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to be an atheist is to be a philosopher。〃 There are； undoubtedly； a
good many deists； especially after Rousseau appeared； but I question
whether； out of a hundred persons； there were in Paris at this time
ten Christian men or women。 〃The fashionable world for ten years
past；〃 says Mercier＇24＇ in 1783； 〃has not attended mass。 People go
only on Sundays so as not to scandalize their lackeys； while the
lackeys well know that it is on their account。〃 The Duc de Coigny；＇25＇
on his estate near Amiens； refuses to be prayed for and threatens his
curate if he takes that liberty to have him cast out of his pulpit；
his son becomes ill and he prohibits the administering of the
sacraments； the son dies and he opposes the usual obsequies； burying
the body in his garden； becoming ill himself he closes his door
against the bishop of Amiens； who comes to see him twelve times； and
dies as he had lived。 A scandal of this kind is doubtless notorious
and； therefore； rare。 Almost everybody； male and female； 〃ally with
freedom of ideas a proper observance of forms。〃＇26＇ When a maid
appears and says to her mistress； 〃Madame la Duchesse； the Host （le
bon Dieu） is outside； will you allow him to enter？ He desires to have
the honor of administering to you；〃 appearances are kept up。 The
troublesome individual is admitted and he is politely received。 If
they slip away from him it is under a decent pretext； but if he is
humored it is only out of a sense of decorum。 〃At Sura when a man
dies； he holds a cow's tail in his hand。〃 Society was never more
detached from Christianity。 In its eyes a positive religion is only
a popular superstition； good enough for children and innocents but not
for 〃sensible people〃 and the great。 It is your duty to raise your
hat to the Host as it passes； but your duty is only to raise your hat。
The last and gravest sign of all！ If the curates who work and who
are of the people hold the people's ideas； the prelates who talk； and
who are of society hold the opinions of society。 And I do not allude
merely to the abbés of the drawing…room； the domestic courtiers；
bearers of news； and writers of light verse； those who fawn in
boudoirs； and who； when in company； answer like an echo； and who；
between one drawing room and another； serve as megaphone； an echo； a
megaphone only repeats the phrase； whether skeptical or not； with
which it is charged。 I refer to the dignitaries； and； on this point；
the witnesses all concur。 In the month of August； 1767； the Abbé
Bassinet； grand vicar of Cahors； on pronouncing the panegyric of St。
Louis in the Louvre chapel；＇27＇ 〃suppressed the sign of the cross；
making no quotation from Scripture and never uttering a word about
Christ and the Saints。 He considered Louis IX merely on the side of
his political； moral and military virtues。 He animadverted on the
Crusades； setting forth their absurdity； cruelty and even injustice。
He struck openly and without caution at the see of Rome。〃 Others
〃avoid the name of Christ in the pulpit and merely allude to him as a
Christian legislator。〃＇28＇ In the code which the prevailing opinions
and social decency impose on the clergy a delicate observer＇29＇ thus
specifies distinctions in rank with their proper shades of behavior：
〃A plain priest； a curate； must have a little faith； otherwise he
would be found a hypocrite； at the same time； he must not be too well
satisfied； for he would be found intolerant。 On the contrary； the
grand vicar may smile at an expression against religion； the bishop
may laugh outright； and the cardinal may add something of his own to
it。〃 〃A little while ago；〃 a chronicle narrates； 〃some one put this
question to one of the most respectable curates in Paris： Do you think
that the bishops who insist so strenuously on religion have much of it
themselves？ The worthy pastor replied； after a moment's hesitation：
There may be four or five among them who still believe。〃 To one who is
familiar with their birth； their social relations； their habits and
their tastes； this does not appear at all improbable。 〃Dom
Collignon； a representative of the abbey of Mettach； seignior high…
justiciary and curate of Valmunster；〃 a fine…looking man； fine talker；
and an agreeable housekeeper； avoids scandal by having his two
mistresses at his table only with a select few； he is in other
respects as little devout as possible； and much less so than the
Savoyard vicar； 〃finding evil only in injustice and in a lack of
charity；〃 and considering religion merely as a political institution
and for moral ends。 I might cite many others； like M。 de Grimaldi；
the young and gallant bishop of Le Mans； who selects young and gallant
comrades of his own station for his grand vicars； and who has a
rendezvous for pretty women at his country seat at Coulans＇30＇。
Judge of their faith by their habits。 In other cases we have no
difficulty in determining。 Scepticism is notorious with the Cardinal
de Rohan； withM。 de Brienne； archbishop of Sens； withM。 de Talleyrand；
bishop of Autun； and with the Abbé Maury； defender of the clergy。
Rivarol；＇31＇ himself a skeptic； declares that at the approach of the
Revolution； 〃the enlightenment of the clergy equaled that of the
philosophers。〃 〃Who would believe it； but body with the fewest
prejudices；〃 says Mercier；＇32＇ 〃is the clergy。〃 And the Archbishop of
Narbonne； explaining the resistance of the upper class of the clergy
in I791＇33＇ attributes it； not to faith but to a point of honor。 〃We
conducted ourselves at that time like true gentlemen； for； with most
of us； it could not be said that it was through religious feeling。〃
V。 POLITICAL OPPOSITION。
Progress of political opposition。 … Its origin。 … The
economists and the parliamentarians。 … They prepare the way for the
philosophers。 … Political fault…finding in the drawing…rooms。 …
Female liberalism。
The distance between the altar and the throne is a short one； and
yet it requires thirty years for opinion to overcome it。 No
political or social attacks are yet made during the first half of the
century。 The irony of the 〃Lettres Persanes〃is as cautious as it is
delicate； and the 〃 Esprit des Lois〃 is conservative。 As to the Abbé
de Saint…Pierre his reveries provoke a smile； and when he undertakes
to censure Louis XIV the Academy strikes him off its list。 At last；
the economists on one side and the parliamentarians on the other； give
the signal。 … Voltaire says＇34＇ that 〃about 1750 the nation；
satiated with verse； tragedies； comedies； novels； operas； romantic
histories； and still more romantic moralizings； and with disputes
about grace and convulsions； began to discuss the question of corn。〃
What makes bread dear？ Why is the laborer so miserable？ What
constitutes the material and limits of taxation？ Ought not all land to
pay taxes； and should one piece pay more than its net product？ These
are the questions that find the