Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Perfidy And Infidelity Of The French.
that , instead ofthe luxury of courts , they would establish liberty and equality ; in-the place of a persecuting superstition , universal tolerance ; of individual will , general law ; of literary servility , unqualified liberty of opinion ; of feudal oppressions , the removal of many physical evils ; of ignorance , the institution of a national education , which should redeem the human race from error , and advance the improvement of their-intellectual and moral sentiments . All
powers this they solemnly promised , but have fulfilled in no one instance . Many , however , gave credit to the benev 'lent design , because it was plausible , and so did I . Mark how they have performed their promises . Instead of renouncing all conquests , they have iiot only subjugated , but they have plundered Savoy , Italy , Holland , the Austrian Netherlands , and ail the territory situated between their ancient
frontier and the banks of the Rhine , which , with magnificent folly , they . have appropriated as their boundary , in defiance of reason , justice , and military experience . The triumphs of their philosophy consisted in the legalized murder or banishment of every man who was distinguished for literary eminence , and who took no part in their sanguinary measures ; the black catalogue of whose names is as appalling to the philosopher , as it must be disgusting to all good men . For liberty and equality , they have permitted the licentious freedom of a
few hundred tyrants , who . are the offals of human nature ; and such as the lowest of the people brought into play according to the downward progression of civil commotion . For universal tolerance , they have martyred , imprisoned , or banished , most exemplary characters , because they gave testimony of that faith which is in them ; so that an Algerine pirate , or an atheist , is certain of toleration and countenance there , when a Christian finds none . For general lawthey
, have established the discipline of the bayonet , and the sanguinary codes of general proscription . For unqualified liberty of opinion , they imprison or banish every man who dares to speak- against the government ; and they have appointed a licenser to the public papers , the only vehicles of public opinion and intelligence . For the re-. moval of many physical . evils , they have entailed poverty , thegreatest
, of evils , on their passive slaves ; and for national education , and the improvement of the human intellect , they have discountenanced all religion , proscribed its teachers , driven men of true knowledge either into banishment or silence ; and , with a mockery of all sense , have instituted Pagan ceremonies , wherein the most bombastic rant and fustian are delivered from their chief magistrates ; and the people , embruted , are taught to besatisfied , like the servile Romans , with panem and circenses , bread and puppet-shews .
I ALWAYS considered it as a wise measure to abstain from any professions in a country , where religion reared her sacred front in the palace and in the'hamlet . But when Infidelity avowedly stalks abroad , when every fallacy is marshalled in systematic order , "for the base -purpose of . invalidating or rendering ridiculous-the great-. truths of relig ion , it is right that every man should boldly and fearlessl y avow his
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Perfidy And Infidelity Of The French.
that , instead ofthe luxury of courts , they would establish liberty and equality ; in-the place of a persecuting superstition , universal tolerance ; of individual will , general law ; of literary servility , unqualified liberty of opinion ; of feudal oppressions , the removal of many physical evils ; of ignorance , the institution of a national education , which should redeem the human race from error , and advance the improvement of their-intellectual and moral sentiments . All
powers this they solemnly promised , but have fulfilled in no one instance . Many , however , gave credit to the benev 'lent design , because it was plausible , and so did I . Mark how they have performed their promises . Instead of renouncing all conquests , they have iiot only subjugated , but they have plundered Savoy , Italy , Holland , the Austrian Netherlands , and ail the territory situated between their ancient
frontier and the banks of the Rhine , which , with magnificent folly , they . have appropriated as their boundary , in defiance of reason , justice , and military experience . The triumphs of their philosophy consisted in the legalized murder or banishment of every man who was distinguished for literary eminence , and who took no part in their sanguinary measures ; the black catalogue of whose names is as appalling to the philosopher , as it must be disgusting to all good men . For liberty and equality , they have permitted the licentious freedom of a
few hundred tyrants , who . are the offals of human nature ; and such as the lowest of the people brought into play according to the downward progression of civil commotion . For universal tolerance , they have martyred , imprisoned , or banished , most exemplary characters , because they gave testimony of that faith which is in them ; so that an Algerine pirate , or an atheist , is certain of toleration and countenance there , when a Christian finds none . For general lawthey
, have established the discipline of the bayonet , and the sanguinary codes of general proscription . For unqualified liberty of opinion , they imprison or banish every man who dares to speak- against the government ; and they have appointed a licenser to the public papers , the only vehicles of public opinion and intelligence . For the re-. moval of many physical . evils , they have entailed poverty , thegreatest
, of evils , on their passive slaves ; and for national education , and the improvement of the human intellect , they have discountenanced all religion , proscribed its teachers , driven men of true knowledge either into banishment or silence ; and , with a mockery of all sense , have instituted Pagan ceremonies , wherein the most bombastic rant and fustian are delivered from their chief magistrates ; and the people , embruted , are taught to besatisfied , like the servile Romans , with panem and circenses , bread and puppet-shews .
I ALWAYS considered it as a wise measure to abstain from any professions in a country , where religion reared her sacred front in the palace and in the'hamlet . But when Infidelity avowedly stalks abroad , when every fallacy is marshalled in systematic order , "for the base -purpose of . invalidating or rendering ridiculous-the great-. truths of relig ion , it is right that every man should boldly and fearlessl y avow his