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and medicine； geology and astronomy； man after man； both of the
middle and the noble classes； laid down on more and more sound；
because more and more extended foundations； that physical science
which will endure as an everlasting heritage to mankind； endure；
even though a second Byzantine period should reduce it to a timid
and traditional pedantry； or a second irruption of barbarians sweep
it away for awhile； to revive again （as classic philosophy revived
in the fifteenth century） among new and more energetic races； when
the kingdom of God shall have been taken away from us； and given to
a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof。
An eternal heritage； I say； for the human race； which once gained；
can never be lost； which stands； and will stand； marches； and will
march； proving its growth； its health； its progressive force； its
certainty of final victory； by those very changes； disputes；
mistakes； which the ignorant and the bigoted hold up to scorn； as
proofs of its uncertainty and its rottenness； because they never
have dared or cared to ask boldlyWhat are the facts of the case？
and have never discovered either the acuteness； the patience； the
calm justice； necessary for ascertaining the facts； or their awful
and divine certainty when once ascertained。
＇But these philosophers （it will be said） hated all religion。
Before that question can be fairly discussed； it is surely right to
consider what form of religion that was which they found working
round them in France； and on the greater part of the Continent。 The
quality thereof may have surely had something to do （as they
themselves asserted） with that 〃sort of rage〃 with which （to use M。
de Tocqueville's words） 〃the Christian religion was attacked in
France。〃
M。 de Tocqueville is of opinion （and his opinion is likely to be
just） that 〃the Church was not more open to attack in France than
elsewhere； that the corruptions and abuses which had been allowed to
creep into it were less； on the contrary； there than in most
Catholic countries。 The Church of France was infinitely more
tolerant than it ever had been previously； and than it still was
among other nations。 Consequently； the peculiar causes of this
phenomenon〃 （the hatred which it aroused） 〃must be looked for less
in the condition of religion than in that of society。〃
〃We no longer；〃 he says； shortly after； 〃ask in what the Church of
that day erred as a religious institution； but how far it stood
opposed to the political revolution which was at hand。〃 And he goes
on to show how the principles of her ecclesiastical government； and
her political position； were such that the philosophes must needs
have been her enemies。 But he mentions another fact which seems to
me to belong neither to the category of religion nor to that of
politics； a fact which； if he had done us the honour to enlarge upon
it； might have led him and his readers to a more true understanding
of the disrepute into which Christianity had fallen in France。
〃The ecclesiastical authority had been specially employed in keeping
watch over the progress of thought； and the censorship of books was
a daily annoyance to the philosophes。 By defending the common
liberties of the human mind against the Church； they were combating
in their own cause： and they began by breaking the shackles which
pressed most closely on themselves。〃
Just so。 And they are not to be blamed if they pressed first and
most earnestly reforms which they knew by painful experience to be
necessary。 All reformers are wont thus to begin at home。 It is to
their honour if； not content with shaking off their own fetters；
they begin to see that others are fettered likewise； and； reasoning
from the particular to the universal； to learn that their own cause
is the cause of mankind。
There is； therefore； no reason to doubt that these men were honest；
when they said that they were combating； not in their own cause
merely； but in that of humanity； and that the Church was combating
in her own cause； and that of her power and privilege。 The Church
replied that she； too； was combating for humanity； for its moral and
eternal well…being。 But that is just what the philosophes denied。
They said （and it is but fair to take a statement which appears on
the face of all their writings； which is the one key…note on which
they ring perpetual changes）； that the cause of the Church in France
was not that of humanity； but of inhumanity； not that of nature； but
of unnature； not even that of grace； but of disgrace。 Truely or
falsely； they complained that the French clergy had not only
identified themselves with the repression of free thought； and of
physical science； especially that of the Newtonian astronomy； but
that they had proved themselves utterly unfit； for centuries past；
to exercise any censorship whatsoever over the thoughts of men：
that they had identified themselves with the cause of darkness； not
of light； with persecution and torture； with the dragonnades of
Louis XIV。； with the murder of Calas and of Urban Grandier； with
celibacy； hysteria； demonology； witchcraft； and the shameful public
scandals； like those of Gauffredi； Grandier； and Pere Giraud； which
had arisen out of mental disease； with forms of worship which seemed
to them （rightly or wrongly） idolatry； and miracles which seemed to
them （rightly or wrongly） impostures； that the clergy interfered
perpetually with the sanctity of family life； as well as with the
welfare of the state； that their evil counsels； and specially those
of the Jesuits； had been patent and potent causes of much of the
misrule and misery of Louis XIV。's and XV。's reigns； and that with
all these heavy counts against them； their morality was not such as
to make other men more moral； and was notat least among the
hierarchyimproving； or likely to improve。 To a Mazarin； a De
Retz； a Richelieu （questionable men enough） had succeeded a Dubois；
a Rohan； a Lomenie de Brienne； a Maury； a Talleyrand； and at the
revolution of 1789 thoughtful Frenchmen asked； once and for all；
what was to be done with a Church of which these were the
hierophants？
Whether these complaints affected the French Church as a 〃religious〃
institution； must depend entirely on the meaning which is attached
to the word 〃religion〃： that they affected her on scientific；
rational； and moral grounds； independent of any merely political
one； is as patent as that the attack based on them was one…sided；
virulent； and often somewhat hypocritical； considering the private
morals of many of the assailants。 We knowor ought to knowthat
within that religion which seemed to the philosophes （so distorted
and defaced had it become） a nightmare dream； crushing the life out
of mankind； there lie elements divine； eternal； necessary for man in
this life and the life to come。 But we are bound to askHad they a
fair chance of knowing what we know？ Have we proof that their
hatred was