STUDY VII. 71 



this world. The Nobles, Magidrates, Soldiers, 

 nay, the Kings themfelves, of former times, were 

 no better than they. 



They have been accufed of promoting every 

 where the fpirit of intolerance, and of aiming at 

 fuperiority, by preaching up humility. But moffc 

 of them, repelled by the world, carry into their 

 profeflional corps, that fpirit of intolerance of 

 which the world fet the example, and of which 

 they are the vidims ; and their ambition, fre- 

 quently, is a mere confequence of that univerfal 

 ambition, with which national education, and the 

 prejudices of fociety, infpire all the members of 

 the State. 



Without meaning to make their apology, and 

 much lefs fatirically to inveigh againft them, or 

 any body of men whatever, whofe evils it was not 

 my wiQito difcover, except for the purpofe of in- 

 dicating the remedies which feem to me to be 

 within their reach, I fliall here confine myfelf to 

 a few refleftions on religion, which is, even in this 

 life, the avenger of the wicked, and the confola- 

 tion of the good. 



The world, in thefe days, confiders religion as 



the concern only of the vulgar, and as a mere po- 



F 4 litical 



