26 On Party-Prejudice, 
states, than ever was accomplished by a display of 
auto-da-fés, dragooning, or any other mode of 
persecution practised by arbitrary and intolerant 
governments! The latter evils occur only at dis- 
tant intervals; but the former never cease to exist. 
If a contrariety of conduct were necessarily con- 
nected with a difference in theological tenets, the 
malice and uncharitableness of the followers of dif. 
ferent sects might readily be explained; «« but,” as 
a celebrated writer* observes, % where the diffe- 
rence of opinion is not accompanied with a contra- 
riety of action, each being allowed to follow his own 
way, as happens in religious controversy, what 
madness to create divisions!” ; 
Religious prejudices ought carefully to be guard- 
ed against in the education of youth. For, if they 
have been suffered to spring up in alliance with po- 
litical party-prejudice, it is with the utmost difficul- 
ty they can be weeded out of the mind. If these 
associations be not destroyed, the purest benevo- 
lence of disposition will be likely to degenerate 
into a hatred of man, as a mistaken zeal for the 
honour of the Deity + will be joined to a concern 
* Hume’s “ Essay on Parties in general,’ 
+t Montesquieu relates the following instance of a mis- 
taken and blasphemous idea of avenging the Deity, as 
having happened in France during the 16th century: “a 
Jew, accused of blasphemy against the holy Virgin, was 
condemned to be flayed: several Gentlemen armed with 
