses together of this sorrowful    
spectacle4  ,such is the basis of our   
idea of ,god3 we must now discover its  
summit4 ,before the thought of this     
,sovereign ,being1 by whose ,will are   
all things1 and who is without cause and
 without beginning1 our soul is         
overwhelmed4 ,we are so feeble6 the     
thought of absolute power crushes us4   
,creatures of a day1 how should we      
understand the ,eternal8 ,frail as we   
are1 and evil1 we tremble at the idea of
 holiness4 ,but milder accents1 as you  
know1 have been heard upon the earth3   
,this ,sovereign ,god--,he loves us4 ,in
 proportion as this idea gains          
possession of our understanding1 in the 
same proportion our soul has glimpses of

 the paths of peace4 ,he loves us1 and  
we take courage4 ,he hears us1 and      
prayer rises to ,him with the hope of   
being heard4 ,he governs all1 and we    
confide in ,his ,providence4 ,when your 
gaze is directed towards the depths of  
the sky1 does it never happen to you to 
remain in a manner terrified1 as you    
contemplate those worlds which without  
end are added to other worlds8 ,as you  
fix your thoughts upon the immeasurable 
abysses of the firmament1--as you say to
 yourselves that how far soever you put 
back the boundary of the skies1 if the  
universe ended there1 then the universe1
 with its suns and its groups of stars1 
would still be but a solitary lamp1     
shining as a point in the midst of the  
limitless darkness1--have you never     
experienced a sort of mysterious fright 
and giddiness8 ,at such a time turn your
 eyes upon nearer objects4 ,he who has  
made the heavens with their immensity1  
is ,he who makes the corn to spring     
forth for your sustenance1 who clothes  

the fields with the flowers which       
rejoice your sight1 who gives you the   
fresh breath of morning1 and the calm of
 a lovely evening3 it is ,he1 without   
whose permission nothing occurs1 who    
watches over you and over those you     
love4 ,possess yourselves thoroughly    
with this thought of love1 then lift    
once more your eyes to the sky1 and from
 every star1 and from the worlds which  
are lost in the furthest depths of      
space1 shall fall upon your brow1 no    
longer clouded1 a ray of love and of    
peace4 ,then with a feeling of sweet    
affiance you will adopt as your own     
those words of an ancient prophet3      
,whither shall ,i go from ,thy ,spirit1 
or whither shall ,i flee from ,thy      
,presence8 ,if ,i ascend up into heaven1
 ,thou art there3 if ,i make my bed in  
hell1 behold1 ,thou art there4 ,if ,i   
take the wings of the morning1 and dwell
 in the uttermost parts of the sea2 even
 there shall ,thy hand lead me1 and ,thy
 right hand shall hold me3#c then you   

will understand those grand and sweet   
words of ,saint ,augustine1 some of the 
most beautiful that ever fell from the  
lips of a man3 ,are you afraid of ,god8 
,run to ,his arms6  ,thus our idea of   
,god is completed1--the idea of ,him    
whom1 in a feeling of filial confidence1
 we name the ,father1 and whom we call  
the ,heavenly ,father1 while we adore   
that absolute holiness1 of which the    
pure brightness of the firmament is for 
us the visible and magnificent symbol4  
,goodness is the secret of the universe2
 goodness it is which has directed      
power1 and placed wisdom at its service4
  ,my object is not to teach this idea1 
but to defend it3 it is not1 ,i say1 to 
teach it1 for we all possess it4 ,there 
is no one here who has not received his 
portion of the sacred deposit4 ,this    
sacred idea may be veiled by our        
sorrows1 perverted by our errors1       
obscured by our faults2 but1 however    
thick be the layer of ashes heaped      
together in the depth of our souls--look

 closely3 the sacred spark is not       
extinguished1 and a favorable breath may
 still rekindle the flame4  ,we have    
considered the essential elements of    
which our idea of ,god is composed4 ,and
 whence comes this idea8 ,what is its   
historical origin8 ,i do not ask what is
 the historical origin of religion1 for 
religion does not take its rise in      
history2 it is met with everywhere and  
always in humanity4 ,those who deny this
 are compelled to search in the darkness
 for some obscure example known only to 
themselves1 as if all natural           
inclinations were destroyed by the      
corruption of a people1 and as if1 as   
soon as there are any monsters1 the     
species were no longer any thing4#d ,the
 consciousness of a world superior to   
the domain of experience is one of the  
attributes characteristic of our nature4
 ,if there had ever been1 or if there   
still anywhere existed1 a people        
entirely destitute of religion1 it would
 be in consequence of an exceptional    

downfall which would be tantamount to a 
lapse into animality4#e ,i am not       
therefore inquiring after the origin of 
the idea and sentiment of the ,deity1 in
 a general sense1 but after the origin  
of the idea of the only and ,almighty   
,creator as we possess it4 ,in fact1 if 
religion is universal1 distinct         
knowledge of the ,creator is not so4    
,our own past strikes its roots into the
 historic soil which1 in the matter of  
creeds1 is known by the name of paganism
 or idolatry4 ,at first sight what do we
 find in the opinions of that ancient   
world8 ,no trace of the divine unity4   
,adoration is dispersed over a thousand 
different beings4 ,not only are the     
heavenly bodies adored and the powers of
 nature1 but men1 animals1 and inanimate
 objects4 ,the feeling of the holiness  
of ,god is not less wanting1 it would   
seem1 than the idea of ,his unity4      
,religion serves as a pretext for the   
unchaining of human passions4 ,this is  
the case unfortunately with religion in 

general1 and the true religion is no    
exception to the rule3 but what         
characterizes paganism is that in its   
case religion1 by its own proper nature1
 favors the development of immorality4  
,celebrated shrines become the dens of a
 prostitution which forms part of the   
homage rendered to the gods2 the        
religious rites of ancient ,asia1 and   
those of ,greece which fell under their 
influence1 are notorious for their      
lewdness4 ,the temples of false deities1
 too often defiled by debauchery1 are   
too often also dishonored by frightful  
sacrifices4 ,the ancient civilization of
 ,mexico was elegant and even refined in
 some respects2 but the altars were     
stained1 every year1 with the blood of  
thousands of human beings2 and the      
votaries of this sanguinary worship     
devoured1 in solemn banquets1 the       
quivering limbs of the victims4 ,let us 
not look for examples too far removed   
from the civilization which has produced
 our own4 ,in the ,greek and ,roman     

world1 the stories of the gods were not 
very edifying1 as every one knows3 the  
worship of ,bacchus gave no             
encouragement to temperance1 and the    
festivals of ,venus were not a school of
 chastity4 ,it would be easy1 by        
bringing together facts of this sort1 to
 form a picture full of sombre coloring1
 and to conclude that our idea of ,god1 
the idea of the only and holy ,god1 does
 not proceed from the impure sources of 
idolatry4 ,the proceeding would be brief
 and convenient2 but such an estimation 
of the facts1 false because incomplete1 
would destroy the value of the          
conclusion4 ,in pagan antiquity1 in     
fact1 the abominations of which ,i have 
just reminded you did not by themselves 
make up religious tradition4 ,side by   
side with a current of darkness and     
impurity1 we meet with a current of pure
 ideas and of strong gleams of the day4 
,almost all the pagans seem to have had 
a glimpse of the ,divine unity over the 
multiplicity of their idols1 and of the 

rays of the ,divine holiness across the 
saturnalia of their ,olympi4 ,it was a  
,greek who wrote these words3 ,nothing  
is accomplished on the earth without    
,thee1 ,o ,god1 save the deeds which the
 wicked perpetrate in their folly4#f ,it
 was in a theatre at ,athens that the   
chorus of a tragedy sang1 more than two 
thousand years ago3 ,may destiny aid me 
to preserve unsullied the purity of my  
words and of all my actions1 according  
to those sublime laws which1 brought    
forth in the celestial heights1 have    
,heaven alone for their father1 to which
 the race of mortal men did not give    
birth1 and which oblivion shall never   
entomb4 ,in them is a supreme ,god1 and 
one who waxes not old4#g ,it would be   
easy to multiply quotations of this     
order1 and to show you in the documents 
of ,grecian and ,roman civilization     
numerous traces of the knowledge of the 
only and holy ,god4 ,listen now to a    
voice which has come forth actually from
 the recesses of the sepulchre3 it      

reaches us from ancient ,egypt4  ,in    
,egypt1 as you know1 the degradation of 
the religious idea was in popular       
practice complete4 ,but1 under the      
confused accents of superstition1 the   
science of our age is succeeding in     
catching from afar the vibrations of a  
sublime utterance4 ,in the coffins of a 
large number of mummies have been       
discovered rolls of papyrus containing a
 sacred text which is called the ,book  
of the ,dead4 ,here is the translation  
of some fragments which appear to date  
from a very remote epoch4 ,it is ,god   
who speaks3 ,i am the ,most ,holy1 the  
,creator of all that replenishes the    
earth1 and of the earth itself1 the     
habitation of mortals4 ,i am the ,prince
 of the infinite ages4 ,i am the great  
and mighty ,god1 the ,most ,high1       
shining in the midst of the careering   
stars and of the armies which praise me 
above thy head4444 ,it is ,i who        
chastise and who judge the evil-doers1  
and the persecutors of godly men4 ,i    

discover and confound the liars4444 ,i  
am the all-seeing ,judge and ,avenger   
444 the guardian of my laws in the land 
of righteousness4#h  ,these words are   
found mingled1 in the text from which ,i
 extract them1 with allusions to        
inferior deities2 and it must be        
acknowledged that the translation of the
 ancient documents of ,egypt is still   
uncertain enough4 ,still this           
uncertainty does not appear to extend to
 the general sense and bearing of the   
recent discoveries of our savants4      
,myself a simple learner from the       
masters of the science1 ,i can only     
point out to you the result of their    
studies4 ,now1 this is what the masters 
tell us as to the actual state of       
mythological studies4 ,traces are found 
almost everywhere1 in the midst of      
idolatrous superstitions1 of a religion 
comparatively pure1 and often stamped   
with a lofty morality4 ,paganism is not 
a simple fact3 it offers to view in the 
same bed two currents1 the one pure and 

the other impure4 ,what is the relation 
between these two currents8 ,a passage  
in a writer of the ,latin ,church throws
 a vivid light upon their actual        
relation in practical life4 ,it is thus 
that ,lactantius expresses himself3     
,when man 7the pagan7 finds himself in  
adversity1 then it is that he has       
recourse to ,god 7to the only ,god74 ,if
 the horrors of war threaten him1 if    
there appear a contagious disease1 a    
drought1 a tempest1 then he has recourse
 to ,god4444 ,if he is overtaken by a   
storm at sea1 and is in danger of       
perishing1 immediately he calls upon    
,god2 if he finds himself in any urgent 
peril1 he has recourse to ,god4444 ,thus
 men bethink themselves of ,god when    
they are in trouble2 but as soon as the 
danger is past1 and they are no longer  
in any fear1 we see them return with joy
 to the temples of the false gods1 make 
to them libations1 and offer sacrifices 
to them4#i ,this is a striking picture  
of the workings of man's heart in all   

ages2 for1 as our author observes1 ,god 
is never so much forgotten of men as    
when they are quietly enjoying the      
favors and blessings which ,he sends    
them4#aj ,as regards our special object1
 this page reveals in a very instructive
 manner the religious condition of      
heathen antiquity4 ,the thought of the  
sovereign ,god was stifled without being
 extinguished2 it awoke beneath the     
pressure of anguish2 but ordinary life1 
the life of every day1 belonged to the  
easy worship of idols4  ,it may now be  
asked what is the historical relation   
between the two currents of paganism of 
which we have just established the      
actual relation in practical life4 ,did 
humanity begin with a coarse fetichism1 
and thence rise by slow degrees to      
higher conceptions8 ,do the traces of a 
comparatively pure monotheism first show
 themselves in the most recent periods  
of idolatry8 ,contemporary science      
inclines more and more to answer in the 
negative4 ,it is in the most ancient    

historical ground 7allow me these       
geological terms7 that the laborious    
investigators of the past meet with the 
most elevated ideas of religion4 ,cut to
 the ground a young and vigorous        
beech-tree1 and come back a few years   
afterwards3 in place of the tree cut    
down you will find coppice-wood2 the sap
 which nourished a single trunk has been
 divided amongst a multitude of shoots4 
,this comparison expresses well enough  
the opinion which tends to prevail      
amongst our savants on the subject of   
the historical development of religions4
 ,the idea of the only ,god is at the   
root1--it is primitive2 polytheism is   
derivative4 ,a forgotten1 and as it were
 slumbering1 monotheism exists beneath  
the worship of idols2 it is the         
concealed trunk which supports them1 but
 the idols have absorbed all the sap4   
,the ancient ,god 7allow me once more a 
comparison7 is like a sovereign confined
 in the interior of his palace3 he is   
but seldom thought of1 and only on great

 occasions2 his ministers alone act1    
entertain requests1 and receive the real
 homage4  ,the proposition of the       
historical priority of monotheism is    
very important1 and is not universally  
admitted4 ,it will therefore be         
necessary to show you1 by a few         
quotations at least1 that ,i am not     
speaking rashly4 ,one of the most       
accredited mythologists of our time1    
,professor ,grimm1 of ,berlin1 writes as
 follows3 ,the monotheistic form appears
 to be the more ancient1 and that out of
 which antiquity in its infancy formed  
polytheism4444 ,all mythologies lead us 
to this conclusion4#aa ,among the       
,french savants devoted to the study of 
ancient ,egypt1 the ,vicomte de ,rong   
stands in the foremost rank4 ,this is   
what he tells us3 ,in ,egypt the supreme
 ,god was called the one ,god1 living   
indeed1 ,he who made all that exists1   
who created other beings4 ,he is the    
,generator existing alone who made the  
heaven and created the earth4 ,the      

writer informs us that these ideas are  
often found reproduced in writings the  
date of which is anterior to ,moses1 and
 many of which formed part of the most  
ancient sacred hymns2 then he comes to  
this conclusion3 ,egypt1 in possession  
of an admirable fund of doctrines       
respecting the essence of ,god1 and the 
immortality of the soul1 did not for all
 that defile herself the less by the    
most degrading superstitions2 we have in
 her1 sufficiently summed up1 the       
religious history of all antiquity4#ab  
,as regards the civilization which      
flourished in ,india1 ,m4 ,adolphe      
,pictet1 in his learned researches on   
the subject of the primitive ,aryas1    
arrives1 in what concerns the religious 
idea1 at the following conclusion3 ,to  
sum up3 primitive monotheism of a       
character more or less vague1 passing   
gradually into a polytheism still       
simple1 such appears to have been the   
religion of the ancient ,aryas4#ac ,one 
of our fellow-countrymen1 who cultivates

 with equal modesty and perseverance the
 study of religious antiquities1 has    
procured the greater part of the recent 
works published on these subjects in    
,france1 ,germany1 and ,england4 ,he has
 read them1 pen in hand1 and1 at my     
urgent request1 he has kindly allowed me
 to look over his notes which have been 
long accumulating4 ,i find the following
 sentence in the manuscripts which he   
has shown me3 ,the general impression of
 all the most distinguished mythologists
 of the present day is1 that monotheism 
is at the foundation of all pagan       
mythology4  ,the savants1 ,i repeat1 do 
not unanimously accept these            
conclusions3 savants1 like other men1   
are rarely unanimous4 ,it is enough for 
my purpose to have shown that it is not 
merely the grand tradition guaranteed by
 the ,christian faith1 but also the most
 distinctly marked current of           
contemporary science1 which tells us    
that ,god shone upon the cradle of our  
species4 ,the august ,form was veiled1  

and idolatry with its train of shameful 
rites shows itself in history as the    
result of a fall which calls for a      
restoration1 rather than as the point of
 departure of a continued progress4     
,the august ,form was veiled4 ,who has  
lifted the veil8 ,not the priests of the
 idols4 ,we meet in the history of      
paganism with movements of reformation1 
or1 at the very least1 of religious     
transformation3 ,buddhism is a memorable
 example of this2 but it is not a return
 towards the pure traditions of ,india  
or of ,egypt which has caused us to know
 the ,god whom we adore4 ,has the veil  
been lifted by reflection1 that is to   
say by the labors of philosophers8      
,philosophy has rendered splendid       
services to the world4 ,it has combated 
the abominations of idolatry2 it has    
recognized in nature the proofs of an   
intelligent design2 it has discerned in 
the reason the deeply felt need of      
unity2 it has indicated in the          
conscience the sense of good1 and shown 

its characteristics2 it has contemplated
 the radiant image of the supreme       
beauty--still it is not philosophy which
 has restored for humanity the idea of  
,god4 ,its lights mingled with darkness 
remained widely scattered1 and without  
any focus powerful enough to give them  
strength for enlightening the world4 ,to
 seek ,god1 and consequently to know    
,him already in a certain measure2 but  
to remain always before the altar of a  
,god glimpsed only by an lite of sages1 
and continuing for the multitudes the   
unknown ,god3 such was the wisdom of the
 ancients4 ,it prepared the soil2 but it
 did not deposit in it the germ from    
which the idea of the ,creator was to   
spring forth living and strong1 to      
overshadow with its branches all the    
nations of the earth4 ,and when this    
idea appeared in all its splendor1 and  
began the conquest of the universe1 the 
ancient philosophy1 which had separated 
itself from heathen forms of worship1   
and had covered them with its contempt1 

contracted an alliance with its old     
adversaries4 ,it accepted the wildest   
interpretations of the common           
superstitions1 in order to be able to   
league itself with the crowd in one and 
the same conflict with the new power    
which had just appeared in the world4   
,and this sums up in brief compass the  
whole history of philosophy in the first
 period of our era4  ,the monotheism of 
the moderns does not proceed            
historically from paganism2 it was      
prepared by the ancient philosophy1     
without being produced by it4 ,whence   
comes it then8 ,on this head there      
exists no serious difference of opinion4
 ,our knowledge of ,god is the result of
 a traditional idea1 handed down from   
generation to generation in a           
well-defined current of history4 ,much  
obscurity still rests upon man's        
earliest religious history1 but the     
truth which ,i am pointing out to you is
 solidly and clearly established4 ,pass1
 in thought1 over the terrestrial globe4

 ,all the superstitions of which history
 preserves the remembrance are practised
 at this day1 either in ,asia or in     
,africa1 or in the isles of the ,ocean4 
,the most ridiculous and ferocious rites
 are practised still in the light of the
 same sun which gilds1 as he sets1 the  
spires and domes of our churches4 ,at   
this very day1 there are nations upon   
the earth which prostrate themselves    
before animals1 or which adore sacred   
trees4 ,at this very day1 perhaps at    
this hour in which ,i am addressing you1
 human victims are bound by the priests 
of idols2 before you have left this     
room1 their blood will have defiled the 
altars of false deities4 ,at this very  
day1 numerous nations1 which have       
neither wanted time for                 
self-development1 nor any of the        
resources of civilization1 nor clever   
poets1 nor profound philosophers1 belong
 to the religion of the ,brahmins1 or   
are instructed in the legends which     
serve as a mask to the pernicious       

doctrines of ,buddha4 ,where do we meet 
with the clear idea of the ,creator8 ,in
 a unique tradition which proceeds from 
the ,jews1 which ,christians have       
diffused1 and which ,mahomet corrupted4 
,god is known1 with that solid and      
general knowledge which founds a settled
 doctrine and a form of worship1 under  
the influence of this tradition and     
nowhere else4 ,we assert this as a      
simple fact of contemporary history2 and
 there is scarcely any fact in history  
better established4  ,the light comes to
 us from the ,gospel4 ,this light did   
not appear as a sudden and absolutely   
new illumination4 ,it had cast pale     
gleams on the soul of the heathen in    
their search after the unknown ,god2 it 
had shone apart upon that strange and   
glorious people which bears the name of 
,israel4 ,israel had preserved the      
primitive light encompassed by temporary
 safe-guards4 ,it was the flame of a    
lamp1 too feeble to live in the open    
air1 and which remained shut up in a    

vase1 until the moment when it should   
have become strong enough to shine forth
 from its shattered envelope upon the   
world4 ,the worship of ,jehovah is a    
local worship2 but this worship1        
localized for a time1 is addressed to   
the only and sovereign ,god4 ,to every  
nation which says to ,israel as         
,athaliah to ,joash3        ,i have my  
,god to serve--serve thou thine own1#ad 
,israel replies with ,joash3            
,nay1 ,madam1 but my ,god is ,god alone2
      ,him must thou fear3 thy ,god is  
nought--a dream6#ae   ,israel does not  
affirm merely that the ,god of ,israel  
is the only true ,god1 but affirms      
moreover that the time will come when   
all the earth will acknowledge ,him for 
the only and universal ,lord4 ,a grand  
thought1 a grand hope1 is in the soul of
 this people1 and assures it that all   
nations shall one day look to           
,jerusalem4 ,its prophets threaten1     
warn1 denounce chastisements1 predict   
terrible catastrophes2 but in the midst 

of their severer utterances breaks forth
 ever and again the song of future      
triumph3        ,uplift1 ,jerusalem1 thy
 queenly brow3      ,light of the       
nations1 and their glory1 thou6#af      
,thus is preserved in the ancient world 
the knowledge of ,god amongst an        
exceptional people1 amidst the darkness 
of idolatry and the glimmerings of an   
imperfect wisdom4 ,and not only is it   
preserved1 but it shines with a         
brightness more and more vivid and pure4
 ,the conception of sovereignty which   
constitutes its foundation1 is crowned  
as it advances by the conception of     
love4 ,at length ,he appears by whom the
 universal ,father was to be known of   
all4  ,have you not remarked the        
surprising simplicity with which ,jesus 
speaks of ,his work8 ,he speaks of the  
universe and of the future as a lawful  
proprietor speaks of his property4 ,the 
field in which the ,word shall be sown  
is the world4 ,he introduces that       
worship in spirit and in truth before   

which all barriers shall fall4 ,he knows
 that humanity belongs to ,him2 and when
 ,he foretells ,his peaceful conquest1  
one knows not which predominates in ,his
 words1 simplicity or grandeur4 ,now    
this predicted work has been done1 is   
being done1 and will be done4 ,no one   
entertains any serious doubt of this4   
,the idea of ,god1 as it exists amongst 
,christian peoples1 bears on its brow   
the certain sign of victory4  ,in many  
respects1 we are passing through the    
world in times which are not            
extraordinary1 and among things little  
worthy of lasting record4 ,still great  
events are being accomplished before our
 eyes4 ,the ancient ,east is shaken to  
its foundations4 ,the work of foreign   
missions is taken up again with fresh   
energy4 ,ships1 as they leave the shores
 of ,europe1 carry with them1--together 
with those who travel for purposes of   
commerce1 or from curiosity1 or as      
soldiers1--those new crusaders who      
exclaim3 ,god wills it6 and are ready to

 march to their death in order to       
proclaim the ,god of life to nations    
plunged in darkness4 ,the advances of   
industry1 the developments of commerce1 
the calculations of ambition1 all       
conspire to diffuse spiritual light over
 the globe4 ,these are noble spectacles1
 revealing clearly the traces of a      
superior design1 which the mighty of    
this world are accomplishing1 even by   
the craft and violence of their policy3 
they are the manifest instruments of a  
,will to which oftentimes they are      
insensible4 ,the knowledge of ,god is   
extending2 and while it is extending1 it
 is enriching itself with its own       
conquests4 ,just as it absorbed the     
living sap of the doctrines of the      
,greeks1 so it is strengthening itself  
with the doctrines of the ancient ,east 
and of old ,egypt1 which an             
indefatigable science is bringing again 
to light4 ,christian thought is growing1
 not by receiving any foreign impulse   
from without1 but like a vigorous tree1 

whose roots traverse new layers of a    
fertile soil4 ,all truth comes naturally
 to the centre of truth as to its       
rallying-point2 and to the universal    
prayer must be gathered all the pure    
accents gone astray in the superstitious
 invocations which rise from the banks  
of the ,ganges or from the burning      
regions of ,africa4 ,the day will come1 
when our planet1 in its revolutions     
about the sun1 shall receive on no point
 of its surface the rays of the orb of  
day1 without sending back1 over the     
ruins of idol-temples for ever          
overthrown1 a song of thanksgiving to   
the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and       
,jacob1 become through ,jesus ,christ   
the ,god of all mankind4  ,we know now  
whence comes our idea of ,god3 it is    
,christian in its origin4 ,it proceeds  
from this source1 not only for those who
 call themselves ,christians1 but for   
all those who1 in the bosom of modern   
society1 believe sincerely and seriously
 in ,god4 ,but little study and         

reflection is required for the          
acknowledgment that the doctrines of our
 deists are the product of a reason     
which has been evangelized without their
 own knowledge4 ,they have not invented1
 but have received the thought1 which   
constitutes the support of their life4  
,a mind of ordinary cultivation is free 
henceforward from all danger of falling 
into the artless error of ,j4,j4        
,rousseau1 when he pretended that even  
though he had been born in a desert     
island and had never known a human      
being1 he would have been able to draw  
up the confession of faith of the       
,vicaire ,savoyard4 ,the habit of       
historical research has dispelled these 
illusions4 ,a ,french writer1           
distinguished for solid erudition1 wrote
 not long ago3 ,the civilized world has 
received from ,judea the foundations of 
its faith4 ,it has learned of it these  
two things which pagan antiquity never  
knew--holiness and charity2 for all     
holiness is derived from belief in a    

personal1 spiritual ,god1 ,creator of   
the universe2 and all charity from the  
doctrine of human brotherhood6#ag       
,religion1 in its most general sense1 is
 found wherever there are men2 but      
distinct knowledge of the ,heavenly     
,father is the fruit of that word which 
comes to us from the borders of the     
,jordan1--a word in which all the true  
elements of ancient wisdom are found to 
have mutually drawn together1 and       
strengthened each other4 ,in the very   
heart of our civilization1 those men of 
mind who succeed in freeing themselves  
in good earnest from the influence of   
this word come1 oftener than not1 to    
throw off all belief in the real and    
true ,god1 if they have strength of mind
 enough properly to understand          
themselves4  ,how is it that the full   
idea of the ,creator1--an idea which    
true philosophers have sought after in  
all periods of history1 and of which    
they have had1 so to speak1 glimpses and
 presentiments1--how is it that this    

idea is a living one only under the     
influence of the tradition which1       
proceeding originally from ,abraham and 
,moses1 has been continued by ,jesus    
,christ8 ,it is not impossible to point 
out the spiritual causes of this great  
historical phenomenon4 ,faith in ,god1  
in order to maintain itself in presence 
of the difficulties which rise in our   
minds1 and--to come at once to the core 
of the question--the idea of the love of
 ,god1 in order to maintain itself in   
presence of evil and of the power of    
evil on the earth1 has need of resources
 which the ,christian belief alone      
possesses4 ,the knowledge of the        
,heavenly ,father is essentially        
connected with the ,gospel3 this is the 
historical fact4 ,this fact is accounted
 for by the existence of an organic bond
 between all the great ,christian       
doctrines3 this is my deliberate        
conviction4 ,i frankly declare here my  
own opinions3 to do so is for me a      
matter almost of honor and good faith2  

but ,i declare them1 without desiring to
 lay any stress upon them in these      
lectures4 ,my present object is to      
consider the idea of ,god by itself4 ,i 
isolate it for my own purposes from     
,christian truth taken as a whole1 but  
without making the separation in my     
thoughts4 ,the thesis which ,i propose  
to maintain is common to all            
,christians1 that is quite clear2 but   
further2 in a perfectly general sense1  
and in a merely abstract point of view1 
it is a proposition maintained equally  
by the disciples of ,mahomet2 it is     
maintained by ,j4,j4 ,rousseau and the  
spiritualist philosophers who reproduce 
his thoughts4 ,it is clear in fact that 
just as ,jesus ,christ is the           
corner-stone of all ,christian doctrine1
 so ,god is the foundation common to all
 religions4  ,before concluding this    
lecture ,i desire to answer a question  
which may have suggested itself to some 
amongst you4 ,what are we about when we 
take up a ,christian idea in order to   

defend it by reasoning8 ,are we occupied
 about religion or philosophy8 ,are we  
treading upon the ground of faith1 or on
 the ground of reason8 ,are we in the   
domain of tradition1 or in that of free 
inquiry8 ,i have no great love1         
,gentlemen1 for hedges and enclosures4  
,i know very well1 better1 perhaps1 than
 many amongst you1 because ,i have      
longer reflected on the subject1 what   
are the differences which separate      
studies specially religious1 from       
philosophical inquiries4 ,but when the  
question relates to ,god1 to the        
universal cause1 we find ourselves at   
the common root of religion and         
philosophy1 and distinctions1 which     
exist elsewhere1 disappear4 ,besides1   
these distinctions are never so absolute
 as they are thought to be4 ,you will   
understand this if you pay attention to 
these two considerations3 there is no   
such thing as pure thought disengaged   
from every traditional element3 there is
 no such thing as tradition received in 

a manner purely passive1 and disengaged 
from all exercise of the reflective     
faculties4  ,you think you are employed 
about philosophy when you shut yourself 
up in your own individual thoughts4 ,a  
mistake6 ,the most powerful genius of   
modern times failed in this enterprise4 
,descartes conceived the project of     
forgetting all that he had known1 and of
 producing a system of doctrine which   
should come forth from his brain as     
,minerva sprang all armed from the brain
 of ,jupiter4 ,now-a-days a mere        
schoolboy1 if he has been well taught1  
ought to be able to prove that          
,descartes was mistaken1 because the    
current of tradition entered his mind   
together with the words of the language4
 ,it is not so easy as we may suppose to
 break the ties by which ,god has bound 
us all together in mutual dependence4   
,man speaks1 he only thinks by means of 
speech1 and speech is a river which     
takes its rise in the very beginnings of
 history1 and brings down to the        

existing generation the tribute of all  
the waters of the past4 ,no one can     
isolate himself from the current1 and   
place himself outside the intellectual  
society of his fellows4 ,we have more   
light than we had on this subject1 and  
the attempt of ,descartes1 which was of 
old the happy audacity of genius1 could 
in our days be nothing but the foolish  
presumption of ignorance4  ,as for the  
purely passive reception of tradition1  
this may be conceived when only         
unimportant legends are in question1 or 
doctrines which occupy the mind only as 
matters of curiosity2 but when life is  
at stake1 and the interests of our whole
 existence1 the mind labors upon the    
ideas which it receives4 ,religion is   
only living in any soul when all the    
faculties have come into exercise2 and  
faith1 by its own proper nature1 seeks  
to understand4 ,the distinction between 
traditional data therefore and pure     
philosophy is far from being so real or 
so extensive as it is commonly thought  

to be4 ,but for lack of time1 ,i might  
undertake to prove to you more at length
 that the labor of individual thought   
upon the common tradition is the        
absolute and permanent law of           
development for the human mind4  ,we    
have to steer between two extreme and   
contrary pretensions4 ,what shall we say
 to those theologians who deny all power
 to man's reason1 and consider the      
understanding as a receiver which does  
nothing but receive the liquid which is 
poured into it8 to those theologians    
who1 not content with despising         
,aristotle and ,plato1 think themselves 
obliged to vilify ,socrates and         
calumniate ,regulus8 ,we will tell them 
that they depart from the grand         
,christian tradition1 of which they     
believe themselves par excellence the   
representatives4 ,we will add that they 
outrage their ,master by seeming to     
believe that in order to exalt ,him it  
is necessary to calumniate humanity4    
,again1 what shall we say to those      

philosophers1 who do not wish for truth 
except when they have succeeded in      
educing it by themselves8 to those      
philosophers who draw a little circle   
about their own personal thought1 and   
say3 ,if truth discovers itself outside 
this circle we have no wish to see it2  
and who boast that they only are free1  
because they have abandoned the common  
beliefs8 ,we will tell them that they   
are deceiving themselves by taking for  
their own personal thought the dbris of 
the tradition of the human race4 ,we    
will add that their pretended           
independence is a veritable slavery4 ,a 
strange sort of liberty that1 which     
should forbid those who affect it to    
accept a faith which appeared to them to
 be true1 because they were not the     
inventors of it4 ,listen to this wise   
reflection of a contemporary writer3    
,philosophy allows us to range ourselves
 on the side of ,platonism3 why should  
it not also allow us to range ourselves 
on the side of the ,christian faith1 if 

there it is that we find wisdom and     
immutable truth8 ,the choice ought to   
seem as free and as worthy of respect on
 the one side as on the other2 and      
philosophy which claims liberty for     
itself1 is least of all warranted in    
refusing it to others4#ah ,to be free1  
is to look for truth wherever it may be 
found1 and it is to obey truth wherever 
we meet with it4 ,when the question     
therefore relates to ,god1 or to the    
soul and its eternal destinies1--to the 
man who asks me1 ,are you occupied with 
religion or philosophy8 ,i have only one
 answer to give3 ,i am a man1 and ,i am 
seeking truth4  ,a final consideration  
will perhaps put these thoughts in a    
more striking light4 ,if you think the  
most important of the discussions of our
 day to be that between natural and     
revealed religion1 between deism and the
 ,gospel1 you have not well discerned   
the signs of the times4 ,the fundamental
 discussion is now between men who      
believe in ,god1 in the soul1 and in    

truth1 and men1 who1 denying truth1 deny
 at the same time the soul and ,god4    
,when these high problems are in        
question1 periodicals and other         
publications1 which have the widest     
circulation1 and which gain admission   
into every household1 bring us too often
 the works of writers without           
convictions1 eager to spread amongst    
others the doubt which has devoured     
their own beliefs4 ,they have received  
entire1 and without losing an obole of  
it1 the heritage of the ,greek          
,sophists4 ,they involve in fact in the 
same proscription ,socrates and ,jesus  
,christ1 ,paul of ,tarsus and ,plato of 
,athens3 they have no more respect for  
the opinions of ,descartes and ,leibnitz
 than for those of ,pascal and ,bossuet4
 ,the great question of the day is to   
know whether our desire of truth is a   
chimra2 whether our effort to reach the 
divine world is a spring into the empty 
void4 ,when the question relates to     
,god1 inasmuch as ,he is the basis of   

reason no less than the object of faith1
 all the barriers which exist elsewhere 
disappear3 to defend faith is to defend 
reason2 to defend reason is to defend   
faith4 ,the unbridled audacity of those 
who deny fundamental truths is bringing 
ancient adversaries1 for a moment at    
least1 to fight beneath the same flag4  
,what they would rob us of1 is not      
merely this or that article of a        
definite creed1 but all faith whatever  
in ,divine ,providence1 every hope which
 goes beyond the tomb1 every look       
directed towards a world superior to our
 present destinies4 ,but take courage4  
,this flame lighted on the earth1 and   
which is evermore directed towards      
heaven1 has passed safely through       
rougher storms than those which now     
threaten it2 it has shone brightly in   
thicker darkness than that in which men 
are laboring so hard to enshroud it4 ,it
 is not going to be extinguished1 be    
very sure1 before the affected          
indifference of a few wits of our day1  

and the haughty disdain of a few        
contemporary journalists4  ,in a word1  
,gentlemen1--to take the idea of ,god as
 it has been handed down to us1 and to  
study its relation to the reason1 the   
heart1 and the conscience of man1--this 
is my proposed method of proceeding4 ,to
 show you that this idea is truth1      
because it satisfies the conscience1 the
 heart1 and the reason--this is the     
object ,i have in view4 ,of this object 
,i am sure you feel the importance3     
nevertheless1 and that we may be more   
alive to it still1 ,i propose to you to 
sound with me the abysses of sorrow and 
darkness which are involved in those    
terrible words--without ,god in the     
world4  ,,footnotes3  #b ,aux grimpeurs 
des ,alpes4  #c ,psalm cxxxix4 #g-aj4   
#d ,j4,j4 ,rousseau4  #e ,les ,origines 
,indo-,europennes1 by ,adolphe ,pictet1 
ii4 #fea4  #f ,cleanthes1 ,hymn to      
,jupiter4  #g ,sophocles1 ,o,edipus ,r4 
#h ,handbuch der gesammten gyptischen   
,alterthumskunde1 von ,dr4 ,max         

,uhlemann4 ,leipzig1 #aheg4  #i         
,institutions divines1 ii4 #a4  #aj ,id4
  #aa ,deutsche ,mythol4 ,third edition1
 page lxiv4  #ab ,annales de philosophie
 chrtienne1 t4 #ei1 p4 #bbh4r4  #ac ,les
 ,origines ,indo-,europennes1 ii4 #gbj4 
#ad ,j'ai mon ,dieu que je sers1 vous   
servirez le vtre4  #ae                  
,il faut craindre le mien2      ,lui    
seul est ,dieu1 ,madame1 et le vtre     
n'est rien4  #af       ,lve1 ,jrusalem1 
lve ta tte altire6      ,les peuples    
l'envi marchent  ta lumire4  #ag ,etudes
 ,orientales1 par ,adolphe ,franck1 p4  
#dbg4  #ah ,barthlemy ,st4 ,hilaire1 in 
the ,sances et travaux de l',acadmie des
 sciences morales et politiques1 ,,lxx41
 p4 #acd4     ,,lecture ,,ii4  ,,life   
,,without ,,god4  7,at ,geneva1 #bjth   
,nov4 #ahfc4--;,at ,lausanne1 #acth     
,jan4 #ahfd47   ,,gentlemen1  ,i propose
 to examine to-day what are the         
consequences for human life of the total
 suppression of the idea of ,god4 ,this 
suppression is the result of atheism    

properly so called3 it is also the      
result of scepticism raised into a      
system4 ,the soul which doubts1 but     
which seeks1 regrets1 hopes1 is not     
wholly separated from ,god4 ,it gives   
,him a large share in its life1 inasmuch
 as the desire which it feels to meet   
with ,him1 and the sadness which it     
experiences at not contemplating ,him in
 a full light1 become the principal     
facts of its existence4 ,but doubt      
adopted as a doctrine realizes in its   
own way1 equally with atheism properly  
so called1 life without ,god1 the       
mournful subject of our present study4  
,having ,god1 the spiritual life has a  
firm base and an invincible hope4 ,the  
vapors of earth may indeed for a moment 
obscure the sky4 ,one while fogs hang   
about the ground2 another while clouds  
send forth the thunder-bolt2 but1 above 
the regions of darkness and of tempest1 
the eye of faith contemplates the       
eternal azure in its unchanging calm4   
,life has its sorrows for all2 but it is

 not only endurable1 it is blessed1 when
 in view of the instability of all      
things1 in view of evil1 of injustice1  
and of suffering1 there can breathe from
 the depths of the soul to the eternal1 
the ,holy ,one1 the ,comforter1 those   
words of patience in life and of joy in 
death3 ,my ,god6 ,take ,god away1 and   
life is decapitated4 ,even this         
comparison is not sufficient2 life1     
rather1 becomes like to a man who should
 have lost at once both his head and his
 heart4 ,the immense subject which opens
 before us falls into an easy and       
natural division3 we will fix our       
attention successively upon the         
individual and upon society4     ,,part 
,i4  ,,the ,,individual4   ,man thinks1 
he feels1 and he wills3 these are the   
three great functions of the spiritual  
life4 ,let us inquire what1 without     
,god1 would become1 first1 of thought1  
which is the instrument of all          
knowledge2 next2 of the conscience1     
which is the law of the will2 then of   

the heart1 which is the organ of the    
feelings4 ,we will begin with thought4  
,let us go back to the origin of modern 
philosophy4 ,the labors of ,descartes   
will make us acquainted1 under the form 
clearest for us1 with a current of lofty
 thoughts which does honor to ancient   
civilization1 and which has come down to
 us through the writings of ,plato and  
,st4 ,augustine4 ,we have seen that     
,descartes deceived himself1 when he    
thought to separate himself altogether  
from tradition1 and forgot the while how
 intimately men's minds are bound       
together in a common possession of      
truth4 ,he was mistaken1 because he     
confounded the idea1 natural to the     
human mind1 of an infinite reason1 with 
the full idea of the ,creator2 so       
attributing to the efforts of his own   
philosophy that gift of truth which he  
had received from the ,christian        
tradition4 ,but1 having so far          
recognized his error1 listen now to this
 great man1 and judge if he were again  

mistaken in those thoughts of his which 
,i am about to reproduce to you4        
,descartes strives hard to doubt of all 
things1 persuaded that truth will resist
 his efforts1 and come forth triumphant 
from the trial4 ,he doubts of what he   
has heard in the schools3 his masters   
may have led him into error4 ,he doubts 
of the evidence of his senses3 his      
senses deceive him in the visions of the
 night2 what if he were always dreaming1
 and if his waking hours were but       
another sleep with other dreams6 ,he    
will doubt even of the certainty of     
reason3 what if the reason were a warped
 and broken instrument8 ,reason is only 
worth what its cause may be worth4 ,if  
man is the child of chance1 his thoughts
 may be vain4 ,if man is the creature of
 a wicked and cunning being1 the light  
of reason may be only an ignis fatuus   
kindled by a malicious and mocking      
spirit4 ,here is a soul plunged in the  
lowest abysses of doubt2 but it is a    
manly soul which seeks in doubt a trial 

for truth1 and not a comfortable pillow 
on which slothfully to repose4 ,how does
 ,descartes upraise himself8 ,by a      
thought known to every one1 and which   
was already found in ,st4 ,augustine3   
,cogito1 ergo sum4 ,i think1 therefore  
,i am4 ,deceive me who will2 if ,i am   
deceived1 ,i exist4 ,here is a certainty
 protected from all assault3 ,i am4 ,but
 what a poor certainty is this6 ,what   
does it avail me to have rescued my     
existence from the abysses of universal 
doubt1 if above the deep waters which   
have swallowed up all belief floats only
 this naked and mortifying truth3 ,i am2
 but ,i exist only perhaps to be the    
sport of errors without end4 ,the first 
step therefore taken by the philosopher 
would be a fruitless one if it were not 
followed by a second4 ,an eye is open1  
and says3 ,i see2 but it must have a    
warrant that the light by which it sees 
is not a fantastic brightness4 ,no1     
replies ,descartes2 reason sees a true  
light2 and this is how he proves it3 ,i 

am1 ,i know myself2 that is certain4 ,i 
know myself as a limited and imperfect  
being2 that again is certain4 ,i        
conceive then infinity and perfection2  
that is not less certain2 for ,i should 
not have the idea of a limit if ,i did  
not conceive of infinity1 and the word  
imperfect would have no meaning for me1 
if ,i could not imagine perfection1 of  
which imperfection is but the negation4 
,starting from this point1 the          
philosopher proves by a series of       
reasonings that the conception of       
perfection by our minds demonstrates the
 real existence of that perfection3 ,god
 is4 ,he adds1 that the existence of    
,god is more certain than the most      
certain of all the theorems of geometry4
 ,you will observe1 ,gentlemen1 that the
 man who speaks in this way is one of   
the greatest geometricians that ever    
lived4 ,he has found ,god1 he has found 
the light4 ,reason does not deceive1    
when it is faithful to its own laws3 the
 senses do not deceive1 when they are   

exercised according to the rules of the 
understanding4 ,error is a malady2 it is
 not the radical condition of our       
nature2 it is not without limits and    
without remedy1 for the final cause of  
our being is ,god1 that is to say truth 
and goodness4        ,from everlasting  
,god was true1      ,for ever good and  
just will be1   says one of our old     
psalms4 ,faith in the veracity of       
,god--such is the ground of the         
assurance of believers2 such is also the
 foundation on which has been raised the
 greatest of modern philosophies4       
,without the knowledge of ,god and faith
 in his goodness1 man remains plunged in
 irremediable doubt1 possessing only    
this single1 poor1 and frightful        
certainty3 ,i am2 and ,i exist perhaps  
only to be eternally deceived4  ,but1 it
 has been said1 and it needed no great  
cleverness to say it--,what a strange   
way is this of reasoning6 ,here is a man
 who first proves that ,god is1 by means
 of his reason2 and then proves that his

 reason is good because ,god is4 ,his   
reason demonstrates ,god to him1 and    
,god demonstrates his reason to him3 it 
is an argument of which any schoolboy   
can at once see the fallacy2 it is      
manifestly a vicious circle4 ,this has  
been said again and again by persons who
 have neglected a sufficiently simple   
consideration4 ,the error is apparently 
a gross one2 is it not likely that the  
argument has been misunderstood8 ,ought 
we not to look very closely at it1      
before declaring that one of the most   
lucid minds that have ever appeared in  
the world left at the basis of his      
doctrine a fault of logic which any     
schoolboy can discover8 ,self-sufficient
 levity of spirit is not the best means 
of penetrating the thought of leading   
minds2 and it very often happens to us  
to fail of understanding because we have
 failed in respect4  ,let us examine    
with serious attention1 not the very    
words of ,descartes1 as an historian    
might do1 but the course of thought of  

which ,descartes is one of the most     
illustrious representatives4  ,to       
recognize in the reason traces of ,god1 
and to show that in faith in ,god       
consists the only warrant of the reason1
 is not to argue in a vicious circle1   
because1 in this way of proceeding1 what
 we are employed in is not reasoning1   
but analysis2 we are establishing a fact
 in order to ascertain what that fact   
implies and supposes4 ,this fact is the 
natural faith which man has in his own  
reason1 when his reason reveals to him  
the immediate light of evidence1 or the 
mediate light of certainty4 ,now1 when  
man confides in his reason1 it is not in
 his individual reason that he confides1
 for he has no doubt that what is       
evident for him is so also for others4  
,if1 tossed by a tempest1 he were thrown
 upon an island of savages1 he would not
 think that those savages1 when they    
came to reflect1 would be able to       
discover that the axioms of our geometry
 are false1 or to make elements of logic

 which would contradict our own4 ,we    
believe in a general reason1 everywhere 
and always the same1 and in which the   
reason of each individual participates4 
,we believe therefore that there is a   
principle of truth which exists in      
itself1 a reason which is eternal and   
everywhere present2 in other words1 we  
believe in ,god considered as the source
 of the universal intelligence4 ,to     
believe in one's reason1 is to believe  
in ,god1 in this sense3 the fact of the 
confidence which we place in our own    
faculty of thought1 supposes a concealed
 faith in eternal truth4 ,this is the   
analysis of which ,i was speaking4 ,it  
is a circle if you please1 but it is a  
circle of light1 outside of which there 
is1 as we shall see by and by1 nothing  
but darkness and hard contradictions4   
,you deny the existence of ,god4 ,on    
what ground do you rest this denial8 ,on
 the ground of your reason4 ,you believe
 then that your reason is good1 you     
believe it very good1 since you do not  

hesitate to trust it1 while you         
undertake to prove false the fundamental
 instincts of human nature4 ,but you    
would not venture to say that this      
reason which you believe in with a faith
 so firm is your own separate reason    
merely1 your personal and exclusive     
property4 ,you believe in the universal 
reason2 you believe in ,god1 considered 
at least as the source of the           
understanding4 ,the man therefore who   
denies ,god1 affirms ,him in a certain  
sense at the same time that he denies   
,him4 ,he denies ,him in his words1 in  
the external form of his thought2 he    
affirms ,him in reality1 as the ,supreme
 ,intelligence1 by the very trust which 
he places in his own thought4 ,our      
understanding is only the reflected ray 
of the ,divine verity4 ,therefore it is 
that ,descartes1 as soon as he has laid 
the first foundations of his system1    
interrupts the chain of his reasonings  
to trace these lines3 ,here ,i think it 
highly meet to pause for a while in     

contemplation of this all-perfect ,god1 
to ponder deliberately his marvellous   
attributes1 to consider1 admire1 and    
adore the incomparable beauty of that   
immense light1 at least so far as the   
strength of my mind1 which remains in a 
manner dazzled by it1 shall allow me to 
do so4#ai ,thus it is that while        
descending into the depths of the       
understanding1 the philosopher who is   
supposed to be absorbed in pure         
abstractions1 discovers all at once a   
sublime brightness1 and exclaims with   
the ancient patriarch3 ,the ,,lord is in
 this place1 and ,i knew it not6#bj ,god
 is everywhere2 ,he is in the heights of
 heaven1 ,he is in the depths of        
thought4 ,remember those celebrated     
words of ,lord ,chancellor ,bacon3 ,a   
little knowledge inclineth the mind to  
atheism1 but a further acquaintance     
therewith bringeth it back to religion4 
,god is not demonstrated1 in the        
ordinary sense which we attach to the   
word demonstrate2#ba ,he is pointed     

out#bb as the source of all light4 ,the 
attempt to demonstrate ,god as anything 
else is demonstrated1 by descending1    
that is1 from higher principles until   
the object in view is arrived at--this  
attempt implies a contradiction4 ,god is
 in fact the first principle1 the       
foundation of all principles1 the       
principle beyond which there is nothing4
 ,we may describe the process by which  
the human mind rises to this supreme    
idea2 but to wish to demonstrate ,god by
 mounting higher than ,himself in order 
to look for a point of departure--this  
is literally to wish to light up the    
sun4 ,if the sun of intelligences is    
extinguished1 reason sets out on its way
 vaguely enlightened still with the     
remains of the light which it has       
reflected2 but it is not long ere it is 
stumbling in darkness4 ,then it is      
that--be not deceived about it6--the    
doubts which ,descartes called up by an 
act of his own will do in good earnest  
invade the soul4 ,we possess a natural  

certainty1 which does not suppose a     
clear view of ,god2 we reason without   
thinking distinctly of the principles on
 which we reason1 just as1 when we are  
in a hurry1 we take the shortest cut    
without thinking of the axiom of        
geometry which prescribes the straight  
line4 ,but if we pass from the natural  
order of our thoughts into the domain of
 science1 if we ask--what is it which   
guarantees to me the value of my reason8
 then the question is put1 and many     
perish in the passage which separates   
natural faith from the domain of        
science1--that dangerous passage where  
doubt spreads out its perfidious fogs   
and its deceitful marshes4 ,the moment  
the question is started of the worth of 
reason1 and all the schools of          
scepticism do start it1 our answer must 
be--,god2 and we must find light in this
 answer1 or see thought invaded in its  
totality by an irremediable doubt4 ,then
 men come to ask themselves if all be   
not a lie2 and they speak of the        

universal vanity1 without making the    
reserve of ,ecclesiastes4#bc ,there are 
more souls ill of this malady than are  
supposed to be so4 ,many begin by       
setting up proudly against ,god what    
they call the rights of reason1 and by  
and by we see this reason1 which has    
revolted against its ,principle1        
vacillate1 doubt of itself1 and at last1
 losing itself in a bitter irony1 wrap  
itself1 with all beside1 in the shroud  
of a universal scorn4  ,without ,god    
reason is extinguished4 ,what1 in like  
case1 will happen to the conscience8    
,the conscience is a reality4 ,i will   
say willingly in the style of the       
prophets3 ,let my tongue cleave to the  
roof of my mouth1 ere ,i deny           
conscience1 and disparage the sacred    
name of duty6 ,yes1 conscience is a     
reality2 but ,god is in it3 ,he it is   
who gives to it its necessary basis and 
its indispensable support4 ,the         
conscience is the august voice of the   
,master of the universe4 ,god has given 

us the light of the understanding that  
we may see and comprehend some portions 
of the works which ,he has created      
without us3 a work there is for which   
,he would have us to be fellow-workers  
with ,him4 ,the heaven of stars is a    
spectacle for the eyes of the body1 a   
grander spectacle still for the         
contemplation of the mind which has     
understood their wondrous mechanism4 ,we
 admire them2 but if the stars failed to
 attract our admiration1 no one of them 
on that account would cease to trace its
 orbit4 ,there is another heaven1 a     
heaven of loving stars and free1 the    
sight of which is one day to fill us    
with rapture1 and the realization of    
which is to be the work of our love and 
of our will4 ,before we contemplate it  
we must make it2 this is our high and   
awful privilege4 ,the plan of the       
spiritual heavens is deposited in the   
soul1 and the utterances of the         
conscience reveal it to the will4 ,it is
 a law of justice and of love4 ,this law

 is evermore violated1 because it is    
proposed to liberty1 and liberty rebels3
 it subsists evermore1 because it is the
 work of the ,almighty4 ,humanity1 in   
its strange destiny1 has never ceased to
 outrage the rule which it acknowledges1
 and to pronounce upon its own acts a   
ceaseless condemnation4 ,the laws which 
are investigated by the physical        
sciences are the plan of the ,creator   
realized in nature3 the law proposed to 
liberty is the plan of the ,creator to  
be realized by the community of minds4  
,such is the explanation of the         
conscience3 ,god is its solid           
foundation4  ,duty and ,god1 morality   
and religion1 are inseparable           
principles2 all the efforts of a false  
philosophy have never succeeded1 and    
never will succeed1 in disjoining them4 
,men will never be prevented from       
believing that ,god is holy1 and that   
,his will is binding upon them3 they    
will never be prevented from believing  
that holiness is divine1 and that the   

will of ,god reveals itself in the      
admonitions of the conscience4          
,therefore the progress of religion and 
the progress of morality are closely    
united2 the morality of a people depends
 above all on the idea which it forms to
 itself of ,god4 ,the conscience1 in    
fact1 at the same time that it is real  
and permanent in its bases1 is variable 
in the degrees of its light4 ,it is     
enlightened or obscured1 according as   
the man's religious conceptions are pure
 or corrupted2 and1 on the other hand1  
when the religious worship is degraded  
beyond a certain limit by error and the 
passions1 the conscience protests1 and  
by its protest purifies the religious   
conceptions4 ,it has often been said1   
that in the onward march of humanity1   
morality is separated from faith1 and   
comes at last to rest upon its own      
bases4 ,it is a notion of the eighteenth
 century1 which1 although its root has  
been cut1 is still throwing out shoots  
in our time4 ,the attempt has been made 

to support this theory by the great name
 of ,socrates4 ,it is affirmed that the 
sage of ,athens1 breaking the bond which
 connects the earth with heaven1        
separated duty from its primitive       
source4 ,listen3 ,placed in the         
alternative of either renouncing his    
mission or dying1 it is thus that       
,socrates addresses his judges3         
,athenians1 ,i honor you and ,i love    
you1 but ,i will obey the ,deity rather 
than you4 ,my whole occupation is to    
persuade you1 young and old1 that before
 the care of the body and of riches1    
before every other care1 is that of the 
soul and of its improvement4 ,know that 
this it is which the ,deity prescribes  
to me1 and ,i am persuaded that there   
can be nothing more advantageous to the 
republic than my zeal to fulfil the     
behest of the ,deity4#bd ,does the man  
who speaks in this way appear to you to 
have wished to break the link which     
connects morality with religion8 ,he    
separates himself from the established  

religion2 he pursues with his biting    
raillery shameful objects of worship2   
his conscience protests4 ,but1 while it 
protests1 it attaches itself immediately
 to a higher and holier idea of that    
,god1 of whose perfections the sage of  
,athens had succeeded in obtaining a    
glimpse4  ,god then is the explanation  
of the conscience3 ,he is moreover its  
support4 ,it has need in sooth to be    
supported1--that voice which speaks     
within us2 because it is unceasingly    
contradicted and denied4 ,the spectacle 
which the world presents is not an      
edifying one2 the facts which are taking
 place on the earth are not all of a    
nature to maintain the steadfastness of 
the moral feeling4 ,let us imagine an   
example1 a striking example1 such as it 
would be easy to find realized on a     
small scale in more commonplace events4 
,a peaceable population1 menaced in its 
most sacred rights1 has taken up arms in
 the simplest and most legitimate       
self-defence4 ,i do not allow my        

thoughts to rest upon the soldiers who  
are advancing to oppress it--mere       
instruments as they are in the hands of 
their leaders--but upon the leaders     
themselves4 ,one of these1 without the  
least necessity1 with a calculating     
coolness1 to which he sacrifices all the
 feelings of a man1 or under the sway of
 one of those ferocious instincts which 
at times gain the mastery over the soul1
 gives up a town1 a village1 to all the 
horrors of slaughter1 pillage1 and fire4
 ,the blood of the victims will         
scarcely1 perhaps1 have grown cold1 the 
last gleams of the fire will not yet be 
extinct1 when this man shall be         
receiving the praises of his superiors4 
,men will laud the bravery and daring of
 his exploit2 his sovereign will place  
upon his breast a brilliant cross1 the  
august sign of the world's redemption2  
he will return to his country amidst the
 acclamations of the multitude1 and     
drink in with delight the shouts of     
triumph which greet him as he moves on  

his way4 ,for such things as these1 is  
there to be no penalty but troublesome  
recollections which may sometimes be    
banished1 and a few timid protests soon 
hushed by the loud voice of success8    
,verily there are perpetrated beneath   
the sun acts which cry aloud for        
vengeance4 ,have you never felt it--that
 mighty cry--rising from your own bosom1
 at the sight of some odious crime1 or  
on reading such and such a page of      
history8 ,and it must be so2 it must be 
that the cry for vengeance will rise1   
until the soul has learnt to transform  
imprecation into prayer1 and the desire 
for justice into supplication for the   
guilty4 ,but if1 in the presence of     
crime1 we were forced to believe that   
there will never be either vengeance or 
pardon1 the mainspring of the moral life
 would be broken1 and humanity would at 
length exclaim1 like ,brutus in the     
plains of ,philippi3--,virtue6 thou art 
but a name6  ,the conscience is a       
reality2 but its voice is troublesome1  

and the captious arguments which go to  
deny its value find support in the evil 
tendencies of our nature4 ,if it has no 
faith in eternal justice it runs the    
risk of being blunted by contact with   
the world4 ,so doubt takes place1 doubt 
still deeper and more agonizing than    
that which bears upon the processes of  
the understanding4 ,the questions which 
arise are such as these3--,this voice of
 duty--whence comes it8 and what would  
it have8 ,may not conscience be a       
prejudice1 the result of education and  
of habit8 ,it has little power1 it      
seems1 for it is braved with impunity4  
,many say that it is a factitious power 
from which one comes at last to deliver 
one's self by resisting it4 ,am ,i not  
the dupe of an illusion8 ,i am losing   
joys which others allow themselves4     
,barriers encompass me on every hand1   
for there are for me prohibited actions1
 unwholesome beauties1 culpable         
feelings4 ,others are free1 and make a  
larger use of life in all directions4   

,what if ,i too made trial of liberty6  
,here lies the temptation4 ,when the    
soul aspires to become larger than      
conscience and more tolerant than duty1 
it is not far from a fall4 ,the honest  
woman will be tempted to repine at the  
liberty of the courtesan1 and the man   
who is bound by his word will become    
capable of looking with envy on the     
liberty of the liar4 ,then come terrible
 experiences which teach at length that 
the unbinding of the passions is the    
hardest of slaveries1 and that1 in the  
struggle between inclination and duty1  
it is liberty which oppresses and law   
which sets free4 ,happy then is he who1 
feeling himself to be sinking in gloomy 
waters1 cries to that ,god who is able  
to rescue him from the abyss1 and       
strengthens his shaken conscience by    
replacing it on its solid foundation4   
,god speaks and reigns4 ,all rebellion  
is transient in its nature2 justice will
 at length be done4 ,justice may be slow
 in the eyes of the creature of a day1  

seeing that ,he who shall dispense it   
has eternity at his disposal4 ,but if   
,god be not a refuge for us from men and
 from the world1 if1 when we see all    
that is passing around us1 we cannot    
cast a look beyond and above the earth1 
men may lose their faith in duty4 ,and  
this faith is lost in fact4 ,if there   
are not dead consciences1 there are     
consciences at any rate singularly sunk 
in sleep4 ,there are men for whom       
goodness1 truth1 justice1 honor1 seem to
 be a coinage of which they make use    
because it is current1 but without for  
themselves attaching to it any value4   
,these pieces of money have no longer in
 their eyes any visible impression1     
because the conception of the almighty  
and just ,god is the impression which   
determines duty and guarantees its      
value4  ,when the necessary alliance of 
moral order with religious thought is   
denied1 the reality of conscience is    
opposed to what are called theological  
hypotheses always open to discussion4   

,it is seen well enough that men may    
doubt of ,god1 but it is supposed to be 
impossible to doubt of conscience4 ,this
 is an illusion of generous minds4      
,those who would keep this illusion must
 not open the pages of the history of   
philosophy where the negation of duty   
does not occupy less space than the     
negation of ,god2 they must not cast    
their eyes too much about them2 they    
must also take care not to open the most
 widely circulated books1 and the most  
fashionable periodicals3 otherwise1 as  
we shall see1 they would not be long in 
finding out that this morality which    
they would fain have superior to all    
attacks1 is perhaps what of all things  
is most attacked now-a-days1 and that   
that conscience which it is impossible  
to deny is in fact the object of denials
 the most audacious on the part of a few
 of the present favorites of fame4 ,the 
voice of duty is heard no doubt even    
when ,god does not come distinctly into 
mind2 but when the questions are clearly

 put1 if ,god is denied1 conscience     
grows dim1 and comes at last to be      
extinguished4 ,this obscuration does not
 take place all at once3 the potter's   
wheel goes on turning for a while1 says 
an old ,hindoo poem1 after that the foot
 of the artisan is withdrawn from it4   
,but the darkening takes place gradually
 with time3 such at least is the general
 rule4 ,there are exceptional men who   
seem to escape this law1 and to bear in 
their bosom a ,god veiled from their own
 consciousness4 ,such men may be found1 
and even in considerable numbers1 in a  
time like ours1 when doubt is1 in many  
cases1 a prejudice which current opinion
 deposits on the surface of minds       
without penetrating them deeply4 ,there 
are men all whose convictions have      
fallen into ruins1 while their          
conscience continues standing like an   
isolated column1 sole remaining witness 
of a demolished building4 ,the meeting  
with these heroes of virtue inspires a  
mingled feeling of astonishment and     

respect4 ,they are verily miracles of   
that divine goodness of which they are  
unable to pronounce the name4 ,if there 
is a man on earth who ought to fall on  
both knees and shed burning tears of    
gratitude1 it is the man who believes   
himself an atheist1 and who has received
 from ,providence so keen a taste for   
what is noble and pure1 so strong an    
aversion for evil1 that his sense of    
duty remains firm even when it has lost 
all its supports4 ,but the exception    
does not make the rule2 and that which  
is realized in the case of a few is not 
realized long1 and for all4 ,you know   
those crusts of snow which are formed   
over the crevasses of our glaciers4     
,these slight bridges are able to bear  
one person who remains suspended over   
the abyss1 but let several attempt to   
pass together1--the frail support gives 
way1 and the rash adventurers fall      
together into the gulf4 ,such is the    
destiny of those schools of philosophy  
in which the notion of ,god disappears1 

and of those civilizations in which the 
sense of ,god is extinguished2 they fall
 into dark regions where the light of   
goodness shines no longer4  ,after the  
mind and conscience1 it remains for us  
to speak of the heart4 ,man1 an         
intelligent and free being1 has in his  
reason an instrument of knowledge1 and  
in his conscience a rule for his will4  
,but man is not sufficient for himself1 
and cannot live upon his own resources4 
,if you inquire what the word heart     
expresses1 in its most general          
acceptation1 you will find that it      
always expresses a tendency of the soul 
to look1 out of itself1 in things or    
persons1 for the support and nourishment
 of its individual life4 ,does the      
question concern the relations of man   
with his fellows8 ,the heart is the     
organ of communication of one soul with 
another1 for receiving1 or for giving1  
or for giving and receiving at the same 
time1 in the enjoyment of the blessing  
of a mutual affection4 ,the heart is in 

each of us what those marks are upon the
 scattered stones of a building in      
course of construction which indicate   
that they are to be united one to       
another4 ,the philosopher suffices for  
himself1 the stoics used to say2 the    
heart is the negation of this haughty   
maxim4 ,from the heart proceeds love1   
that son of abundance and of poverty1 to
 speak with ,plato1 that needy one ever 
on the search for his lost heritage4    
,love has wings1 said again the wisdom  
of the ,greeks1 wings which essay to    
carry him ever higher4 ,let us extricate
 the thought which is involved in these 
graceful figures3 ,our desires have no  
limits1 and indefinite desires can be   
satisfied only by meeting with an       
infinite ,being who can be an           
inexhaustible source of happiness1 an   
eternal object of love4 ,our heart is   
made for love1 said ,saint ,augustine1  
the great ,christian disciple of ,plato3
 therefore it is unquiet till it finds  
repose in ,god4 ,from this unrest       

proceed all our miseries4 ,men do not   
always succeed in contenting themselves 
with a petty prosaic happiness1 a dull  
and paltry well-being1 and in stifling  
the while the grand instincts of our    
nature4 ,if then the heart lives1 and   
fails of its due object2 if it does not 
meet with the supreme term of its       
repose1 its indefinite aspirations      
attach themselves to objects which      
cannot satisfy them1 and thence arise   
stupendous aberrations4 ,with some1 it  
is the pursuit of sensual               
gratifications2 they rush with a kind of
 fury into the passions of their lower  
nature4 ,with others it is the ardent   
pursuit of riches1 power1               
fame1--feelings which are always crying 
more3 ,more6 and never3 ,enough4 ,and   
the after-taste from the fruitless      
search after happiness in the paths of  
ambition and vanity is not less bitter  
perhaps than the after-taste from       
sensual enjoyments4 ,listen to the      
confession of a man whose works1 full as

 they are of beauties1 are disfigured by
 so many impure allusions1 that the     
author appears to have indulged1 more   
than most others1 in the giddy follies  
and culpable pleasures of life3         
,if1 tired of mocking dreams1 my        
restless heart        ,returns to take  
its fill of waking joy1      ,full soon 
,i loathe the pleasures which impart    
,no true delight1 but kill me1 while    
they cloy4#be   ,here are the accents of
 a true confession4 ,these are moreover 
truths of daily experience4 ,i have     
seen--and which of you could not render 
similar testimony8--,i have seen the    
sick man1 deprived of all the ordinary  
avocations and amusements of life1 and  
with pain for his constant companion1 ,i
 have seen him find joy in the thought  
of his ,god1 and feeding1 without       
satiety1 on this bread of contentment4  
,i have seen the face of the blind      
lighted up by a living faith1 and       
radiant with a light of peace1 for him  
sweeter and brighter than the rays of   

the sun4 ,but where ,god is wanting1 and
 all connection is broken with the      
source of joy1 there you shall see the  
richest of the rich1 the most prosperous
 among the ambitious1 the man of fame   
whose renown is most widely             
extended1--you shall see these men      
carrying the heavy burden of discontent4
 ,their brow1 unillumined by the        
celestial ray1 is furrowed by the lines 
of sadness4 ,if you meet them in a      
moment of candor1 these rich1 ambitious1
 and famous men will tell you with a    
sigh3 ,all this does not satisfy2 we are
 but pursuing chimeras4 ,still they     
continue to run after these chimeras4   
,they cry ,vanity6 ,vanity6 and they do 
not cease to pursue vanity4 ,they flee  
from themselves3 if they retired within 
themselves1 they would find there ennui1
 inexorable ennui1 which is but the     
sense of that place which ,god should   
fill left void in the depth of the soul4
 ,for the deceived heart1 life becomes a
 bitter comedy4 ,those who do not       

succeed in blinding themselves by the   
dust of thoughtless folly1 end          
oftentimes by wrapping themselves in    
disdain as with a cloak2 they seek a sad
 and solitary satisfaction in the       
greatness of their contempt for life4   
,but neither does this satisfy3 disdain 
is not a beverage1 and contempt is not  
food4  ,such are the destinies of the   
heart1 to which ,god is wanting4 ,but ,i
 hope1 ,gentlemen1 that you have here   
some remonstrances to offer4 ,i have    
just spoken of the pleasures of sense1  
of pride1 of vanity1 and ,i have made no
 allusion to those affections in which  
the heart manifests its highest         
qualities4 ,shall we forget the joys of 
pure love8 the domestic hearth8         
friendship8 country8 ,do not fear that1 
having given myself up to a fit of      
misanthropy1 ,i am come hither to       
blaspheme the true happinesses of life4 
,but do the affections of earth offer us
 sufficient guarantees8 ,we have need of
 the infinite to answer to the immensity

 of our desires2 in the presence of     
those we love1 have we no need of the   
,eternal that we may lean our hearts on 
,him8 ,will not all human love become a 
source of torment1 if we have no faith  
in the love of ,him who will stamp holy 
affections with the seal of ,his own    
eternity8  ,a single question will      
suffice to enlighten us on this head4   
,do you know the feeling of anxiety8 ,we
 all know it1 though in different       
degrees4 ,epidemical disease may appear4
 ,the cholera has started on its course2
 it has left the interior of ,asia1 and 
is approaching4 ,the report is current  
that neighboring cities have begun to   
feel its ravages4 ,those we love--in a  
month1 in a week1 where will they be8   
,war is declared4 ,we hear of           
preparations for death2 the sovereigns  
of ,europe apply themselves to          
calculations which seem to portend      
torrents of blood4 ,if war breaks out1  
that brother1 that son1 who will have to
 take up arms1 that daughter who will   

one day perhaps find herself at the     
mercy of an unbridled soldiery----4 ,but
 let us not look for examples so far    
away4 ,have you no dear one in a distant
 land of whom you are expecting tidings8
 ,and those who are near you6           
,to-morrow1 to-day1 now perhaps1 while  
you are listening to me1 a fatal malady 
is discovering its first symptoms----4  
,have you received the hard lessons of  
death8 ,if you see children playing1    
full of ruddy and joyous health1 does it
 happen to none of you to think of      
another child1 once the joy of your     
fireside1 now lying beneath the sod8    
,does it never happen to you1 by a      
sinister presentiment1 to see features  
you love to gaze on convulsed with agony
 or pale in death8 ,and yet you must    
either see the death of your beloved    
ones1 or they must lay you in the earth2
 for every life ends with the tomb1 and 
we do but walk over graves4 ,when the   
soul has been thus wounded by anxiety1  
for this poisoned wound there is one    

remedy1 but only one3 ,god reigns6      
,nothing happens without the permission 
of ,his goodness4 ,and of all those who 
are dear to us1 we can say3 ,father1 to 
,thy hands ,i commit them4 ,if we are   
without this trust1 we shall only escape
 torment by levity4 ,without ,god our   
mind is sick2 our conscience and our    
heart are sick also1 and in a way more  
grievous still4   ,,footnotes3  #ai     
,mditation troisime1 at the end4  #bj   
,gen4 xxviii4 #af4  #ba ,dmontrer4  #bb 
,on le montre4  #bc ,vanity of vanities2
 all is vanity4444 ,let us hear the     
conclusion of the whole matter3 ,fear   
,god1 and keep his commandments3 for    
this is the whole duty of man4 7,eccles4
 i4 and xii47  #bd ,apology4  #be       
,si mon coeur1 fatigu du rve qui        
l'obsde1      ,a la ralit revient pour  
s'assouvir1      ,au fond des vains     
plaisirs que j'appelle  mon aide1       
,je trouve un tel dgot que je me sens   
mourir4     ,,part ,,ii4  ,,society4    
,we have just studied what life without 

,god would be for the individual4 ,let  
us now direct our attention to those    
collections of human beings which form  
societies4 ,we shall not speak here of  
the relations of civil with             
ecclesiastical authorities1--a complex  
question1 the solution of which must    
vary with times1 places1 and            
circumstances4 ,let us only remark that 
the distinction between the temporal and
 spiritual order of things is one of the
 foundations of modern civilization4    
,this distinction is based upon those   
great words which1 eighteen hundred     
years ago1 separated the domain of ,god 
from the domain of ,csar4 ,religion     
considered as a function of civil life2 
dogma supported by the word of a monarch
 or the vote of a body politic2 the     
formula of that dogma imposed forcibly  
by a government on the lips of the      
governed--these are dbris of paganism   
which have been struggling for centuries
 against the restraints of ,christian   
thought4#bf ,the religious convictions  

of individuals do not belong to the     
,state2 religious sentiments are not    
amenable to human tribunals2 and it     
would be hard to say whether it is the  
spiritual or the temporal order of      
things which suffers most from the      
confusion of these distinct domains4    
,religion should have its own proper    
life1 and its special representatives2  
civil life ought to be set free from all
 tyranny exercised in the name of dogma2
 but religion is not the less on that   
account1 by the influence which it      
exerts over the consciences of men1 the 
necessary bond and strength of human    
society4  ,you would sooner build a city
 in the air1 said ,plutarch1 than cause 
a ,state to subsist without religion4   
,some have contested in modern times    
this opinion of ancient wisdom4 ,the    
philosophy of the last century1 as we   
have said already1 wished to separate   
duty from the idea of ,god4 ,it         
pretended to give as the only foundation
 for society a civil morality1 the rules

 and sanction of which were to be found 
upon earth4 ,the men of blood who for a 
short time governed ,france1 gave once  
as the order of the day--,terror and all
 the virtues3 this was a terrible       
application of this theory4 ,virtue     
rested on a decree of political power1  
and1 for want of the judgment of ,god1  
the guillotine was the sanction of its  
precepts4 ,healthier views begin now to 
prevail in the schools of philosophy4   
,one of the members of the ,institut de 
,france1 ,m4 ,franck1 has lately        
published a volume on the history of    
ancient civilization1#bg with the       
express intention of showing that the   
conception which a people has of ,god is
 the true root of its social            
organization4 ,according to the worth of
 the religious idea is that of the civil
 constitution4 ,before ,m4 ,franck1     
twenty years ago1 a man of the very     
highest distinction as a public         
lecturer1 indicated this movement of    
modern thought4 ,m4 ,edgard ,quinet1 in 

his ,lyons course1 taught that the      
religious idea is the very substance of 
civilization1 and the generating        
principle of political constitutions4   
,he announced a history of civilization 
by the monuments of human thought1 and  
added3 ,religion above all is the pillar
 of fire which goes before the nations  
in their march across the ages2 it shall
 serve us as a guide4#bh ,benjamin      
,constant exhibits in the variation of  
his opinions the transition from the    
stand-point of the last century to that 
of the present4 ,he had at first        
conceived of his work upon religion as a
 monument raised to atheism1 he ends by 
seeking in religious sentiments the     
condition necessary to the existence of 
civilized societies4#bi ,here is a real 
progress2 and this progress brings us   
back to the thought above quoted from   
,plutarch4 ,in fact1 take away the idea 
of ,god1 and the first consequence will 
be that you will sacrifice all the      
conquests of modern civilization2 the   

next1 that you will soon have rendered  
impossible the existence of any society 
whatever4 ,i am going to ask your close 
attention to these two points           
successively4  ,history does not offer  
to our view an uninterrupted progress1  
as certain optimists suppose2 still less
 does it present the spectacle of an    
ever-increasing deterioration1 as       
misanthropes affirm2 and lastly1 it is  
not true1 as we hear it said sometimes1 
that all epochs are alike1 as good one  
as another4 ,there are times better than
 those which follow them2 and there are 
epochs less degraded than those which   
precede them4 ,human societies fall and 
rise again2 their march exhibits        
windings and retrograde steps1 because  
that march is under the influence of    
created liberty2 but when their         
destinies are regarded at one view1 it  
is clearly seen that they are advancing 
to a determined end1 because while man  
is in restless agitation1 ,god is       
leading him on4 ,the conquests of modern

 civilization are great and sacred      
realities4 ,what are these conquests8   
,let us not stay at the surface of      
things1 but go to the foundation4       
,societies fallen into a condition of   
barbarism have for their motto the      
famous saying of a ,gallic chief3 ,woe  
to the vanquished6 ,in institutions1 as 
in manners1 the triumph of force        
characterizes barbarous times4 ,the     
right of the strongest is the twofold   
negation of justice and of love2 and    
what characterizes civilization1 issuing
 from the barbarous condition1 the      
fragments of which it so long trails    
after it1 is the establishment of that  
justice which founds ,states1 and1 upon 
the basis of justice1 the development of
 the benevolence which renders          
communities happy4 ,these are the two   
essential conditions of social progress4
 ,these conditions are necessary even to
 the progress of industry and of        
material welfare4  ,modern              
civilization1--that1 namely1 which we so

 designate1 while we relegate1 so to    
speak1 into the past the contemporaneous
 societies of the vast ,east1--modern   
civilization possesses a power unknown  
to antiquity4 ,justice has a foundation 
in the conscience1 benevolence has      
natural roots in the heart2 but a moment
 has been when justice and love appeared
 in the world with new brightness1 like 
rays disengaged from clouds4 ,modern    
civilization was then deposited on the  
earth in a powerful germ1 of which      
nothing was any more to arrest the      
growth4 ,that moment was when the idea  
of ,god appeared in its fulness3 modern 
civilization was born of the ,gospel4   
,the knowledge of ,god strengthens      
justice1 and the thought of the common  
,father develops benevolence4 ,these    
theses are well known2 let us confine   
ourselves to a few rapid illustrations4 
,there exists an institution in which   
has been embodied the negation of social
 justice--,slavery4 ,slavery is at      
length disappearing before our eyes from

 the bosom of ,christendom2 and its     
final retreat is doing honor to ,russia1
 and bathing ,america in blood4 ,this is
 perhaps the greatest of the events     
which the annals of history will        
inscribe on the page of the nineteenth  
century4 ,now slavery was1 in the past1 
an almost universal institution4 ,the   
finest intellects of ,greece devoted a  
portion of their labors to its          
justification4 ,rome1 at the most       
brilliant period of its civilization1   
caused slaves to kill one another1 in   
savage spectacles intended to delight   
the populace1 or during sumptuous       
banquets for the amusement of wealthy   
debauchees6#cj ,how has slavery         
disappeared little by little6 ,how has  
man been rediscovered beneath that      
living thing of which was made1 one     
while an instrument of labor1 and       
another while the sport of execrable    
passions8 ,inquire into this history4   
,you will find the reason and the heart 
making their protests heard in          

antiquity1 but without becoming         
efficacious4 ,one day all is changed1   
and the foundations of slavery begin to 
shake4 ,at that memorable epoch you will
 meet with a written document1 the first
 in which is shown in its germ the great
 social fact which was about to have    
birth4 ,it is not an emperor's decree1  
it is not the vote of a body politic1 it
 is a letter a few lines long written by
 a prisoner to one of his friends4 ,the 
substance of this letter was3 ,i send   
thee back thy slave2 but in the name of 
,god ,i beg of thee to receive him as   
thy brother2 think of the common ,master
 who is in heaven4 ,this letter was     
addressed--,to ,philemon2 the name of   
the writer was ,paul4 ,it is the first  
charter of slave emancipation4 ,ponder  
this fact1 ,gentlemen3 contemplate the  
ancient institution of slavery shaken to
 its foundations1 without being the     
object of any direct attack1 by the     
breath of a new spirit4 ,you will then  
understand how historians can tell us   

that the relations of states1           
belligerent rights1 civil laws1         
political institutions1 all these things
 of which the ,gospel has never spoken1 
have been1 and are being still1 every   
day transformed by the slow action of   
the ,gospel4 ,god has appeared2 justice 
is marching in ,his train4  ,justice is 
the foundation of society2 but without  
the spirit of love1 justice remains     
crippled1 and never reaches its         
perfection4 ,justice maintains the      
rights of each2 love seeks to realize   
the communication of advantages among   
all4 ,justice overthrows the artificial 
barriers raised between men by force and
 guile2 love softens natural            
inequalities and causes them to turn to 
the general good4 ,need ,i tell you that
 the knowledge of ,god is a light of    
which the brightest ray is love to men8 
,benevolence1 that feeling natural to   
our hearts1 is strengthened1 extended1  
transfigured1 by becoming               
charity2--charity1 that union of the    

soul with the ,heavenly ,father1 which  
descends again to earth in loving       
communion between all ,his children4    
,the soul separated from ,god may be    
conscious of strong affections3 but     
study well the character of a virtue    
which is nourished from purely human    
sources2 you will see that it may for   
the most part be expressed in these     
terms--,to love one's friends heartily1 
and to hate one's enemies with a        
generous hatred2 to esteem the honest   
and to despise the vicious4 ,but that   
virtue which loves the vicious while it 
hates the vice1 that virtue which will  
avenge itself only by overcoming evil   
with good1 that virtue which1 while it  
draws closer the bonds of private       
affections1 makes a friend of every man1
 that virtue which we call divine1 by a 
natural impulse of our heart--what is   
the source from which it flows8 ,the    
following fact will sufficiently answer 
the question4 ,on the faade of one the  
hospitals of the ,christian world1 are  

read these ,latin words1 the brief      
energy of which our language cannot     
render3 ,deo in pauperibus1 ,this       
edifice is consecrated to ,god in the   
person of the poor4 ,here is the secret 
of charity3 it discerns the ,divine     
image deposited in every human soul4    
,but do not mistake here3 we cannot     
love1 with a love natural and direct1   
the rags of squalid poverty1 the brands 
of vice1 the languors and sores of      
sickness2 but let ,god manifest         
,himself1 and our eyes are opened4 ,the 
beauty of souls breaks forth to our view
 beneath the wasting of the haggard     
frame1 and from under the filth of vice4
 ,we love those immortal creatures      
fallen and degraded2 a sacred desire    
possesses us to restore them to their   
true destination4 ,has an artist        
discovered in a mass of rubbish1 under  
vulgar appearances1 a product of the    
marvellous chisel of the ,greeks8 ,he   
sets himself1 with a zeal full of       
respect1 to free the noble statue from  

the impurities which defile it4 ,every  
soul of man is the work of art ,divine1 
and every charitable heart is an artist 
who desires to labor at its restoration4
 ,henceforward we can understand that   
love of suffering and of poverty1 that  
passion for the galleys and the         
hospital1 which have at times thrown    
,christians into extravagances which our
 age has no reason to dread4 ,god in the
 poor man1 ,god in the sick man1 ,god in
 the vicious man and the criminal2 this1
 ,i repeat1 is the grand secret of      
charity4 ,charity passes from the heart 
of men and from individual practice into
 social customs and institutions4       
,charity it is which1 by degrees1 takes 
from law its needless rigors1 and from  
justice its useless tortures2 which     
substitutes the prison in which it is   
sought to reform the guilty for the     
galley1 which completes the corruption  
of the criminal2 it is charity that     
opens public asylums for all forms of   
suffering2 and that will realize1 up to 

the limits of what is possible1 all the 
hopes of philanthropy4 ,if ,god ceases  
to be present to the mind and conscience
 of men1 justice and love lose their    
power4 ,without the powerful action of  
justice and of love1 society would      
descend again1 by the ways of           
corruption1 towards the struggles of    
barbarism4 ,observe1 study well1 all    
that is going on around us4 ,does our   
civilization appear to you sufficiently 
solid to give you the idea that it can  
henceforth dispense with the foundations
 on which it has reposed hitherto8  ,the
 sentiments of justice and of           
benevolence which form the double basis 
of the progress of society1 suppose a   
more general sentiment which is their   
common support--the sentiment of        
humanity4 ,the idea that man has a value
 in himself1 that he is1 in virtue of   
his quality as man1 independently of the
 places which he inhabits and of the    
position which he occupies in the world1
 an object of justice and of love2--this

 idea includes in itself all the moral  
part of civilization4 ,social progress  
is only the recognition1 ever more and  
more explicit1 of the value of one soul1
 of the rights of one conscience4 ,now1 
the idea of humanity has the closest    
possible connection with the knowledge  
of ,god1 considered as the ,father of   
the human race4 ,ancient wisdom1        
superior to the worship of idols1 had   
gained a glimpse of the fact that the   
philosopher is a citizen of the         
universe2 and that famous line of       
,terence3 ,i am a man1 and ,i reckon    
nothing human foreign to me1 excited1 it
 is said1 the applause of the ,roman    
spectators4 ,but these were mere gleams1
 extinguished soon by the general       
current of thought4 ,it was the pale    
dawn of the idea of humanity4 ,whence   
came the day8  ,i will limit the        
question by defining it4 ,the idea of   
humanity is the idea of the worth and   
consequently of the rights of each      
individual man4 ,it is the idea of      

liberty2 not of liberty interpreted by  
passion and selfishness as the          
inauguration of the license which       
violates right1 but of liberty          
interpreted by reason and conscience as 
the limit which the action of each man  
encounters in the right of his neighbor4
 ,we are not speaking here of the       
equality of political rights1 which is  
not always a guarantee of veritable     
liberty4 ,we are speaking of a social   
condition such that man1 in the exercise
 of his faculties1 in the manifestation 
of his thoughts1 in his efforts for the 
causes which he loves1 so long as he    
does not violate the rights of others1  
does not meet with an arbitrary power to
 arrest him4 ,still farther to limit our
 subject1 we shall speak of the most    
important manifestation of that         
liberty--liberty of conscience1 of which
 religious liberty is the most ordinary 
and most complete manifestation4 ,this  
is only one of the points of the        
subject1 but it is a point which in     

reality supposes and includes all the   
rest4 ,this liberty--whence does it     
come8  ,it does not come from paganism4 
,paganism1 with its national religions1 
could only produce fanaticism or doubt4 
,each people having its own particular  
religion1 to exterminate the foreigner  
was to serve the cause of the gods of   
the country4 ,a war-cry descended from  
the ,olympus of each several            
nation--that ,olympus which the gods    
quitted1 in case of need1 to take part  
in the quarrels of men4 ,did reason     
perceive the nothingness of these       
national divinities8 ,then scepticism   
appeared4 ,the idea of the supreme ,god 
being unsettled with all1 and wholly    
obscured for the crowd1 when men ceased 
to believe in the gods of the nation1   
they lost all belief whatsoever4 ,for   
this cause doubt prevailed so widely at 
the decline of the ancient world4 ,those
 pantheons in which all religions were  
received1 welcomed1 protected1 are the  
ever-memorable temples of scepticism4   

,now you know what voice made itself    
heard1 when the ancient civilization was
 enfeebled by the spirit of doubt3      
,henceforth there is neither ,greek nor 
barbarian1 bond nor free4 ,ye are all   
brethren1 and for all there is one ,god1
 and one truth3 here behold the root of 
scepticism severed4 ,and the same voice 
added3 ,this only ,god is the lawful    
,owner of ,his creatures2 and when you  
presume to do violence to the           
consciences which belong to ,him1 you   
know not by what spirit you are         
animated3 here behold the fountain of   
fanaticism dried up4 ,god is            
acknowledged2 ,he is the ,master of     
souls3 faith founds liberty4  ,the      
,witness to universal truth appears     
before ,rome as represented by a deputy 
of ,csar4 ,he is a fanatic1 says the    
,roman2 then he goes his way1 and leaves
 ,him to be put to death4 ,but ere long1
 a dull hoarse murmur of the nations1   
extending through all the length and    
breadth of the mighty empire1 gives     

token that ,he who was dead is alive    
again1 and is speaking to the general   
conscience4 ,then ,rome starts from her 
sleep2 ,rome2 the politic tolerant      
,rome1 sheds rivers of blood4 ,her      
tolerance allowed men to believe        
everything1 but on condition that they  
believed seriously in nothing4 ,rome was
 directed by the sure instinct of       
despotism4 ,she did not fear the gods of
 the ,pantheon1 because she could always
 place above them the statue of the     
,emperor3 whereas what was now in       
question was1 while leaving to ,csar the
 things which were ,csar's1 to place a  
,sovereign above the ,emperor1 and to   
raise a legislation above the           
legislation of the empire4 ,therefore   
the ,roman city determined to give a    
death-blow to ,christianity1--to the    
idea of universal truth1 because if that
 idea gained entrance into the          
understanding1 the cause of the liberty 
of souls was gained4 ,so it was that    
indifference became ferocious1 and that 

doubt led back to fanaticism4  ,i have  
told you whence liberty does not come2  
but whence comes it8 ,whence comes      
liberty8 ,ask any scholar of the        
,lyceums of ,france2 he will answer you1
 without hesitation3 ,liberty comes from
 the ,french revolution6--,no doubt1    
whispers an older comrade in his ear2   
but do not forget the philosophy of the 
eighteenth century which developed the  
principles which the revolution put in  
practice4--,that is all very well1 a    
,protestant will say2 but let us        
consider the grand fact of the          
,reformation3 it is from the sixteenth  
century that liberty has its            
date4--,well and good1 adds an          
historian2 but do you not know that the 
,germans were they who poured a generous
 and free blood into the impoverished   
blood of the men who had been fashioned 
by the slavery of the empire8 ,i contest
 nothing1 and ,i am not sufficiently    
well-informed to pronounce with         
confidence upon the action of all these 

historic causes4 ,but this ,i venture to
 affirm1--that if any one thinks to fix 
definitely the hour when liberty was    
born in history1 he is mistaken3 for it 
has no other date than that of the human
 conscience1 and ,i will say with ,m4   
,lamartine3        ,give me the freedom 
which that hour had birth1      ,with   
the free soul1 when first in conscious  
worth      ,the just man braved the     
stronger6#ca   ,liberty had birth the   
first time that1 urged by his fellow men
 to acts which wounded his conscience1 a
 man1 relying upon ,god1 felt himself   
stronger than the world4 ,that ,socrates
 had not studied1 ,i fancy1 in the      
school of the ,encyclopedists1 and was  
no ,german either1 that ,i know of1 who 
said to the judges of ,athens1 with     
death in prospect3 ,it is better to obey
 ,god than men4 ,and when those words   
were repeated by the ,apostles of the   
universal truth1 the death of ,socrates1
 that noble death which has justly      
gained for him the admiration of the    

universe1 was reproduced in thousands   
and thousands of instances4 ,children1  
women1 young girls1 old men1 perished in
 tortures to attest the rights of       
conscience2 and the blood of martyrs1   
that seed of ,christians1 as a father of
 the ,church called it1#cb was not less 
a seed of liberty4 ,liberty was not born
 in history2 but if you wish to fix a   
date to its grandest outburst1 you have 
it here2 there is no other which can be 
compared with it4  ,some of you are     
thinking perhaps1 without saying so1    
that ,i am maintaining a hard paradox4  
,to look for the source of liberty of   
conscience in religion1 is not this to  
forget that the ,christian ,church has  
often marked its passage in history by a
 long track of blood rendered visible by
 the funereal light of the stake8 ,i    
forget nothing1 ,sirs1 and ,i beg of you
 not to forget anything either4 ,there  
are three remarks which ,i commend to   
your attention4  ,it must not be        
forgotten that the ,gospel first        

obtained extensive success when ,roman  
society was in the lowest state of      
corruption1 and that its representatives
 were but too much affected by the evils
 which it was their mission to combat4  
,it must not be forgotten that there    
came afterwards hordes of barbarians who
 in a certain sense renovated the       
worn-out society1 but who poured over   
the new leaven a coarse paste hard to   
penetrate4  ,it must not be forgotten1  
lastly1 that if a cause might           
legitimately be condemned for the faults
 of its defenders1 there are none1 no1  
not a single one1 which could remain    
erect before the tribunal which so      
should give judgment4 ,every cause in   
this world is more or less compromised  
by its representatives2 but there are   
bad principles1 which produce evil by   
their own development1 and there are    
good principles which man abuses1 but   
which by their very nature always end by
 raising a protest against the abuse4   
,it is in the light of this indisputable

 truth that we are about to enter upon a
 discussion of which you will appreciate
 the full importance4  ,sceptical       
writers affirm that toleration has its  
origin in the weakening of faith2 and1  
drawing the consequence of their        
affirmation1 they recommend the         
diffusion of the spirit of doubt as the 
best means of promoting liberty of      
conscience4 ,we have here the old       
argument which would suppress the use to
 get rid of the abuse4 ,persecutions are
 made in the name of religion2 let us   
get rid of faith1 and we shall have     
peace4 ,prisons have been built and the 
stake has been set up in the name of    
,god3 let us get rid of ,god1 and we    
shall have toleration4 ,observe well the
 bearing of this mode of argument4 ,let 
us get rid of fire1 and we shall have no
 more conflagrations2 let us get rid of 
water1 and no more people will be       
drowned4 ,no doubt1--but humanity will  
perish of drought and of cold4  ,let us 
examine this subject seriously3 it is   

well worth our while4 ,if toleration    
proceeds from the enfeebling of         
religious belief1 we ought among various
 nations to meet with toleration in an  
inverse proportion to the degree of     
their faith4 ,this is a question then of
 history4 ,let us study facts4          
,recollecting first of all that ancient 
,rome did not draw forth a germ of      
liberty from its scepticism1 let us     
throw a glance over existing            
communities4  ,sweden is far behind     
,england in regard to liberty of        
conscience4 ,is it that religious       
convictions are weaker in ,england than 
in ,sweden8 ,has the religious liberty  
which ,great ,britain practises sprung  
from indifference8 ,is it not rather    
that that land produces an energetic    
race1 and that it has been so often     
drenched with the blood of the followers
 of different forms of worship1 that    
that blood cried at length to heaven1   
and that the conscience of the people   
heard it8 ,there is more religious      

liberty in ,france than in ,spain4 ,is  
it the case that the true cause of the  
intolerance of the ,spanish people is a 
more lively and more general faith than 
that of the ,french8 ,that is not so    
certain4  ,switzerland is one of the    
countries in which is enjoyed the       
greatest liberty of opinion4 ,is        
,switzerland a land of indifference8    
,was not the comparative firmness of its
 citizens' convictions remarked during  
the conflicts of the last century8 ,do  
not the ,united ,states bear in large   
characters upon their banner this       
inscription3 ,,liberty ,,of             
,,conscience8 ,america is not           
distinguished as a country without      
religion2 on the contrary1 it is blamed 
for the excursiveness of its faith1 for 
the multiplicity and sometimes for the  
extravagance of its sects4 ,was it a    
sceptic that taught the inhabitants of  
the ,new ,world to respect religious    
convictions8 ,assuredly not6 ,william   
,penn was shut up in the ,tower of      

,london for the crime of free thought4  
,set free from prison1 he crossed the   
ocean4 ,while intolerance was reigning  
still on both shores of the ,atlantic1  
he founded in ,pennsylvania a place of  
refuge for all proscribed opinions2 and 
the germ has been fruitful4 ,in vain ,i 
pass from old ,europe to young ,america2
 ,i look1 ,i observe1 and ,i do not see 
that liberty is developed in proportion 
to the scepticism and the incredulity of
 nations4 ,i seem1 on the contrary1 to  
see that there is perhaps most liberty  
where there is most real faith4  ,some  
may dispute the validity of these       
conclusions by remarking that the       
condition of communities is a complex   
phenomenon depending upon divers causes4
 ,let us simplify the question4 ,is it  
not1 it will be said1 the literary      
representatives of the spirit of doubt  
who have demanded and founded           
toleration8 ,is it not4444 ,but it is   
not necessary for my supposed questioner
 to go on4 ,if he is a ,frenchman1 he   

will name ,voltaire4 ,no doubt1 freedom 
of opinion has been claimed by sceptics4
 ,they have served a good cause2 let us 
know how to rejoice in the fact1 and not
 to be unmindful of what there may have 
been in their work of noble impulses and
 generous inspirations4 ,let us remark  
however that every proscribed opinion   
puts forth a natural claim to the       
liberty of which it is deprived4 ,but it
 is one thing to claim for one's-self a 
liberty one would gladly make use of to 
oppress others1 and it is another thing 
to demand liberty seriously and for all4
 ,there was1 as ,i am glad to believe1 a
 certain natural generosity in the      
motives which led ,voltaire to          
consecrate to noble causes a pen so     
often sold to evil4 ,still it is        
impossible not to suspect that if that  
apostle of toleration had had a         
principality under his own sway1 the    
fact of thinking differently from the   
master would very soon have figured     
among the number of delinquencies4  ,the

 patriarch of ,ferney wrote in favor of 
toleration2 some friends of religious   
indifference have pleaded the cause of  
liberty of conscience3 the fact is      
certain4 ,but other writers1 animated by
 a living faith1 have also demanded     
liberty for all3 the fact is not less   
certain4 ,some years ago1 at nearly the 
same epoch1 the ,pre ,lacordaire and our
 own ,alexander ,vinet consecrated to   
this noble cause1 the former the        
attractive brilliancy of his eloquence1 
the latter all the fineness of his      
delicate analyses4 ,the friends of      
,lacordaire are gathering up the        
vibrations of that striking utterance   
which proclaimed3 ,liberty slays not    
,god4#cc ,let us gather up also the good
 words1 which1 uttered on the borders of
 our lake1 have gained entrance far and 
near into many hearts4 ,i should like to
 take such and such a ,parisian         
journalist1 bring him into our midst1   
and get him to acquaint himself         
thoroughly with the results of our      

experience2 ,i should like to conduct   
him to the cemetery of ,clarens1 place  
him by the tomb of ,vinet1 and tell him 
what that man was4--,if1 as he returned 
to his home1 my journalist did not leave
 behind him at the ,french frontier1 as 
contraband merchandise1 all that he     
would have seen and learnt in our       
country1 he would perhaps understand    
that the surest road by which to arrive 
at respect for the consciences of others
 is not indifference1 but firmness of   
faith1 in humility of heart1 and        
largeness of thought4 ,all the writers  
who have devoted their pen to the       
defence of the rights of the human soul 
have not therefore been sceptics4       
,without continuing this discussion of  
proper names1 let us settle what is here
 the true place of writers4 ,before     
there are men who demand liberty and    
digest the theory of it1 there must be  
other men who take it1 and who suffer   
for having taken it4 ,if liberty is     
consolidated with speech and pen1 it is 

founded with tears and blood2 and the   
sceptical apostles of toleration        
conveniently usurp the place of the     
martyrs of conviction4 ,what we want1   
rightly observes a revolutionary writer1
 is free men1 rather than liberators of 
humanity4#cd  ,in fact1 liberty comes to
 us above all from those who have       
suffered for it4 ,its living springs are
 in the spirit of faith1 and not1 as    
they teach us1 in the spirit of         
indifference4 ,it is easy to understand1
 that where no one believes1 the liberty
 to believe would not be claimed by any 
one4  ,let us now endeavor to penetrate 
below facts1 in order to bring back the 
discussion to sure principles4 ,let us  
ask what1 in regard to liberty of       
conscience1 are the natural consequences
 of faith1 and the natural consequences 
of scepticism4  ,faith does appear1 at  
first sight1 a source of intolerance4   
,the man who believes1 reckons himself  
in possession of the right in regard to 
truth1 and to ,god2 he has nothing to   

respect in error4 ,thus it is that      
belief naturally engenders persecution4 
,this reasoning is specious1 all the    
more as it is supported by numerous and 
terrible examples2 but let us look at   
things more closely4 ,place yourselves  
face to face with any one of your       
convictions1 no matter which2 ,i hope   
there is no one of you so unfortunate as
 not to have any4 ,suppose that it were 
desired to impose upon you by force even
 the conviction which you have4 ,suppose
 that an officer of police came to say  
to you1 pronouncing at the same time the
 words which best expressed your own    
thoughts3 you are commanded so to       
believe4 ,what would happen8 ,if you had
 never had a doubt of your faith1 you   
would be tempted to doubt it1 the moment
 any human power presumed to impose it  
upon you4 ,the feeling of oppression    
would produce in your conscience a      
strong inclination to revolt4 ,let us   
analyze this feeling4 ,you feel that it 
is words1 not convictions1 which are    

imposed by force2 you feel that         
declarations extorted by fear from lying
 lips are an outrage to truth4 ,you     
feel1 in a word1 that your belief is the
 right of ,god over you1 and not the    
right of your neighbor4 ,men respect    
,god's right over the souls of their    
fellow-men1 in proportion as they are   
intelligent in their own faith4 ,the    
fanaticism which would impose words by  
force is not an ardent but a blind      
faith4 ,in order to bring it back into  
the paths of liberty1 it is enough to   
restore to it its sight4  ,the          
establishment of the ,christian religion
 furnishes a great example in support of
 our thesis4 ,the ,christians1 when     
persecuted by the empire1 had never     
allowed themselves to reply to the      
violence of power by the violence of    
rebellion4 ,there came1 however1 and    
soon enough1 a time when they were      
sufficiently numerous to defend         
themselves1 and had withal the          
consciousness of their strength2 but    

they had no will to conquer the world1  
except by the arms of martyrdom1 and    
heroism1 and obedience4 ,this was not   
the case during a few years only1 it is 
the history of three centuries1 an      
ever-memorable page of human annals1 in 
which all ages will be able to learn    
what are the true weapons of truth4     
,christendom1 too often forgetful of its
 origin1 has in later times allowed the 
fury of persecution to cloak itself     
under a pretended regard for sacred     
interests2 but the remedy has proceeded 
from the very evil4 ,the ,christian     
conscience has protested1 in the name of
 the ,gospel1 against the crimes of     
which the ,gospel was the pretext1 and  
the passions of men the cause4 ,we must 
bewail the misery and error of our time1
 already ,st4 ,hilary was exclaiming1 in
 the fourth century4 ,men are thinking  
that ,god has need of the protection of 
men4444 ,the ,church is uttering threats
 of banishment and imprisonment1 and    
desiring to compel belief by force1--the

 ,church1 which itself acquired strength
 in exile and in prisons6  ,true faith1 
then1 possesses a principle by which it 
protests against abuses which it is     
sought to cloak under its name1 and this
 protest comes at last to make itself   
heard4 ,faith suppressed1 the passions  
will remain1 for in order to be a saint1
 it is not enough to be a sceptic4 ,the 
passions will look for other pretexts4  
,will not the spirit of doubt offer them
 such pretexts8  ,it seems at first     
sight that doubt must promote           
toleration1 since it does not allow any 
importance to be attached to opinions4  
,this is a specious conclusion1 similar 
to that which placed in belief the      
source of intolerant passions4 ,let us  
once more reflect a little4 ,the first  
effect of doubt is certainly to dispose 
the mind to leave a free course to all  
opinions2 but disdain is not the way to 
respect1 and only respect can give solid
 bases to the spirit of liberty4        
,believers are in the eyes of the       

sceptic weak-minded persons1 whom he    
treats at first with a gentle and       
patronizing compassion4 ,but these weak 
minds grow obstinate2 the sceptic       
perceives that they do not bend before  
his superiority1 and dare perhaps to    
consider themselves as his equals4 ,then
 irritation arises1 and1 beneath the    
velvet paw1 one feels the piercing of   
the claw4 ,the sceptic has in fact a    
dogma2 he has but one1 but one he has   
after all--the negation of truth4 ,the  
faith of others is a protest against    
that single dogma on which he has       
concentrated all the powers of his      
conviction4 ,he is passionately in      
earnest for this negation2 he feels     
himself the representative of an idea1  
of which he must secure the triumph4    
,now come such surmisings as these3     
,here are men who think themselves the  
depositaries of truth6 ,these pretended 
believers--may they not be hypocrites8  
,place men so disposed in positions of  
power2 let them be the masters of       

society2 what will follow8 ,beliefs are 
a cause of disturbances3 what seemed at 
first an innocent weakness1 takes then  
the character of a dangerous madness4   
,for the politician1 the temptation to  
extirpate this madness is not far off4  
,what if we were to get rid of this     
troublesome source of agitation6 ,if we 
declared that the conscience of         
individuals belongs to the sovereign1   
what repose we should have in the       
,state6 ,if we proclaimed the true      
modern dogma1 namely1 that there is no  
dogma2 if silencing1 in short1 fanatics 
who are behind their age1 we decreed    
that every belief is a crime and every  
manifestation of faith a revolt1 what   
quiet in society6 ,the incline is       
slippery1 and what shall hold back the  
sceptic who is descending it8  ,faith   
carries with it the remedy for          
fanaticism1 but where shall be found the
 remedy for the fanaticism of doubt8 ,in
 the claims of ,god8 ,god is but a word1
 or a worthless hypothesis4 ,in respect 

for the convictions of others8 ,all     
conviction is but weakness and folly4   
,all this1 be well assured1 gives much  
matter for reflection4 ,when ,i hear    
some men who call themselves liberal1   
tracing the ideal of the society which  
they desire1 the bare imagination of    
their triumph frightens me1 for ,i can  
understand that that society would enjoy
 the liberty of the ,roman empire1 and  
the toleration of the ,csars4  ,such are
 the consequences of scepticism for the 
leaders of a people4 ,what will those   
consequences be for the people          
themselves8 ,the spirit of indifference 
paralyzes the sources of generous       
sentiments1 and ends in the same results
 as the spirit of cowardice4 ,and do you
 not know the part which cowardice has  
played in history8 ,if ,i may venture to
 call up here the most mournful         
recollections of modern times1 do you   
not know that during the ,reign of      
,terror1 two or three hundred scoundrels
 instituted public massacres in the     

,capital of ,france1 in the midst of a  
population shuddering with fright1 but  
who let things go8 ,now the             
characteristic of indifference is the   
letting things go4 ,if fanaticism has   
something to do with persecution1       
indifference has a great deal to do with
 it4 ,the crimes which minds paralyzed  
by doubt allow to be perpetrated have   
besides a sadder character than those   
which are perpetrated by passions1      
which1 wild and erring though they be1  
have a certain nobleness in their       
origin4 ,if ,i must be bound to the     
stake1 ,i had rather burn with the blind
 assent of a fanatical crowd1 than in   
the presence of an indifferent populace 
who came to look on4 ,for just as       
sceptics find all doctrines equally     
good1 so they find all spectacles       
equally instructive and curious4#ce  ,i 
have felt it necessary to insist on     
these considerations4 ,direct attacks   
upon religious truth are perhaps less   
dangerous than the efforts by which     

modern infidelity endeavors to estrange 
us from ,god1 by persuading us that     
doubt is the guarantee of liberty1 and  
that belief rivets the chains of        
bondage4 ,many consciences are disturbed
 by these affirmations4 ,it concerns us 
therefore to know that ,god is the great
 ,liberator of souls1 and that          
forgetfulness of ,god is the road to    
slavery4 ,the faith which seeks to      
propagate itself by force inflicts upon 
itself the harshest of contradictions4  
,the spirit of doubt1 in order to become
 the spirit of violence1 has only to    
transform itself according to the laws  
of its proper nature4  ,and now to sum  
up4 ,one of the noblest spectacles that 
earth can show1 is that of a community  
animated with a true and profound faith1
 in which each man1 using his best      
efforts to communicate his convictions  
to his brethren1 respects the while that
 which belongs to ,god in the inviolable
 asylum of the conscience of others4    
,but woe to the society formed by       

sophists1 in which opinion1 benumbed by 
doubt and indifference1 arouses itself  
only to devote to hatred or to contempt 
every firm and noble conviction6  ,to   
unsettle the idea of ,god1 is to dry up 
its source the stream of the veritable  
progress of modern society2 it is to    
attack the foundations of liberty1      
justice1 and love4 ,the material        
conquests of civilization would serve   
thenceforward only to hasten the        
decomposition of the social body4 ,the  
pure idea of ,god is the true cause of  
the great progress of the modern era2   
religion1 in its generality1 is1 as     
,plutarch has told us1 the necessary    
condition to the very existence of      
society4 ,this is what remains for us to
 prove4  ,how sacred is the society of  
citizens1 said ,cicero1 when the        
immortal gods are interposed between    
them as judges and as witnesses4#cf ,let
 us raise still higher this lofty       
thought1 and say3 ,how sacred is human  
society1 when1 beneath the eye of the   

common ,father1 the inequalities of life
 are accepted with patience and softened
 by love2 when the poor and the rich1 as
 they meet together1 remember that the  
,lord is the ,maker of them both2 when a
 hope of immortality alleviates present 
evils1 and when the consciousness of a  
common dignity reduces to their true    
value the passing differences of life6  
,take away from human society ,god as   
mediator1 and the hopes founded in ,god 
as a source of consolation1 and what    
would you have remaining8 ,the struggle 
of the poor against the rich1 the envy  
of the ignorant directed against the man
 who has knowledge1 the dullard's low   
jealousy of superior intelligence1      
hatred of all superiority1 and1 by an   
almost inevitable reaction1 the         
obstinate defence of all abuses1--in one
 word1 war--war admitting neither of    
remedy nor truce4 ,such is the most     
apparent danger which now threatens     
society4  ,when ,i consider these facts 
with attention1 ,i am astonished every  

day that society subsists at all1 that  
the burning lava of unruly passions does
 not oftener make large fissures in the 
social soil1 and overflow in devastating
 torrents1 bearing away at once palace  
and cottage1 field and workshop4 ,this  
standing danger is drawing anxious      
attention1 and we hear the old adage    
repeated3 ,there must be a religion for 
the people4 ,there are men who wish to  
give the people a religion which they   
themselves do not possess1 acting like a
 man who1 at once poor and ostentatious1
 should give alms with counterfeit      
money4 ,and what result do they attain8 
,we must have a religion for the people1
 say the politicians1 that they may     
secure the ends they have in view1 and  
conduct at their own pleasure the herds 
at their disposal4 ,we must have a      
religion for the people1 say the rich1  
in order to keep peaceably their        
property and their incomes4 ,we must    
have a religion for the people1 say the 
savants1 in order to remain quiet in    

their studies1 or in their academic     
chairs4 ,what are they doing--these men 
without ,god1 who wish to preserve a    
faith for the use of the people8 ,these 
savants1--they say1 and print it1 that  
religion is an error necessary for the  
multitudes who are incapable of rising  
to philosophy4 ,where is it that they   
say it1 and print it8 ,is it in         
drawing-rooms with closed doors8 ,is it 
within the walls of ,universities1 or in
 scientific publications which are out  
of the reach of the masses8 ,no4 ,they  
say it in political journals1 in reviews
 read by all the world2 they print it at
 full in books which are sold by        
thousands of copies4 ,their words are   
spreading like a deleterious miasma     
through all classes of society4         
,thoughtless men6 7,i am unwilling to   
suppose a cool calculation on their part
 of money or of fame which should oblige
 me to say--heartless men71 thoughtless 
men6 they do not see the inevitable     
consequences of their own proceeding4   

,the people hear and understand4 ,the   
intellectual barriers between the       
different classes of society are        
gradually becoming lower3 this is one of
 the clearest of the ways of ,providence
 in our time4 ,do you believe that the  
people will long consent to hear it said
 that they only live on errors1 but that
 those errors are necessary for them8   
,do you not see that they are about to  
rise1 and answer1 in the sentiment of   
their own dignity1 that they will no    
longer be deceived1 and that they intend
 to deliver themselves also from        
superstition8 ,then1 all restraining    
barriers removed1 passions will have    
free course2 and believe me1 the rising 
floods will not respect those quiet     
haunts of study in which they will have 
had one of their springs4 ,the proof of 
this has been seen before4 ,some men of 
the last century wished to destroy      
religion amongst decent folk1 but not   
for the rabble3 they are ,voltaire's    
words1 who had too much good sense to be

 an atheist1 but whose pale deism is    
sometimes scarcely distinguishable from 
the negation of ,god4 ,your ,majesty1   
thus he wrote to his friend the ,king of
 ,prussia1 in ,january1 #ageg1 will     
render an eternal service to the human  
race1 by destroying that infamous       
superstition1 ,i do not say amongst the 
rabble1 which is not worthy to be       
enlightened1 and to which all yokes are 
suitable1 but amongst honest people4 ,a 
religion was necessary for the people2  
but ,voltaire and the ,king of ,prussia1
 the ,german barons1 the ,french        
marquises1 and the ladies who received  
their homage1 could do without it4      
,voltaire died before eating of the     
fruit of his works2 and ,alfred de      
,musset could only address to him his   
vengeful apostrophe at his tomb3        
,sleep'st thou content1 and does thy    
hideous smile      ,still flit1         
,voltaire1 above thy fleshless bones8#cg
   ,voltaire was dead2 but many of his  
friends and disciples were able to      

meditate1 in the prisons of the ,terror 
and as they mounted the steps of the    
scaffold1 on the nature of the terrible 
game which they had played--and lost4   
,so it fares with men of letters who    
have no ,god1 but who would have a      
religion for the people4 ,other men     
there are who would have a religion for 
the people1 being themselves the while  
without restraint1 because they are     
without religious convictions4 ,they    
abandon themselves to the ardent pursuit
 of riches1 excitements1 worldly        
pleasures4 ,these are they who have made
 a fortune by disgraceful means1 perhaps
 the public sale of their consciences1  
and who by their luxurious extravagance 
overwhelm the honest and economical     
working-man4 ,these are the courtesans  
who parade in broad daylight the        
splendid rewards of their own infamy4   
,let not such deceive themselves6 ,the  
people see these things2 they form their
 judgment of them1 and if they give way 
to the bad instincts which are in us    

all1 where ,god is not in the heart to  
restrain them1 to their hatred is added 
contempt4 ,if they are forcibly kept    
back from realizing their cherished     
hopes1 they adjourn them1 but without   
renouncing them4  ,put away all belief  
in ,god1 and you will see the action and
 reaction of human passions forming1 as 
it were1 a mass of opposite             
electricities1 and preparing the        
thunder-peal and the furies of the      
tempest4 ,then appear those disorganized
 societies which are terrified at their 
own dissolution1 until a strong man     
comes1 and1 taking advantage of this    
very terror1 takes and chastises these  
societies1 as one chastises an unruly   
child4 ,it is a story at once old and   
new1 because1 in proportion as ,god     
withdraws from human society1 in that   
same proportion the power of the sword  
replaces the empire of the conscience4  
,there must be a religion for the       
people6 ,yes1 ,sirs1 but for that       
people1 wide as humanity1 which includes

 us all4  ,if the existence of ,god is  
denied1 man falls into despair1 and     
society into dissolution4 ,what then is 
my inference8 ,that atheism is false4   
,such a mode of arguing produces an     
outcry4 ,a matter of sentiment6 men     
exclaim4 ,you would build up a doctrine 
according to your own fancy6 ,you do not
 discuss the question calmly1 but appeal
 to interests and prejudices3 you quit  
the domain of science1 which takes      
cognizance only of facts and reasoning4 
,such expressions are common enough to  
make it worth while to study their      
value4 ,of course1 science must not be  
an instrument of our caprice4 ,we are   
bound to search for truth2 and we are   
unfaithful to our obligations if we try 
to establish doctrines which serve our  
passions1 or favor our interests1 or    
flatter our tastes and our prejudices4  
,but the conscience1 the heart1 the     
conditions of the existence of human    
society1 are neither prejudices nor     
personal interests2 they are eternal and

 living realities4 ,we speak of the     
conscience1 of the heart1 of society1   
and they answer us3 ,we do not believe  
that there are true sciences in that    
domain2 we only wish for facts4         
,occasionally we hear naturalists speak 
in this way4 ,we only wish for facts6   
,then our thoughts1 our feelings1 our   
conscience are not facts6 ,the man who  
will give the closest observation to the
 steps of a fly1 or to a caterpillar's  
method of crawling1 has not a moment's  
attention to give to the impulses of the
 heart1 to the rules of duty1 to the    
struggles of the will2 and when         
addressed on the subject of these       
realities of the soul1 the most certain 
of all realities1 he will reply3 ,that  
is no business of mine1 ,i want nothing 
but facts4 ,let us pass from this       
aberration1 and listen for a moment to  
other objectors4  ,we do not deny1 it is
 often said1 the reality of our         
feelings4 ,man desires happiness1 and   
seeks it in religious belief2 but this  

is an order of things which science     
cannot take account of4 ,science has    
only truth for its object1 and owes its 
own existence wholly to the reason4 ,if 
it happens to science to give pain to   
the heart or to the conscience1 no      
conclusion can thence be drawn against  
the certainty of its results4 ,there is 
no commoner1 and at the same time       
faultier1 way of reasoning1 than that of
 objecting to a philosophical hypothesis
 the injury it may do to morals and to  
religion4 ,when an opinion leads to     
absurdity1 it is certainly false2 but it
 is not certain that it is false because
 it entails dangerous consequences4#ch  
,so wrote the patriarch of modern       
sceptics1 the ,scotchman ,hume4 ,the    
lesson has been well learnt2 it is      
repeated to us1 without end1 in the     
columns of the leading journals of      
,france1 and in the pages of the ,revue 
des deux ,mondes4 ,the adversaries of   
spiritual beliefs have changed their    
tactics4 ,in the last century1 they     

replied to minds alarmed for the        
consequences of their work3 ,truth can  
never do harm4--,truth can never do     
harm1 retorted ,j4,j4 ,rousseau3 ,i     
believe it as you do1 and this it is    
that proves to me that your doctrines   
are not truth4 ,the argument is         
conclusive4 ,so the adversary has taken 
up another position2 and he says at this
 day3--,our doctrines do perhaps pain   
the heart1 and wound the conscience1 but
 this is no reason why they should be   
false3 moral goodness1 utility1         
happiness1 are not signs by which we may
 know what is true4  ,philosophy1       
,gentlemen1 has always assumed to be the
 universal explanation of things1 and   
you will agree that it is on her part a 
humiliating avowal1 that she is         
enclosed1 namely1 in a circle of pure   
reason1 and leaves out of view1 as being
 unable to give any account of them1 the
 great realities which are called moral 
goodness and happiness4 ,one might ask  
what are the bases of that science which

 disavows1 without emotion1 the most    
active powers of human nature4 ,one     
might ask whether those who so speak1   
understand well the meaning of their own
 words2 and inquire also what is the    
method which they employ1 and the result
 at which they aim4 ,one might ask      
whether these philosophers are not like 
astronomers who should say3 ,here are   
our calculations4 ,it matters nothing to
 us whether the stars in their observed 
course do or do not agree with them4    
,science is sovereign2 it is amenable   
only to its own laws1 and visible       
realities cannot be objections in the   
way of its calculations4 ,let us leave  
these preliminary remarks1 and let us   
come to the core of the controversy4    
,they set the reason on one side1 the   
conscience and heart upon the other1 as 
an anatomist separates the organic      
portions of a corpse1 and they say3     
,truth belongs only to the reason2 the  
conscience and the heart have no        
admission into science4 ,listen to the  

following express declaration of the    
weightiest1 perhaps1 of ,french         
contemporary philosophers3 ,the ,god of 
the pure reason is the only true ,god2  
the ,god of the imagination1 the ,god of
 the feelings1 the ,god of the          
conscience1 are only idols6#ci ,it is   
impossible to accept this arbitrary     
division of the divine attributes4      
,there is but one and the same ,god1 the
 ,substance of truth1 the inexhaustible 
,source of beauty1 the supreme ,law of  
the wills created to accomplish the     
designs of ,his mercy4 ,the conscience1 
the heart1 the reason rise equally      
towards ,him1 following the triple ray  
which descends from ,his eternity upon  
our transitory existence4 ,we cannot    
therefore seriously admit that ,god of  
the pure reason1 separated from the ,god
 of the conscience and of the heart4    
,still let us endeavor to make this     
concession1 for argument's sake1 to our 
philosopher4 ,let us suppose that the   
reason has a ,god to itself1 a ,god for 

the metaphysicians who is not the ,god  
of the vulgar4 ,before we immolate upon 
,his altar the conscience and the heart1
 it is worth our while to examine       
whether the statue of the ,god of the   
reason rests upon a solid pedestal4     
,here are the theses which are proposed 
to us3 ,it is impossible for our        
feelings to supply any light for        
science4 ,truth may be gloomy1 and      
despair may gain its cause4 ,virtue may 
be wrong1 and immorality may be the     
true4 ,reason alone judges of that which
 is4 ,i answer3 ,human nature has always
 eagerly followed after happiness4      
,human nature has always acknowledged1  
even while violating it1 a rule of duty4
 ,the heart is not an accident1 the     
conscience is not a prejudice3 they are1
 and by the same right as the reason1   
constituent elements of our spiritual   
existence4 ,if there exist an           
irreconcilable antagonism between       
science and life2 if the heart1 in its  
fundamental and universal aspirations1  

is the victim of an illusion1 if the    
conscience in its clearest admonitions  
is only a teacher of error1 what is our 
position8 ,in what ,i am now saying1    
,gentlemen1 ,i am not appealing to your 
feelings2 the business is to follow1    
with calm attention1 a piece of exact   
reasoning4 ,if the heart deceives us1 if
 the voice of duty leads us astray1 the 
disorder is at the very core of our     
being2 our nature is ill constructed4   
,if our nature is ill constructed1 what 
warrants to us our reason8 ,nothing4    
,what assures us that our axioms are    
good1 and that our reasonings have any  
value8 ,nothing4 ,the life of the soul  
cannot be arbitrarily cloven in twain2  
it must be held for good in all its     
constituent elements1 or enveloped      
wholly and entirely in the shades of    
doubt4 ,if the heart and conscience     
deceive us1 then reason may lead us     
astray1 and the very idea of truth      
disappears4 ,god is the light of the    
spiritual world4 ,we prove ,his         

existence by showing that without ,him  
all returns to darkness4 ,this          
demonstration is as good as another4    
,,footnotes3  #bf ,christian ,states    
have given the force of law to          
institutions1 such1 for instance1 as    
monogamy1 which date their origin from  
the ,gospel records4 ,here we have the  
normal development of civilization3     
religious faith enlightens the general  
conscience1 and reveals to it the true  
conditions of social progress4 ,in this 
order of things1 it is not a question of
 beliefs1 but of acts imposed in the    
name of the interests of society4 ,the  
state may take account of the religious 
beliefs of its subjects1 and enter into 
such relations as may seem to it        
convenient with the ecclesiastical      
authorities3 this is the basis of the   
system of concordats1 a system which has
 nothing in it contrary to first        
principles1 so long as liberty is       
maintained4 ,but the establishment of   
national religions1 decreed by the      

temporal power and varying in different 
states1 manifestly supposes a foundation
 of scepticism4 ,for the idea of truth1 
one and universal in itself1 is         
substituted the idea of decisions       
obligatory for those only who are under 
the jurisdiction of a definite political
 body4 ,if the ,state1 without          
pretending to decree dogma1 receives it 
from the hands of the ,church1 and      
imposes it upon its subjects1 it seems  
at first that the temporal power has    
placed itself at the service of the     
,church1 but that the idea of truth is  
preserved4 ,but when the question is    
studied more closely1 it is seen that   
this is not the case1 and that the state
 usurps in fact1 in this combination1   
the attributes of the spiritual power4  
,in fact1 before protecting the true    
religion1 it is necessary to ascertain  
which it is2 and in order to ascertain  
the true religion1 the political power  
must constitute itself judge of         
religious truth4 ,so we come back1 by a 

dtour1 to the conception of national    
religions4 ,the ,emperor of ,russia and 
the ,emperor of ,austria will inquire   
respectively which is the only true     
religion1 to the exclusive maintenance  
of which they are to consecrate their   
temporal power4 ,to the same question   
they will give two different replies2   
and each nation will have its own form  
of worship1 just as each nation has its 
own ruler4  #bg ,etudes orientales1     
#ahfa4  #bh ,unit morale des peuples    
modernes1--a lecture delivered at       
,lyons1 #aj ,april1 #ahci4 ,this lecture
 is inserted after the ,gnie des        
,religions in the complete works of the 
author4  #bi ,franck1 ,philosophie du   
droit ecclsiastique1 pages #aag and     
#aah4  #cj ,schmidt1 ,essai historique  
sur la ,socit civile dans le monde      
romain4 ,bk4 #a4 ch4 #c4  #ca       ,la 
libert que j'aime est ne avec notre me  
,le jour o le plus juste a brav le plus 
fort4  #cb ,tertullian4  #cc ,le ,pre   
,lacordaire1 by the ,comte de           

,montalembert1 p4 #be4  #cd ,de l'autre 
rive1 by ,iscander 7in ,russian74       
,iscander is the pseudonyme of ,m4      
,herzen4  #ce ,the man of thought knows 
that the world only belongs to him as a 
subject of study1 and1 even if he could 
reform it1 perhaps he would find it so  
curious as it is that he would not have 
the courage to do so4--,ernest ,renan1  
preface to ,etudes d'histoire           
religieuse1 #aheg4 ,the author has      
manifested better sentiments in #ahei1  
in the preface to his ,essais de morale 
et de critique4  #cf ,de ,legibus1 ii4  
#g4  #cg       ,dors-tu content1        
,voltaire1 et ton hideux sourire        
,voltige-t-il encor sur tes os dcharns8 
#ch ,hume1 ,essay ,,viii4 ,on liberty   
and necessity4 ,not having access to the
 original1 ,i re-translate the ,french  
translation4--,,tr4  #ci ,vacherot1 ,la 
metaphysique et la science4 ,preface1 p4
 xxix4     ,,lecture ,,iii4  ,,the      
,,revival ,,of ,,atheism4  7,at ,geneva1
 #bdth ,nov4 #ahfc4--;,at ,lausanne1    

#ahth ,jan4 #ahfd47   ,,gentlemen1  ,the
 subject of the present ,lecture will   
be--,the revival of ,atheism4 ,and ,i do
 not employ the word 'atheism'--a term  
which has been so greatly               
abused--without mature reflection4 ,when
 ,socrates opposed the idea of the holy 
,god to the impure idols of paganism2   
when he dethroned ,jupiter and his train
 in order to celebrate the supreme ,god1
 who made and who guides the world1 who 
maintains the works of creation in the  
flower of youth1 and in a vigor always  
new1#dj they accused ,socrates of being 
an atheist4 ,descartes1 the great       
geometrician who proclaimed the         
existence of ,god more certain than any 
theorem of geometry1 has been denounced 
as an atheist4 ,when men began to       
forsake the temples of idols in order to
 worship the unknown ,god who had just  
manifested ,himself to the world1 the   
,christians were accused of atheism     
because they refused to bow down to wood
 and stone4 ,such abuses might dispose  

one to renounce the use of the word4    
,besides1 when a word has been for a    
long time the signal of persecution and 
the forerunner of death1 one hesitates  
to employ it4 ,in an age when atheists  
were burned1 generous minds would use   
their best efforts to prove that men    
suspected of atheism had not denied     
,god1 because they would not have been  
understood had they attempted to        
say--,they have denied ,god perhaps1 but
 that is no reason for killing them4    
,thence arose the sophistical apologies 
for certain doctrines1 apologies made   
with a good intention1 but which trouble
 the sincerity of history4 ,these are   
the brands of servitude1 which must     
disappear where liberty prevails4 ,we   
are able now to call things by their    
proper names1 for there exist no longer 
for atheism either stakes or prisons4   
,in affirming that certain writers1 some
 of whom are just now the favorites of  
fame1 are shaking the foundations of all
 religion1 one exposes no one to        

severities which have disappeared from  
our manners1 one only exposes oneself to
 the being taxed with intolerance and   
fanaticism4 ,but candor is here a duty4 
,if this duty were not fulfilled1       
liberty of thought would no longer be   
anything else than liberty of negation2 
and1 while truth was oppressed1 error   
alone would be set free4  ,let us settle
 clearly the terms of this discussion4  
,it is often asserted that an atheist   
does not exist4 ,does this mean that the
 lips which deny ,god1 always in some   
way contradict themselves8 ,does it mean
 that every soul bears witness to ,god1 
perhaps unconsciously to itself1 either 
by a secret hope1 or by a secret dread8 
,this is true1 as ,i think2 but we are  
speaking here of doctrines and not of   
men4 ,it is true again that the negation
 of the ,creator allows of the          
existence1 in certain philosophies1 of  
generous ideas and elevated conceptions4
 ,such men1 while they put ,god out of  
existence1 desire to keep the true1 the 

beautiful1 the good2 they hope to       
preserve the rays1 while they extinguish
 the luminous centre from which they    
proceed4 ,such systems always tend to   
produce the deadly fruits pointed out in
 my last lecture2 but men devoted to the
 severe labors of the intellect often   
escape1 by a noble inconsistency1 the   
natural results of their theories4      
,therefore1 in the inquiry on which we  
are about to enter1 the term 'atheism'  
implies1 with regard to persons1 neither
 reproach nor contempt4 ,it simply      
indicates a doctrine1 the doctrine which
 denies ,god4 ,this denial takes place  
in two ways3 ,it is affirmed that       
nature1 that is to say matter1 force    
devoid of intelligence and of will1 is  
the sole origin of things2 or1 the      
reality is acknowledged of those marks  
which raise mind above nature1 but it is
 affirmed that humanity is the highest  
point of the universe1 and that above it
 there is nothing4 ,such are the two    
forms of atheism4  ,perhaps you expect  

here the explanation of a doctrine which
 is often described as holding a sort of
 middle place between the negation and  
the affirmation of ,god1 namely1        
pantheism4 ,pantheism1 in the true sense
 of that word1 is a system according to 
which ,god is all1 and the universe     
nothing4 ,this extraordinary thesis is  
met with in ,india4 ,a ,greek1          
,parmenides1 has vigorously sustained   
it4 ,we have in it a kind of sublime    
infatuation4 ,in presence of the one and
 eternal ,being thought collapses in    
bewilderment2 and thenceforward it      
experiences for all that is manifold and
 transitory a disdain which passes into 
negation4 ,in the domain of experience1 
all is limited1 temporary1 imperfect2   
and reason seeks the perfect1 the       
eternal1 the infinite4 ,the doctrine of 
creation alone explains how the universe
 subsists in presence of its first      
cause4 ,in ignorance of this doctrine1  
some bold thinkers have cut the knot    
which they could not untie4 ,they have  

declared that reason alone is right1 and
 that experience is wrong3 the world    
does not exist1 it is but an illusion of
 the mind4 ,whence proceeds this        
illusion8 ,if perfection alone exists1  
how comes that imperfect mind to exist  
which deceives itself in believing in   
the reality of the world8 ,to this      
question the system has no answer4 ,such
 is true pantheism2 but it is not to    
dangers so noble that most minds run the
 risk of succumbing4 ,what is commonly  
understood by pantheism is the          
deification of the universe4 ,the idea  
of ,god is not directly denied1 but it  
undergoes a transformation which        
destroys it4 ,god is no longer the      
eternal and ,almighty ,spirit1 the      
,creator2 but the unconscious principle1
 the substance of things1 the whole4    
,the universe alone exists2 above it    
there is nothing2 but the universe is   
infinite1 eternal1 divine4 ,the higher  
wants of the reason1 mingling with the  
data derived from experience1 form an   

imposing and confused image1 which1     
while it beguiles the imagination1      
perverts the understanding1 deceives the
 heart1 and places the conscience in    
peril4 ,in a philosophical point of     
view1 it is a contradiction of thought1 
which seeks the ,infinite ,being1 and1  
being unable to discover ,him1 gives the
 character of infinity to realities     
bounded by experience4 ,in a religious  
point of view1 it is an aberration of   
the heart1 which preserves the sentiment
 of adoration1 but perverts it by       
dispersing it over the universe4        
,pantheism1 says ,m4 ,jules ,simon1 is  
only the learned form of atheism2 the   
universe deified is a universe without  
,god4#da ,from the moment that the      
reason endeavors to see distinctly1     
pantheism vanishes like a deceitful     
glare4 ,atheism disengages itself from  
the cloak which was concealing its true 
nature1 and the mind remains in presence
 of nature only1 or of humanity only4   
,we will proceed to take a rapid glance 

at some few of the countries of ,europe1
 in order to discover and point out in  
them the traces of this melancholy      
doctrine4 ,let us begin with ,france4   
,in the year #ahdd1 just twenty years   
ago1 some ,french writers1 representing 
the philosophy1 in some measure         
official1 of the time1 united to publish
 a ,dictionnaire des sciences           
philosophiques4 ,m4 ,franck1 the        
director of this useful and laborious   
enterprise1 said in the preface to the  
work3 ,atheism has well nigh completely 
disappeared from philosophy2 the        
progress of a sound psychology will     
render its return for ever impossible4  
,in speaking thus1 he expressed the     
thoughts and hopes of the school of     
which he remains one of the most        
estimable representatives4 ,a generous  
impulse was animating a group of        
intelligent and learned young men4      
,their hope was to translate            
,christianity into a purely rational    
doctrine1 to purify religious notions   

without destroying them1 and1 while     
endowing humanity with a vigorous       
scientific culture1 to leave to it its  
lofty hopes4 ,the object in view was to 
establish a philosophy founded upon a   
serious faith in ,god2 and to this      
philosophy was promised the progressive 
and pacific conquest of the human       
race4#db ,twenty years have passed1 and 
things bear quite another aspect4 ,to   
language expressive of security have    
succeeded the accents of anxiety and    
words of alarm4 ,the cause which was    
proclaimed victorious is defended at    
this day like a besieged city4 ,you will
 remark however1--that ,i may not leave 
you beyond measure discouraged by the   
facts of which ,i have to tell you1--you
 will remark1 ,i say1 that it is the    
efforts attempted in the cause of good  
which have helped to set me on the track
 of evil2 it has often been the defence 
which has fixed my attention upon the   
attack4  ,the materialism of the last   
century seems to have maintained a      

strong hold upon one part of the ,paris 
school of medicine4 ,we do find in      
,france a good many physicians who1 like
 ,boerhave1 render homage to religion1  
and a good many physiologists who1 like 
the great ,haller1 are ready to defend  
beliefs of the spiritual order2#dc but1 
among men specially devoted to the study
 of matter1 many succumb to the         
temptation of refusing to recognize     
anything as real which does not come    
under the experience of the senses4     
,this however is not one of the points  
which offer themselves most strikingly  
for our examination4 ,the atheistic     
manifestations of the socialist schools 
have more novelty1 and perhaps more     
importance4  ,man is naturally a social 
being4 ,good and evil have their        
primitive seat in the heart of          
individuals1 but good and evil are      
transferred into institutions of which  
the influence is morally beneficial or  
pernicious4 ,if socialism consists in   
recognizing the importance of social    

institutions1 in cherishing ideas of    
progress and hopes of reform1 ,i trust  
that we are all socialists4 ,do we      
desire progress by the ever wider       
diffusion of justice and love8 ,from the
 moment that1 across the conscience     
whereon divine rays are falling1 we have
 descried the eternal centre of light1  
we understand that ,god is the most     
implacable enemy of abuses4 ,how is it  
then that atheism sometimes manifests   
itself in attempts at social reform8 ,we
 may explain it1 without so much as     
pointing out the influence1 but too     
real1 of the faults committed by the    
representatives of religion4 ,faith is a
 principle of action2 it is1 as history 
testifies1 the grand source of the      
progress of human society2 but faith is 
also a principle of patience4 ,the brow 
of every believer is more or less       
illumined by the rays of ,his peace who 
is patient because ,he is eternal4      
,eager to effect good to the utmost     
extent of his ability1 he accomplishes  

his work with that calm activity to     
which are reserved durable victories4   
,in the impossible 7for if the word     
impossible is not ,french1 it is human7 
the believer recognizes one of the      
manifestations of the supreme ,will1 and
 immortal hope enables him to support   
the evils which he does not succeed in  
destroying4 ,but this is not enough for 
impatient reformers4 ,ignorant of the   
profound sources of evil1 they think    
that institutions can do everything1 and
 that a change of laws would suffice to 
reform men's hearts2 they believe that  
the organization of society alone       
hinders the realization of good and of  
happiness4 ,the resignation of believers
 appears to them a stupid lethargy1 and 
in their patient expectation of a       
judgment to come they see only an       
obstacle to the immediate triumph of    
justice on the earth4 ,what if the      
nations were persuaded that there is    
nothing to be looked for beyond the     
present life1 so that all that is to be 

done is to make to ourselves a paradise 
as soon as may be here below6 ,if they  
were persuaded that all appeal to the   
,judge in heaven is a chimerical hope1  
with what ardor would they throw        
themselves into schemes of revolution6  
,thus it is that certain political      
innovators are led to seek in the       
negation of ,god one of their means of  
action4  ,two views1 therefore1         
essentially diverse1 govern the labors  
of the renovators of society4 ,the one  
class desire to realize1 in an ever     
larger measure1 justice and love2       
religious convictions are the strongest 
support of their work4 ,the other class 
would uproot from men's minds every     
principle of faith1 in order the more   
readily to obtain the realization of    
their theories4 ,these two classes of   
men seem at times to be fighting all    
together in the mle of opinions4 ,they  
meet1 as1 in the doubtful glimmer of the
 dawn1 might meet together laborious    
workmen who are anticipating the        

daylight1 and evil-doers who are fleeing
 from the sun4  ,in order to form a just
 estimate of the labors of the socialist
 schools1 it would be necessary to make 
a bold and straightforward inquiry into 
the object of their studies1 and to     
discern1 in the midst of mad-brained and
 guilty dreams1 whatever flashes of     
light might disclose some prophetic     
vision of the future4 ,this is no task  
of ours4 ,it is enough for us to remark 
that in ,france1 as also in the other   
countries of ,europe1 the negation of   
,god discovers itself in this order of  
ideas4 ,it discovers itself at one time 
by an idolatry of humanity1 at another  
by a materialistic enthusiasm for       
corporeal indulgences4 ,disregarding the
 sensual imaginations which disgrace the
 works of ,fourrier1 let us turn our    
attention elsewhere4  ,m4 ,vacherot1 a  
sober philosopher1 of high intellectual 
power and elevated sentiment1 has lately
 published1 unhappily1 twelve hundred   
pages destined to maintain the thesis   

that ,god does not exist4#dd ,man       
conceives the idea of perfection1 and   
not finding that perfection realized    
either in the world or in himself1 he   
rises to the conception of a real and   
perfect being3 such is the usual process
 of metaphysical reasoning4 ,for ,m4    
,vacherot1 reality and perfection       
mutually exclude one another2 this is   
one of his fundamental theses4 ,this    
thesis does but interpret the result of 
our experience1 by refusing us the right
 to raise ourselves higher4 ,the world  
with which we are acquainted is         
imperfect2 therefore--say ,plato1 ,saint
 ,augustine1 and ,descartes--the        
perfection of which we have the idea is 
realized in a ,being superior to the    
world4 ,the world with which we are     
acquainted is imperfect1 therefore there
 is a contradiction between the ideal   
and the real1 says ,m4 ,vacherot1 who   
makes thus of the general result of     
experience the absolute rule of truth4  
,to say therefore of ,god that ,he is   

perfect1 is to affirm that ,he does not 
exist1 inasmuch as the ideal is never   
realized4 ,thought thus finds itself    
placed in a situation at once odd and   
violent4 ,if ,god is perfect1 ,he does  
not exist4 ,if ,god exists1 ,he is not  
perfect4 ,the respect which we owe to   
the ,being of beings forbids us to      
believe in ,him2 to affirm ,his         
existence would be to do outrage to ,his
 perfection4 ,the author of this theory 
renders a worship to that ideal which   
does not exist1 and towards which he    
affirms nevertheless that the world is  
gravitating by the law of progress4     
,this worship is of too abstract a      
nature to secure many adherents2 it can 
only become popular by taking another   
shape1 and it does so in this way3 ,we  
conceive of that perfection which in    
itself does not exist2 it exists        
therefore in our thought4 ,since the    
world1 by the law of progress1 is       
tending towards perfection1 the world   
has for its end and law a thought of the

 human mind4 ,the human mind therefore  
is the summit of the universe1 and it is
 it that we must adore4 ,we are here out
 of the region of pure abstraction1 and 
arrive at the doctrines of the          
,positivist school4  ,the ,positive     
philosophy1 so called because it wishes 
to have done with chimeras1 was founded 
in ,france1 a few years ago1 by ,auguste
 ,comte4 ,m4 ,littr is at present one of
 its principal representatives4 ,this   
writer1 says ,m4 ,sainte-,beuve1 is one 
of those who are endeavoring to set     
humanity free from illusions1 from vague
 disputes1 from vain solutions1 from    
deceitful idols and powers4#de ,let us  
say the same thing in simpler terms3 ,m4
 ,littr professes the doctrines of a    
school which ignores the ,creator in    
nature1 and ,providence in history4 ,to 
ascertain phenomena1 and acquaint       
ourselves with the law which governs    
them1 such1 say the positivists1 is the 
limit of all our knowledge4 ,as for the 
origin of things and their destination1 

that is an affair of individual fancy4  
,each one may be allowed to represent   
such matters to himself as he likes2    
there is nothing to hinder the man who  
finds a pleasure in doing so from       
dreaming upon that past and that        
future4#df  ,in spite of some           
appearances to the contrary1 says ,m4   
,littr1 the positive philosophy does not
 accept atheism4#dg ,why8 ,because      
atheism pretends to give an explanation 
of the universe1 and that after a       
fashion is still theology4 ,minds       
veritably emancipated profess to know   
nothing whatever on questions which go  
beyond actual experience4 ,they do not  
deny ,god1 they eliminate ,him from the 
thoughts4 ,the attempt is a bold one1   
but it fails2 men do not succeed in     
emancipating themselves from the laws of
 reason4 ,the very writer whom ,i have  
just quoted is himself a proof of this1 
for he absolutely proscribes every      
statement of a metaphysical nature1 and 
then1 three pages farther on1 in the    

very treatise in which he makes this    
proscription1 he speaks of the eternal  
motive powers of a boundless            
universe4#dh ,boundless6 eternal6 ,what 
thoughts are these8 ,behold the         
instincts of the reason coming to light6
 behold all the divine attributes       
appearing6 ,adoration is withdrawn from 
,god1 and it is given to the universe at
 large4 ,what is it which1 in the       
universe regarded as a whole1 will      
become the direct object of worship8    
,another positivist1 ,m4 de ,lombrail1  
will tell us1 in a work reviewed by     
,auguste ,comte3 ,man1 he says1 has     
always adored humanity4 ,here1 we learn1
 is the true foundation of all          
religions1 and the brief summary of     
their history4 ,this humanity-god has   
been long adored under a veil which     
disguised it from the eyes of its       
worshippers2 but the time is come when  
the sage ought to recognize the object  
of his worship and give it its true     
name4#di  ,the positivist school1 then1 

professes a complete scepticism with    
regard to whatever is not included in   
the domain of experience4 ,but its foot 
slips1 and it falls into the negation of
 ,god1 from which it rises again by     
means of a humanitarian atheism4 ,all   
these marks are met with again in the   
works of the critical school4  ,the     
critics group themselves about ,m4      
,renan4 ,the praises which they lavished
 a while ago on a bad book by that      
author seem at least to allow us to     
point him out as their chief4 ,they     
derive their name from studies in       
history and archology1 with which we    
here have nothing to do4 ,they are      
regarded as forming a philosophical and 
religious school1 and it is in that     
connection that they claim our          
attention4 ,their influence is          
incontestable1 and still1               
notwithstanding1 their doctrinal value  
is nothing4 ,they form merely a literary
 branch of the positivist school        
engrafted upon the eclecticism of ,m4   

,cousin4 ,we find in their writings the 
pretension to limit science to the      
experimental study of nature and to     
humanity4 ,we afterwards find there the 
pretension to understand and to accept  
all doctrines alike4 ,beyond this1      
nothing4 ,the critics bestow particular 
attention on the phenomena of religion1 
of art1 and of philosophy2 but this     
interest is purely historical4 ,nothing 
is more curious than the successive     
forms of human beliefs2 but the period  
of beliefs is over4 ,religious faith no 
longer subsists except in minds which   
are behind the age2 and philosophy1     
upheld in a final swoon by ,hegel and   
,hamilton1 has just yielded its last    
breath in the arms of ,m4 ,cousin3 so   
,m4 ,renan informs us4#ej ,to choose a  
side between the defenders of the idea  
of ,god and its opponents2 to choose    
between ,plato and ,epicurus1 between   
,origen and ,celsus1 between ,descartes 
and ,hobbes1 between ,leibnitz and      
,spinoza1 would be to make one's self   

the ,don ,quixote of thought4 ,an honest
 man may find amusement in reading the  
,amadis of ,gaul2 the ,knight of la     
,manche went mad through putting faith  
in the adventures of that hero4 ,a like 
fate befalls those minds which are      
simple enough to believe still1 in the  
midst of the nineteenth century1 in the 
brave chimeras of former days4 ,let us  
study history1 let us study nature2     
beyond that we do not know1 and we never
 shall know1 anything4 ,our fashionable 
men of letters develop their thesis with
 so much assurance2 they lavish upon    
believers so many expressions of amiable
 disdain2 they appear so sure of being  
the interpreters of the mind of the age1
 that they seem ready to repeat to young
 people dazzled by their success1 the   
lesson which ,gilbert had expressed in  
these terms3        ,between            
ourselves--you own a ,god1 ,i fear6     
,beware lest in your verse the fact     
appear3      ,dread the wits' laughter1 
friend1 and know your betters3      ,our

 grandsires might have worn those       
old-world fetters2      ,but in our     
days6 ,come1 you must learn respect1--  
,content your age to follow1 not        
direct4#ea   ,to believe in ,god would  
be vulgar2 to deny the existence of ,god
 would be a want of taste2 the divine   
world must remain as a subject for      
poetry4 ,so our critics speak4 ,their   
direct affirmation is scepticism4 ,but  
they follow the destinies of the        
positivist school2 they do not succeed  
in maintaining their balance between the
 affirmation and negation of ,god4      
,alfred de ,musset has described this   
position of the soul1 and its inevitable
 issue4 ,must ,i hope in ,god8 ,must ,i 
reject all faith and all hope8          
,between these paths how difficult the  
choice6        ,ah6 might ,i find some  
smoother1 easier way4      ,none such   
exists1 whispers a secret voice1        
,god is1 or is not--own1 or slight1 ,his
 sway4      ,in sooth1 ,i think so3     
troubled souls in turn        ,by each  

extreme are tossed and harassed sore3   
,they are but atheists1 who feel no     
concern2        ,if once they doubted   
they would sleep no more4#eb   ,the     
indifference of the critical            
philosophers is in fact only a          
transparent veil to atheistical         
doctrines4 ,faith in ,god the ,creator  
is in their eyes a superstition2 this is
 their only settled dogma4 ,in other    
respects they indulge in theses the most
 contradictory4 ,most generally they    
deify man1 declaring that there is no   
other ,god than the idea of humanity1 no
 other infinite than the indefinite     
character of the aspirations of our own 
soul4 ,at other times they proclaim an  
undisguised materialism1 and look for   
the explanation of all things in atoms  
and in the law which governs them4 ,they
 make to themselves a two-faced idol1   
one of these faces being called nature1 
and the other humanity4 ,what strangely 
increases the confusion is that all the 
terms of language change meaning as     

employed by their pen4 ,they speak of   
,god1 of duty1 of religion1 of          
immortality2 their pages seem sometimes 
to be extracted from mystical writings2 
but these sacred words have for them a  
totally different meaning than for the  
ordinary run of their readers4 ,their   
,god is not a ,being1 their religion is 
not a worship1 their duty is not a law1 
their immortality is not the hope of a  
world to come4 ,amidst these            
equivocations and contradictions thought
 is blunted1 and the sinews of the      
intellect are unstrung4 ,the public1    
bewitched by talent and captivated by   
success1 is deluged with writings which 
have the same effect as the talk of a   
frivolous man1 or the showy tattle of a 
woman of the world4 ,they give an       
agreeable exercise to the mind1 without 
ever allowing it to form either a       
precise idea or a settled judgment4     
,many are the clouds then on the        
intellectual horizon of ,france4 ,glance
 over the recent productions of ,french 

philosophy1 and you will have no        
difficulty in recognizing the gravity of
 the situation4 ,works are multiplying  
with the object of defending the        
existence of ,god1 ,providence1 the     
immortality of the soul3 dams are being 
raised against the rising flood of      
atheism4#ec ,and here is a fact still   
more significant1 namely1 that the      
historians of ideas1 whether they are   
recurring to the most remote antiquity1 
or are passing in review the worst      
errors of modern days1 cannot meet with 
the negation of ,god1 without having    
their eyes thus turned to ,paris1 and   
their attention directed to contemporary
 productions4#ed  ,i hence infer1 that  
atheism is raising its head in ,france1 
and there presenting itself under two   
forms4 ,materialism is appearing        
principally as an heritage from the last
 century4 ,the new1 or rather renewed1  
doctrine is the adoration of man by man4
 ,we are now going to cross the ,rhine4 
,a powerful thinker1 ,hegel1 had supreme

 sway in the last movement of           
speculative thought in ,germany4        
,hegel's system of doctrine is enveloped
 in clouds4 ,it is so ambiguous in      
regard to the questions which most      
directly concern the conscience and     
human interests1 that it has been       
pretended to deduce from it1 on the one 
hand a ,christian theology1 and on the  
other a sheer atheism4 ,there is a      
story1 whether a true one or not ,i     
cannot say1 that this philosopher when  
near his end uttered the following      
words3 ,i have only had one disciple who
 has understood me--and he has          
misunderstood me4 ,a man distinguished  
in metaphysical research by taste1      
genius1 and science1 and who has1 in    
that respect1 devoted particular        
attention to ,germany1 ,m4 ,charles     
,secrtan1 writes with reference to the  
fundamental principle of the entire     
,hegelian system3 ,if you ask me how ,i 
understand the matter1 ,i will give you 
no answer2 ,i do not understand it at   

all1 and ,i do not believe that any one 
has ever understood it4#ee ,you will    
excuse me1 ,gentlemen1 from here        
undertaking the scientific study of so  
difficult a system4 ,it will be enough  
for us to render the darkness visible1  
that is to say1 to understand well what 
it is which the doctrine of the ,berlin 
,professor1 in a certain sense1 renders 
incomprehensible4  ,the foundation of   
his theory is that the universe is      
explained by an eternal idea1 an idea   
which exists by itself1 without         
appertaining to any mind4 ,the          
,hegelians say that the existence of an 
infinite ,mind is an inadmissible       
conception4 ,they reject this mystery1  
and prefer to it the palpable absurdity 
of an idea which exists in itself1      
without being the act of an             
intelligence4 ,this idea-,god we have   
already encountered in the writings of  
,m4 ,vacherot4 ,we shall find it again  
more than once as we go on4 ,in         
,germany1 as in ,france1 the theory only

 becomes popular by undergoing a        
transformation4 ,the eternal idea       
manifests itself in the mind of man1 and
 exists nowhere else4 ,above this idea  
there is nothing4 ,man is therefore the 
summit of things2 it is he who must be  
adored4 ,and thus it is in fact that    
,hegel has been understood4 ,in the     
spring of #ahej1 ,henri ,heine wrote as 
follows in the ,gazette d',augsbourg3 ,i
 begin to feel that ,i am not precisely 
a biped deity1 as ,professor ,hegel     
declared to me that ,i was twenty-five  
years ago4 ,the deification of man3 such
 is the popular translation of the      
philosophy of the idea4 ,would you have 
a further proof of this8 ,the following 
anecdote was current in my youth1 when  
,german idealism was at the height of   
its popularity4 ,a student going to call
 on one of his fellow-students1 found   
him stretched on his bed1 or his sofa1  
and exhibiting all the signs of an      
ecstatic contemplation4 ,why1 what are  
you doing there8 inquired the visitor4  

,i am adoring myself1 replied the young 
adept in philosophy4  ,i am not         
examining the doctrines of ,hegel with  
reference to the history of metaphysics1
 and within the precincts of the school 
in which it occupies a large place and  
demands the most serious attention2 ,i  
am tracing the influence of those       
doctrines on the public mind at large4  
,this influence is visible in the most  
disastrous consequences of atheism4 ,it 
certainly is not the ,hegelian school   
alone1 says ,m4 ,saint-,rn ,taillandier1
 which has produced all the moral       
miseries of the nineteenth century1 all 
those unbridled desires1 all those      
revolts of matter in a fury2#ef but it  
sums them all up in its formul1 it gives
 them1 by its scientific way of         
representing them1 a pernicious         
authority1 it multiplies them by an     
execrable propaganda4#eg  ,it was       
through ,feuerbach principally that the 
evolution was to be brought about which 
has led the ,hegelian system1 severely  

idealistic in its commencement1 to favor
 at length the revolts of matter run    
mad4 ,and this evolution is only natural
 after all4 ,if the universe is the     
development of an idea1 and not the work
 of an intelligent ,will1 all is        
necessary in the world1 for the         
development of an idea is a matter of   
destiny4 ,where all is necessary1 all is
 legitimate3 the desires of the flesh as
 well as the laws of thought and of     
conscience4 ,but1 from the moment that  
the flesh is emancipated1 it aims at    
absolute empire1 and ends by obtaining  
it3 this is matter of fact4 ,feuerbach  
has put atheism into a definite shape1  
and disengaged it from all obscurity4   
,there exists no other infinite than the
 infinite in our thoughts2 above us     
there exists nothing2 no law which binds
 us1 no power which governs us3 the work
 of modern science is to set man free   
from ,god1 for ,god is an idol4 ,but man
 thus set free from all bonds and from  
all duty is not1 for ,feuerbach1 the    

individual1 but humanity4 ,the          
individual owes himself to his species2 
the true sage will make no more silly   
and fantastic sacrifices1 but he will   
never refuse sacrifices which are really
 serviceable to humanity4#eh  ,here then
 is still a bond1 a religion1 and       
sacrifices2 the emancipation is         
incomplete4 ,what is this humanity to   
which man owes himself8 ,an abstraction1
 an idol still1 an idol to be overthrown
 if he would obtain perfect             
independence4 ,listen to the ,german    
,stirmer1 deducing from the doctrine its
 extreme consequences3 ,perish the      
people1 he exclaims1 perish ,germany1   
perish all the nations of ,europe2 and  
let man1 rid of all bonds1 delivered    
from the last phantoms of religion1     
recover at length his full              
independence6#ei ,all the mists of      
abstraction have now disappeared3 here  
we are on ground which is hideously     
clear4 ,humanity is no longer in        
question1 but the worship of self2 it is

 the complete enfranchisement of        
selfishness4  ,while the proud idealism 
of the ,germans was thus1 by its own    
weight1 descending into the level flats 
of thought1 a political movement was    
agitating ,germany4 ,simple-minded poets
 were celebrating atheism with an       
enthusiasm which seemed sincere2 and1 at
 the same time1 men who are not         
simple-minded1 journalists and          
demagogues1 were laying hold of the     
irreligion as a lever with which to make
 a breach in the social edifice4 ,in the
 year #ahde1 the attention of the ,swiss
 authorities was drawn to certain secret
 societies1 composed of ,germans1 and   
having for their object a revolution in 
,germany1 but which had established     
their basis of operations on the ,swiss 
territory4 ,the inquiries of the police 
issued in the discovery of twenty-seven 
clubs bound together by secret          
correspondence4 ,working-men were       
induced on various pretexts to attend   
meetings1 of which the real object was  

only gradually disclosed to them4 ,if   
they were reckoned worthy1 they were    
initiated into the plan of a social     
reform1 the basis of which was          
atheism4#fj ,one of the principal agents
 in this work of proselytism1 ,guillaume
 ,marr1 exclaimed3 ,faith in a personal 
and living ,god is the origin and the   
fundamental cause of our miserable      
social condition4 ,and he deduced as    
follows the practical consequence of his
 theory3 ,the idea of ,god is the       
key-stone of the arch of a tottering    
civilization2 let us destroy it4 ,the   
true road to liberty1 to equality1 and  
to happiness1 is atheism4 ,no safety on 
earth1 so long as man holds on by a     
thread to heaven4--,let nothing         
henceforward shackle the spontaneity of 
the human mind4 ,let us teach man that  
there is no other ,god than himself1    
that he is the ,alpha and the ,omega of 
all things1 the superior being1 and the 
most real reality4 ,we have still to    
explain the nature of this spontaneity1 

free from every shackle4 ,one of the    
editors of the journal conducted by     
,marr discloses it by quoting some      
verses in which ,henri ,heine expresses 
the wish to see great vices1 bloody and 
colossal crimes1 provided he may be     
delivered from a worthy-citizen virtue1 
and an honest-merchant morality6#fa ,a  
little later1 a journal of ,german      
,switzerland asserted1 that in order to 
set free man's natural instincts and    
propensities1 it is indispensable to    
destroy the idea of ,god4#fb  ,these1 ,i
 am well aware1 are the screams of a    
savage madness4 ,but after all1 and be  
this as it may1 ,marr was publishing his
 journal at ,lausanne in #ahde1 and in  
#ahdh he was named representative of the
 people1 by a considerable majority1 in 
one of the largest cities of ,germany4  
,and this was by no means an isolated   
fact4 ,atheism showed itself in the     
ephemeral parliament of ,frankfort as a 
sort of party1 of which ,m4 ,vogt1 says 
the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes1 was the   

great orator4#fc  ,the ,german          
revolution was put down by the bayonet1 
but the doctrines of which it had       
revealed the existence1 left vestiges   
for a long time in the country of the   
terror which they had inspired4 ,alarm  
was felt for the various interests      
threatened1 and noble souls were stirred
 with compassion by the conviction      
forced upon them of the spiritual       
miseries of their brethren4 ,a powerful 
reaction took place1 as well in the     
religious as the philosophical world4   
,this reaction has produced salutary    
results2 but the object is not fully    
attained4 ,open the journals and the    
reviews1 and you will learn that        
,germany is1 in these days1 the         
principal centre of materialism4 ,it is 
unhappily so rich in this respect1 that 
it can afford to engage in exportation1 
and to furnish professors of the school 
to other countries of ,europe4  ,doctor 
,bchner has published1 under the title  
of ,force and ,matter1 a small volume   

which has rapidly reached a seventh     
edition1 and has lately been translated 
into ,french4#fd ,materialism is there  
set forth with perfect arrogance1 or1 to
 speak more moderately1 with perfect    
audacity4 ,the author pretends to       
confine himself strictly within the     
domain of experience1 and it is         
wonderful with what haughtiness he      
proscribes the researches of philosophy4
 ,it would seem therefore that the      
question of the nature of things ought  
to remain outside the circle of his     
studies4 ,nevertheless1 he declares     
matter to be eternal and the universe   
infinite4 ,i ask you how long it would  
be necessary to have lived in order to  
pronounce matter eternal in the name of 
experience2 and what journeys it would  
have been necessary to make1 before     
ascertaining by means of observation    
that the universe is infinite4 ,we shall
 have occasion to recur to this subject4
 ,meanwhile we may be very sure that    
experience supplies no system of        

metaphysics1 and that materialism is a  
metaphysical system as strongly marked  
as any4 ,when its adepts cry out1 ,away 
with philosophy6 they mean by that      
simply3 ,we will have no good           
philosophy1 that we may be free to make 
bad philosophy of our own without       
rivalry4 ,a proceeding which reminds one
 of certain demagogues who cry with all 
their might1 ,down with tyrants6 and who
 thus succeed in making out of the fear 
of the tyranny of others the solid      
foundation of their own despotism4  ,we 
find then in ,germany1 first of all the 
doctrine of the idea set forth with clat
 by ,hegel1 then atheism mixed up with  
political notions and projects1 and     
lastly materialism4 ,the elements are   
the same as in ,france1 but exhibit     
themselves in a different order4 ,this  
diversity suggests some observations    
worth your attention4  ,france1 setting 
out with the materialism of the         
eighteenth century1 rose to that        
adoration of man which characterizes at 

the present day the greater part of its 
atheistical manifestations4 ,german     
atheism1 having as its starting-point an
 abstract idealism of which the         
adoration of man was the result1 has    
descended to the levels of              
materialism4#fe ,we may inquire into the
 theory of these facts1 and say why     
materialism rises to the adoration of   
man by a natural movement2 and why1 also
 by a natural movement1 the adoration of
 man descends again to materialism4     
,materialism infers from its principles 
the denial of any future to man1 and not
 only any future1 but any true value1   
any real existence4 ,we are nothing but 
an agglomeration of molecules1 ready to 
separate without leaving any trace of   
ever having been together4 ,is not this 
a thing to be said sadly1 as the saddest
 thing in the world8 ,why then are the  
apostles of matter nearly always        
assuming the loftiest tone1 and uttering
 shouts of triumph8 ,it is that they    
feel themselves free1 emancipated from  

that terror which has made the gods1    
444 that brood of idle fear      ,fine  
nothings worshipped1--why1 doth not     
appear2      ,the gods--whom man made1  
and who made not man4#ff                
,emancipation6 ,such is the watchword of
 materialism4 ,listen1 for example1 to  
the conclusion of ,baron d',holbach's   
,system of ,nature3 ,break the chains1  
says he1 which are binding men4 ,send   
back those gods who are afflicting them 
to those imaginary regions from whence  
fear first drew them forth4 ,inspire    
with courage the intelligent being2 give
 him energy2 let him dare at length to  
love himself1 to esteem himself1 to feel
 his own dignity2 let him dare to       
emancipate himself1 let him be happy and
 free4 ,strange accents these1 at the   
close of a large philosophical treatise 
intended to prove that there is nothing 
in the universe but matter4 ,whence     
proceeds the dignity of that fragment of
 matter which calls itself man8         
,understand well what passes in the mind

 of these philosophers4 ,in proportion  
as man lowers his own origin1 in the    
same proportion1--if he does not wish to
 make himself a brute1 in order to live 
as do the animals1--he exalts himself in
 an inevitable sentiment of pride4 ,in  
vain does he give out that the material 
frame is everything2 he feels that      
thought is more than the material frame2
 and he accords to himself the first    
place in the universe4 ,the materialist 
ignores the ,eternal ,mind in order to  
emancipate himself2 and whatever he may 
say1 his real deity is not the atom1 but
 himself4 ,the encyclopedists1 sons of  
an age which yielded at once to noble   
influences and to guilty seductions1    
united the worship of progress to a     
degrading philosophy4 ,consider with    
what a feeling of pride they lowered    
man1 and you will understand why eternal
 nature gave place to sacred humanity4  
,when ,france had fallen into the       
delirium of irreligion1 it was not a    
little dust in an earthen vase which was

 offered for public adoration1 but they 
led in procession through the streets of
 ,paris a woman who was called the      
goddess ,reason4  ,so it was that       
materialism ended in the adoration of   
man4 ,let us endeavor to understand how 
the adoration of man turns again to     
materialism4 ,the mind endowed with     
intelligence and will is more elevated  
in the scale of being than inert bodies4
 ,this is for us an evident truth4      
,could one demonstrate it by reasoning8 
,i do not know2 but in contesting it1 we
 should contradict the plainest         
evidence4 ,reason is superior to matter4
 ,if1 with the school which extends from
 ,pythagoras to ,saint ,augustine1 and  
from ,saint ,augustine to ,descartes1 we
 connect reason with ,god as its        
principle1 the grand science of         
metaphysics is founded4 ,but if reason  
does not rise to ,god1 what will happen8
 ,this reason1 which proclaims itself   
superior to matter1 is not1 as we have  
said already1 the individual thought of 

,francis1 ,peter1 or ,john4 ,if an      
individual presented himself as being   
reason itself1 the absolute reason1 and 
said1 ,i am the truth1 it would be      
necessary to take one of three courses4 
,if we thought that he spoke truly1 and 
if we received his testimony1 it would  
be necessary to worship him1 for he     
would be ,god4 ,if it were feared that  
he spoke truly1 and those who so feared 
were unwilling to acknowledge his rule1 
it would be necessary for them to kill  
him in order to endeavor to kill the    
truth4 ,if it were thought that he spoke
 falsely1 it would be necessary to watch
 him1 and the moment he committed an act
 dangerous for society1 to shut him up1 
for he would be a madman4 ,but the      
philosophers make no such pretension4   
,the reason of which they speak is the  
reason common to all1 a reason which is 
not that of an individual1 but that of  
which all rational individuals partake4 
,this common1 universal1 eternal        
reason1--where and how does it exist8   

,reason manifests itself by ideas1 and  
ideas are the acts of minds4 ,to imagine
 an idea without a mind of which it is  
the act1 is the same thing as to imagine
 a movement without a body of which it  
is also the act1 in a different sense4  
,take away bodies1 and there is no more 
movement4 ,take away intelligences1 and 
there are no more ideas4 ,the           
philosopher who speaks of an idea which 
is not the idea of an intelligence1     
utters words which have no meaning4 ,the
 reason which is not that of any created
 individual remains therefore absolutely
 inconceivable without the eternal      
,spirit1 or ,god4 ,idealism is based    
upon this impossible conception4 ,thus  
it is that thought1 trying in vain to   
maintain itself in this abstract domain1
 ends by holding as chimerical the world
 of ideas in which it has met with      
nothing to which to cling4 ,it is seized
 with giddiness and falls4 ,whither does
 it fall8 ,to the ground4 ,it is always 
thither one falls4 ,wearied with its    

efforts to find footing on shifting     
clouds1 the human mind comes back to the
 positive by a violent reaction4 ,here  
is the secret of that haughty and       
derisive materialism of certain modern  
,germans1 who jeer and scoff at the     
lofty pretensions of philosophy4 ,so it 
was that ,hegel brought upon the scene  
,doctor ,bchner and his fellows4  ,the  
great conflict of the spiritual world is
 not1 as it is often said to be1 the    
combat of idealism against materialism4 
,idealism begins well1 and we must not  
refuse to acknowledge the services which
 it has rendered to the cause of truth4 
,but philosophy must follow the road    
traced out in an ancient adage3 ,ab     
exterioribus ad interiora1 ab           
interioribus ad superiora4#fg ,if the   
mind does not go to the end of this     
royal road2 if idealism1 having         
surmounted the fascinations of the      
senses1 remains in ideas1 without       
ascending to the supreme ,mind1 the     
worship of matter and the worship of the

 idea call mutually one to another1 and 
revolve in a fatal circle4 ,the struggle
 between these two forms of atheism     
reminds one of those duels1 in which1   
after having satisfied honor1 the       
adversaries breakfast together1 and     
gather strength to combat1 in case of   
need1 a common enemy4 ,the great combat 
which forms the main subject of the     
history of ideas is the combat between  
belief in ,god and an atheistical       
philosophy4 ,whether atheism admits for 
its first principle an atom without a   
,creator1 or a reason without an        
,eternal ,mind1 is a fact very important
 for the history of philosophy1 but the 
importance of which is small enough in  
regard to the interests of humanity4    
,we passed the ,rhine in order to       
penetrate into ,germany1 let us now     
cross the ,british ,channel1 and observe
 what is going on in ,england4          
,england1 at the close of the           
seventeenth and the beginning of the    
eighteenth century1 was the principal   

centre of irreligion4 ,france gave the  
patent of ,european circulation to ideas
 which proceeded in part from this      
foreign source4 ,an active propaganda   
for the diffusion of impious and immoral
 writings had been established in ,great
 ,britain4 ,a strong reaction set in1   
and1 dating from the year #afih1 we see 
formed various societies having for     
their object the diffusion of good books
 and respectable journals4#fh ,these    
efforts were crowned with success4      
,england1 by its zeal in the work of    
,missions1 by its sacrifices for the    
diffusion of the ,holy ,scriptures1 and 
by its respect for the ,lord's-day1#fi  
assumed#gj the characteristic marks of a
 ,christian nation4 ,grand measures     
adopted in the interests of liberty and 
humanity1 placed it at the same time at 
the head of a seriously philanthropic   
civilization2 but as ,pre ,gratry has   
remarked1 more than in any other people1
 there are in the ,english people the   
old man and the new4#ga ,the strange    

contrasts which are presented by the    
political action of this double-people  
are found also in the productions of its
 thought1 in which1 while the spirit of 
piety is displayed full of life1 the    
spirit of irreligion is also manifested 
with terrible energy4 ,a book is        
instanced1 of materialistic tendency1#gb
 published in #ahbh1 of which a popular 
edition was printed with a view to      
extend the opinions which it advocated4 
,there was sold of this edition1 in a   
short time1 more than eighty thousand   
copies4 ,a thoughtful writer1 ,mr4      
,pearson1 mentions a statistical        
statement1 according to which ,english  
publications1 openly atheistical1       
reached1 in the year #ahea1 a total of  
six hundred and forty thousand          
copies4#gc  ,if we pass from the current
 literature to scientific publications1 
we shall meet with facts of the same    
order4 ,the ,hegelianism and the        
scepticism of the critical school are   
creeping into the works of some         

theologians4 ,the theories of           
positivism1 reduced to shape in ,france1
 have passed the channel1 and have      
obtained in ,england more attention     
perhaps than in the country of their    
origin4 ,they have been adopted by a    
distinguished author1 ,mr4 ,stuart      
,mill2 and a female writer1 ,miss       
,martineau1 has set them forth1 in her  
mother-tongue1 for the use of her       
fellow-countrymen4#gd ,positivism is    
even in vogue1 and has become           
fashionable amongst certain literary and
 intellectual circles in ,great         
,britain4#ge  ,in less elevated regions 
of the intellectual world of ,england1  
an organized sect commends itself to our
 attention4 ,this sect has given to its 
system of doctrine the name of          
,secularism4 ,it has a social           
object--the destruction of the          
,established ,church and the existing   
political order4 ,it has a philosophy1  
the purport and bearing of which we will
 inquire of ,mr4 ,holyoake4 ,the        

following is the answer of the chief of 
the secularists3--,all that concerns the
 origin and end of things1 ,god and the 
immortal soul1 is absolutely            
impenetrable for the human mind4 ,the   
existence of ,god1 in particular1 must  
be referred to the number of abstract   
questions1 with the ticket not          
determined4 ,it is probable1 however1   
that the nature which we know1 must be  
the ,god whom we inquire after4 ,what is
 called atheism is found in suspension  
in our theory4#gf ,the practical        
consequence of these views is1 that all 
day-dreams relating to another world    
must be put aside1 and we must manage so
 as to live to the best advantage       
possible in the present life4#gg ,hence 
the name of the system4 ,secularism     
teaches its disciples to have nothing to
 do with religion in any shape1 that    
they may confine themselves strictly to 
the present life4 ,it is an attempt of  
which the express object is to realize  
life without ,god4  ,these doctrines    

formed the subject of public            
discussions1 in ,london in #ahec1 and at
 ,glasgow in #ahed4 ,the meeting at     
,glasgow numbered1 it is said1 more than
 three thousand persons4#gh ,the sect   
employs as its means of action open-air 
speeches1 the publication of books and  
journals1#gi and assemblies for giving  
information and holding debates in      
lecture-rooms4 ,there are five of these 
lecture-rooms in ,london4 ,i have seen  
the programme1 for #ahfd1 of the        
meetings held at ,no4 #ab1 ,cleveland   
,street1 under the direction of ,messrs4
 ,holyoake and ,j4 ,clark4 ,there are1  
every ,sunday1--a discourse at eleven   
o'clock1 a discussion at three o'clock1 
a lecture at seven o'clock4 ,the        
programme invites all free-thinkers to  
attend these meetings4 ,some of the     
assemblies are public2 for others a     
small entrance fee is demanded4 ,london 
is the principal centre of the          
association2 but it has branches all    
over the country1 and it numbers in     

,great ,britain twenty-one              
lecture-rooms1 particularly at          
,liverpool1 ,manchester1 ,birmingham1   
,glasgow1 and ,edinburgh4#hj ,secularism
 naturally seeks to magnify1 as much as 
may be1 its own importance2 and it is   
not to the declarations of its apostles 
that we must refer in order to estimate 
the extent and influence of its action4 
,at the same time the existence of a    
society1 the avowed object of which is  
the diffusion of practical atheism1     
cannot be regarded with indifference4   
,at the present moment the affairs of   
the sect would not appear to be         
flourishing4 ,a year ago a secularist   
orator had delivered a vehement speech  
in favor of virtue4 ,just as he had     
resumed his seat1 a policeman entered   
the room and took him into custody4 ,a  
few days afterwards the ,times informed 
its readers that the orator of virtue   
had just been condemned for theft to    
twelve months' hard labor4#ha ,in the   
,secular ,world of the #ast ,january1   

#ahfd1 ,mr4 ,holyoake complains that a  
great many mauvais sujets seem to seek  
in secularism a kind of cheap religion4 
,he declares that he is going to use    
energetic efforts to purify the sect1   
and seems to intimate that he shall     
retire if his efforts fail4 ,let us     
leave him to wrestle against the        
invasion of the orators of virtue1 and  
let us pass from ,england into ,italy4  
,while ,italy is seeking to deliver     
itself from the bayonets of ,austria1 it
 is threatened with subjection to the   
influence of the most pernicious ,german
 doctrines4 ,after having bent1 like    
nearly all ,europe1 in the eighteenth   
century1 beneath the blast of           
sensualism1 ,italy made a noble effort  
to renew more generous traditions4 ,two 
eminent men1 ,rosmini and ,gioberti1 the
 second especially1 succeeded in        
exciting in the youth of ,italy a       
passionate interest in doctrines in     
which liberty and vigor of thought were 
united with the confidence of faith4    

,this intellectual movement preceded and
 prepared a national movement1 the      
course of which has been precipitated by
 the intrigues of politics and the      
intervention of the arms of the         
foreigner4 ,at the present time the     
influence of ,rosmini and of ,gioberti  
is on the decline4 ,hegelianism is being
 installed with a certain clat in the   
university of ,naples4 ,nothing warrants
 us in hoping that this system will not 
produce upon the shores of the          
,mediterranean the same depravation of  
philosophic thought which it has        
produced in ,germany4 ,in the ancient   
university of ,pisa1 ,m4 ,auguste       
,conti1 a brave defender of ,christian  
philosophy1 steadfastly maintains the   
union of religion and of speculative    
inquiry1#hb and the centre of ,italy is 
less affected perhaps than the          
extremities of the ,peninsula by the    
spirit of infidelity4 ,but as we go     
further north1 we encounter in the      
writings of ,ferrari the utterance of a 

gloomy scepticism1 and in those of      
,ausonio ,franchi1 formerly a journalist
 at ,turin1 and now a ,professor at     
,milan1 the manifestations of an almost 
undisguised atheism4 ,ausonio ,franchi1 
or rather the man who assumes that      
pseudonyme1 is an ex-priest1 who1 while 
maintaining severely the rule of good   
morals and the dignity of life1#hc has  
turned with violent animosity against   
his former faith4 ,he exerts some       
influence over the youth of ,italy1 and 
has met with warm admirers in ,england  
and ,germany4 ,franchi's profession of  
faith reduces itself to these very      
simple terms3--,the world is what it is1
 and it is because it is2 any other     
reason whatever of its essence and of   
its existence can be nothing but a      
sophism or an illusion4#hd ,all inquiry 
into the origin of things is a pure     
chimera1 and we must therefore limit    
ourselves to the experience of the      
present life1 and look for nothing      
beyond it4 ,the author treats with      

sufficient disdain arguments which      
satisfied ,descartes1 ,newton1 and      
,leibnitz4 ,it has seemed to me that his
 understanding1 a little obscured by    
passion1 misconceives the true purport  
of the reasonings which it rejects1 and 
by thus impairing their force1 assumes  
to itself the right to despise them4    
,the religious negations of ,ausonio    
,franchi do not stop at ,christian      
dogma4 ,he denies all value to those    
higher aspirations of the human soul    
which constitute reason1 in the         
philosophical meaning of the term4 ,now1
 this radical negation of the reason is 
what those ,italians who do not scruple 
to practise it denominate ,rationalism4 
,and this very unwarrantable use of a   
word is in fact only a particular case  
of a general phenomenon4 ,to criticise1 
means to examine the thoughts which     
present themselves to the mind in order 
to distinguish error from truth4 ,the   
,frenchmen1 who call themselves the     
critics1 are men who require that the   

intellect shall make itself the         
impartial mirror of ideas1 but shall    
renounce the while all discrimination   
between truth and error4 ,the term      
scepticism1 in its primary              
signification1 contains the idea of     
inquiring1 of examining2 and they give  
the name of sceptics to the philosophers
 who declare that there is nothing to   
discover1 and consequently nothing to   
examine1 or to search for6 ,one is a    
free-thinker only on the express        
condition of renouncing all such free   
exercise of thought as might lead to the
 acceptance of beliefs generally        
received4 ,this is verily the carnival  
of language1 and the bal masqu of words4
 ,these corruptions of the meaning of   
terms are highly instructive4 ,doctrines
 contrary to the laws of human nature   
bear witness in this way to a secret    
shame in producing themselves under     
their true colors4 ,just as hypocrisy is
 an homage which vice pays to virtue1 so
 these barbarisms are an homage which   

error pays to truth4  ,to return to     
,italy3 that beautiful and noble country
 has not escaped the revival of atheism4
 ,the intoxication of a new liberty1 and
 the political struggles in which the   
,papacy is at present engaged1 will     
favor for a time1 it may be feared1 the 
development of evil doctrines4#he ,but  
the lively genius of the ,italians will 
not be long in attaching itself again to
 the grand traditions of its past       
history2 and the inhabitants of the     
land1 whose soil was trodden by         
,pythagoras and ,saint ,augustine1 will 
not link themselves with doctrines which
 always run those who hold them aground 
sooner or later upon the sad and gloomy 
shores of a vulgar empiricism4  ,we have
 not leisure1 ,gentlemen1 to extend our 
study to all parts of the globe1 and    
besides1 there are countries with regard
 to which information would fail me4    
,therefore ,i say nothing of ,holland1  
where we should have1 as ,i know1       
distressing facts to record4 ,the       

silence imposed on ,spain upon the      
subjects which we are discussing would  
render the study of that country a      
difficult one4 ,i am wanting in data    
regarding ,america4 ,let us conclude our
 survey by a few words about ,russia4   
,if we are warranted in making general  
assertions in speaking of that immense  
empire1 we may say that the ,russian    
people1 taken as a whole1 is good and   
pious1 badly instructed1 and often the  
victim of ignorance or of superstition1 
but disposed to open its heart to       
elevated and pure influences4 ,the      
clergy is ignorant1 though with         
honorable and even brilliant exceptions4
 ,it is too much cut off from general   
society1 and consigned to a sort of     
caste1 of which it would be most        
desirable to break down the barriers1 in
 order to allow the influence of the    
representatives of religion to extend   
itself more freely4 ,the young nobles1  
and the university students in general1 
are1 in too large a proportion1 imbued  

with irreligious principles4 ,various   
atheistical writings1 those of          
,feuerbach amongst others1 have been    
translated into ,russian1 printed       
abroad1 and furtively introduced into   
the empire4 ,m4 ,herzen1 a well-known   
writer1 has published1 under the        
pseudonyme of ,iscander1 a work full of 
talent1 but in which come plainly into  
view the worst tendencies of our        
time4#hf ,in his eyes1 life is itself   
its own end and cause4 ,faith in ,god is
 the portion of the ignorant crowd1 and 
atheism1 like all the high truths of    
science1 like the differential calculus 
and the laws of physics1 is the         
exclusive possession of the             
philosophical few4 ,when ,robespierre   
declared atheism aristocratic1 he was   
right in this sense1 for atheism is     
above the reach of the vulgar2 but when 
he concluded that atheism was false1 he 
made a great mistake4 ,this error1 which
 led him to establish the worship of the
 ,supreme ,being1 was one of the causes 

of his fall4 ,when he began to follow in
 the wake of the conservatives1 as a    
necessary consequence he would lose his 
power4#hg ,the writings of ,iscander    
have exerted a veritable influence in   
,russia4 ,m4 ,herzen appears to have    
lost much of his repute1 by the         
exaggerated and outrageous course he has
 taken in politics2 but it is to be     
feared that the traces of his action are
 not altogether effaced4  ,the ,russian 
,empire has been for a long time1 in the
 eyes of the ,west1 only an immense     
garrison2 but now for some years past it
 has been taking rank among the number  
of intellectual powers1 and nowhere in  
,europe is the ascending march of       
civilization displaying itself by signs 
so striking4 ,the summons to liberty of 
so many millions of men1 which has just 
been accomplished by the generous       
initiative of the ruling power1 and with
 the consent of the nation1 testifies   
that that vast social body is animated  
by the spirit of life and of progress4  

,but in the solemn phase through which  
she is passing1 ,russia is exposed to a 
great danger4 ,she is running the risk  
of substituting for a national          
development1 drawn from the grand       
springs of human nature1 a factitious   
civilization1 in which would figure     
together the fashions of ,paris1 the    
morals of the coulisses of the ,opera1  
and the most irreligious doctrines of   
the ,west4 ,may ,god preserve her6  ,we 
have passed in review some of the       
symptoms of the revival of atheism1 and 
it is impossible not to acknowledge the 
gravity of the facts which we have      
established4 ,what must especially      
awaken solicitude is1 that the          
irreligious manifestations of thought   
have assumed such a character of        
generality1 that the sorrowful          
astonishment which they ought to produce
 in us is blunted by habit4 ,fashionable
 reviews1 7,i allude especially to the  
,french-speaking public71               
widely-circulated journals which take   

good care not to violate propriety1 and 
which could not with impunity offend the
 interests or prejudices of the social  
class from which their subscribers are  
recruited1 are able to entertain without
 danger1 and without exciting energetic 
protestations1 the productions of an    
open1 or scarcely disguised1 atheism4   
,here are ample reasons for             
thoughtfulness2 but this thoughtfulness 
must not be mingled with fear4 ,we have 
to do with a challenge the very audacity
 of which inspires me with confidence1  
rather than with dread4 ,in fact all the
 productions of irreligious philosophy  
rest on one and the same thought1 the   
common watchword1 of the secularism of  
the ,english1 of the rationalism of the 
,italians1 of the positivism of the     
,french1 and which may even be          
recognized1 with a little attention1    
under the haughty formulas which bear   
the name of ,hegel4 ,and the thought is 
this3 ,the earth is enough for us1 away 
with heaven2 man suffices for himself1  

away with ,god2 reality suffices for us1
 away with chimeras6 ,wisdom consists in
 contenting ourselves with the world as 
it is4 ,it is attempted ridiculously    
enough to place this wisdom under the   
patronage of the luminaries of our age4 
,we are bidden1 forsooth1 to see in the 
negation of the real and living ,god1 a 
conflict of progress with routine1 of   
science with a blind tradition1 of the  
modern mind with superannuated ideas4#hh
 ,we know of old this defiance hurled   
against the aspirations of the heart1   
the conscience1 and the reason4 ,we know
 the destined issue of this ancient     
revolt of the intellect against the laws
 of its own nature4 ,there were atheists
 in ,palestine in the days when the     
,psalmist exclaimed1 ,the fool hath said
 in his heart1 ,there is no ,god4#hi    
,there were atheists at ,rome when      
,cicero wrote1#ij that the opinion which
 recognizes gods appeared to him to come
 nearest to the resemblance of truth4 ,a
 poet of the thirteenth century has     

expressed in a ,latin verse the thoughts
 which are in vogue among a great many  
of our contemporaries3 ,he dares nothing
 great1 who believes that there are     
gods4#ia ,there were atheists in the    
seventeenth century1 when ,descartes    
exerted himself to confound them1 and   
they reckoned themselves the fine       
spirits of their time4#ib ,and who1     
again1 does not know that in the        
eighteenth century atheism marched with 
head aloft1 and filled the world with   
its clamors4 ,the attempt to do without 
,god has nothing modern about it1 it is 
met with at all epochs4 ,the means      
employed now-a-days to attain this end  
have nothing new about them4 ,atheism   
exhibits itself in history with the     
characters of a chronic malady1 the     
outbreaks of which are transient crises4
 ,the moment the negation is blazoned   
openly1 humanity protests4 ,why8        
,because man will never be persuaded to 
content himself with the earth1 and with
 what the earth can give him3 his nature

 absolutely forbids it4 ,when we compare
 the reality with the desires of our    
souls1 we can all say with the aged     
patriarch ,jacob3 ,few and evil have    
been the days of my pilgrimage2#ic we   
can all say with ,lamartine3            
,though all the good desired of man     
,in one sole heart should overflow1     
,death1 bounding still his mortal span1 
,would turn the cup of joy to woe4#id   
,and it is not the heart only which is  
concerned here2 without ,god man remains
 inexplicable to his own reason4 ,the   
spiritual creature of the ,almighty1    
free by the act of creation1 and capable
 of falling into slavery by             
rebellion1--he understands his nature   
and his destiny2 but it is in vain that 
the apostles of matter and the          
worshippers of humanity harangue him in 
turn to explain to him his own          
existence4 ,man is too great to be the  
child of the dust2 man is too miserable 
to be the divine summit of the universe4
 ,if he exalts himself1 ,i abase him2 if

 he abases himself1 ,i exalt him2 and ,i
 contradict him continually1 until he   
understands at last that he is an       
incomprehensible monster4#ie  ,the      
proper study of mankind is man2 and man 
remains an enigma for man1 if he do not 
rise to ,god4 ,so it is that our very   
nature is a living protest against      
atheism1 and never allows its triumphs  
to be either general1 or of long        
duration4 ,a solid limit is thus set to 
our wanderings2 and1 to the errors of   
the understanding1 as to the tides of   
the ocean1 the ,master of things has    
said1 ,ye shall go no further4          
,therefore atheists may become famous1  
but1 destitute of the ray which renders 
truly illustrious1 humanity refuses them
 the aureole with which it encircles the
 brows of its benefactors4 ,this aureole
 it reserves for the sages which lead it
 to ,god1 for the artists which reveal  
to it some of the rays of the immortal  
light1 for all those who remind it of   
the titles of its dignity1 the pledges  

of its future1 the sacred laws of the   
realm of spirits4 ,humanity desires to  
live2 and to live it must believe2 for  
it must believe in order to love and to 
act4 ,atheism is a crisis in a disease1 
a passing swoon over which the vital    
forces of nature triumph4 ,now the vital
 forces of humanity are neither extinct 
nor stupefied in our time4 ,the world of
 literature is sick1 and grievously sick
 in some of its departments2 but even   
there again are manifesting themselves  
noble and powerful reactions4 ,then look
 in other directions4 ,contemplate the  
religious movement of society at large1 
the wide efforts making in the domain of
 active beneficence1 the progressive    
conquests of civilization1 the awakening
 of conscience on many subjects3--,i    
could easily instance numerous facts in 
proof of what ,i advance1 and say to    
you3        ,know1 by these speaking    
signs1 a ,god to-day      ,as yesterday 
the same--the same for aye3             
,veiling1 revealing1 at ,his sovereign  

will1      ,his glory1--and ,his people 
guarding still4#if   ,wrestle then      
against the invasion of deadly          
doctrines1 wrestle and do not fear4 ,if 
men rise against ,god in the name of the
 modern mind1 of the science of the age1
 of the progress of civilization1 do not
 suffer yourselves to be stunned by     
these clamors4 ,let the past be to you  
the pledge of the future6 ,to make of   
atheism a novelty1 is an error4 ,to make
 of it1 in a general way1 the           
characteristic of our epoch1 is a       
calumny4  ,,footnotes3  #dj ,xenophon1  
,memorab4 of ,socrates1 ,bk4 iv4 #aj4   
#da ,la ,religion naturelle4 ,preface4  
#db ,emile ,saisset1 in the ,revue des  
,deux ,mondes1 of ,march1 #ahde4  #dc   
,see the ,lettres sur les vrits1 les    
plus importantes de la rvlation1 by     
,albert de ,haller1 translated into     
,french by one of his grandsons4        
,lausanne1 ,bridel1 #ahdf4  #dd ,la     
,mtaphysique et la ,science1 #b tom4    
,oct4 #aheh4  #de ,notice sur ,m4       

,littr1 page #eg4  #df ,paroles de      
philosophie positive1 page #cc4  #dg    
,idem1 page #cj4  #dh ,paroles de       
philosophie positive1 page #cd4  #di    
,aperus gnraux sur la doctrine          
positiviste1 par ,m4 de ,lombrail1      
ancien lve de l'cole polytechnique4 ,the
 author says in his preface3 ,auguste   
,comte examined this work with the      
conscientious attention which he was    
accustomed to give to the simplest task4
 ,he desired by his useful counsels to  
render it worthy of publication4  #ej   
,revue des ,deux ,mondes1 of #aeth ,jan4
 #ahfj1 page #cfg4  #ea       ,je       
souponne entre nous que vous croyez en  
,dieu4      ,n'allez pas dans vos vers  
en consigner l'aveu2      ,craignez le  
ridicule1 et respectez vos matres4      
,croire en ,dieu fut un tort permis  nos
 anctres4      ,mais dans notre ge6     
,allons1 il faut vous corriger      ,et 
suivre votre sicle1 au lieu de le juger4
  #eb       ,entre ces deux chemins     
j'hsite et je m'arrte4      ,je voudrais

  l'cart suivre un plus doux sentier4   
,il n'en existe pas1 dit une voix       
secrte3      ,en prsence du ,ciel1 il   
faut croire ou nier4      ,je le pense1 
en effet3 les mes tourmentes      ,vers 
l'un et l'autre excs se portent tour    
tour2      ,mais les indiffrents ne sont
 que des athes2      ,ils ne dormiraient
 plus1 s'ils doutaient un seul jour4    
#ec ,see1 for example1 ,la ,religion    
naturelle1 by ,jules ,simon2 ,essai de  
philosophie religieuse1 by ,emile       
,saisset2 ,de la connaissance de ,dieu1 
by ,a4 ,gratry2 ,la raison et la        
christianisme1 douze lectures sur       
l'existence de ,dieu1 by ,charles       
,secrtan2 ,essai sur la ,providence1 by 
,ernest ,bersot2 ,de la ,providence1 by 
,m4 ,damiron2 ,l',ide de ,dieu1 by ,m4  
,caro2 ,thodice1 ,etudes sur ,dieu1 la  
,cration et la ,providence1 par ,amde de
 ,magerie4  #ed ,see1 for example1 the  
,etudes orientales of ,m4 ,franck1 the  
,bouddha of ,m4 ,barthlemy              
,saint-,hilaire2 ,l',histoire de la     

philosophie au ,x,v,i,i,ie sicle1 of ,m4
 ,damiron4  #ee ,philosophie de la      
libert1 vol4 i4 p4 #bbe4  #ef ,toutes   
ces rvoltes de la matire en furie4  #eg 
,revue des ,deux ,mondes1 ,april1 #ahej4
  #eh ,qu'est-ce la religion8 page #ehf 
of the translation of ,ewerbeck4  #ei   
,revue des ,deux ,mondes of #aeth       
,april1 #ahej1 p4 #bhh4  #fj ,general   
,report addressed to the ,conseil       
d',etat of ,neuchtel on the secret      
,german propaganda1 and on the clubs of 
,young ,germany in ,switzerland1 by     
,lardy1 ,doctor of law4 ,neuchtel1      
#ahde4  #fa ,pourvu qu'on le dlivre     
d'une vertu bourgeoise et d'une morale  
d'honntes ngociants4 ,bltter der        
,gegenwart fr sociales ,leben4  #fb ,see
 the ,chroniqueur ,suisse of #ai ,jan4  
#ahfe4  #fc ,april1 #ahej1 p4 #bib4  #fd
 ,force et ,matire1 by ,louis ,bchner1  
,doctor in medicine3 translated into    
,french from the seventh edition of the 
,german work1 by ,gamper1 ,leipzig1     
#ahfc4  #fe ,my object is to point out  

the atheistical systems which are being 
produced in various parts of ,europe1   
and not to estimate1 in a general way1  
the tendency of contemporary            
philosophies4 ,the reader1 who would    
understand the position occupied by     
materialism in relation to ,german      
thought in general1 may consult with    
advantage1 ,le ,matrialisme             
contemporain1 by ,paul ,janet1 ,paris1  
#ahfd2 and the review of this work by   
,m4 ,reichlin-,meldegg 7,zeitschrift fr 
,philosophie1 ,sechsundvierzigster      
,band74 ,a ,swiss writer1 ,m4 ,bhner1   
has lately published a learned work on  
the subject entitled3 ,le ,matrialisme  
au point de vue des sciences naturelles 
et des progrs de l'esprit humain1 by    
,nath4 ,bhner1 member of the ,socit     
helvtique des sciences naturelles1      
translated from the ,german1 by ,o4     
,bourrit1 #a vol4 #hvo4 7,genve1        
imprimerie ,fick71 #ahfa4  #ff          
444 ,ces enfants de l'effroi1      ,ces 
beaux riens qu'on adore1 et sans savoir 

pourquoi1      ,ces dieux que l'homme a 
faits et qui n'ont pas fait l'homme4    
,,cyrano ,,de ,,bergerac4  #fg ,from    
outer to inner things1 and from inner to
 higher4  #fh ,see the ,report of ,mr4  
,h4 ,roberts1 in the ,comptes rendus du 
,congrs international de bienfaisance de
 ,londres1 vol4 ii4 page #ie1 and the   
#bcrd ,bulletin de la ,socit genevoise  
d'utilit publique1 #ahfc4  #fi ,par son 
respect pour le jour du ,dimanche4  #gj 
revtit4  #ga ,la ,paix mditations       
historiques et religieuses1 par ,a4     
,gratry1 prtre de l',oratoire4--,septime
 mditation3 l',angleterre4  #gb ,the    
,constitution of ,man1 by ,g4 ,combe4   
,the popular edition was printed at the 
expense of ,mr4 ,henderson4  #gc        
,infidelity3 its aspects1 causes1 and   
agencies1 by ,thomas ,pearson4 ,people's
 edition1 #ahed1 page #bfc4  #gd        
,auguste ,comte et la ,philosophie      
positive1 par ,e4 ,littr1 page #bgf4    
#ge ,positivism1 within the last quarter
 of a century1 has become an active1 and

 even fashionable mode of thought1 and  
nowhere more so than amongst certain    
literary and intellectual circles in    
,england4 ,the ,christ of the ,gospels  
and the ,christ of modern ,criticism1   
,lectures on ,m4 ,renan's ',vie de      
,jsus1'--by ,john ,tulloch1 ,d4,d41     
,principal of the ,college of ,st4 ,mary
 in the ,university of ,st4 ,andrew4    
,macmillan and ,co41 #ahfd4  #gf ,see   
,pearson3 ,infidelity1 particularly page
 #caf1 and ,christianity and            
,secularism1 the public discussion--1   
particularly page #h4  #gg--;dans le    
sicle4  #gh ,vapereau's ,dictionnaire   
des contemporains--,art4 ,,holyoake4    
#gi ,i have had in view here the first  
numbers of ,the ,secular ,world1 and of 
,the ,national ,reformer1 ,secular      
,advocate1 for #ahfd4  #hj ,the         
,national ,reformer of #bnd ,jan4 #ahfd4
  #ha ,,ms4 information4  #hb ,readers  
unacquainted with the ,italian language 
will find a compendious exposition of   
,m4 ,conti's philosophy1 in a small     

volume published1 in #ahfc1 under the   
title of ,le ,camposanto de ,pise ou le 
,scepticisme4 7,paris1 librairies ,jol  
,cherbuliez et ,auguste ,durand2 ,i vol4
 in-#ah47  #hc ,such is the testimony   
rendered to him by ,m4 ,aug4 ,conti in  
his work1 ,la ,philosophie italienne4   
7,paris1 ,jol ,cherbuliez et ,auguste   
,durand2 one small vol4 #ahmo47  #hd ,le
 ,rationalisme 7in ,french71 published  
with an introduction1 by ,m4 ,d4        
,bancel1 ,brussels1 #aheh1 page #bg4    
#he ,the learned author appears to      
intimate that the distractions of the   
,papacy1 consequent on its political    
struggles for temporal power1 hinder the
 salutary influence which it might      
otherwise exercise in the suppression of
 evil doctrines4 ,the ,translator feels 
it due to himself to state here1 once   
for all1 that he has no sympathy        
whatever with such a view of the        
influence of the ,papacy4 ,on the       
contrary1 he is disposed to attribute to
 the ,church of ,rome most of the evils 

which afflict1 not ,italy only1 but all 
the countries over which she has any    
power4 ,perhaps1 having felt the weight 
of too much liberty in his own ,church1 
the excellent author1 fundamentally     
sound in his own views of ,christian    
doctrine1 as is proved abundantly by his
 writings1 has been led by a natural    
reaction to give too much weight to the 
opposite principle of authority4 ,the   
concluding pages of his former work1 ,la
 ,vie ,eternelle1 indicate a mind too   
painfully and sensitively averse to all 
controversy with a corrupt ,church1 in  
consideration of the acknowledged       
excellences of many of her individual   
members1--her ,pascals1 ,fnlons1 ,martin
 ,boos1 ,girards1 ,gratrys1 and         
,lacordaires4--,translator4  #hf ,de    
l'autre rive 7in ,russian74  #hg ,de    
l'autre rive4 v4 ,consolatio4--,this    
chapter is a dialogue between a lady and
 a doctor4 ,i have considered the doctor
 as expressing the thoughts of the      
writer4 ,the form of dialogue1 however1 

always allows an author to express his  
thoughts1 while declining1 if need be1  
the responsibility of them4  #hh ,le    
,rationalisme1 par ,ausonio ,franchi1   
page #ai4--;,force et matire1 par le    
docteur ,bchner1 page #bfb4--,paroles de
 philosophie positive1 par ,littr1 page 
#cf4--,la ,mtaphysique et la ,science1  
par ,vacherot1 page xiv4 7,premire      
edition47  #hi ,ps4 xiv4 #a4  #ij ,de   
,natur ,deorum4  #ia ,nil audet magnum  
qui putat esse ,deos4  #ib ,see         
,bossuet3 ,sermon sur la dignit de la   
religion4  #ic ,gen4 xlvii4 #i4  #id    
,quand tous les biens que l'homme envie 
,dborderaient dans un seul coeur1       
,la mort seule au bout de la vie        
,fait un supplice du bonheur4  #ie      
,pascal4  #if       ,reconnaissez1      
,messieurs1  ces traits clatants1       
,un ,dieu tel aujourd'hui qu'il fut dans
 tous les temps4      ,il sait1 quand il
 lui plat1 faire clater sa gloire1      
,et son peuple est toujours prsent  sa  
mmoire4     ,,lecture ,,iv4  ,,nature4  

7,at ,geneva1 #bgth ,nov4 #ahfc4--;,at  
,lausanne1 #beth ,jan4 #ahfd47          
,,gentlemen1  ,the thoughts of man are  
numberless2 and still1 in their         
indefinite variety1 they never relate   
but to one or another of these three    
objects3 nature1 or the world of        
material substances1 which are revealed 
to our senses2 created spirits1 similar 
or superior to that spirit which is     
ourselves2 and finally ,god1 the        
,infinite ,being1 the universal         
,creator4 ,therefore there are two sorts
 of atheism1 and there are only two4    
,the mind stops at nature1 and endeavors
 to find in material substances the     
universal principle of existence2 or1   
rising above nature1 the mind stops at  
humanity1 without ascending to the      
,infinite ,mind1 to the ,creator4 ,we   
have seen how clearly these two         
doctrines appear in contemporary        
literature4 ,we have now to enter upon  
the examination of them1 and this will  
afford us matter for two lectures4  ,the

 word nature has various meanings2 we   
employ it here to designate matter1 and 
the forces which set it in motion1 those
 forces being conceived as blind and    
fatal1 in opposition to the conscious   
and free force which constitutes mind4  
,matter and the laws of motion are the  
object of mechanics1 of chemistry1 and  
of physics4 ,do these sciences suffice  
for resolving the universal enigma8     
,such is precisely the question which   
offers itself to our examination4  ,let 
us first of all determine what1 in      
presence of the spectacle of the        
universe1 is the natural movement of    
human thought1 when human thought       
possesses the idea of ,god4 ,i open a   
book trivial enough in its form1 but    
occasionally profound in its contents3  
the ,journey round my room1 of ,xavier  
de ,maistre4 ,the author is relating how
 he had undertaken to make an artificial
 dove which was to sustain itself in the
 air by means of an ingenious mechanism4
 ,i read3  ,i had wrought unceasingly at

 its construction for more than three   
months4 ,the day was come for the trial4
 ,i placed it on the edge of a table1   
after having carefully closed the door1 
in order to keep the discovery secret1  
and to give my friends a pleasing       
surprise4 ,a thread held the mechanism  
motionless4 ,who can conceive the       
palpitations of my heart1 and the       
agonies of my self-love1 when ,i brought
 the scissors near to cut the fatal     
bond8--,zest6--the spring of the dove   
starts1 and begins to unroll itself with
 a noise4 ,i lift my eyes to see the    
bird pass2 but1 after making a few turns
 over and over1 it falls1 and goes off  
to hide itself under the table4 ,rosine 
7my dog71 who was sleeping there1 moves 
ruefully away4 ,rosine1 who never sees a
 chicken1 or a pigeon1 or the smallest  
bird1 without attacking and pursuing it1
 did not deign even to look at my dove  
which was floundering on the floor4     
,this gave the finishing stroke to my   
self-esteem4 ,i went to take an airing  

on the ramparts4  ,i was walking up and 
down1 sad and out of spirits as one     
always is after a great hope            
disappointed1 when1 raising my eyes1 ,i 
perceived a flight of cranes passing    
over my head4 ,i stopped to have a good 
look at them4 ,they were advancing in   
triangular order1 like the ,english     
column at the battle of ,fontenoy4 ,i   
saw them traverse the sky from cloud to 
cloud4--,ah6 how well they fly1 said ,i 
to myself4 ,with what assurance they    
seem to glide along the viewless path   
which they follow4--,shall ,i confess   
it8 alas6 may ,i be forgiven6 the       
horrible feeling of envy for once1 once 
only1 entered my heart1 and it was for  
the cranes4 ,i pursued them1 with       
jealous gaze1 to the boundaries of the  
horizon4 ,for a long while afterwards1  
motionless in the midst of the crowd    
which was moving about me1 ,i kept      
observing the rapid movement of the     
swallows1 and ,i was astonished to see  
them suspended in the air1 just as if ,i

 had never before seen that phenomenon4 
,a feeling of profound admiration1      
unknown to me till then1 lighted up my  
soul4 ,i seemed to myself to be looking 
upon nature for the first time4 ,i heard
 with surprise the buzzing of the flies1
 the song of the birds1 and that        
mysterious and confused noise of the    
living creation which involuntarily     
celebrates its ,author4 ,ineffable      
concert1 to which man alone has the     
sublime privilege of adding the accents 
of gratitude6 ,who is the author of this
 brilliant mechanism8 ,i exclaimed in   
the transport which animated me4 ,who is
 ,he that1 opening his creative hand1   
let fly the first swallow into the air8 
,it is ,he who gave commandment to these
 trees to come forth from the ground1   
and to lift their branches toward the   
sky6  ,here is a charming page1 and     
containing1 though apparently trivial in
 style1 a good and sound philosophy4    
,let us translate this delightful       
description into the heavier language of

 science4  ,the intellect is one of the 
things with which we are best           
acquainted2 logic is the science of     
thought1 and logic is perhaps1 among all
 the sciences1 the one best settled on  
its bases4 ,the intellect discovers     
itself to us in the exercise of our     
activity4 ,we pursue an object1 we      
combine the means for attaining it1 and 
it is the intellect which operates this 
combination4 ,what happens if we compare
 the results of our activity with the   
results of the power manifested in the  
world8 ,when we consider in their vast  
ensemble the means of which nature      
disposes1 when we remark the infinite   
number of the relations of things1 the  
marvellous harmony of which universal   
life is the produce1 we are dazzled by  
the splendor of a wisdom which surpasses
 our own as much as boundless space     
surpasses the imperceptible spot which  
we occupy upon the earth4 ,think of     
this3 the science of nature is so vast  
that the least of its departments       

suffices to absorb one human lifetime4  
,all our sciences are only in their very
 beginning2 they are spelling out the   
first lines of an immense book4 ,the    
elements of the universe are numberless2
 and yet1 notwithstanding1 all hangs    
together2 all things are linked one to  
another in the closest connection4 ,the 
savants therefore find themselves in a  
strange embarrassment4 ,they are obliged
 to circumscribe more and more the field
 of their researches1 on pain of losing 
themselves in an endless study2 and1 on 
the other hand1 in proportion as science
 advances1 the mutual relation of all   
its branches becomes so manifest that it
 is ever more and more clearly seen     
that1 in order to know any one thing    
thoroughly1 it would be necessary to    
know all4 ,it needs not that we seek    
very high or very far away for occasions
 of astonishment3 the least of the      
objects which nature presents to our    
view contains abysses of wisdom4  ,the  
acquired results of science appear      

simple through the effect of habit4 ,the
 sun rises every day2 who is still      
surprised at its rising8 ,the solar     
system has been known a long while2 it  
is taught in the humblest schools1 and  
no longer surprises any one4 ,but those 
who found out1 after long efforts1 what 
we learn without trouble1 the           
discoverers1 reckoned their discoveries 
very surprising4 ,kepler1 one of the    
founders of modern astronomy1 in the    
book to which he consigned his immortal 
discoveries1 exclaims3#ig ,the wisdom of
 the ,lord is infinite1 as are also ,his
 glory and ,his power4 ,ye heavens6 sing
 ,his praises4 ,sun1 moon1 and planets1 
glorify ,him in your ineffable language6
 ,praise ,him1 celestial harmonies1 and 
all ye who can comprehend them6 ,and    
thou1 my soul1 praise thy ,creator6 ,it 
is by ,him1 and in ,him1 that all       
exists4 ,what we know not is contained  
in ,him as well as our vain science4 ,to
 ,him be praise1 honor1 and glory for   
ever and ever6 ,these words1 ,gentlemen1

 have not been copied from a book of the
 ,church2 they are read in a work which1
 as all allow1 is one of the foundations
 of modern science4  ,i pass on to      
another example1 and ,i continue to keep
 you in good and high company4 ,newton  
set forth his discoveries in a large    
volume all bristling with figures and   
calculations4#ih ,the work of the       
mathematician ended1 the author rises1  
by the consideration of the mutual      
interchange of the light of all the     
stars1 to the idea of the unity of the  
creation2 then he adds1 and it is the   
conclusion of his entire work3 ,the     
,master of the heavens governs all      
things1 not as being the soul of the    
world1 but as being the ,sovereign of   
the universe4 ,it is on account of ,his 
sovereignty that we call ,him the       
,sovereign ,god4 ,he governs all things1
 those which are1 and those which may   
be4 ,he is the one ,god1 and the same   
,god1 everywhere and always4 ,we admire 
,him because of ,his perfections1 we    

reverence and adore ,him because of ,his
 sovereignty4 ,a ,god without           
sovereignty1 without providence1 and    
without object in ,his works1 would be  
only destiny or nature4 ,now1 from a    
blind metaphysical necessity1 everywhere
 and always the same1 could arise no    
variety2 all that diversity of created  
things according to places and times    
7which constitutes the order and life of
 the universe7 could only have been     
produced by the thought and will of a   
,being who is the ,being1 existing by   
,himself1 and necessarily4  ,here1      
,sirs1 are noble thoughts1 expressed in 
noble style4 ,i recommend you to read   
throughout the pages from which ,i have 
quoted a few fragments4 ,let us now     
analyze the ideas of this great         
astronomer as thus expounded4 ,we may   
note these three affirmations3  #a4 ,the
 universe displays an admirable order   
which reveals the wisdom of the ,power  
which governs it4  #b4 ,the universe    
lives2 it is not fixed1 and its         

variations suppose an intelligent ,power
 which directs it4  #c4 ,the variable   
existence of the universe shows that it 
is not necessary2 it must have its cause
 in a ,being who is the ,being1         
necessarily1 by ,his proper nature4     
,such are the views of ,newton4 ,examine
 this course of thought1 and see if it  
is not natural4 ,observation reveals to 
us facts4 ,facts in themselves1 isolated
 facts1 are nothing for the mind2 but in
 the facts of nature1 human reason      
discovers an order1 and in that order it
 recognizes its own proper laws4 ,to    
keep within the domain of               
astronomy--there is harmony between our 
mind and the course of the stars4 ,if   
you have any doubt about this1 ,i appeal
 to the almanac4 ,we there find it      
stated that in such a month1 on such a  
day1 at such an hour1 there will be an  
eclipse of the sun or of the moon4 ,how 
comes the editor of the almanac to know 
that8 ,he has learnt it from the savants
 who have succeeded in explaining the   

phenomena of the skies4 ,the savant     
therefore can in his study meet with the
 intelligence which directs the         
universe4 ,if he makes no mistake in his
 calculations1 the eclipse begins at the
 precise hour which he has indicated4   
,if the eclipse did not take place at   
the instant foreseen1 no one would      
suspect ,nature of not following the    
course prescribed by the directing      
intelligence2 the inference would be    
that there had been a fault in          
observation1 or an error of figures on  
the part of the astronomer4  ,when      
science1 then1 does its part well1 the  
mind of man encounters another mind     
which is governing the world and        
maintaining it in order4 ,the special   
science of nature stops there1 as we    
shall explain further on2 but this is   
not all that man requires1 when he makes
 use of all his faculties4 ,all is      
passing and changing in the domain of   
experience2 and reason seeks            
instinctively the cause of changeable   

facts in an unchangeable ,being1 the    
cause of transient phenomena in an      
eternal ,being4 ,nature1 therefore1 does
 not suffice to account to us for       
itself4 ,it demands a power to direct   
it1 an intelligence to regulate it2 an  
absolute eternal ,being as its cause4   
,this is what reason imperatively       
requires2 and when we possess the idea  
of ,god1 nature reveals to us ,his power
 and ,his wisdom4  ,this is an old      
argument1 and they call it commonplace4 
,it is commonplace1 in fact2 it has     
appeared over and over again in the     
discourses of ,socrates1 in the writings
 of ,galen1 of ,kepler1 of ,newton1 of  
,linnus4 ,yes1 this argument has fallen 
so low as to be public property1 if we  
can say that truth falls when it shines 
with a splendor vivid enough to         
enlighten the masses4 ,if ,i desired to 
bring together here the testimony of all
 the savants who have seen ,god in      
nature1 the song of all the poets who   
have celebrated the glory of the        

,eternal as manifested by the creation1 
the enumeration would be long1 and ,i   
should soon tire out your patience4 ,you
 can understand therefore that if there 
are1 as the misanthrope ,rousseau says  
there are1 philosophers who hold in such
 contempt vulgar opinions that they     
prefer error of their own discovery to  
truth found out by other people1 then   
the ancient argument1 which infers the  
wisdom of the ,creator from the order of
 the creation1 must be the object of but
 small esteem with them4 ,still ,i for  
my part take this old argument for a    
good one1 and ,i mean to defend it4     
,nature is verily and indeed a marvel   
placed before the observation of our    
minds4 ,the growth of a blade of grass1 
the habits of an ant1 contain for an    
attentive observer prodigies of wisdom4 
,a drop of dew reflecting the beams of  
morning1 the play of light among the    
leaves of a tree1 reveal to the poet and
 the artist treasures of poetry4 ,but   
too often1 blinded by habit1 we are     

unable to see2 and when our mind is     
asleep1 it seems to us that the universe
 slumbers4 ,a sudden flash of light can 
sometimes arouse us from this lethargy4 
,if science all at once delivers up to  
us some one of those grand laws which   
reveal in thousands of phenomena the    
traces of one and the same mind1 the    
astonishment of our intellect excites in
 our soul an emotion of adoration4 ,when
 the first rays of morning light up with
 a pure brightness the lofty summits of 
our ,alps2 when the sun at his setting  
stretches a path of fire along the      
waters of our lake1 who does not feel   
impelled to render glory to the supreme 
,artist8 ,when dark cold fogs rest upon 
our valleys at the decline of autumn1 it
 only needs sometimes to climb the      
mountain-side1 in order to issue all at 
once from the gloomy region1 and see the
 chain of high peaks1 resplendent with  
light1 mark themselves out upon a sky of
 incomparable blue4 ,often have ,i given
 myself the delight of this grand       

spectacle1 and always at such a time my 
heart has uttered spontaneously from its
 depths that hymn of adoration3         
,tout l'univers est plein de sa         
magnificence4      ,qu'on l'adore1 ce   
,dieu1 qu'on l'invoque  jamais6#ii      
,such is1 in the presence of nature1 the
 spontaneous movement of the heart and  
of the reason4 ,but a false wisdom      
obscures these clear verities by clouds 
of sophisms4 ,when your heart feels     
impelled to render glory to ,god1 there 
is danger lest importunate thoughts rise
 in your mind and counteract the impulse
 of your adoration4 ,perhaps you have   
heard it said1 perhaps you have read1   
that the accents of spiritual song1     
those echoes1 growing ever weaker1 of   
by-gone ages1 are no longer heard by a  
mind enlightened by modern science4 ,i  
should wish to deliver you from this    
painful doubt4 ,i should wish to protect
 you from the fascinations of a false   
science4 ,i should wish that in the view
 of nature1 even those who have as yet  

no wish to adore1 with ,st4 ,paul1 ,him 
whose invisible perfections are clearly 
seen when we contemplate ,his works1 may
 at least feel themselves free to       
admire1 with ,socrates1 the supreme ,god
 who maintains the works of creation in 
the flower of youth and in a vigor ever 
new4 ,let us examine a few of the       
prejudices which it is sought to        
disseminate1 in order to deprive of     
their force the reasonings of ,newton1  
and to turn us from the opinions of     
,kepler4  ,it is said that science leads
 away from ,god1 and that faith         
continues to be the lot only of the     
ignorant4 ,listen on this head first of 
all to the ,italian ,franchi4 ,the class
 of society in which infidels and       
sceptics especially abound is that of   
savants and men of letters1--men1 in    
short1 who have gone through studies1 in
 the course of which they have certainly
 become acquainted with the famous      
demonstrations of the existence of ,god4
 ,but no sooner have they examined them 

with their own eyes1 and submitted them 
to the criterion of their own judgment1 
than these demonstrations no longer     
demonstrate anything2 these reasonings  
turn out to be only paralogisms4#ajj    
,here we have the thesis in its general 
form3 to become an infidel or a sceptic1
 it is enough to be a well educated man4
 ,the ,german ,bchner will now show us  
the application of this notion to the   
special study of nature4 ,at this day1  
our hardest laborers in the sciences1   
our most indefatigable students of      
nature1 profess materialistic           
sentiments4#aja ,the same tendencies are
 often manifested among ,french writers4
 ,the author of a recent astronomical   
treatise1 for example1 draws a veil of  
deceitful words over the profound faith 
of ,kepler1 and takes evident pleasure  
in throwing into relief the tokens of   
sympathy bestowed unfortunately by the  
learned ,laplace upon atheism4#ajb ,here
 then we have open attempts to found a  
prejudice against religion on the       

authority of science2 and these attempts
 disturb the minds of not a few4 ,i ask 
two questions on this head4 ,is it true1
 in fact1 that modern naturalists are   
generally irreligious8 ,is it possible  
that the science of nature1 rightly     
considered1 should lead to atheism8#ajc 
,let us begin with the question of fact2
 and first of all let us settle clearly 
the bearing and object of this          
discussion4 ,i wish to destroy a        
prejudice1 and not to create one4 ,i am 
not proposing to you to take the votes  
of savants1 in order to know whether    
,god exists4 ,no4 ,though all the       
universities in ,europe should unite to 
vote it dark at mid-day1 ,i should not  
cease on that account to believe in the 
sun1 and that1 ,gentlemen1 in common    
with you all1 and with the mass of my   
fellow-men4 ,i have instituted a sort of
 inquiry in order to ascertain whether  
modern naturalists have in general been 
led to atheistical sentiments1 as some  
would have us believe4 ,in appealing to 

the recollections of my own earlier     
studies and subsequent reading1 ,i have 
marked the names of the men best known  
in the various sciences1 and ,i have    
inquired what religious opinions they   
may have publicly manifested4 ,i will   
now give you briefly the result of my   
labor4  ,i have left astronomy out of   
the question1 considering that1         
notwithstanding the great notoriety of  
,laplace1 we have in ,kepler and ,newton
 a weight of authority sufficient to    
counterbalance that which it is desired 
to connect with his name4 ,descending to
 the earth1 we encounter first of all   
the general science of our globe1 or    
geography4 ,in this order of studies a  
,german1 ,ritter1 enjoys an             
incontestable preeminence4 ,he is       
called1 even in ,france1 the creator of 
scientific geography4 ,scientific       
geography rests for support on nearly   
all the sciences3 it proceeds from the  
general results of chemistry1 physics1  
and geology4 ,had then the vast         

knowledge of ,ritter turned him away    
from ,god8 ,i had read somewhere#ajd    
that he was one of those savants who    
have best realized the union of science 
and faith4 ,one of my friends who was   
personally acquainted with him has      
described him to me1 not only as a man  
who adored the ,creator in the view of  
the creation1 but as an amiable and     
zealous ,christian1 who exerted himself 
to communicate to others his own        
convictions4  ,from the general study of
 the globe1 let us pass to that of the  
organized beings which people its       
surface4 ,does botany teach the human   
mind to dispense with ,god8 ,let us     
listen to ,linnus4 ,i open the ,system  
of ,nature1#aje and on the reverse of   
the title-page ,i read3 ,o ,lord1 how   
manifold are ,thy works6 in wisdom hast 
,thou made them all3 the earth is full  
of ,thy riches4#ajf ,i turn over a few  
leaves1 and ,i meet with a table which  
comprises1 under the title1 ,empire of  
,nature1 the general classification of  

beings4 ,the commencement is as follows3
 ,eternal ,god1 all-wise and almighty6  
,i have seen ,him as it were pass before
 me1 and ,i remained confounded4 ,i have
 discovered some traces of ,his         
footsteps in the works of the creation2 
and in those works1 even in the least1  
even in those which seem most           
insignificant1 what might6 what wisdom6 
what inexplicable perfection6--,if thou 
call ,him ,destiny1 thou art not        
mistaken1 it is ,he upon whom all       
depends4 ,if thou call ,him ,nature1    
thou art not mistaken1 it is ,he from   
whom all takes its origin4 ,if thou call
 ,him ,providence1 thou speakest truly2 
it is by ,his counsel that the universe 
subsists4 ,another great naturalist1    
,george ,cuvier1 takes care to point out
 that ,linnus used to seize with marked 
pleasure the numerous occasions which   
natural history offered him of making   
known the wisdom of ,providence4#ajg    
,thus modern botany was founded in a    
spirit of piety4 ,has it1 at a later    

period1 made any discoveries calculated 
to efface from the life of vegetables   
the marks of ,divine intelligence8      
,allow me to introduce here a personal  
souvenir4 ,i received lessons in my     
youth from an old man1 who1 having once 
been the teacher of ,de ,candolle1      
remained his friend4#ajh ,by a rather   
strange academical arrangement1 ,m4     
,vaucher found himself set to teach     
us--not botany1 for which he possessed  
both taste and genius1#aji but a science
 of which he knew but little1 and which 
he liked still less4 ,so it came to pass
 that a good part of the hour of lecture
 was often filled up with familiar      
conversations4 ,these conversations took
 us far away from church history1 which 
we were supposed to be learning4 ,the   
misplaced botanist reverted1 by a       
natural impulse1 to his much-loved      
science2 and ,i have seen him shed tears
 of tender emotion1 in his ,professor's 
chair1 as he spoke to us of the ,god who
 made the primrose of the spring1 and   

concealed the violet under the hedge by 
the wayside4 ,therefore is the          
recollection of that old man not only   
living in my memory1 but also dear to my
 heart4 ,still he was a savant1 an      
enthusiastic naturalist2 and1 in the    
broad light of the nineteenth century1  
he felt and spoke like ,linnus4  ,let us
 pass to the study of animals4 ,i had   
the wish1 some years ago1 to procure the
 best of modern treatises upon          
physiology4 ,i was directed to the work 
of ,professor ,mller1 of ,berlin4 ,this 
book has not lost its value1--for1 this 
very morning1 a student of our faculty  
of sciences came to me to borrow it1 by 
the advice of his masters4 ,mller was a 
great physiologist1 and he made an open 
profession of the ,christian religion4  
,have we not the right to conclude that 
he believed in ,god8 ,in ,france1 ,i    
could cite more than one name in support
 of my thesis2 ,i confine myself to a   
single fact4 ,the attention of the      
scientific world has very recently been 

occupied with the discoveries of ,m4    
,pasteur4 ,m4 ,pasteur has ascertained  
that the decomposition of organized     
bodies1 after death1 is effected by the 
action of small animals almost          
imperceptible1 the germs of which the   
larger animals carry in themselves1 as  
living preparatives for their interment4
 ,the design of ,providence reveals     
itself to his understanding1 and he     
writes3 ,the immediate elements of      
living bodies would be in a manner      
indestructible1 if from the beings which
 ,god has created were taken away the   
smallest1 and1 in appearance1 the most  
useless4 ,life would thus become        
impossible1 because the return to the   
atmosphere and to the mineral kingdom of
 all that has ceased to live would be   
all at once suspended4#aaj ,in other    
words3 ,i have studied facts hitherto   
incompletely observed1 and my study has 
revealed to me a new manifestation of   
that ,divine wisdom of which the        
universe bears the impression4  ,england

 possesses a naturalist of the first    
order1 whom his fellow-countrymen take a
 pleasure in comparing to ,george       
,cuvier--,professor ,owen4 ,this savant 
lectured1 a few months ago1 before a    
numerous auditory1 on the relations of  
religion and natural science4#aaa ,he is
 fully possessed of all the information 
which the times afford1--is not ignorant
 of modern discoveries1--is1 in fact1   
one of the princes of contemporary      
science4 ,well1 ,gentlemen1 ,mr4 ,owen  
repeats1 with reference to animals1 what
 ,newton was led to say by his          
contemplation of the heavens1 and       
,linnus by his study of the plants4 ,he 
is not afraid to admire with ,galen the 
marvellous wisdom which presided over   
the organization of living bodies4 ,his 
discourse is entitled1 ,the ,power of   
,god in ,his ,animal ,creation4 ,the    
more we understand1 he says1 the more we
 admire1 the more we adore4 ,he pauses  
in view of the marvellous productions of
 nature1 beside which the most delicate 

works of human industry appear1 beneath 
the microscope1 but coarse1 rough       
hewings2 he compares our most highly    
finished machines to the living machines
 made by the hand of ,god1 and infers   
that1 not to discern intelligence in the
 relation of means to ends1 necessarily 
implies in the mind a defect similar to 
that of eyes which are unable to        
distinguish colors4 ,mr4 ,owen declares 
that such a state of mind and feeling in
 a naturalist may provoke blame from    
some and pity from others1 and remains  
for him1 so far as he is concerned1     
absolutely incomprehensible4  ,again1 do
 the most learned chemists find in the  
study of the elements of matter a       
revelation of atheism8 ,m4 ,liebig1 ,i  
have been told1 is one of the first     
chemists of our epoch4 ,he believed he  
had discovered an application of        
chemistry to agriculture1 the effect of 
which would be to furnish a remedy to   
the exhaustion of the soil4 ,his        
discovery turned out false1 and a more  

attentive study of his subject led him  
to ascertain that the object which he   
was pursuing was actually realized by   
,divine ,providence in a way of which he
 had had no suspicion4 ,the following is
 his own account of this1 published in  
#ahfb3 ,after having submitted all the  
facts to a new and very searching       
examination1 ,i discovered the cause of 
my error4 ,i had sinned against the     
wisdom of the ,creator1 and ,i had      
received my just punishment4 ,i was     
wishing to perfect ,his work1 and1 in my
 blindness1 ,i thought that in the      
admirable chain of laws which preside   
over life at the surface of the earth1  
and maintain it ever in freshness1 there
 was wanting a link which ,i1 feeble and
 impotent worm1 was to supply4          
,provision had been made for this       
beforehand1 but in a way so wonderful1  
that the possibility of such a law had  
not so much as dawned upon the human    
understanding4#aab ,here is a confession
 very noble in its humility2 and to this

 chemist1 who thus renders glory to     
,god1 no one of his colleagues could    
say3 ,if you had as much science as we1 
you would say no more about the wisdom  
of the ,creator4  ,let us pass on to    
natural philosophers4 ,i have taken a   
special interest in this part of my     
inquiry1 because ,i had read in the     
productions of a literary man of ,paris1
 that modern physics have placed those  
at fault who defend the doctrine of the 
living and true ,god4 ,i inquired       
accordingly of a man1 very well able to 
give me the information1 whether there  
exists in ,europe a natural philosopher 
holding a position of quite exceptional 
distinction4 ,i received for reply3 ,you
 may say boldly that1 by the unanimous  
consent of men of science1 ,mr4         
,faraday1 in regard both to the         
greatness and range of his discoveries1 
is the first natural philosopher living4
 ,after having thus made myself sure1   
therefore1 on this point1 ,i took the   
liberty of writing to ,mr4 ,faraday the 

following letter3                       
,,geneva1 #cjth ,october1 #ahfc4        
,,sir1       ,i have the intention of   
commencing shortly1 at ,geneva1 and for 
an      auditory of men1 a course of    
lectures designed to combat the         
manifestations of contemporary atheism4 
,to this deplorable error ,i      desire
 to oppose faith in ,god1 as it has been
 given to the world by      the ,gospel1
 faith in the ,heavenly ,father4        
,one of my lectures will be specially   
devoted to the removal of               
prejudices against religion which have  
their origin in natural      science4   
,it is said very often1 and very boldly1
 that modern      physics and modern    
chemistry demonstrate the unfounded     
character of      religious beliefs4    
,these theses are maintained at ,geneva 
as      elsewhere4 ,i should wish to    
reply that natural science does not of  
itself turn men from ,god1 and that     
without being able to give      faith1  
it confirms the faith of those who      

believe3 this ,i should      wish to    
establish by citing names invested1 in  
science1 with an      incontestable and 
solid renown4 ,will you1 ,sir1 authorize
 me to make      use of your name8      
,mr4 ,faraday1 in reply1 sent me the    
following letter1 dated #fth ,nov4      
#ahfc4        ,,sir1       4444,you have
 a full right to make use of my name3   
for although ,i      generally avoid    
mixing up things sacred and things      
profane1 ,i have1      on one occasion1 
written and published a passage which   
accords to      you this right1 and     
which ,i maintain4 ,i send you a copy of
 it4 ,i      hope you will find nothing 
in any other part of my researches1 to  
contradict or weaken in any way whatever
 the sense of this passage4       ,i beg
 you to transmit my best remembrances to
 my friend ,m4 de la      ,rive4444     
,the passage thus indicated establishes 
a line of demarcation1 very strongly    
7perhaps too strongly7 drawn between    
researches of the reason and the domain 

of religious truth1 and contains a      
profession of positive faith in         
,revelation4 ,the author affirms that he
 has never recognized any               
incompatibility between science and     
faith1 and makes the following          
declaration3 ,even in earthly matters ,i
 reckon that 'the invisible things of   
,god from the creation of the world are 
clearly seen1 being understood by the   
things that are made1 even his eternal  
power and ,godhead4'  ,a literary man of
 ,paris declares to us that natural     
science leads away from ,god3 one of the
 first savants of our time informs us   
that the scientific contemplation of    
nature renders the wisdom of ,god       
manifest4 ,the question is one of fact4 
,to whom shall we give our confidence8  
,for my part1 since it is natural       
philosophy which is in question1 ,i rank
 myself on the side of the ,natural     
,philosopher4  ,we will here terminate  
this review4 ,it is time1 however1 which
 fails us1 not subject-matter1 for      

continuing it4 ,you may have noticed    
that the name of no one of the savants  
of ,switzerland figures in this inquiry4
 ,nevertheless our country would have   
furnished a rich mine for my purpose4   
,it contains 7and it is one of its best 
privileges7 a goodly number of savants1 
whom the observation of the facts of    
matter have not caused to forget the    
claims of mind1 and who know how to     
raise their souls to the ,author of the 
marvels which they study4 ,you will     
understand therefore that it has not    
been from anxiety for my cause1 but from
 a motive of discretion1 that ,i have   
forborne to bring into this discussion  
the names of men in whom we have a near 
interest1 and many of whom perhaps are  
present in this assembly4 ,i will take  
advantage of ,mr4 ,faraday's letter to  
make a single exception1 by naming ,m4  
de la ,rive4 ,more than once1 and in    
public1 we have heard him distinctly    
point out the place occupied by the     
sciences of mind in relation to the     

natural sciences1 and render glory to   
the ,creator4 ,and ,i do not think that 
any one1 in ,switzerland or elsewhere1  
can claim to speak with disdain1 in the 
name of the physical sciences1 of the   
religious convictions boldly professed  
by our learned fellow-countryman4#aac   
,recollect1 ,gentlemen1 that ,i have not
 undertaken to prove the existence of   
,god1 by making appeal to the authority 
of men of science4 ,all ,i have sought  
to do has been to destroy a prejudice4  
,they tell us1 and scream it at us1 that
 the best naturalists become atheists4  
,this is not true1 as ,i think ,i have  
shown4 ,there do exist atheists who     
cultivate the natural sciences1--no     
doubt of the fact4 ,but even though half
 the whole number of naturalists were   
atheists1 inasmuch as other naturalists1
 and those some of the greatest1 find in
 their studies new motives to adoration1
 we are forced to the conclusion1 that  
the true cause why these savants        
repudiate religion has nothing to do    

with their science4 ,we shall come to be
 more strongly confirmed in this        
opinion1 if we pass now from the        
question of fact to considerations of   
sound reason4  ,the weakness of the     
human mind leads it to forget the facts 
with which it is not occupied4 ,all     
special culture of the intellect risks  
consequently the paralyzing a part of   
our faculties4 ,hegel1 lost in          
abstractions1 persuades himself that he 
will be able to construct by pure       
reasoning the history of nature and that
 of the human race4 ,a geometrician1 who
 no longer saw in the world anything but
 theorems and demonstrations1 asked1    
after the representation of a dramatic  
masterpiece1 ,and what does that prove8 
,a physiologist absorbed in the study of
 sensible phenomena says3 ,where is that
 soul they talk of8 ,i have never seen  
it4 ,these are phenomena of the same    
order4 ,this infirmity of the mind1     
which leads certain savants to think    
that the ordinary subject of their      

studies is everything1 must not be      
imputed to science4 ,a man accustomed to
 the exclusive observation of material  
phenomena1 may become a materialist by  
the effect of his mental habits1 and    
this really happens1 in fact1 in too    
many instances2 but the study in itself 
is not responsible for this result4 ,let
 us endeavor to prove this1 by clearly  
defining the object of the natural      
sciences4  ,when the matter of a        
phenomenon is given to us1 the          
understanding proposes to itself three  
questions3  #a4 ,how does the fact      
manifest itself8 what is the mode of its
 existence8 ,the answer gives us the law
 of the phenomenon4 ,bodies fall to the 
ground at a determined rate of speed3   
the determination of this rate is the   
law of their fall4  #b4 ,what is the    
real effective power which produces the 
phenomenon8 ,this is the inquiry after  
the cause4  #c4 ,what is the intention  
which presided at the production of the 
phenomenon8 ,this is the search after   

the object1 which philosophers call the 
final cause4  ,what we call             
understanding or explaining a fact1 is  
answering these three questions2 it is  
finding the law1 the cause1 the end4    
,this analysis was made by ,aristotle1  
and seems to have been well made4 ,the  
science of nature1 as it is conceived by
 the moderns1 does not undertake to     
satisfy entirely the desires of the     
human mind4 ,it confines itself to the  
first question2 it classes phenomena2 it
 then seeks their law2 arrived at this1 
it stops4 ,the cause and design of      
things remain out of the sphere of its  
investigations2 the question of ,god    
therefore continues foreign to it4  ,a  
story is told that when ,buonaparte     
expressed his astonishment that the     
,marquis de la ,place could have written
 a large book on the system of the      
universe1 without making any mention of 
the ,creator1 the learned astronomer    
replied to his sovereign3 ,sire1 ,i had 
no need of that hypothesis4 ,the answer 

is admissible if we regard only the     
science of nature4 ,an astronomer has no
 need of ,god in order to follow out the
 series of his calculations1 and compare
 their results with the course of the   
stars2 a chemist has no need of ,god in 
order to ascertain the simple elements  
combined in composite bodies2 a natural 
philosopher has no need of ,god in order
 to determine the laws of waves of sound
 or of electric currents4 ,the science  
of nature does not demonstrate the      
existence of ,god2 still less can it    
deny ,his existence4 ,to deny ,god1 it  
would be necessary for science to       
demonstrate that there is no order1 and 
consequently no cause of the order to   
discover2 for when we point out the     
harmony of the universe1 we manifestly  
prepare a basis for the argument which1 
from the intelligence recognized in the 
phenomena1 will infer the intelligence  
of the ,power which governs them4 ,to   
prove that there is no order would be to
 prove that there is no science4 ,for   

any one who well understands the value  
of terms1 the words atheistical science 
contain a contradiction2 they signify   
science which proves that there is no   
science4  ,such1 ,gentlemen1 is the real
 state of the question4 ,our savants1   
when they remain faithful to their      
method1 seek to determine the laws of   
phenomena1 and do not occupy themselves 
either with the ,first ,cause of nature1
 or with its general object2 they leave 
the question of ,god on one side4       
,whence come then the negations of      
naturalists8 ,they arise in this way3   
those savants who succeed in strictly   
confining themselves within the limits  
of their science are rare exceptions4   
,almost always the man introduces his   
thoughts into the work of the savant1   
and the results of his study appear to  
him religious or irreligious1 according 
to his views of religion4 ,newton ends  
his book with a hymn to the ,creator2   
but it is not the mathematical          
principles of nature which have revealed

 to him the ,sovereign ,god4 ,he        
perceives the rays of ,his glory because
 he believes in ,him4 ,in the same way1 
the atheist thinks that his researches  
disprove the existence of ,god1 because 
,god is veiled from his soul4 ,in both  
cases it is a doctrine foreign to pure  
natural science which gives a color to  
its results4 ,self-deception is very    
common in this matter1 and in both      
directions4 ,the religious mind does not
 understand how it is possible to       
contemplate the universe1 and not see   
inscribed upon it distinctly the name of
 its ,author2 and the intrusion of      
atheism into the sciences of observation
 is veiled beneath confusions of ideas  
which it is of importance for us to     
dissipate4  ,modern science1 as we have 
said1 stops at laws1 without troubling  
itself with causes4 ,the laws which     
determine the series of facts as they   
offer themselves to observation express 
the mode of the action of the causes4   
,there are here two ideas absolutely    

distinct3 the power which acts1 and the 
manner in which it acts4 ,if the        
naturalist thinks that his science is   
everything1 he must conclude that we can
 know nothing beyond the laws1 and that 
an insuperable ignorance hides from our 
view the power of which they express the
 action4 ,but he rarely succeeds in     
keeping this position1 and deceives his 
reason by confounding the laws which he 
discovers with the causes with which his
 mind is not able to dispense4 ,he says 
first of all with ,franchi1 the universe
 is what it is2 this is the general     
formula of all the truths of experience2
 then he adds with the same author1 it  
is because it is4 ,this because means   
nothing1 or means that laws are their   
own causes4 ,if it is asked1 ,what is   
the cause of the motion of the stars8   
they will give for answer the           
astronomical formul which express this  
motion1 and will think that they have   
explained the phenomena by stating in   
what way they present themselves to     

observation4 ,this is a curious example 
of that confusion of ideas which opens  
the door to atheism4  ,an ,english      
naturalist1 ,mr4 ,darwin1 has shown that
 in the successive life of animal       
generations1 the favorable variations   
which are produced in the organization  
of a being are transmitted to its       
descendants and insure the perpetuity of
 its race1 while the unpropitious       
variations disappear because they entail
 the destruction of the races in which  
they are produced4 ,he tells us3 ,this  
preservation of favorable variations and
 the rejection of injurious variations1 
,i call ,natural ,selection4#aad ,what  
does the author understand by law8 ,he  
answers3 the series of facts as it is   
known to us4#aae ,here we have the true 
definition of law3 it is the simple     
expression of the series of the facts2  
the cause remains to be sought for4 ,i  
open the book in another part4 ,the     
author is speaking of the eye2 and his  
doctrine is that the eye of the eagle   

was formed by the slow transformations  
of an extremely simple visual apparatus4
 ,there will have been then1 in the     
development of animal existence1 first  
of all a rudimentary eye1 then an eye   
moderately well formed1 and then the eye
 of the eagle1 because the favorable    
modifications of the organ of sight will
 have been preserved and increased in   
the course of ages4 ,such is the series 
of facts1 such is the law2 suppose we   
grant it4 ,what is the cause8 ,the      
optician makes our spectacles2 who made 
the eye of the eagle1 by directing the  
slow transformations which at length    
produced it8 ,let us listen to the      
author3 ,there exists an intelligent    
power1 and that intelligent power is    
natural selection1 constantly on the    
watch for every alteration accidentally 
produced in the transparent layers1 in  
order carefully to choose such of those 
alterations as may tend to produce a    
more distinct image4444 ,natural        
selection will choose with infallible   

skill each new improvement effected4#aaf
 ,natural selection is a law2 a law is  
the series of facts2 it seems that we   
must seek for the power which directs   
this series of facts2 but1 lo1 the      
series of facts itself is transformed   
into a power--into an intelligent       
power--into a power which chooses with  
infallible skill6 ,the confusion of     
ideas is complete4 ,the mind is on a    
wrong scent2 it concludes that the law  
explains everything1 and has itself no  
need of explanation4 ,the idea of the   
cause disappears1 and1 as ,auguste      
,comte expresses it1 science conducts   
,god with honor to its frontiers1       
thanking ,him for ,his provisional      
services4#aag ,this is not perhaps the  
idea of ,mr4 ,darwin1 but it is at any  
rate the idea of some of his disciples1 
as we shall see by-and-by4  ,thus the   
idea of the cause is kept out of sight4 
,let us now see the fate to which are   
consigned those other requirements of   
the reason--the eternal and the         

infinite4 ,i take up ,dr4 ,bchner's     
book1 and ,i read3 ,we are incapable of 
forming an idea1 even approximately1 of 
the eternal and the infinite1 because   
our mind1 shut up within the limits of  
the senses1 in what regards space and   
time1 is quite unable to pass these     
bounds so as to rise to the height of   
these ideas4 ,i follow the text1 and    
thirteen lines further on1 in the same  
page1 ,i read1 ,therefore matter and    
space must be eternal4#aah ,observe well
 the use which this writer makes of the 
great ideas of the reason4 ,is it       
desired to employ them to prove the     
existence of ,god8 ,he will have nothing
 to do with them4 ,is the object in     
question to deny ,god's existence8 ,he  
makes use of them2 and all in the same  
page4 ,this is coarse work1 no doubt1   
and ,dr4 ,bchner damages his cause2 but1
 under forms1 often more subtle and more
 intelligent1 the same sophism turns up 
in all systems of materialism4#aai ,it  
is affirmed that we have no real idea of

 the infinite1 and it is sought at the  
same time to beguile the need which     
reason feels of this idea by applying it
 to matter4  ,pray do not suppose that  
,i am here attacking the natural        
sciences1 in the interest of            
metaphysics4 ,i am not attacking but    
defending them4 ,i am endeavoring1 as   
far as in me lies1 to avenge them from  
the outrages which are offered to them  
by materialism1 while it seeks to cover 
with their noble mantle its own shameful
 nakedness4 ,naturalists on the one     
hand1 and theologians and philosophers  
on the other1 are too often at war4     
,they are men1 and as nothing human is  
foreign to them1 they are not           
unacquainted either with proud          
prepossessions1 or with jealous         
rivalries1 or with the miserable        
struggles of envy3 with these things the
 passions are chargeable4 ,but never    
render the sciences responsible for the 
errors of their representatives4 ,take  
away human frailties1 and you shall see 

harmony established2 the study of matter
 will thus agree with the study of mind1
 and the idea of nature with the idea of
 ,god4 ,you will see all the sciences   
rise together in a majestic harmony4 ,i 
say rise1 and ,i say it advisedly2 for  
the sciences also form a part of that   
golden chain which should unite the     
earth to heaven4  ,the assertion that   
the science of nature leads away from   
,god1 expresses nothing but a prejudice4
 ,it is not true in fact1 and on        
principles of right reason it is        
impossible3 the demonstration is        
complete4 ,atheism is a philosophy for  
which the natural sciences are in no    
degree responsible4 ,we shall not       
undertake here the general discussion of
 this philosophy4 ,let us confine       
ourselves to the examination of the     
pretence which it puts forward to find a
 new support in the results of modern   
science4  ,the nineteenth century       
bestows particular attention upon       
history1 and it is not only to the      

annals of the human race that it directs
 its investigations4 ,geology and       
palontology dive into the bowels of the 
earth in order to ask of the ground     
which carries us testimony as to what it
 carried of old4 ,astronomy goes yet    
further4 ,it endeavors to conjecture    
what was the condition of our planet    
before the appearance of the first      
living being4 ,it remarks that the sun  
is not fixed in the heavens1 and that   
our earth does not twice travel over the
 same line in its annual revolutions4   
,it appears that stars are seen in      
course of formation2 it is suspected    
that some have wholly disappeared4      
,nature is not fixed1 but is undergoing 
modifications--lives1 in fact4 ,the     
actual state of the universe is but a   
momentary phase in a development which  
supposes thousands of ages in the past1 
and seems to presage thousands more in  
the future4 ,these conceptions are the  
result of solid and incontestable       
discoveries4 ,they have disturbed men's 

minds1 but what is their legitimate     
import8 ,why1 ,newton's argument        
receives new force from them4 ,from a   
blind metaphysical necessity1 everywhere
 and always the same1 said this great   
man1 no variation could spring4 ,the    
more it is demonstrated that the        
universe is in course of development and
 modification1 the more clearly comes   
into view the necessity of the supreme  
,power which is the cause of its        
modifications1 and of the ,infinite     
intelligence which is directing them to 
their end4 ,this appears to be solid    
reasoning1 and nevertheless atheism has 
endeavored to strike its roots in the   
ground of modern discoveries4 ,it does  
this in the following way4  ,if the     
universe as it is1 with the infinite    
variety of beings which people it and   
the marvellous relations which connect  
these beings mutually together1 could be
 shown to have sprung all at once from  
nothing1 or to have emerged from chaos  
at a given instant1 in its full harmony1

 the boldest mind would not venture to  
regard this miracle of intelligence as  
the product of chance4 ,but modern      
science1 it is said1 no longer admits of
 this simple explanation of things3 ,god
 created the heavens and the earth4     
,this phrase is henceforward admissible 
only in the catechism4 ,we know that all
 has been produced by slow degrees1     
starting from weak and shapeless        
rudiments4 ,this grand marvel of the    
universe was not made all of one piece4 
,man is of recent date2 quadrupeds at a 
certain epoch did not exist2 animals had
 a beginning1 and plants also4 ,the     
earth was once bare4 ,formerly1 it was  
perhaps only a gaseous mass revolving in
 space4 ,in course of time1 matter was  
condensed2 in time it was organized in  
living cellules2 in time these cellules 
became shapeless animals2 in time these 
animals were perfected4 ,time appears   
therefore to be the universal factor2   
and for the ancient formula1 the        
universe is the creation of ,god1 we are

 able to substitute this other formula1 
the result1 most assuredly1 of modern   
science1 the universe is the work of    
time4  ,in all this1 ,gentlemen1 ,i have
 invented nothing4 ,all ,i have done has
 been to put into form the theory1 the  
elements of which ,i have met with in   
various contemporary productions4#abj   
,they bewilder us by heaping ages upon  
ages1 and in order to explain nature    
they substitute the idea of time for the
 ideas of power and intelligence4 ,they 
seem to suppose that what is produced   
little by little is sufficiently        
explained by the slowness of its        
formation4  ,these aberrations of       
thought have recently been manifested in
 a striking manner on the occasion of   
the publication of ,mr4 ,darwin's book4 
,this naturalist has given his attention
 to the transformation of organized     
types4 ,he has discovered that types    
vary more than is generally supposed2   
and that we probably take simple        
varieties for distinct species4 ,his    

discoveries will1 ,i suppose1 leave     
traces strongly marked enough in the    
history of science4 ,but ,mr4 ,darwin is
 not merely an observer2 he is a        
theorist1 dominated evidently by a      
disposition to systematize4 ,now minds  
of this character1 which render1 no     
doubt1 signal services to the sciences  
of observation1 are all like ,pyrrhus1  
who1 gazing on ,andromache as he walked 
by her side1        ,still quaffed      
bewildering pleasure from the view4#aba 
,their theory is their lady-love2 they  
love it passionately1 and passionate    
love always strongly excites the        
imagination4 ,mr4 ,darwin then has put  
forth the hypothesis1 that not only all 
animals1 but all vegetables too1 might  
have come from one and the same         
primitive type1 from one and the same   
living cellule4 ,this supposes that     
there was at the beginning but one      
single species1 an elementary and very  
slightly defined organization1 from     
which all that lives descended in the   

way of regular generation4 ,the oak and 
the wild boar which eats its acorn1 the 
cat and the flea which lodges in its    
fur1 have common ancestors4 ,the family1
 originally one1 has been divided under 
the influence of soil1 climate1 food1   
moisture1 mode of life1 and by virtue of
 the natural selection which has        
preserved and accumulated the favorable 
modifications which have occurred in the
 organism4 ,mr4 ,darwin1 ,i repeat1     
appears to me a man strongly disposed to
 systematize1 but ,i do not on this     
account conclude that he is mistaken4   
,the question is1 what opinion we must  
form of his doctrine on principles of   
experimental science8 ,professor        
,owen#abb does not appear to allow it   
any value2 ,m4 ,agassiz does not admit  
it at all2#abc and1 without crossing the
 ocean1 we might consult ,m4            
,pictet1#abd who would reply1 that      
judging by the experimental data which  
we have at present1 this doctrine is an 
hypothesis not confirmed by the         

observation of facts4 ,we will leave    
this controversy to naturalists4 ,what  
will remain eventually in their science 
of the system under discussion8 ,the    
answer belongs to the future enlightened
 by experience and by the employment of 
a sage induction4 ,what is the relation 
existing between these systematic views 
and the question of the ,creator8 ,this 
is the sole object of our study4  ,the  
opinions of the ,english naturalist are 
very dubious as to the vital questions  
of religious philosophy4 ,i have pointed
 out to you the confusion of his ideas  
in the use which he makes of natural    
selection4 ,in the text of his book1 he 
admits1 in the special case of life1 the
 intervention of the ,creator for the   
production of the first living being1   
and he does not speak of man1 except in 
an incidental sentence1 which only      
attentive readers will take any notice  
of4 ,if we do not take the liberty to   
look a little below the surface1 we must
 say that ,mr4 ,darwin remains on the   

ground of natural history4 ,therefore ,i
 spoke to you of the aberrations of     
philosophic thought which have been     
produced on the occasion of his book4   
,these aberrations are the following3   
,first of all1 natural selection has    
been taken for a cause1 or rather as    
dispensing with the necessity for a     
cause1 by means of a confusion of ideas 
for which the author is responsible4    
,the system has therefore been          
understood as implying1 that organized  
beings were formed without plan1 without
 design1 by the mere action of material 
causes1 and as the result of            
modifications casual at first1 and      
slowly accumulated4 ,divine intelligence
 and creative power thus seemed to be   
disappearing from the organization of   
the universe1 and to disappear          
especially before the lapse of time and 
the infinitely slow action of physical  
causes4 ,but while the system was taking
 wing1 and soaring aloft1 lo6 the       
,creator at the commencement of things1 

and man conceived as a distinct being at
 the highest point of nature1 have risen
 up as two idols and paralyzed its      
flight4 ,to ,mr4 ,darwin1 however1 have 
speedily succeeded disciples            
compromising their master's authority1  
and addressing him in some such language
 as this3 ,you1 our master1 do not fully
 follow out your own opinions2 you      
strain off gnats1#abe and swallow       
camels4 ,it is not more difficult to see
 in the living cellule a transformation 
of matter1 and in man a transformation  
of the monkey1 than to point out in a   
sponge the ancestor of the horse4 ,cast 
down your idols1 and confess that matter
 developed in course of time1 under     
favorable circumstances1 is the origin  
of all that is4 ,matter1 time1          
circumstances--these things have taken  
the place of ,god4  ,this1 ,gentlemen1  
is a philosophy1 properly so called1    
which vainly pretends to find a support 
in the observation of facts4 ,geoffroy  
,saint-,hilaire1 the rival of ,cuvier1  

set forth views analogous to those which
 ,mr4 ,darwin has lately reproduced4    
,but in his replies to the attacks which
 were made upon his system1 he affirmed 
that his theory offered one of the most 
glorious manifestations of creative     
power1 and an additional motive for     
admiration1 gratitude1 and love4#abf    
,two different interpretations may      
therefore be given to the system4 ,i    
wish to show you that these             
interpretations proceed in all cases    
from considerations external to the     
system4 ,the system in itself1 as a     
theory of natural history1 could not in 
any way affect injuriously the great    
interests of spiritual truth4  ,in order
 solidly to establish this assertion1 ,i
 will suppose the hypotheses of the most
 advanced disciples of ,mr4 ,darwin to  
have been verified by experimental      
science4 ,i take for granted that it has
 been proved that all plants and all    
animals have descended1 by way of       
regular generation1 from living cellules

 originally similar2 and that the       
material particles of the globe1 at a   
given moment1 drew together to form     
these cellules4 ,and now where do we    
stand8 ,will ,god henceforward be a     
superfluous hypothesis8 ,do the         
atheistical consequences which it is    
desired to draw from this doctrine      
proceed logically from it8 ,most        
certainly not6  ,i observe first of all 
that there exists a great question      
relative to the beginning of things4    
,matter is perfected and organized in   
process of time--but whence comes matter
 itself8 ,is it also formed little by   
little in process of time8 ,does        
non-existence become existence little by
 little8 ,so it is said in the preface  
to the ,french translation of ,mr4      
,darwin's book4 ,but this appertains to 
high metaphysics2 and ,i pass on4  ,if  
time is the factor of all progress by a 
necessary law1 this necessity must be   
everywhere the same4 ,have the elements 
of matter all the same age8 ,if so1 why 

have some followed the law of progress1 
and others not8 ,why has this mud and   
this coal remained mud and coal1 age    
after age1 while these other molecules  
have risen1 in the hierarchy of the     
universe1 to the dignity of life8 ,why  
have these mollusks remained mollusks   
throughout the succession of their      
generations1 while others1 happily      
transformed1 have gradually mounted the 
steps of the ladder up to man8 ,whence  
comes this aristocracy of nature8 ,are  
the beings which we call inferior only  
the cadets of the universe1 and are they
 too in their turn to mount all the     
steps of the ladder8 ,must we admit that
 there is going on the continual        
production1 not only of living cellules 
which are beginning new series of       
generations1 but also of new matter1    
which1 setting out from the most        
rudimentary condition1 is beginning the 
evolution which is to raise it into     
life8 ,they do not venture to put forth 
theses of this nature1 and1 in order to 

account for the diversity of things1    
recourse is had to circumstances4 ,the  
diversity of circumstances explains the 
diversity of developments4 ,but whence  
can come the variety of circumstances in
 a world where all is produced in the   
way of fatal necessity1 and without the 
intervention of a will and an           
intelligence8 ,this is the remark of    
,newton4 ,study carefully the systems of
 materialism3 their authors declare that
 to have recourse to ,god in order to   
account for the universe is a puerile   
conception unworthy of science1 because 
all explanation must be referred to     
fixed and immutable laws2 and then you  
will be for ever surprising them in the 
very act of the adoration of            
circumstances4 ,convenient deities      
these1 which they summon to their aid in
 cases which they find embarrassing4    
,but we will not insist on these        
preliminary considerations4 ,we have    
allowed1 for argument's sake1 that all  
organized beings have proceeded by means

 of generation from cellules presenting 
to sensible observation similar         
appearances4 ,natural history cannot    
prove1 nor even attempt to prove1 more4 
,let us transport ourselves1 in thought1
 to the moment at which the highest     
points of the continents were for the   
first time emerging from the primitive  
ocean4 ,we see1 on the parts of the soil
 which are half-dried1 and in certain   
conditions of heat and electricity1     
particles of matter draw together and   
form those rudiments of organism which  
are called living cellules4 ,these      
cellules have the marvellous faculty of 
self-propagation1 and the faculty1 not  
less marvellous1 of transmitting to     
their posterity the favorable           
modifications which they have undergone4
 ,generations succeed one another2      
gradually they form separate branches4  
,new characteristics show themselves2   
the organisms become complicated1 and   
becoming complicated they separate4 ,the
 vegetable is distinguished from the    

animal2 the plant which will become the 
palm-tree is distinguished from the oak 
which is in course of formation1 and the
 ancestor of the future bird is already 
different from that of the fish4 ,we    
follow up this great spectacle4 ,the    
ages pass1 they pass by thousands and by
 millions1 they pass by tens of         
millions4 ,we need not be stinting in   
our allowance of time2 our imagination  
will be tired of conceiving of it sooner
 than thought of supplying it4 ,and at  
what shall we have arrived at last8 ,at 
the universe as it has been for some few
 thousands of years past2 at the world  
with its vegetables of a thousand forms1
 grouped by classes and series1 with the
 families of animals1 with the relations
 of animals to plants1 with the         
unnumbered harmonies of nature4 ,let us 
choose out one particular1 on which to  
fix our attention4 ,shall it be a       
she-goat--        ,upstretched on       
fragrant cytisus to browse8   ,this will
 suit our purpose1 although the cytisus1

 unless ,i am mistaken1 has no perfume  
except in ,m4 de ,lamartine's verses4   
,let us fix our attention on a cytisus  
with its yellow clusters hanging down1  
and the goat bending its pliant branches
 as it browses on the foliage4 ,here is 
a very small detail in the ample lap of 
nature4 ,let us come closer1 and to help
 our ignorance1 let us provide ourselves
 with a naturalist who will answer for  
us the questions suggested by this      
simple spectacle4 ,and what have we now 
before us8 ,the various relations of the
 animal's organization to the vegetables
 on which it feeds4 ,in the organization
 and functions of these two living      
beings1 in the equilibrium and movements
 of their frames1 in the circulation of 
sap and of blood1 we have the           
application of the most secret laws of  
mechanism1 of physics1 and of chemistry4
 ,then again1 in the relations which the
 animal and the plant sustain with the  
ground which bears them1 with the air   
they breathe1 with the sun which        

enlightens them1 with heat and light1   
with the moisture of the air and its    
electricity--in all this we see the     
universal relations which connect all   
the various parts of the wide universe  
with each one of its minutest details4  
,in this simple spectacle we have1 in   
fact1 reciprocal relations1 the balance 
of things1 the harmony which maintains  
the universal life--intelligence1 in    
short1 in the organization of beings1 in
 the characteristics which divide them1 
in the classes which unite them1 in the 
relations of these classes amongst      
themselves2--wonders of intelligent     
design1 of which the sciences we are so 
proud of are spelling out1 letter by    
letter1 line after line1 the            
inexhaustible abysses3 this is what we  
find everywhere4 ,let us now come back  
to our primitive cellules4  ,all the    
living beings which people the surface  
of the globe are composed materially of 
some of the elements of the earth's     
substance4 ,the birth therefore of the  

first living beings could only offer to 
the view the bringing together of some  
of the elements of the soil2 this is not
 the matter in question4 ,the primitive 
cellules were to all appearance alike4  
,weighed in scales1 opened by the       
scalpel1 placed beneath the microscope1 
they would have offered no appreciable  
difference2 ,i grant it3 it is the      
supposition we have agreed to make4     
,therefore they were identical1 say you4
 ,i deny it1 and here is my proof3 ,if  
the cellules had been identical1 they   
would not have given1 in the successive 
development of their generations1 the   
diverse beings which people the world1  
and the relations which unite them4     
,alike to your eyes1 the cellules       
differed therefore by a concealed       
property which their development brought
 to light4 ,you have told me as a matter
 of history how the organization of the 
world was manifested by slow degrees2   
you have given me no account of the     
cause of that organization4  ,it is said

 in reply3 ,we do know the origin of    
those developments which you refer to a 
supposed intelligence4 ,the living      
beings are transformed by the action of 
food1 climate1 soil1 mode of life4 ,they
 experience slight variations in the    
first instance2 but these variations are
 established1 and increase2 and where   
you see a plan1 types1 and species1     
there is really only the result of      
modifications slowly accumulated4       
,nature disposes of periods which have  
no limit1 and everything has come at its
 proper time1 in the course of ages4    
,they are always proposing to us to     
accept of time as the substitute for    
intelligence4 ,i am tempted to say with 
,alcestis3        ,time in this matter1 
,sirs1 has nought to do4#abg   ,you know
 what intelligence is2 you know it by   
knowing yourself4 ,is there1 or is there
 not1 intelligence in the universe8     
,allow me to reproduce some old         
questions3 ,if a machine implies        
intelligence1 does the universe imply   

none8 ,if a telescope implies           
intelligence in the optician1 does the  
eye imply none in its author8 ,the      
production of a variety of the camelia1 
or of a new breed of swine1 demands of  
the gardener and the breeder the patient
 and prolonged employment of the        
understanding2 and are our entire flora 
and fauna to be explained without any   
intervention of mind8 ,and if there is  
intelligence in the universe1 is this   
intelligence a chemical result of the   
combination of molecules8 is it a       
physical result of caloric or of        
electricity8 ,it is in vain that you    
give to material agents an unlimited    
time2 what has time to do here8 ,whether
 the world as it now exists arose out of
 nothing1 or whether it was slowly      
formed during thousands of ages1 the    
question remains the same4 ,with matter 
and time1 you will not succeed in       
creating intelligence2 this were an     
operation of transcendent alchemy       
utterly beyond our power4 ,in the theory

 of slow causes1 the adjective ends by  
devouring the substantive2 it seems that
 by dint of becoming slow the causes    
become superfluous4 ,a breath of reason 
upsets1 like a house of cards1 the      
structures of this erring and misnamed  
science4 ,time has a relative meaning   
and value4 ,we reckon duration as long  
or short1 by taking human life as our   
measure4 ,but they tell of insects which
 are born in the morning1 arrive at     
mature age at mid-day1 and only reach   
the evening if they are patriarchs of   
their race4 ,is it not easy to conceive 
of beings organized for an existence    
such that our centuries would be moments
 with them1 and centuries heaped        
together one of our hours8 ,suppose one 
of these beings to be contemplating our 
geological periods1 and slow causes will
 to him appear rapid causes1 and the    
question of intelligence will be the    
same for him as for us4  ,it is manifest
 that the attempt is being made to      
restore the worship of the old ,chronos1

 to whom the ancients had erected       
temples4 ,let us look the idol in the   
face4 ,time appears at first to our     
imagination as the great destroyer4 ,he 
is armed with a scythe1 and passes gaunt
 and bald over the ruins of all that has
 lived4 ,when he lifts up his great     
voice and cries--        ,mighty nations
 famed in story        ,into darkness ,i
 have hurled1--      ,gone their myriads
 and their glory        7,lo6 ye follow7
 from the world3      ,my dark shade for
 ever covers        ,stars ,i quenched  
as on they rolled3--   the beautiful1   
and frightened girl in the song is not  
singular as she exclaims in her terror3 
,ah6 we're young1 and we are lovers1    
,spare us1 ,reaper gaunt and old6#abh   
,such is the first impression which time
 makes upon us4 ,but birth succeeds to  
death4 ,from an inexhaustible spring1   
nature sends gushing forth new products 
and new developments4 ,youth full of    
hope trips lightly over the ground1     
without a thought that the ground it    

treads on is the vast cemetery of all   
past generations4 ,if we fix our        
thoughts on the permanence of life and  
the manifestations of progress1 time    
appears to us as the great producer4    
,destroyer of all that is1 producer of  
all that is to be1 time has thus a      
double form4 ,it is a mysterious tide1  
ever rising and ever receding2 it is the
 power of death1 and it is the power of 
life4 ,all this1 ,gentlemen1 is for the 
imagination4 ,in the view of a calm     
reason1 time is the simply negative     
condition of all development1 as space  
is the negative condition of all motion4
 ,just as without bodies and forces     
infinite space could not produce any    
motion2 so1 without the action of       
causes1 ages heaped on ages could       
neither produce nor destroy a single    
atom of matter1 or a single element of  
intelligence4 ,time is the scene of life
 and of death2 it neither causes to be  
born1 nor to die4  ,the struggle which  
we are now maintaining against the      

philosophers of matter is as ancient as 
science1 and was going on1 nearly in the
 same terms1 more than two thousand     
three hundred years ago4 ,about five    
hundred years before the ,christian era 
was born at ,clazomen1 a city of ,ionia1
 the son of ,eubulus1 who was to become 
famous by the name of ,anaxagoras4 ,he  
fixed his abode at ,athens1 and the     
,athenian people gave him a glorious    
surname1--they called him ,intelligence4
 ,on what account8 ,there were taught at
 that time doctrines which explained the
 world by the transformations of matter 
rising progressively to life and        
thought1 without the intervention of a  
mind4 ,the philosopher ,anaximander gave
 out that the first animals had their   
origin in the watery element1 and became
 modified by living in drier regions1 so
 that man was only a fish slowly        
transformed4 ,i am quite willing to     
grant it1 replied ,anaxagoras2 but for  
your transformations there must be a    
transforming principle4 ,matter is the  

material of the world1 no doubt2 but it 
could not produce universal order except
 as ruled by intelligence4 ,the         
,athenians admired this discovery4 ,for 
us1 ,gentlemen1 the discovery has been  
made a long while4 ,let us not then be  
talking in this discussion about modern 
science and the lights of the age4 ,our 
natural history is much advanced as     
compared with that of the ,greeks2 but  
the vital question has not varied4 ,does
 nature manifest the intervention of a  
directing mind1 or do we see in it only 
a fortuitous aggregation of atoms8      
,intelligence radiates from the face of 
nature1 and it is in vain that men      
endeavor to veil its splendor4          
,nevertheless ,i consent to forget all  
that has just been said1 in order to    
intrench myself in an argument1 which of
 itself is sufficient for the object we 
have in view to-day4 ,our object is to  
prove that material science does not    
contain the explanation of all the      
realities of the universe4 ,even though 

they had succeeded in persuading us that
 there is no intelligence in nature1 it 
would still be necessary to explain the 
origin of that intelligence which is in 
us1 and the existence of which cannot be
 disputed4 ,whence proceeds the mind    
which is in ourselves8  ,let us first of
 all give our attention to a strange    
contradiction4 ,those savants who make  
of the human soul a simple manifestation
 of matter1 are the same who wish to    
explain nature without the intervention 
of the ,divine intelligence4 ,in order  
to keep out of view the design which is 
displayed in the organization of the    
world1 they take a pleasure in finding  
nature at fault1 and in pointing out its
 imperfections4 ,still1 they do not     
pretend to be able to do better than    
nature2 they would not undertake the    
responsibility of correcting the laws of
 life1 and regulating the course of the 
seasons4 ,they do not say1 ,we could    
make a better world1 but ,we can imagine
 a world more perfect than our own4 ,now

 what is our answer8 ,simply this3 ,you 
are right4 ,nature is not the supreme   
perfection1 and therefore we will not   
worship it4 ,how admirable soever be the
 visible universe1 we have the faculty  
of conceiving more and better4 ,we      
understand that the atmosphere might be 
purified1 so that the tempest should not
 engulf the ships1 nor the thunderbolt  
produce the conflagration4 ,we dream of 
mountain-heights more majestic than the 
loftiest summits of our ,alps1 of waters
 more transparent than the pure crystal 
of our lakes1 of valleys fresher and    
more peaceful than the loveliest which  
hide among our hills4 ,the spectacle of 
nature awakens in us the powers of      
thought1 and the sentiment of beauty    
draws us on to the pursuit of an ideal  
which surpasses all realities4 ,nature  
is not perfect3 let us be forward to    
acknowledge it1 and let us draw from the
 fact its legitimate consequence4 ,the  
stream cannot rise higher than its      
source4 ,if man conceives an ideal      

superior to nature1 he is not himself   
the mere product of nature4 ,by what    
strange contradiction is it affirmed at 
once that our spirit overpasses the     
bounds of all the realities which       
encompass it1 and that it has not a     
source more elevated than those         
realities8 ,listen to a thought of that 
weighty writer ,montesquieu3#abi ,those 
who have said that a blind fatality has 
produced all the effects which we see in
 the world1 have said a great absurdity2
 for what greater absurdity than a blind
 fatality which should have produced    
intelligent beings8 ,without restricting
 ourselves to this simple and solid     
argument1 let us see how they will      
explain man by nature4 ,for this end1 we
 must examine the theory of the         
perfected monkey1 which1 introduced to  
us by the lectures of ,professor ,vogt  
and the spirited rejoinders of ,m4 de   
,rougemont1 made a great noise as it    
descended a short time ago from the     
mountains of ,neuchtel4#acj ,a          

celebrated orator said one day to an    
assembly of ,frenchmen3 ,i am long1     
,gentlemen2 but it is your own fault3 it
 is your glory that ,i am recounting4   
,have not ,i the right to say to you3 ,i
 am long1 ,gentlemen1 but it is worth   
while to be so2 it is our own dignity   
which is in question4  ,man is a        
perfected monkey6 ,i have three         
preliminary observations to make before 
,i proceed to the direct examination of 
this theory4  ,in the first place1 this 
definition transgresses the first and   
most essential rules of logic4 ,we must 
always define what is unknown by what is
 known4 ,this is an elementary          
principle4 ,what a man is1 ,i know4 ,to 
think1 to will1 to enjoy1 to hope1 to   
fear1 are functions of the mental life4 
,these words answer to clear ideas1     
because those ideas result directly from
 our personal consciousness4 ,but what  
is the soul of a monkey8 ,the nature of 
animals is a mystery1 one which is      
perhaps incapable of solution1 and      

which1 in all cases is wrapped in       
profound darkness1 because the animal   
appears to us an intermediate link      
between the mechanism of nature and the 
functions of the spiritual life1 which  
are the only two conceptions we have    
that are really clear and distinct4 ,in 
taking the monkey therefore as our point
 of departure for the definition of man1
 we are defining what is clear by what  
is obscure4  ,my second remark is this3 
,if it is affirmed that there is but one
 species1 including all the animals and 
man1 so that man is only a monkey       
modified1 and the monkey1 in its turn1  
an inferior animal modified2 when once  
we have established the reality of man  
we arrive at this result3 all animals   
whatsoever are only inferior            
developments of humanity1 living        
foetuses which1 without having come to  
their full term1 have nevertheless the  
faculty of living and reproducing       
themselves4 ,the animal then is an      
incomplete man2 a theory which raises   

great difficulties1 but which is more   
serious and more easy to understand than
 the doctrine which would have man to be
 a consummation of the monkey4  ,in     
fact1--and this is my third             
observation1--when the theory which ,i  
am examining is adopted1 it must be     
carried out to its consequences1 and the
 bearing of it clearly seen4 ,man1 it is
 said1 is the consummation of the       
monkey4 ,the monkey is an improvement   
upon some quadruped or other1 and this  
quadruped is an improvement upon        
another1 and so on4 ,we must descend1 in
 an inevitable logical series1 to the   
most elementary manifestations of life1 
and thence1 finally1 to matter4 ,if it  
is not admitted that pure matter is a   
man in a state of torpor1 it must be    
admitted that man is a mlange of carbon1
 oxygen1 hydrogen1 azote1 phosphorus--a 
mlange which has been brought little by 
little to perfection4 ,such is the final
 inference from the doctrine which we   
are examining2 and there are theorists  

who deduce it clearly4 ,now what is it  
that goes on in the minds of these      
savants8 ,when the object is to banish  
,god from nature1 the creative          
,intelligence is resolved into thousands
 of ages4 ,when it is desired to get rid
 in man of the reality of mind1 they    
seek to resolve the human intelligence  
into a long series of modifications     
which have caused life to spring from   
matter1 superior animals from simpler   
organisms1 and man from the animal4 ,do 
not allow yourselves to be caught in    
this trap4 ,maintain firmly1 that1      
whatever the degree of intelligence1 of 
will1 of spiritual essence1 which may   
exist in animals1 if that element is    
really found in them1 it demands a      
cause1 and cannot1 without an enormous  
confusion of ideas1 be regarded as a    
mere perfecting of matter4 ,in fact1 a  
thing in perfecting itself1 realizes    
continually more fully its own proper   
idea1 and does not become another thing4
 ,a perfect monkey would be of all      

monkeys the one which is most a monkey1 
and would not be a man4 ,but let us     
leave the animals in the darkness in    
which they abide for our minds1 and let 
us speak of what for us is less obscure4
  ,our spiritual existence is a fact2 it
 is of all facts the one which is best  
known to us2 it is the fact without     
which no other fact would exist for us4 
,and whence proceeds our spirit8 ,to    
this question1 natural history has no   
answer4 ,it is easy to see this1 though 
we grant once again to natural history1 
when made the most of by our            
adversaries1 all that it can pretend to 
claim4 ,suppose it proved1 that in the  
historical development of nature1 man   
has a monkey for his mother4 ,i will    
grant it1 and grant it quite seriously  
in order to ascertain what will be the  
influence of this hypothesis upon the   
problem on which we are engaged4  ,if   
all monkeys were fossils1 and if we had 
a natural history1 also fossil1 setting 
forth to us the customs and habits of   

these animals2 if the savages that are  
said to be the nearest neighbors to     
monkeys were all fossils2 we should find
 ourselves in presence of a progressive 
and continued development of beings1    
and1 for an inattentive mind1 all would 
be easily explained by the slow and     
continued action of time4 ,but this is  
not the case4 ,all the elements of      
nature are before our eyes1 from        
inorganic matter up to man4 ,we do not  
see that time suffices for savages to   
become civilized1 and still less for    
monkeys to become men4 ,i was1 in the   
spring of this year1 in the ,jardin des 
plantes at ,paris1 musing on the        
question which we are discussing1 and ,i
 took a good look at the monkeys4 ,come 
now1 ,i said to myself1 canst thou      
recognize them as thine ancestors8 ,the 
question was badly put4 ,the monkeys are
 not our ancestors1 inasmuch as they are
 living at the same time with us2 they  
can only be our cousins1 and it would   
seem that they are the eldest branch1 as

 they have best preserved the primitive 
type4 ,but let us speak more seriously4 
,the races of monkeys have lived as long
 or longer than we3 it is neither time  
nor climate which has made men of them4 
,recollect1 ,i pray you1 that the words 
'time' and 'progress' explain nothing4  
,there must have occurred favorable     
circumstances to transform the earth's  
substance into living cellules1 and the 
living cellules into plants clearly     
marked1 and into animals properly so    
called2 and in the same way there must  
have been a propitious circumstance to  
transform the monkey into man4 ,i think 
so1 in fact2 and this propitious        
circumstance well deserves to be studied
 with attention4  ,man presents         
characteristics which distinguish him   
profoundly from the animal races3 no one
 disputes it4 ,he possesses speech2 he  
is capable of religion2 he exhibits the 
varied phenomena of civilization1 while 
the animals succeed one another         
generations after generations in the    

unrecorded obscurity of a life for ever 
the same4 ,suppose we admit that human  
phenomena presented themselves at first 
in a very elementary form2 in rudiments 
of language and rudiments of            
religion1--although the historical      
sciences do not quite give this         
result3--still suppose the case that at 
a given moment a branch of the monkey   
species presented the germ1 as little   
developed as you please1 but real1 of   
new phenomena4 ,one variety of the      
monkey species has been endowed with    
speech1 has become religious1 capable of
 civilization1 and the other varieties  
of the species have not offered the same
 characteristics1 although they have had
 the same number of ages in which to    
develop themselves4 ,observe well now my
 process of reasoning4 ,remark          
attentively whether ,i oppose theories  
to facts1 whether ,i substitute         
oratorical declamations for arguments4  
,i grant the hypotheses best calculated1
 as commonly thought1 to contradict my  

theses4 ,i assume that natural history  
demonstrates by solid proofs that the   
first man was carried in the bosom of a 
monkey2 and ,i ask3 ,what is the        
circumstance which set apart in the     
animal species a branch which presented 
new phenomena8 ,what is the cause8 ,that
 monkey-author of our race which one day
 began to speak in the midst of his     
brother-monkeys1 amongst whom           
thenceforward he had no fellow2 that    
monkey1 that stood erect in the sense of
 his dignity2 that1 looking up to       
heaven1 said1 ,my ,god6 and that1       
retiring into himself1 said3 ,i6--that  
monkey which1 while the female monkeys  
continued to give birth to their young1 
had sons by the partner of his life and 
pressed them to his heart2 that         
monkey--what shall we say of it8 ,what  
climate1 what soil1 what regimen1 what  
food1 what heat1 what moisture1 what    
drought1 what light1 what combination of
 phosphorus1 what disengagement of      
electricity1 separated from the animal  

races1 not only man1 but human society8 
humanity with its combats1 its falls1   
its risings again1 its sorrows and its  
joys1 its tears and its smiles2 humanity
 with its arts1 its sciences1 its       
religion1 its history in short1 its     
history and its hopes of immortality8   
,that monkey1 what shall we say of it8  
,do you not see that the breath of the  
,spirit passed over it1 and that ,god   
said unto it3 ,behold1 thou art made in 
mine image3 remember now thy ,father who
 is in heaven8 ,do you not see that     
though we grant everything to the       
extreme pretensions of naturalists1 the 
question comes up again whole and       
entire8 ,when by dint of confusions and 
sophisms such theorists imagine that    
they have extinguished the intelligence 
which radiates from nature1 that        
intelligence again confronts them in    
man1 and there1 as in an impregnable    
fortress1 sets all attacks at defiance4 
,mark then where lies the real problem4 
,whether the eternal ,god formed the    

body of the first man directly from the 
dust of the earth2 or whether1 in the   
slow series of ages1 ,he formed the body
 of the first man of the dust of the    
earth1 by making it pass through the    
long series of animality--the question  
is a grave one1 but it is of secondary  
importance4 ,the first question is to   
know whether we are merely the ephemeral
 product of the encounter of atoms1 or  
whether there is in us an essence1 a    
nature1 a soul1 a reality in short1 with
 which may connect itself another future
 than the dissolution of the sepulchre2 
whether there remains another hope than 
annihilation as the term of our latest  
sorrows1 or1 for the aspirants after    
fame1 only that evanescent memory which 
time bears away with everything beside4 
,this is the question4 ,do not allow it 
to be put out of sight beneath details  
of physiology and researches of natural 
history1 which can neither settle1 nor  
so much as touch the problem4 ,if       
therefore you fall in with any one of   

these philosophers of matter1 bid him   
take this for all your answer3 ,there is
 one fact which stands out against your 
theory and suffices to overthrow it3    
that fact is--myself6 ,and since1 to    
have the better of materialism1 it is   
sufficient to understand well what is   
one thought of the mind1 one throb of   
the spiritual heart1 one utterance of   
the conscience1--add boldly with        
,corneille's ,medea3        ,i1--,i     
say1--and it is enough4   ,in fact1     
nature does not explain man1 and to this
 conclusion has tended all that ,i have 
said to you to-day4  ,,footnotes3  #ig  
,harmonices mundi1 libri quinque4  #ih  
,philosophi naturalis principia         
mathematica4  #ii       ,the whole      
universe is full of ,his magnificence4  
,may this ,god be adored and invoked for
 ever6  #ajj ,le ,rationalisme1 page    
#ai4  #aja ,force et ,matire1 page #bfb4
  #ajb ,les ,mondes ,causeries          
astronomiques by ,guillemin2 see p4 #abb
 7#crd edition71 where ,kepler is       

described as an intelligence penetrated 
by a profound faith in nature and       
exalted by a noble pride4 ,see also     
pages #cbg and #ccf4  #ajc ,the question
 discussed in these pages must not be   
confounded with that of the relations   
between the science of nature and the   
documents of revelation4 ,whether nature
 can be explained without ,god is one   
question4 ,whether geology is in        
accordance with the language of the book
 of ,genesis is another question1 as    
regards both its nature and its         
importance4 ,this latter subject does   
not come within the scope of these      
lectures4 ,i will merely call attention 
to the fact1 that if nature and the     
sacred text are fixed elements1 this is 
not the case with the interpretations of
 theologians1 and the results of        
geology4 ,it is difficult to pronounce  
upon the exact relation of two          
quantities more or less indeterminate4  
#ajd ,in the writings of ,m4 de         
,rougemont1 if ,i am not mistaken4  #aje

 ,systema natur4  #ajf ,ps4 civ4 #bd4   
#ajg ,biographie universelle4  #ajh ,a4 
,p4 de ,candolle1 by ,a4 de la ,rive1   
pp4 #ab and #ac4  #aji ,m4 ,vaucher's   
principal title to scientific           
distinction is his ,histoire des        
conferves d'eau douce1 ,genve1 an ,,xi  
7#ahjc71 #d4  #aaj ,comptes rendus de   
l',acadmie des ,sciences of #bj ,april1 
#ahfc1 page #gch4  #aaa ,exeter ,hall   
,lectures--,the ,power of ,god in ,his  
,animal ,creation1 pamphlet in #abmo4   
,this remarkable lecture contains a     
twofold protest--against the blindness  
of those savants who fail to recognize  
the presence of ,god in nature2 and     
against the pretensions of those        
theologians who attack the certain      
results of the study of nature1 relying 
upon texts more or less accurately      
interpreted4  #aab ,chemistry applied to
 ,agriculture and to ,physiology 7in    
,german74 ,seventh edition4 ,introd4    
page #fi4  #aac ,since these words were 
spoken1 ,m4 de la ,rive has been named  

an associated member of the ,institute  
of ,france 7,academy of ,sciences71 and 
thus elevated to the first of scientific
 dignities4 ,it might be shown1 ,i      
believe1 that the greater number of the 
eight associates of the ,academy of     
,sciences to be found in the world1 make
 profession of their faith in ,god the  
,creator1 the ,almighty and ,holy ,one4 
,the silence which others may have      
preserved on the subject would1         
moreover1 be no authority for concluding
 that they do not share in beliefs and  
sentiments which they have not had the  
occasion perhaps of publicly expressing4
  #aad ,on the ,origin of ,species1 page
 #ha4 ,fifth edition4  #aae ,on the     
,origin of ,species4 ,the text is--the  
necessary series of facts2 but it would 
be to do the writer wrong to impute to  
him the idea that observation reveals to
 us what is necessary1 in the           
philosophical import of the word4  #aaf 
,on the ,origin of ,species4  #aag      
,caro1 ,l',ide de ,dieu1 page #dg4  #aah

 ,force et ,matire1 page #aha4  #aai    
,the ,bchner proceeding is found again  
pretty exactly in ,les ,mondes of ,m4   
,amde ,guillemin4 ,this writer affirms  
7page #fj of the third edition7 that    
science does not approach metaphysical  
questions2 and asserts in the same page1
 ten lines further on1 that astronomical
 experience leads our reason to the idea
 of the eternity of the universe4 ,after
 that1 he may laugh1 if he will1 at     
lovers of the absolute4  #abj ,see in   
particular the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes1
 passim4  #aba ,s'enivrait en marchant  
du plaisir de la voir4  #abb ,see the   
lecture above mentioned4  #abc ,lettres 
sur les ,etats-,unis d',amrique1 by     
,lieutenant-,colonel ,ferri ,pisani1    
page #djj4--,letter of #be ,sept4 #ahfa4
  #abd ,on the origin of species1 in the
 ,archives des sciences de la           
,bibliothque universelle1 ,march1 #ahfj4
  #abe ,vous coulez des moucherons4     
#abf ,in his ,principes de philosophie  
zoologique1 a collection of answers made

 by ,geoffroy1 in the discussions of the
 ,acadmie des ,sciences1 in #ahcj4  #abg
 ,voyons1 ,messieurs1 le temps ne fait  
rien  l'affaire4  #abh       ,sur cent  
premiers peuples clbres1        ,j'ai   
plong cent peuples fameux1      ,dans un
 abme de tnbres        ,o vous          
disparatrez comme eux4      ,j'ai       
couvert d'une ombre ternelle        ,des
 astres teints dans leur cours4         
--,ah6 par piti1 lui dit ma belle1      
,vieillard1 pargnez nos amours6  #abi   
,esprit des ,lois1 ,bk4 ,i4 chap4 #a4   
#acj ,leons sur l'homme1 by ,carl ,vogt 
7lectures delivered during the winter of
 #ahfb-ahfc1 at ,neuchtel and at        
,chaux-de-,fonds71 #a vol4 #hvo4 ,paris1
 #ahfe4--,l',homme et le ,singe1 by     
,frdric de ,rougemont1 pamphlet1 #abmo4 
,neuchtel1 #ahfc4     ,,lecture ,v4     
,,humanity4  7,at ,geneva1 #ast4 ,dec41 
#ahfc47   ,,gentlemen1  ,man has need of
 ,god4 ,if he be not fallen into the    
most abject degradation1 he does not    
succeed in extinguishing the instinct   

which leads him to inquire after his    
,creator4 ,a false wisdom labors to     
still the cravings which the truth alone
 can satisfy2 but false wisdom remains  
powerless1 and betrays itself           
continually by some outrageous          
contradiction4 ,here is a curious       
example of this3  ,in a book which was  
famous in the last century1 and which   
was called the gospel of atheism1#aca   
the ,baron d',holbach explains as       
follows the existence of the universe3  
,the universe1 that vast assemblage of  
all that exists1 everywhere presents to 
our view only matter and                
motion4--,nature is the grand whole     
which results from the assemblage of    
different material substances1 from     
their different combinations1 and from  
the different motions which we see in   
the universe4#acb ,here is a clear      
doctrine3 all that exists1 the soul     
included1 is nothing but matter in      
motion4 ,i pass from the beginning to   
the end of the work1 and ,i arrive at   

this conclusion3 ,o nature6 sovereign of
 all beings6 and ye1 her adorable       
daughters1 virtue1 reason1 truth6 be ye 
for ever our sole divinities2 to you it 
is that the incense and the homage of   
the earth are due4#acc ,if we try to    
translate this sort of hymn in          
accordance with the express definitions 
of the author1 we shall obtain the      
following result3 ,o matter in motion6  
sovereign of all material substances in 
motion6 and ye1 virtue1 reason1 truth1  
who are various names of matter which   
moves1 be ye the only divinities of that
 moving matter which is ourselves4 ,yet 
this author was no blockhead4 ,what then
 passed in his mind8 ,he laid down the  
thesis of materialism3 bodies in motion 
are the only reality4 ,but he is all the
 while a man4 ,the need for adoration is
 not destroyed in his soul1 and he      
deceives himself4 ,he defines nature as 
consisting wholly of matter1 and when he
 sets himself to worship it1 he entirely
 forgets his definition4 ,this is not on

 his part a piece of philosophical      
jugglery1 but the manifestation of the  
real condition of our nature1 which is  
always giving the lie1 in one direction 
or another1 to erroneous systems4 ,the  
power of wholly maintaining himself in  
error has not been granted to man4 ,he  
who denies ,god is always deifying      
something2 and all worship which is not 
that of the ,eternal and ,infinite ,mind
 is stultified by glaring               
contradictions4 ,here is a recent       
example of this3 ,we were not a little  
surprised a short time since to see ,m4 
,ernest ,renan deny clearly enough the  
immortality of our persons1 and1 in the 
opening of the very book in which this  
negation appears1 to find him invoking  
the soul of his sister at rest with     
,god4#acd ,elsewhere1 the same writer   
says that the ,infinite ,being does not 
exist1 that absolute reason and absolute
 justice exist only in humanity1 and he 
concludes his exposition of these views 
by an invocation of the ,heavenly       

,father4#ace ,the ,baron d',holbach had 
put eight hundred and thirty-nine pages 
between his materialistic definition of 
the universe and his invocation of      
nature4 ,now-a-days everything goes     
faster2 and ,m4 ,renan places but a few 
pages of the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes   
between his denial of ,god and his      
prayer to the ,heavenly ,father4 ,with  
this difference1 which is to the        
advantage of the writer of the          
eighteenth century1 the process is      
absolutely the same4 ,the philosopher   
declares ,god to be an imaginary being1 
and the future life an illusion2 but the
 man protests1 and1 by a touching       
illusion of the heart1 the man who in   
his system of doctrine has neither ,god 
nor hope1 finds that he has a sister in 
the realms eternal1 and a ,father in the
 heavens4 ,it is impossible not to see1 
especially in literary works destined to
 a success of fashion1 the seductive    
influence of art1 the precautions of    
prudence1 the concessions made to public

 opinion2 but we cannot wholly explain  
the incredible contradictions of the    
,holbachs and ,renans1 without allowing 
full weight to that need for ,god which 
shows itself even in the farthest       
wanderings of human thought by sudden   
and abrupt returns4  ,the illusion which
 deifies matter in motion is gross      
enough4 ,it belongs only to minds which 
,cicero called1 in the aristocratic     
pride of a ,roman gentleman1 the        
plebeians of philosophy4#acf ,it        
requires1 in fact1 no great reflection  
to understand that truth1 beauty1 and   
goodness are neither atoms nor a certain
 movement of atoms4 ,the attempt1 which 
is to form the subject of our study     
to-day1 that of deifying man1 is a far  
more subtle one4 ,let us first of all   
inquire into the origin of the strange  
worship which humanity accords to       
itself4  ,nature1 considered separately 
from the beings which receive sensible  
impressions from it1 has neither heat   
nor light4 ,in a world peopled by the   

blind1 light would have no name4 ,if all
 men were entirely paralyzed as to their
 sensations1 the idea of heat would not 
exist4 ,light and heat1 regarded as     
existing in matter itself1 without      
reference to sensitive organizations1   
are1 in the opinion of our natural      
philosophers1 only determinate          
movements4 ,in the same way1 if nature  
were without any spectator whatever1    
beauty would not exist2 if there were   
nowhere any intelligence1 truth would no
 longer be4 ,in the same way again1 if  
there were no wills1 goodness1 which is 
nothing else than the law of the will1  
would be a word deprived of all meaning4
 ,beauty expresses the object of the    
perceptions of the soul4 ,truth denotes 
the quality of the judgments of         
intelligences4 ,goodness 7,i speak of   
moral goodness7 expresses a certain     
direction of the free will4 ,there      
exists no means of causing to proceed   
from nature1 or from matter1 the        
attributes of the spiritual being4 ,this

 is only done by imaginary              
transformations1 by a course of arrant  
juggling4 ,the flame does not feel its  
own heat1 light does not see itself1 the
 planets know nothing of the laws of    
,kepler4 ,materialism is the result of a
 modesty wholly misplaced which leads   
man to forget himself1 in order to      
attribute gratuitously to nature        
realities which exist only in spiritual 
beings connected with nature by a       
marvellous harmony4 ,in order therefore 
to account for the universe1 we must    
raise ourselves above the atom in       
motion1 and penetrate into a higher     
world where truth1 beauty1 goodness     
become the objects of thought4 ,truth1  
beauty1 goodness conduct the mind to    
,god1 their eternal source4 ,but there  
is a philosophy which endeavors to stop 
midway in the ascent of the ,divine     
ladder1 and thinks to satisfy itself in 
the contemplation of the true1 the      
beautiful1 the good1 without connecting 
them with their cause4 ,this philosophy 

considers the true1 the beautiful1 the  
good1 as ideas which exist by           
themselves1 without a supreme ,spirit of
 which they are the manifestation4 ,it  
has received1 in consequence1 the name  
of idealism4  ,to conceive of ideas     
without a mind1 ideas having an         
existence by themselves1 is a thing     
impossible2 such a conception is        
expressed by words which give back a    
hollow sound1 because they contain      
nothing4 ,we have already stated this   
thesis2 let us now confirm it by an     
example4 ,a literary ,frenchman1 ,m4    
,taine1 would make us understand in what
 manner the universe may be explained   
without reference to ,god1 and by means 
of a pure idea4 ,listen well1 not to    
understand1 but to make sure that you do
 not understand3 ,the universe forms a  
unique being1 indivisible1 of which all 
the beings are members4 ,at the supreme 
summit of things1 at the highest point  
of the luminous and inaccessible ether1 
pronounces itself the eternal axiom2 and

 the prolonged resounding of this       
creative formula composes1 by its       
inexhaustible undulations1 the immensity
 of the universe4 ,every form1 every    
change1 every movement1 every idea is   
one of its acts4#acg  ,m4 ,taine is a   
man of humor1 and the burlesque has a   
place in his philosophical writings2 but
 in the words which ,i have just read to
 you he seems to have intended seriously
 to expound the system which replaces   
,god by an idea4 ,try now to form a     
definite conception of this universe    
composed of the undulations of an axiom4
 ,do you understand how an axiom        
undulates1 and how the heavens and the  
earth are only the undulations of an    
axiom8 ,making all allowance for        
rhetoric and figures1 do you understand 
what can be the acts of an axiom1 and   
how an axiom pronounces itself without  
being pronounced8 ,you do not understand
 it1 as neither do ,i4 ,such doctrines1 
then1 as we have said1 can only be the  
portion of a small number of thinkers   

who have lost1 by dint of abstraction1  
the sentiment of reality4 ,the          
ideas--truth1 beauty1 good--will only   
exist for the common order of men1 under
 such a system1 in the human mind1 where
 we have cognizance of them2 and        
thenceforward1 the ideal1 or ,god1 is   
nothing else than the image of humanity 
which contemplates itself in a sort of  
mirage4 ,thus it is that the adoration  
of man by man is disengaged from the    
high theories of idealism4 ,let us      
proceed to the examination of this      
worship1 which is cried up now-a-days in
 divers parts of the intellectual globe4
  ,i open the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes1 
of the #aeth ,february1 #ahfa4 ,as the  
author of the article ,i refer to#ach   
appears to admit that one assertion is  
not more true than another opposed to   
it1#aci we will not be so simple as to  
ask whether he adopts the opinions which
 he propounds4 ,he presents to us1 in a 
rapid sketch1 the principal tendencies  
of the modern mind4 ,the modern mind is 

here characterized by one of its        
declared partisans2 you will not take   
therefore for a wicked caricature the   
picture which he puts before us4 ,here  
then are the thoughts of the modern     
mind3 ,there is only one infinite1 that 
of our desires and our aspirations1 that
 of our needs and our efforts4#adj ,the 
true1 the beautiful1 the just are       
perpetually occurring2 they are for ever
 in course of self-formation1 because   
they are nothing else than the human    
mind1 which1 in unfolding itself1 finds 
and knows itself again4#ada ,this is    
only the ,french translation of a saying
 celebrated in ,germany3 ,god is not3   
,he becomes4 ,what we call ,god is the  
human mind4 ,what was there at the      
beginning of things8 ,the human mind1   
which did not know itself4 ,what will   
there be in the end8 ,the human mind1   
which1 in unfolding itself1 will have   
come to know itself1 and will adore     
itself as the supreme ,god4 ,if this be 
indeed the final object of the universe1

 it appears that1 in the opinion of     
these philosophers1 the consummation of 
all things must be near4 ,once that     
humanity1 faithful to their doctrine1   
shall have pronounced the lofty         
utterance1 ,i am ,god1 and there is none
 else1 the world will no longer have any
 reason for existing4  ,such is the     
system of which we have to follow out   
the consequences4 ,let us take as our   
point of comparison the old ideas which 
we are urged to abandon4  ,we usually   
explain human destinies by the          
concurrence of two causes1 infinitely   
distinct1 since the one is creative and 
the other created1 but both of which we 
hold for real3 man1 and ,god4 ,humanity 
has received from its ,author the free  
power which we call will1 and the law of
 that will which we name conscience4    
,the law proceeds from ,god1 the liberty
 proceeds from ,god2 but the acts of the
 created will1 when it violates its law 
and revolts against its ,author1 are the
 creation of the creature4 ,god is the  

eternal source of good1 and liberty is a
 good2 but ,god is not the source of    
evil1 which is distinctly a revolt      
against ,him1 the abuse of the first of 
,his gifts4 ,together with will1 man has
 received understanding1 and gives      
himself to the search after truth4      
,truth is the object of the             
understanding1 its ,divine law4 ,error  
is a deviation from the law of the      
understanding1 as evil is a deviation   
from the law of the will4 ,lastly1 with 
will and understanding1 man has received
 the faculty of feeling4 ,this faculty  
applies itself to the world of bodies1  
from which we receive pain or pleasure4 
,but our faculty of feeling does not    
stop there4 ,above the animal life1 the 
mind has enjoyments which are proper to 
it1 and the object of which is beauty4  
,beauty is not only in nature and in    
works of art1 it is everywhere1 in      
whatever attracts our love4 ,the        
sciences are beautiful1 and the harmony 
of the truths which are discovered in   

their order and mutual dependence causes
 us to experience a feeling similar to  
that produced by the most delightful    
music4 ,virtue is beautiful2 it shines  
in the view of the conscience with the  
purest brightness1 and1 as was said by  
one of the ancients1 if it could reveal 
itself to our eyes in a sensible form1  
it would excite in our souls feelings of
 inexpressible love4 ,vice is ugly when 
once stripped of the delusive           
fascination of the passions2 the vicious
 excesses of the lower nature are ugly  
and repulsive as soon as the            
intoxication is over4 ,error is ugly    
too2 there are no beautiful errors but  
those which contain a larger portion of 
truth than the prosaic verities1 which  
are nothing else than falsehoods put in 
a specious way4 ,beauty therefore is the
 law of our feelings1 as truth is the   
law of our thought1 and good the law of 
our will4 ,we will not inquire now what 
secret relations shall one day bring    
together in an indissoluble unity of    

light1 the good1 the true1 and the      
beautiful1 and in a unity of darkness1  
evil1 deformity1 and falsehood4 ,let it 
suffice to have pointed out how a       
threefold aspiration leads man to ,god1 
under the guidance of the conscience1   
the understanding1 and the feelings2 and
 that a threefold rebellion estranges   
him from ,god1 by sinking him into the  
dark regions of deformity1 error1 and   
evil4 ,humanity has therefore a law2 it 
has been endowed with liberty1 but that 
a liberty of which the legitimate end is
 determined4 ,it advances towards this  
end1 or it swerves from it4 ,there is a 
rule above its acts4 ,the thing as it is
 may not be the thing as it ought to be2
 rebellion is not obedience1 and good is
 not evil4  ,all these consequences are 
included in the idea of creation4 ,the  
struggle between two opposite           
principles1 a struggle which sums up    
human destiny1 is a fact of which each  
one of us can easily assure himself in  
his own person4 ,what will happen when  

man1 sensible of the law of his nature1 
and conscious of this struggle1 proceeds
 to encounter humanity8 ,each one of us 
carries humanity in his own bosom4 ,but 
humanity1 the character of man which is 
common to us1 and which makes the       
spiritual unity of our species1 is found
 to be altered by the influence of      
places1 times1 and circumstances4 ,our  
reason is encumbered by prejudices of   
birth and education1 and by such as we  
have ourselves created in our minds in  
the exercise of our will4 ,our sense of 
beauty is vitiated and narrowed by local
 influences and habits4 ,our conscience 
is likewise subjected to influences     
which impair its free manifestation4    
,every one needs to enlarge his horizon4
 ,by seeking occasions of intercourse   
with our fellows1 we shall learn to     
discriminate true and eternal beauty in 
the diversity of its manifestations2 we 
shall distinguish the truth from the    
individual prepossessions of our own    
minds2 good and evil1 disengaged from   

the narrownesses of habit1 will appear  
to us in their real and enduring nature4
 ,our taste will be formed1 our         
conscience purified1 our mind enlarged2 
we shall more and more become men1 in   
the high and full acceptation of the    
term4 ,in order that the meeting        
together of the individual and of       
humanity may produce such fruits1 ,god  
must dwell continually in the sanctuary 
of the conscience4 ,the inner light is  
kindled in the intercourse of the soul  
with its ,creator2 it is afterwards     
brightened and nurtured by the soul's   
intercourse with the traces of ,god     
which humanity reveals4 ,but this light 
makes manifest within us1 and without   
us1 great darkness4 ,we have no right to
 abandon ourselves to every spectacle   
which strikes our view4 ,if1 in presence
 of what is passing in the world1 we are
 tempted to regard the prosperity of the
 wicked with cowardly envy2 if we would 
fill up1 for the satisfaction of our    
evil desires1 the abyss which separates 

the holy from the impure1 the inner     
voice lifts itself up and cries to us3  
,woe6 woe to them who call evil good1   
and good evil4#adb ,god is our ,master1 
even as ,he is our good and our hope4   
,the fact of the revolts of humanity can
 have no effect against ,his sovereign  
will4 ,soldiers in the service of the   
,almighty1 life is for us a conflict1   
and duty imposes on us a combat4  ,such1
 ,sirs1 is the explanation of our       
destinies1 an old1 and1 if you like1 a  
vulgar one4 ,let us now give our        
attention to the doctrine which deifies 
humanity1 and follow out its            
consequences4 ,humanity carries within  
its bosom the idea of truth1 the love of
 beauty1 the sense of good4 ,what does  
it need more8 ,these noble aspirations  
mark for it the end of its efforts4     
,what will be wanting to a life         
regulated by duty1 enlightened by truth1
 ennobled by art8 ,what will be wanting 
to such a life8 ,nothing1 or everything4
 ,nothing1 if the search after good1    

truth1 and beauty leads to ,god4        
,everything1 if it be sought to carry it
 on without any reference to ,god1      
because from the moment that man desires
 to be the source of light to himself1  
the light will be changed into darkness1
 as we said at the beginning of this    
lecture4 ,put ,god out of view1 and     
good1 beauty1 and truth will disappear2 
while you will see produced the decline 
of art1 the dissolution of thought in   
scepticism1 the absolute negation of    
morality4 ,let us consider with the     
attention it deserves1 and in           
contemporary examples1 this sad and     
curious spectacle4  ,i open a treatise  
by ,m4 ,taine4 ,the ,english historian  
,macaulay speaks of literary men who    
have taken pains to strip vice of its   
odiousness1 to render virtue ridiculous1
 to rank adultery among the elegant     
fashions and obligatory achievements of 
a man of taste4 ,the honest ,englishman 
takes the liberty to judge and to       
condemn men who have made so pernicious 

a use of their talents4 ,this pretension
 to make the conscience speak is in the 
eyes of the ,french man of letters a    
gothic prejudice4 ,listen how he        
expresses himself on the subject3       
,criticism in ,france has freer         
methods4--,when we try to give an       
account of the life1 or to describe the 
character1 of a man1 we are quite       
willing to consider him simply as an    
object of painting or of science4444 ,we
 do not judge him1 we only wish to      
represent him to the eyes and to set him
 intelligibly before the reason4 ,we are
 curious inquirers and nothing more4    
,that ,peter or ,paul was a knave       
matters little to us1 that was the      
business of his contemporaries1 who     
suffered from his vices--,at this day we
 are out of his reach1 and hatred has   
disappeared with the danger--,i         
experience neither aversion nor disgust2
 ,i have left these feelings at the gate
 of history1 and ,i taste the very deep 
and very pure pleasure of seeing a soul 

act according to a definite law--4#adc  
,you understand1 ,gentlemen3 the        
distinction between good and evil1 as   
that between error and truth2 these are 
old sandals which must be put off before
 entering into the temple of history2   
and the man of the nineteenth century1  
if he has taste and information1 is     
merely an historian1 and nothing more4  
,the sacred emotion which generous      
actions produce in us1 the indignation  
stirred in us by baseness and cruelty1  
are childish emotions which are to      
disappear in order that we may be free  
to contemplate vice and virtue with a   
pleasure always equal1 very deep1 and   
very pure4 ,we have not here the        
aberration of a young and ill-regulated 
mind1 but the doctrine of a school4 ,i  
open again the ,revue des ,deux ,mondes1
 and there ,i encounter the theory of   
which ,m4 ,taine has made the           
application3 ,we no longer know anything
 of morals1 but of manners2 of          
principles1 but of facts4 ,we explain   

everything1 and1 as has been said1 the  
mind ends by approving of all that it   
explains4 ,modern virtue is summed up in
 toleration4#add--;,immense novelty6    
,that which is1 has for us the right to 
be4#ade--;,in the eyes of the modern    
savant1 all is true1 all is right in its
 own place4 ,the place of each thing    
constitutes its truth4#adf  ,i cut short
 the enumeration of these enormities4   
,all rule has disappeared1 all morality 
is destroyed2 there is no longer any    
difference between right and fact1      
between what is and what ought to be4   
,and what is the real account to give of
 all this8 ,it is as follows3 ,humanity 
is the highest point of the universe2   
above it there is nothing2 humanity is  
,god1 if we consent to take that sacred 
name in a new sense4 ,how then is it to 
be judged8 ,in the name of what rule8   
since there is no rule3 in the name of  
what law8 since there is no law4 ,all   
judgment is a personal prejudice1 the   
act of a narrow mind4 ,we do not judge  

,god1 we simply recount ,his dealings2  
we accept all ,his acts1 and record them
 with equal veneration4 ,all science is 
only a history1 and the first requisite 
in a historian is to reduce to silence  
his conscience and his reason1 as sorry 
and deceitful exhibitions of his petty  
personality1 in order to accept all the 
acts of the humanity-deity1 and         
establish their mutual connection4 ,the 
deification of the human mind is the    
justification of all its acts1 and1 by a
 direct consequence1 the annihilation of
 all morality4 ,let us look more in     
detail at the origin and development of 
these notions4  ,the individual placing 
himself before humanity is to accept    
everything3 this is the disposition     
recommended to us1 in the name of the   
modern mind4 ,good and evil are narrow  
measures which minds behind the age     
persist1 ridiculously enough1 in wishing
 to apply to things4 ,we no longer      
transform the world to our image by     
bringing it to our standard2 on the     

contrary1 we allow ourselves to be      
modified and fashioned by it4#adg ,the  
individual goes therefore to meet       
humanity without any inner rule3 he     
gives himself up1 he abandons himself to
 the spectacle of facts4 ,but the world 
is large1 and history is long4 ,even    
those who spend their whole life in     
nothing else than in satisfying their   
curiosity1 cannot see and know          
everything4 ,to what then shall be      
directed that vague look1 equally       
attracted to all points for want of any 
fixed rule8 ,at what shall it stop8 ,it 
will rest on that which shines most     
brilliantly1 like a moth attracted by   
light4 ,now1 nothing shines more        
brightly than success2 nothing more     
solicits the attention4 ,the            
glorification of success is the first   
and most infallible consequence of moral
 indifference4 ,in leaving ourselves to 
be fashioned by the world instead of    
bringing it to our standard1 we shall   
begin by according our esteem to        

victory4 ,this philosophy is come to us 
from ,germany4 ,it was set forth on one 
occasion1 in ,france1 with great clat1  
by the brilliant eloquence of a man who 
has rendered signal services to         
philosophy1 and whose entire works must 
not be judged of by the single          
particular which ,i am about to mention4
 ,in the year #ahbi1 ,m4 ,cousin was    
developing at the ,sorbonne the meaning 
of these verses of ,la ,fontaine1 which 
introduce the fable of the ,wolf and the
 ,lamb3        ,la raison du plus fort  
est toujours la meilleure3          ,je 
vais le montrer tout  l'heure4   ,he had
 written as the programme of one of his 
lectures3 ,morality of ,victory4 ,now   
see how he justified this surprising    
title3 ,i have absolved victory as      
necessary and useful2 ,i now undertake  
to absolve it as just in the strictest  
sense of the word4 ,men do not usually  
see in success anything else than the   
triumph of strength1 and an honorable   
sympathy draws us to the side of the    

vanquished2 ,i hope ,i have shown that  
since there must always be a vanquished 
side1 and since the vanquished side is  
always that which ought to be so1 to    
accuse the conqueror is to take part    
against humanity1 and to complain of the
 progress of civilization4 ,we must go  
farther2 we must prove that the         
vanquished deserved to be so1 that the  
conqueror not only serves the interests 
of civilization1 but that he is better1 
more moral than the vanquished1 and that
 it is on that account he is the        
conqueror4444 ,it is time that the      
philosophy of history should place at   
its feet the declamations of            
philanthropy4#adh  ,these words are     
worth considering4 ,when ,brennus the   
,gaul was having the gold weighed which 
he exacted from the vanquished ,romans1 
he threw his heavy sword into the       
balance1 exclaiming1 ,v ,victis6 ,woe to
 the conquered6 ,he simply meant to say 
that he was the stronger1 and did not   
foresee that a ,gaul of the nineteenth  

century1 availing himself of the labors 
of learned ,germany1 would demonstrate  
that being the stronger he was on that  
very account the more just4 ,but we must
 not wander too far from our subject4   
,when the spectacle of the world is     
freely indulged in without any          
application to it of the measure of the 
conscience1 what first strikes the view 
is success4 ,it is necessary therefore  
to begin with rendering glory to success
 by declaring victory good4 ,now1 mark  
well here the conflict of the old       
notions with the so-called modern mind4 
,from the old point of view1 victory in 
the issue belongs to good1 because while
 man is tossed in strife and tumult1    
,god is leading him on2 but the success 
of good is realized by conflict1 and the
 victory is often reached only after a  
long series of defeats4 ,there are bad  
triumphs and impious successes4 ,what is
 proposed to us is1 to put aside the    
rule of our own judgments1 and to       
declare that victory is good in itself4 

,the old point of view1 that of the     
conscience1 does not surrender without  
an energetic resistance2 and that       
resistance shows itself in the very     
words of ,m4 ,cousin4 ,his thesis is1   
that all victory is just4 ,his intention
 is therefore to approve victory4 ,why  
does he say absolve8 it is the term     
which he employs4 ,since the matter in  
question is to absolve victory1 it is   
placed on trial4 ,it is accused of      
being1 like fortune and fame1 at one    
time on the side of good and justice1 at
 another on the side of injustice and   
evil4 ,which then is the party accused8 
,victory4 ,who is the advocate8 ,an     
eloquent professor4 ,who finally is the 
accuser8 ,do you not see8 ,it is the    
human conscience2 the conscience which  
protests in the soul of the orator      
against the theory of which he is       
enamoured1 and which forces him to say  
absolve when he should say glorify4 ,and
 in fact the choice must be made3 either
 to glorify victory1 by treading under  

foot that narrow conscience which       
sometimes ranks itself with ,cato on the
 side of the vanquished2 or to glorify  
conscience by impeaching the victories  
which outrage it4  ,it is not           
sufficient1 however1 to sacrifice the   
conscience in order to rescue from      
embarrassment the philosophy of success4
 ,it strikes on other rocks also4 ,the  
same causes are by turns victorious and 
vanquished1 and it is hard to make men  
understand that1 in conflicts in which  
their dearest affections are engaged1   
they must beforehand1 and in all cases1 
take part with the strongest4 ,it will  
be in vain for the philosopher to say   
that the ,swiss of ,morgarten were      
right1 for that they beat the           
,austrians2 but that the heroes of      
,rotenthurm were greatly in the wrong1  
because1 crushed without being          
vanquished1 they were obliged to yield  
to numbers1 and leave at last their     
country's soil to be trodden by the     
stranger2--the children of old          

,switzerland will find it hard to admit 
this doctrine4 ,even in ,france1 in that
 nation so accustomed to encircle its   
soldiers' brows with laurel1 this       
difficulty has risen up in the way of   
,m4 ,cousin4 ,branger1 when asked for a 
souvenir of ,waterloo1        ,replied1 
with drooping eyelid1 tear-bedewed3     
,never that name shall sadden verse of  
mine4#adi   ,but philosophy would be    
worth little if it had not at its       
disposal more extensive resources than  
those of a song-writer4 ,m4 ,cousin     
therefore looked the difficulty in the  
face4 ,victory is always good4 ,but how 
shall young ,frenchmen be made to hear  
this with regard to that signal defeat  
of the armies of ,france8 ,listen3 ,it  
is not populations which appear on      
battle-fields1 but ideas and causes4 ,so
 at ,leipzig and at ,waterloo two causes
 came to the encounter1 the cause of    
paternal monarchy and that of military  
democracy4 ,which of them carried the   
day1 ,gentlemen8 ,neither the one nor   

the other4 ,who was the conqueror and   
who the conquered at ,waterloo8         
,gentlemen1 there were none conquered4  
7,applause47 ,no1 ,i protest that there 
were none3 the only conquerors were     
,european civilization and the map4     
7,unanimous and prolonged applause47#aej
  ,to make the youth of ,paris applaud  
at the remembrance of ,waterloo is      
perhaps one of the most brilliant       
triumphs of eloquence which the annals  
of history record4 ,but this rhetorical 
success is not a triumph of truth4      
,there were those who were conquered at 
,waterloo2 and1 to judge by what has    
been going on for some time past in     
,europe1 it would seem that those who   
were conquered are bent on taking their 
revenge4 ,we may infer from these facts 
that all triumphs are not good1 since   
truth may be for a moment overcome by a 
false philosophy tricked out in the     
deceitful adornments of eloquence4  ,but
 let us admit1 whatever our opinion on  
the subject1 that the ,waterloo rock has

 been passed successfully2 we have not  
yet pointed out the main difficulty     
which rises up in the way of this       
system4 ,if victory is good1 it seems at
 first sight that defeat is bad4 ,but   
defeat is the necessary condition of    
victory2 and being the condition of     
good1 it seems therefore that it also is
 good2 and the mind comes logically to  
this conclusion3 ,victory is            
good2--defeat is good1 since it is the  
condition of victory2--all is good4 ,we 
set out with the glorification of       
victory1 and1 lo6 we are arrived at the 
glorification of fact4 ,all that is1 has
 the right to be2 in the eyes of the    
modern savant whatever is1 is right4 ,m4
 ,cousin laid down the principle2 he    
laid it down in a general manner in his 
philosophical eclecticism1 of which it  
was easy to make use1 as has in fact    
been done1 in a sense contrary to his   
real intentions4 ,our young critics1    
wasting an inheritance of which they do 
not appear always to recognize the      

origin1 are doing nothing else1 very    
often1 than catching as they die away   
the last vibrations of that surpassing  
eloquence4  ,in the eyes of the modern  
savant1 everything is right and good3   
such is the axiom for which the labors  
of more than one modern historian had   
prepared us4 ,we are to seek for the    
relation of facts one to another1 that  
is to explain2 and all that we explain1 
we must approve4 ,let us follow out this
 thought in a few examples4  ,it was    
necessary that ,louis ,,xvi should be   
beheaded and the guillotine permanently 
set up1 in order to manifest the result 
of the disorders of ,louis ,,xiv1 of the
 shameful excesses of ,louis ,,xv1 and  
of the licentious immorality of ,french 
society4 ,it was necessary for ,louis   
,,xiv to be an adulterer1 ,louis ,,xv a 
debauchee1 the clergy corrupt1 and the  
nobility depraved1 to bring about the   
shocks of the revolution4 ,the facts    
mutually correspond2 ,i explain1 and ,i 
approve4 ,in the eyes of the modern     

savant everything is right4  ,it was    
necessary that ,buonaparte should throw 
the ,corps lgislatif out of the window1 
that he should let loose his armies upon
 ,europe1 and leave thousands of dead   
bodies in the snows of ,russia1 in order
 to end the revolution1 and extinguish  
the restless ardor of the ,french4 ,it  
needed the massacres of ,september1 the 
gloomy days of the ,terror1 the anarchy 
of the period of the ,directory1 to     
throw dismayed ,france into the arms of 
the crowned soldier who was to carry to 
so high a pitch her glory and her       
influence4 ,the facts correspond2 ,i    
explain1 and ,i approve4 ,in the eyes of
 the modern savant1 everything is right4
  ,i consider the character of ,nero4 ,i
 take him at the commencement of his    
reign1 when1 being forced to sign the   
death-warrant of a criminal1 he         
exclaimed--,would ,i were unable to     
write6 ,and then again ,i regard him    
after he has perpetrated acts such that 
to apply his name in future ages to the 

cruellest of tyrants shall appear to    
them a cruel injury4 ,what has taken    
place in the interval8 ,the development 
of his natural character1 ,agrippina1   
,narcissus 444 ,i understand the play of
 all the springs which have made a      
monster4 ,as ,i am out of his clutches1 
my detestation vanishes with the danger4
 ,i taste the very deep and very pure   
pleasure of seeing a mind act according 
to a definite law4 ,i understand1 ,i    
explain1 ,i approve4 ,in the eyes of the
 modern savant1 everything is right4    
,it would be impossible1 ,gentlemen1 to 
pursue this reasoning to its extreme    
limits without offending against the    
commonest decency4 ,we should have to   
descend into blood and mire1 continuing 
to declare the while that everything is 
right4 ,i pause therefore1 and leave the
 rest to your imaginations4 ,open the   
most dismal pages of history4 ,choose   
out the acts which inspire the most     
vivid horror and disgust1 the blackest  
examples of ingratitude1 the meanest    

instances of cowardice1 the cases of    
most refined cruelty1 and the most      
hideous debaucheries3 thence let your   
thoughts pass to facts which bedew the  
eyelid with the tear of tenderest       
emotion1 to the cases of most heroic    
self-devotion1 to sacrifices the most   
humble in their greatness2 and then try 
to apply the rule of the modern savant1 
and to say that all this is equally     
right and good1 and that whatever is has
 the right to be4 ,open the book of your
 own heart4 ,think of one of those base 
temptations which assault the best of   
us1 one of those thoughts which raise a 
blush in solitude2 then think of the    
best1 the purest1 the most disinterested
 of the feelings which have ever been   
given to your soul2 and try again to    
apply the rule of the modern savant1 and
 to affirm that all this is equally     
good1 and that all that is has the right
 to be4 ,i know very well that in       
general these doctrines are applied to  
things looked at in the mass1 and to the

 far-off past of history2 but this is a 
poor subterfuge for the defenders of    
these monstrous theses4 ,things viewed  
in the mass are only the assemblage of  
things viewed in detail4 ,if the        
distinction of good and evil do not     
exist for general facts1 how should it  
exist for particular facts8 ,and how can
 we apply to the past a rule which we   
refuse to apply to the present1 seeing  
that the present is nothing else than   
the past of the future1 and that the    
facts of our own time are matter for    
history to our posterity8 ,these1 ,i    
repeat1 are but vain subterfuges4 ,if   
humanity is always adorable1 it is so in
 the faults of the meanest of men as in 
the splendid sins of the magnates of the
 earth2 it is so to-day as it was thirty
 centuries ago2 the god in growing old  
does not cease to be the same4  ,when   
the mind is engaged in these pernicious 
ways1 the spring of the moral life is   
broken1 and the practical consequence is
 not long in appearing4 ,the            

philosophers of success1 having become  
the philosophers of the fait accompli1  
accept all and endure all2 but in       
another sense than that in which charity
 accepts all1 that it may transform all 
by the power of love4 ,it is the        
morality of ,philinte3        ,i take   
men quietly1 and as they are3      ,and 
what they do ,i train my soul to        
bear4#aea   ,these instructions are not 
very necessary4 ,there will always be   
people enough found ready to applaud    
victory1 and to fall in with the fait   
accompli4 ,but is it not sad to see men 
of mind1 men of heart too1 perhaps1     
making themselves the theorists of      
baseness1 and the philosophers of       
cowardice8  ,there is still more to be  
said4 ,from the glorification of success
 the mind passes necessarily1 as we have
 just seen1 to the glorification alike  
of all that is4 ,it would appear at     
first sight that the adept in the       
doctrine must find himself in a         
condition of indifference with regard to

 what prejudiced men continue to call   
good and evil4 ,this indifference       
however is only apparent4 ,when it is   
granted that nothing is evil1 the part  
of good disappears in the end4 ,there   
had been formed in ancient ,rome1 under 
pretence of religion1 a secret society1 
which had as its fundamental dogma the  
aphorism that nothing is evil4#aeb ,the 
members of the society did not practise 
good and evil1 it appears1 with equal   
indifference1 for the magistrates of the
 republic took alarm1 and smothered1 by 
a free employment of death and          
imprisonment1 a focus of murders1       
violations1 false witness1 and forged   
signatures4 ,this fact reveals1 with    
ominous clearness1 a movement of thought
 on the nature of which it is easy to   
speculate4  ,when man casts a vague     
glance over the world1 extinguishing the
 while the inner light of conscience2   
when he resigns himself to the things he
 contemplates without applying to them  
any standard1 what first strikes his    

attention1 as we have said before1 is   
success4 ,and what next8 ,scandal4      
,nothing comes more into view than      
scandal4 ,in a vast city1 thousands of  
young men gain their livelihood         
laboriously1 and devote themselves to   
the good of their families3 no one      
speaks of them4 ,a libertine loses other
 men's money at play1 and blows out his 
brains3 all the city knows it4 ,honest  
women live in retirement2 the king's    
mistresses form the subject of general  
conversation4 ,crime and baseness hide  
themselves2 but up to the limits of what
 the world calls infamy1 evil delights  
in putting itself forward1 because clat 
and noise supply the means of deadening 
the conscience2 while1 as regards the   
grand instincts of charity1 it has been 
well said that--the obscure acts of     
devotedness are the most magnificent4   
,the poor and wretched shed tears in    
obscurity over benefits done secretly1  
while folly loves to display its        
glittering spangles1 and shakes its     

bells in the public squares4 ,there is  
in each one of us more evil than we     
think2 but there is in the world more   
good than is commonly known4 ,there are 
concealed virtues which only show       
themselves to the eye of the faith which
 looks for them1 and of the attention   
which discovers them4 ,bethink you1     
especially1 how the laws of morality set
 at defiance appear again triumphant in 
the sorrows of repentance2 those laws   
have their hour1 and that hour is       
usually a silent one4 ,let a poet of    
genius defile his works by the impure   
traces of a life spent in dissipation1  
and his brow shall shine in the sight of
 all with the twofold splendor of       
success and of scandal4 ,but if1        
stretched on a bed of pain1 he renders a
 tardy but sincere homage to the law    
which he has violated1 to the truth     
which he has ignored1 his voice will    
often be confined to the sick chamber2  
his companions in debauchery and        
infidelity will mount guard perhaps     

around his dwelling1 in order to prevent
 the public from learning that their    
friend is a defaulter4 ,the ball and the
 theatre make a noise and attract       
observation2 but men turn their eyes    
from hospitals1 those abodes in which1  
in the silence of sickness1 or amidst   
the dull cries of pain1 there germinate 
so many seeds of immortality4 ,yes1     
,sirs1 evil is more apparent than good4 
,the violations of the divine law have  
more clat than penitence4 ,and what is  
the consequence8 ,the man who abandons  
himself to the spectacle of the world1  
and who takes that spectacle for the    
rule of his thoughts1 will see the world
 under a false aspect1 and1 in his      
estimation1 evil will have more         
advantage over good than it has in      
reality4 ,it will appear to him         
altogether dominant1 and will           
thenceforward become his rule4 ,from the
 glorification of success1 we passed to 
the glorification of fact2 from the     
glorification of fact1 we arrive at last

 at the glorification of evil4 ,we have 
seen how is illustrated the morality of 
victory4 ,in the same current of ideas1 
a book famous now-a-days1 and quite full
 of outrages to the conscience1 supplies
 us with illustrations of the morality  
of falsehood4 ,m4 ,ernest ,renan1 in his
 explanation of ,christianity1 has      
applied1 point after point1 the theory  
which ,i have just set forth to you4 ,in
 order to estimate the grand movements  
of the human mind1 he frees himself from
 the vulgar prejudices which make up the
 ordinary morals1 and abandons himself  
to the impression of the spectacle which
 he contemplates4 ,jesus had a success  
without parallel4 ,this success was     
based on charlatanism2 and it is        
habitually so4 ,to lead the nations by  
deceiving them is the lesson of history1
 and the good rule to follow4 ,we find  
falsehood fortunate as matter of fact1  
we explain it1 we approve it4  ,whither 
then are we bound1 under the guidance of
 modern science8 ,an irresistible       

current is drawing us on1 and causing us
 to leave the morals of ,philinthe in   
our rear4 ,we are coming to those which 
,racine has engraven in immortal traits 
in the person of ,mathan4 ,when once    
conscience is put aside1 all means are  
good in order to succeed2 and the       
experience of the world teaches us that1
 to succeed1 the worst means are often  
the best4  ,it is not only at the       
theatre that such lessons are received2 
they come out but too commonly from the 
ordinary dealings of life4 ,set a young 
man face to face with the world as it   
exhibits itself1 and tell him to give   
himself up to what he sees1 to let      
himself be fashioned by life4 ,he will  
soon come to know that strict probity is
 a virtue of the olden times1 chastity a
 fantastic excellence1 and conscientious
 scruples an honorable simplicity4 ,evil
 will become in his eyes the ordinary   
rule of life4 ,when the socialist       
,proudhon wrote that celebrated         
sentence1 ,property is robbery1 there   

arose an immense outcry4 ,ought there   
not to arise a louder outcry around a   
theory which arrives by a fatal         
necessity at this consequence3 ,evil is 
good8  ,but do these doctrines exercise 
any influence for the perversion of     
public morals8 ,much2 their influence is
 disastrous4 ,and do the men who profess
 them believe them1 taking the word     
'believe' in its real and deep meaning8 
,no2 they often do mischief which they  
do not mean to do1 and do not see that  
they do4 ,they are intoxicated with a   
bad philosophy1 and intoxication renders
 blind4 ,it is easy to prove that these 
optimists1 who in theory find that      
everything is right1 are perpetually    
contradicting themselves in practice4   
,address yourselves to one of them1 and 
say to him3 ,your doctrine is big with  
immorality4 ,you do not yourself believe
 it2 and when you pretend to believe it1
 you lie4 ,this man who tolerates       
everything will not tolerate your       
freedom of speech4 ,he will get angry1  

and1 according to the old doctrines1 he 
will have the right to be so1 for insult
 is an evil4 ,then say to him3 ,here you
 are1 it seems to me1 in contradiction  
with your system4 ,everything is right2 
the vivacity of my speech therefore is  
good4 ,all that is has the right to be2 
my indignation is therefore a legitimate
 fact1 and it appears to me that yours  
cannot be so unless you allow 7an       
admission which would be contrary to    
your system7 that mine is not so4 ,if   
you have to do with a sensible man1 he  
will begin to laugh4 ,if you have met   
with a blockhead1 he will be more angry 
than ever4 ,this contradiction comes out
 in every page1 and in a more serious   
manner1 in the writings of our          
optimists4 ,one cannot read them with   
attention1 without meeting incessantly  
with the protest of their moral nature  
against the despotism of a false mode of
 reasoning4 ,the man is at every moment 
making himself heard1 the man who has a 
heart1 a conscience1 a reason1 and who  

contradicts the philosopher without     
being aware of it4 ,contradictions      
these1 honorable to the writer1 but     
dangerous for the reader1 because they  
serve to invest with brilliant colors   
doctrines which in themselves are       
hideous4  ,no1 ,gentlemen1 it is        
impossible to succeed in adoring        
humanity1 preserving the while the least
 consistency of reasoning4 ,in vain men 
wish to accept everything1 to tolerate  
everything2 in vain they wish to impose 
silence on the inner voice3 that voice  
rebels against the outrage1 and its     
revolt declares itself in the most      
manifest contradictions4 ,the           
,humanity-,god is divided1 and the      
affirmation-- ,everything is right--will
 continue false as long as there shall  
be upon the earth a single conscience   
unsilenced1 as long as there shall be in
 a single heart                  4 4 4 4
 4 that mighty hate      ,which in pure 
souls vice ever must create2#aec   that 
hatred which is nothing else than the   

indirect manifestation of the sacred    
love of goodness4  ,the doctrine that   
all is equally good1 equally divine1 in 
the development of humanity1 explains   
nothing1 because humanity1 torn by a    
profound struggle1 condemns its own     
acts1 and protests against its          
degradations4 ,it cries aloud to itself 
that there are principles above facts1 a
 moral law superior to the acts of the  
will2 and all the petty clamors of a    
deceitful and deceived philosophy cannot
 stifle that clear voice4 ,not only do  
these doctrines explain nothing1 they do
 not even succeed in expressing         
themselves2 language fails them4        
,everything is right and good4 ,what    
will these words mean1 from the time    
there is no longer any rule of right8   
,how is it possible to approve1 when we 
have no power to blame8 ,the idea of    
good implies the idea of evil2 the      
opposition of good and evil supposes a  
standard applied to things1 a law       
superior to fact4 ,he who approves of   

everything may just as well despise     
everything4 ,but contempt itself has no 
longer any meaning1 if esteem is a word 
void of signification4 ,we must say     
simply that all is as it is1 and abandon
 those terms of speech which conscience 
has stamped with its own superscription4
 ,we must purify the dictionary1 and    
consign to the history of obsolete      
expressions such terms as good1 evil1   
esteem1 contempt1 vice1 virtue1 honor1  
infamy1 and the like4 ,the doctrine     
which1 to be consistent with itself1    
ought to reduce us to a kind of stupid  
indifference1 does such violence to     
human nature that its advocates are     
incapable of enunciating it without     
contradicting themselves by the very    
words they make use of4  ,all these     
extravagances are the inevitable        
consequence of the adoration of         
humanity4 ,the ,humanity-,god has no    
rule superior to itself4 ,whatever it   
does must be put on record merely1 and  
not judged3 it is the immolation of the 

conscience4 ,but on what altar shall we 
stretch this great victim8 ,shall we    
sacrifice it to pure reason1 to reason  
disengaged from all prejudice8 ,allow me
 to claim your attention yet a few      
minutes longer4  ,the ,humanity-,god in 
all its acts escapes the judgment of the
 conscience4 ,what measure shall we be  
able to apply to its thoughts8 ,none4   
,the ,god which cannot do evil1 cannot  
be mistaken either4 ,for the modern     
savant all is true1 for exactly the same
 reason that all is right4 ,the human   
mind unfolds itself in all directions2  
all these unfoldings are legitimate2 all
 are to be accepted equally by a mind   
truly emancipated4 ,furnished with this 
rule1 ,i make progress in the history of
 philosophy4 ,the ,greek ,democritus    
affirms that the universe is only an    
infinite number of atoms moving as      
chance directs in the immensity of      
space3 ,i record with veneration this   
unfolding of the human mind4 ,the ,greek
 ,plato affirms that truth1 beauty1     

good1 like three eternal rays1 penetrate
 the universe and constitute the only   
veritable realities3 ,i record with     
equal veneration this other unfolding of
 the human mind4 ,i pass to modern      
times4 ,descartes tells me that thought 
is the essence of man1 and that reason  
alone is the organ of truth4 ,helvetius 
tells me that man is a mass of organized
 matter which receives its ideas only   
from the senses4 ,these two theses are  
equally legitimate1 and ,i admit them   
both4 ,i quit now philosophers by       
profession to address myself to those   
literary journalists who deal out       
philosophy in crumbs for the use of     
feuilletons and reviews4 ,there ,i find 
all possible notions in the most        
astounding of jumbles4 ,the villain has 
his apologist2 the good man his         
calumniator4444 ,marriage is honorable1 
so is adultery4 ,order is preached up1  
so is riot1 so is assassination1        
provided it be politic4#aed ,i          
contemplate with a calm satisfaction1   

with a very deep and very pure pleasure1
 these various unfoldings of the human  
mind2 ,i place them all1 with the same  
feelings of devotion1 in the pantheon of
 the intelligence4 ,i cannot do         
otherwise1 inasmuch as there is no rule 
of truth superior to the thoughts of    
men1 and because the human mind is the  
supreme1 universal1 and infallible      
intelligence4  ,but will our mind be    
able to entertain together two directly 
opposite assertions8 ,will contradiction
 no longer be the sign of error8 ,we    
must come to this2 we must acknowledge  
that the modern mind1 breaking with     
superannuated traditions1 has proclaimed
 the principle that one assertion is not
 more true than an opposite assertion4  
,we must proclaim that the thinker has  
not to disquiet himself about the real  
contradictions into which he may fall2  
and that a true philosopher has         
absolutely nothing to do with           
consistency4#aee ,the fear of           
self-contradiction may be excused in    

,aristotle and ,plato1 in ,st4 ,anselm  
and ,st4 ,thomas1 in ,descartes and     
,leibnitz4 ,these writers were still    
wrapped in the swaddling clothes of old 
errors2 the light of the nineteenth     
century had not shone upon their        
cradles2 but the epoch of               
enfranchisement is come4 ,these things1 
,gentlemen1 are printed now-a-days2 they
 are printed at ,paris1 one of the      
metropolises of thought6  ,mark well    
whereabouts we are4 ,we must            
admit--what8 that all is true4 ,but1 if 
all is true1 there is nothing true1 just
 as if all is good1 there is nothing    
good4 ,there are thoughts in men's      
heads2 to make history of them is an    
agreeable pastime2 but there is no      
truth4 ,we must not say that two        
contradictory propositions are equally  
true2 that would be to make use of the  
old notion of truth2 we must say that   
they are1 and that is all about it4 ,the
 night is approaching1 the sun of       
intelligence is sinking towards the     

horizon1 and thick vapors are obscuring 
its setting4 ,but wait6  ,if the        
,humanity-,god is always right1 it must 
be that two contradictory propositions  
can be true at the same time1 since     
contradictions abound in the history of 
human thoughts4 ,if two contradictory   
propositions can be true1 there is no   
more truth4 ,what then is our reason1 of
 which truth is the object8 ,we are     
seized with giddiness4 ,might not       
everything in the world be illusion8 and
 myself--8 ,listen to a voice which     
reaches us1 across the ages1 from the   
countries crowned by the ,himalayas4    
,nothing exists4444 ,by the study of    
first principles1 one acquires this     
knowledge1 absolute1 incontestable1     
comprehensible to the intelligence      
alone3 ,i neither am1 nor does anything 
which is mine1 nor do ,i myself1        
exist4#aef ,what is there beneath these 
strange lines8 ,the feeling of          
giddiness1 which seeks to steady itself 
by language4 ,here is now the modern    

echo of these ancient words4 ,one of    
those writers who accept all1 in the    
hope of understanding all1 describes    
himself as having come at last to be    
aware that he is only one of the most   
fugitive illusions in the bosom of the  
infinite illusion4 ,one of his          
colleagues expresses himself on this    
subject as follows3 ,is this the last   
word of all8--,and why not8--,the       
illusion which knows itself--is it in   
fact an illusion8 ,does it not in some  
sort triumph over itself8 ,does it not  
attain to the sovereign reality1 that of
 the thought which thinks itself1 that  
of the dream which knows itself a dream1
 that of nothingness which ceases to be 
so1 in order to recognize itself and to 
assert itself8#aeg ,we are gone back to 
ancient ,india4 ,you will remark here   
three stages of thought4 ,the fugitive  
illusion is man4 ,the infinite illusion 
is the universe4 ,the universal         
principle of the appearances which      
compose the universe is nothingness4    

,here is the explanation of the         
universe6 ,nothingness takes life2      
nothingness takes life only to know     
itself to be nothingness2 and the       
nothingness which says to itself1 ,i am 
nothingness1 is the reason of existence 
of all that is4 ,i said just now that   
the sun was declining to the horizon4   
,now the last glimmer of twilight has   
disappeared2 night has closed in--a dark
 and starless night4 ,yes1 ,sirs1 but   
there is never on the earth a night so  
dark as to warrant us in despairing of  
the return of the dawn4 ,if the modern  
mind is such as it is described to us1  
it has lost all the rays of light2 but  
the sun is not dead4  ,the doctrine of  
non-existence and of illusion is        
entirely incomprehensible1 in the sense 
in which to comprehend signifies to have
 a clear idea1 and one capable of being 
directly apprehended4 ,but1 if one      
follows the chain of ideas as logically 
unrolled1 in the way that a             
mathematician follows the               

transformations of an algebraical       
formula1 without considering its real   
contents1 it is easy to account for the 
origin of this theory4 ,if the human    
mind has no rule superior to itself1 if 
it is the absolute mind1 ,god1 all its  
thoughts are equally true1 since we     
cannot point out error without having   
recourse to a rule of truth4 ,if all    
doctrines are equally true1 propositions
 directly and absolutely contradictory  
are equally true4 ,if all is true1 there
 is no truth2 for truth is not conceived
 except in opposition to at least       
possible error4 ,if there is no truth1  
the human reason1 which seeks truth by a
 natural impulse belonging to its very  
essence1 as the magnetized needle seeks 
the pole1--reason1 ,i say1 is a chimera4
 ,the truth which reason seeks is an    
exact relation of human thought to the  
reality of the world4 ,if the search for
 this relation is chimerical1 the two   
terms1 mind1 and the world1 may be      
illusions4 ,a fugitive illusion in      

presence of an infinite illusion3 there 
is all4 ,you see that these thoughts    
hang together with rigorous precision4  
,the darkness is becoming visible to us1
 or1 in other words1 we are acquiring a 
perfect understanding of the origin and 
developments of the absurdity4 ,put ,god
 aside1 the law of our will1 the warrant
 of our thought2 deify human nature2 and
 a fatal current will run you aground   
twice over--on the shores of moral      
absurdity1 and on those of intellectual 
absurdity4 ,these sad shipwrecks are set
 before our eyes in striking examples2  
it has been easy to indicate their      
cause4  ,the consideration of the       
beautiful would give occasion to        
analogous observations4 ,the human mind 
becoming the object of our adoration1 we
 must give up judging it in every       
particular1 and suppress the rules of   
the ideal in art1 as those of morals in 
the conduct1 and truth in the intellect4
 ,we must form a system of sthetics     
which accepts all1 and finds equally    

legitimate whatever affords recreation  
to the ,humanity-,god1 in the great     
variety of its tastes4 ,then high       
aspirations are extinguished1 the       
beautiful gives place to the agreeable2 
and since the ugly and misshapen please 
a vicious taste1 room must be made for  
the ugly in the ,pantheon of beauty4    
,art despoiled of its crown becomes the 
sad1 and often the ignoble slave of the 
tastes and caprices of the public4 ,i do
 not insist further4 ,the pretension of 
the worshippers of humanity is to make  
their conscience wide enough to accept  
all1 and to have their intellect broad  
enough to understand all4 ,they explain 
all1 except these three small           
particulars--the conscience1 the heart1 
and the reason4 ,goodness and truth     
avenge themselves in the end for the    
long contempt cast upon them2 and the   
first punishment those suffer who accept
 all1 in the hope of understanding all1 
is no longer to understand what         
constitutes the life of humanity4  ,let 

us not1 ,sirs1 be setting up altars to  
the human mind2 for an adulterous       
incense stupefies it1 and ends by       
destroying it4 ,man is great1 he is     
sublime1 with immortal hope in his      
heart1 and the divine aureole around his
 brow2 but that he may preserve his     
greatness1 let us leave him in his      
proper place4 ,let us leave to him the  
struggles which make his glory1 that    
condemnation of his own miseries which  
does him honor1 the tears shed over his 
faults which are the most               
unexceptionable testimony to his        
dignity4 ,let us leave him tears1       
repentance1 conflict1 and hope2 but let 
us not deify him2 for1 no sooner shall  
he have said1 ,i am ,god1 than1 deprived
 that instant of all his blessings1 he  
shall find himself naked and spoiled4   
,before they deified man1 the pagans at 
least transfigured him by placing him in
 ,olympus4 ,at this day1 it is humanity 
as it is upon earth that is proposed to 
our adoration1 humanity with its        

profound miseries and its fearful       
defilements4 ,they seek to throw a veil 
over the mad audacity of this attempt1  
by telling us of the progress which is  
to bring about1 by little and little1   
the realization of our divinity4 ,but1  
alas6 our history is long already1 and  
no reasonable induction justifies the   
vague hopes of heated imaginations4     
,great progress is being effected1 but  
none which gives any promise that the   
profound needs of our nature can ever be
 satisfied in this life4 ,charity has   
appeared on the earth2 but there are    
still poor amongst us1 and it seems that
 there always will be4 ,a breath of     
justice and humanity has penetrated     
social institutions2 still politics have
 not become the domain of perfect truth 
and of absolute justice1 and there seems
 small likelihood that they ever will4  
,industry has given birth to marvels2 we
 devour space in these days1 but we     
shall never go so fast that suffering   
and death will not succeed in overtaking

 us4 ,the great sources of grief are not
 dried up2 the song of our poets causes 
still the chords of sorrow to vibrate as
 in the days of yore4 ,progress is being
 accomplished1 sure witness of a        
beneficent ,hand which is guiding       
humanity in its destinies2 but          
everything tells us that the soil of our
 planet will be always steeped in tears1
 that the atmosphere which envelops us  
will always resound with the vibrations 
of sorrow4 ,far as our view can stretch 
itself1 we foresee a suffering humanity1
 which will not be able to find peace1  
joy1 and hope1 except in the expectation
 of new heavens and a new earth1 wherein
 dwelleth righteousness4  ,if there be  
no ,god above humanity1 no eternity     
above time1 no divine world higher than 
our present place of sojourn2 if our    
profoundest desires are to be for ever  
deceived2 if the cries we raise to      
heaven are never to be heard2 if all our
 hope is a future in which we shall be  
no more2 if humanity as we know it is   

the perfection of the universe2 if all  
this is so1 then indeed the answer to   
the universal enigma is illusion and    
falsehood4 ,then1 before the monster of 
destiny which brings us into being only 
to destroy us1 which creates in our     
breast the desire of happiness only to  
deride our miseries2 in view of that    
starry vault which speaks to us of the  
infinite1 while yet there is no         
infinite2 in presence of that lying     
nature which adorns itself with a       
thousand symbols of immortality1 while  
yet there is no immortality2 in presence
 of all these deceptions1 man may be    
allowed to curse the day of his birth1  
or to abandon himself to the            
intoxication of thoughtless pleasure4   
,but1 a secret instinct tells us that   
wretchedness is a disorder1 and         
thoughtless pleasure a degradation4 ,let
 us have confidence in this deep        
utterance of our nature4 ,good1 truth1  
beauty descend as rays of streaming     
light into the shadows of our existence2

 let us follow them with the eye of     
faith to the divine focus from whence   
they proceed4 ,all is fleeting1 all is  
disappearing incessantly beneath our    
steps2 but our soul is not staggered at 
this swift lapse of all things1 only    
because she carries in herself the      
pledges of a changeless eternity4 ,the  
ephemeral spectator of an eternal       
spectacle1 man raises for a moment his  
eyes to heaven1 and closes them again   
for ever2 but during the fleeting       
instant which is granted to him1 from   
all points of the sky and from the      
bounds of the universe1 sets forth from 
every world a consoling ray and strikes 
his upward gaze1 announcing to him that 
between that measureless space and      
himself there exists a close relation1  
and that he is allied to eternity4#aeh  
,and are these sublime pressentiments   
only dreams after all8 ,dreams6 ,know   
you not that our dreams create nothing1 
and that they are never anything else   
than confused reminiscences and         

fantastic combinations of the realities 
of our waking consciousness8 ,what then 
is that mysterious waking during which  
we have seen the eternal1 the infinite1 
the perfection of goodness1 the fulness 
of joy1 all those sublime images which  
come to haunt our spirit during the     
dream of life8 ,recollections of our    
origin6 foreshadowings of our destinies6
 ,while then all below is transitory1   
and is escaping from us in a ceaseless  
flight1 let us abandon ourselves without
 fear to these instincts of the soul--  
,as a bird1 if it light on a sprig too  
slight          ,the feathery freight to
 bear1      ,yet1 conscious of wings1   
tosses fearless1 and sings1             
,then drops--on the buoyant air4#aei    
,,footnotes3  #aca ,systme de la        
,nature1 published under the pseudonyme 
of ,mirabaud4  #acb ,systme de la       
,nature1 ,part ,i4 chap4 #a4  #acc      
,ibid4 ,part ,,ii4 chap4 #ad4  #acd ,vie
 de ,jsus4 ,dedication4  #ace ,revue des
 ,deux ,mondes of #ae ,january1 #ahfj4  

#acf ,plebeii philosophi qui a ,platone 
et ,socrate et ab e famili dissident4   
#acg ,les philosophes franais du ,x,i,xe
 sicle1 chap4 ,,xiv4  #ach ,hgel et     
l',hglianisme par ,m4 ,ed4 ,schrer4     
#aci ,page #hed4  #adj ,page #heb4  #ada
 ,page #hef4  #adb ,isa4 xx4 #bj4  #adc 
,essais de critique et d'histoire1 pp4  
#h and #i4  #add ,revue des ,deux       
,mondes1 #ae ,feb4 #ahfa1 page #hee4    
#ade ,page #hec4  #adf ,page #hed4  #adg
 ,revue des ,deux ,mondes of the #aeth  
,feb4 #ahfa1 page #hed4  #adh           
,introduction  l'histoire de la         
philosophie4 ,neuvime leon4  #adi       
,il rpondit1 baissant un oeil humide3   
,jamais ce nom n'attristera mes vers4   
#aej ,introduction  l'histoire de la    
philosophie4 ,treizime leon4  #aea      
,je prends tout doucement les hommes    
comme ils sont1      ,j'accoutume mon me
  souffrir ce qu'ils font4  #aeb ,nihil 
nefas ducere1 hanc summam inter eos     
religionem esse4 7,tit4 ,liv4 lib4      
xxxix4 c4 #ac47  #aec               4 4 

4 4 4 4 ,ces haines vigoureuses         
,que doit donner le vice aux mes        
vertueuses4  #aed ,mlanges de ,tpffer4  
,de la mauvaise presse considere comme  
excellente4  #aee ,revue des ,deux      
,mondes of #ae ,feb4 #ahfa1 page        
#hed4--;,etudes critiques sur la        
littrature contemporaine1 par ,edmond   
,scherer1 page x4 et xi4  #aef          
,sa'nkya--ka'rika'1 #fa and #fd4 ,the   
text #fa in which occur the words       
,nothing exists is hard to understand1  
but there appears to be no doubt of the 
meaning of ,no4 #fd4 ,non sum1 non est  
meum1 nec sum ego4  #aeg ,etudes        
critiques sur la littrature             
contemporaine1 par ,edmond              
,scherer4--,m4 ,sainte-,beuve1 p4 #ced4 
#aeh ,xavier de ,maistre4  #aei         
,soyons comme l'oiseau pos pour un      
instant          ,sur des rameaux trop  
frles1      ,qui sent ployer la branche 
et qui chante pourtant1                 
,sachant qu'il a des ailes4--,,victor   
,,hugo4     ,,lecture ,,vi4  ,,the      

,,creator4  7,at ,geneva1 #dth ,dec4    
#ahfc4--;,at ,lausanne1 #bgth ,jan4     
#ahfd47   ,,gentlemen1  ,man is not a   
simple product of nature2 in vain does  
he labor to degrade himself by desiring 
to find the explanation of his spiritual
 being in matter brought gradually to   
perfection4 ,man is not the summit and  
principle of the universe2 in vain does 
he labor to deify himself4 ,he is great 
only by reason of the divine rays which 
inform his heart1 his conscience1 and   
his reason4 ,from the moment that he    
believes himself to be the source of    
light1 he passes into night4 ,when      
thought has risen from nature up to man1
 it must needs fall again1 if its       
impetus be not strong enough to carry it
 on to ,god4 ,these assertions do but   
translate the great facts of man's      
intellectual history4 ,there is no      
nation so barbarous1 said ,cicero1#afj  
there are no men so savage as not to    
have some tincture of religion4 ,many   
there are who form false notions of the 

gods2 444 but all admit the existence of
 a divine power and nature4444 ,now1 in 
any matter whatever1 the consent of all 
nations is to be reckoned a law of      
nature4 ,no discovery has diminished the
 value of these words of the ,roman     
orator4 ,in the most degraded portions  
of human society1 there remains always  
some vestige of the religious sentiment4
 ,the knowledge of the ,creator comes to
 us from the ,christian tradition2 but  
the idea1 more or less vague1 of a      
divine world is found wherever there are
 men4  ,cicero brings forward this      
universal consent as a very strong proof
 of the existence of the gods4 ,the     
supporters of atheism dispute the value 
of this argument4 ,they say3 ,general   
opinion proves nothing4 ,how many       
fabulous legends have been set up by the
 common belief into historic verities6  
,all mankind believed for a long time   
that the sun revolved about the earth4  
,truth makes way in the world only by   
contradicting opinions generally        

received4 ,the faith of the greater     
number is rather a mark of error than a 
sign of truth4 ,this objection rests    
upon a confusion of ideas4 ,humanity has
 no testimony to render upon scientific 
questions1 the solution of which is     
reserved for patient study2 but humanity
 bears witness to its own nature4 ,the  
universality of religion proves that the
 search after the divine is1 as said the
 ,roman orator1 a law of nature4 ,when  
therefore we rise from matter to man1   
and from man to ,god1 we are not going  
in an arbitrary road1 but are advancing 
according to the law of nature          
ascertained by the testimony of         
humanity4 ,it needs a mind at once very 
daring and very frivolous not to feel   
the importance of this consideration4   
,in our days atheism is being revived4  
,in going over in your memory the       
symptoms of this revival1 as we have    
pointed them out to you1 you will       
perceive that the direct and primitive  
negation of ,god is comparatively rare2 

but that what is frequently attempted   
is1 if ,i may venture so to speak1 to   
effect the subtraction of ,god4 ,any    
religious theory whatever is put aside  
as inadmissible1 and with some such     
remarks as these3 ,how is it that real  
sciences are formed8 ,by observation on 
the one hand1 and by reasoning on the   
other4 ,by observation1 and reasoning   
applied to observation1 we obtain the   
science of nature and the science of    
humanity4 ,but do we wish to rise above 
nature and humanity8 ,we fail of all    
basis of observation2 and reason works  
in a vacuum4 ,there is therefore no     
possible way of reaching to ,god4 ,is   
,god an object of experience8 ,no4 ,can 
,god be demonstrated  priori by         
syllogisms8 ,no4 ,the idea of ,god      
therefore cannot be established1 as     
answering to a reality1 either by the   
way of experience or by the way of      
reasoning2 it is a mere hypothesis4 ,we 
do not1 however1 it is added1 in our    
view of the matter1 pretend 7,heaven    

forbid67 to exclude the sentiment of the
 ,divine from the soul1 nor the word    
,god from fine poetry4 ,we accept       
religious thoughts as dreams full of    
charm4 ,but is it a question of reality8
 then ,god is an hypothesis1 and        
hypothesis has no admission into the    
science of realities4  ,these ideas     
place those who accept them in a        
position which is not without its       
advantages4 ,when a man of practical    
mind says with a smile1 ,do you happen  
to believe in ,god8 one may reply to    
him1 smiling in turn1 ,have ,i said that
 ,god is a real ,being8 ,and if a       
religious man asks1 ,are you falling    
then into atheism8 one may assume an    
indignant tone1 and say3 ,we have never 
denied ,god3 whoever says we have is a  
slanderer6 ,so ,god remains1 for the    
necessities of poetry and art4 ,but as  
we cannot know either what ,he is1 or   
whether ,he is1 real life goes on in    
complete and entire independence of     
,him4 ,the taking up of this position   

with regard to religion may1 in certain 
cases1 be a literary artifice4 ,in other
 cases it is seriously done4 ,there are 
certain natures of extreme delicacy1    
which1 touched by the breath of modern  
scepticism1 have lost all positive      
faith2 but their better aspirations1 and
 an instinctive love of purity1 guard   
and direct them1 in the absence of all  
belief1 and they do not deny that which 
they believe no longer4 ,such a mind is 
in an exceptional position4 ,is it      
yours8 and would you preserve it8 ,keep 
a solitary path1 and do not seek to     
communicate your ideas to others4       
,contact with the public1 and such an   
unfolding even of your own thoughts as  
would be required in carrying on a work 
of proselytism1 would place you under   
the empire of those laws which govern   
the human mind in these matters4 ,now   
what are these laws8 ,a poet has already
 answered for us this question3         
,en prsence du ,ciel1 il faut croire ou 
nier4#afa   ,a famous writer expands the

 same thought as follows3 ,doubt about  
things which it highly concerns us to   
know1 says ,jean-,jacques ,rousseau1 is 
a condition which does too great        
violence to the human mind2 nor does it 
long bear up against it1 but in spite of
 itself comes to a decision one way or  
another1 and likes better to be mistaken
 than to believe nothing4#afb ,such is  
the law4 ,we have met with the          
pretension to maintain the mind         
independent of ,god1 without either     
denying or asserting ,his existence1 and
 we have seen how completely this       
pretension fails in the presence of     
facts4 ,the sceptic makes vain efforts  
to continue in a state of doubt1 but the
 ground fails him1 and he slips into    
negation3 he affirms that humanity has  
been mistaken1 and that ,god is not4    
,but neither does this negation succeed 
any the more in keeping its ground2 it  
strikes too violently against all the   
instincts of our nature4 ,the human mind
 is under an imperious necessity to     

worship something2 if ,god fails it1 it 
sets itself to adore nature or humanity2
 atheism is transformed into idolatry4  
,recollect the destinies of the critical
 school and of the positive philosophy6 
,let us now examine1 with serious       
attention1 that attempt to eliminate    
,god which is the starting-point in this
 course along which the mind is hurried 
so fatally4  ,god is not1 ,i grant1 an  
object of experience4 ,i grant it at    
least in this sense1 that ,god is not an
 object of sensible experience4 ,the    
experience of ,god 7if ,i may be allowed
 the expression71 the feeling of ,his   
action upon the soul1 is not a          
phenomenon open to the observation of   
all1 and apart from determined spiritual
 conditions4 ,in order to be sensible of
 the action of ,god1 we must draw near  
to ,him4 ,in order to draw near to ,him1
 we must1 if not believe with firm faith
 in ,his existence1 at least not deny   
,him4 ,the captives of ,plato's cavern  
can have no experience of light1 so long

 as they heap their raillery on those   
who speak to them of the sun4 ,i grant  
again that ,god cannot possibly be the  
object of a demonstration such as the   
science of geometry requires2 ,i grant  
it fully1 ,i have already said so4      
,every man who reasons1 affirms ,god in 
one sense2 and the foundation of all    
reasoning cannot be the conclusion of a 
demonstration4 ,god therefore1 in the   
view of science formed according to our 
ordinary methods1 is1 ,i grant1 an      
hypothesis4 ,and here1 ,gentlemen1 allow
 me a passing word of explanation4      
,when ,i say that ,god is an hypothesis1
 ,i run the risk of exciting1 in many of
 you1 feelings of astonishment not      
unmixed with pain4 ,but ,i must beg you 
to remember the nature of these         
lectures4 ,we are here far from the calm
 retirement of the sanctuary1 and from  
such words of solemn exhortation as flow
 from the lips of the religious teacher4
 ,i have introduced you to the ardent   
conflicts of contemporary thought1 and  

into the midst of the clamors of the    
schools4 ,the soul which is seeking to  
hold communion with ,god1 and so from   
their fountain-head to be filled with   
strength and joy1 has something better  
to do than to be listening to such      
discourses as these4 ,solitude1 prayer1 
a calm activity pursued under the       
guidance of the conscience1--these are  
the best paths for such a soul1 and the 
discussions in which we are now engaged 
are not perhaps altogether free from    
danger for one who has remained hitherto
 undisturbed in the first simplicity of 
his faith4 ,but we are not masters of   
our own ways1 and the circumstances of  
the present times impose upon us special
 duties4 ,the barriers which separate   
the school and the world are everywhere 
thrown down4 ,everywhere shreds of      
philosophy1 and very often of bad       
philosophy1--scattered fragments of     
theological science1 and very often of a
 deplorable theological science1--are   
insinuating themselves into the current 

literature4 ,there is not a literary    
review1 there is scarcely a political   
journal1 which does not speak on        
occasion1 or without occasion1 of the   
problems relating to our eternal        
interests4 ,the most sacred beliefs are 
attacked every day in the organs of     
public opinion4 ,at such a juncture1 can
 men who preserve faith in their own    
soul remain like dumb dogs1 or keep     
themselves shut up in the narrow limits 
of the schools8 ,assuredly not4 ,we must
 descend to the common ground1 and fight
 with equal weapons the great battles of
 thought4 ,for this purpose it is       
necessary to make use of terms which may
 alarm some consciences1 and to state   
questions which run the risk of         
startling sincerely religious persons4  
,but there is no help for it1 if we are 
to combat the adversaries on their own  
ground2 and because it is thus only     
that1 while we startle a few1 we can    
prove to all that the torrent of        
negations is but a passing rush of      

waters1 which1 fret as they may in their
 channel1 shall be found to have left   
not so much as a trace of their passage 
upon the ,rock of ,ages4  ,i now        
therefore resume my course of argument4 
,god is neither an object of experience1
 nor yet of demonstration properly so   
called4 ,in the view of science1 as it  
is commonly understood1 of science which
 follows out the chain of its           
deductions1 without giving attention to 
the very foundations of all the work of 
the reason1--,god1 that chief of all    
realities for a believing heart1 that   
experience of every hour1 that evidence 
superior to all proof1 ,god is an       
hypothesis4 ,i grant it4 ,hence it is   
inferred that ,god has no place in      
science1 for that hypothesis has no     
place in a science worthy of the name4  
,but this ,i deny2 and in support of    
this denial ,i proceed to show that the 
hypothesis which it is pretended to get 
quit of1 is the generating principle of 
all human knowledge4  ,whence does      

science proceed8 ,does it result from   
mere experience8 ,no4 ,what does        
experience teach us when quite alone8   
,nothing4 ,experience1 separated from   
all element of reason1 only reveals to  
us our own sensations4 ,this1 a ,scotch 
philosopher1 ,hume1 has proved to       
demonstration1--a demonstration which   
constitutes his glory4 ,it is easy1     
without having even a smattering of     
philosophy1 to understand quite well    
that science is formed by thought4 ,now1
 if we did not possess the faculty of   
thinking1 it would not be given to us by
 experience4 ,thought does not enter by 
the eye or the ear4 ,imagine a living   
body not possessed of reason3 its eye   
will reflect objects like a mirror1 its 
tympanum will vibrate to the undulations
 of the air2 but it will have no        
thoughts1 and will know nothing4  ,is   
science formed by pure reason8 ,no4 ,no 
one can say what pure reason is1 for the
 exercise of our thought is connected   
indissolubly with experience4 ,but1     

without pausing at this consideration1  
let us ask what pure reason can do1 if  
deprived of all objects of experience8  
,one thing only1 namely1 take cognizance
 of itself4 ,now the reason1 in taking  
cognizance of itself1 only creates      
logic1 that is to say1 the theory of the
 laws of knowledge4 ,some philosophers1 
to be sure1 have undertaken to prove    
that reason1 by dint of                 
self-contemplation1 might arrive at the 
knowledge of all things4 ,they have     
maintained that all the secrets of the  
universe are contained in our thought1  
and that by just reasoning one may form 
the science of astronomy without looking
 at the stars1 and write the history of 
the human race without taking the       
trouble to search laboriously into the  
annals of the past4 ,but these attempts 
to construct facts1 instead of observing
 them1 have succeeded too ill to merit  
very serious attention4  ,science does  
not proceed therefore either from pure  
experience or from pure reason2 whence  

does it really come8 ,from the encounter
 of experience and of reason4 ,man      
observes1 and he ascertains that facts  
are governed according to intelligent   
design4 ,he creates mathematics1 and    
discovers that the phenomena of the     
heavens and the earth are ruled         
according to the laws of the calculus4  
,his thought meets in the facts with    
traces of a thought similar to his own4 
,if any one of you doubts this1 ,i once 
more appeal to the almanac4 ,science1   
then1 has birth only from a meeting of  
experience with reason2 how is this     
meeting effected8 ,the whole question of
 the origin of science is here4 ,this   
encounter is not necessary2 it does not 
result simply from perseverance in      
observation4 ,the encounter of mind and 
of facts constitutes a discovery4 ,the  
thought which has governed nature may   
remain long veiled from our mind4 ,all  
at once perhaps the veil is lifted1 and 
the thought of man meets and recognizes 
itself in the phenomena which it is     

contemplating4 ,we encounter in this    
case the exercise of a special faculty1 
which is neither the faculty of         
observing nor the faculty of reasoning1 
but the faculty of discovering4 ,when a 
man possesses it to a certain degree1 we
 call him a man of genius4 ,genius1 or  
the faculty of discovering1 is the      
generating principle of science4 ,still1
 strange to say1 this principle is      
scarcely pointed out by a great number  
of logicians4 ,they develop at length   
the rules of observation and the rules  
of reasoning2 and it seems that1 in     
their idea1 the conjunction of reason   
and experience is effected all alone and
 of necessity4 ,i taught logic myself in
 this way for twenty years1 until one   
day1 thinking better upon the subject1  
,i was obliged to say to myself 7forgive
 me this rather trivial quotation73     
,tu n'avais oubli qu'un point3          
,c'tait d'clairer ta lanterne4#afc      
,the meeting together of the            
understanding and of facts is a         

discovery2 and discovery depends upon a 
faculty sung by poets1 admired by       
mankind1 and too little noticed by      
logicians--genius4 ,genius has for its  
characteristic a sudden illumination of 
the mind1 a gratuitous gift and one     
which cannot be purchased4 ,but let us  
hasten to supply a necessary            
explanation4 ,genius is a primitive     
fact1 a gift2 but the work of genius has
 conditions1 or rather a                
condition--labor4 ,labor does not       
replace genius1 but genius does not     
dispense with labor2 nature only        
delivers up her secrets to those who    
observe her with long patience4 ,newton 
was asked one day how he had found out  
the system of the universe4 ,he replied 
with a sublime navet3 ,by thinking      
continually about it4 ,he so pointed out
 the condition of every great discovery2
 but he forgot the cause--the peculiar  
nature of his own intellect4 ,it was    
necessary to be always pondering the    
motions of the stars2 but it was        

necessary moreover to be ,isaac ,newton4
 ,so many had thought on the subject1 as
 long perhaps as he1 and had not made   
the discovery4  ,labor1 the condition of
 discoveries1 should have as its effect 
to recognize the methods really         
appropriate to the nature of the        
inquiries1 and to keep the mind well    
informed in existing science4 ,in fact1 
every scientific discovery supposes a   
series of previous discoveries which    
have brought the mind to the point at   
which it is possible to see something   
new4 ,for this reason it is that a      
discovery often presents itself to two  
or three minds at once1 when there are  
found1 at the same epoch1 two or three  
minds endowed with the same power4 ,they
 see all together because the onward    
progress of science has brought them to 
the same summit3 this is the condition2 
and because they have the same power of 
vision3 this is the cause4 ,there is    
therefore a method for putting ourselves
 on the road to discovery1 but no method

 for making the discovery itself4 ,the  
man of genius sees where others do not  
see2 and when he has seen1 everybody    
sees after him4 ,if1 furnished with     
,gyges' ring1 you could gain access to  
the studies of savants at the moment    
when a great discovery has just been    
made1 you would see more than one of    
them striking his forehead and          
exclaiming3 ,fool that ,i was6 how could
 ,i help seeing it8 it was so simple4   
,truth appears simple when it has been  
discovered4  ,discovery therefore1 which
 has labor for its condition1 is the    
principle of the progress of science4   
,under what form does a discovery       
present itself to the mind of its       
author8 ,as a supposition1 or1 which is 
the same thing1 as an hypothesis4       
,hypothesis is the sole process by which
 progress in science is effected4 ,if we
 supposed nothing1 we should know       
nothing4 ,in vain should we look at the 
sky and the earth to all eternity1 our  
eye would never read the laws of        

astronomy in the stars of heaven1 nor   
the laws of life upon the bark of trees 
or in the entrails of animals4 ,this is 
true even of mathematics4 ,the          
contemplation1 prolonged indefinitely1  
of the series of numbers1 or of the     
forms of space1 would produce neither   
arithmetic nor geometry1 if the human   
mind did not suppose relations between  
the numbers and the lines1 which it can 
only demonstrate after it has supposed  
them4 ,the conditions are very clearly  
seen which have prepared and made       
possible a fruitful supposition1 but the
 hypothesis does not itself follow of   
any necessity4 ,it appears like a flash 
of light passing suddenly through the   
mind4  ,the carpenter's saw opens a     
plank from end to end on the sole       
conditions of labor and time2 but the   
discovery of truth preserves always a   
sudden and unforeseen character4        
,archimedes leaps from a bath and rushes
 through the streets of ,syracuse1      
crying out1 ,i have found it6 ,why8 ,the

 flash of genius has visited him        
unexpectedly4 ,pythagoras discovers a   
geometrical theorem2 and he offers1 it  
is said1 a sacrifice to the gods1 in    
testimony of his gratitude4 ,he thought 
therefore1 according to the fine remark 
of ,malebranche1 that labor and         
attention are a silent prayer which we  
address to the ,master of truth3 the    
labor is a prayer1 and the discovery is 
an answer granted to it4  ,when this    
wholly spontaneous character of         
discovery is not recognized1 and when it
 is thought that the observation of     
facts naturally produces their          
explanation1 it must needs be granted   
that a discovery is confirmed by the    
very fact that it is made4 ,but this is 
by no means the case4 ,hypothesis does  
not carry on its brow1 at the moment of 
its birth1 the certain sign of its      
truth4 ,a flash of light crosses the    
mind of the savant2 but he must enter on
 a course1 often a long course1 of      
study1 in order to know whether it is a 

true light1 or a momentary glare4 ,every
 supposition suggested by observation   
must be confirmed by its agreement with 
the data of experience4 ,let us listen  
to a great discoverer-- ,kepler4 ,he is 
giving an account of the discovery of   
one of the laws which have immortalized 
his name4  ,after ,i had found the real 
dimensions of the orbits1 thanks to the 
observations of ,brahe and the sustained
 effort of a long course of labor1 ,i at
 length discovered the proportion of the
 periodic times to the extent of these  
orbits4 ,and if you would like to know  
the precise date of the discovery1--it  
was on the eighth day of ,march in this 
year #afah that1--first of all conceived
 in my mind1 then awkwardly essayed by  
calculations1 rejected in consequence as
 false1 then reproduced on the fifteenth
 of ,may with fresh energy1--it rose at 
last above the darkness of my           
understanding1 so fully confirmed by my 
labor of seventeen years upon ,brahe's  
observations1 and by my own meditations 

perfectly agreeing with them1 that ,i   
thought at first ,i was dreaming1 and   
making some petitio principii2 but there
 is no more doubt about it3 it is a very
 certain and very exact proposition4#afd
  ,all the logic of discoveries is laid 
down in these lines2 and these lines are
 a testimony rendered by one of the most
 competent of witnesses4 ,you see in    
them the conditions of a good           
hypothesis3 ,kepler has long studied the
 phenomena of which he wishes to find   
the law2 he has studied them by himself1
 and by means of the discoveries of his 
predecessor ,brahe4 ,the law has        
presented itself to his mind at a given 
moment1 on the eighth of ,march1 #afah4 
,but he does not yet know whether it is 
a true light1 or a deceptive gleam4 ,he 
seeks the confirmation of his           
hypothesis2 he does not find it1 because
 he makes a mistake1 and he rejects his 
idea as useless4 ,the idea returns2 a   
new course of labor confirms it2 and so 
the hypothesis becomes a law1 a certain 

proposition4  ,such is the regular march
 of thought4 ,an hypothesis has no right
 to be brought forward until it has     
passed into the condition of a law1 by  
being duly confirmed4 ,there are minds1 
however1 endowed with a sort of         
divination1 which feel as by instinct   
the truth of a discovery1 even before it
 has been confirmed4 ,it is told of     
,copernicus1 that having discovered1 or 
re-discovered1 the true system of       
planetary motion1 he encountered an     
opponent who said to him3 ,if your      
system were true1 ,venus would have     
phases like the moon2 now she has none1 
and therefore your system is false4     
,what have you to reply8--,i have no    
reply to make1 said ,copernicus1 7the   
objection was a serious one in fact72   
but ,god will grant that the answer     
shall be found4#afe ,galileo appeared1  
and by means of the telescope it was    
ascertained that ,venus has phases like 
the moon2--the confidence of ,copernicus
 was justified4 ,the scientific career  

of ,m4 ,ampre1 the illustrious natural  
philosopher1 supplies an analogous fact4
 ,trusting1 like ,copernicus1 to a kind 
of intuition of truth1 he read one day  
to the ,academy of sciences the complete
 description of an experiment which he  
had never made4 ,he made it             
subsequently1 and the result answered   
completely to his anticipations4 ,genius
 is here raised to the second power1    
since it possesses at once the gift of  
discovery and the just presentiment of  
its confirmation2 but these are         
exceptional cases1 and in general we    
must say1 with ,mithridates1 that--     
4444 ,to be approved as true      ,such 
projects must be proved1 and carried    
through4#aff   ,we would encourage no   
one to attempt adventures so perilous1  
but would call to mind in a great       
example what is the regular march of    
science4 ,newton1 after he had          
discovered the law which regulates the  
motions of the heavens1 sought the      
confirmation of it in an immense series 

of calculations4 ,a true ascetic of     
science1 he imposed on himself a regimen
 as severe as that of a ,trappist monk1 
in order that his life might be wholly  
concentrated upon the operations of the 
understanding2 and it was not until     
after fifteen months of persistent labor
 that he exclaimed3 ,i have discovered  
it6 ,my calculations have really        
encountered the march of the stars4     
,glory to ,god6 who has permitted us to 
catch a glimpse of the skirts of ,his   
ways6 ,and astronomy1 placed upon a     
wider and firmer basis1 went forward    
with new energy4  ,it is thus that the  
human mind acquires knowledge4 ,how then
 does hypothesis come to be made light  
of8 ,how can it be seriously said that  
we have excluded hypothesis from the    
sphere of science1 whereas the moment   
the faculty of supposing should cease to
 be in exercise1 the march of science   
would be arrested2 since1 except a small
 number of principles the evidence of   
which is immediate1 all the truths we   

possess are only suppositions confirmed 
by experiment8 ,the reason is here3 ,our
 mind forms a thousand different        
suppositions at its own will and fancy2 
and it shrinks from that studious toil  
which alone puts it in a position to    
make fruitful suppositions4 ,we are for 
ever tempted to be guessing1 instead of 
setting ourselves1 by patient           
observations1 on the road to real       
discoveries4 ,it is therefore with good 
reason that theories hastily built up   
have been condemned1 and ,lord          
,chancellor ,bacon was right in thinking
 that the human mind requires lead to be
 attached to it1 and not wings4 ,hence  
the inference has been drawn that the   
simplest plan would be to cut the wings 
of thought1 without reflecting that     
thenceforward it would continue         
motionless4 ,because some had abused    
hypothesis1 others must conclude that we
 could do without it altogether4        
,trivial and premature suppositions have
 therefore discredited hypothesis1 by   

encumbering science with a crowd of vain
 imaginations2 but this encumbrance     
would have been of small importance but 
for the obstinacy with which false      
theories have too often been maintained 
against the evidence of facts4 ,if      
,ampre had found his experiment fail1   
and had still continued to maintain his 
statements1 he would not have given     
proof of a happy audacity1 but of a     
ridiculous obstinacy4 ,genius itself    
makes mistakes1 and experience alone    
distinguishes real laws from mere freaks
 of our thought4 ,we have maintained the
 rights of reason in the spontaneous    
exercise of the faculty of discovery2   
but let us beware how we ignore the     
rights of experience4 ,it alone prepares
 discoveries2 it alone can confirm them4
 ,a system1 however well put together1  
is convicted of error by the least fact 
which really contradicts it4 ,a ,greek  
philosopher was demonstrating by        
specious arguments that motion is       
impossible4 ,diogenes was one of his    

auditory1 and he got up and began to    
walk3 the answer was conclusive4 ,you   
remember1 if you have read ,walter      
,scott1 the learned demonstration of the
 antiquary who is settling the date of a
 ,roman or ,celtic ruin1 ,i forget      
which2 and the intervention of the      
beggar1 who has no archological system1 
but who has seen the edifice in question
 both built and fall to decay4 ,reason  
as much as you like2 if your reasonings 
do not accord with facts1 you will have 
woven spider's webs1 of admirable       
fineness perhaps1 but wanting in        
solidity4  ,it is time to sum up these  
lengthened considerations4 ,science does
 not originate solely from experiment1  
nor does it proceed solely from reason2 
it results from the meeting together of 
experience and reason4 ,experience      
prepares the discovery1 genius makes it1
 experience confirms it4 ,what          
distinguishes the sciences is not the   
process of invention1 which is          
everywhere the same2 but the process of 

control over supposed truths4 ,a        
mathematical discovery is confirmed by  
pure reasoning4 ,a physical discovery is
 confirmed by sensible observation      
joined with calculation4 ,a discovery in
 the order of morals is confirmed by    
observation of the facts of             
consciousness4 ,therefore it is that    
between the physical and moral sciences 
there exists a broad line of            
demarcation4 ,moral facts have not less 
certainty than physical phenomena2 but  
moral facts falling under the influence 
of liberty1 all men cannot perceive them
 equally under all conditions4 ,an      
optical experiment presents itself to   
the eyes1 and all the spectators see it 
alike1 if at least they have one and the
 same visual organization2 but a case of
 moral experience has a personal        
character1 and is only communicated to  
another person on condition that he puts
 faith in the testimony of his fellow4  
,in this order of things a man can      
observe directly only what he concurs in

 producing4 ,with this reservation1 we  
may say that the control of moral truths
 is made by experience like that of     
physical truths4 ,in all departments of 
knowledge1 a thought may be held as true
 when it accounts for facts4  ,and so1  
,gentlemen1 we conclude that every      
scientific truth is1 in its origin1 a   
supposition of the mind1 the result of  
which is to produce the meeting together
 of experience and reason1 and so to    
permit the rational reconstruction of   
the facts4  ,every system is shown to be
 at fault by facts1 if facts contradict 
it4  ,when a system explains the facts1 
we hold it as proved just to the extent 
to which it explains them4 ,this        
accordance of our thought with the      
nature of things is the mark of what we 
call truth4  ,if you grant me these     
premises1 my demonstration is completed1
 and it only remains for me to draw my  
conclusions4  ,it is said that the idea 
of ,god can have no place in a serious  
science1 because this idea comes neither

 from experience nor from reason2 that  
it is only an hypothesis1 and that      
hypothesis has no place in science4 ,i  
reply1 grounding my answer on the       
preceding reasonings3 ,no science is    
formed otherwise than by means of       
hypothesis4 ,for the solution of the    
universal problem there exists in the   
world an hypothesis1 proposed to all by 
tradition1 and which bears in particular
 the names of ,moses and of ,jesus      
,christ4 ,this hypothesis has the right 
to be examined4 ,if it explains the     
facts1 it must be held for true4 ,the   
idea of ,god comes therefore within the 
regular compass of science2 the attempt 
to exclude it is sophistical4  ,let us  
separate the idea of ,god from the whole
 body of ,christian doctrine of which it
 forms part1 in order that we may give  
it particular consideration4 ,what is   
this hypothesis which bears the names of
 ,moses and ,jesus ,christ8 ,it is that 
the principle of the universe is the    
,eternal and ,infinite ,being4 ,his     

power is the cause of all that exists2  
the consciousness of ,his infinite power
 constitutes ,his infinite intelligence4
 ,in ,himself1 ,he is ,he who is2 in    
,his relation with the world1 ,he is the
 absolute cause1 the ,creator4 ,this    
explanation of the universe is not the  
privilege of a few savants2 it is taught
 and proposed to all2 and this is no    
reason why we should despise it4 ,if we 
further observe that this thought has   
renovated the world1 that it upholds all
 our civilization1 that thousands of our
 fellow-creatures raise their voice to  
tell us that it is only from this source
 they have drawn peace1 light1 and      
happiness1 we shall understand perhaps  
that contempt would be foolish1 and that
 everything on the contrary invites us  
to examine with the most serious        
attention an hypothesis which offers    
itself to us under conditions so        
exceptional4  ,the hypothesis is stated4
 ,we must now submit it to the test of  
facts4 ,where shall we find the elements

 of its confirmation8 ,everywhere1 since
 it is the first cause of all things    
which is in question3 we shall find them
 in nature and in humanity2 in the      
motions of the stars as they sweep      
through the depths of space1 and in the 
rising of the sap which nourishes a     
blade of grass2 in the revolutions of   
empires1 and in the simplest elements of
 the life of one individual4 ,there is  
no science of ,god2 but every science1  
every study must terminate at that      
sacred ,name4 ,i shall not undertake1   
therefore1 to enumerate all the         
confirmations of the thought which makes
 of the ,creator the principle of the   
universe3 to recount all the proofs of  
the infinite ,being would require an    
eternal discourse4 ,we have stammered   
forth a few of the words of this endless
 discourse1 by showing that1 without    
,god1 the understanding1 the conscience1
 and the heart lose their support and   
fall3 this formed the subject of our    
second lecture4 ,we saw further that    

reason makes fruitless attempts to find 
the universal principle in the objects  
of our experience--nature and humanity4 
,let us follow up1 although we shall not
 be able to complete it1 the study of   
this inexhaustible subject1 by showing  
that the idea of the ,creator alone     
answers to the demands of the           
philosophic reason4  ,philosophy1 in the
 highest acceptation of the term1 is the
 search after a solution for the        
universal problem the terms of which may
 be stated as follows3 ,experience      
reveals to us that the world is composed
 of manifold and diverse beings2 and1 to
 come at once to the great division1    
there are in the world bodies which we  
are forced to suppose inert1 and minds  
which we feel to be intelligent and     
free4 ,the universe is made up of       
manifold existences2 this is quite      
evident1 and a matter of experience4    
,reason on the other hand forces us to  
seek for unity4 ,to comprehend1 is to   
reduce phenomena to their laws1 to      

connect effects with their causes1      
consequences with their principles2 it  
is to be always introducing unity into  
the diversity4 ,all development of      
science would be at once arrested1 if   
the mind could content itself with      
merely taking account of facts in the   
state of dispersion in which they are   
presented by experience4 ,each          
particular science gathers up a         
multitude of facts into a small number  
of formul2 and1 above and beyond        
particular sciences1 reason searches for
 the connection of all things with one  
single cause4 ,to determine the relation
 of all particular existences with one  
existence which is their common cause2  
such is the universal problem4 ,this    
problem has been very well expressed by 
,pythagoras in a celebrated formula1    
that of the ,uni-multiple4 ,in order to 
understand the universe1 we must rise to
 a unity which may account for the      
multiplicity of things and for their    
harmony1 which is unity itself          

maintained in diversity4  ,if you well  
understand this thought1 you will easily
 comprehend the source of the great     
errors which flow from too strong a     
disposition to systematize4 ,men of this
 mind attach themselves to inadequate   
conceptions1 and look for unity where it
 does not exist4 ,the barrier which we  
must oppose to this spirit of system is 
the careful enumeration of the facts    
which it forgets to notice4 ,materialism
 looks for unity in inert and           
unintelligent bodies2 it suffices to    
oppose to it one fact--the reality of   
mind4 ,fatalism seeks unity in          
necessity4 ,point out to it that its    
destiny-god does not account for the    
fact of repentance1 for example1 which  
implies liberty1 and it is enough4 ,the 
worship of humanity forces you to       
exclaim with ,pascal--,a queer ,god1    
that6 ,there is in the bitterness of    
this smile a sufficient condemnation of 
the doctrine4 ,to seek for unity1 is the
 foundation of all philosophy4 ,to seek 

for unity too hastily and too low1 is   
the source of the errors of absolute    
minds4 ,absolute minds1 however great   
they may be in other respects1 are weak 
minds1 in that they do not succeed in   
preserving a clear view of the diversity
 of the facts to be explained4 ,take the
 problem of ,pythagoras2 keep hold of   
the two extremities of the chain2 never 
allow yourselves to deny the diversity  
of things1 for that diversity is plainly
 evidenced by human experience2 beware  
of denying their unity1 because it is   
the foundation of reason2 then search   
and look through the histories of       
philosophy3 you will find one           
hypothesis1 and one only1 which answers 
the requirements of the problem4 ,it    
goes back1 as ,i believe1 to the origin 
of the world2 it was glimpsed by        
,socrates1 by ,aristotle1 and ,plato2   
but1 in its full light1 it belongs only 
to men who have received the ,god of    
,moses1 and who have studied in the     
school of ,jesus ,christ4 ,if this      

hypothesis explains the facts1 it is    
sound1 for the property of truth is to  
explain1 as the property of light is to 
enlighten4  ,the doctrine of the        
,creator can alone account to us for the
 universe1 by bringing us back to its   
first cause4 ,the first cause of unity  
cannot be matter which could never      
produce mind2 the first cause of unity  
cannot be the human mind1 which1 from   
the moment that it desires to take      
itself for the absolute being1 is       
dissolved and annihilated4 ,the unity   
which alone can have in itself the      
source of multiplicity1 is neither      
matter nor idea1 but power2 power the   
essential characteristic of mind1 and   
infinite1 that is to say1 creative      
power4 ,the ,creator alone could produce
 divers beings1 because ,he is          
,almighty1 and maintain harmony between 
those beings1 because ,he is ,one4 ,thus
 is manifested an essential agreement   
between the requirements of philosophy  
and the religious sentiment2 for        

religion1 as we said at the beginning of
 these lectures1 rests upon the idea of 
,divine power4 ,reason and faith meet   
together upon the lofty heights of      
truth4 ,but let us not enter too far    
into the difficulties of philosophy4    
,let us confine ourselves to            
considerations of a less abstruse order4
  ,the ,creator is the ,god of nature4  
,all the visible universe is but the    
work of ,his power1 the manifestation of
 ,his wisdom4 ,the poet of the ,hebrews 
invites to offer praise to the ,most    
,high1 not only men of every age and of 
all nations1 but the beasts of the      
field1 the birds of the air1 and the    
cedars of the forest1 the rain and the  
wind1 the hail and the tempest4#afg ,in 
the language of a modern poet3          
,thee1 ,lord1 the wide world glorifies2 
,the bird upon its nest replies2        
,and for one little drop of rain        
,beings ,thine eye doth not disdain     
,ten thousand more repeat the           
strain4#afh   ,and such thoughts are not

 vain freaks of the imagination4 ,man1  
the conscious representative of nature1 
the high-priest of the universe1 feels  
himself urged by an impulse of his heart
 to translate the confused murmur of the
 creation into a hymn of praise to the  
,infinite ,being1 the absolute ,source  
of life1--to ,him who is1 ,one1         
,eternal1--the first and absolute ,cause
 of all existence4  ,the ,creator is the
 ,god of spirits4 ,he is not only the   
,god of humankind2 the immense city of  
,god contains1 no doubt1 nobler citizens
 than man1 in reasoning power so weak1  
and in affections so poor4#afi ,but let 
us speak of what is known to us3 ,he is 
the ,god of humankind4 ,all nations     
shall one day render glory to ,him4     
,mighty words have resounded through the
 world3 ,henceforth there is no longer  
either ,greek or barbarian or ,jew2 but 
one and the same ,god for all4 ,the     
idols have begun to fall2 the gods of   
the nations have been hurled from their 
pedestals2 they have fallen1 they are   

falling1 they will fall1 until the      
knowledge of the only and sovereign     
,creator shall cover the earth as the   
waters cover the sea4  ,the ,creator    
shall one day be known of all ,his      
creatures2 and in each of ,his creatures
 ,he will be the centre and the object  
of the whole soul2 all the functions of 
the spiritual life lead on to ,him4     
,what is truth1 beauty1 good8 ,we have  
already replied to the question1 but we 
will repeat our answer4  ,to possess    
truth is to know ,god2 it is to know    
,him in the work of ,his hands1 and it  
is to know ,him in ,his absolute power1 
as the eternal source of all that is1 of
 all that can ever be1 of all actual or 
possible truth in the mind of ,his      
creatures4 ,truth binds us to ,him1 and 
all science is a hymn to ,his glory4#agj
  ,he is the eternal source of beauty4  
,he it is who gives to the bird its     
song1 and to the brook its murmur4 ,he  
it is who has established between nature
 and man those mysterious relations     

which give rise to noble joys4 ,he it is
 who opens1 above and beyond nature1 the
 prolific sources of art2 the ideal is a
 distant reflection of ,his splendor4   
,and goodness1 again1 is none other than
 ,he2 it is ,his plan2 it is ,his will  
in regard of spirits2 it is the word    
addressed to the free creature1 which   
says to it3 ,behold thy place in the    
universal harmony4  ,thus a triple ray  
descends from the uncreated light1 and  
before that insufferable brightness ,i  
am dazzled and bewildered4 ,there is no 
longer any distinction for me between   
profane and sacred2 ,i no longer        
understand the difference of these      
terms4 ,wheresoever ,i meet with good1  
truth1 beauty1 be the man who brings    
them to me who he may1 and come he      
whence he may1 ,i feel that to despise  
in him that gleam1 would be not only to 
be wanting to humanity1 it would be to  
be wanting to my faith4 ,if my          
prejudices or habits tend to shut up my 
heart or to narrow my mind1 ,i hear a   

voice exclaiming to me3 ,enlarge thy    
tent2 lengthen thy cords2 enlarge thy   
tent without measure4 ,be ye lift up1   
eternal gates1 gates of the conscience  
and the heart6 ,let in the ,king of     
glory6 ,all truth1 all beauty1 all good 
is ,he4 ,where my ,god is1 nothing is   
profane for me4 ,to ignore any one of   
those rays would be to steal somewhat   
from ,his glory4  ,oh6 the happy liberty
 of the heart1 when it rests on the     
,author of all good and of all truth4   
,but if the heart is at liberty1 how    
well is it guarded too6 ,what is the    
most beautiful jewel 7if we may venture 
to use such language7 in the immortal   
crown of this ,king of glory8 ,powerful1
 ,he created power2 free1 ,he created   
liberty4 ,and to the free creature1 in  
the hour of its creation1 ,he said3     
,behold6 thou art made in mine own      
image6 my will is written in thy        
conscience2 become a worker together    
with me1 and realize the plans of my    
love4 ,and that voice--,i hear it within

 myself4 ,ah6 ,i know that voice well1  
,i know the secret attraction which1 in 
spite of all my miseries1 draws me      
towards that which is beautiful1 pure1  
holy1 and says to me3 ,this is the will 
of thy ,father4 ,but ,i know other      
voices also which speak within me only  
too loudly3 the voice of rebellion and  
of cowardice1 the voice of baseness and 
ignominy4 ,there is war in my soul4     
,enlightened by this inner spectacle1 ,i
 cast my eyes once more over that world 
in which ,i have seen shining everywhere
 some divine rays2 and ,i see that by a 
triple gate1 lofty and wide1 evil has   
entered thither1 accompanied by error   
and deformity4 ,then ,i understand that 
all may become profane2 ,i understand   
that there is an erring science1 a      
corrupting art1 a moral system full of  
immorality4 ,but these words take for me
 a new meaning4 ,there is no sacred     
evil1 there is no profane good2 there   
are no sacred errors and profane truths4
 ,where ,god is1 all is holy2 where     

there is rebellion against ,god1 all is 
evil4 ,and so the ,god who is my light  
is my fortress also2 my heart is        
strengthened while it is set at liberty1
 and ,i can join the ancient song of    
,israel3        ,jehovah is our strength
 and tower4   ,yes1 ,sirs1 ,god is in   
all1 because ,he is the universal       
principle of being2 but ,he is not in   
all after the same manner4 ,god is in   
the pure heart by the joy which ,he     
gives to it2 ,he is in the frivolous    
heart by the void and the vexation which
 urge it to seek a better destiny2 ,he  
is in the corrupt heart by that merciful
 remorse which does not permit it to    
wander1 without warning1 from the       
springs of life4 ,god makes use of all  
for the good of ,his creatures4 ,he is  
everywhere by the direct manifestation  
of ,his will1 except in the acts of     
rebellious liberty1 and in the shadow of
 pain which follows that evil light     
which leads astray from ,him4  ,having  
said that the idea of ,god the ,creator 

alone satisfies the reason1 and raises  
up1 upon the basis of reason1 man's     
conscience and heart1 ,i should wish to 
show you1 in conclusion1 that this idea 
renders an account of the great systems 
of error which divide the human mind    
between them4 ,truth bears this lofty   
mark1 that it never overthrows a        
doctrine without causing any portion of 
truth which it may have contained to    
pass into its own bosom4  ,what         
then1--apart from declared atheism1 from
 the dualism which has almost           
disappeared1 and from faith in ,god the 
,creator1--are the great systems which  
share the human mind between them8      
,there are two3 deism and pantheism4    
,what is deism8 ,it is a doctrine which 
acknowledges that there is one ,god1 the
 cause of the universe2 but a ,god who  
is in a manner withdrawn from ,his own  
work1 and who leaves it to go on alone4 
,god has regulated things in the mass1  
but not in detail1 or1 to employ an     
expression of ,jean-,jacques ,rousseau  

7who came at a later period to entertain
 better opinions71 ,god is like a king  
who governs his kingdom1 but who does   
not trouble himself to ascertain whether
 all the taverns in it are good ones4   
,the idea of a general government of    
,god which does not descend to          
details--such is the essence of deism4  
,what is pantheism1 in the ordinary     
meaning of the word8 ,we have already   
said3 it is a doctrine which absorbs    
,god in the universe1 which confounds   
,him with nature1 and makes of ,him only
 the inert substance1 the unconscious   
principle of the universe4 ,these are   
the two great conceptions which wrestle1
 in the history of human thought1       
against the idea of the ,creator4 ,these
 two systems triumph easily one over the
 other1 because each of them contains a 
portion of truth which is wanting to its
 antagonist4 ,they cannot support       
themselves because each of them has in  
it a portion of error4 ,this is what we 
must well understand4  ,deism contains a

 portion of truth2 for it maintains a   
,creator essentially distinct from the  
,creation1 or1 according to an          
expression which ,i translate from an   
ancient ,indian poem3 ,one single act of
 ,his created the ,universe1 and ,he    
remained ,himself whole and entire4     
,this thought is true4 ,what is the     
error of deism8 ,it is that it makes a  
,god like to a man who works upon matter
 existing previously to his action1 and 
who puts in operation forces independent
 of himself1 and which he does nothing  
but employ4 ,in this way a watchmaker   
makes a watch which goes afterwards     
without him1 because the watchmaker only
 sets to work forces which have an      
independent existence1 and which        
continue to act when he has ceased his  
labor4 ,we work upon matter foreign to  
us4 ,the workman did not make matter1   
but only disposes of it1 and he can     
never do more than modify the action of 
forces which do not proceed from his    
will1 and have not been regulated by his

 understanding4 ,but the ,being who is  
the cause of all cannot dispose of      
foreign forces which act afterwards by  
themselves1 since there exists in ,his  
work no principle of action other than  
those which ,he has ,himself placed in  
it4  ,deism results therefore from a    
confusion between the work of a creature
 placed in a preexisting world1 and the 
work of the ,supreme ,will which is in  
itself the single and absolute cause of 
all4 ,it contains an element of dualism3
 its ,god does not create2 but organizes
 a world the being of which does not    
depend on him4 ,take what is true in    
deism--the existence of the only ,god2  
remember that the ,creator is the       
absolute ,cause of the universe2 and the
 distinction between ensemble and detail
 will vanish1 and you will understand   
that ,god is too great that there should
 be anything small in ,his eyes3        
,god measures not our lot by line and   
square3        ,the grass-suspended drop
 of morning dew      ,reflects a        

firmament as vast and fair        ,as   
,ocean from his boundless field of      
blue4#aga   ,in other words1 take what  
is true in deism1 and accept all the    
consequences of it1 and you will arrive 
at the full doctrine of the creation4   
,pantheism recognizes the omnipresence  
of ,god in the universe1 or1 if you like
 the terms of the school1 the immanence 
of ,god2 this is its portion of truth4  
,when ,i open the ,hindoos' songs of    
adoration1 and find therein the         
unlimited enumeration of the            
manifestations of ,god in nature1 ,i    
find nothing to complain of4 ,but when1 
in those same hymns1 ,i see liberty     
denied1 the origin of evil attributed to
 the ,holy ,one1 and man cowering before
 ,destiny1 instead of turning his eyes  
freely towards the ,heavenly ,father1   
then ,i stand only more erect and say3  
,you forget that if your ,god is the    
,cause of all1 ,he is the ,cause of     
liberty4 ,if liberty exists1 evil1 the  
revolt of liberty1 is not the work of   

the ,creator4 ,your system contradicts  
itself4 ,you make of ,god the universal 
,principle1 and you are right2 make of  
,him then the ,author of free wills1 so 
that ,he will be no longer the source of
 evil1 and we shall be agreed4  ,deism  
and pantheism therefore1 pushed to their
 legitimate consequences1 are           
transformed and united in the truth4    
,and you see plainly that ,i am not     
making1 for my part1 an arbitrary       
selection in these systems4 ,i am       
walking by one sole light1 the light    
which has been given to us1 and which   
serves me everywhere as a guiding       
clue3--,the ,lord is ,god1 and there is 
no other ,god but ,he4  ,such1          
,gentlemen1 is the fundamental truth on 
which rests all religion1 and all       
philosophy capable of accounting for    
facts4 ,such is the grand cause which   
claims all the efforts which we are     
wasting too often in barren             
conflicts--the cause of ,god4 ,but do ,i
 say the truth8 ,is it the cause of ,god

 which is at stake8 ,when a surgeon1 by 
a successful operation1 has restored    
sight to a blind man1 we are not wont to
 say that he has rendered a service to  
the sun4 ,this cause is our own2 it is  
that of society at large1 it is that of 
families1 that of individuals2 it is the
 cause which concerns our dignity1 our  
happiness2 it is the cause of all1 even 
of those who attack it in words of which
 they do not calculate the import1 and  
who1 were they to succeed in banishing  
,god from the public conscience1 would1 
with us1 recoil in terror at sight of   
the frightful abysses into which we all 
should fall together4  ,it is time to   
sum up these considerations4  ,inert and
 unintelligent matter is not the cause  
of life and intelligence4  ,human       
consciences would be plunged in         
irremediable misery1 if ever they could 
be persuaded that there is nothing      
superior to man4  ,the universe is the  
work of wisdom and of power2 it is the  
creation of the ,infinite ,mind4 ,what  

can still be wanting to our hearts8 ,the
 thought that ,god desires our          
good1--that ,he loves us4 ,if it is so1 
we shall be able to understand that our 
cause is ,his1 that ,he is not an       
impassible sun whose rays fall on us    
with indifference1 but a ,father who is 
moved at our sorrows1 and who would have
 us find joy and peace in ,him4 ,this   
will be the subject of our next and     
concluding lecture4  ,,footnotes3  #afj 
,firmissimum hoc afferri videtur1 cur   
deos esse credamus1 quod nulla gens tam 
fera1 nemo omnium tam sit immanis1 cujus
 mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio4     
,multi de diis prava sentiunt1 id enim  
vitioso more effici solet2 omnes tamen  
esse vim et naturam divinam             
arbitrantur4444 ,omni autem in re       
consentio omnium gentium1 lex natur     
putanda est4--,tuscul4 i4 #ac4  #afa ,in
 presence of ,heaven1 we must believe or
 deny4 ,see ,lecture ,,iii4  #afb       
,profession de foi du vicaire ,savoyard4
  #afc       ,thou hadst only forgotten 

one point1      ,and that was1 to light 
thy lantern4  #afd ,harmonices mundi    
libri quinque4  #afe ,the authenticity  
of this reply is disputed2 ,m4 ,arago   
gives it in different terms2 but the    
question is of small consequence here as
 one of historical criticism1 my object 
being not to establish a fact1 but to   
put an idea in a strong light by means  
of an example4  #aff                    
4444 ,pour tre approuvs      ,de        
semblables projets veulent tre achevs4  
#afg ,ps4 cxlviii4  #afh       ,le monde
 entier te glorifie1      ,l'oiseau te  
chante sur son nid2      ,et pour une   
goutte de pluie      ,des milliers      
d'tres t'ont beni4  #afi ,albert de     
,haller4 ,lettres sur les vrits les plus
 importantes de la rvlation4 ,lettre #b4
  #agj ,et toute la science est un hymne
  sa gloire4  #aga       ,dieu ne mesure
 pas nos sorts  l'tendue4      ,la      
goutte de rose  l'herbe suspendue       
,y rflchit un ciel aussi vaste1 aussi   
pur      ,que l'immense ,ocan dans ses  

plaines d'azur4                         
,,lamartine4     ,,lecture ,,vii4  ,,the
 ,,father4  7,at ,geneva1 #hth ,dec4    
#ahfc4--;,at ,lausanne1 #ast ,feb4      
#ahfd47   ,,gentlemen1  ,we have        
proposed for solution the problem which 
includes all others whatsoever--the     
problem of the universe4 ,what are the  
laws which govern the universe8 ,they   
are those which are the objects of      
science1 taking that word in its largest
 and most general meaning4 ,what is the 
cause of the universe8 ,the eternal     
power of the ,infinite ,mind4 ,these are
 the two answers which we have hitherto 
obtained1 but1 as we have explained1 a  
study is not complete if it confine     
itself to these two answers4 ,when we   
know the law and the cause of an object 
submitted to our study1 we further look 
for the end designed4 ,this is no freak 
of our fancy1 but the direct result of  
the constitution of our understanding4  
,the universe is the creation of ,god4  
,what is the design of the creation8 ,i 

answer3 the design of the creation is   
the happiness of spirits4 ,nature is    
made for the spiritual beings to which  
it offers the condition of their life   
and development2 spiritual beings are   
made for felicity4 ,the moving spring of
 infinite power is goodness3 this is my 
thesis4 ,if ,i succeed in establishing  
it1 it will follow that we shall in     
imagination see issuing from the supreme
 unity of the ,infinite ,being three    
rays3 the power which creates the being 
of things2 the intelligence which orders
 them2 and the love which conducts them 
to their destination4 ,it will also     
follow that ,i shall have justified the 
title under which these ,lectures were  
announced3 ,power and wisdom are        
attributes of the ,creator2 the ,father 
reveals ,himself in goodness4  ,what    
shall be our method8 ,can we enter into 
the counsels of ,god8 ,by what means8   
,to place our understanding in the midst
 of the ,divine consciousness1 there to 
behold the spring of the determinations 

of the ,infinite ,being1 were an attempt
 so far exceeding our capacity1 that it 
is impossible to point out any means    
whatever by which it could be made4     
,this would be to conceive of ,god in   
,his eternal essence1 independently of  
,his relation to the universe1 to       
nature1 and to our reason4 ,i do not say
 merely that the attempt would be       
fruitless2 ,i say that we have no means 
of attempting this metaphysical         
adventure4 ,but might we not1 in looking
 at the work of ,god1 discern in it the 
evidence of its design8 ,this is a      
process which we often follow in regard 
to our fellow-creatures4 ,do we wish to 
know the object which a man has in view 
in his labor8 ,he may himself disclose  
that object to us directly in words1 or 
we may endeavor to discover it4 ,we     
watch him at work1 and by observing the 
way in which he proceeds we sometimes   
come to know what his thoughts are1     
because we find ourselves in presence of
 the work of a mind1 and we ourselves   

are mind4 ,can we in the same way1 by   
looking at the universe1 that grand     
work1 succeed in discovering its end8   
,the way on which we are entering raises
 two objections1 which proceed from the 
difficulties felt by two classes of men 
of opposite views2 and our first        
business will be to rid ourselves of    
these preliminary difficulties4  ,you   
will never succeed1 it has been said to 
me1 in proving the goodness of ,god1    
because evil is in the world4 ,i am not 
inventing1 ,gentlemen4 ,a letter        
containing this challenge has been      
addressed to me by one of you4 ,it is   
manifest1 since we propose to ourselves 
to recognize in the work the intention  
of the ,worker1 and since our thesis is 
the goodness of the ,first ,cause of the
 universe1 that evil1 in all its forms1 
sin1 pain1 imperfection1 is the main    
objection which can be addressed to us4 
,evil is real2 it is a sad and great    
reality2 ,i am forward to acknowledge   
it4 ,any system which would prove that  

evil does not exist1 or1 which comes to 
the same thing1 that evil is necessary1 
that good and evil in short are of the  
same nature1 is an impossible1 ,i had   
almost said a culpable1 system4 ,the    
strongest minds have worn themselves out
 in such attempts with no result        
whatever4 ,the great ,leibnitz attempted
 an enterprise of this nature4 ,his     
system consisted in extenuating evil as 
far as possible1 and in pronouncing that
 amount of evil1 of which he could not  
dissemble the existence1 to be          
necessary4 ,he failed4 ,the strong      
intellectual armor of one of the        
greatest geniuses the world has ever    
seen was completely transpierced by the 
sharp and brilliant shaft of ,voltaire4 
,sad reckoners of the woes which men    
endure1      ,sharpening the pangs ye   
make pretence to cure1      ,poor       
comforters6 in your attempts ,i see     
,nought but the pride which feigns      
unreal glee6      ,o mortals1 of such   
bliss how weak the spell6      ,ye cry  

in doleful accents--,all is well6--     
,and all things at the great deceit     
rebel4      ,nay1 if your minds to coin 
the flattery dare1      ,your hearts as 
often lay the falsehood bare4      ,the 
gloomy truth admits of no disguise--    
,evil is on the earth6#agb   ,for once1 
,gentlemen1 we will not contradict our  
old neighbor of ,ferney4 ,yes1 evil is  
on the earth2 and it constitutes1 in the
 question which we are discussing1 the  
greatest of problems1 the most serious  
of difficulties4 ,let us listen to a    
modern poet3        ,why then so great1 
,o ,sovereign ,lord1        ,came evil  
from thy forming hand1        ,that     
,reason1 yea1 and ,virtue stand         
,aghast before the sight abhorred8      
,and how can deeds so hideous glare     
,beneath the beams of holy light1       
,that on the lips of hapless wight      
,dies at their view the trembling       
prayer8       ,why do the many parts    
agree        ,so scantly in thy work    
sublime8        ,and what is pestilence1

 or crime1      ,or death1 ,o righteous 
,god1 to ,thee8#agc   ,we have only to  
put this poetry into common prose to    
obtain this argument1 namely1--,the     
presence of evil in the world is not    
compatible with the idea of the goodness
 of ,god4 ,here is the objection in all 
its force4 ,and what is the answer8     
,simply this1 that ,god did not create  
evil4 ,it was not ,he who brought crime 
into the world4 ,he created liberty1    
which is a good1 and evil is the produce
 of created liberty in rebellion against
 the law of its being4 ,i borrow from   
,jean-,jacques ,rousseau the development
 of this thought4 ,if man1 says he1 is a
 free agent1 then he acts of himself2   
whatever he does freely enters not into 
the ordained system of ,providence1 and 
cannot be imputed to it4 ,the ,creator  
does not will the evil which man does1  
in abusing the liberty which ,he gives  
him4 ,he has made him free in order that
 he may do not evil but good by choice4 
,to murmur because ,god does not hinder 

him from doing evil1 is to murmur       
because ,he made him of an excellent    
nature1 attached to his actions the     
moral character which ennobles them1 and
 gave him a right to virtue4 ,what6 in  
order to prevent man from being wicked1 
must he needs be confined to instinct   
and made a mere brute8 ,no2 ,god of my  
soul1 never will ,i reproach ,thee with 
having made it in ,thine image1 in order
 that ,i might be free1 good1 and happy1
 like ,thyself4  ,it is the abuse of our
 faculties which renders us unhappy and 
wicked4 ,our vexations and our cares    
come to us from ourselves4  ,such is    
,rousseau's answer to the objection     
drawn from the existence of evil4 ,it is
 a good one4 ,it is so good that it is  
impossible to find a better4 ,if we are 
determined not to outrage the human     
conscience by denying the reality of    
evil2 if ,god is the sovereign good1 and
 if there is no other principle of      
things than ,he2 evil cannot be         
accounted for otherwise than by the     

rebellion of the creature4 ,but now1    
,rousseau's answer1 excellent in itself 
and in the abstract1 becomes profoundly 
inadequate1 as the citizen of ,geneva   
goes on to develop his theory4 ,evil    
comes from the creature2 but each       
individual is not the exclusive source  
of the evils which he does and suffers4 
,to attribute to each individual1 not   
only the responsibility of his acts1 but
 the origin of the evil germs which     
exist in his soul1 is the untenable     
proposition of a desperate              
individualism4 ,there is evidently among
 men a common property in evil2         
,rousseau sees it clearly enough1 but he
 makes vain efforts to find in the      
organization of society and in the      
condition of civilization the causes of 
pain and of sin4 ,when one has come to  
see clearly that the source of evil is  
in the creature1 the close mutual       
connection of created wills and their   
relations with nature present a field   
for long and difficult study2 and       

,rousseau has no sooner discerned the   
road to truth than he wanders away into 
byroads in which the solution of the    
problem escapes him4 ,this problem1     
,gentlemen1 ,i have the intention and   
desire of studying some day1 if ,god    
permit1 with those of you who may be    
willing to undertake it with me4 ,we    
shall then have to deal with an         
objection1 or rather with a difficulty4 
,but this difficulty1 which we cannot   
now dispose of1 must not hinder us from 
stating our thesis4 ,in every           
well-conducted study1 the propositions  
to be maintained must be laid down and  
supported before dealing with           
objections4 ,if it were maintained that 
evil is the principle of things1 it     
would be necessary first of all to      
endeavor to establish the thesis1 in    
which the existence of good would be    
brought forward1 and would constitute   
the objection4 ,the objection would have
 to be answered--,why has good appeared 
in the world8 ,and ,i would just say in 

passing1 that our libraries are full of 
treatises upon the origin of evil1 and  
,i have never met with one upon the     
origin of good4 ,it appears therefore   
that reason has always admitted1 by a   
sort of instinct1 the identity of good1 
and of the principle of being4 ,our     
thesis is that the principle of the     
universe is good4 ,we are going to try  
to demonstrate it4 ,afterwards the      
difficulty1 evil1 will present itself1  
of which it will be necessary to seek   
the explanation4 ,this will be the      
natural sequel1 and the necessary       
complement of the course of lectures    
which we are concluding to-day4  ,i pass
 to another difficulty1 another         
challenge which also has been addressed 
to me4  ,your object1 ,christians have  
said to me1 is to establish that the    
principle and ground of all things is   
goodness4 ,this you will not be able to 
do without departing from your          
prescribed plan1 and entering upon the  
domain of ,christian faith properly so  

called4 ,in your examination of the     
universe will you leave out of view     
,jesus ,christ and ,his work8 ,do you   
not know that it is by means of this    
work that the idea of the love of ,god  
has been implanted in the world1 and    
that it is thence you have taken it8 ,do
 you think to climb to the loftiest     
heights of thought1 and to make the     
ascent by some other road than over the 
mountain of ,nazareth and the hill of   
,calvary8  ,gentlemen1 ,i declared my   
whole mind on this subject at first     
starting4 ,the complete idea of ,god    
demands1 for its maintenance1 the grand 
doctrinal foundations of our faith4     
,christian in its origin1 firm faith in 
the love of ,god the ,creator requires  
for its defence the armor of the        
,gospel4 ,but before defending this     
belief1 we must first establish it2 we  
must show that it has natural roots in  
human nature4 ,christianity purifies and
 strengthens it1 but it does not in an  
absolute sense create it4 ,the mark of  

truth is that it does not strike us as  
something absolutely new1 but that it   
finds an echo in the depths of our soul4
 ,when we meet with it1 we seem to      
re-enter into the possession of our     
patrimony4 ,the ,cross of ,jesus ,christ
 is without all contradiction the most  
transcendent proof of the mercy of the  
,creator2 but the ,cross of ,jesus      
,christ rather warrants the ,christian  
in believing in the ,divine love than   
gives him the idea of it4 ,we must      
distinguish in the ,gospel between the  
universal religion which it has         
restored1 and the act itself of that    
restoration1 which constitutes the      
,gospel in the special sense of the     
word4 ,now what ,i am here maintaining  
is the fact of the existence in modern  
society of the elements of the universal
 religion4 ,i am far from sharing in the
 illusions of my fellow-countryman      
,rousseau1 when he affirms that even if 
he had lived in a desert isle1 and had  
never known a fellow-man1 he would      

nevertheless have been able to write the
 ,profession de foi du ,vicaire         
,savoyard4 ,i know very well that if ,i 
were a ,brahmin1 born at the foot of the
 ,himalayas1 or a ,chinese mandarin1 ,i 
should not be able to say all that ,i am
 saying respecting the goodness of ,god4
 ,the light which we have received--,i  
know whence it radiates2 but1 by the    
help of that light1 ,i seek its kindred 
rays everywhere1 and everywhere ,i find 
them in humanity4  ,let us endeavor1    
then1 according to our plan1 to         
recognize in the universe the marks of  
the ,divine goodness4 ,let us first of  
all interrogate the human soul1 which is
 certainly one of the essential elements
 of the world2 and let us interrogate it
 with regard to the great fact of       
religion4  ,the universal religion      
presents to observation two principal   
forms of mental experience3 the sense of
 the necessity for appeasing the ,divine
 justice1 and the sense of the necessity
 for obtaining the help of ,god4  ,the  

sense of the necessity for appeasing    
justice reveals itself in sacrifices4   
,there are sacrifices which are merely  
offerings of gratitude1 and freewill    
gifts of love4 ,but when you see the    
blood of animals flowing in the temples1
 and not seldom human blood gushing     
forth upon the altars1 you will be      
unable to escape the conviction that    
man1 in presenting himself before the   
,deity1 feels constrained to appease a  
justice which threatens him4  ,the sense
 of the need of help shows itself in    
prayer2 and this must be the especial   
object of our study1 because it is in   
the fact of religious invocation that we
 shall encounter the idea1 obscure      
perhaps1 but real1 of the goodness of   
the ,first ,cause of the universe4      
,prayer is a fact of the universal      
religion4 ,whence is it that we derive a
 large part of what knowledge we have of
 the ancient civilizations of ,india and
 ,egypt8 ,from ruins3 and the chief of  
these ruins are the ruins of temples1   

that is to say1 of houses of prayer4    
,would we go further back than these    
monuments of stone8 ,i interrogate those
 pioneers of science who are searching  
for the traces of antiquity in old      
languages1--in the ruins of speech4 ,i  
inquire1 for example1 of my learned     
fellow-countryman1 ,m4 ,adolphe ,pictet3
 ,you who have studied1 with patient    
care1 the first origins of our          
race--what have you discovered in the   
way of religion8 ,he replies3 ,when ,i  
have gone as far back as historical     
speculations can carry us by the aid of 
language1 it appears to me that ,i no   
longer see temples built by the hand of 
man1 but1 beneath the open vault of     
heaven1 ,i see our earliest ancestors   
sending up together the chant of prayer 
and the flame of sacrifice4#agd  ,and   
now1 from this remote antiquity1 ,i come
 down to the paganism1 in which modern  
civilization had its beginning4         
,tertullian teaches us that the pagans1 
seeming to forget their idols1 and to   

offer a spontaneous testimony to the    
truth1 were often wont to               
exclaim--,great ,god6 ,good ,god6 ,what 
in their mind was the order of these two
 thoughts1 the thought of greatness and 
that of goodness8 ,the pediment of a    
temple at ,rome bore this famous        
inscription1 ,deo optimo maximo2 and    
,cicero explains to us that the ,god of 
the ,capitol was by the ,roman people   
named very good on account of the       
benefits conferred by him1 and very     
great on account of his power4#age ,it  
is the idea of goodness which here      
appears to be first4 ,but let us go more
 directly to the root of the question3  
,what do we gather from the universality
 of prayer8 ,what is it to pray8 ,to    
pray is to ask4 ,prayer may be mingled  
with thanksgivings1 and with expressions
 of adoration1 but in itself prayer is a
 petition4 ,this petition rises to ,god3
 and when does it so rise8 ,in distress1
 in anguish4 ,it is misery1 weakness1   
the heart cast down1 the failing will1  

which unite to raise from earth to      
heaven that long cry which resounds     
across all the pages of history3        
,help6--,i analyze this fact1 and       
inquire what it means4 ,a request is    
made1 and for what8 ,for strength1 for  
tranquillity1 for peace2 for happiness  
under all its forms4 ,and of whom is    
happiness asked8 ,of goodness4 ,justice 
is appeased1 power is dreaded1 but it is
 goodness which is invoked4 ,it is so in
 human relations4 ,the man who          
supplicates the fiercest tyrant only    
does so because he supposes that a fibre
 of goodness may still vibrate in that  
savage heart4 ,take from him that       
thought2 persuade him that the last     
gleam of pity is extinct in the heart to
 which he appeals1 and you will arrest  
the prayer on the lips of the suppliant4
 ,there will remain for him only the    
silence of despair1 or the heroism of   
resignation4  ,to sum up3--,religion is 
a universal fact4 ,there is no religion 
without prayer1 said ,voltaire1 and he  

never said better4 ,there is no prayer  
without a confused1 perhaps1 but real1  
conviction of the goodness of the ,first
 ,cause of the universe4 ,if you could  
stifle in man's heart the feeling that  
the ,principle of things is good1 you   
would silence over the whole globe that 
voice of prayer which is ever rising to 
,god4 ,thus humanity itself testifies to
 the truth for which ,i am contending4  
,humanity prays2 it believes therefore  
in the goodness of ,god4 ,this fact is  
an argument4 ,the heart of man is       
organized to believe that ,god is good3 
it is the mark set by the ,worker       
,himself upon ,his work4  ,let us study 
now another of the elements of the      
universe4 ,we have heard the answer of  
man's heart2 let us ask for the answer  
of reason4 ,has reason nothing to tell  
us respecting the intentions of the     
,creator8 ,let us place it in presence  
of the idea of ,god--of the ,infinite   
,being1 and see what it will be able to 
teach us4  ,to attain my object1 ,i must

 explain more particularly than as yet  
,i have done1 a word rendered frivolous 
by the levity of our heart1 a word      
defiled by the disorder of our passions1
 and too often by the unworthiness1 and 
worse1 of poets and novelists1 but which
 still1 in its virgin purity1 is ever   
protesting against the outrages to which
 it has been subjected3 that word is    
love4  ,this word has two principal     
meanings4 ,in the ,platonic sense of it1
 it is the search after what is         
beautiful1 great1 noble1 pure1--after   
what1 as being of the very real nature  
of the soul1 attracts1 fills1 and       
delights it4 ,but there is another sort 
of love1 which does not pursue greatness
 and beauty1 but which gives itself2 a  
love which seeks the wretched to enrich 
him1 the poor to make him happy1 the    
fallen to raise him up4 ,these two kinds
 of love seem to follow different and   
even contrary laws4 ,here1 for instance1
 is a description of what often occurs  
in a large city4#agf ,a man leaves his  

house in the evening in order to be     
present at performances in which ,i am  
willing to believe that everything bears
 the stamp of nobleness and grandeur1 or
 at least of a pure and wholesome taste4
 ,he experiences keen enjoyment1 and    
that of an elevated kind4 ,the spectacle
 over1 he returns to his dwelling1 and  
at a still later hour he retires at     
length to his repose4 ,he has not long  
extinguished his luxurious tapers1      
perhaps1 when other men1 who have slept 
while others were seeking amusement1    
rise before daylight1 and1 lighting     
their small lanterns1 go forth to succor
 the unfortunate1 without witnesses and 
without ostentation4  ,i have taken this
 example from ,xavier de ,maistre4 ,let 
me give you another from scenes more    
familiar to ourselves4 ,you know those  
pure summer mornings1 when one may truly
 say that the ,alp smiles and that the  
mountain invites4 ,a young man quits his
 dwelling at the first dawning of the   
day1 in his hand the tourist's staff1   

and his countenance beaming with joy4   
,he starts on a mountain excursion4 ,all
 day long he quaffs the pure air with   
delight1 revels in the freedom of the   
pasture-grounds1 in the view of the     
lofty summits and of the distant        
horizons4 ,he reposes in the shade of   
the forest1 drinks at the spring from   
the rock1 and when he has gazed on the  
,alpine chain resplendent in the        
radiance of the setting sun1 he lingers 
still to see--        ,twilight its     
farewell to the hills delaying4#agg     
,noble enjoyments6 ,this young man      
enjoys because he loves4 ,the spectacle 
of the creation speaks to his heart and 
elevates his thoughts4 ,he loves that   
enchanting nature1 which blends in a    
marvellous union the impressions which  
in human relations are produced by the  
strong man's majesty and the maiden's   
sweetest smile4  ,on this same          
summer-day1 another man has also risen  
before the sun4 ,he is devoted to the   
assuaging of human miseries1 and he has 

had much to do4 ,he has mounted gloomy  
staircases2 he has entered dark         
chambers2 he has spent time in          
hospitals1 in the midst of the pains of 
sickness2 he has come1 in prisons1 to   
the relief of pains which are sadder    
still4 ,day1 as it dawned1 gilded the   
summits of the ,alps1 but he saw not    
that pure light of the morning4 ,day1 as
 it advanced1 penetrated into the       
valleys1 but he did not notice its      
progress4 ,the sun set in his glory1 but
 he had no opportunity to admire either 
the bright reflection of the waters1 or 
the rosy tint of the mountains4 ,and yet
 he too is joyful because he loves4 ,he 
loves the fulfilment of stern duty1 he  
loves poverty solaced1 and suffering    
alleviated4  ,here are the two kinds of 
love4 ,the disciple of ,plato rises1 far
 from the vulgarities of life1 into the 
lofty regions of the ideal1 and feeds on
 beauty4 ,vincent de ,paul takes the    
place of a convict at the galleys that  
he may restore a father to his children4

 ,these two kinds of love seem to us to 
be contrary one to the other3 the one   
seeks itself1 and the other gives       
itself4 ,still they are both necessary  
to life1 for in order to give we must   
receive4 ,in the accomplishment of the  
works of goodness1 the soul would be    
impoverished and would end by drying up 
in a purely mechanical exercise of      
beneficence1 had it no spring from which
 to draw forth the living waters4 ,man  
must himself find joy in order to       
diffuse it amongst his fellows4 ,but    
mark the incomparable marvel of the     
spiritual order of things6 ,the love    
which gives itself is able to find its  
worthiest object and its purest         
satisfaction in the very act of         
kindness4 ,there is joy in              
self-devotion2 there is happiness in    
self-sacrifice3 the fountain furnishes  
its own supplies4 ,thus are harmonized  
the two contrary tendencies of the heart
 of man4 ,it is more blessed to give    
than to receive2 words these1 of ,jesus 

,christ1 which1 forgotten by the        
,evangelists1 have been recorded by the 
,apostle ,st4 ,paul4 ,and since the     
thought is a beautiful one1 it has      
adorned the strains of the poets3 says  
,lamartine--        ,dost thou happiness
 resign      ,to another8 ,it is thine--
      ,larger for the                   
largess--still6#agh   ,and ,victor      
,hugo1 personifying ,charity1 makes her 
speak as follows3        ,dear to every 
man that lives1      ,joy ,i bring to   
him who gives1      ,joy ,i leave with  
him who takes4#agi   ,and because this  
thought is profound as well as          
beautiful1 it has been taken up by the  
philosophers4 ,to love1 said ,leibnitz1 
is to place one's happiness in the      
happiness of another4 ,here is the      
connecting link between ,platonic love  
and the love which is charity4 ,hear how
 a ,christian orator comments upon these
 words3--,this sublime definition has no
 need of explanations3 it is either     
understood at once1 or it is not        

understood4 ,the man who has loved      
understands it2 and he who has not loved
 will never understand it4 ,he who has  
loved knows that a shadow in the heart  
of the beloved one would darken his own3
 he knows that he would reckon no means 
too costly--watchings1 labors1          
privations--by which to create a smile  
on the lips of the sorrowful2 he knows  
that he would die to redeem a forfeited 
life2 he knows that he would be happy in
 another's welfare1 happy in his graces1
 happy in his virtues1 happy in his     
glory1 happy in his happiness4 ,the man 
who has loved knows all this2 he who has
 not loved knows nothing of it3--,i pity
 him6#ahj  ,but the great mistake1 which
 seems peculiar to our nature1 is that  
we are ever connecting happiness with   
the idea of receiving1 and are always   
thinking of giving as of a loss to      
ourselves4 ,we do not understand that   
selfishly to keep is to be impoverished1
 while freely to relinquish is to be    
enriched4 ,yet here is the grand        

discovery of the spiritual life2 and    
once this discovery made1 in order that 
the spiritual life may attain its       
object1 it only remains to find the     
strength to put it into practice4       
,selfishness is wrong1 no doubt1 but it 
is not only wrong1 it is ignorant1 for  
it looks for happiness where it is not2 
and it is unhappy1 for it wanders from  
the paths of peace4  ,let us now apply  
these considerations to the ,infinite   
,being1 and to the problem of the end of
 the creation4 ,leaving ourselves to the
 guidance of the laws of our reason1 let
 us ask what object we shall be able to 
attribute to the ,creator in ,his work8 
,will creation be the effect of a       
necessity8 ,no1 ,sirs1 for in that case 
everything in the world would be a      
matter of fate1 and liberty would remain
 inexplicable4 ,if a blind power were   
directing the ,almighty ,will1 we should
 return to the worship of destiny4 ,will
 creation1 then1 be the carrying out of 
a design of which the motive is         

interest8 ,but what conceivable interest
 can influence ,him who is the          
plentitude of being8 ,or will creation  
be a duty8 ,but whence should come the  
obligation for the ,being who is in     
,himself the absolute law8 ,creation can
 only be conceived of as a work of love4
 ,but of what love8 ,of that which is   
the manifestation of absolute           
disinterestedness1 of supreme liberty4  
,allow me to introduce into this        
discussion some eloquent words1 uttered 
in the year #ahdh1 in the midst of the  
revolutionary agitations of ,paris4 ,the
 problem which we are debating was      
treated then1 in the presence of an     
excited crowd1 by ,pre ,lacordaire4#aha 
,he is entering upon this question3     
,what can have been the motive of the   
creation8 ,and he distinguishes between 
love in the ,platonic sense of it1 for  
which he retains the name of love1 and  
the love which gives itself1 which he   
designates by the term--goodness4 ,was  
it then love1 he asks1 which impelled   

the ,divine ,will1 and said to it       
unceasingly3 ,go and create8 ,is it love
 which we must thus regard as our first 
father8 ,but1 alas6 love itself has a   
cause in the beauty of its object2 and  
what beauty could that dead and icy     
shade possess before ,god1 which        
preceded the universe1 and to which we  
cannot give a name without betraying the
 truth8444 ,there remained something1   
,sirs1 be very sure1 more generous than 
self-interest1 more elevated than duty1 
more powerful than love4 ,search your   
own hearts1 and if you find it hard to  
understand me1 if your own endowments   
are unknown to you1 listen to ,bossuet  
speaking of you3--',when ,god1' says he1
 'made the heart of man1 the first thing
 ,he planted there was goodness3'       
goodness2 that is to say1 that virtue   
which does not consult self-interest1   
which does not wait for the commands of 
duty1 which needs not to be solicited by
 the attraction of the beautiful1 but   
which stoops towards its object all the 

more1 as it is poorer1 more miserable1  
more abandoned1 more worthy of contempt6
 ,it is true1 ,sirs1 it is true3 man    
possesses that adorable faculty4 ,it is 
not genius1 nor glory1 nor love1 which  
measures the elevation of his soul1--it 
is goodness4 ,this it is which gives to 
the human countenance its principal and 
most powerful charm2 this it is which   
draws us together2 this it is which     
brings into communication the good and  
the evil1 and which is everywhere1 from 
heaven to earth1 the great mediating    
principle4 ,see1 at the foot of the     
,alps1 yon miserable crtin1 which1      
eyeless1 smileless1 tearless1 is not    
even conscious of its own degradation1  
and which looks like an effort of nature
 to insult itself in the dishonor of the
 greatest of its own productions3 but   
beware how you imagine that that        
wretched object has not found the road  
to any heart1 or that his debasement has
 deprived him of the love of all the    
world4 ,no3 he is beloved2 he has a     

mother1 he has brothers and sisters2 he 
has a place at the cottage-hearth2 he   
has the best place and the most sacred  
of all1 just because of all he may seem 
to have the least claim to any4 ,the    
bosom which nursed him supports him     
still1 and the superstition of love     
never speaks of him but as of a blessing
 sent of ,god4 ,such is man6  ,but can  
,i say1 ,such is man1 without saying    
also1 ,such is ,god6 ,from whom would   
man derive goodness1 if ,god were not   
the primordial ,ocean of goodness1 and  
if1 when ,he formed our heart1 ,he had  
not first of all poured into it a drop  
from ,his own8 ,yes1 ,god is good2 yes1 
goodness is the attribute which includes
 in it all the rest2 and it is not      
without reason that antiquity engraved  
on the pediment of its temples that     
famous inscription1 in which goodness   
preceded greatness4  ,now1 to say       
nothing of the sparkling beauty of these
 words1 let us pause at this definite   
idea3 ,the ,eternal1 the first universal

 ,cause of all things1 independently of 
which nothing exists1 could only create 
under the impelling motive of the       
goodness which gives1 and not of the    
love which seeks requital4 ,this        
proposition is as clear in the abstract 
as any theorem of geometry4 ,but we have
 touched the threshold of the infinite2 
and we never touch the threshold of the 
infinite without falling into some      
degree of bewilderment4 ,clear as this  
thought is in the abstract1 if we wish  
to analyze it in its real substance1 our
 view is confused4 ,you understand well 
that goodness increases in the          
proportion in which its object is       
diminished4 ,we are by so much more good
 as we stoop to that which is poorer and
 more miserable4 ,what then shall be the
 infinite goodness8 ,in order to find   
it1 we must infinitely diminish its     
object3 and here we encounter mystery4  
,to diminish an object infinitely is an 
operation impossible to our thought4    
,this mystery is encountered even in the

 mathematical sciences4 ,we take a      
quantity1 halve it1 and again halve this
 half1 and so on without end1 but we    
shall never obtain the infinity of      
smallness2 for the quantity indefinitely
 divided will always remain indefinitely
 divisible4 ,at whatever degree of      
division we may have arrived1 between   
what remains and nothingness there      
extends always the abyss of the         
infinite4 ,so ,i seek for the object of 
infinite goodness3 that object must be  
infinitely destitute4 ,i diminish       
accordingly the existence of the        
universe3 ,i extinguish all the rays of 
its beauty2 ,i take from it order1 life1
 measure1 color1 light2 ,i reduce it    
until it is nothing but formless matter1
 a something--,i know not what--which   
has no longer a name4 ,vain attempt6    
,this nameless something1 so long as it 
is anything1 will not be nothing4       
,between it and nothing there will      
always be the infinite4 ,if the goodness
 of ,god is applied to any object which 

was existing independently of ,him1     
however poor and abject that object be  
conceived to have been1 then ,god is no 
longer the unique1 the absolute         
,creator4 ,if imagination will cross the
 abyss1 we shall come of necessity to   
say--what8 that the object of infinite  
love must have been non-existence4 ,this
 is what the orator already quoted has  
done3--,all perfection supposes an      
object to which to apply itself4 ,the   
divine goodness therefore requires an   
object as vast and profound as itself4  
,god discovered it4 ,from the bosom of  
,his own fulness ,he saw that being     
without beauty1 without form1 without   
life1 without name1 that being without  
being which we call non-existence3 ,he  
heard the cry of worlds which were not1 
the cry of a measureless destitution    
calling to a measureless goodness4      
,eternity was troubled1 she said to     
,time3 ,begin6  ,this1 ,gentlemen1 is   
eloquence4 ,the thought in itself does  
not bear a rigorous analysis2 but do not

 think that the lustrous beauty of the  
language is only a brilliant veil to    
what in itself is absurd4 ,we have      
arrived at darkness1 but it is at       
darkness visible2 the cloud is lighted  
up by the ray that issues from it4 ,our 
goodness1 finite creatures as we are1 is
 so much the greater as the object on   
which it is bestowed is less4 ,infinite 
goodness must create for itself an      
object4 ,it does not love nothingness1  
but a creature which is nothing in      
itself1 a creature simply possible1     
which1 before owing to it the blessings 
of existence1 shall owe to it that      
existence itself4 ,the only being that  
we can represent to ourselves1 by a     
sublime image1 as stooping towards      
nothingness1 is ,he whose look gives    
life4 ,the creature is willed for       
itself1 or1--to quote the words of      
,professor ,secrtan1 addressed to you   
last year1--the foundation of nature is 
grace4#ahb ,we ask3 ,what can have been 
the object of creation8 ,our reason     

answers3 ,the ,infinite ,being can only 
act from goodness1 ,he can have no other
 object than the happiness of ,his      
creatures4  ,and now ,i recapitulate4   
,we ask what is the object of creation2 
and whereas we cannot transport         
ourselves into the inaccessible light of
 the ,divine consciousness1 we question 
the work of ,god in order to discern the
 intentions of the ,creator4 ,from the  
fact that humanity prays1 we gather the 
reply that man has a spontaneous belief 
in the goodness of the ,first ,cause of 
the universe4 ,we place reason in       
presence of the idea of the ,infinite   
,being2 reason declares to us that ,he  
who is the plenitude of ,being could not
 have created except from the motive of 
love4 ,we understand that ,god has made 
all for ,his own glory1 and that ,his   
glory consists in the manifestation of  
,his goodness4 ,these thoughts1 in their
 full light1 belong to the ,gospel      
revelation1 but they appear1 under a    
veil1 in the conceptions which lie at   

the basis of pagan religions4 ,without  
entering the temple of idols1 we may bow
 the knee before the pediment of the    
ancient sanctuary1 and1 beneath the open
 vault of heaven1 adore1 with the ,roman
 people1 that ,god whose goodness takes 
precedence of ,his greatness4  ,the     
direct consequence of the principles    
which we have just laid down is that    
happiness is the object of our          
existence4 ,created by goodness1 we can 
have no other end than blessedness4     
,but beware of supposing that we can    
take for our guide our desire of        
happiness1 and ourselves calculate its  
conditions4 ,happiness is our end2 it is
 the will of our ,father2 but we must   
let ourselves be conducted into it4 ,if1
 shutting our ears to the voice which   
lays upon us commands and obligations1  
we would take our destinies into our own
 hands2 if we made the search after     
happiness our rule1 understanding       
happiness in our own way1 we should be  
taking for light fantastic gleams which 

would lead us into abysses of ruin4 ,the
 unruly propensities of our heart would 
lead us to make ourselves the centre of 
the world4 ,to live for self is the     
motto of selfishness1 and the watchword 
of unhappiness4 ,to live for ,god is the
 way to happiness4 ,to live to ,god1    
that is to say1 over the ruins of our   
shattered selfishness1 to enter into    
order1 to take our place in the         
spiritual edifice of charity1 and to    
share in the joy which ,god allots to   
all ,his children--this is the end of   
our creation4 ,once lifted to the height
 of this thought1 we are able to        
understand the great struggle which rent
 the conscience of the ancients1 because
 in their times the light of truth      
illumined only at intervals the clouds  
of error which covered the world4       
,there are in man two voices2 the one   
leading him to happiness1 the other     
calling him to holiness4 ,the first     
impulse of his nature is to start in    
eager pursuit of mere enjoyment2 but ere

 long the second voice is heard1 the    
voice of conscience1 striving to arrest 
him in his course4 ,if man do not obey  
her call1 conscience becomes his        
chastiser4 ,hence arises a painful      
struggle of conflicting feelings1 and   
the human mind is the subject of a      
strong temptation to pacify itself by   
silencing one of the two voices4 ,it is 
the history of antiquity4 ,socrates1 the
 wise ,socrates1 had indeed cried aloud3
 ,woe6 woe to the man who separates the 
just from the useful2 and had warned men
 that happiness may be found apart from 
what is right and good4 ,cicero put into
 beautiful ,latin the lessons of the    
,grecian sage2 but the torn heart of man
 was not long in tearing the mantle of  
the philosopher4 ,from the thought1 full
 and complete as it is1 of ,socrates    
issued two celebrated sects1 one of     
which wished to establish man's life on 
the basis of duty without reference to  
happiness2 and the other on the basis of
 happiness without reference to duty4   

,the ,stoics attached themselves to     
duty2 but the need of happiness asserted
 itself in spite of them1 and sought    
satisfaction in the gloomy pleasure of  
isolation1 and in the savage joy of     
pride4 ,the sage of these philosophers  
sets himself free1 not only from all the
 cares of earth1 but from all the bonds 
of the heart1 from all natural          
affection4 ,finally1 by a consequence1  
at once sad and odd1 of the same        
doctrine1 the highest point of          
self-possession is to prove that man is 
master of himself1 by the emancipation  
of suicide and in the liberty of death4 
,the ,stoic philosopher declares himself
 insensible to the ills of life2 he     
denies that pain is an evil2 and1 on the
 other hand1 he claims the right to kill
 himself in order to escape from the    
ills of existence6 ,so ended this famous
 school4 ,at the same period1 the herd  
of ,epicurus' followers1 giving         
themselves over to weak and shameful    
indulgences1 were thus in fact laboring 

with all their might 7this is           
,montesquieu's opinion7 to prepare that 
enormous corruption under which were to 
sink together the glory of ,rome and the
 civilization of the ancient world4     
,this struggle which rent the ancient   
conscience1 and which still rends the   
modern conscience wherever the goodness 
of ,god continues veiled--this great    
conflict is appeased when we have come  
to understand that goodness is the first
 principle of things1 that happiness is 
our end1 and that the stern voice of    
conscience is a friendly voice which    
warns us to shun those paths of error in
 which we should encounter wretchedness4
 ,the conscience is the voice of the    
,master2 and the same authority which1  
speaking in the name of duty1 bids      
us--,be good1 adds1 in the gentle       
accents of hope--and thou shalt be      
happy4 ,happiness1 duty1--these are the 
two aspects of the ,divine ,will4 ,love 
is the solution of the universal enigma4
 ,therefore1 surprising as the thought  

may be1 it is our duty to be happy4 ,our
 profession of faith1 when we look      
above1 must be3 ,i believe in goodness2 
and when we enter again into ourselves1 
our profession of faith should be3 ,i   
believe in happiness4 ,and we do not    
believe in it4 ,not to believe in       
happiness is the root of our ills2 it is
 the original misery which includes all 
our miseries4 ,triflers that we are1 we 
give ourselves up to pleasure because we
 do not believe in joy3 frivolous1 we   
run after giddy excitement because we do
 not believe in peace3 with hearts      
corrupt1 we abandon ourselves to the    
devouring flame of the passions1 because
 we do not believe in the serene light  
of true felicity4 ,but the more the     
thought of ,god's love enters our mind1 
the more will faith in happiness issue  
from our soul as a blessed flower4      
,happiness is the end of our being2 it  
is the will of the ,father4 ,to each one
 of us are these words addressed3 ,god  
loves thee2 be happy6 ,if therefore 7and

 ,i address myself more particularly to 
the younger of my hearers71 if in the   
depth of your soul you are conscious of 
a sudden aspiration after true felicity1
 ah6 do not suffer the holy flame to be 
extinguished1 do not talk of illusions2 
do not1 ,i pray you1 resign yourselves  
to the prose of life2 to a dreary and   
gloomy contentedness with a destiny     
which has no ideal4 ,your nature does   
not deceive you2 it is you who deceive  
yourselves1 if you seek your own welfare
 in the world of foolish or guilty      
chimeras4 ,listen to all the voices     
which speak to you of comfort2 be       
attentive to all the words of peace4    
,seek1 labor1 pray1 till you are able to
 utter1 in quiet confidence1 those words
 of the ,psalmist3        ,in peace ,i  
lay me down to rest2      ,no fears of  
evil haunt my breast3      ,in peace ,i 
sleep till dawn of day1      ,for ,god1 
my ,god1 is near alway3      ,on ,him in
 faith my cares ,i roll2      ,he never 
sleeps who guards my soul4#ahc   ,god in

 the heart--this it is which adds zest  
to our enjoyments1 sanctifies our       
affections1 calms our griefs1 and which1
 amidst the struggles1 the sorrows1 and 
the harrowing afflictions of life1      
suffers to rise from the heart to the   
countenance that sublime smile which can
 shine brightly even through tears4     
,,footnotes3  #agb       ,tristes       
calculateurs des misres humaines1       
,ne me consolez point1 vous aigrissez   
mes peines2      ,et je ne vois en vous 
que l'effort impuissant      ,d'un fier 
infortun qui feint d'tre content4       
,quel bonheur1 ,o mortels1 et faible et 
misrable4      ,vous criez3 ,tout est   
bien d'une voix lamentable2             
,l'univers vous dment1 et votre propre  
coeur      ,cent fois de votre esprit a 
rfut l'erreur4      ,il le faut avouer1 
le mal est sur la terre4                
,,desastre ,,de ,,lisbonne4  #agc       
,pourquoi donc1 ,o ,matre suprme1       
,as-tu cr le mal si grand      ,que la  
raison1 la vertu mme      ,s'pouvantent 

en le voyant8       ,comment1 sous la   
sainte lumire1      ,voit-on des actes  
si hideux1      ,qu'ils font expirer la 
prire      ,sur les lvres du malheureux8
       ,pourquoi1 dans ton oeuvre       
cleste1      ,tant d'lments si peu      
d'accord8      ,a quoi bon le crime et  
la peste1      ,o ,dieu juste6 pourquoi 
la mort8             ,,alfred ,,de      
,,musset1 ,espoir en ,dieu4  #agd ,les  
origines indo-europennes1 ou les ,aryas 
primitifs4--,the above is a rsum1 not a 
verbatim quotation4  #age ,quocirca te1 
,capitoline1 quem propter beneficia     
populus ,romanus ,,optimum1 propter vim 
,,maximum nominavit4 7,pro domo sua1    
,,lvii47  #agf ,see the ,voyage autour  
de ma chambre of ,xavier de ,maistre4   
#agg ,le crpuscule aux monts prolonger  
ses adieux4  #agh       ,tout le bonheur
 tu cdes      ,accrot ta flicit4  #agi  
,chre  tout homme quel qu'il soit1      
,j'apporte la joie  qui donne      ,et  
je la laisse  qui reoit4  ,and          
,shakspeare--          4444 ,mercy 444  

is twice bless'd1      ,it blesseth him 
that gives1 and him that takes4         
,merchant of ,venice4--,,tr4  #ahj      
,lacordaire4 ,confrences de #ahdh4  #aha
 ,confrences de #ahdh1 p4 #gh4  #ahb ,la
 raison et le ,christianisme3 twelve    
lectures on the existence of ,god1 one  
vol4 #abmo4 ,in the ,philosophie de la  
libert 7#b vols4 #hvo47 ,m4 ,secrtan has
 set forth1 in a severely scientific    
form1 the arguments of which the reader 
has just seen the oratorical expression 
from the pen of ,pre ,lacordaire4 ,this 
agreement is worth notice1 the dates    
showing that no communication was       
possible4  #ahc       ,je me couche sans
 peur1      ,je m'endors sans frayeur1  
,sans crainte je m'veille4      ,dieu   
qui soutient ma foi      ,est toujours  
prs de moi1      ,et jamais ne          
sommeille4   ,,the ,,end4         99    
99       99       99       99           
,cambridge3 ,printed by ,john ,wilson   
and ,son4