84 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



open to the guilty Î how many fupports given to 

 innocence ! Ah ! when her ahars arofe amidft our 

 forefts, enfanguined by the knives of the Druids, 

 how the oppreffed flocked to them in quell of an 

 afylum ! How many irreconcileable enemies there 

 embraced with tears ! Tyrants, melted to pity, 

 felt, from the height of their towers, their arms 

 drop from their hands. They had known the 

 Empire only of terror, and they faw that of charity 

 fpring up in it's room. Lovers ran thither to 

 mingle vows, and to fwear a mutual afîeétion, 

 which fhould furvive even the tomb. She did 

 not allow a fingle day to hatred, and promifed 

 eternity to love. Ah ! if this Religion was dé- 

 fi gned only for the confoiation of the miferable, 

 it was, of courfe, defigned to promote that of the 

 Human Race ! 



It was not long before her tranquillity returned ; for all the 

 boats gained the harbour a few hours afterward, without having 

 fuftained the flighteft injury. 



Religion has been frequently calumniated, by having the 

 blame of our political evils laid to her charge. Hear what 

 Montagne, who lived in the midll of thofe civil wars, fays on 

 this fubjeft : " Let us confefs the iruth : Whoever fhould make 

 " a draught from the army, even the moft legally embodied, 

 *' of thofe who ferve from the zeal of a religious affeélion, and 

 *« add to them, fuch as regard only the proteftion of the laws 

 «' of their Country, or the fervice of the Prince, would find it 

 " difficult to make up of them one complete company of fol- 

 " diers." Effays^ Book ii. chap. xii. page 317. 



Whatever 



