LETTER III.

THERE is no weakness more common, nor any one more illiberal, than that of an indiscriminate sneer at religious institutions. How few are there of us, who previously consider the relative and political situations of the countries in which such religions are established! Proud of a self-assumed authority to judge, we venture upon a superficial glance, to condemn all professions. and all professors. But, can there be any thing more ungenerous or unjust? Can there, let me ask, be any system of faith or of practice so totally defective, as to be in all its parts deserving of contempt? Or, however contrary to our own way of thinking, can there be any body of spiritual teachers, who merit nothing but ridicule and censure ?

Besides their unbounded claims to temporal as well as spiritual dominion, and their abject and comfortless austerities, many puerile subtleties, it must be confessed, have disgraced the character

of

of certain orders of the priesthood. In attempting to illustrate their principles, they have, in many instances, extinguished the very spirit of their religion. They have thought it necessary to employ the aid of science in propping up a sacred edifice, confessedly raised by God himself. In a word, learned pride, with inflated tyranny and arrogance, have been substituted in the place of Christian humility and forbearance; and the sublime simplicity of their master's laws, has been lost in scholastic refinement.

Notwithstanding this, as the religion of every country makes a great part in its political fabric, it is neither candid nor dignified to run into the fashionable practice of exposing the profession, the persons, and the characters of priests.Throughout Europe, the generality of the clergy lead virtuous and pious lives; at least, few of them are notoriously vicious. In their education, they necessarily become instructed in various branches of knowledge. As to their calling, surely it is not a contemptible one. The subject of it is God and truth; and the end at which it aims is the peace and the happiness of mankind. But, not to confine ourselves to the present moment, or to Christian ground, cast a retrospect on the mythologically hallowed soil on which

you

you have recently been travelling. From the commencement to nearly the conclusion of the Roman empire, the king was always priest or pontifex. Æneas, says tradition, was sacrorum rex, or pontifex. Julius Cæsar by election became high priest; so did Augustus; and the emperors were so of course, in consequence of their office; Gratian being the first, even of the Christian emperors, who refused the title of Pontifex Maximus. And hence, as it has been remarked, it is well for free-thinkers, classical ones in particular, they live in times when liberty is so well understood as it is at this day among us; for had they lived in the boasted days of Pagan freedom, he among them had been fortunate, who should have escaped a character, esteemed by their favou rite ancients the most infamous of all, that of an enemy to the religion of his country.

As a brilliant elucidation, let me intreat you to cast your eyes on the enlightened and truly respectable Clergy, by whom you are at present surrounded. They afford a delightful spectacle, and lead to a veneration of the system which can produce such benevolent and such able pastors. Nor let predilection for the reformed church be supposed to actuate me to this opinion. Hear what a Ronan Catholic says, not only of

the

the Clergy, but of the whole Helvetic nation. Treating of the dreadful carnage and destruction caused by the difference of opinions in religion. at a memorable æra, the Author of L'Esprit de la Ligue has these words :-" Les Suisses furent peut-être les seuls qui s'armerent par un vrai zele depouillé de tout motif humain. La Doctrine Catholique et celle de Zuingle eurent leurs bornes assignées; et les efforts qu'elles ont faits reciproquement dans la suite. pour les passer, ont toujours été réprimés sans guerres civiles." Such then being the case,

when intolerance had reared its monstrous head almost universally, what must not their character be now, when among nations of the purest religious liberality, they still hold a conspicuous and eminent situation?

It is an erroneous opinion, that sequestration from the world, and a total dereliction of all pleasures and all business, are essential to the full and powerful exertion of our mental faculties. The man who has received from nature a sound and discriminating judgment, and who, as a stock of materials on which to exercise his faculties, has acquired a fund of useful knowledge, cannot be deprived of his ability and inclination for study, by any active pursuits for

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the benefit of society, or by any lassitude or fatigue from public employments. An ardent and a versatile mind will find moments for study and for amusement, as well as for business. Trying its force on variety, its keenness and assiduity will increase. Pleasure springs from the source of unfettered scientific investigation; and stability of strength from the exertion of our faculties. Men of feeble parts, I confess, are not to be included in this number. I speak of those select and exalted minds, 66 quos ardens evexit ad æthera virtus." But, retirement is far from being indispensably requisite. Cicero, Xenophon, Cæsar, Bacon, De Thou, and a variety of others, not only did more, but thought more, and wrote more, than any mistaken recluse that ever existed. But, thrift, and frugality in the disposition of time, are points which are in that case absolutely necessary. Careful and undissipated in the application of them, a man's hoard will so rapidly increase, that in the end, he will have accumulated a stock, not only adequate to every common demand, but amply sufficient for every future contingency.

We sometimes, however, meet with a man who drones away his existence; and who, even